Revenge By Seduction

‘What puzzles me,’ she went on, ‘is why you were so surprised when you saw his picture in the paper and discovered that he was going with someone else. Surely you must have had your suspicions about him when you awoke in the morning and found your taxi fare on the table? I mean…how much of a hint does a girl need?’

She bit her lip, looked at Madge helplessly, then shook her head, more in wonder at her own innocence than anything else. ‘No…I didn’t. He’d already told me that he was a busy businessman and I thought that since I’d still been asleep he’d left me undisturbed out of consideration. And, anyway, there was that note promising to get in touch with me as soon as he got back.’ She gave a laugh of self-mockery. ‘That shows the kind of fool I was, doesn’t it?’

Madge regarded her with sorrow. ‘Your misfortune was to fall in love with him. Any other girl would have realised that he’d only been looking for a one-night stand, but you’re so guileless and innocent. I don’t like saying this, dear, but you’re going to make an even bigger fool of yourself if you keep on brooding about it like this. You have your whole adult life ahead of you. All men aren’t like Ryan Hind. Some day you’ll meet someone decent, who really loves you, and you’ll get married and raise a lovely family.’

‘And how can I tell if a man is decent or a…a rat like him?’ she demanded hotly. ‘I was wrong once and I could be wrong the next time, couldn’t I?’ Her face hardened. ‘Well, there won’t be a next time. I’ll make damn sure of that.’

Madge sighed in frustration. ‘It’s just as I feared.’ She pressed her lips together, then said, ‘You, young lady, are in danger of turning into a disillusioned and sour old maid. We’ll have to do something about that before it’s too late, won’t we?’

Catriona stared at Madge in silence, her blue eyes perplexed. This was her own personal problem…a problem of her own making, caused by her own stupidity. Madge’s sympathy was understandable, but she was acting as if she was the one who’d been betrayed.

‘You are suffering from a personality crisis,’ Madge went on relentlessly. ‘You’re beginning to lose your sparkle and your youthful exuberance, and that’s bad for business.’

Bad for business? She gave Madge a long, perceptive look, then smiled wryly. ‘You’re a terrible liar, Madge. That isn’t the reason at all, is it?’

Madge returned the smile, then shrugged. ‘I know, but the truth is too embarrassing to admit.’

‘Huh! I doubt if you’ve ever been embarrassed in your life.’

‘No. I don’t suppose I have,’ Madge admitted cheerfully. ‘But then I’ve always been a selfish bitch. The only person I ever really cared about was myself. But they say that every woman has a mother instinct. Well, mine has been about twenty years late in arriving, so let’s just say that I’m trying belatedly to make amends.’ She paused, and for a moment her eyes were filled with a sadness that suddenly made her seem vulnerable, then she brightened up. ‘Just look on me as a shop-soiled old fairy godmother who hates to see you unhappy.’