The Monte Carlo Proposal Page 4

  We reached the deck and I got a better look at our audience. The men were in dinner jackets and the women glittered with costly jewels. There was no doubt about it now. I’d fallen into a den of millionaires.

  They were taking a good look at me, too. Jack put his arm about my shoulders, turned to the middle-aged woman who looked as if she’d swallowed a lemon, and said firmly, ‘Grace, this is…Cindy.’

  If looks could kill she would have slaughtered us both on the spot. But mostly me.

  ‘Well, this is a pleasure,’ she said. ‘At last. Even if a somewhat unexpected, not to mention delayed, pleasure.’

  ‘You’ll have to forgive the delay,’ he said. ‘We’ve been rather wrapped up in each other.’

  Grace was looking me up and down in a way that made me very conscious that my neck was cut low and my skirt was slit high, and that was all there was.

  ‘I trust you’ve had a pleasant evening?’ she said, with a little smirk.

  ‘She’s had a misfortune,’ he said quickly, saving me from having to answer. ‘She had to leave her ship suddenly. Her things will be arriving at any moment, but in the meantime I’m taking her below before she gets pneumonia.’

  He whisked me away, giving nobody the chance to say anything.

  If I’d had any lingering doubts about who he was they were quelled as soon as I saw his cabin-although suite would be a better word. The decor was vaguely ancient Roman, and the last word in luxury. There was a bathroom with a sunken bath, and taps that looked like solid gold.

  A quick inspection proved that they really were. I told you, I’m an expert on these things.

  ‘Mr Bullen-?’

  ‘After what went on in the boat, don’t you think you should call me Jack?’

  ‘Jack-and, by the way, you should have warned me that my name is Cindy.’

  ‘It isn’t. That’s just what Grace calls you. I’m afraid she means it as a put-down. What’s your real name?’

  ‘Della Martin.’

  ‘Fine.’ He pointed at my dress. ‘Take that off-quickly.’

  ‘I beg your pardon?’

  ‘Before you catch your death of cold.’ He took a large white towelling robe from the closet. ‘Then have a hot bath and put this on.’

  ‘Lovely,’ I said, shivering. ‘I can’t get over this place. I thought you were poor.’

  ‘Does that matter? You think I need help less than a poor man? I need it more. If I didn’t have any money I wouldn’t have a problem. Selina’s father is a banker, and they all want me to make an “alliance” with the family. I’m trapped. What can I do? I don’t want to be outright rude.’

  ‘Why not?’

  He sighed.

  ‘I’m not very good at it,’ he admitted, sounding slightly ashamed. ‘Not with Grace, anyway. She keeps reminding me that she’s been my second mother. It’s easier to play dumb and let her realise gradually that she’s wasting her time. So now you’re my best hope-my only hope.’

  ‘She isn’t going to be easily fooled.’

  ‘She never was,’ he said with a reminiscent sigh.

  As if to prove it there was a step outside and the sound of someone trying to open the locked door. Then his sister’s voice.

  ‘Jack, open this door at once. We have to talk.’

  ‘Not just now, Grace,’ he called back. ‘We’ll talk later.’

  ‘I said now.’ The lock rattled again. ‘Open this door at once.’

  ‘Goodnight, Grace.’

  This time there was iron in his voice, and anyone else would have been deterred by it. But not her.

  ‘I’m not going away until we’ve had this out,’ she called. ‘You may think you’ve got me fooled, but I don’t believe a word about this woman who’s appeared so conveniently. She’s probably some cheap little waitress you picked up somewhere. Open this door!’

  He ground his teeth. My temper was rising. I’d never disliked anyone so much after such a short time as I did this woman.

  ‘Goodnight, Grace,’ he called again.

  ‘Open this door!’

  ‘That’s it,’ I muttered. ‘Now I’m mad. It’s time for action.’

  He looked nervous. ‘Are you going to be violent?’

  ‘If necessary. Come here!’

  I reached for him, hooking my arm about his neck, drawing him very close, very fiercely. He barely had time to draw breath, but after that I think I managed to make him forget about breathing. When we parted he was gasping.

