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Blindly Taryn walked street after street, not realising that she was not so strong as she used to be until her legs buckled beneath her and violent pains shot through her head. Leaning against a wall for support, she glanced anxiously round, not wishing anyone to see her plight. She need not have worried. Everyone was too intent on going their own way to notice the pale, tired girl who had almost reached the end of her tether. Unlike Ferndale, where everyone stopped to pass the time of day, London was an impersonal place, full of people yet more lonely than anywhere she had ever known. The cheerful sign of a hotel across the road attracted her attention. She would stay the night there and tomorrow make her way back to her Devonshire valley.

The receptionist gave her a funny look when Taryn announced that she had no luggage. However, she was shown to a small but clean room and after lying down for a few minutes on the superbly sprung bed Taryn felt much better. Rather than spend the whole evening alone in her room she went downstairs to the restaurant and although she did not feel hungry, once the meal was put before her and the tantalising smell of roast lamb arid mint sauce reached her nostrils she developed a healthy appetite.

She lingered over her coffee, loth to go back to her room—and her thoughts. Here she was able to absorb herself in the atmosphere, pretend she was a member of the laughing party at the next table, or was being wined and dined by the handsome man across the other side. Her eyes scanned the room, almost missing the dark-suited man in the corner. He had his back to her, but there was something about him that drew her eyes back to look more closely at the brown hair curling close to his head.

Her heart missed a beat. It was all imagination. There were a thousand and one men who could look like Luke—or Mark—from behind. However, she could not refrain from staring in his direction, and almost as though he was aware of her interest he turned. Taryn ran the tip of her tongue across suddenly dry lips and averted her eyes. It
was
Luke. She could tell that by his conventional suit—but an unchanged Luke. The look he directed at her held no warmth. It was critical and faintly puzzled, but with no pleasure.

Taryn’s eyes were once again drawn involuntarily towards his corner. He had risen and was making his way towards her. Her heart raced. She must go— before he made a scene—but her legs felt as though they were made of lead. It was like a bad dream when you scream for help but no sound comes. She couldn’t move. Resolutely she looked down at the table, toying with the spoon in her saucer.

He was at her side. ‘May I join you?’ Cool and impersonal, he might have been talking to a stranger.

Taryn indicated the chair opposite and carried on playing with her spoon.

‘Did you want to see me?’

She looked up then, a swift frown creasing her brow. ‘What do you mean? How did I know you’d be here?’

‘But you hoped I would, is that it?'

‘What
are
you talking about?’ asked Taryn, beginning to feel annoyed.

‘Don’t say you didn’t know this was one of my hotels? What’s the matter—brother Mark dropped you already and now you’re trying to ingratiate yourself back with me?’

Taryn stiffened. ‘As a matter of fact I didn’t. If I had I wouldn’t be here, and as far as Mark’s concerned he’s gone back to Italy, as you well know. Now, if you’ll excuse me ’ She pushed back her chair, intent on escaping before he said any more horrid things calculated to hurt her.

But her wrist was caught in a vicelike grip. ‘There are one or two matters I want clearing up first.’

‘Really?’ Taryn raised her brows disdainfully. ‘I can’t think what they might be. I thought you knew everything.’

His eyes narrowed at her unusual sarcasm. ‘Not quite, but we can’t talk here. We’ll go to my office.’ But Taryn did not want to be alone with him. It was clear he still thought she was involved with Mark and she could only foresee more heartache by submitting herself to his questions. She rose, but once they were out of the restaurant darted for the stairs. It was unlikely that Luke would follow. After all, it was hardly fitting for the owner of the hotel to be seen running after a girl.

By the time she reached her room Taryn felt exhausted—a reminder that she was still far from well—and threw herself face downwards on the bed. She fought back the tears that welled, clenching her fists and cursing this quirk of fate that had brought her face to face with Luke. Her attempt at running away had failed miserably, and the fact that he thought she was here with the express purpose of trying to see him must have lowered her even further in his opinion.

I must go, she thought, leave the hotel before he tries to speak to me again. Dragging herself from the bed and without stopping to smooth her tousled hair, she picked up her handbag and opened the door.

The corridor was empty. Her feet faltered as she made her way along its length; her heartbeats quickened and breathing became more difficult. As she crept down the stairs Taryn broke out into a cold sweat; pausing for a second to regain her strength. Her legs felt as though they were made of cotton wool, but she forced herself on, intent only on leaving. It was ironical that out of all the hotels in London she had chosen this one. She put out a hand to steady herself as her vision blurred—everything was going round. Luke’s distorted face swam before her eyes. She warded him off with her hands. ‘Go away,’ she cried. ‘Go away! ’

‘Taryn!’ She was caught and held firmly, tangled hair was smoothed from her brow. ‘Taryn darling, please calm yourself. I’m not going to hurt you. Please tell me what’s wrong.’

