A Past Revenge

‘I’m just myself, Mr Andracas. And thankfully women now have a choice in this world, we don’t have to be treated like possessions or second-class citizens any more.’

‘In other words, you’re an independent lady and intend to stay that way,’ he drawled.

‘As I said,’ she gave a cool inclination of her head. ‘I’m just me.’

He sighed his chagrin. ‘And what am I supposed to do about the fact that I desire you?’

‘Take a cold shower?’ she taunted.

‘Why you little—–’

‘Please,’ she mocked with confidence, knowing he was more amused than angry. ‘Let’s not resort to insults.’

‘Let’s not talk at all,’ he rasped, coming threateningly towards her.

Danielle remembered him as having more control than this, had never dreamt that her taunts would lead to this, shrinking away from him as he took her into his arms.

‘Nick darling, I—–’ Audra McDonald came to an astounded halt in the doorway, her gaze moving over them both with glittering accusation.

Danielle released herself with a relief the other woman couldn’t realise, although by the angry narrowing of Nick’s eyes he knew exactly how she felt—and he didn’t like it. She didn’t give a damn what he liked, and she never would!

‘What a beautiful gown,’ she admired the red dress the other woman wore, the colour of a shade that enhanced rather than clashed with her flaming red hair. It would make a very dramatic effect on canvas.

The other woman ignored the compliment, her gaze fixed on her lover. ‘I can’t quite reach the top hook, Nick,’ she told him curtly. ‘Could you do it for me?’

He moved across the room with forceful strides, dealing with the hook in a matter of seconds. ‘I’ll be back to pick you up in an hour’s time,’ he told the actress, looking over at Danielle, the mask of control firmly back in place. ‘Will that be convenient for you, Miss Smith?’

‘An hour will be fine,’ she nodded, as coolly indifferent now as he was.

‘See you later, darling,’ Audra put her arms about his neck to kiss him lingeringly on the lips.

He made no effort to end the kiss, his arms about the actress’s waist, the kiss long and leisurely. Danielle ignored the triumphant challenge in his eyes as he at last broke the embrace, looking at him coldly, although the kiss seemed to have placated Audra McDonald, lazy satisfaction in her smile now.

Not that the emotion seemed to last once they were alone in the studio, the brown eyes flashing with dislike as Danielle posed the other woman in the chair.

‘It won’t work, Miss Smith,’ Audra finally snapped.

She had been expecting the attack ever since Nick Andracas left, concentrating on the sketch she was doing, not at all disturbed by the other woman’s anger. ‘What won’t?’ she asked uninterestedly.

‘Nick and I have been together a long time,’ Audra more or less purred. ‘I know how to keep him satisfied.’

‘Good.’

‘He has his little flirtations from time to time, of course,’ the other woman laughed them off as of no importance. ‘But he always comes back to me.’

‘That must make you very happy,’ Danielle answered in a preoccupied voice.

‘It does,’ Audra snapped defensively.

She shrugged. ‘Then that’s all right, isn’t it?’

‘Don’t look so smug, Miss Smith,’ Audra rasped. ‘He may find you attractive now, but it won’t last.’

‘I hope not,’ she said quietly, the sketch not going quite as well as she wanted it to. ‘Could you please sit perfectly still while I do this?’ The other woman was moving about in her agitation. ‘It’s difficult for me to sketch you if you don’t.’

‘That can wait for a few minutes,’ Audra dismissed impatiently. ‘Are you trying to tell me you don’t find Nick attractive?’ she sounded sceptical.

Danielle sighed, nodding. ‘That’s exactly what I’m telling you, Miss McDonald.’

‘I don’t believe you!’

‘Oh I should,’ she mocked. ‘Because it’s the truth. Not every woman finds him as attractive as you do,’ she added dryly.

‘I’ve never met one yet who didn’t!’

‘You just did,’ Danielle snapped.

‘And that little scene I witnessed between you a few minutes ago?’ Audra reminded waspishly.

‘I agree with you that it was a scene,’ she sighed. ‘But it wasn’t between us, as you suggest it was, it was all Mr Andracas’ idea.’

Audra frowned. ‘You really don’t like him?’ she made it sound as if that were impossible.

‘Not in the least,’ she replied flatly.

‘Don’t you realise the challenge of that will only make him more interested than ever?’

‘What are you suggesting I do?’ she mocked. ‘Pretend an interest in him I don’t feel just to get him to leave me alone?’

The other woman flushed. ‘Of course not,’ she bit out. ‘That would be stupid.’

‘Yes, it would.’ And it was something she could never do.

The brown eyes narrowed. ‘I’m very much afraid that I don’t like you, Miss Smith,’ Audra said slowly.

Danielle was very much afraid she didn’t like the other woman either. Audra seemed to be an intelligent woman, seemed to regard Nick Andracas as an asset in her life rather than the man she was actually in love with. Maybe the two of them deserved each other!

‘Do you have to?’ she raised mocking brows at the other woman. ‘I mean, is it necessary?’

‘No, thank God,’ Audra’s mouth twisted disgustedly. ‘Let’s get on with this damned portrait.’

This ‘damned portrait’ was probably going to be the hardest piece of work Danielle had ever done. It was not just the hardness of the other woman’s features that was making it difficult, it was also the actress’s attitude. Audra was not at all enthusiastic about being painted in the first place, was very restless in the chair, and Nick Andracas had further complicated matters by making the other woman resent her before they had even begun.

It was a difficult hour, and Danielle felt drained at the end of it, her main feeling one of relief when the doorbell rang shortly after three. Although she wasn’t looking forward to seeing Nick again, hadn’t realised he would continue to be quite so involved, knowing that he didn’t need to be after that initial meeting, that he had chosen to do so.

She went to answer the door while Audra used her bedroom once again to get changed. That was something else she didn’t like about this commission. With the studio being in her home she naturally had a certain amount of invasion of her privacy, but her bedroom had always remained apart from that before, none of her other clients needing to change before she painted them. Although she could understand the other woman’s reluctance to arrive in the gown; it was for evening wear, not for driving about London on a sunny Saturday afternoon. But even so, Danielle couldn’t say she exactly liked the other woman using what was, after all, her own personal room.

Nick looked much the same as he had an hour ago when she opened the door to him, tall and arrogant, striding confidently into her home. ‘You look tired,’ he turned to say bluntly.