Love Became Theirs (4 page)

It was strange, she thought, that it did not trouble her to come here with this stranger, when she had been so reluctant with Lord Robert. She felt safe with Harlequin, even though he called himself a trickster.

He found a garden seat. They sat down together and he handed her a glass of champagne.

"So he declared himself?" he said. "I saw your father put your hands together."

"I haven't accepted him but Papa is determined to make me. He's so set on the idea that I can't make him understand that I don't want to."

"Why does he want it so much?"

"He hates the idea of me inheriting his estate unless I have a husband to run it. He says no woman has enough brains to run anything.

"Lord Robert's own land runs beside ours, so of course that makes him suitable to Papa. And the other thing – well – Lord Robert's father is a Duke, which Papa thinks is wonderful."

"But you don't?"

"I don't see that it matters. I wouldn't marry a man just because he had a title, but only if we loved each other more than anything else in the world."

"Ah yes, that's what we all want," said Harlequin reflectively. "But it can be hard to find. And when you have found the right person, how can you be really sure?"

"You can be quite certain when you've found the wrong person," Rona said firmly. "I told Lord Robert that I would think over his proposal, but I was playing for time. I knew he was the wrong person as soon as he kissed me."

"You let him kiss you?"

"No, I didn't let him, I couldn't stop him. I hated it. It was like kissing a haddock."

"I bow to your superior knowledge of haddock, ma'am," he said gravely.

She chuckled, and felt a little better.

"How did you know it was all going to happen?" she asked him.

"The world is a wicked place."

Something in his voice made her say,

"You spoke of being blind when we are betrayed by those we trust. You know about that, don't you?"

He shrugged. "Perhaps. Perhaps not."

"No." She laid a hand on his arm. "Don't tease me now. I'm serious."

"I'm sorry" Harlequin replied. Yes, I know how easily you can blind yourself with trust, and how cruel betrayal can be."

"Won't you tell me about it? You know so much about me, it isn't fair that I know nothing about you."

He was silent and she peered at him, trying to see some of his face. But the mask hid most of it, and the darkness hid the rest.

Yet she could sense his tension, as though he were struggling with a great decision. There was something burdening him, something he needed to speak of, and in another moment he would tell her.

The she heard the sound of voices from somewhere behind them.

The spell was broken. He would not tell her now. She thought she heard him give a sigh, but she could not be sure.

"It's better if we let things be," he said at last.

"I suppose we should return," she said reluctantly. "No, wait!" she added sharply. For she had recognised one of the voices.

"What is it?" asked Harlequin.

"Lord Robert. He mustn't find me here."

"Then let us keep quite still and silent, and the darkness will hide us," Harlequin whispered.

They sat there, hardly breathing. Suddenly Lord Robert's voice came again, louder.

"What the devil are you doing here?"

Then a girl's voice. "Oh Robert, darling, please don't be angry with me. I had to come."

There was the sound of skirts rustling, as though she were running to him.

"Oh darling, darling," she cried passionately. "I couldn't bear it a moment longer. Kiss me. Kiss me."

"Doreen, for pity's sake!" he exclaimed.

Rona sat up sharply.

"Doreen!" she said. "I know her. She lives near me in the country. I thought her voice was familiar. I didn't know that she was in London."

Doreen was speaking again,

"They say you're going to marry – "

"Hush!" Robert said violently. "Don't speak of that. It's none of your business who I marry."

There was a cry and a sob.

"None of my business? How can you be so cruel? You said you would marry me."

"I said I would like to if I could afford it," he replied harshly. "I never proposed to you."

"But you did say you loved me."

"Yes, and I do love you. I would far rather marry you than that boring girl I asked tonight. But I can't. My estate is falling to pieces and I need money. She has it, or rather her father has. He'll pay me anything I ask, just to connect his family with a Duke."

He broke off and there was only the sound of her sobbing.

Rona could not move. The whole world seemed to have contracted down to this spot, the sound of the two voices, one anguished, one callous.

She was trembling with shock, and barely conscious of the fact that Harlequin had taken her hand between two of his own, and was holding it comfortingly.

Lord Robert's voice came again, a little kinder, but still irritated.

"Stop crying, there's a good girl. I do love you, but it can't be helped. Now come along, stop that."

Again there was a rustling sound, as if he had taken hold of her. Then silence.

Rona set her chin as she rose from the bench and began to walk in the direction of the couple.

"Better not look," murmured Harlequin, in step beside her. "It'll only upset you more."

"I'm not upset," she murmured back. "I'm furious."

She found a gap between the trees and through it she could see, illuminated by moonlight, the sight of Lord Robert and Doreen passionately embracing. She stood frozen, watching them, until Lord Robert drew back.

"Not here," he said. "Someone may see us. Come."

He took Doreen's hand and drew her away into the darkness, leaving the other two standing there.

It was a long time before Rona could force herself to move. Her mind was in a turmoil of misery.

She was not in love with Lord Robert, and for that she must be thankful. She pitied the unfortunate Doreen, betrayed by a selfish man who put money above the love that might have been his.

But although she did not have a broken heart, her feelings were bitter and wretched. Only a few hours ago the world had been a delightful place, where there was music and beautiful clothes, and endless pleasure.

Now it had suddenly become monstrous, a place of treachery, greed and lies.

"How could he?" she exclaimed angrily. "How could he treat that poor girl like that, when she loves him, and he says he loves her?"

"But he told her why," said Harlequin. "He needs your money."

"Oh yes! You should have heard what he said to me earlier tonight – pretending to love me, saying he wanted to marry me. And all the time he was being selfish and deceitful."

"But at least you know the truth now."

