Lovelink (4 page)

Vicky accepted his outstretched hand and they walked back towards the house.

“Caroline's probably in the library,” he said, as he opened the front door and led her across the impressive hallway.

It was a huge oak panelled area with a black and white marble floor. Paintings of different racehorses lined the walls. It might have appeared austere but for the flash of colour and sweet aroma created by the abundant vases full of flowers.

She followed him to a door at the end of the hall. Marcus knocked and then threw the door wide open.

“Ah, Caro—there you are. You've a visitor—Miss Lewis from the agency.”

Caroline was seated at a table covered with books, some piled untidily, others open ready for reference. A shaft of pale light filtered through the long, sash window, highlighting her blonde hair.

As Marcus announced Vicky's presence, Caroline greeted her warmly.

“Vicky, how nice to see you again.” She stood up and offered her a seat.

As Vicky sat down on a leather, Chesterfield couch, she noted with amazement just how very alike brother and sister were. Despite having opposite colouring, they shared the same shaped eyes and straight nose with the wide mouth. It astonished her that it had only been the surname which had rung a bell with her and she'd not realised who Marcus was when she'd first met him. She should have made the connection to Caroline straight away now she saw just how very alike they were.

Marcus walked straight across the room to join his sister behind the desk. Placing his hands on her shoulders, he lightly kissed the top of her head.

“How are you feeling? Not tired. Remember, don't work on too late.” He spoke quietly to her, his voice soothing.

Caroline, in turn, gazed up at her brother with open admiration. The unmistakable bond of love and trust between them was plainly apparent to Vicky.

She felt a flash of envy. Do you have to be either a horse or a relative of his to invoke kindness from him? Why's he so cool towards me? she wondered, bitterly.

“I'll just go and get ready. I'm out again in half an hour. Good evening, Vicky,” Marcus said.

“See you later. Have a good time,” Caroline said, adding as the door closed behind him, “My brother's only just discovered what good fun going out can be. Since coming home from America, he's never in.”

“Hasn't that always been the case? I'd have imagined that there'd be quite an active social life connected with his work,” Vicky said.

“Oh, yes there is. But it's never really interested Marcus until quite recently. Always been too busy to bother before, other than with vitally important functions. He's what you might call a late developer in that field. Mind you, I can't talk. Most of my late nights are only through insomnia.”

As Caroline smiled Vicky noted the dark shadows under her grey eyes. She felt a pang of guilt as she only too graphically imagined Caroline's heartache over Alan Jeffreys preventing her from sleeping well. Hadn't her own nights been disturbed in just such a way when she and Peter had first split up?

Vicky also wondered who Marcus went out with in the evenings. Was it all business or was it pleasure? Maybe it was with Lucinda Dayton? The woman he sometimes lent his car to.

“Is this a social call or was there something in particular you wanted to see me about? I hope it's the first. I don't have many friends my age here anymore. Most of the girls I grew up with all left the area when they went away to college or university. The rest who stayed are now all pretty well married. Exemption's been a problem that's haunted me ever since I became ill a few years ago.”

Vicky felt a great wave of compassion for the young girl. She'd obviously missed out on so much.

“Well, I did have something to talk to you about. But I'm glad of an excuse to spend some time here with you. As Jan undoubtedly told you, I'm renowned for talking too much. Always got me into trouble at school.” She smiled. “I didn't know you were ill.”

“I'm not. Well, not anymore. I had rheumatic fever as a teenager and it's left me with a weak heart. It spoilt my younger life and effectively cut me off from my friends. I'm trying to pick up the pieces now. But it's difficult in such a small community. That's why I joined Lovelink in the first place.”

“And met up with a louse like Alan Jeffreys,” Vicky said, heatedly. “That's partly why I called. To tell you that Marcus was right. Alan Jeffreys is married. I'm so sorry for all the trouble I've caused, introducing him to you. I know only too well what you've been through.”

Caroline sighed, her eyes bright with unshed tears. Then slowly she nodded, a tight smile on her lips.

“I'd suspected it for a while and yet it still comes as a shock to hear it confirmed as the truth.” She was silent for a long moment. When she spoke again she looked directly at Vicky and said, “Thank you for being straight with me. It's not a nice feeling to realise I've been duped but in some ways it's a relief…”

Vicky frowned.

“A relief?”

“Yes. You see, when our parents died Marcus assumed complete responsibility for me. He's eight years older and always looked out for me. Then when I became ill…well, he blamed himself. He was wonderful, nursed me back to health. But he didn't notice I'd grown up in the meantime. He still forgets to let go sometimes. Like over Alan.”

