Seductive Stranger

'Never mind me, I'm OK, get David out; I think he's badly hurt,' she gabbled, trying to push him away, quite uselessly since he took no notice, and was too strong for her, anyway. He lifted her out of the car and carried her, kicking and protesting, to a safe distance.

'Put me down! I can walk; will you please get David out?' she yelled, and he deposited her abruptly on the rough, heathery bank which scratched her legs and hands. She gave a cry of pain which he ignored, striding back to the car. Prue watched fixedly as he lifted one of David's hands by the wrist. She knew he was looking for David's pulse, and her stomach clenched in sick anxiety. His face told her nothing, and after a moment he let go of the hand, but he didn't try to pull David to safety. Instead, he began prowling around the car, peering into the engine.

'Never mind the car!' Prue burst out, and, still a little dizzy began trying to get to her feet. 'What the hell are you doing?' She was so angry that her voice wavered, and that got her a searching glance from dark, impassive eyes.

'Sit down before you fall down!' he ordered, and she bristled.

'Why don't you get David out of there?'

'He's unconscious,' he coolly said. 'And it could be dangerous to move him until we know how badly he's injured.'

'But it's dangerous to leave him in the car! What if it explodes?'

'There's no smell of petrol. What do you think I was doing? I was checking on the petrol tank; it isn't damaged, although the bonnet has buckled. The engine seems OK. I can't see any leakage of fuel, and I don't think…'

'Damn the car! What about David?' Her green eyes blazed in her strained white face and his eyes narrowed, observing her, but his voice was still very calm.

'His pulse seemed regular.'

'But he's unconscious! I'm no doctor, but I think we ought to get him to a hospital as soon as we can—we have to get to a phone! Will you stop wasting precious time, and drive to the nearest telephone box?'

'I've already rung the local hospital. An ambulance should be here any minute.'

She stared at him blankly. 'You've rung the hospital? But. . . but how?'

'I have a phone in my car,' he said casually.

That possibility hadn't occurred to her. 'Oh! Oh, yes, of course!' she said on a thick sigh of relief.

/> 'Now, will you please just sit and be quiet!' he commanded, turning around to check on David again.

She was still feeling very shaky so she obeyed him, her whole body slack and icy with shock, but she stared at his back view with dislike.

He had a very high-handed way of talking—giving orders as if he had a right to lay down the law to everyone! She disliked everything about him, yet she still couldn't help feeling she had seen him before somewhere, or maybe that she had heard that voice before! A distinct sense of deja vu kept recurring whenever she heard those clipped, insistent go-to-blazes English tones.

Maybe he lived in the district? She could have met him at any time during her childhood, of course, but it couldn't have been very frequently or she would have a definite memory of him. She remembered quite a few of the local people. Or was she simply remembering voices like his? Was his face familiar? Her green eyes ran over him assessingly: tall, with long legs and slim hips, that black hair, a sharp- etched profile, nose long, mouth hard and controlled.

He wasn't handsome, but he was physically compelling, He was tough, and much too sure of himself.

That thought made her frown again. It had reminded her of something, but just as she had almost tracked the memory down she heard David stir. She looked quickly at him; his hand was moving.

He lifted it to his head, as if in pain, then gave a faint groan.

'How do you feel?' the other man asked him, bending down, and Prue forced herself to get up. She must go to David, reassure him. It would be worrying for him to open his eyes after being unconscious, and see a total stranger looking down at him.' He would wonder what on earth was going on!

'What happened?' he was whispering, his voice so low she only just heard it.

'You were in an accident, but don't worry, you aren't badly hurt.'

'Oh . . .' David's voice faded, then he said hoarsely, 'I remember now

... Prue . . . where's Prue?'

'I'm here,' she said, shakily covering the short distance to the car, but David had closed his eyes again by the time she got there. While she was looking down at him she heard the ambulance racing towards them. She swayed on her feet, deathly cold suddenly, and the dark man put an arm around her, holding her up.

'I told you not to move!' he said, and she eyed him with disfavour.

'It must be nice to know you're always right!'