Forbidden Surrender (17 page)

His fingers pinched in at her waist. ‘Liar,’ he whispered close to her ear. ‘But I’ll forgive you this time. Just stop putting the poor man through the hoops.’

‘Eddie—’

‘I know,’ he interrupted her warning tone. ‘Mind my own business. The way he keeps looking at me it could become my business any moment now. He looks ready to hit me!’

Her eyes sparkled angrily. ‘He has no right!’

‘That isn’t what your pulse rate is telling me,’ Eddie taunted.

She glared up at him. ‘That’s just anger.’

He laughed softly. ‘Of course it is,’ he mocked. ‘Who on earth is that woman talking to Aunt Susan?’

Sara followed his line of vision, and her mouth quirked into a smile. ‘That’s Cynthia Robotham-James,’ she said with humour. ‘The woman who gave the party Pete took me to,’ she explained.

‘Pete’s still interested in photographing you, you know. He would love to work with you.’

‘Well, he’s going to be disappointed. I think we should go and save Aunt Susan,’ she grimaced. ‘Cynthia tends to be a bit overwhelming. On second thoughts,’ she saw Danny Thorne just arriving, ‘you go and rescue her, there’s someone over there I have to talk to.’

‘I see.’ Eddie saw her looking at Danny. ‘In that case I’ll go and console myself with Cynthia.’

Sara spluttered with laughter. ‘Good luck!’

‘I’ll need it, she could probably eat me for breakfast.’

‘And not even know it!’ she taunted.

‘Cheeky! Just because you don’t fancy me it doesn’t
mean I’m unattractive to women.’ He straightened his cuff. ‘I’ll go over there and captivate her with my charm.’

The last Sara saw of him he wasn’t doing a bad job of it, Aunt Susan smiling with obvious relief as Eddie drew Cynthia’s attention away from her.

Danny was searching the crowds of people at the party, stopping when he saw her walking towards him.

‘It’s Sara,’ she told him before she could be an unwilling witness to any embarrassing declarations of love on his part.

‘I know,’ he nodded. ‘I have to talk to you.’

She didn’t question his knowing her identity. If he loved Marie he was probably able to tell she wasn’t her as well as Dominic had. ‘Perhaps my father’s study …?’ she suggested.

‘That will do.’ He seemed charged with a nervous energy, sparing not a glance for the other people at the party as he led the way out of the room.

Sara shut the study door after them, instantly shutting out the noise. ‘Now what did you want to talk to me about?’

‘Marie,’ Danny said heavily, his eyes dark with pain.

He was going to try and enlist her help in getting Marie for himself! She shook her head. ‘There’s nothing I can do.’

His expression became fierce. ‘There must be something someone can do! I can’t just sit back and let Marie die!’

Sara looked at him dazedly, clutching on to the back of the chair for support. ‘Wh—what did—–’ she swallowed hard. ‘What did you say?’ she asked shakily.

Danny avidly searched her face, shaking his head. ‘My God,’ he groaned, closing his eyes, ‘you didn’t know, did you? No one told you Marie is dying!’

‘I
DON
’
T
believe you!’ Sara choked. ‘You’re lying!’ Her voice rose hysterically and her legs began to shake, finally giving out on her as she collapsed to the floor, her eyes huge in her white face. ‘Tell me you’re lying,’ she pleaded tearfully, numb with shock.

Danny came down on the floor beside her, pulling her into his arms. ‘I’m not lying, Sara,’ he murmured into her hair.

She shook against him. ‘But why? How?’

‘I would have thought the ‘‘why” was obvious,’ a steely voice interrupted them. ‘The ‘‘how” should be equally obvious,’ Dominic added contemptuously.

Danny turned to look at his brother. ‘Shut your filthy mouth!’ he snapped.

Dominic raised his eyebrows. ‘Perhaps if you both got up off the floor I just might be able to do that.’

Danny sprang to his feet, his expression fierce. ‘What the hell are you saying now?’

His brother closed the study door and came further into the room. ‘If the two of you have to sneak off together at least choose somewhere a little more private—and comfortable—for your lovemaking.’

