Scandals And Secrets

‘Then she thought wrong.’

Celeste heard the harsh note in his voice. ‘What happened, Byron?’ she queried softly, moving closer and reaching out to touch him on the wrist. ‘Did you find out she was a mercenary gold-digging bitch? You poor darling...’ Her fingernail slid down his sleeve, over his cuff and onto bare flesh. ‘Better to stick to the devil you know in future, don’t you think?’

For a few excruciatingly tense seconds, Celeste thought he was actually going to drag her into his arms and kiss her. His eyes were like hot coals on her softly parted lips, his chest rising and falling with visibly unchecked passion.

But Byron did not let her down. He gathered himself superbly, giving her the coldest look while he lifted her hand from the back of his with obvious distaste.

‘I’d appreciate it if you would keep your hands to yourself,’ he drawled. ‘I don’t know where they’ve been.’

Celeste’s heart contracted fiercely at this open insult. You’ll keep, Byron, she thought savagely. You’ll keep.

Outwardly, she delivered a silky smile. ‘Shall we adjourn to courtroom six?’

‘By all means,’ he returned, just as smoothly.

Courtroom six, however, was not where they ended up. Instead, they were shuffled into a waiting-room where there was nothing to do but wait till they were called to the witness stand. The minutes ticked away with endless tedium. Celeste finding it difficult to remain in the same room with Byron without the soothing comfort of his ongoing contempt. A silently brooding Byron was far too attractive to her recently renewed desire for him.

Celeste contemplated starting a conversation about the night of the ball, and the robbery, and what he was going to say in the witness stand. But that would lead to talk about the Heart of Fire. And while she would have liked to question Byron again over how that rotten opal had come to turn up again, she couldn’t bear dredging up any more memories today, certainly not those memories...

‘Tell me, what’s happening with your family?’ she asked Byron so abruptly that he jumped in his seat.

He eyed her suspiciously. ‘Why would you want to know about my family?’

Her shrug was nonchalant. ‘Why not? They’re my family too, in a roundabout sort of way. Besides, I’m fed up with that old feud nonsense between the Whitmores and the Campbells. We should let bygones be bygones.’

‘Pardon me if I say I don’t believe that for a moment,’ he scoffed. ‘You singlehandedly revived the old feud when you took over Campbell Jewels. Your mother might have been prepared to let bygones be bygones after your father died. But not, you, Celeste. Never you.’

‘A woman can change her mind, can’t she?’

Byron laughed. ‘You mean you’re going to drop all your unfair business tactics? You’re not going to deliberately undercut our prices, even at your own expense? You’re not going to bribe any more Japanese tour guides to bypass our stores in favour of yours?’

‘That was not done with my sanction,’ she said sharply.

‘Then I suggest you get rid of your sales and marketing manager before he ruins you.’

‘I have spoken to Damian.’

‘Spoken? He should have been fired!’

‘He’s family,’ she sighed. ‘You must know what that’s like. I feel responsible for him.’

Celeste was surprised to see understanding soften Byron’s face. ‘Yes,’ he sighed as well. ‘I do. But one makes a lot of mistakes in the name of family responsibility.’

Celeste nodded her agreement while Byron fell silent.

‘Ava’s getting married,’ he resumed abruptly after a short interval.

‘Good lord!’ Celeste was genuinely surprised. ‘Who to?’

‘A very interesting man by the name of Vince Morelli.’

‘An Italian?’

‘An Australian-Italian. In his early thirties and handsome as the devil, though not in a typically Latin fashion. He has the colouring and the body of a Bondi lifesaver.’

‘Well, I am surprised. I’m afraid I rather saw Ava going to her grave a spinster. Are you sure he’s not after her money? As your only sister, she must have quite an inheritance.’

‘He has more than enough money of his own. Runs a construction company that specialises in building blocks of units. My solicitor says he’s rock-solid.’

She threw him a dry look. ‘I see you had him checked out.’

‘I didn’t get where I am today by being trusting, Celeste. Still, you wouldn’t have so many doubts if you saw Ava today. She’s trimmed off a lot of weight and is looking positively glowing. Being in love suits her.’

Celeste flinched inside. ‘How nice for her,’ she said a little stiffly. ‘Speaking of being in love, has Jade tied the knot yet with that hunk of a fiancé she was with at the ball?’

‘Yes, and she’s expecting a baby.’

Celeste had to fight hard this time not to show a thing on her face. ‘Really,’ she said with a falsely bright smile. ‘Is she going to stay home and give up her career?’

‘No such luck, Celeste. Kyle’s the one who’s retiring. Apparently, he fancies himself a house husband while Jade stays head of marketing at Whitmore’s.’

‘Just my luck,’ she muttered. ‘But let’s not talk about business. What’s this I hear about Nathan’s marriage being on the rocks?’

‘What rubbish!’ Byron exclaimed hotly. ‘Nathan and Gemma are extremely happy.’

‘Well, there, you see what I mean? How can one believe what one hears? Nathan’s blissfully happy with his child bride and you’re not getting married again, either. I really must stop listening to gossip. Are you sure you’re not getting married again? You’re not just trying to keep it a secret, are you?’

‘I have no intention of ever getting married again,’ Byron bit out.

‘Oh? Why’s that? Wasn’t your one experience with marriage a happy one?’

‘You know damned well what my marriage was like, Celeste.’

‘I’m not sure I do. Why don’t you tell me?’

‘I am not going to rake over old coals. Neither am I going to speak ill of the dead. Irene tried to be a good wife to me, and I did my best to be a good husband to her.’

‘But you didn’t love her.’

‘Don’t you dare talk to me about love,’ he snarled. ‘You have no concept of what love is.’

Celeste was startled by his sudden vehemence.

‘Women like you are poison to all decent men,’ he raved on in a low but highly emotional voice. ‘You make them think you love them, but you don’t. You play games with them. You turn them inside out. You fuel their desires, use their bodies, and when you’ve had enough you throw them away. Well, I called your bluff that last time, didn’t I, Celeste? I used you and I threw you away. Watch out, darling, or I might do the same thing again. After all, we both know what you are, don’t we? Not a cat. An alley-cat. I could have you just like that!’ And he clicked his fingers.

It was ironic that at that precise moment Byron was called to the witness stand. He stood up, and, without a backward glance, strode proudly from the room.

Celeste stared after him, her heart pounding madly in her chest. Outrage at his insults warred with the astonishing realisation that Byron might really have loved her once. Why else would he still be so bitter towards her? Why else hate her so virulently?