In Bed with the Enemy (14 page)

She didn’t rise to the bait as he’d expected. She was wearing flat black pumps with gold embroidery on the toes and a bell dangling on the toe. It tinkled as she casually crossed one foot over the other. Her arms dropped to her side, but her head gave an impatient little toss that set her hair swinging. 

‘I’m not really
that
interested, Leon. You’re free to come and go as you please - and I intend to do exactly the same. I might be your wife, but it’s only on sufferance.’

‘You haven’t complained so far.’ He smiled as he rose to his feet, amused by the casually studied aggression, which was at odds with her blush. ‘I need Helen to sign some papers. You can come with me if you like.’

Her eyes began to gleam. ‘I’m not in the mood to have a pair of fangs sunk into my neck.’

‘Alligators don’t have fangs.’

She executed a delicious little gurgle that made the hairs on the back of his neck stand up. ‘Is the phone bugged?’

‘Sometimes it’s handy to have a record of two-way conversations. I’ll buy you a mobile tomorrow.’ Placing his hands on each side of the chair he leaned down and kissed her forehead then gazed into her eyes. ‘Are you sure you don’t want to come?’

‘Some other time, Leon.’

‘You’re going to have to socialize with her some time or another, you know.’

‘But not on her home ground.’

‘Okay.’ He straightened up. ‘We’ve been invited to a charity function tomorrow evening and will probably run into her there. Will you be able to cope, or should I offer our apologies?’

She worried at her bottom lip for a second. ‘Let me think about it.’

‘Everyone will understand you not wanting to run into Helen,’ he said steadily, ‘But there are also one or two people who’d like to meet you.’

‘
Everyone
will understand!’ she squeaked. ‘What is this? How did
everyone
get a stake in our marriage?’

‘Word gets round.’ His shrug said just about everything. ‘I guess you could say the meeting between you and Helen will be watched with avid interest by all and sundry. The thing is, have you got the guts to see it through.’

‘
Guts!’
Her eyes flared in anger. ‘If you think I’m going to hide in a mouse-hole you can think again. I’m not frightened of meeting Helen ... in fact, if I’m going to be the main entertainment for the evening I’ll give everyone their money’s worth.’ Her hands suddenly flew to her hair and she groaned. ‘God, I wish I’d never had my hair cut off.’

‘I don’t. It looks great.’ Giving her a grin he stooped to kiss her. ‘You’ll knock spots off every woman there. I’ll try not to be too long.’

‘I’m sure you won’t,’ she whispered, and when a few moments later she heard his car drive away, she began to laugh.

* * * *

‘The odor of garlic on the breath isn’t very pleasant,’ Leon said an hour later, seating himself on the side of the spa. ‘Helen was not amused.’

‘It serves her right for trying to get another woman’s husband into the sack.’ Darcie gave him a glare that nearly shriveled his eyeballs. ‘I expect you to be faithful while we’re married.’

Laughter attacked his midriff, causing him to suck in an aching breath to stop it escaping. ‘What makes you think she was trying to get me into the sack?’

Darcie jumped as he popped the cork from a bottle of champagne and watched the liquid foam into two flute glasses. ‘Someone was. You have lipstick on your cheek.’

Leon appeared unconcerned as he rubbed a finger over the mark. ‘That was deposited by Jennifer.’

‘Who’s Jennifer?’ Darcie thought she’d managed to sound relatively indifferent, but when Leon turned a strangled laugh into a cough she knew her inquisition had better be brought to a halt. Leon’s ego was large enough. She didn’t want him to imagine she was jealous of another woman.

‘She owns the shop I bought all your clothes from. She was the only one brave enough to peck me on the cheek. I think she must have lost her sense of smell.’ His eyes flicked to hers, faintly accusing. ‘Everyone else shifted to the other side of the room and opened the windows.’

Picturing the scene, Darcie giggled. ‘Perhaps I should have reminded you about the garlic.’

‘And perhaps you wouldn’t have used so much if you hadn’t heard the message from Helen on the machine - hmmm?’

She avoided his eyes. ‘You’ve got an over-inflated sense of your own attraction - did you get your papers signed?’

‘Helen put it off until another day. She was entertaining, and wanted to demonstrate to everyone that she’s got me on a string.’ He grinned down at her. ‘Thanks to your liberal use of garlic, she couldn’t wait to get rid of me.’

Darcie couldn’t stop the pleased little grin that jiggled at her lips, and stuck a leg up through the swirling waters of the spa to wriggle an inviting toe at him. ‘I don’t mind if you smell of garlic. Would you care to join me?’