‘No, Danny!’ Sara screamed as he flew at Dominic, his fist landing on his brother’s chin.

Dominic’s face darkened with an anger even fiercer than Danny’s. ‘You’ll never know how glad I am that you did that,’ he muttered through bared teeth. ‘I only needed the excuse to hit you …’

Sara closed her eyes to shut out the sight of Dominic beating his brother to a pulp. The furniture was flying everywhere as first one man and then the other fell across the desk or against the chair. Sara couldn’t make
a move to stop them, although she did manage to pull herself to the corner of the room out of harm’s way.

‘That’s enough.’ Danny leant against the side of the desk, trying in vain to staunch the flow of blood from his nose.

‘More than enough,’ Dominic agreed grimly, a trickle of blood escaping from the cut on his mouth. ‘Get out of here. And don’t come near Sara again,’ he added threateningly.

Danny looked stricken as he turned towards her, seeing her sitting wide-eyed and shocked in the corner of the room, and went down on his haunches to her, helping her to her feet. ‘Stop it, Dominic,’ he warned as the other man made a savage movement towards him. ‘Can’t you see the state she’s in?’ He sat her down in a chair, rubbing her chilled hands.

If anything Dominic’s expression darkened even more. ‘Were you forcing yourself on her?’ he demanded tautly. ‘Because if you were—–’

‘Shut up, Dominic,’ Danny sighed, all the time dabbing at his bleeding nose. ‘Sara has just received the biggest shock of her life.’

His eyes narrowed sharply. ‘My God, you didn’t—–’

‘Yes!’ Danny hissed. ‘Someone should have told me that even Marie’s sister didn’t know.’

‘You stupid—–! My God, you’re going to answer to me later for this!’ Dominic exploded. ‘In the meantime you’d better get to a hospital and get something done about your nose.’

‘But Sara—–’

‘Will be perfectly safe with me,’ he interrupted grimly. ‘Just get the hell out of here, Danny. I think you’ve caused enough trouble for one day.’

‘How was I supposed to know Sara hadn’t been told? I naturally assumed—–’

‘We would hardly come out and baldly tell her something like that. In time—–’

‘In time!’ Sara repeated shrilly, suddenly coming to
life, looking up at Dominic with accusing eyes. ‘
In time
you and my father were going to tell me Marie is dying, that having found my twin I’m now going to lose her again! And how much
time
was it going to take for you to tell me—on her deathbed, perhaps?’ Her voice broke emotionally.

Dominic looked at his brother. ‘My God, you did a good job of this!’

‘Don’t blame him,’ Sara snapped. ‘Maybe his method wasn’t very tactful, but at least he considered me adult enough to
be
told.’

‘Would you please leave us, Danny?’ Dominic said tautly.

‘Sara?’

She looked at Dominic’s set, rigid features. ‘Yes, go, Danny. You really should get your nose seen to.’ It was still bleeding.

He grimaced. ‘I think it’s broken,’ he muttered as he left.

‘Sara—–’

She shook off Dominic’s hand, standing up and moving away from him. ‘Don’t touch me!’ she spat the words at him. ‘Don’t ever touch me again. Just tell me, tell me what’s wrong with Marie.’

He licked the blood from his lip. ‘Perhaps your father—–’

‘No,
you
!’ she told him heatedly. ‘I want you to tell me.’

He sighed. ‘Then perhaps we should sit down. This could take some time, and you’ve already received enough of a shock.’

Sara sat. ‘I’m waiting,’ she said in a cold voice.

‘You know that Marie fell down the stairs about six months ago,’ he began.

She nodded. ‘The same day I had my accident.’

‘Yes. Well, that fall did more than cause a bump on the head and a twisted ankle.’

‘What else?’ she asked dully.

‘Shortly after falling Marie began to have excruciating pains in the head, so severe that she would cry out with the agony of them.’

‘She still gets them,’ Sara recalled tightly.

Dominic frowned. ‘That bad?’

‘Yes.’

He shook his head. ‘She said they were getting better.’

Her mouth twisted. ‘Perhaps she didn’t want to worry you.’

‘She eventually went to see a specialist,’ Dominic ignored her bitter dig at him. ‘Simon Forrester is that specialist.’

