A Pretend Engagement (14 page)

But Leon's smile suddenly came out, that wonderful smile again, as if it pleased him that after he had been the way he had been she trusted him. `And now-this morning's kiss?' he asked softly.

iHerspine was starting to feel as though it would melt. `I think-th-thought you were hurtng...'

`You wanted to make me feel better?'

`Well, I-er-um ..."

'What a darling you are,' he breathed, and gently then, unhurriedly then, he took her into his arms.

Feeling slightly mesmerised, Varnie went forward. Leon kissed her, and never before had shc known such a warm, giving, yet tender kiss.A kiss that lingered.A kiss that was unhurried anti unseeking. A kiss that was most beautiful.Nor did those wondrous moments end with his kiss. Because, as though Leon enjoyed having her in his arms, he held her against him for long, long quiet seconds, before, his hands coming to her arms, he took a step back and, looking down into her bemused sea-green eyes, `You'd better get going,' he instructed.

Where was she supposed to be going to? `Right,' she said.

He hesitated. `Would you like me to come with you? Perhaps I should explain to your parents...'

Her parents! Varnie remembered everything then, and came down to earth with a bump.`Grief, no!' She quickly refused the offer that would soon see her brother losing his job. She began to back away. `As you've said, I'd better get going.' She went.Quickly.

She was almost in Cheltenham before she was able to forget Leon for more than two seconds and concentrate on what she must tell her parents. Hiskiss, that beautiful kiss ...

She was pulling up at traffic lights when her mobile rang. It was her mother. `Varnie?"

'Hello, Mum. "

`What on earth is going on?"

'I'm on my way to see you.' And, panic setting in, `You haven't tried to get me at Aldwyn House?' she asked urgently.

`There didn't seem much point. According to yesterday's paper, you're no longer there.

`Don't ring there. Please don't ring there,' Varnie begged. `I'll explain when I see you. I'm less than half an hour away.'

`Yes, but...' `The lights are changing. I'll have to go.'

It was a relief to Varnie to know that her mother had not spoken with Leon. While Varnie had learned more about the man, and in so doing hated being dishonest with him in any way, she was still concerned that she should not put her brother's job in jeopardy.

Her mother came out onto the drive the moment she heard her car arrive. Hannah Metcalfe, at fifty-five, had the same bright sea-green eyes as her daughter, was beautiful, but, unusually, was frowning as she kissed and hugged Varnie.

`Let's go inside,then you can explain all this nonsense. We went to see Aunt Crissie yesterday, and didn't get chance to read the paper until this morning. Your father spotted it he's making a pot of tea.'

Aunt Crissie was Robert Metcalfe's sister, who lived in York. They had been promising to pay her a visit for ages, Varnie recalled. So yesterday, providentially, had been the day to keep that promise.

`I could hardly believe it!' her mother was going on. `And where's Martin in all of this?" 'Hello, gorgeous!'Varnie's father-stepfather, that was-came out from the kitchen.

`Hello, Dad.' Varnie smiled, and knew herself much loved by both of them when the man she had only ever known as her father came over and gave her a hug and a kiss.

`I'll pour some tea,then you can tell us what you've been up to,' he said. `Have you had breakfast?'

She hadn't, but until she had told them what she'd been up to she did not think she would be able to eat a thing. So first they went to the kitchen-only her mother couldn't wait until the tea had been poured to start asking questions. And in the kitchen Varnie told them about how she had never made it further that the airport and that Martin Walker was a married man.

`Married.' her mother exclaimed, horrified. `Martin is married? Good heavens!' She couldn't believe it. `Are you sure?"

'I'm sure,' Varnie replied, and relayed every word of her conversation with both Martin Walker and his secretary. `Oh, you poor love. Are you very upset?"

'My pride was hurt, but...'

`Oh, love. Why didn't you come home?' her mother wanted to know.

`I-didn't want you to be upset.'

`As if we matter!'Robert Metcalfe scoffed, sorely wanting to use a father's privilege and flatten anyone who could treat his daughter so.

