Legacy of Desire (5 page)

‘I think they eat anything.’

‘Who are the other two guests?’

‘Why, yourself and your boyfriend of course. I thought I’d already made that clear.’

Davina shook her head. ‘You never mentioned it.’

‘How stupid of me. Well, I’ve mentioned it now. Since you’ve lived here for some time you’ll be better placed than I am to answer any questions Todd may have about the area.’ Davina, who’d half hoped he’d asked her because he thought she’d be good company, felt irrationally disappointed at his explanation. It seemed so impersonal, but then that was his style.

After Clive had placed coffee and biscuits on the small table in front of them and returned to the house, Jay lifted his face towards the sun and gave a small sigh. ‘Someone told me your climate was dreadful but this is very agreeable.’

‘The trouble is we don’t get many days like this,’ explained Davina. ‘What’s it like in Boston?’

‘It could be raining for all I know. I haven’t spoken to anyone there today.’

‘I meant in general,’ she said crossly.

‘Right, in general. In general the summers are quite good and the winters very cold but there’s a lot of rain. There, has that satisfied your very English desire for a discussion on weather?’

‘Yes thank you,’ said Davina shortly.

‘Excellent, then perhaps we can progress to the menu. Have you given it any thought?’

Davina felt very pleased with herself. ‘Yes I have. I thought it would be nice if we began with a warm mushroom salad, followed by beef cooked with black olives and English vegetables, then for dessert a passion fruit and mango mousse.’

‘Sounds great,’ agreed Jay. ‘Well balanced and nice
and English. Incidentally, I like people to dress up at dinner. I’m not in favour of this new uniform of jeans and T-shirt that seems to be worn everywhere.’ He looked pointedly at her outfit.

‘Neither am I,’ said Davina. ‘These are my working clothes. I’m repainting the kitchen at the moment, in between doing my drawings. I promise I won’t turn up at your dinner party wearing jeans.’

‘Good, because I like a woman to look like a woman. I’m not very politically correct. I believe there are basic differences between the sexes which means they can never be truly equal.’

‘That sounds like an interesting topic for discussion on Saturday,’ said Davina, refusing to rise to the bait as he watched her with a gleam of anticipation in his eyes. ‘Thanks very much for the coffee, it was delicious. Are you likely to have any typing for me?’ she added.

Jay frowned. ‘Typing?’

‘I used to type for my uncle. Since you’re in the legal profession I thought there might be case studies and things that you needed typed up.’

‘I couldn’t possibly hand my work out to anyone but a legal secretary. I do have my reputation to consider.’

‘Fine, but I didn’t want you to think I wasn’t willing to work for my cottage.’

Jay moved his left hand slowly over the table until his fingers were resting on the top of Davina’s hand. ‘Don’t worry, Davina, there are plenty of things that you’ll be able to do for me. Believe me, you’ll earn your cottage.’

She felt herself start to tremble and snatched her hand away. ‘Fine, I’ve always liked to be independent.’

Jay rose to his feet. ‘I assume you’re used to dropping in at the main house whenever you feel like it. Now that I’m here perhaps you’d be good enough to ring through before you leave the cottage. Sometimes I might be busy, or it may simply be inconvenient to have you call.’ He looked across the garden and Davina saw Pattie walking towards them. ‘I’m sure you get my drift,’ he added.

Davina’s face felt hot. ‘I certainly do.’ Suddenly she couldn’t wait to be gone, to get away from this difficult, detached stranger who was having the most peculiar effect on her.

‘Hi,’ said Pattie, greeting Davina with a wide smile that showed off her perfect set of even white teeth to
great advantage. ‘I’ve been looking round the grounds here, you’ve got a cute little summerhouse.’

‘It’s a gazebo,’ said Davina.

Pattie looked surprised. ‘What’s the difference?’

‘Look it up in a dictionary,’ said Jay. ‘I’m always telling you that’s the best way to improve your mind.’

Pattie laughed. ‘It isn’t my mind that interests him,’ she told Davina, and wrapped herself around her lover, kissing him passionately. Jay didn’t move. He neither encouraged her nor attempted to push her off, instead he stood there passively, but his eyes were watching Davina. Suddenly, without knowing why, she couldn’t bear to watch any more and turning away she hurried back to the solitude of her cottage, which for some reason didn’t seem quite as welcoming as usual.