God, what a fool she was! All this time she had been blinded by her belief that it was her father who was ill, when all the pointers had really been to its being Marie. Marie was the one with the headaches, the one kept in bed by her illness. She should have realised that Marie was the one her father had told her aunt and uncle was dying, instead she had jumped completely to the wrong conclusion. Was it more painful to lose her sister than her father, could one gauge a loss like that? She couldn’t, and she wouldn’t even try.

‘Why can’t Simon Forrester do anything for her?’ she demanded to know.

Dominic shrugged. ‘Clever as he is he just can’t perform miracles. Simon discovered a minute fracture of the skull that wasn’t apparent at the time of the accident. That fracture of bone could move at any time and kill her.’

‘Can’t it be removed?’ Sara cried.

‘No,’ he replied grimly.

‘But surely—–’

‘No!’ he repeated tautly. ‘It can’t.’

‘This is absurd! She’s young, beautiful, a wonderful person. God couldn’t be cruel enough to take her life. Besides, she doesn’t look ill,’ she added foolishly.

‘Believe me, she is.’

‘Then why are you marrying her?’ Sara turned on him angrily. ‘You must have known she was dying when you asked her to marry you—you’ve only been engaged a few months.’

Dominic’s expression was remote, unapproachable. ‘My reasons for marrying Marie are my own.’

‘And your reason for making love to me?’ she asked shrilly. ‘Could it be that you decided to have a standby, just in case you didn’t get to marry Marie before she dies? After all, one Michael Lindlay daughter is as good as another!’ Her head flew back with the force of Dominic’s palm against her cheek. She didn’t move, looking up at him with lifeless eyes, too numb to even feel the pain he had just inflicted. ‘I wouldn’t marry you if you got down on your knees and crawled to me across broken glass,’ she told him with cold vehemence. ‘Just the thought of being in the same room with you makes me feel nauseated!’

Dominic was grey, harsh lines etched into his face. ‘Goodbye, Sara,’ and he quietly left the room.

As soon as he had left Eddie came in, frowning his concern as his sharp gaze took in her white shocked face, her dishevelled appearance. ‘What the hell is going on here?’ he asked concernedly. ‘World War Three? The two Thorne men have just walked out of here looking as if they’ve been in battle, one with a bleeding nose, Dominic Thorne looking as if he would like to hit someone.’

‘Me,’ Sara acknowledged dully. ‘He—he’s a bastard, Eddie. A cold, heartless, mercenary bastard.’ She began to shiver, even though the room was very warm. ‘Get me out of here, Eddie,’ she cried her desperation. ‘Get me away from here!’

‘All right, love,’ his arm came protectively about her shoulders.

‘Out through the french doors. Don’t make me see anyone.’ She couldn’t face all those people in the other room.

He took her to his flat over his garage, a comfortable two-bedroomed flat. He poured her out a glass of whisky, watching while she drank it all down.

‘Now,’ he sat down, holding her hands in his, ‘tell me about it.’

‘I—I can’t!’ she collapsed sobbingly against his chest, knowing she couldn’t discuss Marie with him, not until she had spoken to her father and sister. ‘I just can’t, Eddie!’ She looked up at him appealingly.

‘All right, love.’ He smoothed her hair back with gentle fingers. ‘Just sit here with me and don’t worry about a thing. No one can touch you here, I won’t let them.’

She knew that he wouldn’t, felt confident of his ability to protect her. She certainly wasn’t able to protect or help herself, her thoughts were all on Marie and the injury that was going to take her from them.

And then there were the terrible things she had said to Dominic, the awful damning things said in the heat of the moment. She couldn’t really believe the things she had said to him, had hit out at him because he happened to be there, not because she really
meant
those things.

But he wouldn’t know that, and she doubted he would give her the chance to tell him. Besides, she might not believe
that
about him, but he had still made love to her while intending to marry Marie.

When she woke up all was silent about her, the only light in the room from the electric fire Eddie must have switched on while she slept. Her head was resting on the slow rise and fall of his chest, his relaxed pose telling her of his own slumbers.

