Mistress Against Her Will

‘Certainly, Mr Lorenson.’ She lifted the phone. ‘Shall I ask him to pick up your luggage?’

‘It’s already in the boot, thanks.’ Turning to Gail, he queried, ‘Ready to go, Miss North?’

The brisk question scattering Gail’s thoughts like a gunshot scattered starlings, she got to her feet.

They went down in the lift without a word being spoken, but she was uncomfortably aware that he never took his eyes off her face.

As, his hand at her waist, they made their way across the foyer, the pretty blonde behind the reception desk smiled brightly and called an eager, ‘Good morning, Mr Lorenson.’

‘Morning, Miss Johnson,’ he responded pleasantly. ‘Settling in all right?’

‘Very well, thank you, Mr Lorenson.’ She gave him another sparkling smile and shot Gail a glance that was frankly envious.

Judging by the way this attractive girl was practically drooling over him, Gail could quite believe he had no trouble getting a woman to warm his bed whenever he wanted one.

Outside the impressive entrance a stylish black limousine was just drawing up. A moment later the uniformed chauffeur had jumped out and was standing by to open the door.

As they approached, he said, ‘Good morning, Mr Lorenson,’ with a respectful salute.

‘Morning, John… On the way to the airport, will you stop at Delafield House, Rolchester Square? It’s just off the West Brackensfield Road.’

‘Certainly, sir.’

‘How’s the wife keeping?’

‘Very well, considering, thank you, sir. The twins are due any day now.’

‘Know what they’re going to be?’

As Gail got into the luxurious car, she heard the middle-aged chauffeur answer proudly, ‘A boy and a girl, sir.’

‘Lucky man. When they arrive, I dare say your wife will be only too glad of some help, so take a couple of weeks paid leave. I’ll be away, so you won’t be needed here.’

‘Why, thank you, sir,’ the chauffeur exclaimed gladly. ‘Jenny will be grateful. She’s been wondering how she’d cope. But I told her, there’s no need to worry, Mr Lorenson won’t see us in a mess…’

Gail frowned. Though as far as she was concerned he’d been anything but easy to deal with, his consideration for his chauffeur didn’t match the cold, uncaring image Paul had painted.

The thought of Paul made her wonder how she was going to manage to phone him. If Zane Lorenson stayed in the car while she went in to pack, it wouldn’t be a problem. But if he decided to come in…

‘You’re looking worried,’ he observed gravely, sliding in beside her and reaching over to fasten her seat belt. ‘Something wrong?’

Feeling flustered by his nearness, the firm thigh pressing against hers, she moved away as inconspicuously as possible and said jerkily, ‘No. No, nothing at all.’

The ironic glance he gave her confirmed that he had noticed her instinctive reaction to his closeness, but he merely observed, ‘I thought you might have changed your mind about working for me.’

She longed to say that she had, but dared not until she had talked to Paul and got his blessing.

Instead she answered with what conviction she could muster, ‘No, of course not, Mr Lorenson.’

‘As I said, when we’re away from the office I like a friendly, informal atmosphere, so make it Zane, and I’ll call you Abigail.’

‘I prefer Gail,’ she said quickly.

‘Then Gail it is.’

Very conscious of the fact that he was studying her profile, and struggling to keep her composure, she turned to look at him, remarking steadily, ‘Yours is an unusual name.’

His white teeth gleamed in a smile before he told her wryly, ‘I used to curse my father—who had a regrettable taste for Westerns and read a lot of stories by Zane Grey—until I discovered that my mother would have called me Tarquin.’

In spite of herself, Gail smiled. ‘Yes, I see what you mean.’

His eyes on her face, he said softly, ‘You’re quite beautiful when you smile.’

If it had been his intention to destroy her hard won composure, he succeeded. Completely thrown by both by his words and his close scrutiny, she found herself blushing hotly.

A moment later she heard his quiet, satisfied chuckle, before he said with mock repentance, ‘Dear me, now I’ve embarrassed you. I’m afraid I hadn’t realized that some women are still capable of being embarrassed by a compliment.’

Gail sat as if turned to stone as he added caustically, ‘Or anything else for that matter. Most of the females I’ve met, even as young as sixteen or seventeen, are able to throw themselves at a man without so much as a blush…’

Even as young as sixteen or seventeen… Oh, dear God, why had he said that unless he knew?

As she waited in an agony of fear and humiliation for the axe to fall, he went on, ‘It’s quite refreshing to meet a woman in her twenties who obviously doesn’t belong in that category.’ So he didn’t know. She released the breath she had been unconsciously holding. It was her own sense of guilt and shame that had turned a general reference into a specific incident.

Too wrung out to make any further attempt at conversation and wishing herself anywhere but where she was, she stared blindly ahead and made an effort to at least appear relaxed.

But while she remained taut as a drawn bow string she was well aware that her companion—who was leaning back, his long legs stretched negligently, his feet crossed neatly at the ankles—was completely at ease.

Nothing more was said until they turned into Rolchester Square and drew up outside the modern block of flats.

When the chauffeur opened the car door, as nonchalantly as possible, Gail told the man beside her, ‘I’ll be as quick as I can,’ and hastily scrambled out.

She thought for a split second that she had succeeded in leaving him behind, but Zane followed on her heels, saying coolly, ‘If you can rustle up a cup of coffee, I could certainly use one.’

‘Of course,’ she agreed hollowly.

It would be no use attempting to phone Paul now. The internal walls of the flat were paper-thin. Even if she spoke quietly, Zane was bound to realize she was talking to someone.

She could use her mobile to send a text, of course. But if Paul was busy he might not bother to pick up a text message until lunch time, and that would be far too late.

A second or two’s thought convinced her that it would be better to wait until she reached the airport. Then she could slip into the Ladies’ and phone him from there.

If he was willing to let her back out, she could tell Zane that she had had second thoughts and get a taxi home.

Feeling a shade happier, she fished in her bag for the key and let them both into her ground floor flat which, though small, was as pleasant as the two girls could make it.

Dropping her bag on the coffee table and indicating one of the linen-covered armchairs, she asked, ‘Won’t you sit down?’

But, ignoring the polite invitation, Zane followed her through to the tiny kitchen and leaned idly against one of the work surfaces while she put the kettle on and spooned coffee into the cafeti?re.