Stand-In Mistress

‘No, I didn’t. But from some of the things he said, and the way he looked at me, I know he wanted to.’

Joanne gritted her teeth. When Milly had first started to work for the company, Steve had mentioned that Lancing had a bad reputation as far as women were concerned.

But she hadn’t worried, never dreaming that a sophisticated man like him would be even remotely interested in a girl who was just eighteen, and newly married, to boot.

He must be a complete and utter swine, and totally without scruples.

‘Surely you realise a man like that is only out for what he can get?’ she said desperately. ‘And when—’

‘Don’t tell me, I know…When he’s got it he won’t respect me. Well, I’m fed up with being respected. I want some excitement in my life, and if this trip to Norway does come off…’ She stopped speaking abruptly.

‘What trip to Norway?’

‘If it turns out to be necessary, Brad will be going to Norway for six weeks or so on business. He’s asked me to go with him.’

Tight-lipped, Joanne demanded, ‘As what?’

‘His secretary, of course,’ Milly answered demurely.

‘But you’re no longer working for him. You’ve given in your notice.’

Milly shook her head. ‘I haven’t said anything about leaving. I haven’t made up my mind about going to Scotland…’ Seeing the look on her sister’s face, she faltered to a halt.

Joanne’s cup rattled into the saucer. ‘You can’t seriously mean that you’re willing to risk destroying your marriage because of a silly infatuation?’

‘Oh, but I—’

‘Hasn’t it occurred to you that Brad Lancing probably only wants a brief fling? Another notch on his bedpost? Even if I’m mistaken about him being married, he has a reputation as a Casanova…And what about your wedding vows?’

‘I was too young to tie myself for life.’

‘At the time you assured me you were ready for the responsibilities of marriage.’

‘Well, I thought I was.’

‘So did I. And so did Duncan. But if you’re stupid and immature enough to jump into bed with the first man you regard as gorgeous, we were obviously wrong.’

Flushing, Milly hit back. ‘Oh, you’ve always been so prim and proper. If you’re not careful you’ll end up an old maid, or married to someone as narrow-minded as Trevor.’

‘Suppose you leave me out of it.’ Joanne tried to speak calmly. ‘It’s your future we’re discussing…and Duncan’s. He absolutely adores you. Have you thought what this will do to him?’

‘I never wanted to hurt him,’ Milly said unhappily. ‘But I don’t seem able to help myself. I keep thinking about this wonderful trip to Norway and what I’ll lose if I don’t go.’

‘Try thinking about what you’ll lose if you do go. A future with a good man who loves you, who’ll stand by you; a home of your own, and a chance to make a life together in a beautiful part of the world…

‘Suppose you give up all those things and this wonderful trip doesn’t materialise?’

Seeing the uncertainty on her sister’s young face, Joanne pressed home her advantage. ‘You can’t expect Duncan to wait around tamely to see whether his wife is going to Scotland with him, or to Scandinavia with another man.’

Milly bit her lip. ‘I’ll know by tonight if the trip’s on. Brad’s been away on business for over a week, but he said he’d be back this evening and if the Norway trip needed to go ahead he’d call me.’

‘Here?’

‘Yes. You see, there’s not much time. If it is all systems go, we’ll be travelling tomorrow morning.’

‘What if he doesn’t call?’

Milly twisted her wedding ring round and round her finger. ‘I don’t know. I may go to Scotland…I’m not sure—’

The sound of a key turning in the lock cut through her words, and a moment later a voice called cheerily, ‘Milly, darling, I’m back.’

Scrambling to her feet, Milly said urgently, ‘Jo, you won’t say anything to Duncan until I’ve made up my mind?’

‘Not a word. But if you don’t want him to start asking awkward questions, I suggest that while I finish getting dinner ready you go up and make a start on some packing.’

As the girl hurried away, her bright-blue eyes clouded with worry, Joanne rose heavily to her feet and collected the cups and saucers.

Damn Brad Lancing! she thought violently as she rinsed and dried them. How could he encourage someone who was obviously just an easily-led young girl, and married into the bargain?

Milly might have imagined herself in love with him, but if he hadn’t taken her out to dinner and dangled the bait of this Norwegian trip in front of her she wouldn’t be seriously contemplating leaving Duncan.

Standing wringing the tea towel between her hands as though it was Brad Lancing’s neck, Joanne was still mentally castigating him when the wall-phone, just by her head, rang.

She picked it up on the first ring and gave the number distractedly.

‘Miss Winslow?’ a clear, well-modulated voice asked.

‘Yes.’

‘Brad Lancing. The Norwegian trip is on. I’ll be pleased if you’ll have dinner with me tonight, so we can discuss the travel arrangements…?’

A red mist forming in front of her eyes and the blood pounding in her ears, Joanne was about to tell him who she was, and exactly what she thought of him, when a sudden sense of caution brought her up short.

Would that be wise?

Rather than giving up, a man like him, with no sense of shame, might only keep on trying to contact the girl he had obviously marked down as his next conquest, and somehow she must prevent that at all costs…

While her thoughts raced frantically, part of her mind registered the fact that the attractive voice was going on, ‘I’ll be at Somersby’s at seven-thirty, if you can make it?’

About to say coldly that she couldn’t, Joanne hesitated. Then, reasoning that if she agreed, as he doubtless expected, he would have no cause to argue or phone again, she adopted Milly’s slightly breathy way of speaking, and said, ‘Yes, I’ll be there.’

‘The address is Grant Street, Mayfair. Take a taxi.’

A second later she heard the receiver at the other end being replaced. It seemed he was a man of few words. Which was a blessing. If he’d tried to engage her in conversation it would have been difficult to keep up the pretence.

Even worse, Milly might have put in an appearance, and so long as she believed he hadn’t rung she could well decide to go to Scotland.

Once there, and settled into her new life, surely this temporary infatuation would die a natural death?