And the Bride Wore Black

‘ARE you warm enough?’ Fabia started violently as Alex’s cool, quiet voice interrupted her thoughts.

‘I’m fine, thank you,’ she replied stiffly, and he nodded slowly with his eyes fixed on the road ahead, the windscreen wipers clearing the snow from the glass in steady monotonous rhythm. They had been driving for an hour and the snow was coming down thicker now, fat starry flakes patterning the cold glass for a split-second before the wipers cleared them relentlessly from view, the midday sky heavy and bleak.

She flexed her toes in the warmth from the car heater, reflecting silently that the smart high-heeled shoes that had seemed so appropriate in London were fast becoming most unsuitable in view of the worsening weather. The snow was already several inches thick and showed no signs of abating; in fact the thick grey sky promised much more. Still, it couldn’t be helped. She glanced at Alex’s severe profile from under her lashes, her stomach tightening as it dawned on her afresh that she was committed to this man’s company for a whole week. Christmas had never arrived so quickly, she thought wryly.

‘Having second thoughts?’ As the flecked gold eyes pierced her own for a moment, she forced herself to show no reaction to the taunt, waiting a full minute before she replied.

‘Second thoughts don’t apply to this situation, do they? You forced me to come with you; I had no choice.’

‘Not at all,’ he said calmly. ‘The choice was very clear—take the consequences of your actions or join me for a pleasurable break from routine. I would agree that it wasn’t a very difficult choice in the circumstances, but a choice nevertheless.’ The hard tawny eyes gleamed at her. ‘Don’t you agree?’ He was close, much too close for comfort.

She shrugged her answer, turning her gaze from his to stare out into the sparkling silver world surrounding them, the trees and bushes proudly displaying their new coats of glittering virginal white, as she struggled to control her traitorous body. ‘Don’t sulk, Fabia, it’s a most unattractive habit.’ Her eyes shot up to meet his again and she saw he was smiling coolly as hot colour flooded into her face.

‘I’m not sulking,’ she said furiously. ‘I’ve got nothing to say and so I’m keeping quiet.’

‘A woman who knows when to be quiet?’ The dark voice was tauntingly soft. ‘There is no end to the surprises that you foist upon me, Miss Grant, is there? A veritable Pandora’s box of wonders.’ The velvet tones were mockingly warm.

‘Oh, shut up.’ It was weak, but the best she could do, and for the next few minutes they continued in silence.

Then he spoke again, his deep voice faintly disapproving. ‘Haven’t you got any boots? You’re going to be soaked as soon as we leave the car.’

She flushed at his glance at her tiny feet. ‘Of course I’ve got some boots,’ she replied tersely. ‘If you remember, it wasn’t snowing when we left London and I just didn’t choose to wear them.’

‘A somewhat unwise decision in the present circum-stances.’ He slanted a quick glance at her stiff profile. ‘And do stop looking as though you’re being led to your execution.’

‘Why?’ she countered quickly. ‘That’s exactly how I feel.’

‘Fabia, Fabia, Fabia...’ He sighed mockingly. ‘What am I going to do with you?’

‘That’s exactly what’s worrying me,’ she said with more than a grain of truth in the sarcasm. She was conscious of his eyes narrowing as all amusement left the hard face, and when he next spok

e his voice was devoid of all banter.

‘Look, Fabia, there are probably a couple of things we need to get clear,’ he said slowly, his eyes intent on the road ahead. Her heart lurched sickeningly as she glanced at the grim face and then her chin rose in unspoken defiance. Here it came, the iron hand in a velvet glove. This was the moment he explained, ever so nicely, the sleeping arrangements...