  ‘I hope I’m never the one you’re mad at,’ he managed to say.

  ‘Shut up!’

  I returned to the action, but this time I freed one hand and unlocked the door, so that Grace came marching in to find us wrapped in each other’s arms.

  I did it purely out of expediency. He’d been good to me, and I was going to be good to him. It had nothing whatever to do with the way he’d kissed me in the boat. I was not looking for an excuse to do it again.

  And you can believe that or not-as you like.

  With the audience being closer this time, we had to make it look realistic, and he really worked at that. I could feel his hands roving all over me, and I wondered how much more my nervous system could stand in one evening.

  Grace, I’m happy to say, nearly went ballistic. She stood there yelling, ‘Will you stop this and listen to me?’

  I don’t know how long she kept it up. Everything was fuzzy, and I was only vaguely aware when she stopped abruptly and a man’s voice said, ‘Jack!’

  We managed to disengage ourselves, and I saw a young man and woman whom I’d vaguely noticed on deck. Now, as then, they were holding hands. They seemed to come as a pair.

  ‘There’s someone to see you, Jack,’ the young man said, standing aside so that we could all see Vanner.

  ‘Thanks, Charles,’ Jack said.

  Vanner was managing a rough version of a smile, as if he still hoped to get some sort of profit out of this. He kept the smile riveted in place as he held out a brown envelope to me.

  ‘Here’s your passport and your wages, plus a bonus that I think you’ll find generous.’

  I checked the passport and was relieved to see that it was actually mine.

  ‘I brought your bags too,’ Vanner said. ‘I left them on deck.’

  He turned his frayed smile on Jack. ‘Mr Bullen-’

  ‘Get out,’ Jack said.

  ‘I just hoped that-now things are sorted out-you and I could-’

  Jack spoke in a voice of steel. ‘I said, get out. Are you deaf?’

  Vanner drew a sharp breath, and again there was that withered look on his face, as though he were suddenly filled with fear. But then fear was driven out by the spoilt petulance of a thwarted child.

  ‘I see,’ he snapped, glaring at me. ‘In that case, now I’ve returned your property, I’ll have mine!’

  He pointed at the silver dress. I backed away from him and put out my hand.

  ‘It’s mine,’ he bellowed. ‘I paid for it.’

  ‘Oh, give it to him,’ Jack said in disgust. ‘Don’t let him have any excuse to make more trouble.’

  He picked up the towelling robe again, and shooed me into the bathroom. Once in there I stripped off and put on the robe, which almost swallowed me up. When I returned Vanner had resumed arguing in a way that he probably thought was persuasive. Phrases reached me’

  ‘Understand these things-men of the world-lot in common-’

  ‘Not that much in common,’ I heard Jack say in a bored tone. ‘No young lady has ever felt she needed to risk her life to escape me.’

  I tossed the dress at Vanner. I couldn’t bear to get any closer to him.

  ‘The steward will see you off the boat,’ Jack said.

  ‘No, I’ll do it,’ said the young man he’d addressed as Charles. ‘It’ll be a pleasure.’

  He and the girl followed Vanner up to the deck, leaving me below with Jack and Grace, and someone else who had appeared. She was about my age, and beautiful in a chilly way.
She was one of the women I’d seen looking down at me a few minutes earlier, and I didn’t need a crystal ball to tell me this was Selina.

  She looked me up and down, then down and up, and I could tell what she thought about the robe, which was too big everywhere, so that I had to clutch it around me. I hoped someone would bring my clothes down soon.

  ‘I think I’ll have a bath,’ I said, with as much dignity as I could muster.

  I turned back to the bathroom, but before I could go in there was a commotion from above-shouting, then the sound of something landing in the water. A moment later Charles came running back.

  ‘The lousy so-and-so!’ he said. ‘He just grabbed your bags from the deck and tossed them overboard. They sank at once.’

  ‘Oooooh!’ It was meant as an exclamation of annoyance, but it came out as a despairing wail. ‘Why does this keep happening to me? Why can’t everything go right for once? What have I done to deserve this? What am I going to wear?’