`I was on my way here, actually, when I thought perhaps it would be better if I went to Grandfather's house and kind of sorted myself out a bit before I came home.'

`You should have come home,' her mothersaid, all concern. `If you're unhappy, your place is here with us.' `I know, but...'

`Where does Leon Beaumont come in to it?' Robert Metcalfe wanted to know. `There's obviously some sort of connection here with your brother.'

`Oh, there is,' Varnie replied, incapable of lying to them, but not wanting to tell tales on her brother either.

`So?' They were both obviously waiting.

`Um, Leon-Leon Beaumont-asked Johnny to find him a quiet place where he could holiday,' Varnie began carefully. 'Johnny...'

Light dawned for Johnny's father. `Johnny contacted you and asked if you'd consent to his boss renting Aldwyn House!' he guessed. Well, not exactly. `He's got some nerve, that son of mine,' his father said, a hint proudly. `You might have told us what you and your brother had arranged between you,' he commented mildly, but smiled to take any slight bruising out of his small rebuke. He went on in some relief, `Thank goodness that young man has at last found something he's happy with and likely to stick with.' 'But-if you'd rented the house to Leon Beaumont, what were you thinking of, going there?' Her mother put the conversation back on track again. `I know you were upset, darling, but...'

`I didn't know he'd be there.'

`Oh, I see. His tenancy wasn't due to start until later. But-you must have stayed on-' Hannah Metcalfe broke off, more interested just then in learning about her daughter's emotional state. `How did you and he come to be unofficially engaged?"

'We're not engaged. We're not anything,' Varnie replied, trying hard to keep her mind on the conversation, which was difficult when that `not anything' had brought a bombardment of visions of his beautiful kiss that morning. She went on to tell them, honestly and openly, about Antonia King's visit, and about the tormented Neville King's subsequent visit and what she had done.

`You told him, this Neville King, that you were engaged?' her mother questioned, startled. `Hmm, yes,' Varnie had to admit.

`Good heavens! It's a wonder Leon Beaumont didn't leave on the spot!' Hannah Metcalfe was appalled. `And how could you refer to your grandfather as the...' That rebuke was lost when another appalling thought suddenly struck her. `For goodness' sake, Varnie, you could have put your brother's job in danger. Oh, what were you thinking of? After all the trouble we've had with him... Now that he's at last settled, now that we no longer have to worry about him... Didn't it occur to you that Leon Beaumont could have sacked him in his absence over this-sacked him on the instant for being

putin such a position?' Now did not seem a good moment to confess that Leon did not actually know that his assistant was her brother. `And you know how much Johnny wanted that job! How he'd do anything to keep it! He's-'

`Don't go on, love,' Robert Metcalfe interrupted. `Leon Beaumont's a grown man. He's more than capable of denying what Varnie said if it suits him. Isn't that so, Varnie?"

'It-er-suits him at the moment to be engaged,' Varnie replied. `It was Leon who confirmed the story to the press.' `And you're all right with that?'

Varnie nodded. `It won't be for very long.'

`You've left Aldwyn House?"

'We're still there. Leon said we were moving on because he didn't want any more newshounds knocking on the door. I'll be going back...'

`You're going back?'

`Johnny tried to arrange for Mrs. Lloyd to come and look after things, but she's retired, so I agreed to stay on and take care of the housekeeping side of everything until Leon's holiday is over,' Varnie explained.

`You're going back today?' Her mother did not look too happy about that, but otherwise accepted her explanation well enough. `Well, not until I've sampled some of your first class cooking.'

It mystified Varnie that when she loved her home and her family, she should that day feel fidgety andwant to leave it-and them. Leon was quite capable of looking after himself more than capable, in fact-so why did she feel this emptiness, this peculiar feeling of wanting to be back there at Aldwyn House?

She stayed as long as she could. Her mother did not want her to go back at all, and pressed her to stay to an early dinner. Perversely, just to prove that she was not in any hurry to return to the property, or its present occupant, Varnie accepted her mother's offer.

