‘What cost?’ His anger whipped at her, and Madeline flinched, accepting his right to it. ‘What’s wrong with being seen with me? I don’t have some dreaded social disease, you know.’
‘I never meant to imply that you—’
‘Look—’ he bit out tightly, then heaved in a deep breath to control the sudden flare of temper. ‘You’ll meet me, Madeline, out in the open, and for dinner one evening, or I come around to your home to see you tonight. Which will it be?’ he asked tightly. ‘A civilised dinner for two, or a very uncivilised confrontation at your home with your damned family as witness!’
‘Dinner, then,’ she reluctantly agreed, not even bothering to call his bluff. Dominic was quite capable of carrying out any threat he uttered.
‘Where?’ He shot the question at her like a bullet.
‘In Newbury—No.’ That was too close to home. ‘I have to be in London on Wednesday next week.’ For gown fittings with Nina. It should be easy enough to find a convincing excuse why she couldn’t come back home with Nina in the evening. Nina had a function to attend with Charles that night, so there should be no chance of her stepsister deciding to stay in the City with her. ‘At least there we have less of a chance of being recognised,’ she added drily.
‘I am quite prepared to meet you anywhere and in front of anyone, Madeline,’ he said grimly. ‘Since when have you become so damned protective of your so-called reputation?’
‘My father would tell you, Dominic, that for all my sins I only needed teaching a lesson once before it sank indelibly in.’
‘He might, if he was speaking to me,’ he ruefully agreed. ‘But since he isn’t—and hasn’t for four years—it seems pointless to remark upon it, don’t you think?’
* * *
Perry arrived on Saturday in a dashing red Lotus sports car. Madeline met him in the driveway with a warm hug.
‘That was nice,’ he murmured, smiling down at her. ‘But I wonder why there was a hint of desperation about it?’
‘Oh…’ She shook her dark head. ‘It’s all been a bit of a strain here, that’s all,’ she dismissed, turning within the curve of his arm to walk with him into the house. ‘I’m still feeling like a visitor after being away for so long.’
‘Good,’ he said. ‘Keep feeling like that. Then perhaps you won’t be tempted to stay too long before coming home to
us in Boston.’
‘Why?’ she murmured provocatively. ‘Will you miss me when you have to go back?’
‘You know I will.’ He squeezed her closer to him. ‘If I have to return without you,’ he then added meaningfully.
‘And what about the lovely Christina?’ she reminded him. ‘I’m sure she won’t like you arriving back in Boston with me on your arm.’
‘Christina knows how I feel,’ he stated coolly. But Madeline wasn’t fooled in the slightest by his offhand reply.
Madeline was quite aware that Perry used her as protection against the beautiful but very spoiled Christina van Neilson. One of the reasons why she and Perry had gravitated towards each other in the first place was because they were both hiding a broken heart, and recognised the struggle in each other. Madeline didn’t like the Boston beauty, but she could understand why Perry did. Christina was probably the closest you could get to American royalty, a tall willowy golden beauty with the van Neilson billions to give her everything she wanted in her over-indulged life.
She wanted Perry, royalty himself if it was wealth that made the distinction. But she wanted him on her own terms—and those terms did not include Perry working for his living when she wanted to play. Christina had been a fool when she challenged that inbred sense of responsibility Perry possessed with her ‘get out from under the family wing and live the kind of jet-setting life I’m used to, or no Christina’ ultimatum. It was no contest. Christina had lost, but at the expense of poor Perry’s heart.
Whether or not the beauty’s own heart was involved was difficult to say with someone as superficial as Christina. She certainly did not like the closeness there was between Madeline and Perry. But that could just be spoiled possessiveness.
‘Forman didn’t take up my father’s invitation to come with you, then,’ she noted, wisely changing the subject.
‘He’s in Brussels,’ Perry informed her. ‘Maybe I can talk him into coming next weekend.’
‘That would be nice,’ she murmured casually.
‘Why?’ He glanced frowningly at her. ‘You aren’t fancying him, are you?’
Madeline laughed. ‘He’s not my type,’ she assured him. ‘Too big and brooding for my taste. I’ll stick to you if you don’t mind.’
‘I don’t mind in the least,’ he grinned, dropping a light kiss upon her cheek, ‘but watch it, if Forman does come,’ he warned. ‘A real rake if I ever knew one.’
‘Has a way with the ladies, does he?’ she murmured curiously.
‘Makes me jumpy just to have him around,’ Perry mocked. ‘Safety in numbers is Forman’s motto, and my God, does he live by it!’