Darkness Into Light

‘You can’t,’ Cheryl told her with obvious relief. ‘He’s coming up to London for the weekend.’

‘But I thought he was working.’ She was genuinely surprised.

‘He’s managed to change weekends with someone else,’ her sister said triumphantly.

‘What about Nigel?’

Cheryl sighed. ‘He’s had to go away unexpectedly,’ she grumbled. ‘To Germany this time.’

She had known Henry Sutherland was once more away, her efforts to see him earlier today once again met with refusal, but she hadn’t thought of Nigel going with him. This wasn’t the ideal way she would have wanted Cheryl to be with Gary, but at least they would be together; it was better than nothing. And she knew it had given her sister a jolt to know she had had Gary over for dinner. She could only do so much to keep them together, the rest was up to them.

‘I don’t—I’ll have to go,’ she said quickly as a loud knock sounded on the door. ‘Someone is at the door.’

‘About Gary …’

‘He’s your problem,’ she dismissed impatiently, wondering if her visitor could be Pierce; she hoped so. ‘But if he didn’t refuse dinner with me I doubt he would turn down any other invitations he receives either. It’s lonely for him here, Cheryl, I hope you realise that.’

‘It’s lonely for me too.’

‘But you’ve found someone else to ease your loneliness,’ she reminded. ‘So why shouldn’t Gary do the same?’

‘He wouldn’t.’

‘I hope you’re right.’ Danny sighed at her sister’s confidence, sadly afraid Cheryl could be right. ‘Have a nice weekend, Cheryl, but try to remember that you will have to make a decision between Gary and Nigel soon. I’ll call you Monday or Tuesday.’ She rang off quickly before her visitor decided she wasn’t at home and went away again, her face glowing with pleasure when she opened the door to find Pierce standing there. ‘I hoped you would come back tonight.’ She pulled him inside. ‘You left so suddenly last night.’ She beamed up at him.

He seemed slightly dazed by the warmth of his welcome. ‘You had company.’ He shrugged.

‘Only Gary,’ Danny dismissed lightly. ‘You don’t travel with your uncle?’

He frowned, the grey-blue eyes suddenly wary. ‘Sorry?’

‘I was talking to Cheryl on the telephone when you knocked,’ she explained, liking the way the black trousers fitted the lean length of his legs, the grey shirt obviously silk. She felt a bit untidy in her green shorts and lime-green T-shirt, having intended to shower and change after her salad dinner; Cheryl’s call had delayed that. ‘She was bemoaning the fact that Nigel has gone away to Germany with your uncle.’

‘Did he actually tell her that?’ Pierce asked slowly.

‘Oh God.’ She grimaced. ‘I haven’t found another security malfunction?’

Pierce gave a half smile, at once looking less severe and remote. ‘Not that I’m aware,’ he drawled. ‘But Henry Sutherland certainly isn’t going to be anywhere near Germany this weekend.’

Danny gave him a startled look. ‘Are you sure?’

‘He arrived home late this afternoon, and as far as I know he intends staying here for several days.’

She chewed on her bottom lip. ‘Then I wonder why Nigel told Cheryl that?’ She frowned. ‘Let’s go through to the lounge and make ourselves comfortable,’ she suggested absently, moving with her usual grace, sitting cross-legged on the sofa. ‘Please, sit down,’ she invited as Pierce hesitated in the low doorway, the beams on the ceiling almost touching his head as he crossed the room. ‘Mind!’ she warned as he almost walked into the light hanging from the middle of the ceiling.

‘An original cottage, I presume,’ he said drily. ‘Like the house.’

‘Wonderful, aren’t they,’ Danny acknowledged admiringly. ‘We’ve decorated the cottage since my grandfather lived here, of course …’

‘Obviously,’ Pierce mocked.

She gave an appreciative chuckle. ‘But otherwise we’ve tried to keep it the same. It’s very cosy in the winter with the fire burning.’

‘I’m sure. Only Gary?’ he prompted softly.

Danny frowned at the sudden change of subject. ‘Gary Cartwright? Cheryl’s fiancé?’

‘Yes, your sister’s fiancé,’ Pierce acknowledged with steel in his voice. ‘When I said you had company last night you replied“Only Gary”. I take it that young man was your sister’s fiancé?’

Young man? He made Gary sound in a different generation, and as she was Gary’s contemporary … she wouldn’t have that! ‘Yes, that was Gary,’ she confirmed. ‘He left just after you did, he has to be up early for work in the mornings. Why do you suppose Nigel lied to Cheryl?’

‘Why do you?’

‘I thought you said he only concentrated on one woman at a time,’ she reminded.

He shrugged broad shoulders, a certain tension about him even though he seemed relaxed in the chair he had chosen to sit in. Danny wondered if he ever completely relaxed. ‘Perhaps I don’t know him as well as I thought I did,’ he drawled. ‘Will you tell your sister?’

She shook her head. ‘She would just think I’m being vindictive. Letting her think I have designs on Gary is a much better idea.’

Grey eyes blinked, his face remaining expressionless. ‘Is that what you were doing last night?’

She nodded. ‘I like Gary, and I think Cheryl is treating him very badly.’

‘I see.’

‘No, you don’t,’ she laughed at his disapproving look. ‘Gary sees me as another sister; he already has two. And he’s been in our family circle for so long that I think of him as a brother in return. You still haven’t told me why you came over last night.’

‘I wanted to explain to you why such action has been taken over the security man called Benson.’

‘Oh, I understand that it was wrong to turn off the alarms.’ She sobered. ‘He does, too—–’

‘I should damn well hope so!’

‘But he still kept up the visual surveillance,’ she added protestingly.

‘It wasn’t enough.’

‘Pierce—–’

‘Danielle, it was Benson’s responsibility to take care of night security,’ he cut in grimly, his mouth tight. ‘As an ex-policeman he should have known better.’

‘Why do you do that?’ she asked curiously.

‘Benson is—–’

‘No, not that—although we’ll get back to him in a moment. No one else calls me Danielle.’

‘Danny makes you sound like a man.’ He scowled.