She had to admit, it was a big point in his favour that Sean hadn't wanted to ask her, had tried every other avenue first. If she was to believe Larry, that was!
But he was here, now, wasn't he? she cynically thought. If he was so scrupulous and reluctant to ask her for the money, how come, now that he actually was here
, he was ruthlessly prepared to use every weapon he could get his hands on?
It didn't add up, did it? Never mind what Larry said, she told herself. Look at what had actually happened. Last night, Sean had crept into her bed, made love to her, then blackmailed her to stop her complaining to the hotel management...
Nadine watched some children in the hotel pool, their laughter and the splash of their dives into the blue water quite clear and sharp in the morning stillness. The blue sea glittered with sunlight. Her mind glittered like broken glass, bright and sharp and dangerous.
She was looking ahead, guessing what was going to happen next. Sean was not going to obey her meekly, leave the island at once, give up his attempt to get his money back. This was only the start of his campaign.
But one thing she was determined about. He was not sharing this room!
She heard the bathroom door open and gave a quick look round to check that he wasn't naked before she walked across the bedroom to take her own shower.
Without looking at him she curtly said, 'When I come out I want to find you gone!'
She didn't wait for a reply, just collected a few clothes, went into the bathroom and bolted the door.
He had left the room untidy, as usual. She crossly picked up the damp bath-sheet he had flung over the side of the bath, shook it and hung it on the hot hotel rail to dry, smoothed out the bath-mat, put the cap back on the toothpaste he had used. My toothpaste! she thought, and looked at her toothbrush, but there was now a second brush in the mug beside her own. At least he had used his own toothbrush.
It was like a trip back to the past. How often had she gone into a steamy bathroom and gone around picking up after him, tidying, putting things away? Sean's mother must have spoilt him when he was a child, waited on him hand and foot, so that he now seemed to believe that a magic fairy followed him around and did everything for him. When they were married, Nadine had been cast as that magic fairy, but she wasn't playing that role again.
Who had been doing it since she left? she wondered as she stepped under the shower. Fenella? Nadine couldn't believe that. Fenella Nash did not have a domesticated look.
The cool water refreshed her. She felt much better as she began to towel herself afterwards. She dressed quickly before going back into the bedroom in a peach cotton top and matching shorts, her chestnut hair looped back from her face in two coils tied with black ribbon.
Sean hadn't left, of course. She pretended to be surprised about that, though, halting and staring at him.
'I thought I told you to go.'
'I've rung and ordered breakfast,' he told her, setting out the table and chairs on the balcony in preparation for the meal.
She seethed. 'Oh, have you? Well, you aren't staying to eat it!'
'Yes, I am, I'm starving,' he said coolly. 'I told them to send scrambled eggs and mushrooms for me, with toast, and I ordered croissants, rolls, honey and fruit for you, and fruit juice and coffee for both of us.' He gave her a wicked grin. 'See how well I remember what you like for breakfast?'
'You can eat in the dining-room! You aren't eating with me. And take your toothbrush with you, and your case.'
'I'll find myself a room later today,' he told her just as the room service waiter arrived pushing a table laid with breakfast. Calmly, Sean told him to unload the food on to the balcony table, tipped him when the man had finished, and sat down to take the silver cover off his plate of eggs and mushrooms.
'Mmm...delicious!' He took a piece of golden toast and began to eat, and, since Nadine was suddenly forced to realise how hungry she was herself, she sat down opposite him, a little sulkily, poured herself some pineapple juice and took some fruit from the bowl.
'I shall be going to my first class in half an hour,' she told Sean. 'By the time I get back at lunch time I shall expect you to be out of here.'
'Pour me some coffee, would you, darling?' was his only answer. 'These are the best scrambled eggs I've eaten in years.'
'Sean, I'm serious!' she furiously snapped and he lifted his dark head to look at her, those blue eyes hard and bright.
'I'm not leaving until we've talked.'
She nodded slowly, her face coldly cynical. 'Oh, I know why you're here! Larry told me all about your financial difficulties...'
Sean frowned blackly. 'Oh, did he? Damn him, he had no right... Did he ask you to lend us money?'
'Obliquely, yes. And I know that's why you're here. Well, I'm ready to discuss some sort of loan but not here, not now. I'm on holiday and...'
'It isn't,' Sean interrupted curtly and Nadine stopped talking, staring at him incredulously.