Kitabı oku: «Bedded For The Italian's Pleasure»

CONTENTS

Cover

About the Author

Title Page

CHAPTER ONE

CHAPTER TWO

CHAPTER THREE

CHAPTER FOUR

CHAPTER FIVE

CHAPTER SIX

CHAPTER SEVEN

CHAPTER EIGHT

CHAPTER NINE

CHAPTER TEN

CHAPTER ELEVEN

CHAPTER TWELVE

CHAPTER THIRTEEN

CHAPTER FOURTEEN

CHAPTER FIFTEEN

EPILOGUE

Copyright

CHAPTER ONE

JULIET wondered what it was like in the Caymans at this time of year. Pretty much like Barbados, she assumed. They were all islands in the Caribbean, weren’t they? But she’d never been to the Caymans.

Still, whatever they were like, they had to be better than this gloomy employment agency, whose sickly green walls and wafer-thin carpet were a poor substitute for the comfort she was used to. Had been born to, she amended, fighting back the tears of self-pity that formed in her eyes. Beautiful violet eyes, her father used to call them. They reminded him of her mother, who’d died when she was just a baby. How long ago it all seemed.

One thing she knew, her father would never have allowed her to be duped by a man like David Hammond. But her father, too, had died of a brain tumour when Juliet was just nineteen and a year later David had seemed like a knight in shining armour.

If only she’d realised that his main interest in her was the trust fund her father had left her. That just a handful of years after their society wedding he’d take off with the woman he’d introduced to Juliet as his secretary. With her stupid indulgence, he’d taken charge of her trust fund. By the time she’d realised what was happening, he’d transferred the bulk of it to an offshore account in his own name.

She’d been so naïve. She’d let David’s good looks and boyish charm blind her to any faults in his character. She’d believed he loved her; ignored the advice of friends when they’d told her he’d been seen with someone else. Now the few pounds he’d left in their joint account were running out fast.

Of course, those friends that had stuck by her had been sympathetic. They’d even offered to help her out financially, but Juliet had known their friendship couldn’t last under those circumstances. No, she had to get a job; though what kind of a job she could get with no qualifications she dreaded to think. If only she’d continued her education after her father died. But David’s appearance in her life had blinded her to practical things.

She glanced round the waiting room again, wondering what sort of qualifications her fellow applicants had. There were five other people in the room besides herself: two men and three women, all of whom seemed totally indifferent to their surroundings. If she didn’t know better, she’d have said they were indifferent to being offered employment, too. At least two of them looked half-asleep—or stoned.

Which could be good news or bad, depending on the way you looked at it. Surely after interviewing someone dressed in torn jeans or a grungy T-shirt, or that girl whose arms were covered with lurid tattoos, Juliet, in her navy pinstripe suit and two-inch heels, would be a relief. Or perhaps not. Perhaps unskilled jobs were more likely to be offered to people who didn’t look as if they could afford to be out of work.

‘Mrs Hammond?’

It’s Ms Lawrence, actually, Juliet wanted to say, but all her means of identification were still in her married name. Not that everyone who got divorced reverted to their previous identity. But Juliet had wanted to. She’d wanted nothing to remind her that she had once been Mrs David Hammond.

Now she got nervously to her feet as the woman who’d called her name looked expectantly round the room. ‘That’s me,’ she said, aware that she was now the centre of attention. She tucked her clutch bag beneath her arm and walked tentatively across the floor.

‘Come into my office, Mrs Hammond.’ The woman, a redhead, in her forties, Juliet guessed, looked her up and down and then led the way into an office that was only slightly less unprepossessing than the waiting room. She indicated an upright chair facing her desk. ‘Sit down.’ Juliet did so. ‘Did you fill in the questionnaire?’