‘I have every intention of joining you. But first ...’ He trickled icy cold champagne over her provocatively displayed breasts.

The delicate shiver she gave was accompanied by a long drawn out gasp when he leaned over to capture the liquid with his tongue before it hit the warm swirling suds.

Bunching the front of his shirt in her fist she gently dragged him into the spa.

 ‘You look exquisite.’

She felt cold in the clinging black gown, like a dummy on display in a shop window. Everyone seemed to be looking at her as she hung off Leon’s arm, a smile pasted in place.

‘How very nice to meet you, Mrs Price.’

‘Congratulations, Leon.’

Eyes examined her, cautious in expression. There was a nuance of surprise - a momentary widening of the irises from both the men and women.

‘
Leon has the luck of the devil. What a doll.’

‘She doesn’t look like Helen led me to bel –’

‘Shsssh, she might overhear.’

 
Leon gently squeezed her hand as she stiffened and they exchanged a conspiratorial smile.

There was something comforting in the ritual observance of social niceties, about the carefully contrived smiles - about the slightly astonished exchange of looks and subtly arched eyebrows.

Did they expect her to have ears like a donkey?

‘Courage,’ someone whispered huskily in her ear, making her jump.

‘Jennifer.’ Leon threw his arm around a thin, elegant looking woman of undeterminable age and kissed her on the forehead. ‘This is my wife, Darcie. Be nice to her, she’s terrified.’

‘Under the circumstances she’s bearing up very well I’d say.’

Jennifer’s smile was surrounded by the same color lipstick Leon had displayed on his face the night before. A pair of warm brown eyes gave her the once over. ‘You’re everything Leon described, and more. He didn’t say you were quite so lovely.’

Darcie sighed with relief at the woman’s friendliness. ‘It’s lovely to meet you, Jennifer.’

‘Likewise. The town has been buzzing with speculation for the past two days.’ She gave a short husky laugh. ‘Thanks to you, tickets to the function sold out within hours of your acceptance. It’s so nice to have a draw-card.’

Darcie laughed. ‘I’m glad I could help out ... I think?’

‘It’s all for a good cause.’

Leon’s glance wandered over the crowd. ‘Where’s Jerry?’

‘Running a bit late, as usual.’ Jenny turned and waved at someone on the other side of the room. ‘I must go, darling. Delphine is in a flap about something. I expect the name cards have been switched around again. By the way, I’ve put you two on my table.’ She threw Darcie another smile. ‘You look sensational in that gown. I knew you would.’

Darcie relaxed a little. ‘It’s so lovely, anyone would look good in it.’ 

Half an hour later she was even more relaxed as she chatted animatedly to Laura, Jennifer’s outgoing daughter. Laura was seventeen, and looking forward to finishing her final year at school before starting her university course in the summer.

‘I’m glad you married, Darcie,’ Laura said, laughing across at Leon. ‘She’s heaps nicer than ... ’ She flushed slightly ...’ Anyway, I approve.’

‘Are you saying you no longer have a crush on me?’ Leon teased. 

‘I haven’t had a crush on you since I was sixteen.’

Leon chuckled. ‘What happened then?’

‘I met a younger man.’

‘Ouch ... I shouldn’t have asked,’ Leon said, when Darcie laughed.

Laura’s eyes went past Leon’s shoulder and her jaw dropped. ‘Cripes ... what an awesome entrance.’

There was a sharp intake of breath from Leon and the whole room went quiet, as with heart beginning to race, Darcie turned to look at her rival.

The neckline of Helen’s scarlet dress dipped almost to the waist. The skirt was slashed to the thigh, revealing a leg wearing a glittering garter of sparkling stones that matched the ones at her throat. Her golden tan, her sleekly dressed hair and perfect make-up, made her look sensational.

‘Beautiful bit of engineering,’ Jerry muttered, ‘but she wouldn’t want to exhale. Who’s that giant she’s with?’

‘Perth’s latest millionaire, Gary Morgan,’ Jennifer murmured. ‘I believe he discovered Latimer’s Reef or something a year or so ago, but he went to ground afterwards. I’ve heard he’s a bit on the bumptious side - but he’s certainly presentable.’

Gary Morgan? Of all people.
Darcie stared at Helen’s escort through unbelieving eyes. She’d thought he’d left Australia for good.

