A Trial Marriage

The distance to the lift stretched before her like the Gobi desert, but at last she was within the enclosing portals of the small cubicle which would lift her to the comparative safety of her own room. The last thing she saw as the doors closed was Jake standing where she had left him, staring after her, a curiously vulnerable expression on his lean features, and the tears overspilled her eyes.

Fortunately Della was downstairs, taking tea, and only Minstrel was there to share her misery. He was remarkably understanding for once, sensing her unhappiness and nuzzling against her comfortingly.

She managed to make some excuse to Della not to join her for dinner that evening, and had a sandwich brought up to her room. Exercising Minstrel was another matter, but although she looked about her nervously as she crossed the lobby with the poodle, there was no sign of the man who had accosted her earlier. Carl Yates was at the reception desk when she returned, however, and while she wished she could avoid him his undoubted admiration was a salve to her bruised spirit.

‘Mrs Faulkner-Stewart has got all her arrangements made for tomorrow evening,’ he told her casually, after making the excuse of fondling the animal to hinder her progress. ‘That means you’ll be free for the evening, doesn’t it?’

‘I expect so,’ Rachel answered cautiously, disentangling the poodle’s lead from around her jean-clad legs. ‘Stand still, Minstrel!’

Carl straightened. ‘I wondered if you’d come out with me,’ he murmured, low enough so the girl at the reception desk could not hear him. ‘How about it?’

Rachel shook her head. ‘I—well, I don’t go out much,’ she said awkwardly.

‘Perhaps you should,’ he suggested, his usual assurance daunted. ‘You need a change.’

Rachel made an apologetic gesture. ‘I’m sorry. I—I’m not sure what Mrs Faulkner-Stewart will want me to do.’

‘Then let me know,’ remarked Carl at once, seizing on her indecision. ‘We could go to a club I know. Have a meal … dance. There’s no need to make a booking at this time of the year.’

Rachel wanted to refuse, but something stopped her, and with a half-reassuring smile she left him, walking away towards the lift without giving him chance to say anything more.

Della was waiting for her next morning when she entered the suite to take Minstrel for his pre-breakfast gallop along the beach. It was unusual for the older woman to be up and dressed so spontaneously, but the reason for her eagerness was soon made apparent.

‘About tonight’s dinner party——’ she began, and Rachel resigned herself for a long monologue. ‘There’ll be eight of us in all. The Colonel, of course, and Mr and Mrs Strange. Then, there’s Miss Hardy and Mrs King …’

Rachel tucked her trembling hands into the pockets of her jeans. She scarcely knew the Stranges, who were the second half of the bridge four. An elderly couple, they always seemed engrossed in their game, and paid little attention to anyone who didn’t play. But the names of the two women who had seen her with Jake still had the power to send a shiver of apprehension down her spine. Nevertheless, it was Della’s next words which caused her the most distress:

‘And finally myself … and Mr Allan! Yes,’ this as Rachel’s lips parted involuntarily, ‘he’s agreed to join us. Isn’t that wonderful? I expect we’ll have a bridge tournament later, now that we have eight players.’

Rachel turned away, pretending to search for Minstrel’s lead, anything to conceal her tormented expression from Della’s probing gaze. How could he, she thought despairingly, how could he? And why now? When in the past he had avoided contact with anyone?

‘Well?’ Della expected some response. ‘Haven’t you anything to say? Like—congratulations, for example?’

‘Congratulations?’ Rachel echoed blankly, schooling her features. ‘I’m afraid I——’

‘You know what a recluse Mr Allan has been,’ exclaimed Della irritably. ‘Don’t you think it’s significant that he’s agreed to join my dinner party?’

‘Oh, I see.’ Rachel strove for control. ‘I—well, yes. You—you’ve been very fortunate.’

‘That’s what Miss Hardy said,’ remarked Della, frowning. ‘Although I wouldn’t have put it exactly like that myself. After all, it’s obvious he’s a man of the world, well used to the society I can offer. It’s natural that as two—sophisticates—in what is without question an unsophisticated gathering, we should have certain things in common.’

Rachel grasped Minstrel’s lead like a lifeline. ‘You—you could be right,’ she managed tightly. ‘I gather you won’t be—needing me this evening.’

‘No. No.’ Della could afford to be expansive. ‘You go ahead and do whatever you want to do, my dear.’ She paused. ‘I’ll want you to do my hair beforehand, of course, but after that …’

Rachel nodded. ‘All right. Now, shall I take Minstrel for his walk?’

Della looked as if she would have liked to say more. She was probably put out by a lack of interest on her part, thought Rachel wearily, but she couldn’t pretend an enthusiasm she didn’t feel. Her whole being throbbed with indignation at this deliberate attempt on Jake’s part to show her the differences between them, not only physically but socially, and she despised herself for still feeling the pain of his betrayal. It was like he had said. They were worlds apart, and no doubt Della would be willing to satisfy him with far more success than she had had.

She half hoped she would see Jake as she took Minstrel out of the hotel, but of course she didn’t. The only person she encountered was Carl Yates, and on impulse she did something she would never have done otherwise. She deliberately attracted his attention, and when he came to join her she said:

‘Is your offer still open for this evening, Mr Yates?’

‘Carl,’ he averred. Then: ‘You know it is.’

‘Good.’ Rachel’s lips found smiling a difficult task. ‘What time shall we leave?’

Carl inclined his head towards her. ‘Seven? Seven-thirty?’

‘We’d better make it seven-thirty,’ she said, remembering Della’s hair. ‘I’ll meet you here, shall I?’

Carl nodded. ‘I’ll look forward to it.’

Rachel kept her smile in place, and strolled away, with what she hoped was casual assurance, towards the doors, but once outside the cold air against her hot face brought a flush of anxiety to her cheeks. She hoped Carl wouldn’t think she was forward. She had never done anything like this before. Somehow, since meeting Jake Allan, she had done a lot of things she had never done before.

CHAPTER FOUR (#u2c6b0d84-4bee-512e-9b6c-4bf1e108b22c)

DELLA dressed with extra care for her dinner party. Her gown of oyster pink chiffon floated about her plump figure with a flattering lack of definition, and the jewels that surrounded her neck, and hung with such vulgarity from her ears and fingers, denoted a richness seldom seen at the Tor Court. Her coiffure must be right, too, and Rachel’s fingers were aching by the time she had twisted and coaxed Della’s coarse hair into a becoming style.

‘You really are getting rather good,’ Della complimented her grudgingly when she had finished, turning her head this way and that to view the style from all angles.