Master of Comus

'Yes, particularly Emilie. She's invited us to dinner tomorrow. Will that be convenient?'

'Yes, of course. I'm glad you're making friends with little Emilie. She's a nice little thing.' He hesitated, then added, 'You have to realise that you're coming into my world now. These are all old friends of mine, business friends most of them, as well as social ones. As my wife you will be expected to become part of our circle.'

'Yes, I accept that,' she said. 'But Diane's behaviour is more than I can swallow.'

'It was outrageous,' he agreed. 'But that's Diane ... she won't change and we have to accept her.

Leonie was silent.

After a while he said coolly, 'Jake, too. It would be wisest for you to avoid him. He's a male version of Diane.'

'I liked him,' she said deliberately, angry with his attitude to Diane.

'I noticed,' he said drily.

'Paul, I was thinking ... if Argon is really ill, shouldn't one of us be with him? I could fly back to Comus for a while. It would be obvious to everyone why I'd gone...'

'No,' Paul said decisively. 'You stay with me.' 'But Argon...'

'Argon would rather you stayed with me,' he said. 'All Argon wants is for you to get pregnant.'

Leonie felt a cruel twist of pain in her stomach and clenched her hands into two fists, biting her lip.

They arrived back at the flat in total silence. While Paul parked the car she went up to the flat and went into the bathroom. She showered and put on a nightdress, then went into the kitchen to make a nightcap. She heard Paul come in, walk along the hall. Doors clicked softly. Water ran. Leonie stirred the milky chocolate and hesitated for a moment, then tapped on the bathroom door.

'I've made some hot chocolate,' she said.

He emerged, towelling his hair. It was almost dark with water. His short towelling dressing-gown clung to his damp body, his bare legs making it plain he wore no pyjamas beneath it.

She turned away. 'I left your chocolate in the kitchen,' she said, moving towards her own bedroom.

Paul stood watching her as she closed the door. She put her drink down on her bedside table, flung her dressing-gown down on the bed and turned down the covers. She was about to get into bed when the door opened. She looked round, her heart in her throat. Paul stood there, staring at her.

His hand moved towards the light switch. Dry- mouthed, Leonie stood frozen to the spot as the room was plunged into darkness. Paul moved softly, quickly. A few seconds later she was in his arms, protesting, struggling.

His lips searched along her face as she twisted her head away. Her hair fell between them, and he nuzzled his way through the silky strands to find her mouth.

Against the hot invasion of his kiss she whispered frantically, 'No, Paul

Grimly, silently, he pushed her down on the bed and fell on top of her, his weight crushing her into breathless submission. Her brain was in angry panic. She loved him, but she did not want him to take her like this—she wanted his love, not his silent love- making. There was no tenderness in his kisses, only a fierce determination to compel her submission.

Then he raised himself above her. A pale glimmer of moonlight fell over her face. His features were partially visible, his eyes a quick glimmer as they searched her body in a comprehensive glance.

One hand was caressing her slowly, her naked shoulders, her breasts, her waist. She trembled under his touch. 'Don't, Paul,' she whispered faintly. 'Please, go away. I don't want you to...

'You're my wife.'

'In name only,' she reminded him angrily. 'We made a bargain, and you must keep that bargain.

'I can't,' he said, his voice harsh. 'I realised that, tonight. Until you're mine I shall know no peace of mind. Jake suspects the truth—he said something to me tonight.'

'How could he guess——' She was incredulous.

Paul laughed fiercely. 'Jake is too experienced not to recognise innocence when he sees it. You don't have the look of a radiant young bride, my dear, You look ... untouched. And to a man like Jake that situation would be too tempting to resist.'

'Doesn't it occur to you that I can resist Jake?'

'Perhaps,' he said coolly. 'But what am I supposed to do while Jake is in hot pursuit? Ignore the situation? No—there's only one way out.' His voice was heavy, as though he was as reluctant as she was, and bitter pain welled up inside her. She pushed at his shoulders, wriggling to get away, but he was too strong for her. In a moment she was pinned to the bed again, his mouth descending in a kiss which drove all thought of anything but him out of her head.