‘Where did you get that?’ asked Phil as Davina stood in front of the bedroom mirror adjusting her oyster-coloured satin two-piece. ‘I’ve never seen it before.’

‘I bought it in Oxford this week,’ she explained.

‘It looks expensive.’

‘It didn’t cost you anything.’

He frowned. ‘That’s not what I meant. What’s so
special about tonight that you felt you had to go out and buy yourself a fancy outfit?’

The truth was Davina didn’t know why she’d done it. Phil was quite right; the outfit had been outrageously expensive, but with its long elegant skirt and beautifully cut tunic that reached just below her hips and was embroidered with large swirls, it made her look and feel both elegant and sexy. She’d needed it in order to feel confident enough to face Jay and his friends, particularly after learning that his boss was to be there. All that she knew about American lawyers had been gleaned from watching videos and TV movies, but she was very aware that they were rich. She wanted to show that she wasn’t some poor relation living off charity.

‘You haven’t answered me,’ persisted Phil.

‘It was an impulse buy.’

‘I’m not looking forward to the evening at all.’ Phil’s expression was truculent. ‘It’s not as though I know any of these people.’

‘Neither do I,’ said Davina. ‘At least, only Pattie.’

‘Then why are we going?’

‘Because Jay thought that his boss would like to meet
some English people,’ she explained, consoling herself with the thought that this wasn’t entirely a lie even though Jay hadn’t mentioned Phil by name.

‘I can’t stand the man,’ continued Phil moodily. ‘He’s the sort of American that gives the country a bad name.’

‘I didn’t know it had a bad name,’ laughed Davina. ‘Besides, you only dislike him because he inherited the house. He’s probably a very nice person underneath.’

‘Underneath what?’

‘Underneath that veneer of being a not very nice person! Come on, Phil. Don’t be cross. Let’s try and enjoy ourselves. At least you know the food will be good.’ She stood in front of him and gave a twirl. ‘What do you think?’

‘Like I said, expensive.’

This time Davina’s sigh was audible. ‘I do hope you’re not going to sulk the whole evening. If you think about it, it was nice of Jay to invite us.’

‘Is that how you see it? In my opinion he’s damn lucky to be living there. You should be the one throwing a dinner party for
my
boss.’

‘Even if I had inherited the house I don’t see why I
would have felt it necessary to entertain your boss,’ replied Davina. ‘Come on, we mustn’t be late. He’s a stickler for punctuality.’

‘That figures,’ muttered Phil.

When they arrived at the house everyone was gathered in the drawing room for drinks and it was there that Davina had her first glimpse of Todd and Tanya Lattimer. Todd looked to be in his mid-forties, his thick hair was completely silver but it was obvious that he kept himself in good physical shape, and his blue eyes sparkled as he took Davina’s hand and kissed her on the cheek. ‘Delighted to meet you, Davina. Jay’s told us all about your uncle’s death. Please accept our condolences.’

Davina felt an unexpected lump in her throat. ‘That’s very kind of you,’ she whispered. ‘I’m afraid I still miss him dreadfully.’

‘Sure you do. No one would expect anything different. I’d like you to meet my wife, Tanya. Tanya, this is Davina Fletcher, Jay’s godfather’s niece.’

Tanya Lattimer was quite a surprise to Davina. She was of medium height and slender build. It was obvious from her straight, jet-black hair, cut stylishly short and
her slightly slanted dark eyes that there was Oriental blood in her. Dressed in a flowing ankle-length sleeveless over-dress and a pair of lime green silk trousers which toned in with the lime and turquoise top, she looked extraordinarily striking. It was clear from the way she looked at her husband that she was deeply in love with him.

‘You’re just as Jay described you,’ she said with a smile.

‘I don’t know whether that’s a compliment or not,’ laughed Davina.

Todd nodded enthusiastically. ‘Oh yeah, it’s a compliment all right.’

‘Time to go in to dinner,’ said Jay, coming up to their group. He nodded at Davina but, much to her disappointment, didn’t attempt to take her hand or kiss her. ‘Glad you were on time.’

Todd laughed. ‘I take it you’ve already discovered young Jay’s penchant for rules and regulations.’

‘Be careful, darling,’ said Tanya, slipping her hand into Todd’s. ‘You mustn’t give away Jay’s secrets.’

‘Oh, don’t worry,’ said Davina hastily. ‘I know he likes things to happen at precisely the time he’s arranged.’

