And the Bride Wore Black

‘I mean,’ Joanie took a deep breath that vibrated with impatience, ‘that just for once you should admit you’re in a situation you can’t handle and do the sensible thing. He’s got more clout than a field full of turnips!’ Fabia reflected wryly that in moments of extreme stress Joanie’s country upbringing became more obvious. ‘You can’t beat him so let’s make a dignified retreat!’

‘Dignified?’ Fabia stared aghast at the small window. ‘And what if someone comes in?’

‘Someone will in a minute,’ Joanie said grimly, ‘and he’s about six feet four and hopping mad. Don’t think about it, just take notice of me for once in your life, and come on!’

As Fabia joined Joanie in her precarious perch she had the insane urge to break into hysterical laughter. This wasn’t at all how she had visualised finishing the evening, she reflected wryly, as she hoisted the soft blue silk of her evening dress about her waist, exposing the full length of her slim beautifully shaped legs to the blank gaze of the expensively ornate mirror opposite. ‘Hang on a minute.’ She jumped down again just as Joanie prepared to launch herself out of the window, and heard her friend’s exasperated sigh as she rummaged frantically in her tiny evening-bag.

‘What on earth are you doing, woman?’ Joanie whispered nervously. ‘You haven’t got time to titivate.’

‘I’m just leaving a little goodbye note,’ she said softly as she wrote boldly on the clear glass with her lipstick. ‘I don’t want him to think I’m a complete chicken.’

‘Who cares what he thinks?’ Joanie muttered crossly. ‘If you don’t hurry up he’ll be able to tell you himself.’ She peered at what Fabia had written and groaned softly. ‘There are times—’

‘I know, I know.’ Fabia climbed up beside her again and gave her a little nudge. ‘Go on, then, be careful.’ She heard a tiny muffled grunt as Joanie slid out of the window and then it was her turn. As the cold night air met her hot face a sense of adventure stirred her blood in a way it hadn’t been stirred since she was a child. ‘This is fun, isn’t it?’ she murmured as she landed beside Joanie against the brick wall. ‘Cowboys and Indians!’

‘Oh, wonderful,’ Joanie said sarcastically as she glanced nervously around the small dark courtyard. ‘And guess who’ll end up with an arrow in her back if we’re not careful!’

As they tiptoed across the shadowed and none too clean yard Fabia found Joanie was gripping her arm tightly and glanced at her friend’s set face as she patted her hand comfortingly. ‘Don’t worry, we’re nearly home and dry.’

‘You’re enjoying this, aren’t you?’ Joanie accused softly. ‘You’re actually enjoying it.’

‘I am rather,’ Fabia agreed lightly, opening the bolted door into the narrow side-street and looking warily about her. The lights and traffic of the main thoroughfare a few yards away spelt safety and it was with a sense of anticlimax that she found herself hurrying, a few minutes later, along the brightly lit street and away from the hotel.

‘Taxi!’ As they collapsed into the back seat of the big London taxi Joanie leant back against the upholstered plastic with a small sigh, stretching her small plump legs wearily.

‘What a night!’

‘I thought you enjoyed it?’ Fabia said cheerfully as she glanced at Joanie out of the corner of her eye. ‘It made a change.’

‘It did that all right.’ Joanie’s voice was loaded with feeling. ‘And I’m dying for the loo again, and it’s for real this time!’

It was an hour or two later as Fabia lay quietly in bed, hands behind her head and sleep a million miles away, that she felt the laughter that had been bubbling below the surface all evening begin to emerge as she pictured Alexander Cade’s face when he saw the message she had scribbled on the mirror. ‘Bye for now, sweet thing—catch ya later.’ He wouldn’t like it! She hugged herself as she giggled helplessly at the understatement. He wouldn’t like it at all. To be made a fool of twice in the same evening; it would drive him crazy!

When the paroxysm of laughter had died away a slight feeling of disquiet took its place. How crazy would it drive him? Crazy enough to try and find her? She shook her head slowly, silky strands of corn-gold hair drifting across her face in a soft veil. It wouldn’t matter if he did. He didn’t even know her name. She relaxed again, snuggling further down under the duvet as she tried to empty her mind preparatory for sleep. She knew plenty about him; he was hardly ever out of the newspapers and glossy magazines with a different model-type girl gracing his arm, and no doubt his bed, each time. But he knew nothing about her. A smile touched her full pink lips as her eyelids grew heavy. And that was just the way she wanted it.

CHAPTER TWO

THE radio was blaring forth a carol as Fabia whisked two eggs into fluffy lightness for the omelette she was preparing to accompany the solitary pork chop sizzling in its own juices under the grill.

The November day had a starkness that spoke of snow and it was the first of December tomorrow, two whole weeks since that eventful night. So why did her mind keep harping back to Alexander Cade? And why did everything seem so dull at the moment?

She glanced round the bright cheerful kitchen of her tiny flat. She had been so thrilled when she had first acquired this, a home of her own, five years ago. And she still was, really. It was just that... She paused in her thoughts. What was it exactly?

The doorbell interrupted her musing, chiming shrilly across the last chords of ‘Once in Royal David’s City’, and she switched off the music as she went to answer the door. Not Brian again, she thought irritably as she glanced at her wristwatch. This was about the time her neighbour got home from work and lately he had intensified his relentless pursuit of her, her snubs sliding off his thick skin unheeded. For some reason he considered himself a special gift to womankind although she couldn’t understand why; the thick lips and greedy pig-like eyes did absolutely nothing for her except to create a slight feeling of nausea.

‘Joanie!’ As she opened the door and saw Joanie standing outside, her face as white as a sheet, she moved forward with an exclamation of concern. ‘What’s wrong?’

‘Fabia, I’m sorry, I had to—’

‘It would seem your friend is feeling somewhat unwell again.’ For a second all time was suspended in a weird kind of time-lock as her stunned eyes watched Alexander Cade’s lean, tall body move to stand just behind Joanie in the doorway. ‘Do you know how many nur

ses with the surname of Fletcher there are in London hospitals and the surrounding districts?’ he asked conversationally, his eyes registering satisfaction at her shock. ‘Of course I had to include private nursing homes and suchlike on the list. One has to be thorough.’ His smile was chilling as his eyes swept insultingly down her body.

‘Now look here, Mr Cade—’

He cut off her shaking voice as quickly as he shed the mantle of mildness. ‘But I am looking...Fabia, I think Miss Fletcher just called you? An improvement on Mary-Lou, I would agree. I’ve done nothing but look over the last two weeks, incidentally. You’ve cost me a considerable amount of time and effort, not to mention money, Miss...?’

‘Grant.’ Her voice was flat. ‘Fabia Grant.’