Sally Wentworth - Liberated Lady Read online

  He turned on his heel and went back through the door, striding briskly down the gravel driveway.

  Mrs Ogderi looked at Sara consideringly. 'That's a well set-up young man. Is he married?'

  Sara glared after him. 'No. No one but a fool would take him on.'

  'Hm,' was the housekeeper's only comment, which could have meant anything. 'You'd better come up' straightaway,' she advised, and led the way up the staircase with its rather worn carpet to a room on the right of the landing.

  Knocking softly, Sara received an answering, 'Come in,' and entered the room to find Veronica Quinlan seated in front of the dressing-table slowly combing her smooth grey hair.

  She smiled when she saw Sara, the lines of pain around her eyes disappearing momentarily. 'My dear child, how very nice to see you! But in rather unhappy circumstances, I'm afraid.' That was one thing Sara liked about Nicky's godmother, she always came straight to the point.

  'Yes, and Nicky had no right to bring her troubles to you when you've been so ill. Shall I do your hair for you?' she offered.

  'Thank you, dear, would you? I'm afraid I still find it hard to get my arm up quite that high, but I do better every day,' she added optimistically.

  'Good for you.' Sara took the comb and began to arrange the older woman's hair while she, told her all about Nicky's runaway romance. 'It's quite impossible, of course,' she finished. They're far too young to .know their own minds, besides not being able to afford it.'

  'But Nicky will have her father's money, won't she?'

  'Not if I withhold it,' Sara said grimly. 'And I certainly don't intend to let her have it at her age. She and this boy would spend the lot in six months.'

  'I always thought Nicky's father was extremely unwise when he made that will,' Veronica remarked as she selected a pair of earrings. 'One young girl in charge of another's destiny?—it was bound to lead to trouble.'

  Sara stiffened. 'Are you accusing me of not letting Nicky have the money out of jealousy?'

  'Good heavens, no! I'm sure you're doing whit you think is right,' she was assured. 'But I think Nicky would have been able to take it better from an older person, not felt driven to run away as she has.',

  'You think Nicky's father should have asked you to be her guardian? I wish he had,' Sara said vehemently. 'Looking after her has been a constant worry. But you used to go abroad such a lot when you worked for that archaeologist that I suppose he didn't think it fair to ask you, whereas I was on hand in London.'

  'Yes, dear, I know. Please don't think I'm criticising you.'

  'Anyway, the fact still remains that Nicky's far too young to even think about marriage.’

  'I suppose so, although,’ Veronica hesitated, 'I remember when I was seventeen I fell head over heels in love myself.’

  'Did you?' Sara asked curiously. 'What happened? Did you grow out of it?'

  'My parents thought I was far too young as well and said we had to wait. Naturally I obeyed them; one did obey one's parents in those days.’ she smiled. 'But then the war came along and he went off to fight, he wasn't too young for that. I can still see him now in his uniform, waving to me from the tram after I'd promised to wait for him/ She paused, a faraway look in her alert eyes, then her glance met Sara's in the mirror and she added flatly, 'But he didn't come back. He was killed at Dunkirk. And there was never anyone else, Sara, not in all these long years. She stood up. 'And now let's go down and meet these runaways, shall we, and also this man you've brought with you?'

  Taking her arm, Sara helped her down the stairs and into the drawing-room, settling her into a comfortable chair. The door bell rang again and she went to answer it. It was Alex. She introduced him to Veronica Quinlan and then he said, 'Let's get it over with, shall we?'

  'All right, I'll get them.’ Sara went to go to the kitchen, but there was no need; as she stepped into the hallway Nicky and a tall, lanky youth were coming towards her, shepherded by Mrs Ogden.

  Nicky stopped dead when she saw Sara, a look of horrified dismay on her face. 'Oh, no!' She turned and clung to the boy. 'It's Sara, my horrible stepsister.

  Her face tightening angrily, Sara took a hasty step forward, but then a hand took hold of her elbow in a vice-like grip and Alex's voice, light and amused, said close behind her, 'And Richard's wicked uncle too. So now that we have all the characters why don't you come and say hallo to the fairy godmother?'

