Passionate Protection

Her nerves had been like coiled springs ever since they left the factory. She had alternated between longing to confide in Colin and a firm determination not to involve him in her private affairs.

Sebastian de Calvadores couldn't possibly deprive Colin of the contract simply because he employed her, surely? And yet there had been a look in his eyes just before Colin had rejoined them which suggested that he would be perfectly willing to journey to hell and back again if he thought that by doing so he could punish her.

And what better way of punishing her could there be than putting Colin's business at risk? It wasn't inconceivable if things didn't improve that Colin would be forced to let her go, and she had no delusions about herself. In spite of her qualifications and experience she would find it extremely difficult to get a job of equivalent standing.

Against her will she found herself remembering Sebastian's kiss—in no way meant to be an affectionate embrace, but rather a gesture of disdain and condemnation—her memory lingering on the hard length of his body against hers, disturbingly male.

She went up to her room before Colin returned, mentally crossing her fingers that all would go well. He had been full of optimism when he set out, and she only hoped that it was well founded.

'So how did things go last night?'

Colin looked up from his breakfast, and it seemed to Jessica that he avoided her eyes as he answered, 'Quite well. The Conde seemed very interested in my proposals.'

'Did he agree to them, then?' Jessica pressed, for some reason alarmed by Colin's hesitancy.

'In a manner of speaking, although there were certain conditions…'

'Only to be expected in view of his company's reputation,' Jessica agreed, her spirits lightening. 'What were they?'

For a moment Colin didn't speak, and several seconds later when Jessica replaced her coffee cup she found him regarding her with an expression compounded of uncertainty and appeal. Suspicion sharpened her gaze, fear sending the blood pounding through her veins. Sebastian had told him he would only give him the contract if Colin got

rid of her!

'He wants you to fire me, doesn't he?' she said calmly. 'Oh, I…'

'No, no, Jessica, it's not that,' Colin quickly reassured her. 'Quite the contrary. It seems that they're having problems with the designs for their next collection of fabrics. The Conde works on them himself with the help of another designer, whom he has recently lost to a rival organisation. As you can imagine, the Conde is most anxious to complete the work on the season's designs, and he's asked me if I would be agreeable to you working for him until this is done.'

Whatever Jessica expected to hear it was not this! For a few minutes she was too astounded to say anything.

'You see, you were quite wrong in thinking he disapproved of you,' Colin told her. 'He seemed most impressed when I told him about your qualifications. Over dinner tonight he questioned me in detail about you—where you'd trained, how long you'd worked for me. I must admit that I had no idea what he was leading up to, but it seems that Ramon Ferres had told him how interested you were in the manufacturing processes and how knowledgeable, and he confided to me the difficult situation he finds himself in.'

'But surely a firm such as Calvortex would have no trouble at all in finding a junior designer,' Jessica suggested, feeling a tinge of suspicion. Why did Sebastian want her to work for him? She couldn't understand it, especially when he had let her know how much he despised her and how determined he was to keep her away from his brother.

'Certainly,' Colin agreed, 'but it seems he's reluctant to take someone on on a permanent basis at this stage—employing someone on a temporary basis would suit him admirably, but as he admitted to me, it's very difficult to find an accomplished designer willing to be employed for a mere matter of weeks. It seems the Conde has a brother who may eventually take the place of the departed designer, but he needs a designer now to help him complete the new season's range of fabrics. It's quite an honour that he should ask for you,' he pointed out logically, 'and you've always said how much you'd like to work in textiles. It would only be for a few weeks—I should hold your job for you, of course—we can do nothing on next season's designs in any case until we know what fabrics Calvortex will produce.'

'Is your contract dependent on my agreeing to work for the Conde?' Jessica asked, frowning. She could not understand why the Conde would make such a stipulation, but if he had it could not be for any reason that would benefit her.

'Not in so many words,' Colin told her wryly, 'but I suspect if you did refuse…'

He left the sentence unfinished, but Jessica felt she knew enough about the Conde to guess at the pressure he would bring to bear on her employer. Despite her love of textiles she had not the slightest desire to work for Sebastian de Calvadores. But if she refused Colin's company might well fold. What should she do? Not for the first time she found herself wishing there was someone she could turn to for advice, instead of always being the giver of advice to others.

'What's wrong?' Colin asked her hesitantly. 'I thought you'd jump at the chance.'

'It's such a surprise,' Jessica told him, not untruthfully. 'How long would it mean staying in Spain?'

'I'm not sure. The details would have to be arranged with the Conde. Initially he is merely enquiring if I would be prepared to let you go on a temporary basis, and if you would be prepared to work for Calvortex. One other thing…" he paused and glanced at her uncertainly. 'He did suggest that he would be prepared to pay you extremely well.'

He would, Jessica thought cynically, her fingers curling into her palms, an irate expression in her eyes, and for one heady moment she toyed with the idea of telling the Conde exactly what he could do with both his job and his money. And then common sense intruded, bringing her back down to earth. Colin was watching her with a heartrendingly pathetic expression, and she knew she simply hadn't the heart to tell him she was going to refuse. It was a golden opportunity, she told herself, trying to cheer herself up; she would undoubtedly learn a considerable amount, and in years to come it would stand her in good stead to say she had worked for Calvortex, no matter how briefly, if she wanted to obtain another job.

'You'll do it?' Colin said eagerly, correctly interpreting her expression.

'I don't see that I've got much option,' she agreed' dryly.

'Good! I'll telephone the Conde and give him the good news. Doubtless he'll want to talk to you to finalise all the arrangements.'

'Doubtless,' Jessica echoed ironically. She could well imagine the sneering expression and suffocating arrogance Sebastian would adopt when he knew that she had agreed to his suggestion.

A tiny seed of doubt had taken root in her subconscious, warning her that she would regret this weakness, but she couldn't see what Sebastian could possibly do to her other than attempt to make her life a misery with his cynical remarks and contemptuous eyes, and she would soon show him that she was completely impervious to both.