‘Oh—yes.’ Juliet produced the sheet of paper she’d been rolling into a tube as she waited. When she laid it on the woman’s desk—Mrs Maria Watkins’ desk, she saw from a notice propped in front of her—it remained in its half-curled position and she offered a little smile of apology as Mrs Watkins smoothed it out. ‘Sorry.’

Her apology was neither acknowledged nor accepted. Mrs Watkins was too busy reading what Juliet had written, pausing every now and then to glance at her as if she couldn’t believe her eyes. So what? Had the slick business suit fooled her? Or was she admiring Juliet’s dress sense? Somehow, she didn’t think so.

‘It says here that you’re twenty-four years old, Mrs Hammond.’ Mrs Watkins frowned. ‘And you’ve never had a job?’

Juliet coloured a little. ‘No.’

‘Why not?’

It was straight question, but Juliet had the feeling she shouldn’t have asked it. She had some pride. Did this woman have to rob her of every single drop?

Taking a deep breath, she said, ‘Is that relevant? I need a job now. Isn’t that enough?’

‘No, I’m afraid it’s not, Mrs Hammond. Would-be employers require CVs; references. It’s important for me to understand why a would-be applicant has none of these things.’

Juliet sighed. ‘I was married,’ she said, deciding that was the least controversial thing she could say.

‘Yes, I see that.’ Mrs Watkins consulted the sheet again. ‘Your marriage ended some nine months ago, did it not?’

Nine months, eight days, recited Juliet silently. ‘That’s right.’

‘But no job?’

‘No. No job.’

Mrs Watkins sucked in a breath through her nostrils that was clearly audible. It was the kind of sound her father’s butler, Carmichael, used to make when he disapproved of something she’d done. That Mrs Watkins disapproved of her lack of experience was obvious. Juliet wondered if she would have fared better if she’d come in a grungy shirt and jeans.

‘Well,’ Mrs Watkins said at last, ‘I have to tell you, Mrs Hammond, it’s not going to be easy finding you employment. You have no discernible qualifications, no employment history, nothing in fact to convince an employer that you’re a good worker. And trustworthy.’

Juliet gasped. ‘I’m trustworthy.’

‘I’m sure you are, Mrs Hammond, but in this world we don’t work on word-of-mouth. What you need is an erstwhile employer to vouch for you, someone who is willing to commit his opinion to paper.’

‘But I don’t have an erstwhile employer.’

Mrs Watkins gave a smug smile. ‘I know.’

‘So you’re saying you can’t help me?’

‘I’m saying that at the present time, I don’t have a vacancy you could fill. Unless you wanted to wash dishes at the Savoy, of course.’ She chuckled at her own joke. Then she sobered. ‘You’ll find details of courses you could take at the local college—classes for everything from cookery to foreign languages—in the waiting room. I suggest you take a few of the leaflets home and decide what it is you want to do. Then, come back and see me when you feel you have something to offer. Until then, I’d advise you not to waste any more time.’

Waste my time, was what she meant, Juliet decided gloomily, getting to her feet. ‘Well—thank you,’ she said, the good manners, which had been instilled into her since birth by a series of nannies, coming to her rescue. ‘I’ll think about what you’ve said.’ She paused. ‘Or find another agency.’

‘Good luck!’ The latter was said with some irony and Juliet left the office feeling even more of a pariah than before. But what had she expected? Who had she imagined would employ someone without even the sense to recognise a con man when she saw one?

Outside again, she looked up and down Charing Cross Road, considering her options. Although it was only the beginning of March, it was surprisingly warm, though a light drizzle had started to dampen the pavements. She lifted a hand to hail a taxi and then hastily dropped it again. The days when she could swan around in cabs were most definitely over.

Sighing, she started to walk towards Cambridge Circus. She would catch a bus from there that would take her to Knightsbridge and the tiny one-bedroom apartment where she lived these days. The large house in Sussex where she’d been born and lived for most of her life had been sold just after her marriage to David. He’d said the house he’d found in Bloomsbury was much more convenient. It wasn’t until he’d left her that she’d found out the house had been rented by the month.