  He propelled all of them back into the drawing-room and Sara noticed that Richard gave Alex an uneasy grin in answer to his own smile. Putting a hand on his nephew's shoulder, Alex stood beside him while Nicky threw herself on her knees beside her godmother's chair and looked tearfully up at her. Veronica took her hand and stroked her hair gently. 'It's all right, my child, don't worry. You can stay here as long as you like. This is your home, you know that.’

  Sara's mouth twisted at the look of love and gratitude that came over Nikky’s features. All very well, she thought rather resentfully, but that isn't going to help any.

  His hand still on Richard's shoulder, Alex drew him forward to introduce him. 'This is my nephew, Richard French, Miss Quinlan. His parents live abroad, so I stand in loco parentis to him at the moment.’

  The boy shook hands, a warm smile lighting up his thin face, and for a moment he reminded her vividly of Alex. Apart from this brief glimpse, there was, however, very little else that proclaimed their relationship; whereas Alex was broad and muscular with athletic hips, Richard was still an adolescent and looked as if he didn't get enough exercise. The studious type, Sara thought as she sized him up dispassionately. Alex glanced up and saw her watching Richard. Immediately he moved nearer to him, as if shielding him from her. Sara looked at him sardonically for a moment and then turned away to cross to a chair and listen while Nicky poured her version of the story into Veronica's ears.

  'Yes, dear, I quite understand how you feel,' her godmother assured her when she had finished. 'But you know, there's nothing I can do. Your rather left you in Sara's charge, not mine.' At this Nicky looked at Sara with antagonism hardly short of hate in her eyes. It hurt, but Sara was able to return the look impassively. 'But what I do suggest,' Veronica went on, 'is that you all stay here for a few days so that Sara can get to know Richard better. You did rather spring your news on everyone, you know. Naturally Sara wasn't going to let you marry someone she hadn't even met.' She turned to smile at Alex. 'And Mr Brandon must stay too, if he can spare the time.'

  ‘I should be delighted. Thank you,' Alex returned with a smile.

  If he can spare the time, Sara thought indignantly. No one bothers to wonder if I can!

  Mrs Ogden came in then with a coffee tray and Sara was kept busy pouring it and handing: out cakes and biscuits while Alex talked to Richard over by the window and Nicky held an almost whispered conversation with Veronica, which was evidently about Sara because Nicky deliberately didn't look at her except to sneak sidelong glances to see if she was listening.

  Sara sipped her coffee, her resentment growing, until she put down her cup and stood up abruptly. 'If everyone's staying Mrs Ogden will want help preparing the rooms, so if you'll excuse me, Veronica, I'll go and help her.'

  'Oh, please don't rush away,' Veronica replied. ‘We've hardly begun to talk.’

  'On the contrary, you all seem to be doing very well without me,' Sara returned tartly before she stepped briskly from the room.

  She found Mrs Ogden making up the bed in one of the smaller back rooms. 'I thought I'd put the young man in here,' she told her. 'And you and Miss Nicky can share the big room next to Miss Quinlan.

  And that should make for a jolly few days, Sara thought resignedly. No escape from Nicky's sulking even at night. She turned her attention to the task in hand with her characteristic energy and afterwards went to the kitchen with Mrs Ogden to help prepare dinner.

  'Have you got enough food in? Four more people dumped on you suddenly are going to make a lot of work, I'm afraid,'

  'Don't you worry none, Miss Sara.
I can cope. And there's plenty of food in the freezer, but I shall have to go and get some fresh vegetables tomorrow.'

  'I can do that for you,' Sara offered. 'I'll walk into Lowmere in the morning. Perhaps I can persuade Nicky to come along so that we can have a talk.'

  Dinner began as a rather strained meal but gradually relaxed as Alex and Veronica Quinlan deliberately drew everyone into the conversation. Soon Richard was chatting away about his college and his career prospects and Nicky—who was sitting as far away from Sara as possible—was making her godmother laugh with the story of a play she had been in at school.

  'The last rehearsal was hilarious. I only hope the play goes off all right on the night.'

  'Well, you'll be able to find out when you go back, won't you?' Sara remarked deliberately.

  There was a sudden silence. Nicky bit her lip and bent to her plate. Richard looked at her for a moment and then turned away, but Alex stared at her across the table with something like contempt in his eyes before Veronica changed the subject.