Leon chuckled. ‘It wasn’t the legendary reef. He suspected there was gold on a site near Coolgardie so he pegged it. Rumors got around, and someone tried jump the claim by turning up to register it at the same time. There was quite a fuss made about it. It went to court last month. He won, then became a multi-millionaire over night by selling out to a mining company.’

‘Half his luck.’ Jerry, who dealt in real estate, rubbed his hands together. ‘By the way Helen’s hanging off his arm he’ll need the trappings to go with it soon. I’d better go and introduce myself.’

‘No need, they’re coming over,’ Laura hissed, and patted Darcie’s hand. ‘Poor you. Helen’s a Leo, and you know how self-centered and attention seeking that star sign can be. If she gets too nasty give me a nod. I’ll drop the contents of the ice bucket down her dress. By the way, what star sign are you?’

‘Aries.‘

Laura’s eyes began to shine. ‘At least she won’t get all her own way, then, in fact, things could get quite hot around here with two fire signs in opposition.’

Helen’s eyes were icy as the pair moved towards the table, and she didn’t take them off Darcie.

Darcie’s heart was straining like an over-wound clock - though her mettle began to rise as Helen’s lip curled in disdain.

‘Dance, darling?’ Leon said, suddenly inserting a hand under her elbow and practically lifting her to her feet.

‘Not just yet.’ She felt incredibly calm with Leon’s hand for support. At least she was now at the same level as Helen - and she had no intention of running away.

Why should she? People didn’t own people, and she didn’t steal Leon from Helen. He’d proposed to the woman and she’d refused him. Besides, it would be nice to see Gary again.

Helen stung her with one last glance, then turned to Leon, drawling. ‘You brought her then, Leon. I didn’t think she’d have the nerve to show her face.’

‘Grow up, Helen,’ Darcie said before Leon could get a word in. ‘I’ve got no intention of engaging in a public brawl - or of listening to your insults. Either behave like an adult - or go and milk your rattlesnakes.’

There was a titter of laughter from those near enough to hear. Helen’s mouth fell open and her face turned the same color as her dress.

Leon’s eyebrows nearly disappeared into his hairline as he said in slightly awed voice, ‘Darcie ... ’

‘Darcie ... Darcie Channing?’ Gary began to laugh when she beamed him an encouraging smile. ‘You look absolutely wonderful, my dear. I never realized ... I could have told Helen she’d be unwise to cross swords with you.’

‘What are you doing back in Australia?’ she scolded. ‘You said you didn’t intend coming back.‘

Gary grinned. ‘I’ve had my fill of flying around the world and living the high life. I’ve come to realize that there’s no place like home. I’m thinking of investing in a business, right here in Perth. I thought Colin might advise me.’

Everyone gazed from one to the other, as if they were on center court at Wimbledon. Darcie felt like giggling as she lobbed the next ball. 

‘Colin’s abroad, but he’ll be back next week.’

‘How’s your father these days? I’ve been meaning to look him up. Did he get that university chair he was talking about?’

A cold lump settled between her shoulders blades. It seemed that everyone had known about the university chair but her. ‘Dad died, Gary ... a few months ago.’

‘Oh, my dear girl, I’m so sorry.’ Taking a step forward he elbowed Leon aside and enfolded her a hug. ‘I’ve been out of the country for the past few months. Let’s go find somewhere quiet where we can talk. Excuse us, everyone.’

‘But, Gary ...’ Darcie gave a helpless shrug as Gary bore her away, and glanced appealingly at Leon over her shoulder.

Left standing there like an idiot, an ominous frown forked between Leon’s eyes as he watched his wife born off through the crowd. How the hell did she know Gary Morgan?

‘Well,’ Jennifer said, for once at a loss as she gazed at Leon. ‘How very odd.’

‘It seems your bride has a hidden past,’ Helen murmured, her malicious tone an obvious attempt to divert attention from the embarrassing social snub, and the desertion of her escort. ‘Care to dance, darling.’

Leon didn’t waste any sympathy on Helen. She’d deserved everything she got, and he certainly wasn’t going to fuel the inevitable gossip by rescuing her.

‘Not now.’ He flicked her clinging hand off his sleeve as if it were something unpleasant. ‘Actually ... never again, Helen. Excuse me, Jennifer. I believe Darcie indicated she wanted me to join them.’

 Snatching up Darcie’s evening bag and wrap he set off after the rapidly disappearing couple.

He caught up with them just as they’d got into the hotel lift and nipped through the closing doors after them. Sliding a possessive arm round Darcie’s waist Leon glared at the larger man. ‘Where the hell do you think you’re going with my wife?’