She knew her friends had been appalled at her naïvety, but, dammit, she’d never encountered David’s kind of ruthlessness before. It was just luck that the apartment had been in her name and David couldn’t touch it. It had been her father’s pied-à-terre when he’d had business to attend to in town, and she’d hung on to it for sentimental reasons.

Halfway to her destination she passed a pub and on impulse she went in. It was dark and smoky in the bar, but that suited her. She hardly ever drank during the day and she’d prefer it if no one recognised her in her present mood.

Slipping onto one of the tall stools, she waited for the bartender to notice her. Short and fat, with a beer belly that hung over his belt, he managed to look both businesslike and cheerful. Much different from Mrs Watkins.

‘Now, then,’ he said, sliding his cleaning cloth along the bar, ‘what can I get you?’

Juliet hesitated. It didn’t look as if it was the kind of place that had a bottle of house white waiting to be poured. But who knew?

‘The lady would like a vodka and tonic, Harry,’ said a voice at her shoulder and she swung round, ready to tell whoever it was that she could choose her own drinks, thank you very much.

Then her eyes widened in surprise. She knew the man. His name was Cary Daniels and she’d known him since they were children. But she hadn’t seen him for years. Not since her wedding, in fact.

‘Cary!’ she exclaimed. ‘Goodness, fancy seeing you here.’ The last she’d heard he was living in Cape Town. ‘Are you on holiday?’

‘I wish.’ Cary slid onto the empty stool beside her, handing a twenty-pound note to the bartender when he brought their drinks. He’d apparently ordered a double whisky for himself and he swallowed half of it before continuing. ‘I’ve got a job in London now.’

‘Really?’

Juliet was surprised. Although they’d lost touch for a few years, when his parents died and he’d had to go and live with his paternal grandmother in Cornwall, he had attended her wedding. At that time he’d been excited about the great job he’d got with the South African branch of an investment bank and everyone had thought he was set for life. But things had changed, as they do. Didn’t she know it?

‘So how have you been?’ he asked, pocketing his change and turning on his seat to face her. Although the dim light had prevented her from noticing before, now she saw how haggard he looked. There were bags beneath his eyes, his hair was receding rapidly, and his thickening waistline told of too many double whiskies over the years. She knew he was twenty-eight, but he looked ten years older. What had happened to him? she wondered. Was he suffering the after-effects of a bad relationship, too?

‘Oh—I’m OK,’ Juliet said lightly, lifting her glass in a silent salute and taking a sip. It was much stronger than she was used to and she just managed to hide a grimace. ‘Getting by, I suppose.’

‘I heard about your divorce.’ Cary was nothing if not direct. ‘What a bastard!’

‘Yes.’ There was no point in denying it. ‘I was a fool.’

‘I wish I’d been around when it happened. He wouldn’t have got off so lightly, I can tell you. What’s the son of a bitch doing now?’

Juliet pressed her lips together. It was kind of Cary to be so supportive, but she couldn’t see him tackling someone like David. He simply wasn’t the type. ‘Um, David’s in the Caymans, or so I believe,’ she admitted reluctantly. ‘But do you mind if we don’t discuss it? There’s no point in harbouring old wounds. I was a fool, as I said. End of story.’

‘You were gullible, that’s all.’ Cary was assertive. ‘As we all are from time to time. It’s easy to be wise after the event.’

Juliet gave a rueful smile. ‘Isn’t that the truth?’

‘So—what are you doing?’ Juliet tried not to resent his curiosity. ‘And where are you living? I guess the house in Sussex has had to be sold.’

‘Yes.’ Juliet acknowledged this. ‘I’ve got a small apartment in Knightsbridge. It used to be Daddy’s and it’s not the Ritz, but at least it’s mine.’

‘Bastard!’ said Cary again. Then, ‘I suppose you’ve had to get a job.’

