Strategy For Marriage. Margaret Way

ever taken a swing at me before, much less a woman. I want to believe you, Christy Parker, but I have to say I’m absolutely rattled.”

      “Can’t you appreciate it’s the way I feel myself.” She concentrated hard on rubbing her wrist. He hadn’t hurt her applying just enough force to stop the blow but he had rendered her trembling. God knows what was at the heart of it. “This has been a dreadful day. A knock-out sort of day. I really should go to bed. Right now. This minute.”

      His brilliant eyes suddenly sparkled with black humour. “Maybe I should stick around in case you decide to call Deakin back?”

      Pure melancholy was taking hold of her. “I can’t believe how cruel you are,” she murmured. “Not that I care. After tonight I’ll never see you again.”

      He was aware how violently he wanted to change that. “You don’t believe that any more than I do.”

      It was said in such a disturbing voice, with the irony she was becoming used to and something less identifiable. Whatever it was it sent shock waves through her. Feelings very hard to deal with on this day of days.

      “I’ll speak to you tomorrow.” He sounded perfectly calm, even calculating.

      “About what?” she asked bewilderedly, trying to find some clue in the unreadable depths of his eyes.

      “Oh we’ll go someplace,” he tossed off carelessly. “I don’t have to be back home until the end of the week.” Not true but what the hell! He marvelled at how completely his focus had changed. “You need something to shake you out of your misery. You didn’t love Deakin. No one could love anyone without a soul.”

      Soulless most of all. “I thought I loved him,” Christy said, horrified when she felt tears well into her eyes. She couldn’t cry in front of this man. She saw him as… Oh, God, what did she see him as? “You talk about a soul.” She blinked back the tears furiously. “I can’t even trust my own heart.”