Marriage By Arrangement

But her voice was already sleepy after her night’s work, so Red said, ‘No, I’ll be fine. See you tomorrow afternoon.’

Going upstairs, Red peeked into the rooms. What was obviously Mrs St Aubyn’s bedroom was furnished in exquisite taste—feminine but not overdone. It also contained a king-sized double bed. There was a bathroom and another, smaller bedroom on the same floor, the bed already made up.

Red found a nightdress that fitted quite well but was too short on her, used the bathroom, and got thankfully into the guest bed. She lay awake for a while, feeling as if she was in some strange hotel where she was the only guest, listening to the unfamiliar noises of the house and the quietness of the road outside, but it had been a long day and she soon fell asleep.

It was almost four hours later when some noise penetrated her sleep, bringing her immediately and joltingly awake, her nerves quivering in primitive alarm. She lay still in the darkness, listening, trying to convince herself that it was nothing. Then she heard the slight creak of a stair. But there was no light showing under the door. Someone was creeping up the stairs in the dark!

Red’s first thought was to find something to defend herself with, but the room was unfamiliar and she would have to turn the light on to search around. And if she turned the light on the intruder would know there was someone there, would be warned.

If she stayed quiet in the dark he might go right by. But that would be a cowardly thing to do; she ought to shout and scream, make all the noise she could so that the burglar would turn and get the hell out of there. Easing herself up in the bed, Red searched for the switch on the bedside lamp.

The footsteps were still coming up the stairs, very quietly but very steadily. It occurred to Red that the burglar must have a torch to walk that confidently, but she could see no light flickering under the door.

The burglar reached the landing and started to cross it. Red slid out of bed, found the light switch and turned it on, just as the door of her room opened. She grabbed up a vase and whirled to face the intruder, a tall, powerful man dressed in black, his hand going up to shield his eyes from the light.

Red screamed at the same moment as the man exclaimed, ‘What the hell?’

He took a step towards her and she threw the vase with all her strength. He ducked and it only hit him on the shoulder, but she had already run to the window and torn the curtains apart, was pushing it open, ready to scream for help at the top of her lungs. But she hadn’t got out more than one syllable when the man came up behind her and put a hand over her mouth, pulling her back into the room.

Red immediately began to kick and struggle, but he pinned her arms against her sides, his grip strong, unbreakable. Red bit the hand that was over her mouth and he swore and took his hand away, but the next second, before she could scream, it was at her throat. A flicker of real fear ran through her and Red knew a moment of panic, but then an exasperated voice said in her ear, ‘For God’s sake stop behaving as if you’re going to be raped and tell me who you are, you little fool!’

The voice was curt and angry, but it was one she recognised. Twisting her head round, Red tried to look at him over her shoulder. The man’s grip eased a little and she was able to turn to face him. The man holding her so closely was Linus Hunt.

Her jaw dropped open in surprise and an overwhelming feeling of relief ran through her, but when she didn’t speak Linus said again, ‘Who the hell are you?’

‘I’m—I’m Red McGee.’

Her name didn’t mean a thing to him and he obviously didn’t recognise her. ‘Are you one of Felicia’s pupils? Did she invite you to stay?’

‘Felicia? Oh, you mean Mrs St Aubyn. Yes, I am, and she did—well, in a way.’

Releasing her, he stepped back. ‘I’m surprised you haven’t woken her, the way you screamed out like a frightened schoolgirl.’

‘I didn’t know who you were,’ Red said indignantly. ‘Why didn’t you turn on some lights instead of creeping around in the dark like—like some rapist?’ she retorted, slinging his own insult back at him.

Glancing down at his bitten hand, Linus gave a snort of derision. ‘A rapist wouldn’t stand a chance against you.’

Red glared at him, but in her heart knew it wasn’t so; his strength had been enough to overpower her if he’d really wanted to. Putting that uncomfortable thought out of her mind, she said, ‘Why didn’t you turn the lights on? And why did you come into this room?’

‘Because I didn’t want to wake Felicia, of course.’ He frowned. ‘I’m surprised she hasn’t woken now; she’s generally a very light sleeper.’

Linus made a move towards the door, but Red put a hand on his arm. ‘She isn’t here. I’m afraid there’s been an accident.’

She felt him stiffen under her hand and his face grew tense. ‘An accident? What are you saying?’