‘I’m trying to,’ said Juliet honestly. ‘But I’ve got no qualifications. I don’t even have anyone I could apply to for a character reference. Except friends, of course, but I wouldn’t do that to them.’

‘Ah.’ Cary swallowed the remainder of his drink and signalled the barman that he wanted another. He gestured towards Juliet’s glass, too, but she shook her head. She’d barely touched the drink. ‘So—do you have any plans?’

‘Not yet.’ Juliet was getting tired of talking about her problems. ‘What about you? Are you still working for the bank?’

‘No such luck!’ Cary reached for his second whisky and downed a generous mouthful before going on. ‘I’ve been black-balled by the banking community. Hadn’t you heard? I’m surprised you didn’t read about it in the papers. It was all over the financial pages.’

Juliet was tempted to say that she’d had other things to do than study the financial pages, but she was disturbed by what he’d said. ‘What happened?’

Cary grimaced. ‘I gambled with clients’ funds and lost a packet. The bank was down a few million dollars and I was lucky to escape without being charged with negligence.’ He lifted a careless shoulder. ‘Apparently Grandmama still has some pull in financial circles. I was just chucked out of the bank with a severe slap on the wrist.’

Juliet was amazed. ‘But a few million dollars!’ she echoed disbelievingly.

‘Yeah. I don’t do things by halves.’ He took another mouthful of his drink. ‘It sounds a hell of a lot more in South African rand, let me tell you. But, dammit, you’re encouraged to take risks and I took ’em. I guess I’m not such a clever dealer, after all.’

Juliet shook her head. ‘I don’t know what to say.’ She paused. ‘Was your—was Lady Elinor very cross?’

‘Cross!’ Cary gave a short laugh. ‘She was livid, Jules. Positively fire-breathing. She’d never approved of my chosen career, as you probably know, and getting thrown out of South Africa pretty well burnt my boats with her.’

Juliet looked down at the liquid in her glass. She remembered Lady Elinor Daniels very well. Mostly because when Juliet was thirteen she’d been quite a frightening figure. She remembered feeling sorry for Cary, too, whose parents had disappeared while sailing in the Southern Ocean. At seventeen, he’d been taken away from everything and everyone he was used to, forced to go and live in some old house in Cornwall with a woman he barely knew.

Juliet lifted her head. ‘But you say you’ve got another job?’

‘A temporary one, yeah.’ Cary scowled. ‘Believe it or not, I’m working in a casino. Oh, not handling money. They’ve got more sense than that. I’m what you’d call a meeter and greeter. A kind of—bouncer, with class.’

Juliet gasped. ‘I can’t believe your grandmother approves of that.’

‘She doesn’t know. As far as she’s concerned I’ve got an office job. She still hasn’t given up hope of me settling down with a good woman and taking over the running of the estate. And that low-life, Marchese, is just waiting for me to put a foot wrong.’

Juliet would have thought he’d already put more than one foot wrong, but she didn’t say so. ‘Marchese?’

‘Rafe Marchese!’ exclaimed Cary half-irritably. ‘Surely you remember? My aunt Christina’s deliberate mistake?’

‘Oh, your cousin,’ said Juliet, understanding. But Cary took offence at that.

‘The bastard,’ he corrected. ‘A real one this time. Surely you don’t expect me to be friendly towards him. He’s made my relationship with Grandmama almost impossible over the years. I don’t forget how he treated me when I first went to live at Tregellin.’

‘He’s older than you, isn’t he?’

‘A couple of years. He must be thirty now. Or maybe a little older. Whatever, he’s there all the time, like a thorn in my side, and Grandmama loves to taunt me about leaving the estate to him.’

‘To taunt you?’

‘Yeah. Not that she would, of course. Leave the place to Marchese, I mean.’ Cary laughed again. ‘She’s far too conventional for that.’

Juliet hesitated. ‘If your aunt was never married to his father, why is his name Marchese?’

