‘Then you’re a fool!’ he muttered gruffly. ‘Because the past did exist! And you’ve spent the last four years of your life recovering from the wounds it inflicted on you! He inflicted on you! For God’s sake, woman,’ he muttered harshly, ‘see sense! Steer well clear of him. Protect yourself and let the rest of them sort themselves out!’
‘I’m not intending jumping all over him, you know!’ she said defensively. ‘Just meeting him for dinner and discussing family problems!’
‘How do you know?’ he shot back. ‘The way I read it, he led you around by the nose four years ago. What makes you think he won’t have the same power over you now?’
That stung—mainly because it was so near to the truth—and forced her to respond accordingly. ‘That’s a bit like the pot calling the kettle black, isn’t it?’
He had the grace to flush. ‘All right. Point taken,’ he grunted. Christina van Neilson had made a fool of him several times with other men before Perry had eventually snapped.
‘But that doesn’t answer my question,’ he pointed out. ‘You haven’t so much as set eyes on him in four years, so how do you know how you’re going to feel about him?’
Madeline lowered her face—but not quickly enough for Perry’s sharp gaze. ‘Ah,’ he concluded tightly. ‘So you have seen him.’
She didn’t answer. It was too late anyway. Perry had already seen the truth written in her eyes. ‘When?’ he demanded gruffly. ‘Where?’
‘One evening,’ she told him. ‘When I was out riding and we happened to meet up.’ She didn’t tell him which night. She didn’t dare.
‘And what happened?’
‘Oh, don’t worry about it, Perry,’ she mocked the sudden concern in his eyes. ‘We picked up from where we left off four years ago—throwing insults at each other.’ She smiled cynically at the memory. Even Dom’s kiss had been an insult, harsh and punishing.
‘So what makes you think this next meeting with him will be any different?’
‘Because this business between our families means something to both of us,’ she answered. ‘We are both capable of putting our own animosity aside in an effort to find a solution.’
‘Really?’ His arched brow mocked her along with the tone he used. And Madeline sighed impatiently then began walking again on a sudden burst of restlessness, his perception of her just too uncomfortable to take standing still. It was a minute or two before Perry came up beside her again, and they didn’t speak for a while, both seemingly lost in their own heavy thoughts as they walked on, the ice-cold water moving swiftly by beside them.
Then Perry muttered suddenly, ‘I wish he’d walk by here right now. I would enjoy throwing the swine in the river.’
Madeline smiled, linking her arm through his and giving it a kind hug. ‘You don’t know how many times I’ve felt the same urge about Christina,’ she confessed, remembering how, after Perry had finally broken off his engagement, Christina had en-joyed taunting him with a different man at every social gathering they attended. ‘Only it was the nearest swimming-pool I used to want her to tumble into.’
His smile was rueful. ‘Pair of idiots, aren’t we?’ he mused.
‘Hmm,’ Madeline agreed. ‘Will you cover for me on Wednesday?’
Perry stopped walking so he could take her by the shoulders and turn her to stand in front of him. ‘Will you promise to be very, very careful?’ he demanded by return.
Madeline nodded. ‘I promise to be the model of my mother’s daughter,’ she vowed gravely.
He laughed out loud at that, because Dee was such a coolly upright and serene member of Boston society. ‘I suppose I can’t get a better promise than that!’ he conceded.
No, thought Madeline. She only hoped she had the power to live up to it.
* * *
‘Having dinner with Perry, dear?’ Lou
ise repeated with the kind of smile growing in her eyes which made Madeline want to grind her teeth. ‘That will be nice! He’s a nice young man. Your father likes him too. He has a way with him that makes him easy to be with.’
‘I thought I’d use the London apartment to change,’ she suggested.
‘By all means do,’ Louise approved, smiling slightly as Madeline’s smooth change of subject told Louise that she was not going to get response to her subtle curiosity as to where Madeline’s relationship with Perry was going. ‘It may be sensible of you to stay over if it means a late night. Shall I let the Crowthers know you’re coming?’
‘Oh, would you?’ She sounded suitably grateful. But really, she found it irritating the way Louise was so eager to help her so-called relationship with Perry.
Shades of the past, she noted heavily. It sent a cold little shiver chasing down her spine.
Nina was in a dreamy mood on Wednesday. And the ostensible reason for the shopping spree fizzled out into a schmaltzy trip down fantasy lane when Madeline couldn’t seem to divert Nina from drooling over anything even vaguely babyish!