There was alarm in his voice, even fear, and Red frowned; he didn’t sound like a toy boy out for what he could get—unless he was worried about his meal ticket, of course. Her voice hardening a little, Red explained, ‘She fell down the stairs. Her ankle is broken and she wrenched her shoulder, but otherwise she’s OK.’

‘Where is she?’ The question was swift, demanding.

‘In hospital. I stayed there until after her ankle was set and saw her in the ward. She’s all right. Really.’

‘I must go to her.’

‘I doubt if they’ll let you see her. She’s been given something to make her sleep.’

‘Which hospital?’

Red told him and he strode out of the room. She heard him go into the main bedroom and pick up the phone. Finding her jacket, Red put it round her shoulders and stood in the doorway, watching as he called the hospital.

Tonight Linus seemed a different person from the unkempt drunk she’d met that first time. He was clean-shaven, clear-eyed and seemed to be fully alert, which made him look younger than she’d first thought. He was also smartly dressed in a well-cut dark business suit, a crisp white shirt and tie.

And she’d been right about him being good-looking once he’d cleaned himself up; he had high cheekbones in a lean face, with a straight nose, and lips that were just right, neither too full nor too thin. His hair was thick and dark, touching his collar, and with a lock that was apt to fall onto his forehead and be pushed impatiently back, as he was doing now as he talked to the sister in charge of the ward. His level brows, too, were dark, as were the lashes that framed his grey eyes.

‘All right. But if she wakes please tell her that I’ll be there first thing in the morning... Yes... Linus Hunt. Thank you.’ Putting the phone down, he turned to look at Red—really looked at her for the first time, his eyes sweeping over her tall, slim figure and mass of auburn hair. ‘Just how do you come to be involved in this?’ he asked.

She pulled the jacket closer over the silk nightgown. ‘I found her. I called round to see her about some more lessons and I saw her through the letter box, so I called an ambulance and went with her to the hospital.

‘She asked me to telephone you, but I couldn’t get any reply, so then she asked me to spend the night here in case you rang.’ Red gave him an assessing look. ‘She was afraid you’d be worried if you called and she wasn’t here.’

‘I rang a couple of times from Zurich airport but the line was engaged,’ Linus said shortly. ‘So I came straight here.’ He lifted an eyebrow. ‘Did you use the phone?’

Red nodded. ‘I called my flat mate to tell her I wouldn’t be home.’ She said it rather defensively, but why she should feel guilty she didn’t know; how was she supposed to have known that he would call at precisely that time?

His face didn’t soften any but he said, ‘It seems that you’ve been put to a great deal of inconvenience on Felicia’s behalf.’

‘It was nothing,’ Red said in embarrassment. ‘I just happened along.’

‘You’re Australian, aren’t you?’

She gave a rueful groan. ‘You’re not supposed to notice the accent.’

Linus grinned, and suddenly he seemed extremely good-looking. ‘That’s what the lessons are for, are they?’ She nodded, but he was already glancing at his watch. ‘It’s four-thirty, and I’ve been travelling all night. I’m going to get some sleep and I’d advise you to do the same.’

‘I don’t need to be advised to do something that simple,’ Red said shortly, strangely disappointed at his obvious lack of interest.

He glanced at her, his eyebrows rising, but merely said, ‘I’ll use this room. Good night—er—what did you say your name was?’

‘Red. Red McGee.’

His eyebrows rose yet again. ‘That’s what I thought you said. Good night.’

She gave him a look, said, ‘Good night,’ in a cool tone, and went back to the guest room.

This time she didn’t fall asleep so quickly. Quite naturally, she was thinking about Linus Hunt. He seemed so different tonight. But maybe he was the kind of man who went on really drunken binges for a few days and was then able to stay off the booze for a few weeks, until the craving drove him back on the bottle.

She wasn’t unfamiliar with the type; there had been a few men who’d worked on her father’s sheep station who’d been like that. Although they hadn’t worked for him long once he’d found out. He’d been fair, though—given them a warning after the first time and only got rid of them after the second bout.

She realised that she would have to revise her first impression of Linus. He was obviously well trained, creeping up the stairs like that and going to sleep in the guest room so as not to disturb Felicia’s sleep.

That must have been why the guest bed was made up—all ready for him. Although, thinking about it, Red decided that if she had been in Felicia St Aubyn’s place she wouldn’t in the least have minded being wakened by a man like Linus. Because, physically, he certainty was quite a man, for all his faults.