Her vision cleared. She lay on a bed in a strange room—a man’s room—the smell of tobacco in the air. Luke sat beside her, a strangely gentle smile softening his face. She frowned and closed her eyes, turning her head to one side. It was imagination. Luke hated her—he wouldn't smile, like that—as though he still...

‘Please say something,’ he urged. ‘Are you ill?’

‘What does it matter to you?’ she asked grimly, refusing to look at him.

‘A great deal,’ he replied.

He sounded so sincere that Taryn jerked her head in his direction. ‘You must be joking. You hate me.’

It was his turn to look surprised. ‘Have I ever said that?’

‘Not in so many words, but the way you’ve behaved ’

‘What did you expect under the circumstances?’

‘You could at least have accepted my explanation.’ She pushed herself to a sitting position and glared defiantly.

'I was too shocked to think coherently at first,’ he said slowly. ‘By the time I got round to thinking you could have been telling me the truth it was too late.’

Taryn frowned. ‘What do you mean? You haven’t even tried to discuss it again.’

‘What was the point? I went down to the cottage the next morning fully prepared to admit I had misjudged you, and what did I find? A note saying you’d gone out with Mark for the day.’

‘So what? It wasn’t a confession of my love.’

‘No?’ his eyebrows raised sceptically. ‘That’s not what Mark said.’

Suddenly everything began to fall into place. By taking her out every day Mark had made sure she didn’t meet Luke again, didn’t have the opportunity to clear up their misunderstanding. All the time Mark had been playing it his way—though it hadn’t worked out entirely. He had not counted on the strength of Taryn’s love for Luke. ‘Exactly what has Mark told you?’ she asked at length.

‘You should know,’ he responded drily. ‘You’ve always loved him—you only turned to me because we were so alike. He said you didn’t even want to see me again after he’d turned up and that you were going to get married when you got back to Italy.'

Taryn shook her head as if in a daze. ‘Mark wouldn’t treat me like that. It's not possible.'

Luke watched her closely. ‘Where is he? Why are you here on your own?’

‘He’s in Italy as far as I know,' shrugged Taryn, ‘and me—well, I had a job here, but I had an accident and they didn’t keep it open. I’m going back home tomorrow.'

A flicker of hope shone in Luke’s eyes. ‘So you weren’t going to Italy after all?’

Taryn shook her head. ‘He wanted me to. He wouldn’t believe I didn’t love him any more. He tried, right to the end. I’ll give him that.'

‘But why did you leave the valley?' He caught her hands. ‘Tell me, Taryn. It's important I know.'

She lowered her eyes, pulses racing at his touch. Swallowing painfully, she said, ‘Because I couldn’t bear the thought of meeting you—seeing the look of disapproval on your face ’

‘Stop!' His own voice gruff with emotion. ‘I can’t bear it. Oh, Taryn,' he pulled her head down on to his shoulder and held her close until she thought she would suffocate. ‘Taryn, I do love you. What a fool I've been! I ought to have known you wouldn’t lie to me.'

‘Never,’ her tones muffled against his suit. ‘Not to you, Luke.'

Suddenly he held her at arms’ length. ‘What am I thinking? What was this you said about an accident? You look far from well—are you sure you ought to be wandering around on your own?’

‘I’m all right now,’ Taryn assured him. ‘It was after I’d left Mark—I was thinking of you, and didn’t look where I was going—the next thing I knew I was in hospital. I was unconscious for nearly a week.’

‘Oh, God! To think it’s all my fault. You might have been killed. Why didn’t they send for me—or Gammy at least?’

‘They didn’t know who I was, and when I did come round I wouldn’t let them. I didn’t want your sympathy, I wanted ’ She stopped and looked at him.

‘Yes?’ he prompted softly.

‘I wanted your love—as you have mine.'

Their lips met in a mutually satisfying kiss and the minutes ticked by as they gave themselves up to the wonder of their love.

There were still many questions left unanswered, but for the moment Taryn was content to remain in the arms of the man she had thought lost to her for ever. Today was indeed a wonderful day, and the power of Gammy’s rainbow had proved itself in the end.

I wonder if Luke believes in rainbows
?
she thought. I must ask him—some time.