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

He drew back and, taking the mobile from his jerkin pocket, walked across to the window, saying over his shoulder, ‘Don’t let your coffee get cold.’

There were two cups on the tray, and, as she turned to pick up the coffee-pot and fill them, she heard him say a businesslike, ‘Lombard.’

A second later his voice changed to a softer, more caring tone. ‘Hello, sweetheart, how are you…?’

Fiona, Madeleine realised, and something inside her shrivelled up.

‘That’s good…Yes…yes, that’s right. No, I’m afraid we’re snowed up, you wouldn’t get here by road today. Probably not tomorrow, either…’

Her heart starting to race, Madeleine wondered if perhaps the other woman was in some clinic, and wanting to come home for Christmas?

‘Yes, that would be fine,’ Rafe agreed. ‘I’ll make the arrangements. As a matter of fact it will fit in very nicely with my other plans…’

If Fiona was intent on coming here, somehow she had to get away. The panicky thought was going through her mind when he added, ‘I’ll ring you back in a little while…Yes, yes, I will…Bye.’

He dropped the phone back into his pocket and returned to sit on the bed, making the mattress depress beneath his weight.

She was taken completely by surprise when he asked casually, ‘How do you feel about a trip to London?’

‘A trip to London?’ she echoed blankly.

‘I thought we might have lunch at the Denaught.’

‘Lunch at the Denaught…But I—I thought…’ She stammered to a halt.

‘That I meant to keep you a virtual prisoner?’

Annoyed by his amusement, she demanded, ‘Wasn’t that what you intended me to think?’

Taking a sip of his coffee, which he liked black and sugarless, he admitted blandly, ‘I did mention keeping you with me. But I was hoping to rely on persuasion rather than actual physical confinement.’

Wondering what kind of game he was playing, why he’d suggested having lunch out, she said, ‘Didn’t you just say we were snowed up?’

‘To all intents and purposes we are. But we have a small snowblower that Jack can use to keep the helicopter pad clear. Ever been in a chopper?’

‘No.’

‘Fancy the idea?’

The true answer was no. She was afraid of heights and didn’t much care for flying in any form. But it would be a chance to leave the house. A chance, once they were at the Denaught, to escape. If she excused herself to go to the powder room, hopefully she could get a taxi and be away before he missed her.

Trying to keep the excitement out of her voice, she readjusted the duvet and said, ‘Yes, that would be very nice.’

‘Of course, I’ll want your word that you won’t try to run. That you’ll stick with the role of the physiotherapist Harriet hired.’

Try as she might she was unable to meet his eyes and, with a hark back to childhood, the hand hidden beneath the duvet had the first and middle fingers crossed as, after the briefest hesitation, she agreed, ‘Very well.’

‘Good. Then while you shower and dress I’ll have a word with Jack and get everything organised.’

The second the door had closed behind him, she jumped out of bed, pulled on her clothes and hurried along the corridor to her flat.

As soon as she had dried herself and dressed she put on her make-up and coiled her hair, leaving the same small gold hoops in her ears that she’d worn the previous night.

She couldn’t wait to get away. It would mean leaving her cases, but once she was safely in London she could arrange to have them picked up. In the meantime, Eve would lend her whatever she needed.

Dressed in a cream blouse and a fine wool suit the colour of molasses, she pulled on a pair of matching suede boots and crept downstairs.

As soon as she’d found Mrs Boyce and retrieved her handbag, she would go back to the flat and phone Eve.

There was no sign of the housekeeper, and, having peered into several rooms, including the kitchen, she was returning to the hall when Rafe appeared wearing a hip-length leather jacket.

‘Lost?’ he queried.

‘I was looking for Mrs Boyce.’ Instinctively she spoke the truth.

‘Mary’s off until after Christmas. Annie will be filling in for her, when she gets here.’

‘Oh…’ Madeleine said. But, thinking back, she could vaguely remember Mrs Boyce mentioning it.

‘Were you wanting the housekeeper for any particular reason?’ he asked.

Doing her best to sound casual, she explained, ‘Last night I couldn’t find my handbag. I thought I must have left it in the living room, but when I went to look it wasn’t there. I presume Mrs Boyce must have found it and put it somewhere safe.’

‘Well, if that’s all it is, there’s no problem.’

‘But I need my purse and—’

He smiled lazily. ‘Don’t worry, I promise I’ll buy lunch. Now, about ready to start?’

There was money in her flight bag, and she would need money for a taxi. Her mind working overtime, she said, ‘Not quite…I’d better fetch a coat,’ and fled back upstairs.

It was a moment’s work to unpack her cream coat, and her flight bag was where she’d left it. Knowing how useful its contents would be, she hesitated, sorely tempted to take it.

But the last thing she wanted to do was alert Rafe. Giving up the idea, she unzipped it and felt for the money she’d slipped into the inner pocket alongside her passport and other papers.

The pocket was empty.

It must be the one on the other side.

That too was empty.

Feeling as though she’d been kicked in the solar plexus, she made a more thorough search.

Everything else was there, but her money, her passport and other travel documents were gone.

Suddenly it all added up.

There were money and papers missing, a phone that wasn’t working, no keys in the doors, a handbag that had mysteriously disappeared…