Forbidden Surrender (6 page)

‘Yes.’ Although marrying him because he had been good to her didn’t seem a very good reason to Sara. Perhaps they loved each other in their own way, but it wasn’t the way she wanted to love her life’s partner.

‘Mm, I love to be seen with him.’ Marie’s expression was dreamy. ‘And he’s so masterful. Daddy says he’s a brilliant businessman.’

Sara hastily revised her opinion of Marie not loving her fiancée. She obviously adored him, although she took pains to hide it. Their relationship was too complicated for her to understand, so she decided not to probe any further. The two of them obviously understood each other, and really that was all that mattered.

‘I—Oh, look, there’s Suzanne,’ Marie exclaimed. ‘Suz—Oh, damn, she’s gone into the restaurant.’ She
turned to Sara. ‘Would you mind if I left you for a few minutes? I just have to see Suzanne.’

‘No,’ Sara smiled. ‘You go ahead.’

Marie stood up, hesitating. ‘You won’t leave?’

She shook her head. ‘No, I won’t leave. I’ll finish drinking my coffee and wait for you here.’

Marie was gone considerably longer than a few minutes, so much so that Sara started to get fidgety. When she saw Dominic Thorne enter the restaurant her heart sank. Verbal abuse from him was not something she welcomed right now, not after the things Marie had told her he had said about her, the insults he had made about both her and her mother.

He came straight over to her, his strides long and purposeful. ‘I thought I’d find you here.’ He stood looking down at her. ‘Why couldn’t you have told me earlier instead of all that evasion?’ He sat down in the chair Marie had recently vacated, his dark suit impeccable, as was the rest of his appearance.

He thought she was Marie! Her anger at his accusations concerning her mother and herself came to the fore. She tried to recall Marie’s husky tone of voice, hoping she could pull this off. This man was arrogant, condescending, and totally wrong about her, and it was time she got her own back on him.

‘Maybe I didn’t want you breathing down my neck.’ Was that really her talking? She had managed to get quite a good impression of Marie’s husky tones, good enough to fool Dominic Thorne, she could tell.

He sighed, his anger barely contained. ‘I merely like to know—–’

‘—What I’m doing every minute of the day and night,’ she finished in that highly educated English voice. Maybe she should take up acting? ‘I’m only out to lunch, Dominic.’

He put his hand over hers, and Sara only just stopped herself from pulling away. ‘I feel responsible for you while your father is away.’

Sara pouted as she had seen Marie do. ‘But, Dominic, surely I can’t come to any harm while I’m out to lunch?’

He gave an indulgent smile, looking the most pleasant she had ever seen him, his harshly attractive features softened. ‘You could come to harm just sitting at home,’ he teased. ‘Who are you lunching with?’

‘Well, actually—–’

Dominic’s face darkened, his eyes narrowed to icy blue slits. ‘You haven’t seen the Hamille girl again, have you?’

Sara bristled angrily on her own behalf. ‘And why shouldn’t I?’ Amazingly she still managed to maintain Marie’s accent.

‘I’ve already told you why,’ he said sternly. ‘The girl is out to cause trouble.’

As far as Sara was concerned this charade had gone on long enough! ‘And in what way am I doing that, Mr Thorne?’ She dropped the pose, talking to him in her own voice, her anger obvious.

He instantly dropped her hand, his face an angry mask. ‘Very amusing, Miss Hamille,’ he snapped. ‘Perhaps you should take up acting as a profession.’

Her mouth twisted. ‘I had just thought the same thing. Let me assure you, Mr Thorne, I am not out to cause ‘‘trouble”. I met Marie today at her suggestion, and because I like her. But now that I know your opinion of my mother and myself—and incidentally, my mother didn’t meet Marie’s father at any time, let alone nine months before my birth. I’m sorry, Mr Thorne, did you say something?’ she asked coldly.

His expression was fierce. ‘I said damn Marie and her loose tongue,’ he rasped.

‘If the remarks hadn’t been made she wouldn’t have been able to repeat them. Twenty-one years ago my mother was married to my father, and that is the time I was born. The comments you made about her are slanderous,’ her eyes sparkled with fury, ‘and I’m not going
to sit back and let you make them!’

‘It was merely conjecture,’ he said smoothly. ‘Your similarity to Marie is—amazing. I was merely trying to find a reason for it.’

‘Well, that isn’t it!’ Sara snapped.

‘No, I accept that. Your age would seem to veto that idea. Twenty-one, I think you said?’

‘Almost,’ she confirmed resentfully. ‘Next month.’

