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common to all Highland landowners, but she got the impression that his
mind was elsewhere. Finally, over the coffee, she said quietly, 'I want to
apologise to you for the things I said in MacPhail's office, Dirk. It's just
that... well, it was such a surprise when you turned up.'
For some reason the remark seemed to irritate him, and he gave her a brief
nod. 'I've already told you. It was intentional. If you'd known that I was
behind the offer you'd have suspected the worst. You've never trusted me,
have you?'
It was a charge she could hardly deny, although it would have been easy
enough to remind him of the reason for her mistrust. But then wasn't he the
one who'd said that while they were here they could at least pretend that the
slate was clean? They'd both made mistakes in the past, and he had no right
to talk as if she alone were to blame.
Biting back on her resentment, she made an effort to smooth things over.
'What I'm trying to say, Dirk, is that I'm grateful for the way you're trying to
help me keep the estate.'
His dark brows came together as he gave her a long, hard look, and she
sensed the sudden drop in temperature. 'So you're grateful?' he remarked in a
barbed voice. 'Is that why you're forcing yourself to face the distasteful task
of sleeping with me tonight? A display of gratitude for saving you from
ruin? Is this your idea of repaying a debt?'
The shock couldn't have been more electrifying if he'd slapped her across
the face, and for a moment she sat in stunned silence. Then her fists slowly
clenched and the blood pounded in her temples.
It was only the inhibiting effect of the genteel and elegant surroundings
which prevented her from dashing her coffee in his face. Instead, she
gathered up her handbag and got to her feet. Looking down at him, she said
in a voice of blistering contempt, 'Goodnight, Mr MacAllister. You can send
my half of the bill to me by post.'
Erect and dignified, she marched out of the dining- room, and continued
through the hotel lobby and out into the street, where the doorman
obligingly whistled up a taxi from the nearby rank.
CHAPTER EIGHT
IN THE back seat of the cab Shona's hand trembled as she searched hastily
through her handbag for the keys to the Land Rover. Her case, with the rest
of her clothes, was still in the hotel room, but she didn't care if she never saw
them again. Right now she didn't care about anything except getting a's far
away as quickly as possible from that... that cretin.
She didn't know which was worse her feeling of sick frustration or her
outrage. How could he have thought such a thing, far less put it into words?
He'd taken a simple expression of thanks and twisted it into something that
sounded cheap and demeaning. But why? What cause had she given him?
For the first time in years she'd really been enjoying herself. In spite of
everything that had gone before she'd been prepared to forgive and forget,
and there had seemed to be the chance of a real reconciliation. And then in a
few short words of bitter accusation he'd brought her back to earth with a
vengeance.
Could it have been a deliberate provocation? she wondered. He must have
known that she'd never stand for an insult like that. Perhaps this was his
twisted way of getting his revenge on her for having spurned him for so
long. Anything was possible with a man like that.
The evening traffic had congested the streets, and she glanced at her watch
impatiently. It had just gone seven, which meant that she wouldn't arrive
home till after midnight, and the prospect of negotiating the narrow
Highland roads in the dark was something she wasn't looking forward to. It
would probably be a better idea to stop at Perth for the night. The Salutation
was a comfortable hotel she'd used before. She could be there by nine, have
an early night, then make an early start in the morning.
Gloomily she stared out of the taxi window, her eyes dull with pain and her
heart heavy. One thing was for sure: hell would freeze over before she'd
ever let MacAllister come within a mile of her again. This was the second
time he'd made a fool of her. There wouldn't be a third. She'd see to that.
The taxi finally made it to St James's and after paying the driver she scorned
the lift and took the stairs to the third level of the multi-storey. Her heels
made a hollow, clicking sound on the concrete as she walked quickly
towards the bay where the Land Rover was parked, and she'd almost
reached it when the hand on her shoulder drew her up short and spun her
around.
'Not so fast!'
Cold anger glinted at her through those grey eyes, and she drew in her
breath. Damn him! He must have come out of the hotel after her and
followed right behind in another taxi. Vigorously she shook herself free
from his grip. 'I've got nothing to say to you, MacAllister. Go away and
leave me alone.'
'I've got plenty to say to you,' he snapped. Before she knew what was
happening he'd snatched the keys from her hand. 'You and I had an
arrangement. We were going to spend the night together.'
'Give me those keys back,' she warned him quietly.
He slipped them into his pocket then grabbed her arm and grated, 'You're
acting like a hot-headed little fool as usual. You're coming back to the hotel
so that we can sort this mess out.'
'You're the one who's in a mess,' she fumed. 'If you don't give me those keys
back right now I'm going to get the police and have you charged with--'
Her words were choked off as he kissed her with a savage hunger. The
bruising onslaught of his hps took her breath away and as he kept his mouth
clamped over hers her head began to swim. When at long last he decided to
release her she remained exhausted in his arms, panting for breath, until she
could finally summon enough strength to push him away. 'Theft! And now
assault!' she gasped. 'You're in big trouble now, MacAllister.' Desperately
she looked around the deserted parking area. 'I just hope there were
witnesses to that.'
'There weren't,' he growled menacingly. 'Now, are you coming peacefully
or will I have to drag you back?'
Suddenly nervous, she backed away. She had no doubt he'd carry out the [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]