Red gave a sigh, feeling like a frustrated schoolgirl, and wondered if Linus was lying awake thinking about her. Then she laughed at herself for being so stupid; the only definite thing about Linus was that he wasn’t interested in anyone but Felicia. Because that was where the money was? Red stirred uneasily, somehow unhappy with the thought.

At eight Red woke, showered and put on the clothes she’d been wearing yesterday: black jeans, a moss-green sweater and a black belt over it round her twenty-two-inch waist. Luckily she always carried make-up with her in her cavernous bag, so she was able to do her face and brush her long hair into its usual mass of crimped waves around her head. Looking at herself critically in the full-length mirror, she decided that she looked pretty good in the circumstances.

Downstairs in the kitchen she started to prepare breakfast, turning on the radio to a pop programme and whistling along to the tunes. Twenty minutes later Linus came into the room.

‘Hi!’ Red greeted him cheerfully. ‘How do you like your eggs?’

‘In the hen.’ He turned off the radio and frowned. ‘Are you always this bright in the mornings?’

‘What’s wrong with being bright?’ She watched as he went to the fridge and took out a bottle of fresh orange juice. He was wearing different, more casual clothes this morning. ‘Didn’t you sleep very well?’

‘No.’ Linus hesitated, then said, ‘I was thinking about Felicia.’

‘She asked me to take her in some things.’

‘I’ll do that.’

‘I’d like to go too. I promised her I would,’ Red said firmly.

Linus glanced at her as he poured the juice, then shrugged. ‘All right.’

Red sat down at the table to eat her breakfast of cereal followed by scrambled eggs and toast, but all Linus had was the orange juice and coffee. He made the coffee, completely at home in the kitchen, knowing where to find everything he needed.

Curiosity overcoming her, Red said offhandedly, ‘This is a really nice house. It must cost the earth to rent.’

His grey eyes settled on her for a moment. ‘Felicia doesn’t rent it; she owns the place. It was left to her by her husband,’ he said shortly.

‘Oh, she’s a widow, then?’ Linus nodded without speaking. Annoyed by his reticence, Red decided to goad him and so went on, ‘Women on their own like that must have to be so careful—not to be taken advantage of, I mean. There are lots of unscrupulous men who’d happily live off older, richer women.’

His eyes again met hers, and she thought that his mouth tightened a little, but Linus didn’t rise to the bait. Instead he set down his empty cup and said in a sardonic tone, ‘If you’re quite sure you’ve had enough, we’d better get the things Felicia asked for.’

He came up to Felicia’s room with her and found a weekend case in which Red carefully put two or three nightdresses, a lacy kind of bed-jacket, and the stuff out of the bathroom that she thought the invalid might need. Linus wasn’t so much at home in the bathroom opening off Felicia’s room; when Red asked him which lotions she ought to take, he didn’t know. ‘Take them all,’ he said impatiently.

Linus called a taxi, and by the time Red had collected her jacket and bag it was at the door. It was another dull grey London day; the streets were crowded with traffic and it took a while to get to the hospital.

Linus drummed his fingers on his knee, and it was plain that he needed to see Felicia and assess her injuries for himself. When they reached the hospital he sprang out, thrusting money into the driver’s hand and striding through the entrance without waiting for Red. She caught him up inside. ‘Which ward?’ he said impatiently.

‘Queen’s. It’s on the second floor.’

They went up in the lift and Red led the way down the corridor, but once in the ward their way was blocked by a buxom senior nurse who looked as if the frown she was wearing was etched into her face. ‘Visiting time is from two till eight,’ she said shortly.

‘We’ve come to see Mrs St Aubyn. She was brought in as an accident case last night.’

‘We’ve brought some things for her,’ Red added.

‘I’ll give them to her. Come again this afternoon.’

‘I’m very worried about her and I insist on seeing her now,’ Linus said stubbornly, his face and voice sharp, determined not to take any denial.

Looking at him, the nurse knew that she’d met her match, but still said belligerently, ‘Only close family members are allowed to come out of visiting hours.’

‘I couldn’t be any closer,’ Linus said shortly. ‘She’s my mother.’

The nurse heard Red’s involuntary gasp of surprise and raised her eyebrows. ‘Your name?’

