THE RELUCTANT BRIDE (19 page)

She
opened the door of the shop. “Can I try that?”

“
It
looks wonderful on you,” said the woman as Gabriella marvelled
at her transformed image in the mirror. The jacket rounded and
cinched in all the right places, the skirt, shorter and tighter than
she normally wore, followed the curves of her legs and lengthened
them. But most of all it was the colour. The light red brought a glow
to her face, a sparkle to her green eyes and a gilding to her hair
that made it difficult to recognise herself.

“
You
don't think it looks too – too -?”

“
Oh
no!” said the woman. “Of course, you'll need a new
blouse.”

When
she walked into the salon with the five bags that contained her new
wardrobe, Simon, her usual hairdresser, greeted her.

“
Morning,
Miss Stevens. Trim?”

“
Not
today. I'd like it restyled. Something less dull. What do you
suggest?”

She
couldn't watch as he snipped at her shampooed locks and the pile of
cuttings on the floor grew larger.

“
Don't
worry,” he smiled when she risked a brief glance. “Nothing
too dramatic, just a little layering.”

She
thought the cutting and blowdrying would never end, but at last he
switched off the drier.” It's all right, Miss Stevens, you can
open your eyes now.”

She
looked at her reflection and was speechless.

“
Amazing
what a new style can do, isn't it?” Simon examined her with
professional pride.

Her
head felt light. She touched the soft layers that felt and looked
like silver thistledown.

“
Do
you like it?”

She
croaked something, nodded vigorously.

“
Special
occasion?”

“
I'm
getting married!” she blurted.

From
the salon she returned to the boutique. “I wonder – the
red suit, I'd like to wear it now. Could I change into it here?”

Collecting
on her way a couple of wolf whistles from across the car park and a
startled glance from Amanda in Reception, she walked dreamily to her
office.

Jenny
looked up as she entered. “Wow!” she gasped, eyes
saucer-round. “Is this my
boss
?”

Gabriella
smiled sheepishly. “I thought it was time for a new image.”

“
It's
sensational. Sue Langdon will have to look to her laurels. She'll be
losing her place as Englands' number one pin-up!”

Gabriella
felt a small glow of satisfaction. Yes indeed! Although somehow today
she couldn't regards Sue as a serious rival.”

“
Has
Rod seen the new you?” Jenny asked.

“
Not
yet.”

“
Then
for goodness sake, go and show him.”

Going
down the corridor to Rod's office, feeling as if she were floating
inches above the grey carpet rather than walking on it, Gabriella
wondered if he would sense that her new image went deeper than the
bright sit and new hairdo. Even if he didn't, she would derive great
pleasure from showing him that she was no longer an also-ran in the
glamour stakes. She remembered all too well his disparaging comments
about her appearance on their first outing together. He would have to
revise his opinion now. A smile curved her lips and she shook her
head, enjoying the sensation of the light fluffy hair rising and
falling about her face. Reaching the end of the corridor she swung
through the door with an anticipation that raised her heartbeat
considerably.

She
was pleased to see that Sue was not at her desk. Good. Now she would
be able to surprise him. Quietly she opened the door of his office.

He
stood with his back to the window and he was not alone. Sue Langdon
was in his arms. Across the top of her glowing copper head his eyes
met Gabriella's with an expression she did not wait to analyse.

In
the cloakroom she stared bleakly at her reflection in the mirror.
Cold water bathing had more or less restored her tear-blotched face
to normal but nothing could hide the anguish that still darkened her
eyes. She lowered her head, feeling a sudden wave of sickness. How
could she have deceived herself that Rod might ever behave like a
decent human being? He was as amoral as her father, and the fact that
last night he had clearly found her desirable made not a scrap of
difference. Rod used women solely for his own pleasure and they, poor
silly fools, rushed to his flame like moths to have their wings
burned.

But
she had known. All along she had known what sort of man he was and
yet she had allowed a few kindnesses to deceive her that perhaps
after all he was honourable and she had misjudged him. How could she
have been so foolish? Because she wanted to believe. Because, despite
herself, she was beginning to care for him.

Well,
never again. He had fooled her once but he wouldn't do it twice.

“
Rod's
waiting in your office,” said Jenny when she got back. “You
must have just missed each other.”

If
she turned tail and ran Jenny would think it strange. But oh, she
didn't want to see him. She needed to tend her wounds, to grow
another skin before she faced him again. She hesitated in the
doorway, trying desperately to think of an excuse plausible enough to
fool Jenny. In the end she went in.

“
Gabriella,
you look incredible!” Rod's eyes revealed an admiration as warm
as she could have wished. “I always knew you could be a
stunner!”

She
stared back at him, unable to believe he could behave as if nothing
had happened.

“
That
suit, it's perfect. And your hair -” He came forward, a hand
raised to caress the pale shining halo.

A
fierce anger came to her rescue, burying the hurt so that for the
moment at least she was no longer aware of it. She lashed out at him,
a blow so vicious that it sent a paralysing pain through her arm.
“Don't touch me!” she hissed.

He
stepped back, startled.

“
You're
not content with making love to Sue Langdon in your apartment, you
have to do it in the office too!You're – you're absolutely
despicable. You have no more morals than a tom cat!”

She
watched the shutters come down over his eyes, concealing any emotion
he may have felt. For a moment her anger shifted, the dark misery
that lay beneath rising to the surface again, and she waited, praying
that he would give her some explanation for what she had seen. Not
that anything he said could possibly excuse his behaviour.

She
waited in vain. He said nothing, fuelling her anger even more. “God,
I hate you, Rod Nicholson. If you ever touch me again I'll –
I'll -”

“
You'll
what?” he asked, his face a cold mask. “Don't worry,
Gabriella, I shan't touch you. Who'd want to?” He strode to the
door, paused. “Just a small point,” he said, one sardonic
eyebrow raised. “Do I take it that we're still engaged?”

She
glared at him. “Don't worry. You're not going to lose Englands
now. I hope you find it's worth it.”

“
Oh,
it'll be worth it. You don't think I'd have agreed to marry
you
for
anything less?”

Long
after he had gone she saw him as if he were imprinted on the closed
door. His eyes, narrowed and glittering. The mouth tightly
compressed. The powerful body taut, expressing an anger as great as
her own. And she fought a terrible sense of loss. But what exactly
had she lost? Only a false image, a dream Rod who was merely the
result of her wishful thinking. The real Rod, the sensual
unprincipled philanderer, was still there, still alive and well, and
in a few short weeks she was going to marry him.

CHAPTER
EIGHT

There
was so much to do that weekend that she had little time to think
about Rod. On Monday morning she would be taking her mother into
hospital and there seemed to be dozens of last minute chores.

Mrs
Stevens wanted to have her hair styled and to buy new nightwear.
Gabriella stored the portable wheelchair in the car boot on the
Saturday and drove her into town. She spent several hours wheeling
her between stores and waiting while she tried on and discarded one
dressing gown after another and picked with discontent at
nightdresses and slippers. Her mother was being uncharacteristically
fussy. Gabriella suspected that with her operation only two days away
she was having last minute nerves. Her mother denied it.

“
Darling,
I'm not at all worried. In fact I'm quite looking forward to meeting
all these new people and being looked after in luxury.”

“
I'm
glad. So what about this cream silk? See, there's a nightdress to
match.”

“
All
the same, I wish I was just a little younger. Having an operation at
my age -”