Second Chance with the Millionaire(16)

His words came very close to the truth, her father's solicitor had never  approved of what her father had done and had said so. He was also very  fond of her and would no doubt be prepared to look favourably on a  request from her, but she felt sure that Neville misjudged him when he  hinted that he might put her interests before Saul's. The solicitor was  far too honourable and honest for that, but she was not going to tell  Neville that.

What frightened her most was the knowledge that, if there were no other  buyers, Saul could well be forced to part with the house at a knock-down  price to Neville and his business friends, leaving them to make a good  deal of money out of their acquisition.

'Well, Lucy, what do you say?' His voice had dropped caressingly as he  came to stand beside her, both of them framed in the light from the  french window as he pulled her into his arms. Lucy had to fight against  flinching away from him, praying that he wouldn't guess at her real  feelings. For Saul's sake she mustn't betray to Neville what she was  feeling, at least until she had had the chance to tell Saul what he  planned. Who knew, she thought feverishly, her mind chasing round in  frantic circles, perhaps, with his stepfather's business acquaintances,  he might be able to raise enough money for such a conversion himself?

'For old time's sake? Remember what a fool we made of him that summer? Wouldn't you enjoy doing it all over again?'

Urging herself to play for time, Lucy swallowed her loathing of all that her cousin was suggesting and said huskily, 'Perhaps.'

'Of course you would. This place should have been yours, not his. You'll  use your charm to get round him then?' he asked, referring once more to  the solicitor. 'It shouldn't be too hard.'

'I'll do my best.' Her voice sounded breathless, strangled by her  dislike of what she was doing and her panic that Neville might guess  that she was lying.

'You'd better leave,' she cautioned him. 'Saul will be back soon.'

He frowned and then nodded his head.

'Perhaps you're right. How long do you think it will take you to bring him round? A couple of days?'

Him? Once again Lucy realised Neville was talking about the solicitor. 'I'm not sure. I'll give you a ring.'

'Umm. I'll give you a ring the day after tomorrow to see what progress you've made.'

She had to force herself to stand still when he kissed her, loathing the  feel of his mouth against her own. But at last she was free, her mind  and stomach both churning hopelessly as she watched Neville disappear  through the french window. Seconds later she heard the roar of his car  engine fade into the thick silence.

Dear God, she hoped that Saul would be back soon. There was so much she  had to tell him. She couldn't work, not now, so instead she went back to  the Dower House intending to shower and change for the evening.





CHAPTER SIX


SHE heard Saul's car as she was putting on her make-up, her fears  forgotten as she flew to her bedroom window in time to see it  disappearing up the drive.

Disappointment ached through her that he had not thought to stop, but  then, she reasoned to herself, he was not likely to realise she was  here. She glanced at her watch. Almost half past six, not too early  surely for her to turn up for their dinner date?

She decided to walk to the house, and passed Mrs Isaacs on the drive as  the other woman was on her way home. She slowed down her car and leaned  out of the window to say worriedly to Lucy,

'There's something worrying Mr Saul. Came in in a real strange mood he did, and now he's in the library drinking whisky.'

Worry etched a small frown line on her forehead as Lucy hurried up to  the house; even allowing for a degree of embellishment Mrs Isaacs voice  had held enough genuine anxiety to make her wonder what had happened.  Had Saul received another telephone call from America? Was his  stepfather's health showing more signs for concern?

She called out to him as she entered the hall and receiving no reply  hurried into the library. The moment she saw his face all her worries  about Neville and his plans left her. Saul was frowning, nursing a glass  of whisky, as he turned to look at her broodingly.                       
       
           



       

'Saul what on earth's wrong? Is it your stepfather? Is something wrong at home?'

As she flew towards him, it seemed for a second or so that he almost  flinched back from her, but no, she must have been mistaken because his  fingers were now curling round her upper arm, almost painfully tightly  she realised, but such was her concern for him that she didn't bother to  draw this to his attention.

