Rainbow for Megan (18 page)

There was a long silence as he demanded her lips again. Then she asked him hesitantly, 'You didn't really think I'd gone away with Ray, did you?'

He held her tighter. 'I was so damned jealous, I'd have believed anything at that time, and Iris knew it.'

`Iris !' Megan breathed.

He nodded. 'There was a little unpleasantness in the local. Her parting shot was that you'd gone to London with Hallett.'

Megan gasped. 'Well, of all the ...' she began, then she remembered what had taken place afterwards. 'Where did you go, Alain?' she asked.

He kissed her nose. 'I wasn't thinking straight right then,' he admitted. 'There was only one thing on my mind, to find you and bring you back—apart that was, from murdering Hallett.' He sighed. 'It was a hopeless task, of course. I realised that when my brain started functioning again. I must have been halfway to London by then, so I started back again. I had the sense to realise I wasn't in a fit state to face

either of you. Someone would have got hurt. When you phoned you put me out of some of my misery; you see, at that time I thought you had left Hallett, but I hated you for what I thought you had done, because you were mine, and the thought of someone else ...' He caught her to him fiercely. 'Then,' he said quietly, 'I saw that newspaper photograph. I knew then without a shadow of a doubt that you hadn't gone to London with him. Then I remembered what you said about being hurt, but at the time I was too eaten up with jealousy to work it out. He wasn't likely to take you and keep someone like that in the background.'

Megan decided not to tell him yet that Joanna was Ray's sister. She was very satisfied the way things were going at the moment.

`I hope,' he murmured, 'you've got Hallett out of your system, because I give you fair warning I'm going to be a very jealous husband. I was even jealous of Chas.'

Megan buried her head in his chest. 'Ray was never anything but a friend to me,' she whispered. `It was always you.'

He pulled her away from his chest and looked at her searchingly. It was all there. Megan's heart turned over. The look of love, and of half-doubt, wanting so much to believe. She must convince him. She smiled tremulously at him. 'The spinney,' she

said. 'Oh, my love, you did get through to me. I was so miserable. I knew I loved you, but I thought you wanted Iris and were using me as a decoy—that's why I refused to come to lunch the next day, remember? I was terrified you'd find out the truth.'

He stared at her. 'My stupid treasure, didn't it ever occur to you that it's impossible to love someone and make love to someone else? What kind of a man do you think I am, anyway?' he demanded.

Megan smiled. 'It just wasn't conceivable to me that you could love a plaguey pest,' she said. 'Not with someone like Iris around.'

`Woman !' he groaned, `do you mean to tell me we've wasted all this time ... Come here, plaguey pest.'

He grabbed her. A low growl broke out from Chas and Alain looked over Megan's head at him. 'I shall have to do something about that dog,' he said.

Megan's heart sang as she followed Alain's land-rover back to the village. One thing still slightly puzzled her. How had he known where she was? She had not bothered her father with the information. Her brow creased. She must remember to ask him later.

The first port of call was at her home, to appraise her father of the news. Hand in hand, they went to beard him in his den. His only comment was a mild, `Well, I thought it was about time—did you get that

book for me, Megan?'

After commenting that he would have to do something about her father too, Alain led her out of the house and to her query of, 'Where are we going?' gave her a look that melted her bones. 'The spinney,' he said. 'I can't think of a better place, can you?'

Megan couldn't. It was a beautiful evening. They had just started out when she asked her question. `How did you know where to find me, and about the kennels?' she asked.

Alain gave her a sombre look. 'Hallett told me,' he said.

Megan stared at him. 'Did he contact you, then?' she asked.

He made a wry grimace. `No,' he said abruptly, 'I did the contacting.'

Megan started. 'Oh, Alain, you didn't ...'

`No,' he said, grinning. 'Although when I first got there it was touch and go. I decided to have it out there and then with him—it certainly cleared the air. I regret to say I found myself on the receiving end. I must say my opinion of him has somewhat altered.'

`Why didn't you tell me this before?' Megan demanded. 'I told you he was a good friend. Let's go and tell him right now,' she said eagerly, feeling a rush of warmth for Ray. What a good friend he had turned out to be !

Main pulled off the road and sat looking at her.

`Tonight,' he murmured, 'is our night. I've a lot of leeway to make up, remember? Secondly, I didn't tell you for one very good reason. I was still not sure how you felt about him, and I'm pretty sure he's more than just fond of you. Any more questions?'

Megan did, however, persuade Alain to make the visit the next day, having utterly convinced him the previous evening that she was not likely to have a change of heart.

The two men faced each other. There was a twinkle in Ray's eye, and soon an answering one in Alain's.

`So you got sorted out at last,' commented Ray. `When's the wedding? There's a six months' deadline, I understand.'

Megan gasped—she had forgotten the rainbow. Alain grinned. 'There were times when I thought I'd never make it. But it's never been wrong yet.'

Her heart soared. He had seen the rainbow ! Her eyes filled with tears as she looked at Ray. 'Oh, Ray ! You knew all along, didn't you?'

He gave her his wide grin. 'As Alain has just said, there were times when ...' He turned to him. `Man's best friend?' he said.

Alain grinned back and he caught Megan's hand. `There was no other way,' he said mournfully.

Ray looked from one to the other. 'You know,' he observed, 'I was tempted to try that line myself.'

`Don't mind me,' said Megan indignantly.

`I do so hate,' went on Ray, 'breaking in new secretaries.'

`Sorry about that,' breezed Alain, not sounding a bit sorry, 'this one's got her work cut out. How do you fancy the role of godfather?'

`Alain !' gasped Megan.

He looked at her. 'Got someone else in mind, had you?' he murmured.

Megan blushed. 'I think he'd make a wonderful godfather,' she whispered.

Chas was waiting for them outside the house; they had walked down from Clock House, and Alain had told him to stay when they reached The Foxes. Megan thought it was very clever of him to obey that command. It did occur to her that Alain might have hoped he wouldn't.

As they walked down the drive, Alain's arm went round Megan, pulling her close. Chas tried to work a way in between them. 'Back, sir !' Alain commanded.

`Isn't he clever, darling,' Megan commented. 'He knows who's master—look, he's following behind nicely.'

He threw her a wicked look. 'And that's the way it's going to be,' he said, pulling her nearer. 'Not only with Chas.'

`Yes, darling,' breathed Megan dreamily.