Comparative Strangers (8 page)

He said quietly, ‘Try telling that to a mother whose child has leukemia.’ He looked at the doorway, and saw Amanda standing there. His smile was wintry. ‘So, there you are, darling.’

‘Yes.’ Amanda flushed as she walked forward to join him. He bent slightly towards her, and she lifted her face perfunctorily for the brief, cool brush of his lips on hers.

As he lifted his head, he looked into her eyes, his own gaze warm and faintly teasing. ‘Missed me?’

Her blush deepened, and she murmured something incoherent. She could see Maggie and Fiona exchanging glances, and Jane’s bewildered frown as she slid her arm through his, and tugged him towards the door.

As they descended the stairs to street level, she said, ‘I think you missed your vocation. You’d have made a good actor.’

‘Well, one of us needs to be.’ His tone was slightly caustic. ‘You treated me as if I was Marley’s Ghost.’

She realised she was still holding his arm, and released it abruptly. She said tautly, ‘I wasn’t expecting to see you. Your summons surprised me.’

Malory gave her an ironic look. ‘Did you think you could avoid me for ever?’

She shrugged. ‘There’s no harm in hoping. I mean, there’s no real reason for you to—put in any personal appearances in my life. I thought I could just—pretend to see you when I went home at weekends’

‘But you didn’t go home last weekend’ he pointed out gently.

‘No’ Amanda sighed. ‘Mother’s still being difficult’

‘I’m sorry to hear it,’ he said, ‘but the fact is you’re not the only one with a life, and I do require you to put in the occasional—er, personal appearances at my side.’

She shot him a dismayed look. ‘When?’

‘In two weeks’ time at the company dinner,’ he said promptly. ‘You can manage that, I hope. The staff are looking forward to meeting you.’

They had reached his car. Amanda stood her ground. 'I can’t,‘ she said baldly. ’It’s quite impossible. I can’t go and foist myself on all these people under false pretences‘

‘There’s nothing false about it’ Malory unlocked the passenger door for her. ‘Our engagement is quite official’ He added, dead-pan, ‘I saw it in
The Times
.’

‘And so did 1’ Amanda found she was sitting in the car without really knowing how she got there. ‘That was an unnecessary refinement, surely?’

‘I don’t think so.’ His mouth twisted slightly. ‘I felt it gave a veneer of respectability to a rather ramshackle arrangement.’

‘So is this why you’re taking me to dinner—to ask me to go to your company party? Surely a phone call would have been sufficient?’

‘Probably, but I felt it was time I checked up on you.’ The purr of the ignition springing to life muffled Amanda’s snort of indignation. ‘You’ve lost some weight, which you can’t afford to do,’ he went on almost casually. ‘So a square meal is clearly a good idea. Besides, I have another reason for seeking you out.’

She said pettishly, ‘You take a hell of a lot for granted. Suppose I’d had another date this evening?’

‘Then you’d have broken it,’ he said cheerfully. ‘I think a fiancé has priority, don’t you?’

‘I think you’re carrying this charade to ridiculous lengths,’ Amanda said shortly, and lapsed into silence.

The restaurant he took her to lay in a quiet side street. It was small, French, and obviously exclusive. It was also clear that Malory was a regular and valued patron.

Amanda noticed, too, that there were no prices in the leather-bound menu she was solicitously handed.

Simply reading it was a mouth-watering experience. Amanda ate
mousseline
of sole, followed by duck breast cooked with mangoes, and finished with strawberries and
crème Chantilly
served in a basket of wafer-thin sweet pastry. As coffee and Armagnac were brought to the table, she sat back with a sigh of repletion.

‘That was a marvellous meal. Thank you.’

‘You never came here with Nigel?’

She shook her head. ‘He likes bigger restaurants—places where…’ She hesitated.

‘Places where he can see and be seen,’ Malory supplied, and she nodded.

‘Is that what you prefer?’ he asked. ‘We could have gone to Langans if you’d wished…’

‘Oh, no,’ she denied hastily. ‘I—I love it here’

‘Good.’ He smiled at her. ‘At least we have one thing in common.’

‘Yes.’ Amanda’s voice held a trace of uncertainty. She glanced at her watch. ‘It’s getting quite late…’

‘Yes, isn’t it?’ he said cordially. ‘All right, Amanda, I’ll take you safely back to your flat. But first we have a small piece of business to settle.’

‘We do?’

Malory said with faint asperity, ‘Don’t look so stricken. It isn’t anything very formidable.’ He took a small velvet-covered box from his pocket, and passed it across the table to her. ‘This is for you. My choice, I’m afraid, as you’ve proved so elusive over the past fortnight.’

Amanda opened the box with trepidation, and gasped. She was looking at an exquisite square-cut emerald, surrounded by diamonds.

‘But I can’t wear this.’

‘You think it will be the wrong size? Well, that can easily be altered.’

‘No, I didn’t mean that. It—it’s too much—too beautiful. It must have cost a fortune. You shouldn’t have done it.’

‘Actually, it belonged to my mother. Does that make you feel better about it?’

If anything, it made her feel worse. ‘Then it’s an heirloom.. ’

‘Not really.’ He paused. ‘Anyway, a lot of heirlooms go out on temporary loan, so look at it in that light. Besides, beautiful jewellery needs to be worn, not kept locked in safe deposits.’ He took her hand, and gently but firmly slid the ring over her knuckle. There—it does fit, Cinderella.‘

It was about as different from the ring Nigel had given her as it was possible to get, she thought helplessly, and she guessed that was quite deliberate.

