Carole Mortimer - Living Together

‘Oh,’ Matt looked shamefaced. ‘I see.’

‘By “he”,’ Helen said tautly, ‘I take it you mean Leon Masters?’

‘Well—–’

‘Of course we do,’ Matt acknowledged impatiently. ‘Hell, what’s the use of prevaricating, Jenny?’ he snapped as she went to interrupt yet again. He looked down at Helen. ‘Leon wants you there today.’

Her mouth tightened. ‘Does he now?’ She looked angrily at her cousin. ‘I take it this is what you meant by a different approach?’

‘Now look what you’ve done, Matt!’ snapped Jenny. ’Why couldn’t you have just kept quiet?’

Helen stood up. ‘I’m glad he didn’t. So I was supposed to go along today as Leon Masters’ companion,’ she mused softly. ‘God, that man has a nerve! Doesn’t he know how to take no for an answer?’

Jenny shrugged. ‘I should think it’s quite a few years since anyone said it. It’s a new experience for him.’

‘Well, his new experiences can continue. Tell him the answer is still no.’

‘Now look, Helen,’ Matt chided. ‘Leon isn’t an easy man to cross. He can be a right swine at times.’

‘Oh, I know that,’ she said bitterly. ‘But I don’t have to say yes to him. Some of the other women in his life may not have been so lucky—I’m sure he has a lot of influence in the acting world.’

‘Hey, now I wouldn’t ever say he’s used blackmail to get a woman,’ Matt admonished. ‘When I said he could be a swine I meant in his manner and verbally. As far as I know he’s always played it straight with everyone.’

‘Except me,’ said Helen vehemently. ‘He was being underhand and arrogant in getting you to take me with you today. All it’s done is increase my dislike of him. Tell him his little plan failed—miserably. I don’t like him and I don’t want to go out with him.’

Matt raised his eybrows. ‘Another new experience! Most females I know would love to have your opportunity.’

‘They’re welcome to it!’

‘Come on, Matt,’ Jenny linked her arm through his, ‘let’s get out of here before you do any more damage. I think you’ve put your foot in it enough for one day.’

He looked sheepish. ‘Well, how was I to know you hadn’t told Helen about Leon’s involvement?’

‘You should have tried using a little common sense.’

‘Please don’t argue about it, you two,’ Helen told them. ‘It isn’t worth it.’

Jenny bent to kiss her on the cheek. ‘Sorry, love. I was only doing what I thought best.’

‘Involving me with Leon Masters?’ Helen derided.

‘With any man. I didn’t care who it was.’

‘Thanks!’

Jenny sighed. ‘You know what I meant. I was only trying to help.’

Helen grimaced. ‘That kind of help I can do without.’

‘All right, I know when I’m beaten. Have a nice day.’

‘And you.’ Helen picked up her book. ‘And don’t rush back on my account.’

‘We don’t intend to,’ Matt said moodily.

‘Don’t be such a bad loser,’ Jenny chided teasingly.

‘It’s all right for you, but what do I tell Leon? He’s going to be furious,’ he groaned.

‘You’ll think of something,’ Helen said uncaringly. ‘Preferably the truth.’

‘Which is?’

‘That I’m not interested,’ she said in a bored voice.

She went back to her book, pretending an interest she no longer felt until she heard them leave, then relaxed back on the sofa. Leon Masters had a nerve using a trick like that to try and trap her into meeting him. She had no doubt that he had been the one to insist on secrecy about his presence there today.

Thank heavens she hadn’t agreed to go. She didn’t want to meet Leon Masters again, not in any circumstances. And she didn’t want to probe this reluctance too deeply; sufficient to say she didn’t want to see him.

The book that had seemed so good earlier on no longer held her attention, her thoughts drifted again and again, and to things she would rather not be reminded of, painful things that could only hurt her. Why was it always Leon Masters who disrupted the even tenor of her life like this, however unwittingly? Why did he have the power to anger and unnerve her at one and the same time? What was it about him that—

She scowled as the doorbell rang, and got reluctantly to her feet to answer it. It couldn’t be the milkman, she had paid him yesterday, and they weren’t expecting anyone to call today. It must be someone for her cousin.

Her mouth fell open as she saw who stood on the doorstep. It was Leon Masters, vital and attractive in dark brown fitted shirt and trousers, the sunlight shining on his golden hair. ‘What do you want?’ she asked rudely.

He raised his eyebrows at her aggression. ‘To come in.’

‘Why?’ she snapped.

‘So that I don’t have to talk to you standing on the doorstep,’ he said softly, not rising to her anger.

Still she didn’t ask him in. ‘What are you doing here? Wasn’t there anyone available for you to send?’ she sneered.

Leon didn’t wait any longer for her invitation to come inside but pushed past her and walked into the sitting-room. ‘Nice room.’ He sat down.

‘We like it,’ she said abruptly, glowering down at him. ‘I don’t remember inviting you in.’

He gave a slow lazy smile and relaxed back on the sofa, his legs splayed out in front of him. ‘If I’d waited for that I’d still be out there. Sit down, Helen. Relax.’

‘With you?’ she scorned. ‘I can’t relax with someone I don’t trust.’

He sighed. ‘That lets out about ninety-nine per cent of the population. I know you’ve been hurt, but—–’

‘What do you mean?’ she demanded suspiciously.

‘I mean you lost your husband at a very early age,’ he said slowly, watching her closely. ‘But you can’t let something like that warp the rest of your life.’

Helen gave a bitter laugh. ‘You don’t know the first thing about it, so don’t presume to offer me advice.’

‘You’re too young to be buried with your husband,’ Leon said forcefully. ‘You have to get on with living, not bury yourself in the past.’

‘Mind your own business!’ Her eyes sparkled angrily. ‘No one asked you here, no one asked for your advice, so will you just leave?’

‘No,’ he told her calmly. ‘Why didn’t you come to the boat with Jenny and Matt?’

‘Didn’t they tell you?’

‘They muttered something about you being tired, about you wanting to spend the day quietly, that you get seasick. Oh, they came up with any number of reasons for you not being with them, but it was obvious what the real one was.’

‘I’d already decided not to go before Matt told me you would be there,’ she said defensively.

He smiled. ‘I know that. I’m not an ogre, you know, Helen, I won’t do anything about the fact that Matt let the secret out.’

‘I couldn’t give a damn what you do.’ She resumed her cross-legged position in the chair, as far away from Leon Masters as she could get.

‘I thought not.’ He sat forward. ‘You look like a little girl sitting like that,’ he remarked softly.

‘Well, you can depend on it, I’m not!’

‘Thank God for that,’ he laughed huskily. ‘Even at twenty-two you’re a little young for me, any younger and I couldn’t even consider it.’

‘Consider what?’ she asked sharply.

‘Your seduction.’

Helen stood up jerkily, moving to the back of the chair and clutching it. as if for protection. ‘Would you please leave?’ she said shakily.

He didn’t move. ‘I’ve already said no. I’m going to get you, Helen, so you might as well give in without a fight.’

‘I’d fight you to hell and back!’ she told him fiercely. ‘I’d fight any man that came near me.’