‘It’s true, Stacy,’ he insisted. ‘Oh, I know I have a lousy reputation, and most of it’s true—but not all of it. And I don’t resort to forcing women to go out with me.’
She didn’t suppose he usually needed to! He had always appeared to her to be totally conceited, using his fame to get him what he wanted, but it didn’t necessarily follow that that was what he had done with her. Maybe she had judged him too harshly.
‘Mr Payne gave the impression that you were behind his threat,’ she said.
He was watching her closely. ‘And now I’ve told you I wasn’t?’
‘If it’s true then I’m sorry I misjudged you.’ If it was true! His about-face was perhaps too good to be true.
‘Have you eaten yet?’ he asked softly.
Stacy blushed as she remembered her flight from the dining-room. ‘No,’ she admitted huskily.
‘Would you have dinner with me?’
She hesitated. After all, this was Paul Forbes, the man she had claimed to despise. And she didn’t like or trust him any better, that wasn’t the reason for her hesitation. There was always a chance that Jake Weston would be in the dining-room, and if he saw her with Paul Forbes he would know she had meant what she said about preferring the actor.
‘It’s only dinner, Stacy,’ he said persuadingly. ‘You would be doing me a favour,’ he added. ‘I’m not in the mood for a crowd tonight and if people see you with me they’re likely to leave us alone.’
‘Well …’
‘Fine!’ He took her arm before she could accept or refuse, making her mind up for her. He smiled his pleasure, opening the door for her to enter. ‘Let’s go. And don’t forget I’m depending on you to help me keep my solitude, except for your lovely self, of course.’
‘Of course,’ she laughed at him.
She almost groaned out loud as she saw Matthew coming towards them. The last thing she wanted right now was another encounter with him. She turned away, pretending an absorbing interest in her companion.
But Matthew wasn’t to be put off by that, and he came over to them. ‘I’ve been looking all over for you, Stacy,’ he said almost accusingly.
She gave him a cool look, clinging all the tighter to Paul Forbes’ arm. ‘Paul and I have been out in the garden.’
Matthew looked at the older man. ‘I see,’ he said tightly. ‘Well, I really wanted to have a word with you in private.’
‘I’ll just go and arrange our table, Stacy,’ Paul told her. ‘I won’t be a moment.’ He nodded distantly at Matthew.
Matthew grabbed hold of her arm and pulled her over to a quiet corner. ‘What on earth are you doing with him?’ he demanded.
She gave him an innocent look. ‘I would have thought it was perfectly obvious—we’re going in to have dinner.’
‘After what you said about him?’.
She looked unperturbed. ‘We often make mistakes about people,’ she said meaningly.
He had the grace to blush. ‘That’s why I’ve been looking for you. Juliet told me of my mistake. I’m sorry.’
‘I accept your apology, but it doesn’t really mean a lot. If it took Juliet to convince you of my innocence then we aren’t such good friends as I thought we were.’
‘Stacy!’ he gave her a reproachful look. ‘I didn’t for one moment think—’
‘Oh yes, you did,’ she interrupted him angrily. ‘And no doubt your imagination is working overtime right now too, about Paul Forbes and myself. Isn’t it?’
‘Well, you did say you despised him.’
‘And now I’ve changed my mind.’
‘You actually like him?’
‘I don’t know yet, do I? It may turn out that I do, but then again it may turn out that I don’t.’