She said in a muffled voice, 'I'll take care of it.‘

‘Just enjoy wearing it.’ He was still holding her fingers lightly. ‘It suits the shape of your hand.’

She gave him an embarrassed smile, and deherself. ‘I really should go.’

Malory nodded and signalled to the waiter.

The homeward journey was a silent one. Amanda’s thoughts were confused, but the shape of the emerald under her questing fingers was only too real.

When the car stopped, she said stiltedly, ‘Thank you for a—nice evening.’

‘I’m glad it wasn’t the ordeal you anticipated.’

She couldn’t see if he was smiling or not. A previous omission had occurred to her. ‘And—thank you for the flowers.’

‘Did you like them?’

‘Well,’ Amanda hesitated. ‘Actually, I thought they were a bit over the top.‘

He was definitely amused now. ‘Oh, I think I’m permitted the odd romantic gesture—don’t you?’

Amanda didn’t know what to say. The interior of the car seemed suddenly altogether too dark, too confined—too intimate for this kind of conver-sation. It occurred to her, tremulously, that Malory might have a different kind of romantic gesture in mind altogether—and that, if he did try and take her in his arms, she wouldn’t know quite how to react.

He’d bought her dinner, her mind ran feverishly, and given—lent her this exquisite ring. She could hardly haul off and slap his face if he kissed her.

The silence between them seemed endless. Amanda was tense, waiting for him to reach for her…

But he didn’t. When he spoke, his tone was matter of fact. 'I'll ring you in a few days about the company party. Now, I’d better get you safely indoors.‘

Outside the flat, Amanda found her hand shaking as she fitted her key into the lock.

‘Thank you again.’ Her voice sounded higher-pitched than usual—taut. And it was ridiculous to be so nervous. Malory was doing nothing more threatening than watching her struggles with the key.

‘Let me.’ He took the key from her and unlocked the door. ‘I won’t come in,’ he went on. ‘I can’t face another harangue on behalf of Animal Lib.’

Amanda forced a small smile. ‘Maggie’s current boyfriend is some kind of activist and it always affects her. The last one was heavily into CND,’ she added, stumbling a little over the words.

He said lazily, ‘What a hectic existence she must lead’ He put a finger under Amanda’s chin, tilting her face to meet his gaze. His voice gentled. ‘Calm down, darling. There’s nothing to be afraid of.’ He released her and gently turned away. 'I'll be in touch,‘ he added almost casually.

The hall was in darkness. Amanda leaned against the closed door, her breathing as rapid as if she’d been taking part in some kind of race. He was perfectly correct, she thought. There had been nothing to fear, after all. It had all been in her own mind.

And that should have been the most tremendous relief.

So why, therefore, did she feel as if it had been a total anticlimax?

‘That,’ Jane said, ‘is the most fantastic dress.’

‘Do you think it’s all right?’ Amanda surveyed herself in the mirror. ‘It’s not too…’

‘Far from it,’ Jane assured her. ‘It’s obvious you’re not wearing a bra, of course, because the thing has hardly any back, but that’s the only way you can tell. That high halter front is very discreet. And I love all those masses of tiny pleats in the skirt.’

‘Culottes, actually.’ Amanda demonstrated. She frowned a little. ‘It isn’t at all the kind of thing I intended to buy. It’s far too extravagant. I meant to get something that would do later on, when…’ She stopped hastily, aware she’d been about to venture into indiscretion. But Jane was clearly too fascinated by the golden shimmer of the new dress to have noticed.

‘Live a little,’ she advised airily. ‘After all, you’re marrying a very wealthy man.’

Amanda bit her lip. ‘I suppose so.’ She hesitated. ‘I ought to explain, but I can’t…’

‘You don’t have to,’ Jane said robustly. ‘Anyone’s entitled to change her mind, and it’s far better to do it before you’re married than afterwards.’ It was her turn to pause. ‘And, actually, I was never Nigel’s greatest fan.’

Amanda stared at her. ‘But you never said anything,’ she protested.

Jane shrugged. ‘What could I say? You seemed so knocked out by him that I didn’t think you’d listen, and anyway, it was none of my business.’ She grimaced drolly. ‘Maggie’s Tim doesn’t inspire me with admiration, either.’

Amanda smiled wryly. ‘I’m not surprised.’

‘And I thought your Malory handled her very well the other night,’ Jane went on. ‘She was being terribly aggressive, and he was polite, but remote’ She slanted a look at Amanda. ‘He’s not an easy man to get to know, is he?’

‘No,’ Amanda agreed, her voice colourless. ‘Do you think I need more blusher?’

Jane inspected her minutely. ‘Not a scrap. You look really good. Have a nice party, and a lovely weekend. You’re going home, aren’t you?’

‘Yes, straight from the party.’ Amanda picked up the pleated cape that matched her dress, and put it round her shoulders. Going to the cottage was a decision which had been pretty much forced on her. She’d had a week of reproachful phone calls from her mother, and had bowed to their pressure, even though she knew Mrs Conroy still hadn’t forgiven her for breaking off with Nigel, and the resulting publicity.

‘Another reporter rang up only yesterday,’ had been Mrs Conroy’s parting shot. ‘Asking if you and that man had set the date yet. I told him I hadn’t the least idea.’