‘Linus Hunt. My mother married twice,’ he added, before the woman could point out the difference in surnames.

Grudgingly, the nurse said, ‘Very well, you can see her for a few minutes. She’s down there on the right.’ Linus started down the ward and Red went to follow, but the nurse said in a voice of evident disbelief, ‘And who are you—her daughter?’

Taken aback, Red said, ‘Well, no, I...’

At the same time Linus said, ‘Yes,’ adding smoothly as her voice petered off, ‘She’s Mrs St Aubyn’s daughter-in-law—my wife.’ And, taking Red’s arm, he strode down the ward.

Red giggled as the nurse stared after them. ‘Nice one. That was a great idea, to say you were her son. She’d never have let you in if you’d admitted you were only a boyfriend.’

Linus stopped and swung round to give her an incredulous look. ‘What did you say?’

‘That you...’ Her voice dried as Red stared up at his amazed face in dawning realisation. ‘You—you mean you really are her son?’ she gasped.

His jaw hardened; his eyes shrivelled her. ‘Of course I am.’

Turning, he strode on ahead, leaving Red to gaze after him. She laughed in incredulous amazement, and suddenly the sun came bursting through the windows and it was a gorgeous day.

CHAPTER TWO

LINUS strode into the sectioned-off part of the ward where his mother lay, and Red tactfully waited outside for several minutes. She guessed that their meeting would be emotional, especially on Felicia St Aubyn’s part, and didn’t want to intrude. Not only that, she was glad of a few minutes alone in which to reassess her opinion of Linus—an opinion that, with just a few words, had been turned completely upside down.

So he wasn’t a toy boy after all. Red felt strangely pleased about that, and wondered if her first impression of him as a drunk might also have been wrong. He seemed so self-confident today, so completely in control that the first image she’d had of Linus was almost impossible to recognise as the same man. But they were one and the same, which made him something of an enigma—and Red’s big failing had always been her inability to contain her avid curiosity.

When she judged it would be OK to join them, she walked into the side-ward and was pleased to see that Mrs St Aubyn was sitting up and smiling, her hand held in her son’s. She let go when she saw Red and beckoned her over. ‘Linus, find a chair for Red,’ she ordered, and held out her hand for Red to take.

‘How are you feeling, Mrs St Aubyn?’

‘Much better, thank you. And so pleased to see you.’

Linus placed a chair on the other side of the bed for her and Red sat down.

‘Linus tells me you gave each other quite a fright last night.’

‘I’m afraid I threw a vase at him. I’m sorry about that.’

‘Nonsense. I’ve often felt like throwing things at him,’ his mother lied fondly.

‘Oh, I didn’t mean I was sorry for throwing it—just for breaking the vase.’

‘Thank you so much,’ Linus said sardonically.

Mrs St Aubyn glanced at them both with some amusement. ‘It was very kind of you to spend the night at the house. I really appreciate it,’ she said to Red.

‘It was no trouble. Will you be able to go home soon?’ she asked, to change the subject.

‘The doctor hasn’t been round yet, but I feel so much better that I’m sure it will be very soon. Perhaps even today,’ she added hopefully.

‘You had a nasty fall and you’re not leaving until you’re fully recovered,’ Linus stated categorically.

Recognising the masterful edge in his voice, Red and Mrs St Aubyn exchanged a glance and each gave the briefest of knowing smiles, both of them aware that the invalid was going to be out of that hospital just as fast as she could, whether Linus objected or not.

‘I’ve brought the things you wanted,’ Red told her.

‘Oh, that’s marvellous. I can’t wait to change out of this horrid nightdress.’

‘It certainly isn’t your usual style,’ Linus said with a grin.

The senior nurse came bustling up to them. ‘The doctors are beginning their rounds. We can’t have visitors here now.’

Linus gave her a frowning look, but leaned forward to kiss Mrs St Aubyn on the cheek. ‘We’ll leave you, then, Felicia. I’ll come back this afternoon.’

‘Goodbye, darling.’

‘Goodbye, Mrs St Aubyn. I’m glad you’re feeling better.’

‘Oh, please, my dear, call me Felicia, won’t you? And will you come back and see me this afternoon too?’

‘Well, I...’ Red gave Linus an uncertain glance, but he looked away, deliberately unhelpful.

‘Please do. There’s something I’d like you to do for me, but there isn’t time to discuss it now.’

