The Arrogance Of Love

Susan felt suddenly annoyed with him. Did he know how inexperienced David was at smoking? Had Amanda told him he was both a teetotaller and a non-smoker? If he did know, he was being deliberately provocative. Amanda, apparently unconcerned, said, ‘How's Jon these days?'

‘He's fine, thanks. He's looking forward to seeing you. I told him I would bring him to lunch with you some time next week. I'm sending him to Fay's in a few days. He can stay there for a week or so. I know he doesn't like going, but it will do him good to get with children of his own age. He's far too precocious. That's what comes of always being with adults.'

Susan listened to this conversation with interest. Who was Jon? Her question was soon answered as Amanda said, by way of explanation:

‘Jon is Dominic's son. He's fifteen, and he lives in England most of the time. Dom doesn't take him with him on his travels, do you, Dom?'

Dominic's eyes narrowed. ‘Unfortunately not. I feel I'm neglecting him at times, but at others I realize that were we together more we would probably get in each other's way.'

Susan looked aghast. ‘What a thing to say!’ she exclaimed, before she could stop herself. ‘Poor boy!'

Dominic's eyes were mocking. ‘There's nothing poor about Jon, believe me,’ he remarked coolly. He looked at Amanda. ‘Is there, A.B.?'

‘No, I suppose not. But I can understand Susan's feelings. She has never known a parent's love; she was brought up in an orphanage. To hear you speak of Jon you would imagine he was an encumbrance to you.'

Dominic sighed, and drew deeply on his cigar. ‘Let's say Jon and I are too much alike to get along well together,’ he remarked. ‘We both like our own way too much.'

‘Besides,’ said Amanda dryly, ‘the kind of life you lead is not fitting for a child of that age.'

David, who had not been taking any part in this conversation, looked appalled at Amanda's candid manner of speaking. He was already looking a little green, and had stubbed out the cigar.

Susan, seeing this, said quickly, ‘Is that meal ready yet, Amanda? I'm starving!'

The meal was delicious and David soon lost his pallor. After dinner was over they returned to the armchairs, and everyone but David had brandy in delicately cut glass goblets, warmed to perfection.

Amanda began asking Dominic about his travels abroad and for a long while they listened while he recounted anecdotes about the people he had seen and the places he had visited.

He was a fascinating raconteur and Susan sat listening to him as though hypnotized by the sound of his deep, relaxed tones. She avoided looking at him as much as possible, but occasionally her eyes strayed in his direction and she discreetly studied the strong line of his jaw and the thick richness of his hair. His linen was immaculate and accentuated his dark colouring, and the lashes which veiled his eyes were long and thick.

But it was not his looks which attracted Susan. She had seen many handsome men who caused her not the slightest reaction. It was something more; a kind of animalism, which made her aware of the primitive emotions that run just below the surface of modern man. From Amanda's remarks she had gathered that, married or otherwise, Dominic Halstad was no saint, and the knowledge merely gave him an added attraction, a kind of dangerous temptation.

Realizing where her thoughts were leading her, she quickly brought them back to normalities. Why could not she remember she was an engaged woman, and act accordingly? She felt she was behaving, or feeling, like a schoolgirl with a crush on the headmaster.

It was eleven o'clock when David said, ‘I think we ought to be going, Susan. It's getting late.'

Amanda stretched. ‘It's only eleven, David.’ She shrugged. ‘But if you must, you must.'

Dominic rose to his feet. ‘Can I give you a lift anywhere?’ he asked.

‘Thank you, but I have my car outside,’ replied David. ‘And thank you, Amanda. I've enjoyed myself enormously.'

Amanda stood up also. ‘I'm so glad. We must do it again, eh, Susan?'

Susan nodded, and allowed David to wrap her cape about her.

‘Yes, we must,’ she said. ‘Mr. Halstad's conversation was quite fascinating.'

‘Yes, Dom ought to write a book,’ said Amanda, looking playfully at Dominic. ‘How about that, Dom?'

‘Well, I will if I can borrow your secretary to do my typing for me,’ he replied, watching Susan and seeing the hot colour surge into her cheeks.

David, too, saw his fiancеe's embarrassment, and hastily drew her to the door.

‘We must go. Good night, Mr. Halstad. Good night, Amanda.'

Outside the air was freezing, and Susan shivered. ‘Central heating certainly makes you more vulnerable to the elements,’ she said. ‘Hurry up and let's get home, David.'

David put her into the car and then went to start it, but to Susan's dismay it would not start.

‘Oh, lord,’ muttered David. ‘What a thing to happen on a night like this! It must be the cold air. It seems to have knocked all the life out of the battery.'

Susan saw the funny side and giggled. ‘Well, shall I push, or will you?'

‘Don't be ridiculous,’ snapped David, unable to see anything amusing in their predicament.

‘All right, all right. I was only trying to cheer you up.’ Susan hunched her shoulders, and waited while David cranked the engine furiously.

‘Shall I try and catch it on the accelerator?’ she ventured, a few moments later.

‘No.'

David was fuming, and Susan sighed. This would have to happen. Just when David was seeming a little more human, this occurred, and now he was sure to find it Amanda's fault in some way.

‘If we hadn't spent so long in there, the damn car wouldn't have frozen like this,’ he muttered, and Susan sighed again. Here it came! The same old story of recriminations. Anything but the real reason the car had defaulted.

Suddenly, the swing doors of the apartment building opened again, and a tall figure emerged, dressed in a thick fur-collared overcoat. It was Dominic Halstad, and Susan groaned inwardly. This would really settle things. David hated seeming at a disadvantage.

Dominic merely nodded to them and walked across to a dark-green Mercedes saloon that was parked just ahead of them.

David straightened up and looked at Susan. ‘Shall I ask him if he will give you a lift?’ he asked abruptly.

‘No, of course not. I'll wait and go with you. We'll get away soon.'

David looked relieved. ‘I'm sorry I bellowed at you,’ he said awkwardly. ‘I'm a bad-tempered cuss.'

‘Don't be silly,’ said Susan, smiling. ‘Just hurry up and let's get going.'

Dominic Halstad had now opened the boot of his car and was producing a coil of plastic-covered rope which he brought to David, saying casually:

‘Would a tow be of any use?'

David lifted his head. ‘Why … yes, it would. It's just the battery, I think. It's a bit flat.

‘Okay. You fasten your end and I'll fasten mine. Give me a blast on your horn when you start up, right?'

‘Right.'

David hastily tied the tope to his car, while Dominic connected the other end, and nodded briefly at Susan before sliding into the driving seat and starting up.