‘The last time we met I wasn’t quite myself.’ There was a trace of derision in the deep voice but not, she felt, directed at her. ‘I may have given you the impression—’ He stopped abruptly. ‘Well, that last little trick was the straw that broke the camel’s back and this particular camel is not known for his patience.’ She could believe it. The firm hard mouth was a give-away. ‘I have no intention of using you as one of Santa’s playmates. You understand me?’ She nodded slowly. ‘And if this next week isn’t going to be a nightmare for us both I would suggest we reach some sort of amicable agreement and keep to it. I will respect your space and you’ll respect mine but in public we will be...believable.’ The big body was quite motionless.

‘How believable?’ she asked carefully as her heart pounded.

He gave a harsh bark of a laugh, his expression unreadable. ‘You’re quite refreshing, you know, like a douse of cold water on a summer’s day.’ She glanced at him warily, unsure if he was laughing at her or not, but the closed enigmatic face gave nothing away. Her nerves jangled as she looked at him, really looked at him, for the first time that day. Why did he have to be so deliciously attractive? ‘I mean it.’ The gold eyes flicked over her for a spine-tingling moment. ‘Most of the women I know are only too pleased to claim an alliance with the Cade name.’ His tone was full of self-mockery and she stared at him for a moment. She didn’t understand him, not at all.

‘Well, extreme wealth carries its own set of problems, as you’ve said,’ she said quietly. ‘That’s one of the penal-ties—’

‘There is no need to offer sympathy,’ he said scathingly, his voice cutting. ‘I’m quite aware of all my assets, Fabia, and how to use them.’ She flushed scarlet at the icy rebuff, at the same time as a flood of hot anger turned her eyes brilliant. He was a pig! An autocratic, handsome pig, maybe, but still a pig! ‘So...a truce?’ She glared at him, but the gesture was lost as he concentrated on the snow-covered road ahead. ‘Fabia?’ he persisted.

‘OK,’ she muttered grudgingly. ‘If that’s what you want.’

‘Ah, what I want,’ he said thoughtfully. ‘Now that is a whole different ball-game, but let’s not digress. Sufficient unto the day and all that...’ He was playing with her, she could feel it. She stared straight ahead into the pale wintry world outside as her thoughts raced. She didn’t trust him an inch and especially not when he was being cool and imperturbable, like now. He was so used to everything just falling into his lap! The thought of being on his lap suddenly made her quite hot and she forced her mind into safer areas.

‘There’s a little pub up ahead,’ he said some time later, as the powerful car nosed carefully through the swirling snowstorm which had reached blizzard proportions. ‘Fancy a bite to eat?’

She was about to refuse and then realised that his large sturdy frame had been crouched over the wheel of the low-slung sports car for almost two hours while he negotiated them round drifts and past snow-obscured obstacles as they ventured ever deeper into the silent countryside. She had tentatively suggested half an hour ago that it might be wiser to turn back, but the low growl that had greeted her words had dissuaded her from repeating them. ‘Lovely,’ she said instead, her voice over-bright as he narrowly missed a large bird that flew out of nowhere, wings flapping madly.

‘Damn pheasants,’ he muttered irritably, and in spite of her concern for the hapless pheasant she felt a quick rush of pleasure that he could be caught off guard like any ordinary mortal. Because he wasn’t like any other man she had come into contact with! The thought speared her mind and she was glad he was concentrating so hard on his driving and couldn’t notice her face. It wasn’t his wealth or his influence that attracted the women, she acknowledged silently, but the man himself. He had an aura of mystery, of fascination, aloof and cold and withdrawn at the same time as exuding a bewitching charm that beckoned even as it rebuffed. He was so...complete. She nodded mentally to herself. He was the most complete man she had ever met. Did he have any weaknesses? She doubted it.

‘That’s it, up ahead, where the lights are.’ She looked into the distance and could just make out a faint glimmer now and again in the seconds when the windscreen was clear. ‘I could murder those weathermen,’ he added grimly. ‘This little lot was supposed to hold off until tomorrow. If I’d known we were in for this we could have left yesterday.’

‘I couldn’t,’ she said quickly. ‘It was difficult enough to leave two days early for Christmas as it was. I—’