‘In that case, I’ll certainly come.’

‘Thank you, my dear.’

The nurse shepherded them out, almost physically pushing them in her anxiety to be rid of them.

‘That officious, domineering female,’ Linus fumed when they were outside the hospital. ‘Give that kind of woman an inch of power and they think they own not only the hospital and the patients but you as well.’

‘I imagine men are much the same, if not worse,’ Red pointed out tartly.

Linus glanced at her, then gave a crooked grin. ‘I’m sure you’re right, but somehow it seems much worse when it’s a woman.’

‘Only because you’re a man.’

‘Of course,’ he said smoothly, and held up an arm to a cruising taxi. ‘Where are you going now?’

‘Oh, Home, I suppose. In Fulham,’ she explained.

‘Give the driver the address.’ She did so and got in the cab, but Linus didn’t join her, instead asking the cabbie what the fare would be and passing over some notes. Leaning in the open door, he said, ‘I suppose Felicia has your telephone number?’ Red nodded, but he didn’t immediately draw back, instead giving her a speculative look before saying, ‘Did you really think I was Felicia’s boyfriend?’

Red pushed her hair off her face and, brazening it out, said, ‘Of course not. I knew who you were all the time.’

But Linus didn’t believe her. Giving her a look, he said with sardonic over-politeness, ‘Well, goodbye, then—and thanks once again for all your help.’ Then he shut the door and the taxi immediately pulled away.

When Red looked back Linus was already calling up another cab.

Apart from once again telling Jenny about last night’s adventure there wasn’t much to do back at the flat. Jenny was keenly interested, but Red found herself playing down the part that Linus had played in it, merely saying that Felicia’s son had turned up and had gone with her to the hospital.

‘What’s he like?’ Jenny enquired.

Red shrugged. ‘OK, I suppose. Quite tall.’

Jenny lost interest, as Red had hoped she would, and went on to chat about the bistro. After lunch Red showered, got Jenny to do her hair in its usual mass of crimped, pre-Raphaelite waves, and changed into clean jeans and sweater.

She was about to leave for the hospital when last night’s date rang and she had to spend some time on the phone, placating him and promising to go out with him on her next free evening. Finally managing to get away, Red made a detour to a flower stall to buy a large bunch of daisies for Felicia, then had to wait ages for a bus, so it was almost three when she arrived at the hospital.

Linus was already there, leaning forward in his seat and speaking vehemently, while Felicia had a stubborn set to her mouth. Their voices weren’t raised, but Red got the distinct impression that they were arguing.

She coughed, making Linus glance round at her. Frowning, he sat back. Felicia, wearing her own nightdress and lace bed-jacket, her face made-up and looking elegant even in those harsh surroundings, smiled a welcome, making up for his silence. ‘Are those for me? How perfectly lovely. Linus, go and find a vase.’

‘A nurse will get one later.’ He finally gave Red a reluctant nod of greeting.

‘But they’ll wilt in this heat. Go and find one now, please.’

He didn’t seem at all willing to go, and Red would have offered to get one herself except that she caught a definite message not to from Felicia. So she went round the bed and sat in the spare chair. Still frowning, Linus got to his feet and went in search of a vase.

As soon as he was out of earshot Felicia leaned forward and said in a lowered voice, ‘Please stay until after Linus leaves; I want to talk to you.’

‘All right,’ Red agreed at once, full of curiosity. Raising her tone to a normal level, she said, ‘Has your doctor told you when you can go home yet?’

‘Yes; he said tomorrow.’

‘That’s wonderful!’ Red exclaimed just as Linus returned.

‘Yes, isn’t it? They only kept me in because I hit my head, but the X-ray showed that I haven’t fractured my skull and the concussion has cleared up, so they want me out of the way to make room for someone who’s really ill.’

This last was said on a note of defiance, making Red wonder if that was what their argument had been about. But surely if the surgeon had said that she was well enough to leave Linus wouldn’t want Felicia to stay in this alien place a minute longer than necessary? That would be cruel, and not the act of a man who had crept up the stairs in the dark rather than risk waking his mother.

Linus said nothing, merely handing Red the water-filled vase so that she could arrange the flowers, which she did by simply thrusting the whole bunch into it. Felicia blinked in surprise but said nothing as Red put them on the bedside cabinet alongside the exquisite spray of orchids that already sat there.