Scandals and Secrets

That didn't make much sense. Damian had played a role in the break-up of several marriages and while she didn't condone his behavior-was, in fact, disgusted with his morals-she hadn't been personally affected by any of his tacky affairs.

This time, however, she couldn't get Nathan Whitmore out of her mind. Or was it that lovely young wife of his she couldn't stop thinking about? Celeste was appalled to think Damian had spirited her away somewhere and might be, at this very moment, seducing her.

My God, she suddenly realized. Maybe they were inside Campbell Court! She hadn't thought of that.

Celeste hurried over to the small side security gate, using her key to let herself in then striding forth up the paved driveway to the house.

'Cora?' she called out to the housekeeper as she let herself in. 'Cora, where are you?'

'Back here, Celeste,' came the reply from the direction of the kitchen.

Celeste tossed her straw hat on to the hat stand in the corner of the entrance hall before striding down the black and white tiled hall, glancing in the various living-rooms as she went. They were empty.

'Is Damian home?' she asked on entering the kitchen.

Cora looked up from where she was doing the vegetables. A plain spare woman in her fifties, she was as sharp as a tack when it came to the family she'd been the housekeeper for more than a decade. A widow, she lived in during the week, staying with her married sister at the weekends. Her shrewd gaze took in Celeste's agitation at once.

'No, he's not,' she said, then added exasperatedly , 'What's he been up to this time?'

'God only knows.' Celeste sagged on to a kitchen stool. 'Has he rung?'

'No.'

'Damn.' She bit her lip and wondered where he could possibly be.

She had suspected for a while that he had a flat somewhere where he took women. Either that, or he had dubious friends who let him use their places for romantic rendezvous. Of course, they could also be holed up in some hotel or motel somewhere, assuming they were together. She was just assuming this, after all. Maybe Damian wasn't involved.

It was a slim hope and one she clung to for all of ten seconds.

'What am I going to do with him, Cora?' she muttered dispiritedly.

'There's nothing you can do, Celeste. He's ruined.'

Celeste squeezed her eyes shut while her heart flip-flopped. 'Yes, you're right. He is ruined. Totally. So why do I still care about him?'

'Why does any of us care about him? Because we love him, I suppose, no matter what he is or what he's done. He does have some good qualities, you know.'

'Name one.'

Cora was clearly at a loss, but Celeste knew what she meant. Damian had a way with women in general, not just the ones he wanted to seduce. He remembered things like birthdays and anniversaries. And he seemed to

know just what to say sometimes to make you feel special. No doubt it was mostly only manipulative flattery and clever conning, but it worked.

'The problem is,' Celeste went on sadly, 'he's ruining other people's lives as well. He has to be stopped.'

'How?'

She shook her head, her heart heavy. 'I don't know.'

Both women fell silent, and it was into this depressed silence that the telephone rang.

'Maybe that's him now,' Cora suggested. 'He's usually fairly thoughtful when it comes to telling me if he's not going to be home for dinner.'

Nerves fluttered in Celeste's stomach as she made her way back to where an extension rested on a table in the front hall. If it was Damian, what could she possibly say to him? He'd already told her to mind her own business back in her office.

'Campbell Court,' she answered, trying to stay cool.

'It's Damian, Celeste. Just ringing to let Cora kn ow I won't be home for dinner.'

'Oh? Aren't you coming home at all?'

'No.'

'Where are you staying, then?'

'With a friend.'

Celeste swallowed then decided to take the plunge. 'Damian, are you with Gemma Whitmore?'

There was no doubting his sharp intake of breath. 'Please don't lie to me,' she raced on. 'Nathan Whitmore was waiting here when I got home.'

'Nathan? At Campbell Court?'

Celeste could hear a female make a frightened gasping sound in the background. Who else but Nathan's wife would react like that to the sound of his name?

'Hold on there a moment, Celeste.'

There was some kind of muffled interchange before Damian came back on the line.

'What did Nathan want?' he asked.

'He didn't really say. He didn't make much sense. I don't think he was himself. She is there with you, Damian, isn't she?'