It was Robert Metcalfe who nudged Varnie along when he voiced his concern about her driving in the pitch black on those dark and twisty mountain roads and suggested, `Perhaps you'd better stay at least until morning.'

`I'll go now,' Varnie said with a smile, and was hugged and kissed by her parents, then set off for Aldwyn House, relieved that though she might have fibbed by omission here and there, she had not had to tell an outright lie to them.

It had been a sticky moment, she admitted, when it had suddenly dawned on her that, now knowing she was at Aldwyn House, either one of her parents might take it into their heads to give her a ring. And, while it was true that neither parent had met Leon, Varnie knew she would be a nervous wreck if she had to dash to be first to pick up the phone every time it rang. For what was to prevent either parent, should Leon get to answer the phone first, from introducing themselves as the parents of his assistant and also his present housekeeper?

After mulling it over for a while, Varnie had explained truthfully that Leon seemed to spend most of his holiday working, which meant she had more or less given him exclusive use of the phone.

`We mustn't interrupt big business,' her mother said lightly, having seen at once what her daughter was getting at. `If we need to get in touch we'll ring you on your mobile. You'd better keep it charged and on.'

Varnie drove out of Gloucestershire and wished it were a more pleasant night. It had started to rain some while ago, and didn't seem to know when to stop. Still, anything was better than fog, and perhaps when she hit the mountain roads the rain would have lessened.

No chance. If anything the rain seemed heavier than ever, andcame whipping across open valleys in great gusting sheets. It was certainly not a night for mere mortals to be out. Although the heavy rain caused her to drive more slowly, Varnie was at least thankful that she had the car for cover. Her thankfulness was not to last much longer. Suddenly, to her utter dismay, her steering most unexpectedly started misbehaving. A second later, and with total disbelief, she realised she had a puncture.

No! She went into denial. She couldn't have. Her car was always in tip-top condition. Her father insisted on it and, should she forget, was always there to remind her when it was time for her car to be serviced.

By good fortune-and on such a foul night and in such diabolical circumstances Varnie felt she was due some small piece of good fortuneshe was near enough to a cut-in passing area to be able to slowly steer her car out of harm's way.

Now what? For countless minutes she just sat there, as if hoping the wretched puncture would mend itself. But it was after those minutes, when not one single solitary vehicle came by, that Varnie knew she was going to have to help herself. The problem was,she knew not the first thing about changing a car wheel. In particular she did not know a thing about changing a car wheel on a pitch-black mountain road with a veritable monsoon pouring down.

Perhaps she would wait until the rain had slackened off a bit. A few minutes later it showed not the smallest sign of slackening off. Perhaps she should call someone. Leon? No way.Her father?Certainly not. By now he would be snugly tucked up in bed, miles away.

Leon was much nearer. No. Was she so feeble...? Varnie got out of the car and went to the car boot. She knew there was some kind of wheel-changing kit in there- heaven alone knew what one did with it.

Fifteen minutes later, having made a valiant attempt at undoing what she thought were called wheel nuts, she was discovering that whoever had tightened them in the first place had never intended that they should be undone. She tried again, as forcefully as she possibly could, and all to no effect-because no matter how hard she tried, and no matter how often, they just did not want to be undone.

Varnie stood up. She was drenched to the skin so it hardly mattered that the rain was still tipping down, plastering her hair to her head and face; she couldn't get any wetter.

What she was getting was just a mite scared-and frozen. It was eerie out there, and lonely. She squelched back inside her car and was undecided even then if, should there be another idiot out on a night like this, she would try and get them to stop. She forgot all about parables and good Samaritans and could only think of the most ghastly happenings reported by the press. She took out her mobile phone. Better the devil she knew. By then she was past caring that she was just some feeble female unable to undo common or garden wheel nuts. Not to mention the broken nail frolic it was going to be taking one wheel off, replacing it with a spare and doing the wheel nuts up tight again-to jack the whole thing up in the process was not in her remit.