"About him, yes, but what about the others? How true are their hearts? All the men who want to dance with me at balls, and flirt with me. I always knew that Papa's fortune was a lure, but only in the back of my mind. But this is what it really means. Lies and treachery and greed. Now I think all men must be the same."

"No," Harlequin said quickly. "Men are not all the same. Some are honest and faithful. You must trust to heaven that one day you will meet the man you spoke about – the one who will love you more than anything else in the world. He's out there, somewhere in the world, looking for you."

"No, no," she said, beginning to weep. "I don't believe it."

"You must believe it."

"Do you know what tortures me?" she choked. "That I didn't stop him kissing me."

"I don't suppose he gave you any choice," Harlequin said gently. "Nobody could blame you."

"But I hate the memory. I never want to kiss another man, ever, in my life."

Harlequin touched her shoulder, but she pulled away and began to run from him. In the heavy dress and high heels she could not run fast, and he soon caught up with her.

"Wait, please – "

"Let me go," she wept. "I just want to hide away and never see anyone again."

"But you can't do that," he said, holding her firmly but gently. "You can't run away from the world, although you have enough courage to try. You must go on bravely, and find the man you truly love."

She could not speak, but she shook her head in despair. Harlequin put his fingers beneath her chin and lifted it so that he could look into her face.

"You are beautiful," he said. "I can see only your mouth, but it is lovely and I know the rest of you is the same. It's a mouth made to be kissed, and you must accept that, and not go through life remembering only that one man's kiss."

"Nothing can prevent that now," she said.

"Oh yes. I'm going to prevent it."

Before she could realise what he meant to do, Harlequin had lowered his head and pressed his lips against hers. After the first gasp of shock, Rona realised that this was very different from Lord Robert's kiss.

There was a gentleness about this man that was irresistible. His arms were strong, holding her against him as he moved his lips over hers with such beguiling tenderness that her very heart seemed to melt within her.

To think she might never have known this, might have wandered through the world forever, not knowing that this feeling could exist between a man and a woman, thinking that all men were like Lord Robert.

She was only half aware of her own hands moving to clasp him in return, to draw him closer, seeking a new beauty that she did not understand. Suddenly her arms were around his neck, and her spirit was soaring as she responded to his ardour.

It was mad, it was scandalous and unladylike. But it was also right. Everything in her was telling her that.

At last he released her. She looked up, wishing with all her heart that she could see his face now. She desperately needed to see it, to know if his feelings had been the same as hers. Her heart was beating wildly.

"What have you done?" she asked in wonder.

"I've made it impossible for you to think of him without remembering me," he said with a strange smile.

"Who are you?" she whispered. "I must know."

But he shook his head.

"It's better if you do not. We mustn't see each other's faces, and after tonight we can never meet again. I wish we could. I would like to remain close to you and protect you, but my path leads in another direction. I will always remember you."

"And I, you," she said, knowing that it was true.

How could she ever forget him, when he already lived inside her, in her memory, her heart and soul?

He kissed her again briefly, lightly, releasing her at once.

"Now we must return to the house," he said.

Taking her hand, he began to walk and soon they were among the lights. She could hear the sound of music and see couples dancing through the great windows. At any moment he would leave her and she must find a way to stop him. It was vital that she knew who he was.

On the stone steps he halted and said,

"You must go in alone, now."

"Wait," she implored, "Just one moment."

He shook his head, but before she could say more she heard a man's voice behind her.

"Hey there, Harlequin! It's Peter, isn't it?"

She whirled and saw a merry group of people some yards away, calling and waving in their direction.

"Hey, Peter – over here – "

She turned back to Harlequin, starting to say, "so your name is – ?"

But he had vanished.

"I am seriously displeased with you," Papa raged. "That a daughter of mine could display such rudeness, could show me up in front of everyone – how dare you leave without a word to me!"

"I left a message to say I'd gone home early, Papa," Rona said wearily.

If only her parents would leave her in peace. She had fled Westminster House, desperate to be alone and come home to bed. But then she had lain awake, listening for their return, knowing they would come straight to see her.

"How do you think it looked, leaving your fiancé alone like that?" her mother demanded.

"Mama, please don't call him my fiancé. I will not marry Lord Robert."

"You'll do as I say, my girl," her father snapped.

"He cares as little for me as I for him. He only wants your money. I heard him say so tonight."

He stared. "What are you talking about."

"I heard him tell someone – "

"Rubbish! You imagined it."

"Papa, I – "

"Not another word. Tomorrow I shall put the announcement in
The Times."

She had thought the revelation of Lord Robert's true nature would be decisive, but now she saw that her parents were simply determined to block it out. And she could not tell more of the story without compromising Doreen.

When her parents had gone, her father in a rage, her mother in tears, Rona tossed and turned.

'I must escape,' she told herself. 'Or they'll march me up the aisle before I know what's happening. Then I'll spend the rest of my days married to a man I dislike and despise.

'But how can I flee? What can I do?' The questions seemed to throb in her head.

She finally fell asleep, and awoke very late next morning. When she came downstairs her parents had both left the house.

She went out into the garden and wandered among the flowers, wondering what was to become of her.

If only she could tell her parents everything, but that would include what had happened at the end of the evening. There were no words to describe the mysterious Harlequin, but she knew that his kiss would haunt her as long as she lived.

His purpose had been to wipe out the memory of Lord Robert's kiss, and he had succeeded more than he would ever know. Now she wanted no other embrace. In her heart she belonged to this one man.

Yet she did not even know who he was.

Except that his name was Peter.

But there were so many men in the world with that name, that it was no help.

Worse, she might never know his identity, for he had said they would not meet again.

She was overcome by despair at the thought that a magical door had been opened for her, only to be cruelly shut in her face.