A Girl Called Tegi (6 page)

As she asked the question Tegi was frightened at the immensity and depth of her own feelings, appalled by the hopelessness of them. And because worry and fear were part of them she swallowed on a dry throat and stared at the ribbon of road unwinding in the lights of the car.

Every year someone was killed in the races on the island. Tony could be the one this year. She looked at his lean strong hands resting on the car wheel, at his profile, arrogant, proud and clear-cut All she could think of was that this time next week he might be dead. If he wasn’t he would be preparing to leave the island for good and she would never see him again.

He had taken his time in answering, pulling out to pass a
c
ar dawdling just ahead.

‘Naturally, since it is why I am here. I am enjoying my stay on the island,’ he said matter-of-factly. He paused, then added, ‘I owe you an apology.’

Tegi moistened
dry lips. ‘What for?’

‘For being so rude as to accuse you of coming to the dinner this evening for your own ends. In other words, I thought you had taken your mother’s place for reasons of your own.’

Tegi gazed out unseeingly at the tall, delicate tracery of the trees lining the road, at the shining trunks, and the close-growing trees beyond.

‘Charming, I’m sure. You must have a very good opinion of me—or am I in the same class as all those girls who run after you?’

‘You are not that type,’ he answered.

‘Thanks! I’m flattered. Nice for you to be home again soon after being up to the neck in girls.’

He laughed. ‘I told you, it is not me they are after, they chase the image, not the real me. Like I said
before, show business.’

Tegi drew a deep breath and felt her nerves settling now they were nearing her home. Pushing back her hair, she cast him a swift glance.

‘Does your mother worry about you racing?’ she asked.

‘I suppose so. However, it will soon be over, and
I
shall be a better person for the freedom I have had.’

She said, ‘I suppose you’ll marry and settle down, have a family.’

‘Yes. The family is most important in Tuscany and I would not want it any other way.’

The car headlights were now picking up the lane leading to her home. Tegi readjusted the lace scarf around her bead and in doing so found one of the strands caught in her earring. For several seconds she tried to free the stole, but to no avail.

‘Allow me?’ Tony had brought the car to a halt and turning in his seat attempted to free the lace.

Tegi found difficulty in breathing to find him so close—the lean good-looking features, the dark hair, the dark eyes with those thick lustrous eyelashes and the lean brown fingers so gentle now in their touch.

She had seen so many facets of him—the playboy, the cool, calculating rider, the arrogant mocking companion, the lady-killer. What exactly was he? A man who had the capacity for being loved but whose love did not reach beyond the bonds of his own family?

Right now she was only conscious of his strength, his magnetism, and the need to get away from it. Her defences, ever of the eggshell variety when he was around, were in danger of cracking, so much so that
she almost swayed towards him.

He did not speak and she wondered if he was aware of the heavy thudding of her heart, the tremor in her limbs, her restricted breathing. It was easy to see, although there was no opportunity of her doing so, that the thread of lace was intricately caught in the fastening of her earring. But should it take so long to release it?

Was Tony making the most of an opportunity to embarrass her, to punish her a little for her outspokenness? Or was he revelling in his power over her as the ladies’ man in him caused him to take his time in releasing the lace stole?

It was some moments before Tegi was aware of the stole falling on to her shoulder from the earring. By that time firm fingers were caressing the youthful curve of her chin and very slowly her face was being turned towards him.

His lips touched her cheek and her heart was going crazy like an unattended vehicle running downhill. Then the cool lips resting on hers were lifted in seconds and the short respite gave her the strength to push him away. But not very far, for his strength kept her very near to him.

He did not speak, but the mocking light in his eyes stung. Did he think that she was just another notch on that lady-killer’s belt of his? Anger gained momentum as his dark eyes roved over her stormy brown eyes, flushed cheeks and the white column of her slender throat. But before she could speak his mouth had fastened on her own.

This time it was no experimental kiss, it was all-absorbing in its savage pressure. Her brain reeled.

E
very atom of her being responded like a voltage of electricity fusing her to him. It was impossible for her to move and she did not want to. Nothing like this had ever happened to her before—this merging of two kindred souls with a matching chemistry in them which was like some kind of heady drug.

