Reluctant Wife(51)

Roz looked down at the tray and her hair shadowed her face. Then she looked up and smiled. ‘I was terribly upset yesterday, but that’s not going to help. Anyway, Adam’s gone to see her now.‘



‘He’ll know what’s best for her,’ Jeanette said confidently, and surprised herself by adding, ‘Like he did for you.’ She studied Roz candidly, though.



‘Roz’s eyes widened slightly.



‘I mean—well, you look so calm and beautiful this morning,’ Jeanette said seriously. ‘Only Mr Milroy could have done that for you.’



How ironic! Roz thought. If Jeanette knew the length I had to go to to persuade Mr Milroy … but then the final irony is that she is right. Only Mr Milroy could have. She felt her cheeks reddening at the thought, but Jeanette was looking around the bedroom as if checking out her domain and seeing how it had. fared during her absence. Roz grimaced inwardly as she thought of the havoc she’d wreaked in her bureau drawers yesterday—was it only yesterday?





Milly was another one who sensed a different aura about Roz very soon, but being Milly, she forbore to comment.



Adam came home at lunchtime and found Roz in the den. He took her into his arms and kissed her lingeringly, then sat down with her in his lap.



‘How is she?’ she asked.



‘I think she’s going to make it,’ he said meditatively. .‘She’s somewhat sedated most of the time, but between times she’s behaving pretty sensibly, for her.’



‘Perhaps she’s … grown up overnight,’Roz suggested.



He smiled slightly.‘Perhaps.’



‘To race, do you think, Adam?’



He took his time answering. ‘There’ve been so many miracles associated with her, Roz … but no, I doubt it.’



‘It doesn’t matter. So long as they can save her.’ She stirred in his arms. ‘When can I see her?’



‘Leave it for a couple of days,’ he advised. ‘She’s getting the best attention possibles and it’s vital that they get her to settle.’



‘l wouldn’t upset her,’ promised Roz.



‘I know, but you might upset yourself. Nothing’s going to happen to her in the meantime.’



‘All right,’ Roz said obediently. ‘What are you going to do for the rest of the day? Go to work?’



‘No, I’m going to play hooky,’ he said seriously.



‘Oh?’



‘Mmm. For the next couple of days, as a matter of fact. I’m going to book into the Ramada, spends some time lazing on the beach, dine out every evening, possibly go to the casino and spend the rest of the time in bed.’



‘Alone?’



‘Very much so,’ he said with a glint in his dark eyes as they rested on her upturned, slightly wary face. ‘Alone with you.’



Some time later she said, ‘In that case I ought to go and pack.’



‘Jeanette’s doing it. Talking of which, they tell me my luggage should arrive tomorrow. There’s a surprise …’ Adam stopped suddenly, ‘ … for you in it,’ he finished on an oddly dry note.



‘Are you going to tell me or do I have to wait?’ teased Roz.



‘Wait.’



‘Not even a Clue?’



‘No, except—well, I could say It had no idea how appropriate it would be.’ And almost as if he was changing the subject Adam said then, ‘How are all the lonely places of your heart now, Roz?’



‘F-filled,’ she said unsteadily, and turned her face into his shoulder. With love, she longed to add but didn’t.





Adam made no further mention of those matters over the next magical days, although Roz did catch him watching her with a curious intensity, several times, which, she found disturbing but decided to ignore. But she thought, of course he must be wondering why I changed so drastically. Will he guess one day that I was fighting for my life, that I was desperately afraid of losing him? Will he one day understand why?



They went to the casino on their last night.



Not long open and the first casino in Queensland, although a second was taking shape in Townsville, Jupiter’s Casino on the Gold Coast had attracted enormous attention. The building alone was spectacular, situated on an island in the Nerang River behind Broadbeach and including a Conrad International hotel, restaurants, convention facilities and of course, beneath a sloping glass roof that at night became a river of light, the two glittering floors of the casino itself.



Dress was flexible,as was the custom in Queensland, but Roz wore a sleeveless black voile dress with a gathered skirt and a silky polyester lining that hugged her breasts and left the golden skin above, bare beneath the round-necked shadowy voile of the bodice. With it she wore high, open-toed black sandals and her only jewellery was her diamond-studded gold bracelet. She left her hair loose and the black accentuated her fairness.