She could just imagine Marcus as the caring brother, gently smothering Caroline with love. No wonder he'd gone berserk when he'd come home from America and found out about Alan Jeffreys. A warm feeling spread through her as she imagine what it would be like to have someone like Marcus take care of her so completely.

Caroline started speaking again. “It feels good to actually have something happen to me. Makes me feel like I've grown up. Like I'm completely well. I'm an experienced woman now.” She smiled.

Vicky laughed. Unlike her brother, Caroline was easy for her to like. She was a lovely, unspoiled girl who'd obviously been though a lot. She'd make a good friend.

“I wish I could have felt like that when it happened to me.”

The words were out of Vicky's mouth before she'd had time to think. Secluded with this friendly, compassionate girl she'd just revealed more of her inner self than she'd done in six months to anyone else in Brookleigh. Not even Jan had heard anything close to such an admission.

Caroline crossed the room and came to sit beside Vicky on the couch. The younger girl was so sympathetic and understanding that at that moment it was easy for Vicky to continue. She felt she could trust this girl and, after months of not talking about Peter and the pain she'd been through, she suddenly felt an overriding need to talk to someone, anyone, about it.

“If it would help you to talk, Vicky, I'll listen.”

She took a deep breath and began.

“Peter and I met at college. He was my first serious boyfriend; studying had always come first with me until I met him. We'd so much in common, we even found out we only lived a few miles away from one another back home in York. He was fun to be with and I fell utterly in love with him. We planned to marry once we'd both graduated.” Vicky felt the prickle of familiar tears.

“It sounds idyllic. What went wrong?”

“We finished college, came home and started making wedding plans. We even saved a deposit on a small flat. Then I found out about Gillian.”

She discovered that somehow it was harder to say her name than it had been Peter's.

“Gillian?” Caroline asked.

“Yes, my best friend, Gillian. We'd been friends since infant school. Friends until I found out that she and Peter…” Vicky couldn't finish.

She felt Caroline's hand cover hers.

“Oh, I'm so sorry. What a dreadful time you must have had? To lose both Peter and your best friend. Was that when you decided to come down here?”

Vicky nodded. “The only thought I had was to get as far away as possible from Peter, Gillian and York. I took my share of the deposit on the flat and invested it in Lovelink.”

“Well, I, for one, am very glad you did. Peter didn't deserve you,” Caroline said, emphatically.

Vicky dabbed at her eyes and smiled.

“No, perhaps he didn't.”

She felt better for telling Caroline the full story. Finding that indeed, confession was good for the soul.

“Maybe it's easy to appreciate Marcus's cynical view of love after both our experiences. Until very recently he's only had time for his horses,” Caroline said, standing up and going back over to her desk.

“Do you share his interest in the stables?” Vicky asked, anxious to find out more about her.

“Good Lord, no. The business is very much Marcus's baby. I help with the bookkeeping and the obligatory entertaining but I'll be glad when he's married and I can leave that side of things to his wife. I only wish he'd hurry up and find her. He's as fussy over women as he is over his blasted thoroughbreds.”

Vicky laughed. She could just imagine Marcus scrutinizing any promising fillies for the wedding stakes. Caroline had a refreshing sense of humour. Being shut up here was a waste.

“What are you interested in, then?”

“These,” she said, thumping her hand down in the piles of dusty tomes.

Vicky remembered from the interview she'd had with Caroline when she'd joined Lovelink that she was researching something.

“That's right. You're a researcher. What was it again?”

“The Foster family. I'm compiling an official history of the house and the past generations who lived here. It's fascinating but I can't spend as much time as I'd like on it. Not with the continuous entertaining.” She pulled a face.

Suddenly there was the sound of car tyres on the drive again and Vicky looked out of the window to see a red sports car draw up. She watched as the door opened and a tall, leggy blonde got out of the driver's seat. She was sheathed in a tightly fitting dress which matched the red of the sports car almost exactly.

“Oh, that's Lucinda Dayton,” Caroline said, noticing her interest.

Vicky witnessed the scene as Marcus joined the attractive woman on the drive. Looking immaculate, dressed in a well-cut dinner suit, he was the picture of sophistication. Begrudgingly, Vicky had to admit they made a good looking couple.

Giving her a quick kiss on the cheek, he led her back over to her sports car, opening the driver's door for her. Although Vicky couldn't hear what they were actually saying, the sound of laughter and his deep voice filled her ears.

