Voice of the Heart (49 page)

Victor stared at her aghast. She had misunderstood him, and his motives. Jesus Christ! Seduction was the last thing on his mind. He must clarify that, set her straight before the discussion went any further. ‘I hope you don’t think I’m trying to proposition you!’ he exclaimed fiercely. ‘Because I’m n—’

‘Of course I don’t!’ Francesca cried with the same vehemence, sharply cutting him off. ‘It never entered my head.’ Her gaze was cool and her manner haughty. ‘Nor would my father think such a thing. He brought me up to have a sense of right and wrong, and he trusts me implicitly. It’s just that, well, I’ve never been away with a—’ She cleared her throat. ‘What I’m trying to say is that Daddy is rather old-fashioned, and he would think it quite improper for me to take a holiday alone with you.’

‘I can’t say I blame him,’ Victor replied, adopting the lightest, most dismissive tone he could. He lolled back in the chair, and his smile was rueful as he went on, ‘I guess it wasn’t such a good idea after all.’ He shrugged, attempted nonchalance. ‘No harm done, I sincerely hope.’ Then he felt a need to explain himself further. ‘And again, I hope you didn’t misinterpret the invitation, take it the wrong way. It simply struck me, suddenly, that the mountain air would do you good, since you’ve been so sick, and, to be honest, you would’ve been great company for me. I hate travelling by myself. I get pretty lonely. And we have become close buddies this past week.’ When she was unresponsive, he pressed, ‘Well, we have, haven’t we?’

‘Yes,’ she murmured, crushed and let down. I’m just a surrogate Nicholas Latimer, she thought miserably. A bloody chum. How could I have possibly imagined otherwise?

‘Hey, don’t look so glum.’ Victor was laughing, visibly relaxing. ‘It’s not the end of the world. And I understand why your father would be against it. After all, you’re only nineteen, Francesca. I keep forgetting that. Mind if I help myself to another cognac?’

‘Please do.’ Bridling at his reference to her age, she continued, ‘I’d like one too, please.’

‘Sure.’

Francesca put her elbows on her knees and dropped her chin into her hands. Her face was thoughtful, brooding. So badly did she want to be part of Victor’s life, to spend time with him on a one-to-one basis, she was now prepared to accept the relationship on any terms. More precisely, his uncompromising terms. She would settle for a platonic friendship. If they could only be buddies, as he phrased it, then so be it. She focused on the trip to Klosters. I’m going with him next week, come hell or high water, she made up her mind. I must, to cement our friendship. But how to accomplish this without dissembling? She was incapable of lying to anyone, particularly her father. I don’t have to lie, she thought, I can simply go, without telling him. But this would be deceitful. It was another form of lying in a way, and if he ’phoned the house and she was not there he would be concerned, if not, indeed, disturbed. Francesca knew she could not inflict this kind of worry on her father. He had enough to contend with. Somehow Daddy must be circumvented, she told herself.

Victor handed her a brandy snifter, interrupting her thoughts with, ‘Here you are.’

‘Oh, thanks. Cheers,’ she said abstractedly, and took a large swallow.

‘Hey, you’re meant to sip that, otherwise you’ll get loaded,’ he warned mildly.

‘No I won’t. I’ve got a hollow leg.’

‘That makes two of us.’ He chuckled and so did she. Yet there was a flatness to her laughter and he caught the shadow in her eyes. He studied her. Was she embarrassed because she had been forced to refuse his invitation? A hundred to one she is, old buddy, he answered himself.

‘Look here, Francesca, I hope you’re not worrying about Klosters. I’m not offended. Let’s forget it. I want to do some hard skiing, and that wouldn’t be much fun for you, even if you’re a crack skier. I start at dawn, finish at dusk, and you’d probably hardly have the stamina to keep up with—’

‘
Skiing
,’ she repeated, not permitting him to finish.

‘Sure. Why do you think I’m going to Klosters?’

Francesca sat very still. An extraordinary idea took hold. It filled her with a joyful optimism, since it might be the solution she had been seeking. Be cool, be casual, be sophisticated, she cautioned herself. Don’t rush in like a silly schoolgirl. She had no wish to sound forward, or presumptuous, and so she began to structure her next sentence with immense care. Aware that he was waiting for a response, she toyed with her glass, took a sip of the cognac, gaining time. She ignored his question, and asked, ‘Would you really be lonely going to Klosters on your own?’ She was pleased her voice was controlled.

