‘God, no!’ Vicky shuddered at the thought, her earlier mortification all but gone. ‘My ideal man must be strong-willed and damned determined if he wants to take me on. I need challenge in a relationship. Not total dependency. He has to be—’ Her eyes had been flicking restlessly around the restaurant when they skidded to a halt, bring her words to a sudden halt also. ‘God,’ she breathed, then reached urgently across the table to grab Madeline’s hand. ‘It’s him!’ she whispered excitedly. ‘No—! Don’t turn around! It’s the one I was telling you about before Dom arrived—you know…’ she whispered at Madeline’s blank look. ‘The one I—God,’ she choked, ‘he’s coming this way!’
Dominic glanced curiously in the direction his sister was staring, and while Madeline watched both faces opposite her, unaware of whom they were looking at, she saw Vicky’s face colour up, and Dominic’s harden. He flicked his gaze back to her, and she almost blanched at the look of cold accusation he lanced her with.
‘I had no idea you were expecting anyone,’ he bit out frostily.
‘I’m not,’ she denied, frowning.
‘Madeline!’ the call went up, and she went very still for the moment it took her to understand what had changed Dominic from the genial companion into a cold and angry man.
Several things happened at once then. The waiter arrived with their main course. Vicky’s eyes widened then hooded when she realised that the newcomer was not coming over to speak to her, but because of Madeline. And Perry arrived at her side, confusing the waiter who was trying to serve them by bending down to kiss her cheek.
‘What are you doing here?’ she greeted him in surprise, thinking, Perry—Superman? Had Vicky gone blind?
‘Same as you, I should image,’ he grinned. ‘Having lunch with Forman.’
Forman, Madeline repeated ruefully to herself. Superman. So Forman was Vicky’s bigshot American client.
She got up, turning to smile in welcome to the other man. ‘Forman, how nice to see you again.’
‘Hello, Madeline,’ he smiled back, reaching out to take her hand, then laughed when the waiter almost lost his serving dish. ‘I think we’re causing something of a traffic jam,’ he drily observed.
The waiter finished serving as best as he could then got quickly out of the way, so that Madeline could then complete the introductions. Dominic was already on his feet. But it was Vicky she made known to the two men first, smiling as she informed Perry who her friend was.
‘This is the girl you’ve been dying to meet,’ she told him. ‘My friend Vicky—Victoria Stanton—Perry Linburgh, Vicky,’ she explained.
‘The same Vicky Madeline tied to a tree during a game of cowboys and Indians, then proceeded to forget all about?’ he asked, his hazelnut eyes alight with amusement.
Vicky laughed, ‘She told you about that?’ Her hand was taken and shaken warmly, brown eyes dancing to Madeline then back to Perry again. ‘Did she also tell you about the time she cut me adrift in a leaky old rowing boat on the river then just stood by to watch me sink?’
Perry looked suitably horrified, ‘You mean that god-awful river she had me walk along last weekend? I bet you were glad to see the back of her when she left!’
‘Oh, no,’ Vicky’s denial was movingly sincere. ‘I missed her dreadfully.’
‘We all did,’ Dominic put in, causing a small silence that only Forman Goulding did not understand. Dominic turned a brief smile on Perry. ‘We’ve met before, Linburgh,’ he said with a cool nod of his arrogant black head.
‘I remember,’ Perry was equally cool.
‘Forman…’ Madeline quickly brought the other man into their group. ‘Vicky I think you’ve already met,’ she murmured drily, ‘but her brother I don’t think you know. Dominic,’ she turned glacial eyes on Dominic Stanton, ‘this is Forman Goulding. He runs the European end of Linburgh’s.’
Introductions completed, Perry glanced at his watch. ‘I’m glad I’ve caught you, Madeline,’ he said quickly. ‘I was going to ring you later to find out what time you want me for this Preston thing on Saturday.’ Madeline saw Dominic stiffen up from the corner of her eye. ‘Only I have a meeting arranged for Saturday afternoon, which may mean me cutting it a bit fine if this party is an early starter.’
‘No problem,’ Madeline assured, an idea hitting her suddenly as she looked from Vicky to Forman Goulding who were talking quietly to each other. ‘It’s a “come when you arrive” kind of thing, so don’t worry about messing up someone’s dinner settings. And,’ she went on casually. ‘If Forman would like to join us this weekend, I’m sure Vicky wouldn’t mind making up a foursome for the evening.’
Dominic was furious; she could almost feel him seething beneath the cool surface he was projecting. But there was more to her plan than just a little bit of matchmaking, and she was not going to allow him to spoil it.
‘You did that deliberately to annoy me!’ Dominic accused the moment the other two men had left, arrangements firmly made. He seemed to have forgotten his sister’s presence at the table. But Madeline hadn’t.
‘Come to dinner on Saturday,’ she invited her friend, ‘then we can all leave from the same house.’
‘Oh, Madeline!’ Vicky groaned, the old problems reasserting themselves to make Vicky feel cornered. ‘You know I can’t come to your house! I wasn’t even going to the Preston party because…’ Not bothering to finish, she chewed anxiously instead at her bottom lip.
‘See what you’ve done?’ Dominic muttered. ‘Now what the hell is Vicky supposed to do? Casually inform our parents that she’s dining at the Gilburns’ on Saturday, and expect them to just accept that without feeling hurt?’
‘You come too,’ she said, knocking the wind right out of his sails, then made a sound of impatience. ‘Think about it!’ she sighed. ‘It’s the ideal solution! Your father can’t afford to offend people of Perry’s and Forman’s standing! He must know that Vicky is chasing Forman’s account. The fact that both men are spending the weekend at my home shouldn’t prejudice Vicky’s chances. Isn’t it a man’s motto not to allow the personal to intrude on business?’ she challenged.
‘Hey—you’re right!’ Vicky put in excitedly. ‘Daddy can’t possibly protest!’
‘But Madeline’s father can,’ Dominic inserted dampeningly, ‘and he has no qualms at all about mixing personal with business.’ His slate gaze derided Madeline with a look before he turned back to his sister. ‘Have you forgotten, sister, dear,’ he drawled, ‘that the Stantons are no more welcome in the Gilburn home than they are in ours?’