A few moments later, the red car roared into life and pulled out of the drive, scattering a shower of gravel.

“There she goes. I don't know how Marcus keeps up with her. Takes life as fast as possible,” Caroline said.

Vicky thought she heard the hint of disapproval in her voice.

“Would you like a drink, Vicky? Coffee or something a little stronger?”

“Err…coffee would be fine.” She tried desperately to calm her beating heart as Caroline went off to organise the refreshments.

So that was Lucinda Dayton. She'd imagined some buck-toothed, horsey female with a bottom as broad as Misty Lady's. It didn't look as if Jan had been altogether accurate when she'd described Marcus as being an eligible bachelor. Lucinda Dayton wasn't the type of woman men enjoyed platonic relationships with.

When Caroline came back into the room with a tray laden with two cups of coffee and a plate of biscuits, Vicky said, “Can I just ask if you were driving the Mercedes yesterday morning?”

“No, Lucinda borrowed it at the crack of dawn to go shopping in the city.”

So it hadn't been Marcus but Lucinda who'd nearly caused the frightening accident on the bridge yesterday. Caroline had just confirmed it.

Vicky felt a flash of anger towards the dazzling Lucinda Dayton. What could Marcus see in an irresponsible playgirl like that?

Only that she was beautiful and sexy, the answer came booming back, loud and clear. If Vicky didn't know herself better, she'd swear she was jealous.

Chapter Four

“What's wrong with this blasted key?” Vicky muttered one morning as she wrestled with the front door lock at Lovelink.

She wasn't in the best of moods anyway and refused to admit, even to herself, that it was anything to do with Marcus and Lucinda. Or the fact that she hadn't seen or heard from him for the last week. To find suddenly that she couldn't even perform a simple task like unlocking the agency's door didn't improve her temper.

For the umpteenth time, she checked she was using the correct key and then stopped to look more closely at the offending lock. She couldn't see through the keyhole! There seemed to be something opaque blocking her view. Reaching for a pen in the pocket of her smart, pale grey, skirt suit, she pushed the nib into the keyhole.

“Damn—just as I'd thought. Someone's glued up the locks.”

But even as the idea crossed her mind she knew it wasn't just anyone. It was the same person who'd performed all the other dirty tricks on her to try to make her leave Brookleigh.

Her heart sank.

Recently, she'd been lulled into a false sense of security as nothing more had happened since her meeting with Alan Jeffreys. She hoped he'd warned off whoever was behind it all that she was on to them and that she wasn't afraid to call in the police, if necessary. But this last act had just proved they'd no intention of giving in.

Well, neither have I, she silently vowed.

As soon as Janice arrived, Vicky dispatched her to the nearby phone box to summon the services of a locksmith.

“Tell them to hurry, Jan. I don't want to lose any more of the morning than I have to.”

The locksmith arrived fairly promptly. As Vicky and Jan watched him change the locks, he muttered every few moments, “Stupid kids, I don't know.”

Jan looked at Vicky and asked, “Do you think he's right? Was it kids?”

Vicky shook her head. “
No, I don't think so. I'm familiar with the tactics now. I think it's the same person who's been behind everything else that's happened here just lately.
”

“Will you call in the police?” Jan asked, just a little too hurriedly.

“No, it wouldn't be worth it. Anyway I'm getting hardened to it all. If this is the worst they can do, I can handle it. I've been thinking—if I just ignore it all and they see they aren't getting anywhere, then they might give in.”

“Doesn't it scare you? Put you off running the business,” Jan asked, watching her fixedly.

“Good Lord, no. They'll have to think of something a bit more intimidating than this if they want me out of Brookleigh. I'm from York, remember. We don't scare easy up there.”

Vicky was about to suggest a cup of coffee in the café opposite when the locksmith looked up and said, “Well, there you are, Miss. Job's done. You can start work now.”

The phone was ringing impatiently as they entered the reception area. Jan rushed to answer it as Vicky wrote out a cheque for the locksmith.

“It's for you, Vicky—Natalie Reynolds,” Jan called.

As she signed her name with her usual flourish on the bottom of the cheque, Vicky asked, “Can you take a message?”

“Tried that, chief. She wants to speak to you, personally.”

Sighing, she thanked the locksmith one last time and then asked Jan to transfer the call into her office.

“Good morning, Natalie. How can I help you?”

For the next five minute, Natalie Reynolds ranted and raved as she poured out a list of complaints against the men Vicky had introduced her to in the last couple of weeks.