She moved gingerly, stretched her cramped limbs. ‘Sorry,’ she said ruefully as Eddie’s eyes instantly opened. ‘I didn’t mean to wake you.’

‘You didn’t.’ He sat up too. ‘I wasn’t really asleep, just resting.’ He looked at her searchingly. ‘How do you feel now?’

‘Stiff,’ she grimaced. ‘What time is it?’

‘Almost three o’clock,’ he supplied.

‘Oh, God!’ she groaned, putting a hand up to her temple. ‘They’ll be wondering where I am.’

‘No, they won’t,’ Eddie said quietly. ‘I telephoned your father and told him you were with me. He told me everything, Sara,’ he added softly.

She at once looked stricken, as the memory of the evening just past came painfully back to her. ‘Everything?’ she croaked.

He nodded. ‘Yes. I told him I would take you home when you’re ready.’

Sara shivered. ‘I’ll never be ready to go back and accept that!’

Eddie’s hand covered hers. ‘You can’t make it go away by ignoring it.’

‘She’s too young, Eddie,’ Sara groaned.

He nodded, compassion in his eyes. ‘And she has everything to live for, a father and a sister who love her, and a fiancée who would sacrifice his own happiness to make her happy.’

Sara gave him a sharp look. ‘You mean Dominic?’

‘Of course.’

‘What do you mean?’

He shrugged. ‘I mean he likes Marie to be—happy.’

Yes, she knew that! Something else that should have told her it was Marie she was in danger of losing. Dominic was obsessed with seeing that Marie had everything she possibly could to make her happy.

‘We all do,’ she said huskily.

‘But not like he does.’

‘Possibly not.’ Although it hadn’t stopped him trying—no, succeeding, in getting her into bed with him. ‘I’d better go, Eddie. My father is probably expecting me.’

He nodded. ‘He said he would wait up.’

The light was on in the lounge when she arrived home, despite the lateness of the hour. She hesitated at the front door, looking uncertainly at Eddie.

‘You would rather go in alone, hmm?’ he guessed shrewdly.

She smiled her relief. ‘Thanks, Eddie.’ He had been so kind to her she hadn’t wanted to tell him she wanted to see her father in private. She reached up and kissed him on the mouth. ‘I think I love you,’ she whispered huskily.

He touched her gently on the cheek. ‘That’s what honorary brothers are for. ’Night, love.’ He bent and kissed her.

Her father was alone, and stood up as soon as she entered the room. He looked old, defeated and old.

‘Oh, Dad!’ She launched herself tearfully into his arms, her body shaking with deep racking sobs.

‘I know, child. I know.’ He stroked her hair, cradling her to him.

‘I don’t think I can bear it!’ she choked.

‘We have to, Sara. And we have to be strong, for Marie’s sake.’

‘I know,’ she sniffed, wiping the tears away with the back of her hand. ‘Why didn’t you tell me, Dad? All this time I thought it was you, and I couldn’t understand why you hadn’t told me about it.’

‘Me?’ he frowned. ‘Why on earth should you think a thing like that?’

She explained overhearing part of his conversation with her aunt and uncle. ‘I’m afraid I jumped to conclusions,’ she admitted ruefully. ‘It’s just that Marie is so young—–’ she broke off emotionally. ‘I’m sorry, this must be worse for you than it is for me.’

‘No. I’ve seen how close the two of you have become the last few weeks, almost as if you’ve been together all your lives. I’m grateful for that, Sara.’ He ran his hand tiredly over his eyes. ‘It’s made it a little easier for her.’

Sara swallowed hard. ‘She—she knows?’ remembering the conversation they had had about death she thought she must do.

‘Oh yes,’ he sighed. ‘Not at first. But when the headaches
continued,’ he shrugged, ‘she guessed. She went wild for a few weeks, although that stopped once she became engaged to Dominic.’

But had it? Dominic hadn’t seemed surprised when he had thought she was Marie out with another man. He had been angry, but not surprised. Maybe it had happened before. But wouldn’t she feel the same way in Marie’s place, wouldn’t she want to break out too, hit out at the world for taking her young life from her? She knew she would, although their father obviously had no idea of it.