Soliman, Wendy - The Name of the Game (BookStrand Publishing Romance) (14 page)

“Yes, he did. I wish now that I’d been firmer and insisted upon Matt finishing his legal degree, but things weren’t straightforward at the time. Anyway,” she said, appearing to shake off her introspective mood, “hindsight is vastly overrated, in my opinion.”

A freshly shaven Matt stood in the doorway, watching them chatting away as though they’d known one another for years.

“What are you two scheming about?” he asked, smiling and plonking himself on the arm of Ashley’s chair.

“Like we’re going to tell you,” Ashley said, laughing with Sophie.

“Why don’t you show Ashley the horses,” Sophie said, “whilst I see to lunch.”

“Oh, can’t I help you?”

“Certainly not. Now, off you go, both of you.”

Out in the grounds, Matt took Ashley’s hand and led her toward the paddocks. Before they even reached them, his arm had snaked its way around her waist. He pulled her toward him so forcefully that her body crashed against his. Ashley responded to his kiss with passionate fervour, vaguely ashamed that her body could still react with such enthusiasm after their long night of lovemaking.

“Still worried about meeting my mother?” he asked when he finally broke the kiss.

“Matt, she’s lovely. You should have said.”

He chuckled. “I seem to recall that I did. Several times.”

“Well, you can’t have been very convincing.”

The horses trotted up to the fence. Matt produced a packet of mints and distributed them.

“They’re all magnificent,” Ashley said, casting an expert eye over them as they jostled Matt for the mints. “Which one is yours?”

“The black with the white blaze. He’s getting on a bit now, aren’t you, Satan,” he said, patting the horse’s neck. “He’s fifteen.”

Ashley rubbed his muzzle. “Still plenty of life left in him by the looks of things.”

“Oh yes.”

“What’s that building over there?” she asked, pointing to a structure beyond the line of modern loose boxes.

“A cottage,” he said. “I think it was originally planned as a groom’s residence. It’s been vacant for years. The boys loved playing in it when they were little.”

“I can imagine.”

“Come on. Let’s get some lunch. I’m starved.”

“Wonder why?”

They laughed and kissed their way back to the house.

Lunch was as traditional as their surroundings. Roast beef and all the trimmings, superbly cooked. Matt opened one and then a second bottle of decent claret, and they all overindulged. Ashley had never seen him half so relaxed before, so in control and very obviously happy, and was glad she had agreed to meet his mother.

They were finishing coffee when the phone rang. Matt stiffened when he heard his mother’s responses.

“Eve,” he said with a grimace, stepping out into the hall to take the call.

When he returned to the table, Ashley knew the relaxed mood of earlier had been broken by the spectre of Eve.

“I think,” Ashley said later as they sat in the drawing room together, “that I’m going to apply for a new job.”

“What!” Matt half rose from his chair, his expression quizzical. “But I thought we’d—”

“Calm down and hear me out. You both think Charlie’s behind the disputed death claims, right?”

They nodded.

“I can’t believe it of the young lad I took in all those years ago,” Sophie said, shaking her head. “He was such an amenable child.”

“He grew up,” Matt said shortly.

“And if you don’t stop his little game soon, Matt,” Ashley pointed out, “it will weaken your position with the amalgamation?”

“Yes, but I don’t see how—”

“Well then, we need to find out how he’s doing it,” she said, with irrefutable logic.

“Obviously, and that’s precisely what I’m trying to do.”

“Yes, and he knows it. I hate to dent your manly pride by pointing this out, but he’s been one step ahead of you all the way.”

“Possibly but I still think I can—”

“No, you can’t.” Ashley pinioned him with a look. “And time’s running out.”

“I was thinking of confronting him. If he knows that I know—”

“Oh, Matt, he won’t tell you a thing. He’ll deny it all, you can’t prove it, and all you’ll manage is to cause further deterioration in your relationship.”

“She’s right, Matt,” Sophie said when he didn’t immediately respond.

“Okay, gang up on me, why don’t you.” He let out a long sigh. “What’s your plan then, Ash?”

“Well, I noticed the other day that Charlie’s advertising internally for someone on my grade to help at the Southampton end with the amalgamation.”

“Yes, he’s running things down there, now that I’m based in Reigate. But you’ve got your hands full up here. What reason would you give for applying?”

“I’m the prefect candidate. I’ve worked for the company forever and have experience of just about every department. There isn’t much about the workings of Interactive that I don’t understand or couldn’t soon brush up on.”

“Even so, they know how vital you are to me in Reigate.”

“I’ll tell Charlie and Peter that for personal reasons I need a change of location for a while. Charlie will think you and I have fallen out.”

“But, like Matt just said, you’re pivotal to the setting up of the new head office,” Sophie said, frowning.

