Tycoon's Choice: Kept by the Tycoon / Taken by the Tycoon / The Tycoon's Proposal

Convinced she was seeing things, she squeezed her eyes shut.

When she opened them again he was still standing there, his green eyes cool, his face shuttered, silently watching her.

Her heart began to pound like a trip-hammer, her head went dizzy and the blood roared in her ears, while darkness swooped, threatening to engulf her and drag her down into the depths.

Somehow she fought against it and won.

But still she could neither move nor speak, and for what seemed an age she simply sat and gaped at him.

Wearing charcoal-grey trousers and a fine black sweater that pulled taut across his wide shoulders, he looked both disturbing and dangerous.

He was the first to break the silence. ‘You’re even lovelier than I remember.’ His tone was as cool and biting as his gaze, so that the remark sounded more like condemnation than a compliment.

‘Why are you here?’ Her voice shook so badly that the words were barely intelligible.

He smiled thinly. ‘This is my house.’

She made a movement of denial. ‘Mrs Rampling said her son owned Hethersage Hall.’

‘I’m Harriet’s son. Or, rather, her godson.’

‘I don’t understand,’ Madeleine said jerkily. ‘I thought your godparents were called Charn…’

‘Yes, they were. However, when Harriet had been a widow for almost two years, she met and married George Rampling, a middle-aged widower with three grown-up children and a couple of grandchildren…’

But Madeleine was no longer listening. Her thoughts skittering about like mad things, she realised that, as Rafe and Fiona must be married by now, this was Fiona’s house.

Oh, dear God. She might walk in at any minute! Panicstricken at the thought, Madeleine jumped to her feet. She must get away.

She had only taken a couple of steps when Rafe’s fingers closed around her wrist like a steel manacle.

‘Don’t rush off.’

‘Please let me go…’ For a moment or two she tried to pull free.

When, finding it was useless, she stopped he loosened his grip a little and, leading her back to the chair, pressed her into it.

‘I want to leave,’ she whispered.

He shook his head. ‘Harriet was so pleased you were coming, so you really must stay. Otherwise I’ll get the blame for driving you away.’

‘What about your wife?’ Madeleine blurted out.

He raised dark brows.

‘She won’t want me here.’

‘What makes you think that?’ he asked interestedly.

For a moment she almost admitted the truth, then better sense prevailed and she began carefully, ‘As Mrs Rampling isn’t here and your wife is—’

Once again he shook his head. ‘She isn’t.’

For a moment all Madeleine could feel was relief that Fiona wouldn’t walk in and find her there.

‘But I’m neglecting my duties as a host,’ Rafe went on smoothly. ‘What can I get you to drink?’

‘I don’t want anything to drink, thank you.’ Then, more firmly, ‘I’ve no intention of staying. I’m going back to London. Now.’

‘I’m afraid I can’t ask Jack to turn out again on a night like this.’

‘I’ll phone for a taxi.’

‘And do you think you’ll get one?’

‘Surely the conditions can’t be that bad?’ she protested hoarsely.

‘When I came home some time ago it was all I could do to get up the drive, and it’s been blowing a blizzard ever since.’

She lifted her chin. ‘If necessary I’ll walk down to the main road and wait for it there.’

‘Do you know how long the drive is?’

‘No,’ she admitted.

He smiled mirthlessly. ‘I thought not. It’s the best part of a mile, and because it’s in a dip the snow is collecting there. And even if you could struggle to the end of the drive, in weather like this I doubt if they’ve managed to keep even the main road open. In any event, you haven’t a hope in hell of getting a taxi, so you may as well sit down and relax.’

‘I’d prefer to go back up to the flat.’ She got to her feet and started for the door on trembling legs.

Rafe easily reached it first and stood with his back to the panels, barring her way. ‘And I’d much prefer you to stay here.’

She wanted desperately to push past him, but he looked so tall and dark and menacing that she hadn’t the nerve to try.

When she hesitated, he added silkily, ‘I’ve been looking forward to having a talk with you.’

‘Then you already knew it was me your godmother had engaged?’

‘Oh, yes. When Harriet mentioned your name I was able to tell her I knew you, that you’d been Katie’s physiotherapist. She could hardly believe her luck.

‘I would have been at the airport to meet you, but I didn’t want you to change your mind about coming to Hethersage.’

Firmly, she said, ‘Well, I’ve no intention of staying. If I can’t go tonight, I’ll leave first thing in the morning.’

He smiled a little. ‘We’ll see, shall we? In the meanwhile, suppose we sit down and talk?’

‘We’ve nothing to talk about.’

‘That’s just where you’re wrong.’ Cupping her elbow, he led her back to the chair and waited for her to sit before moving to the drinks trolley.