The Threat of Love

Oil turned a hopeful look on her, his dark eyes pleading. 'Have you got an idea how I could get rid of her? Tell me.'

'I don't think I should.' Caro considered him scornfully. 'You've asked for this. How many other women have you flirted with and then dumped?'

'I'm not some sort of monster,' he claimed, looking at her coaxingly, all innocence. 'Come on, Caro—you don't want Miranda to gobble me up, do you?'

'Yes,' she said, almost meaning it. It had made her deeply angry to hear him talk about women's vanity, mocking a woman's need to find love, to know the real thing at last and believe it was forever. A few minutes ago, she had been in his arms, her stupid heart beating like mad because she believed she loved him and that this time it was real, this time it was forever. If Gil ever guessed he would make cynical jokes about her, too; laugh at her, mock her. He must never know how she felt.

She looked at him with dislike. 'But then even Miranda doesn't deserve you! For her sake, I suppose I'll have to come to the rescue.'

She didn't wait for him to respond to that. She opened the car door and got out. Gil slid out of the driver's seat, too, but Caro turned and shook her head at him. 'No, you stay here. I'll deal with this alone.'

He stood on the other side of the car, staring at her, his hair blown by the night breeze, his face uncertain. 'What are you going to say to her? If you're thinking of appealing to her finer feelings, don't. She hasn't got any. Miranda's only feelings are reserved for Miranda, and in this case she is using me

to punish her husband and she doesn't care whether Colin breaks every bone in my body, or whether I beat Colin to a pulp, so long as she can be there to watch it happen.'

'If I'm to help you, I must have a free hand to tell her what I like,' Caro said remotely, looking away from the sight of that lean, powerful body of his and reminding herself that the mind inside it was by no means as attractive. 'Is that agreed?'

'OK,' he said after a little silence. 'Tell her what you like, I'll leave it all to you—but for heaven's sake get rid of her as soon as possible, before Colin comes galloping up and tries to kill me.'

'I would hold his horse while he did it,' Caro promised him, turning to walk towards the front door.

'Aren't you going to tell me what you're going to say?' Gil asked, and she nodded.

Over her shoulder she told him, T shall say we're getting married next week.'

CHAPTER EIGHT

Gil sat staring after her in utter silence, and Caro had the satisfaction of knowing that for once she had caught him off guard; in fact, she had taken his breath away.

Eyes gleaming with amusement, she put out a hand to ring the bell, but at that instant the door opened. Caro guessed at once that this must be Gil's housekeeper, a small, neat woman in a dark dress, with carefully styled grey hair, who stared at her in an obvious surprise which rapidly became weary disapproval. Caro read that expression without difficulty. Mrs Greybury believed her to be yet another young woman pursuing Gil. How many had there been in the past, for heaven's sake? thought Caro, tightening her mouth. It was high lime that man was taught a lesson.

'Mr Martell is not at home,' Mrs Greybury said, beginning to close the door.

Caro put a foot in the door to stop her and at the same time shot a glance over Mrs Greybury's shoulder lo make sure Miranda wasn't lurking somewhere behind her, like a spider waiting for a fly. There was no sign of her, though.

Keeping her voice low, Caro said, 'Actually, Mr Martell is sitting in his car out there. He drove me here.' She stood aside so that Mrs Greybury could see the Rolls, and the housekeeper stared a little myopically out into the street, started, gave a weak smile, lifted a hand and waved before hurriedly snatching her hand down again, as if afraid she looked silly.

'Isn't he coming in?' she warily asked.

Caro shook her head. 'He feels safer out there.'

'I've no doubt he does,' the housekeeper grimly said, then studied Caro more closely. 'Are you coming in?' Caro nodded and Mrs Greybury asked then, 'Did he send you?' Caro nodded. Mrs Greybury considered her again, head on one side. 'To get something for him?' she hazarded.

Caro shook her head. 'To deal with the Countess for him.'

Mrs Greybury made a strange noise, something like a kettle getting ready to boil.

'Yes, men are helpless, aren't they?' Caro agreed sympathetically, interpreting the sound. 'Well, we'd better get on with it. Where is she?'

Mrs Greybury stepped aside, pointing along the wide, cream-painted hall. 'Third door on the left.'

'The spare bedroom?'

The housekeeper nodded, gave her a discreetly curious look. 'Er—may I ask... who...?'

'Who I am?' guessed Caro, smiling. 'I'm Caroline Ramsgate, Mrs Greybury. Mr Martell and I are engaged '

Mrs Greybury's famed discretion deserted her briefly Her mouth dropped open. 'Engaged?' she repeated incredulously.