  Sara squared her shoulders, uncaring. Let them think what they liked; everyone had been behaving as if Nicky was going to get her own way. It was about time she was reminded that she was still a schoolgirl and in her charge.

  After dinner she said pointedly to Nicky, 'As we're all here on your account I think the least you can do is to offer to help with the washing-up.'

  Nicky turned bright red. 'I was going, to,' she said sullenly, adding defiantly, 'It'll be good practice for when I get married.'

  Richard stood up saying, 'I'll come and help too,' and followed her from the room.

  'Good lord, that's the first time I've ever heard him offer to do any domestic chores,' Alex remarked. 'Love must be having a mellowing influence on him.'

  'Don't worry, I expect he'll soon grow out of it and become a trainee male chauvinist again,' Sara said sweetly.

  Alex looked as if he was about to make a biting retort, but remembered Veronica's presence and instead turned to her to ask her about her travels abroad. He couldn't have asked a better question as far as Veronica was concerned, and she was soon telling him all about i the digs she had accompanied in the role of research secretary to a famous archaeologist who had died a few years ago. Showing him a glass cabinet containing various shards and relics, she talked animatedly for nearly an hour, with Alex asking the occasional question which showed that he had some knowledge of the subject.

  Sara was content to just sit and sip a sherry while she watched them, having seen and heard it all before. Alex was very good with .and for Veronica, she realised, leading her on to tell him anecdotes, making her laugh, and quite simply setting out to use all his masculine wiles to charm her. And charm her he did; she was looking far better and younger than she had before dinner. It was then that Sara realised just what a devastating effect Alex could have on a woman—any woman. With his dark good looks, physical strength, and that power he had of making a woman feel she was the one person in the world he wanted to be with, he must have left a trail of disappointed women behind him. So why hadn't he ever married? Sara pondered the question as she watched him examining a piece of Etruscan pottery. He probably hasn't found anyone he considers good enough for him, she thought cynically, or else he spreads the charm among too many women and they see through him. But she didn't really believe it, was the latter, it was only she, on whom he hadn't turned any charm at all, who could observe him that dispassionately. He's probably got a dolly bird tucked away in a flat somewhere and "doesn't feel the need to get married when he can get what he wants without it, she decided disparagingly,

  As if guessing -her thoughts, Alex glanced up then and caught her studying him. His left eyebrow rose sardonically and Sara felt herself start to flush guiltily. Quickly she rose. 'Veronica, don't you think it's time you went upstairs? You must be tired.'

  'Good heavens, is that the time? You're quite right, Sara, I shall feel fagged in the morning,' She turned to Alex. 'Goodnight’ Mr Brandon. I hope you haven't been too bored with my chatter.'

  ‘On the contrary,’ Alex took her hand, 'I've seldom enjoyed an evening more. You must tell me about the other pieces another time. And my name is Alex,' he reminded her.

  Sara helped the older woman upstairs and to prepare for bed before Mrs Ogden came up with a nightcap. The housekeeper seemed to have an uncanny knowledge of when she was needed—that, or just good ears, Sara thought as she went downstairs again. She looked in the kitchen, but it was empty, the crockery all neatly stacked in the cupboard.

  'Do you know where Nicky and Richard are?' she asked as she went back into the drawing-room.

  They went for a walk.' Alex rose as she came in. 'Do you want another drink?'

  'No. Why didn't you stop them? This would have been a good opportunity to get this thing settled once and for all.'

  He poured himself a whisky from the decanter on the sideboard and then went to sit in the armchair by the fire, his long legs stretched out in front of him. 'Because I think it would be better to do as Veronica suggested and let you get to know Richard first. He's quite a nice kid, you know.' -

  "Well, I'm hardly likely to get to know him when he's out necking with Nicky, am I?'

  'Didn't you neck when you were a teenager?' he asked casually.

  'That has nothing to do with it.'

  'Hasn't it? I rather think it has.' He looked at her keenly. 'From the beginning of this affair you've been against it out of all proportion, not bothering to try to see Nicky's side or even asking to meet Richard. You're holding your power over her like some old-fashioned autocrat and seem to enjoy making her miserable. At first I thought it was because you were more interested in your job, but it's not entirely that. 'So what is it, Sara? Why are you being so dogmatic?'