Here was the expert in motion, her common sense urged. He had left two gorgeous dolly birds behind and, to his way of thinking, Tegi Moore owed him something for that. Slowly her hands reached up to his dark head as she gave herself to the wonder of his kisses, then abruptly she pushed him away.

She gasped,
‘I’
m sure your girlfriends waiting for you back at the party can carry on where I’ve left off. Thanks for bringing me home. Sorry it was such a long drive for you.’

The next moment she was opening her door and getting out of the car.

‘Goodnight,’ she said, and slammed the car door.
Her eyes were too blinded by tears to see his face as she straightened and ran up the path to the house.

CHAPTER FOUR

The
sigh of relief Tegi gave as she crept upstairs to her room was
short-lived
, for Dorothy was waiting for her. Her face had an angry whiteness and her eyes were pinpoints of dislike.

‘Have a nice evening?’ she asked as she sat up in bed polishing her nails. ‘Of all the two-timing schemers, you take the first prize
!’

Tegi slipped off her stole and put down her evening bag. The perfect end to a gem of a day, she thought. Now I have to row with my sister!

‘
I
haven’t the least idea what you’re talking about. In any case, it’s late and I’m tired, so do you mind going to sleep and leave any arguing for tomorrow?’

She slipped off her shoes and went into the bathroom to clean her teeth. Dorothy was still sitting up in bed when she returned ready to do battle. She was not doing her nails. Her arms were folded across her chest, and she said grimly,

‘We’ll talk now. You did a fine job on Mother, didn’t you, persuading her to stay at home so you could go with Father to the dinner?’

Tegi laughed and unzipping the back of her dress stepped out of it, shook it and padded across the carpet to the wardrobe to hang it up.

‘I don’t know what you’re talking about,’ she said. ‘Why don’t you go to sleep?’

Dorothy’s red lips tightened and her look was venomous as she took in the delightful figure in bra and panties.

‘Tony Mastroni brought you home, didn’t he? I heard the car. Dad was home hours ago. He said you were dancing when he left for home,’ Dorothy insisted.

‘I didn’t dance with Tony, if that makes you feel better,’ Tegi said quietly. ‘And I went with Dad at Mother’s request. I hope you didn’t row with them and spoil your father’s evening. He thoroughly enjoyed himself.’

‘He wasn’t the only one who enjoyed himself, was he?’

‘I hope not. Now go to sleep.’

‘That’s what you want, isn’t it—for me to take this meekly and say nothing. Well, I’m saying plenty! Inviting Tony to see Gary play football, then going with him to the dinner with Dad as a cover—you must think I’m an idiot
!’

‘Then stop talking like one.’ Tegi put on her pyjamas and went to the dressing table to apply cream to her face. She stopped short, unscrewing the jar. ‘I see you’ve been at my cream again,’ she said wearily. ‘And while we’re on the subject, don’t borrow anything of mine unless you ask first. You had a nerve, taking my dress tonight
!’

‘You should have told me you were going to see Tony, then I would have left it for you.’

Dorothy had gone white with fury, but Tegi ignored her. Going to the small bedside table between the two beds, she picked up the little clock and began to wind it up.

‘I’m sure you would,’ she said, putting down the clock and slipping into bed. ‘Now go to sleep. I have to be up in the morning to go to work.’

‘Poor little you! I can see one has to be up early to compete with you. Why don’t you c
lim
b back into your own little rut, because that’s where you belong. Tony Mastroni isn’t your kind—you’d bore him to tears. You haven’t an ounce of sophistication to keep any man for long.’

Tegi punched a hollow for her head into her pillow. ‘No?’ she answered. ‘Then why borrow my evening dress and my make-up if I’m so old-fashioned? You make me tired! You’re just spoiling for a row, and I refuse to join in at this time of night. For
goodness’ sake save it for the morning.’

Dorothy’s eyes were harder and brighter than ever. ‘I don’t trust you any more, do you know that? You’re jealous of me, always have been, because Mother thinks a lot about me.’

Tegi said wearily, ‘You have a lot to learn. I’m not jealous of you at all. If you’re so clever how come you haven’t hitched up with some man in London or wherever it is you work? If you’ve decided to take on Tony Mastroni, you have a hard task ahead to hook him. He’s been around and he knows all the answers, believe me.’