‘Sure I would. I told you, I’m used to travelling tandem with Nicky. Besides, I’ve discovered I never have much fun by myself. I like to share places, the scenery, good food and wine, experiences in general.’ He eyed her with curiosity, wondering why she had been prompted to ask the question. Hadn’t he made himself clear initially?

‘So what you actually want is a replacement for Nicky?’

‘If you want to put it that way, yes, I guess I do,’ he admitted. ‘But naturally it would have to be the right person… Listen, I wouldn’t just pick anybody… at random. That’d be asking for trouble.’ He was filled with wariness, alarmed she might have someone in mind. Her brother for instance.
He was not open to suggestions about travelling companions. He said quickly, ‘That’s why I invited
you
. We’re compatible, we get along, we understand each other.’

She said, with a faint smile, ‘Oh I know we do, Victor.’ She cleared her throat. ‘Unless I’m wrong, what you’re saying is that the person you go with is as important to you as the place, perhaps even more so and—’

‘You’ve got it.’ He looked at her oddly. ‘I’m puzzled. What’s all this leading up to, Francesca?’

‘Bavaria.’

‘Bavaria?’ he echoed with a puzzled frown. ‘You’ve lost me.’

Francesca shifted in the chair. A calm smile dimpled her mouth. ‘If you changed your plans and went to a place called Königssee I
could
go with you. Unless there’s someone else you’d like to invite to Klosters, instead of me. And if there is, I do understand, really I do.’

‘There isn’t anyone I’d even consider, let alone ask,’ he assured her truthfully. ‘But I don’t get it, Francesca. If you can go to Königssee with me, why can’t you go to Klosters?’

‘Very simply because I don’t need my father’s approval to go to Bavaria. My cousins Diana and Christian live there, and I have an open invitation to visit them any time I wish. The skiing is superb, well into spring, and there’re some marvellous ski runs, as well as a number of fine old inns. Diana would know the best, and she could book you a suite at one of them. Naturally, I’d have to stay with my cousins. But don’t you see, my father couldn’t possibly object. I’d be… I’d be very well chaperoned, wouldn’t I?’

Victor gave her a long look, his eyes merry. ‘That’s true,’ he agreed, smiling to himself.

‘So what do you think?’

‘It sounds great. But—’ Now there was a sudden hesitancy in his manner, a pulling back. ‘Look, are you sure you want
to go? Could you stand being alone with me for five or six days without getting bored?’

She met his questioning stare with a steady, level gaze, even though her heart was fluttering wildly at the thought of having him entirely to herself. ‘Don’t be silly, Victor. Of course I wouldn’t be bored and, as you said yourself, we do get along like a house on fire.’

‘I had to ask. It strikes me we’ve only talked about your father’s attitude in relation to the trip, not how you felt. You haven’t said you’d like to go.’

‘I would, I really would. Anyway, I think you’re right about the mountain air doing me good,’ she volunteered in a matter-of-fact tone, endeavouring to conceal the excitement growing inside her. Noticing the uncertainty lingering on his face, she could not resist adding hurriedly, ‘I wouldn’t have suggested you change your plans if I’d had any qualms about making the trip with you. Now would I?’

‘I guess not. It’s settled then.’ He beamed. ‘I’ll talk to the travel agency on Monday morning, and switch the air tickets to Königssee. I’ve never been to Germany, so I’ll find it interesting.’ His face sobered as he recalled the snags that had occurred to him at the outset of the conversation. After ruminating a second, he remarked cautiously, ‘There are a couple of problems though. Hell, I shouldn’t call them problems. Let’s say there are several points I’ve got to get straightened out with you.’

He stood up, dropped a log onto the fire, returned to the chair, and said, ‘Would you mind flying alone on Tuesday?’

Francesca was startled. ‘No,’ she said. ‘But why can’t I go with you on Wednesday?’

‘You
can
go on Wednesday, if you wish, but I’d prefer you to take an earlier flight than I do. I don’t think we should be on the same plane.’

‘Why ever not?’

‘People might misunderstand, if they saw us travelling together. It would be much more discreet for us to make
our way separately.’ When he saw she was thrown by these remarks, he said, ‘Hasn’t Katharine told you about my divorce, and
Confidential Magazine
?’

‘She mentioned you were in the middle of a difficult divorce, but she hasn’t said anything about
Confidential
. I’m probably being very stupid, but I don’t understand the connection.’ Her face was filling with confusion.