‘Because she put his father’s name on his birth certificate.’ Cary was dismissive. ‘A bit of a joke, that, considering I don’t think Carlo even knew he was going to be a father. Christina was such a flake, always taking off for some new destination, finding one distraction after another.’

‘I thought she was an artist,’ said Juliet, trying to remember what her father had told her.

‘She’d have liked to think so,’ said Cary, with a sarcastic smile. ‘Anyway, like me, Rafe was orphaned at a fairly early age. One too many Martinis for Christina and she fell from the balcony of the hotel in Interlaken where she was staying with her latest conquest.’

‘How awful!’ Juliet was amazed that he could be so blasé about it. She had been his aunt, after all. She took another sip of her drink, taking a surreptitious glance at her watch as she did so. It was time she was leaving. She needed to buy one or two items of food from the local delicatessen before heading home.

‘Anyway, I’ve got to go down there next week,’ Cary went on, apparently unaware that she was getting restless. He grimaced. ‘I told her I’d got a girlfriend and she wants to meet her.’

‘Oh.’ Juliet smiled. ‘Well, I hope she likes her. Is it someone you met while you were in Cape Town, or does she live in London?’

‘I don’t have a girlfriend,’ declared Cary flatly. ‘I just told her that to get her off my back. You know what I said about her wanting me to settle down and so on? I thought if she believed I was getting serious about someone, she’d lay off for a bit.’

‘Oh, Cary!’

‘I know, I know.’ He scowled and summoned the bartender again to order another drink. ‘Where am I going to find a suitable girlfriend between now and next Thursday? I don’t even know any “suitable” girls. My tastes run in another direction entirely.’

Juliet stared at him. ‘You’re—gay?’

‘Hell, no!’ Cary snorted. ‘But the kind of girls I like, you don’t take home to introduce to your grandmama. I’m not interested in settling down, Jules. I’m only twenty-eight. I want to have some fun. I don’t want some good woman and a couple of sprogs hanging about my feet.’

Juliet shook her head. He’d changed so much from the shy boy he’d been when they were children. Was this his grandmother’s doing, or had he always had this streak of selfishness in him? Perhaps he wasn’t so different from David, after all.

She was suddenly aware that he was staring at her now. There was a distinctly speculative look in his eyes, and she hoped he had no designs as far as she was concerned. She might be desperate, but Cary simply wasn’t her type. Sliding down from her stool, she nodded pointedly towards the door.

‘I’ve got to go.’

‘Go where?’

Was it any of his business? ‘Home, of course.’

Cary nodded. ‘You wouldn’t fancy having dinner with me, I suppose?’

‘Oh, Cary—’

‘It was just a thought.’ He chewed vigorously at his lower lip. ‘I wanted to put a proposition to you. But I can do it here, just as well.’

‘Cary—’

‘Hear me out.’ He laid a hand on her sleeve and, although Juliet badly wanted to pull away, she had accepted a drink from him and that made her briefly in his debt. ‘Would you consider coming down to Tregellin with me? As my pretend girlfriend,’ he added swiftly, before she could object. ‘You say you need a job. Well, I’m offering you one. Well-paid, of course.’

Juliet couldn’t believe her ears. ‘You’re not serious!’

‘Why not? We’re friends, aren’t we? We’re male and female. Where would be the harm?’

‘We’d be deceiving your grandmother. And—your cousin.’

‘Don’t worry about Rafe. He doesn’t live at the house.’

‘All the same—’

‘You’d be doing me the greatest favour, Jules. And Grandmama is bound to believe it when she sees it’s you. You know she’s always liked you.’

‘She hardly knows me!’

‘She knows of you,’ persisted Cary. ‘And when we get back, I’ll be able to write you a reference you can use to get another job.’

‘A real job, you mean?’

‘This is a real job, Jules, I promise you. Oh, please. At least say you’ll think it over. What have you got to lose?’