In the Millionaire's Possession (30 page)

In the meantime, this was a wonderful house, with beautiful grounds and the luxury of a swimming pool. At least she could allow herself a little enjoyment.

She finished her coffee, then set off. The pool was sited in a sunken area of the garden, surrounded by flower-filled shallow terraces. At the deep end of the azure water was a diving board, while a small hexagonal pavilion had been built at the opposite end for changing purposes, and to house a comprehensively equipped refrigerator.

Cushioned loungers, each with its own parasol, had been set round the surrounding tiled area.

Helen applied some high-factor sun lotion and lay down, sighing gratefully. There was a paperback book in her canvas bag, but, for a while anyway, she preferred to close her eyes and drift, blocking out the dark fears and uncertainties that plagued her, her head full, instead, of the distant wash of the sea and the busy hum of insects among the flowers.

She almost slept.

The sudden instinctive awareness that she was no longer alone brought her back to full consciousness, her eyes flying open to see Marc standing at the foot of the flight of shallow steps. He was wearing black swimming briefs, and, apart from the thin cotton shirt flung over one shoulder, the rest of him was tanned skin.

For one shocked, unguarded moment, she was pierced by a shaft of yearning so strong it seemed to penetrate her bones.

And he was looking at her too, his mouth unsmiling, his eyes masked by his sunglasses.

He said laconically,
‘
Ça va
?
’

‘
Fine,
’
she said, jack-knifing herself into a sitting position too swiftly and defensively. It had suddenly occurred to her that apart from last night, this was the nearest to naked Marc had ever seen her, and the realisation made her feel disquieted and uncomfortable.

‘
I regret this intrusion,
’
he went on.
‘
But Elise was insistent that I needed a swim before lunch.
’
He tossed the shirt on to another lounger.
‘
She feels, I think, that I am neglecting my bride,
’
he added, his mouth twisting.
‘
I could hardly tell her that I am merely obeying your wishes.
’
He paused.
‘
Unless, of course, you would like to join me in the pool?
’

Helen swallowed.
‘
Another time
—
perhaps.
’

‘
Why pretend?
’
Marc asked derisively.
‘
Why not say no?
’

She turned away. She said in a stifled voice,
‘
Isn
’
t it a little late for that?
’

‘
Perhaps that is something we should discuss.
’
He walked across and sat down on the end of her lounger. He
’
d discarded his sunglasses and his expression was searching
—
sombre. She watched him, her own eyes wary, her body tensing instinctively at his proximity.

She said,
‘
You mean to apologise
—
for last night?
’

‘
Apologise?
’
His brows lifted.
‘
No. Let us say instead,
ma mie
, that neither of us was very kind
—
or very wise
—
in our treatment of each other, and put last night far behind us.
’

‘
How can we do that?
’
Helen asked stiffly.

‘
By agreeing that it is the present
—
and our future together
—
that should concern us more.
’

Her small workmanlike hands were gripped tightly together.
‘
What future is that?
’

He sighed, his mouth tightening.
‘
I have taken you as my wife, Hélène. How can we live as strangers?
’

She lifted her chin.
‘
Because that
’
s what we are
—
as last night proved.
’

‘
It proved nothing,
’
Marc said shortly.
‘
Except that you had decided for some reason that you no longer wanted me.
’

‘
No longer?
’
Helen echoed indignantly.
‘
When did I ever?
’

His brows rose sardonically.
‘
You wish me to list the times, perhaps?
’
There was a pause then he added,
‘
I regret that I did not seduce you when I had the chance,
ma belle
, instead of waiting to offer you the security of marriage first.
’

‘
Perhaps,
’
Helen said stonily, hating the colour that had flared in her face at the unforgivable truth of his words,
‘
perhaps even then you wouldn
’
t have found me as easy as you seem to believe.
’

‘
I never expected to find you easy, Hélène,
’
he returned softly.
‘
Merely
—
infinitely rewarding.
’
He smiled faintly.
‘
As your beautiful mouth promises,
mon coeur
. The mouth you would not allow me to kiss last night in case you melted for me as your ancestress once did for the King,
’
he added quietly.

The breath seemed to catch in her throat.
‘
You
—
flatter yourself,
monsieur
,
’
she said.
‘
And you
’
re quite wrong, too. They were different people in a different age. No comparison.
’

He shrugged, his mouth wry,
‘
Bien sûr
, I am not a king, but a good republican
—
and I am your husband as well as your lover. But are we really so far apart? She fled him and he followed, just as I am here with you now, in spite of all that has happened.
’

‘
We
’
re a world away.
’
Her voice sounded thick and strained.
‘
And you are
not
my lover.
’

For a moment his head went back as if she
’
d struck him, and he was silent.