‘That’s not exactly what I meant,’ said Tanya, then turned and left the room, leaving Davina to wonder what she was trying to infer.

The dinner went well and Davina was delighted with the way all the guests tucked into the food. Pattie, wearing an ankle-length sleeveless black dress with white bands around the armhole, neckline and just beneath her ample breasts, that fitted her like a second skin, even asked Davina for the recipe for the beef.

‘Why do you want to know that?’ enquired Jay curiously. ‘You can’t even boil an egg.’

‘I thought I might learn to become domesticated while we’re here,’ said Pattie. ‘Either that or take up gardening.’

‘She’s kidding,’ said Todd to Davina, who was sitting on his right. ‘The most energetic thing Pattie does is get out of bed in the morning.’

‘I do an aerobic workout every day,’ said Pattie indignantly. ‘How else do you think I keep my figure?’

‘By regular visits to your plastic surgeon,’ drawled Jay.

‘Of course,’ said Phil. ‘I’d forgotten that you come from the land of the knife.’

Jay stiffened slightly but his expression remained neutral. ‘Meaning what?’

‘Meaning that you Americans believe the knife is the answer to everything, don’t you? Not just knives either. You use knives to slice and dice and keep yourselves forever young, and guns to shoot each other when you want a change of partner.’

‘That’s a helluva sweeping statement,’ said Jay calmly. ‘Perhaps you’d like to justify it.’

‘I don’t see why I need to,’ snapped Phil. ‘We’re forever reading in the papers about tourists getting shot at in Florida. Seems a strange place to have Disney World when you think about it. Doesn’t the tourist board have a list of recommendations about never moving out of your designated hotel area and—’

‘You don’t have any crime here I take it?’ said Jay.

‘Sure we have crime, but we also have strict gun laws. Mind you, it seems to me that the American male lacks self-confidence. His gun seems to reinforce his manhood.’

‘Is that a fact?’

‘You must see it in court all the time,’ said Phil, his mouth set in a firm line.

‘I see all kinds of things in the courtroom,’ said Jay. ‘Sure there are murders, but you have murders here, and gross miscarriages of justice as well …’

‘Such as?’

‘Derek Bentley.’ There was an awkward silence.

‘Okay, so that was a mistake,’ agreed Phil. ‘But at least we no longer execute killers. If the Derek Bentley case happened today it would all be very different.’

‘But it didn’t happen today, did it? The fact that you don’t execute killers any more isn’t of any help to Derek Bentley. In any case, as I understand it the average British citizen would like to see capital punishment brought back. Fair to say?’

‘I’ve no idea,’ said Phil.

‘Oh come on, Phil,’ exclaimed Davina. ‘You know Jay’s telling the truth. If you held a national referendum next week the majority of people would vote for bringing back capital punishment.’

‘Only for certain crimes,’ protested Phil.

‘Ah I see,’ said Jay. ‘So it’ll be okay to hang the wrong person for, say, killing a child or a policeman, will it?’

‘No.’

‘But if you introduce that kind of system there’s bound to be mistakes.’

‘I didn’t say I wanted that system brought in,’ protested Phil.

‘But you agree that most of your countrymen do?’

Phil’s cheeks were flushed. ‘Let’s just forget it, shall we?’

‘I was enjoying myself,’ said Jay, and Davina could tell from the brightness of his eyes that he was telling the truth. Unfortunately, the same wasn’t true of Phil and she decided that it was up to her to change the subject.

‘I understand you like England,’ she said to Todd, and for the next twenty minutes he and she talked together about the differences between their cultures. Phil, having decided he didn’t wish to tangle with Jay again, became immersed in conversation with Pattie.

After dinner they moved into the large drawing room and Davina was astonished at the changes that had already been made to the house. The room looked fresh and clean, but at the same time Jay had retained its character. ‘Do you approve?’ he asked suddenly, coming up behind her so quietly that she wasn’t aware of him.

Davina jumped. ‘Yes, very much.’

‘Good. You know, I do realise that I must have come as rather a nasty shock to you. Believe me, I had no idea your uncle was going to leave me this place, and while I don’t suppose for one moment it means as much to me as it does to you I really value it. Despite what your boyfriend may think, not all Americans are completely vulgar. I feel it’s a privilege that I’ve got the money to make the place look as good as it can. Maybe that’s why your uncle left it to me rather than you.’

‘It really doesn’t matter,’ Davina assured him. ‘I’ve never thought about living here, and that’s the truth.’