Shackled by Diamonds

Except—her memory skidded back along the previous hours—it had not exactly proved an ordeal. The afternoon, she could not help but admit with her habitual honesty, had been—OK.

More than OK. In fact, it had been—

She bit her lip, unwilling to let her mind supply the word it wanted to.

Good. It had been good.

Enjoyable. Relaxing. Fun. Nice. Easy.

The words ran on, disturbing her even more than the way Leo’s eyes were flickering over her towel-wrapped body.

‘Yes?’ she prompted.

‘We’ve been invited out to dinner tonight,’ Leo said. ‘By one of the government ministers responsible for inward investment. Wear something relaxed, but chic. Do you have anything suitable?’

‘I dare say I can manage,’ said Anna dryly.

That she had succeeded was evident from the expression in Leo’s eyes when she went downstairs an hour or so later. The red silk skirt and top were vivid, yet the loose cut on her tall, slender body gave her a languorous elegance that matched the semi-pinned knot of her long, tendrilled hair. Her matching sandals were low-heeled, and her jewellery was a gold torque and matching bracelets. Her make up was subtle.

‘You look fantastic,’ breathed Leo.

She gave him a polite, social smile, but it flickered uncertainly on her face.

Although she had been apprehensive about the evening, it proved easy enough. While the minister talked tax and finance to Leo, his wife engaged Anna in conversation. With the poise she had acquired in her years since leaving home, Anna chatted pleasantly to her hostess.

By the time his chauffeur-driven car was whisking them homeward, Leo was in a very good mood. The minister had been encouraging about his property development plans, and as for Anna, she had clearly charmed her hosts with her natural, unaffected manner. A memory came back to him, of Anna conversing with Hans Federman at Schloss Edelstein—obviously not in the least bothered that he was dull and middle-aged. His house staff liked her too, he could tell—but then she had an easy air with everyone, he realised.

Even, tonight, with him.

She was asking him now about his villa development in the south.

‘It’s a complex of villas and low-rise condominiums on one of the undeveloped promontories,’ he answered. ‘The government are concerned that the site will not be over-exploited. Water, too, is an issue on the island, which has no large rivers, so the villas have to be designed with water conservation in mind.’

Anna let him run on. He was clearly enthusiastic about the project, and knowledgeable too. Every now and then she asked prompting questions.

‘I’ll take you down tomorrow and show you,’ he finished, as the car finally wheeled through the gates of his villa.

‘OK,’ she answered easily.

She went back into the cool of the villa. Memory slipped back to her—the first night she’d got here, tired and jet-lagged, with a hard, tight knot inside her stomach at the reason she was there.

It seemed, she realised as she walked indoors, a long time ago.

Much longer than the number of days she’d been here.

At her side, Leo caught up, even with his limping gait.

‘How’s the ankle?’ she heard herself ask.

Leo grimaced. ‘A damn nuisance—but it has its compensations.’ He glanced down at her. ‘Like you asking about it,’ he murmured.

She gave a half-dismissive, half-embarrassed shrug at having been caught out expressing solicitude.

‘Coffee?’ he asked.

Anna nodded. ‘Thank you, that would be nice.’

They walked out onto the terrace and Anna took her place on the lounger beside the coffee table, looking out over the softly lit pool. In her veins she felt the wine of the evening making her feel relaxed and sleepy. On the other lounger, Leo was resting his bad ankle.

‘How did you do it?’ Anna heard herself asking as she helped herself to coffee. Without thinking, she poured out a cup for Leo as well, and handed it to him.

‘I fell off my windsurf board, like a complete novice,’ he answered in self-disgust, taking the cup from her.

She gave a wry smile. ‘I don’t know how anyone stays on those things anyway,’ she commented.

Leo took a mouthful of hot coffee and twisted his head towards her.

‘If you can ride a bike you can windsurf. It’s not that hard. I’ll teach you.’

Anna felt her fingers clench around the cup handle.

‘I think I’ll pass. My insurance policy doesn’t allow me to do dangerous sports.’ She kept her voice deliberately light, as though the prospect of being taught windsurfing by the man keeping her in his bed by blackmail was nothing much.

‘You are insured?’ Leo’s voice sounded surprised.