“I was, but things are well on course now and my deputy could easily take over for a while.”

“I don’t like it,” Matt said obdurately.

“I’m not ecstatic about the idea myself, but if we’re going to get the better of Charlie in the short amount of time available, I don’t see any other way. Working under his auspices, I’d have virtually limitless access to all departments. What’s more, I’d be able to get people to talk to me in a way that you never could, Matt.”

“That’s true,” Sophie agreed.

Matt groaned. “I should have known you two would join forces against me.”

“Hardly that,” Ashley assured him breezily. “It’s your interests we’re trying to protect here, remember. Not that you seem the least little bit grateful.”

Matt tapped her thigh, not altogether playfully. “This isn’t a game, Ashley. Charlie’s dangerous.”

“Nonsense! You saw for yourself how he was with me on Friday night. If he thinks I’ve fallen out with you, then he won’t be able to resist rubbing it in by having me working out of the same office as him.”

“Oh, no!” Matt was no his feet now. “He won’t be content to leave it at that. When it comes to getting one over on me, he always has to have the last word. He’ll try and get you into bed,
and
if you sa
y no—”

“If?”

“All right, when you turn him down, it will make him more determined than ever,
and
he doesn’t fight fair.”

“Matt, I won’t be there long enough for that. No more than a month is my guess. If I can’t find out anything in that time, it’ll be too late anyway. Besides, I’ll commute. I’ll go down on a Monday morning and come back here on a Friday afternoon. I’m sure Sandy will have Freckles for me.”

“Or I would,” Sophie said.

“Thanks, but it’s probably safer if I don’t have any discernible connections with you.”

“That’s true, I suppose.”

“Where would you stay?” Sophie asked.

“Does the company still have courtesy flats on the wharf?”

“Yes,” Matt said, with transparent reluctance.

“Well, that’s settled then. I’ll contact Charlie first thing tomorrow.”

Matt pulled Ashley against him, mindless of his mother’s presence. “I don’t like it. This isn’t your fight.”

She matched his worried gaze with one of single-minded determination. “It is if we want to have any sort of future together.”

Chapter Eight

Just two days later Ashley reported to Charlie’s office in Southampton. The speed with which her temporary transfer had been approved took them all by surprise.

“Ashley.” He stood to greet her as she was shown into his office. “Welcome to Southampton.”

“Thanks, Charlie.”

She took the seat that he ushered her to—not at his desk but on a leather sofa in front of a low, glass-topped coffee table.

“Well, here we are,” he said, smiling like he knew something she didn’t.

“Yes, here we are.” Ashley tried not to show how insecure she felt. “And I’m raring to go. Where do I start?”

“All in good time. I have to say that your request for a transfer took me by surprise.” He held up a hand. “Don’t get me wrong. It was a pleasant surprise, but I’m curious to know what brought it about.”

I’ll just be you are!
“Well, it’s like I said to when you and Peter interviewed me—”

“Yeah, I heard what you said, but I thought you were wedded to the Reigate office. You certainly didn’t make any mention of wanting a move the other night, so it’s all a bit sudden.”

“Can’t a girl act on impulse?”

“Come to think of it, you didn’t say very much to me at all after dinner and disappeared without even saying good night.” His tone was lightly accusatory, as though women didn’t make a habit of ducking out on him. Ashley remained impassive as he furrowed his brow and regarded her with a quizzical expression. “What happened?”

“Sorry about that. I suddenly realized I’d had a little too much to drink and remembered I had an important dressage competition the next day. If I’d returned to the bar, it would have taken forever to get away again.” She shrugged. “Anyway, I didn’t think anyone would notice that I’d slipped away.”

“I noticed.”

“Clearly, and I apologize again if I was rude. But to answer your other question, I hadn’t decided that I wanted to move when we spoke the other night. But the things you told me about the amalgamation interested me. Stevenson’s is based down here, so this is where most of the horse trading happens.” She made a gesture with her right hand. “Stands to reason, really. If I want to be in amongst it all, this is the place to be.”

Charlie nodded, looking less than convinced. “I see,” he said.

“When I saw your ad for a temporary assistant, I figured I had all the necessary qualifications. After all, it’s what I’ve been doing in Reigate for the past eighteen months.” She expelled a long breath. “Anyway, I could do with putting some space between me and Reigate for a while.”

“For personal reasons? Isn’t that what you said?”

“Yes, there’s obviously nothing wrong with your memory.”

He raised a brow, clearly expecting her to elucidate.

“And that’s precisely what they are,” she said emphatically. “Personal.”

“Okay.” He conceded defeat with a grin that came close to being smug. “Some bastard’s broken your heart, I dare say. But fear not, my lovely, consolation is always at hand, you need but say the word.”

“I’m off men for good.”