‘That’s where you’ve been getting above yourself, my dear sister. I can hook Tony Mastroni or any man I please if I set my mind to it. As it happens, he’s opening a boutique in Douglas tomorrow and he’s invited me along.’

‘Congratulations. Perhaps you’ll find time in between ogling Tony to look for a dress instead of having to borrow mine?’ retorted Tegi. ‘You have a wardrobe full of clothes and if you don’t wear them it goes to show that you aren’t very good at choosing the right kind.’

Dorothy said haughtily, ‘My wardrobe happens to be too sophisticated for here.’

‘Even for Tony?’ Tegi’s voice was dry. ‘You aren’t interested in Tony. You’re going after his image. He’s a celebrity, so you want to bathe in his glory. He can see through you and all the other silly girls who run after him—he told me so.’

‘Then there’s no danger of him falling in love with you, is there? If he’d been the least bit interested in you he would have strung you along like the rest at first, wouldn’t he?’

Tegi conceded this. ‘You could be right.’ She yawned.
‘Now can we go to sleep?’

‘And he’s a very handsome, intriguing person. He makes you feel all feminine and important. And he doesn’t have to count his cash. He’s generous with his tips,’ Dorothy insisted.

‘He has need to be—he’s making plenty out of the public. This boutique he’s opening tomorrow will pay him quite a tidy fee,’ Tegi said practically.

Her sister said loftily, ‘I’m sure I don’t care how he gets his cash. It’s nice being taken out by someone who doesn’t need to query the bill. So just you keep away from him.’ She slid down into bed in the silence greeting her from the next bed. ‘Did you hear me? Just keep away from him,’ she repeated.

But Tegi was sensibly feigning sleep. She had suffered more than enough for one day from her sister
.
It made her blood run cold to know how hard she was about money. She thought wistfully how nice it would have been if the affection existing between them in their schooldays had grown stronger. That it still existed at all was something she doubted. Certainly where Dorothy was concerned it never had.

The sudden realisation of it dried up her throat and brought an ache to her heart. The even breathing of her sister in the other bed told her that Dorothy was already asleep. Listening to her, Tegi told herself Dorothy had a lot to learn about people and life.

Colin did not show up the next lunchtime, and Tegi had her lunch sitting on the sea-fr
o
nt alone. No doubt he had taken umbrage at her snub the even
in
g before when he had called and she had told her father to tell him to get lost. Mentally, she shrugged the matter off, but felt bound to telephone him that afternoon before she left the bank.

Yes, he had been hurt, he admitted on the telephone, and had thought it best to let her cool off before seeing her again. Tegi apologised and told him it had not been her day. He then asked her if she would see him that evening.

Dorothy had gone out when she arrived home. Gary met her at the door and borrowed ten pence. He was going to see the riders for next week’s races on a practice run, he told her. Tegi thought immediately of Tony and then pushed him at the back of her mind.

Colin called for her around half past seven. He was a bit late, having had to take his parents to a friends for dinner. He thought they could go home to his place and have coffee on the veranda. It was a nice evening and they had the place all to themselves.

The house was up on a hill with a fine view of Ramsey bay. Colin’s father had a good position in the Civil Service in Douglas and the house had every modern convenience.

Tegi followed him into the hall where a Chinese rug decorated a polished parquet floor. The kitchen had a picture window and shining tops on either side of the sink unit. On one of the working tops stood a silver coffee pot, and Colin made for it.

‘I’ll make the coffee,’ he said. ‘What would you like to eat? We can have a chicken sandwich if you like, or biscuits? Or what about a cheese sandwich?’

‘A biscuit will do for me,’ said Tegi, and listened to the roar of the motorbikes on their practice run around the circuit of the island. She said, ‘Gary has gone to watch the bike practice.’

‘Did you want to go
?’

Colin brought the freshly made coffee to the kitchen table, and brought out a tin of biscuits.

She shook her head. ‘No
.
Can we have our coffee here in the kitchen? It’s cosy.’

He put out pretty china cups and saucers and poured out the coffee.