  ‘Oh, please don’t worry about that,’ said the cool beauty at once. ‘I have plenty of things you can borrow.’

  ‘Thanks, Selina,’ Jack said.

  He sounded surprised at what seemed like good nature, but I’d noticed the look she gave Grace, which said they needed to talk urgently. They sailed out together.

  I shot into the bathroom. My teeth were chattering and I’d had enough for one night.

  There was a whole collection of potions to tip into the bath, some of them definitely feminine, so I guessed they came with the yacht. I found one with a lovely smell and poured it into the running water until the place was all over suds. Lovely!

  Oh, the bliss of sinking down into them! They were warm, they were everywhere, they were making me human again.

  The door opened slowly and Jack’s head appeared.

  ‘Permission to come in?’ he asked.

  ‘Sure,’ I said sleepily.

  With the suds right up to my neck I was decent, although by now I was past caring. The world was turning into a pleasant fuzz, in which I actually felt safe for the first time since for ever.

  So I just gazed sleepily as he came and sat down on the floor by the sunken bath, carefully depositing a bottle of champagne and two glasses.

  ‘I’ve ordered some food for you as well,’ he said, ‘but I thought we should celebrate together first.’

  I gave him a sleepy smile. ‘What are we celebrating? Not that it matters.’

  ‘Your escape,’ he said. ‘My escape. But you’re right. Who cares? Celebrate because you feel like it. It’s the only good reason.’

  He handed me a full glass and I savoured every drop. It was the very finest, and when I’d drained the glass I held it out for a refill.

  When he’d finished pouring, he stopped, looked me straight in the eyes. I knew why. We’d met in a whirlwind and hadn’t stopped spinning since. This was our first chance to consider each other at leisure.

  So, while he considered me I considered him, and I liked what I saw. He’d removed his jacket and his bow tie, leaving a snowy white dress shirt, open at the throat, showing just the hint of a hairy chest.

  I have a weakness for hairy chests.

  He was tall, and constructed in a way that shouted ‘virile’. I’d already discovered that, in one sense, but it was interesting seeing it as well. I supposed he spent most of his time behind a desk, but he must work out every day.

  There wasn’t an ounce of fat on him, but he looked as if he lived well. He had that glow that money brings. I’ve had it myself from time to time. His hair was dark brown, slightly curly, with a faint touch of red that you had to look very close to see.

  His mouth was like his body, in that I knew it well while seeing it properly for the first time. Now I saw it, I understood its effect on me. It was generous and curved, yet firm.

  His eyes were the dark brown of bitter chocolate, very deep and intense. Their gleam came and went without warning. It was there now. When he smiled I smiled back, which made him smile even more. There was no need for words.

  ‘Are you all right?’ he asked.

  ‘Yes, thank you.’ I sighed. ‘For the first time in weeks, I’m all right. Thanks to you.’

  I stretched a leg luxuriously, raising it out of the water, all sleek and sudsy. Then I put it down again quickly, remembering.

  ‘Please don’t do that,’ he begged. ‘I’m trying to be a gentleman, although after the evening we’ve had-But don’t worry, I’m on my best behaviour. Do you realise that I know nothing about you?’ he hurried on. ‘Except that you came out of the water, all silver and shining like a mermaid. Are you married?’

  ‘No.’

  ‘Engaged? Promised?’

  ‘Nothing. Nobody,’ I said briefly.

  ‘There’s nobody who’s going to appear suddenly, yelling, “She’s mine!”?’

  I raised an eyebrow at him. ‘You left it a bit late to worry about that, didn’t you?’

  He grinned. ‘So I did. But you wouldn’t like to think of me shaking in my shoes for fear of the man in your life, would you?’

  ‘I don’t think I could ever imagine you shaking in your shoes,’ I said. ‘More likely to make other people shake.’

  He grinned again. It had an unsettling quality.

  ‘I’m harmless, I promise. To you, anyway. But seriously, is there anyone you want to call to say where you are?’

  Various members of my family flitted through my mind: my aunts and uncles, cousins. No need to bother them. They had their own problems. Finally I thought of Grandad, and decided that where he was he didn’t need any more trouble.