“None of them are suitable, especially the last man, Brian Jacobs,” she finished in her thick, guttural accent.

Vicky cringed. Brian Jacobs! Had she really matched Natalie Reynolds with him? She couldn't have chosen a more unlikely couple if she's tried. What was the matter with her lately?

“I'm very sorry…”

“Please make me a date with another man. Any man.”

With that Natalie Reynolds hung up.

“What a morning!” she said to Jan, who'd just reappeared carrying two cups of lifesaving coffee.

Replacing the receiver, Vicky took a few minutes to explain Natalie's call to Jan, finishing with the comment, “I wonder what goes wrong. Natalie's never asked out on a second date with any of the men we've introduced her to.”

“No, it doesn't even sound as if Brian Jacobs asked her out again. I wonder if it isn't something
she
does to upset them, rather than the other way around.”

“You might have a point there, Jan. I think I'll call on Brian Jacobs on my way home. See if he can't give me any pointers.”

“Honestly, Vicky. Fancy matching Brian and Natalie.” Jan left the office, giggling.

After she'd finished her coffee, Vicky phoned Brian Jacobs and arranged to meet him that evening at the newsagents where he worked. It was only when she replaced the receiver that Vicky realised something. She hadn't matched Brian and Natalie—it had been Jan. Extracting Natalie's file confirmed it.

Her first instinct was to tell Jan but then thought it better not to. It could prove embarrassing. After all, everyone makes mistakes, she thought and Jan was usually extremely reliable.

Later that afternoon Vicky was working in her office, frantically trying to catch up on work after the morning's fiasco when Jan poked her head around the door and said, “There's someone here to see you.”

Vicky looked up and frowning asked, “Who is it? I haven't any appointments for another hour.”

She checked her wristwatch in case the afternoon had gone quicker than she realised.

“No, she hasn't an appointment. It's Caroline Foster.”

Vicky dropped her pen on to the sheaf of papers in front of her and said, smiling, “Show her in then, please, Jan.”

Although she was busy, Caroline was someone she didn't mind interrupting her busy schedule for. She wasn't certain she'd have been so delighted to have received a visit from Caroline's brother though. After today's events what she really didn't want or need was another confrontation with Mr. Marcus Foster.

“Good afternoon, Vicky. I won't delay you for long,” Caroline said, walking quickly into the office.

Wearing white jeans and a pale blue shirt, she looked very pretty and Vicky was pleased to note, the picture of health.

Perching on the end of Vicky's desk, she said, “I was going to phone you this evening but, as I was passing, I thought I might as well drop in and ask you.”

“I'm very glad you did. What can I do for you?” Vicky smiled.

“Are you doing anything Saturday evening?”

Vicky knew the answer to that. It was the same every evening.

“Nothing. Why?”

“
Well, we're having a party at Nuneton. That's why I'm in town organising last minute details. There's a buffet followed by dancing afterwards. It should be good fun. Please say you'll come. I'll enjoy it so much more if I know you'll be there for me to talk to.
”

“I…I'm not sure, Caroline. I won't know anyone.”

“Marcus'll be there and it'll be a good opportunity for you to meet some of our friends. Oh, please say you'll come.”

Caroline sounded so earnest and Vicky really couldn't think of an excuse, not with her sitting there. She had to admit it had been ages since she'd been out anywhere. She'd like to accept. Maybe an evening out might be what she needed right now to banish the blues. Especially after today's events.

“I'd love to come. Thank you for inviting me.”

Caroline grinned. “Great. I know you'll enjoy it. It's a good excuse to dress up. Marcus'll be pleased to see you again.”

Vicky felt a blush creeping across her face as Caroline stood up.

“I'll even come and pick you up at the cottage. It'll be no trouble. I'm collecting some people from Churchton so I can call in for you on my way back. Then you won't have to walk in alone.”

She'd really covered everything, Vicky thought as she watched the door close behind her. She felt a wave of affection towards the young girl.

Later, as she drove over to see Brian Jacobs, Vicky couldn't concentrate on anything except the invitation to Nuneton. Uppermost was the realisation she would see Marcus again. This caused a mixture of emotions to rage within her. On the one hand, the idea pleased her. In fact, she was surprised at just how very much she was looking forward to seeing him again. It was ridiculous, she inwardly scolded herself. There wasn't any point in her feeling like this towards him. Not now she knew he was involved with Lucinda.