‘Mm, and at the time Marie’s father was also happily married to her mother.’

‘I require an apology for your remarks, Mr Thorne,’ Sara told him stubbornly.

Anger flared in those narrowed eyes. ‘Miss Hamille—–’

‘An apology!’ she repeated tightly. ‘My mother is dead and so unable to defend herself, but I demand an apology on her behalf.’ She looked at him challengingly, refusing to withdraw from their silent optical battle. Marie might enjoy his domineering attitude, but Sara just found it infuriating, and she refused to be cowed by it.

Dominic Thorne looked as if he were going through a battle of his own, with himself. That he was unaccustomed to admitting to being wrong about anything she had no doubt, but she remained firm. He
would
apologise.

‘All right,’ the words came out in a hiss, blue eyes glittering resentfully. ‘I apologise. It would appear I’m mistaken.’

Sara could thankfully see Marie coming back, the other girl bending to lightly kiss her fiancée on the lips before sitting down beside him.

‘Sorry I was so long,’ she spoke to Sara. ‘I’m afraid Suzanne is as much of a chatterbox as I am!’ She gave a glowing smile in Dominic Thorne’s direction. ‘What are you doing here, darling? Not that I’m not pleased to see you,’ she entwined her fingers with his, ‘but I thought you’d be hard at work this afternoon.’

‘I had some spare time.’ His voice showed none of his fury of seconds earlier, his manner at once indulgent. ‘I thought I might find you here.’

So that he could spy on her, Sara silently fumed. And it seemed that Dominic Thorne loved Marie in return, a possessive over-protective love that would suffocate Sara.

‘Sara and I are going shopping,’ Marie surprised her by announcing. ‘Do you want to come with us?’ she asked her fiancée.

‘No, thanks,’ he gave a teasing smile. ‘But you can show me later what you bought.’

Marie gave him a mischievous smile. ‘I thought I might buy some lingerie.’

Dominic laughed, at once sensually attractive. ‘In that case you can definitely show it to me later!’ He stood up. ‘I’ll leave you two girls to enjoy your shopping.’

‘Goodbye, Mr Thorne,’ Sara said pointedly, meeting his sharp look unflinchingly.

He nodded curtly. ‘Goodbye, Miss Hamille. Until later, Marie,’ and he bent to kiss her, a tall compelling man who drew much attention as he left the restaurant.

Marie gave a pleasurable shiver. ‘I don’t think I’ll ever get over how attractive he is,’ she smiled. ‘Or the fact that I’m engaged to him. Oh well, shall we go and do that shopping now?’

It was late when Sara got back to her aunt’s house, her leavetaking from Marie having been difficult. Marie had wanted them to meet again, but Sara had claimed that she would be too busy during her time left in England.

Marie called her again a couple of days later, and Sara did her best to get out of seeing her.

‘Please,’ Marie coaxed. ‘I like you, Sara, I feel I can talk to you. I know,’ her husky laugh sounded down the telephone, ‘I never do anything else! But I feel I can
really
talk to you. Maybe it’s because we’re so much
alike, I don’t know, but I feel as if there’s a bond between us.’

Sara felt it too, so much so that it felt weird. She wasn’t even sure that she and Marie had anything in common, she just felt close to the other girl, wanted to help her if she was troubled about anything.

‘Oh, go on, Sara,’ Marie encouraged, sensing her weakening. ‘I’ll pick you up, shall I?’

‘No!’ her voice was sharp. She still hadn’t mentioned her first two meetings with Marie to her aunt and uncle, and she didn’t want to have to tell them now. ‘I—I’ll meet you somewhere.’

They arranged a place to meet, and Sara duly turned up there at the appropriate time. Marie was late, but then time never seemed to mean much to her, possibly because she had so much of it on her hands.

After quarter of an hour she was starting to worry, after half an hour she was convinced something had happened to Marie. Luckily the other girl’s telephone number was in the book, and she rang through to the house. The maid told her that Miss Lindlay was resting in her room, and that she certainly didn’t have an appointment to meet anyone this afternoon.

Sara didn’t know what to make of that, standing dazedly in the callbox, until an irate person outside began to knock on the window. She slowly moved out of the callbox, stunned by what she had just been told. It sounded like a brush-off to her, and considering that Marie had been the one who wanted the meeting she didn’t think it was her doing. There could be only one person behind this—Dominic Thorne!

She waited until the other person left the callbox before putting a call through to Dominic Thorne’s office. Without even asking her name his secretary told her he wasn’t available, and would she like to leave a message. What she had to say to Dominic Thorne couldn’t be relayed through a third party!