  ‘Nobody,’ I said.

  ‘So, come on, tell me something about yourself.’

  I thought about all I could have told him, which was a lot. He wouldn’t like it. There was much about my life, my past, that even I didn’t like.

  ‘Perhaps the less you know about me the better,’ I mused. ‘I’m just here to fit into the part you want me to play.’

  ‘But you’re still a person in your own right,’ he said. ‘You don’t just exist for my convenience.’

  Oh, hell’s bells! Do you know how hard it is to get a man to think like that? And when I finally met one he had to be a ship that was going to pass in the night. Life just wasn’t fair!

  ‘I think, for a while, you need me to exist for your convenience,’ I said cautiously. ‘I am Cindy, and my past is whatever you tell me it is.’

  ‘Is that your way of telling me to mind my own business?’ he asked, with his head on one side.

  ‘If I tell you that I’m a hundred per cent with you, and I won’t let you down, what else do you need to know?’

  ‘Nothing.’

  ‘In that case-’ I laid my finger over my mouth.

  ‘Good. OK, here’s the deal. I’m employing you-for a length of time to be decided later. Your job is to convince Grace that she’s wasting her time. I shall provide a complete wardrobe, a generous salary, and anything else necessary for you to be convincing. Now, I’ll leave you before your suds start to fade. When you’ve finished there’ll be a meal waiting for you next door.’

  He closed the door, leaving me to my thoughts.

  I refused to think of the problems that might lie ahead. For the moment things were looking good, and if there’s one thing I’ve learned in my colourful and sometimes bizarre, existence, it’s to take life as it comes.

  I leaned back, sipping champagne.

  CHAPTER FOUR

  Della’s Story

  I WAS drowning. Perfumed suds were going up my nose and I was floundering about, submerged in water, not knowing where I was, getting scared.

  Just in time a pair of hands grasped me and hauled me out of the water.

  ‘What happened?’ I choked, sending suds everywhere.

  ‘You must have fallen asleep and slid underwater,’ Jack gasped.

  I had a violent coughing fit, clinging to him for dear life, too frightened by what had nearly happened to care that I was
naked. Jack had climbed into the bath with me, and now he was sodden, his shirt transparent. Without letting go of me, he reached out and pulled the plug so that the water drained away.

  ‘Thank goodness you came in,’ I spluttered.

  ‘I nearly didn’t. I called something through the door. When you didn’t reply I got worried, but I didn’t know what to do. I felt kind of shy about bursting in on you.’

  If I hadn’t been recovering I might have said something like, In a pig’s eye, you were shy! The one thing this man could never be was shy with a naked woman. But I held my tongue. After all, he’d just saved me for the second time that evening.

  ‘I must have fallen asleep,’ I said. ‘Another moment and-’ I shuddered.

  ‘Let’s get you out of here.’ He hauled me out of the bath so that I could sit on the carpet, then tossed the robe over me and headed for the door

  ‘Selina’s sent you some of her clothes,’ he said over his shoulder. ‘I’ll hand them through.’

  A moment later the door opened. His hand appeared, dropped a bag on the floor, and retreated.

  If they were Selina’s clothes, I was a monkey’s uncle. She must have had a maid with her, and this was one of her uniforms-grey, shapeless and too big.

  It was a declaration of war.

  Fine! If that was what she wanted, I was up for it.

  I opened the bathroom door and called out, ‘Are you ready for this?’

  ‘Yes,’ he called back.

  Without a word I walked out and presented myself to him, turning very slowly so that he could view the dress in all its ghastliness, while his eyes popped and his jaw dropped.

  ‘I don’t know what to say,’ he said at last. ‘Except that I’m sorry.’

  I’d recovered my sense of humour by this time. ‘I suppose you could see this as a positive sign,’ I pointed out. ‘It means she’s taking me seriously, which is what you want.’

  ‘That’s the spirit. And I’ll buy you a new wardrobe tomorrow.’

  Jack had also changed, since his clothes had got wet. Now he was in casuals, but he still managed to look as though he owned the world.