‘
Then may we not begin again?
’
he asked at last, his voice deepening huskily.
‘
You are my wife, Hélène, and I want you
—
I long to show you how it should be between us. How it can be. If only…
’

He reached for her hand, but she snatched it away.

‘
Ah
,
Dieu
.
’
Marc shook his head. He was silent for a long moment, then said gently,
‘
Don
’
t fight me any more,
cherie
. Let me come to you tonight and make love to you, as I wish to do. If you would only allow it, I know I could make you happy.
’

‘
I think you
’
re more concerned with your own satisfaction,
’
Helen flung at him.
‘
And the fact that your masculine pride
’
s been damaged. In spite of your fantasies, last night can
’
t have been particularly
rewarding
for you.
’

‘
Or for you,
’
he said with sudden harshness.

It was her turn to shrug.
‘
Nevertheless,
’
she said,
‘
that
’
s as good as it gets. Come to me
—
stay away
—
it makes no difference.
’

She saw the dark eyes flare and his mouth harden.

He got to his feet in one lithe movement and stood over her, reminding her suddenly of the previous night, his body poised above hers. Forcing her to remember that piercing instant of need…

She went rigid, her eyes almost blank with fright, and saw his mouth move in a faint smile that was almost a sneer.

‘
Sois tranquille
,
’
he said coldly.
‘
I shall not ask again.
’

He turned away and walked to the edge of the pool. His body cut the water in a clean dive.

Heart hammering, she scrambled off the lounger, cramming on her shirt and picking up her pretty embroidered beach bag.

She went hurriedly up the steps, not looking behind her. Back to the house, she thought shakily. Out of harm
’
s way.

Yet she knew at the same time that it was not that simple.
She fled him and he followed
. That was what Marc had said. And, in spite of that icy parting assurance from him, Helen knew she would never feel completely safe again while they were under the same roof.

She made herself go down to lunch when Elise came, clearly puzzled, to call her. For one thing she needed to repair the damage done by that moment of recoil at the pool. She
’
d shown Marc too clearly that he had the power to disturb her, and then, even more stupidly, she
’
d run away.

Also, more prosaically, she was hungry.

He was already waiting at the table that had been set for them in the shade of the terrace, and rose formally as she approached, his eyes skimming over the pale green sundress with its halter strap that she
’
d changed into, although he refrained from the comment she
’
d expected as she seated herself opposite him and unfolded her napkin.

He had changed too, she realised, into dark blue linen trousers and a matching polo shirt, and his still-damp hair was combed back from his face. As Elise arrived with the tureen he smiled up at her, said something teasing in his own language, and the force of his attraction made Helen catch her breath.

Concentrate on the food, she adjured herself silently. It
’
s safer that way.

The fish soup was delicious, aromatic and filling, forcing her to eat sparingly of the platter of cold meats and salad that followed, and choose just a peach from the bowl of fresh fruit that ended the meal.

She declined any coffee, and was rising to her feet when he said crisply,
‘
Un moment, madame
.
’

Helen halted, startled and reluctant.

‘
We need to reach a certain level of agreement.
’
Marc did not look at her as he filled his own cup.
‘
Whatever our private arrangements, we should try to behave in front of others as if we were truly
les nouveaux mariés
.
Par chance
, we do not have to stay here for very long, but we need to spend some time together each day
—
and in public.
’

Helen bit her lip.
‘
Is that really necessary?
’

‘
By now the news of our marriage will have reached the newspapers, and the gossip columnists will know we are here.
’
He shrugged.
‘
They will wish to take photographs of us together
—
being happy. We should indulge them. What happens at night is the business of no one but ourselves,
’
he added coldly.

Helen bit her lip. She said,
‘
I suppose
—
if we must. What
—
what do you suggest?
’

‘
You overwhelm me.
’
His tone was barbed.
‘
To begin with, I propose we go down to St Benoit. The car and driver have been placed at our service, so I have ordered him to come round in half an hour. With Louis at the wheel, you do not even have to be alone with me.
’
He paused, allowing that to strike home.
‘
Also I intend to work for part of each day,
’
he went on.
‘
There are matters that require my attention even on honeymoon, so I recommend you use the pool area during those times, in case the sight of you in a bikini arouses me beyond bearing.
’