Echoing in her mind was Caroline's last comment. She'd said that Marcus would enjoy seeing her again. Had it just been something for her to say or did she mean it? He'd definitely not shown Vicky any signs to make her believe that it could be possible. She remembered her past meetings with Marcus and felt apprehension rise within her. He could be so cold and brooding towards her, stirring an anger inside her she found difficult to control. Did she really want to spend an evening battling verbally with him once more?

Well, there was no way of refusing the invitation now. Not without hurting Caroline's feelings, she conceded as she parked outside the newsagents where Brian Jacobs worked.

Chasing around after existing clients seemed to be all she did these days, she thought. At this rate, she'd have no time to spend with new clients.

Pushing open the newsagent's door, she entered the shop. A middle-aged woman was restocking the cigarette shelf and Brian Jacobs was busy straightening the evening papers. When he heard the bell jangling over the doorway, he looked up.

“Good evening, Vicky,” he said, with a welcoming smile.

Once more, Vicky was reminded of how unlikely a couple he and Natalie made. He was balding and slightly built, almost birdlike. Vicky thought he looked older than his forty-two years. But where they differed so greatly was that there was none of Natalie's abrasiveness in Brian's personality.

Turning to the woman assistant, he said, “Nora, do you mind holding the fort here for a bit while I have a chat with Miss Lewis?”

The woman shook her head.

“Take as long as you need. I doubt if it'll be busy.”

He led Vicky behind the counter through to a small room at the back of the shop.

“I hope this isn't inconvenient, Brian, but I won't keep you long. Like I said on the phone earlier, I just want a quick word with you,” Vicky said, following him.

“No problem. Please make yourself comfortable. This is my rest room,” he explained, showing her into a small, cosy room which was extremely tidy.

Vicky was surprised. She'd always found men to be dreadfully untidy—especially Peter.

“Can I get you a cup of anything, Miss Lewis?”

“Thank you, Brian, but no. I'd like to get straight to the point. I'm a little…concerned about Natalie Reynolds and I wondered if you might be able to help me.”

At the mention of the woman's name, Brian sank down onto the settee opposite her.

“I thought you might be coming to see me about that. Dreadful scene. Very embarrassing.” He mopped his forehead with a large, white handkerchief.

“Can you tell me what happened, Brian?”

He nodded. “I thought, first of all, it was my fault. I wondered if it wasn't something I might have said or done that encouraged her. You see, I haven't had that much to do with women. I don't know their ways. I lived here above the shop with my mother for years and then when she died, it wasn't easy for me to go out and make friends. That's when I joined the agency. I didn't want to say anything really. Lovelink has always been of very good service to me in the past and I've met some lovely ladies but Mrs. Reynolds…” He sighed.

Vicky watched as his pale cheeks turned crimson.

“She was rather…eager.”

“Eager?” she asked. “I need to know exactly what happened, Brian. In case she's matched with the wrong person again.”

He sighed and then said, “I took her out for a meal in that nice restaurant in Bromley Street and immediately she asked me how soon it would be before we could be married.”

“Married? What, straight away like that?”

He nodded. “She made a dreadful fuss when I told her it was out of the question. I can't say that it isn't what I'd want eventually but I'd like to get to know the lady properly and for them to get to know me. I know it sounds daft at my age but I wanted…”

Vicky sat forward and laid a hand on his arm. “What did you want?”

“I wanted…romance.”

“Well, of course you did. That's not daft. Everyone wants that. What's wrong with her? I thought she was a bit pushy when I interviewed her but I put that down to honesty. Most of our clients want to marry but they don't usually admit to it. Fear of putting off future partners, I guess.”

“I suppose they all act like that where she comes from.”

“Where does she come from?” Vicky asked, hoping to allay her curiosity, once and for all.

“Didn't you know? Russia.”

She was surprised. It was obvious Natalie was of European origin but she hadn't thought of Russia. She'd always appeared a little strange and Vicky had worried that there might be more behind her behaviour than just eccentricity, always on the lookout for other possible suspects responsible for the trouble at Lovelink. Now she was certain Natalie was up to something. But what was it?

Apologising to Brian and making a firm promise to sort out the problem of Natalie, she left.

Vicky spent most of the time leading up to Saturday evening mentally running through her wardrobe, searching for something eminently suitable for her to wear. She'd choose the peach taffeta, then discard it in favour of the red jersey dress. Finally, she decided, it was the ideal opportunity to check out the boutiques in Churchton and a perfect excuse to treat herself to something new.