‘Could you tell him Sara Hamille called,’ she said
stiffly before putting the receiver down.

So that she didn’t completely waste her time she went for a walk in one of the parks, amazed that you could find such peace and beauty in the middle of this teeming city.

The fresh air did her good, giving her an appetite for her dinner. She had taken to spending her evenings quietly at home with her aunt and uncle, remaining friends with Eddie but not accepting any more of his invitations. After all, she was here to rest, and she had enough exercise during the day.

She was watching a film on the television when her aunt told her there was a caller for her.

‘Take him into the other room,’ her aunt said in a whisper. ‘It’s tidier in there.’

Sara wasn’t really surprised by the identity of her caller; he had to be someone quite important for her aunt to suggest using the lounge. Even her aunt had recognised the individualism of Dominic Thorne.

‘Yes?’ Sara’s manner wasn’t forthcoming as she fought off feelings of inadequacy. He looked so distinguished in the black evening clothes, showing her denims and tee-shirt up for the casual attire they were.

Dominic Thorne was obviously aware of her clothing too, as his narrowed gaze passed slowly over the length of her body. ‘I hope I haven’t called at an inconvenient time,’ he drawled.

‘Not at all.’ She put her thumbs through the loops of the waistband of her denims, adopting a challenging stance. ‘I’ll probably miss knowing who the murderer was after watching the other hour and a half of the film, but what does that matter?’ Her sarcasm was unmistakable.

His expression hardened. ‘My secretary said you telephoned.’

She raised her eyebrows. ‘I didn’t expect a personal visit for the call.’

‘And you aren’t getting one.’ His patience seemed to be wearing thin. ‘I was in the area and I thought I would come and explain the reason Marie let you down this afternoon.’

‘I think I can guess that,’ Sara mocked, her head tilted back defiantly.

‘I doubt it,’ he scowled. ‘Marie suffers from migraine. She had one this afternoon.’

‘I’m sure!’

Dominic stiffened. ‘I am not in the habit of lying.’

Sara’s shrug was deliberately provocative. ‘Once or twice doesn’t make you a habitual liar.’

His hands came out to painfully grasp her arms. ‘I’m sure Marie will call you herself tomorrow and explain why she was unable to meet you.’

‘I’m sure she will. You’ve probably instructed her very well.’ She was being childish now and she knew it. ‘It wasn’t my idea that we meet, Mr Thorne. Marie seemed upset about something—and I think I can guess what that something was,’ she scorned.

His eyes glittered dangerously as he stood looking down at her, their bodies so close they were almost touching. He shook his head. ‘Why did you have to appear in our lives?’ he muttered, seeming to be talking to himself, certainly requiring no answer. ‘You’re a complication I don’t need.’

‘Don’t worry, Mr Thorne,’ she snapped. ‘Another week and I shall leave as suddenly as I arrived.’

He pushed her away from him. ‘I don’t think so.’

Sara stepped back, relieved to be away from his blatant masculinity, having found his warm sensuality disturbing in the extreme. He was engaged to be married, it didn’t seem fair that he could still command attraction in the way that he did, seemingly without volition.

‘Oh, but I shall, Mr Thorne,’ she assured him.

‘No,’ again he shook his head. ‘Would you like to see Marie tomorrow?’ he asked suddenly.

‘I—If she’s feeling better,’ Sara nodded dazedly.

‘She will be,’ he said with certainty. ‘Well, enough to see you, anyway.’ He took out a card, writing on the back of it. ‘Come to this address at twelve-thirty tomorrow. It’s Marie’s home,’ he explained as he handed her the card. ‘I’m sure she would like to see you for lunch.’

‘You’re actually encouraging me to see her?’

He shrugged. ‘Why not? I’m sure you’ll meet anyway, if you want to.’

‘Yes.’

‘Then come to lunch.’

‘Will you be there?’

Dominic smiled, a totally mocking smile. ‘I’m afraid so. Has that put you off coming?’

Sara rose to his challenge. ‘Certainly not!’

‘Very well. Twelve-thirty tomorrow.’

She went with him to the door. ‘I’ll be there.’

He gave a mocking inclination of his arrogant head, and Sara had to restrain herself from slamming the door after him.

‘A friend of yours, dear?’ her aunt asked as she rejoined them.

Sara gave a casual shrug. ‘Just a friend of a friend,’ she dismissed. ‘I met him at the club I went to with Eddie the other night,’ which was basically true. ‘He was in the area and just thought he would call in,’ which was also true.