‘You don’t want to sit on the veranda because of the noise of the motorbikes. Isn’t that so?’ he said, handing her a cup of coffee. ‘You don’t like them, do you?’

Tegi poured cream into her coffee but did not look up. ‘I don’t mind them as long as no one I’m fond of is taking part in the races,’ she replied evenly.

He sat down opposite to her at the table and reached for a biscuit from the open tin. All around them the kitchen was impregnated with the smell of coffee and the evening sun slanted across the room, spraying golden lights into her hair.

Colin sat back in his chair and regarded her thoughtfully.

‘The sun has sprinkled fairy gold dust into your hair and your eyes are very dark. At the moment they’re wide with surprise at my eloquence. I’m surprised myself.’

Tegi swallowed the rest of her biscuit and nearly choked.

‘You are coming on,’ she croaked, and sipped her coffee. ‘Thank you very much.’

‘I could come on more,’ he said.

She gazed at him steadily over the rim of her cup. ‘And what am I supposed to say to that?’

He said mysteriously, ‘I’ll tell you later.’

After they had finished their coffee they went into the lounge where Colin switched on the record player. Tegi sat down on the comfortable settee and he dropped down beside her. The music was not too loud and wonderfully soothing and she lay back to the feel of his arm behind her as she closed her eyes.

The racing practice had finished. The reverberating throb of powerful machines echoing in the surrounding hills was no more and the night air was once more filled with sweet sounds.

‘I wonder why motorbikes have to make so much noise?’ she murmured, and suddenly found Colin’s mouth in the way.

Her eyes flew open as he lifted his head. The kiss had not been much as kisses go. Tegi knew it had not done anything for her at all. In fact she was rather surprised at the negative result, so much so that she did not repulse him but let him kiss her again.

The second kiss was no better than the first, but this time he was drawing her closer and his hand was moving slowly over her back
.
Gradually his breathing quickened and she felt his hand under her cotton top seeking her bra.

She began to resist him by evading his lips and pushing him away, but this only seemed to spur him on.

At last she grew angry. ‘Stop it, Colin
!’
she snapped. ‘What’s got into you
?
Let me go, you idiot
!’

The look on Colin’s face of bewildered surprise was almost comical. The Adam’s apple in his throat was plainly discernible as his jaw dropped open and his hold on her slackened.

‘Don’t you want me to kiss you?’ he asked in hurt tones.

Tegi looked at his boyish face and knew she had to let him down lightly. It was easy to see that he lacked the experience of someone like Tony—but why did she have to think of Tony now?

Colin had been coddled by an adoring mother and at the age of twenty-six was sadly lacking in knowledge of girls. So she must not take away his self-confidence in case one day he would bungle an affair with some girl who would make him an ideal partner.

Tegi knew sadly that the girl could never be herself. There was no rapport between them. There had to be something on which to build a life-long partnership, and whatever it was did not exist between her and Colin.

Coolly she said, ‘This is hardly the place, is it, unless you brought me here this evening in order to make love to me? Did you, Colin?’

He let her go as a deep blush covered his freckled face.

He muttered. ‘Either you like me or you don’t. After all, we’ve been going together for a long time now. Even the chaps at the office are asking when we’re going to fix a date to get married.’

Tegi’s eyes glinted with anger. ‘So you’ve been discussing me with your friends?’ she cried. ‘How dare you? You haven’t any reason to regard me as your property. We aren’t actually engaged or even going together in that capacity. I have my lunch with you and we see each other occasionally, but that’s hardly a reason for marrying.’

‘But...’ he spluttered.

‘But nothing! You take your mother out more than you do me. How
m
any times a week do we meet other than having lunch together, once or twice?’

‘We could have gone out more, but you have other commitments at home.’

Like a flash, she retorted, ‘Doesn’t that tell you that our friendship is only half-hearted on both sides? No, Colin, you and I are just good friends. I don’t mind a kiss now and then, but that fumbling display you just put on is not on with me.’

He had gone strangely pale. ‘You mean our friendship is off?’

‘Of course not, but I’m sure you and I weren’t meant to marry. At least, I can’t feel that way about you. I’m sorry—I like your company and I know you like mine.’