Victor leaned forward, his hands clasped together, his mouth settling into a severe line. Without mincing words, he gave her a rapid and succinct run-down on the magazine and the kind of sensational and damaging stories which appeared in its pages. He repeated Estelle Morgan’s warnings to Katharine and himself, added a quick profile of his estranged wife, Arlene, and elucidated in detail her predilection for causing trouble, plus her tendency to talk rather revealingly to the press.

‘Don’t you see, from the things Estelle has told me, I’m convinced I’m a target, and that
Confidential
is trying to work up a scurrilous piece about me. They’ll seize on anything, whether it’s the truth or not, and they’re not above inventing what they don’t know. Personally, I don’t give a damn about myself. I’ve got a broad back, and a skin like a rhinoceros after living in the public eye for so long. Headlines have never intimidated me, but I mustn’t expose
you
in any way whatsoever. I can’t allow you to be dragged into a scandal, especially since you’re an innocent bystander. And though the trip is above board, it could very easily be presented in entirely the wrong light. I don’t think your father would appreciate that. And I certainly wouldn’t, Francesca.’

‘My God, how awful! But don’t people have any redress: can’t they sue for libel?’

‘Some stars and other celebrities have already done so. But most of my friends who’ve been dragged through the mud by them decided to turn a blind eye, believing it smarter to ignore the bad publicity, to rise above it. Still, it’s pretty lousy stuff to live with.’

She nodded her understanding. ‘I can imagine. Obviously I’ll go on Tuesday, and perhaps it’s a good idea anyway. I can check the hotel Diana books for you, make sure you have the best suite. I’ll give her a ring tomorrow, to tell her we’re coming.’

‘Good girl. And let’s not alert the locals to my impending arrival. Can you ask her to book the suite in her name?’

‘Yes, that’s no problem.’

‘There’s one more thing, Francesca,’ he began tentatively, seeking the right words, knowing he must exercise great tact. ‘Are you going to tell your father I’ll be in Bavaria too, when you’re visiting your cousins?’

‘I was going to, yes. Don’t you want me to mention it, Victor?’

‘No, I don’t think you should. I know how straightforward you are, but leaving something unsaid is not actually lying—’

‘It’s lying by omission, isn’t it?’ she suggested, raising an eyebrow.

‘Yes, I reckon it is,’ he answered, reminding himself how scrupulous of nature she was. He got up and stood with his back to the fire, gazing out into the room, reflecting, and then he looked down at her. ‘I do have my reasons for asking you not to say anything,’ he began slowly. ‘Very good reasons.’ He wanted to both convince and reassure her, and he said, ‘Look, Francesca, if your father knows I’m in Königssee, Kim will know, and in turn he’ll tell Katharine. Very honestly, I’d prefer her to be in the dark. I want her to think I’m in Klosters. I want everyone to think the same. Except Jake Watson. He has to know where I am, in case he needs to reach me about the picture. But I’m not worried about Jake. He’ll keep his mouth buttoned.’

Francesca was dismayed. ‘Why on earth don’t you want Katharine to know?’ she cried. ‘She’s my very best friend, and a close friend of yours! She would never breathe a word! Not to anyone. After all, she knows about
Confidential
, so I
would think she’d really be on her guard. In fact, I’m positive she would. Honestly, Victor, I trust her completely.’

‘Hell, so do I, Francesca,’ Victor said, sounding emphatic. In all truth, he was not distrustful of Katharine, but being a man of the world he knew how easily a careless slip of the tongue could create untold misery. Also, although he detested covertness, he was genuine in his desire to protect Francesca, and so he considered secrecy imperative.

He explained this carefully, and she listened, obviously digesting his words. Feeling compelled to dispel any false impression he might have given about Katharine’s integrity, he then proceeded, ‘I know as well as you do that Katharine is exceptionally loyal, and that she wouldn’t intentionally hurt either one of us. But hell, you know how she gets around in London society, and with the show business crowd. Journalists are always on the fringes, or in the midst, of these groups. She might say something accidentally—and to the wrong person. Imagine your father’s distress if that lousy magazine did run some sort of suggestive, disgusting story about us, or if there was gossip among your friends.’

His eyes rested on her, and he finished gently, ‘I know you want to be open with your father. On the other hand, I think we should be as circumspect as possible, don’t you?’ When she was quiet, he went on, ‘Later, when you’re back in London, you can tell him we ran into each other in the Alps, also say that I spent some time with you and your cousins.’