He was looking at her in a very odd way, she realised, searching her face, almost desperately.

'Saul …  What is it?' She reached out pleadingly towards him, smelling the  spirit on his breath. 'Something's happened, hasn't it?' she demanded  positively.

His mouth curled into a totally humourless smile, his expression one of  such frozen bleakness that it made her shiver. She had never seen such a  cold look in anyone's eyes before.

'You could say that, but now isn't the time to talk about it!' He was abrupt with her almost to the point of dislike.

'Would you prefer me not to stay?'

She had to ask him the question, barely recognising the man who had been  so tender towards her in this cold, almost frightening stranger.

'No …  No, stay.' He turned away from her, pouring himself another drink,  she noticed worriedly, his back to her as he asked tonelessly, 'Did you  get much done this afternoon?'

'Er … ' Now was her chance to tell him about Neville, but how could she add to whatever was already on his mind?

'So …  so.'

'I went to see Patterson this afternoon,' he told her abruptly. 'He advises me to sell this place. What do you think?'

His question caught her off guard, and without thinking she replied  absently, 'I don't see that you've much option. It would cost a fortune  to live in.'

'Your father managed it,' he reminded her tersely.

Lucy didn't need reminding that what few assets the estate had possessed  which might have benefited it had been realised by her father for  Oliver's benefit. A faint tinge of guilty colour washed her skin at  Saul's bitter tone.

'By the skin of his teeth,' she agreed quietly.

'So you think I should sell then?' he asked her curtly.

He was looking at her now, his eyes glittering almost feverishly, high  colour burning over his cheekbones almost as though he had a fever. He  looked ill, Lucy realised worriedly, his skin beneath that hectic flush  an unhealthy greyish colour.

'Saul. What is it?' She went towards him automatically, stopping in shock when he raised his hands as though to rebuff her.

'You haven't answered my question yet, Lucy,' he told her harshly.  'Would you advise me to sell-to get rid of this place as quickly as I  can before it becomes a millstone round my neck?'

This wasn't the time to ask him if there was some way he could raise the  finance to out-manoeuvre Neville and his cronies-not while he was  obviously so worried about something else.

'You don't need to say a word-your very silence condemns you,' he  muttered thickly. 'God, when I think how I let you deceive me. How  easily I believed.' He swore suddenly and viciously, flinging his glass  into the fireplace where it smashed into a million tiny shards.

'Saul! Please …  What is it?'

'Saul …  Please … !' he mimicked with savage hurtfulness. 'Please what? Take  you to bed? Sell this place at a knock-down price to your precious  cousin?'

He saw the shock mirrored in her eyes and laughed bitterly. 'Oh yes, I  know all about it, Lucy. I overheard the pair of you talking …  or  plotting, rather. You never for one moment meant a word of what you've  said to me, did you? It was all a game, a ploy to keep me off guard? And  to think I actually … ' She watched the muscles in his jaw lock, too  shocked to take in what was happening. It was almost as though she was  taking part in a play-something so unreal that she herself could hardly  believe what was going on.

'I saw the car and heard your voices. I was just about to come in when I  heard Neville asking you for your help. You didn't even hesitate did  you, Lucy?'                       
       
           



       

His voice rippled with contempt and she shivered beneath the lash of it.

'Saul, you don't understand. I had to pretend to go along with Neville  to discover what he was doing. How can you believe I would actually help  him to injure you? Is that why you're so angry?' Because of what you  thought you overheard?'

'If it was all for my benefit, why haven't you said anything?' he asked her curtly.

Exasperation and pain twisted inside her. 'Because I thought you already  had enough on your mind …  because I was worried that you might have had  bad news from home and I didn't want to add to it. I was going to tell  you, Saul, you must believe that.' For the first time she allowed panic  to invade her voice. 'I was going to ask you if it might be possible for  you to raise enough interest and funds among your father's business  acquaintances to develop the house along the lines Neville was planning  yourself. Saul, please, you must believe me.'