  'I'm nothing of the sort. I just want what's best for Nicky,' Sara retorted.

  'Do you? Or is it,' his eyes sharpened, 'or is it that you're jealous?'

  'Jealous?' Sara rose indignantly. 'Of Richard? You must be crazy!'

  Alex, too, got to his feet and came to stand beside her. 'Not of Richard—of marriage. Or of just being loved,’ he added, watching her closely.

  Sara stared at him speechlessly for a moment. 'How dare you suggest that!' she said angrily at last. 'You're out of your tiny mind! Why don't you stick to your computers? Mindless machines are obviously more in your line than human beings.'

  'Possibly. But in this case I'm pretty sure I'm right. Oh, no, you're not running out on this one,' he added, catching her arm as she went to walk away. 'You've got a chip on your shoulder as big as a plank, and I intend to find out why.'

  'Let go of me!' Sara said furiously. 'My private life is nothing to do with you.'

  It is when it affects Nickyand therefore Richard. ‘I'm not having his life messed up by a frustrated female.'

  'Of all the nerve! I am not frustrated. And I thought we agreed that marriage to Nicky would ruin Richard's life.'

  ‘I’m beginning to have second thoughts about that. It might be just what he needs. But don't try to change the subject. We're talking about you, not Richard.'

  'You're, doing all the talking, you mean. And drawing your own stupid conclusions,' she retorted.

  'And what were you doing when you were watching me earlier on? From the look on your face you'd summed me up as something not much better than a gigolo.'

  'I can hardly help it, can I, when that's the impression you give?’ Sara returned nastily.'

  Alex's jaw tensed and his grip on her arm tightened until she winced. He smiled unpleasantly.-'You don't like it when I use force on you, do you? Never mind, you can always take up judo, then no one will be able to master you.' His dark eyes glinted down at her. 'What happened, Sara? Did the man you wanted� get away? God, I pity the poor devil. He must have been through hell before he found the courage to walk out on you. Especially if he cared about you.’

  Numbly Sara stared at him, unable to speak.

  'And now you've built so thick a wall
around yourself that you resent any man you can't put down—and any woman who's got what you lost,' he added forcefully.

  Sara felt her nails digging into her hands as she strove to control herself. 'How dare you speak to me like that?' she demanded with hatred in her eyes. 'What right have you got to probe into my past? I bet you've walked out on dozens of women. For your information, I could have married several times if that was all I'd wanted, but I couldn't because I——' She stopped, shaking with anger, her hands clenched into fists.

  'Why not, Sara? Why couldn't you marry?’ Alex put his other hand on her right arm to emphasise his question.

  For a moment she stared at him, an aching tightness in her throat, then she put up her arms and shook him off. 'Oh, go to hell!" And she ran from the room and up the stairs.

  Once in the room she was to share with Nicky, Sara sat on the edge of her bed, her head in her hands.

  Gradually her pounding heart slowed and she was able to lie back on her bed in a shaft of moonlight from the window. She hadn't bothered to switch on the lamps and the moonlit objects in the unfamiliar room had an almost luminous quality. Deliberately she forced her mind to concentrate on the row with Alex, Why had she got so upset? Why did she always lose control whenever-she argued with him? But that last was an easy one to answer; whether he was being at his most charming or scathingly contemptuous, he was a man with whom it was impossible to be indifferent.

  She tried to think rationally, trying to analyse what had happened. His accusations had, of course, brought back all too vividly that first love affair. Had its failure made her bitter? She had never thought so before; had regarded it only as a salutary lesson not jto fall for the first person who came along. Perhaps in-some ways it had served to convince her that Nicky's romance couldn't possibly be the real thing, but as for using her power over Nicky to make her miserable f The man was mad, completely mad. So why had it hurt so much? Sara sighed and turned over. Could it be that Alex Brandon in turn enjoyed the power he seemed to have over her, the power to goad her into losing her temper? Or perhaps he was just piqued because she hadn't fallen for him, she thought cynically, and if he couldn't rouse her emotions one way then he'd rouse them the other.