Both Sarah and Chloe jumped at Nick’s reappearance, Sarah quite stunned by the ice in his voice. And his eyes.
Chloe’s own eyes stayed hard. ‘Don’t take me for a fool, Nick. I know jealousy when I see it. And I know you. No way could you have lived all these years with a girl of Sarah’s—shall we say?—attractions—without sampling them for yourself. ‘
Sarah’s mouth gaped open whilst Nick’s hands tightened over the back of his chair, his knuckles going white. ‘Are you accusing me of sleeping with my ward?’
‘For want of a better word—yes.’
Sarah suddenly became aware that a silence had fallen over the long, trestle-style table. In the distance she could hear the sound of a speedboat on the harbour. Up close, all she could hear was her own heart beating loudly in her chest.
‘If that’s what you think,’ Nick said, ‘then I suggest you leave.’
Chloe looked rattled for a moment, but only for a moment. Her face became a sour mask as she scraped her chair back and stood up. ‘I couldn’t agree more. I’m not a girl who tolerates being cheated on.’
‘I never cheated on you,’ Nick stated curtly.
‘If that’s so, then it’s only because Sarah decided she temporarily preferred Derek to you. I am well aware she hasn’t been home lately. But be warned, Derek,’ she flung in Derek’s direction, ‘she belonged to Nick first. Isn’t that right, Sarah?’
Sarah could have lied. But she wanted this creature gone from Nick’s life.
‘Yes, that’s right,’ she said, and there was a immediate buzz around the table. Chloe’s face showed a savage satisfaction, whilst Nick’s expression carried alarm.
‘But not the way you’re implying,’ Sarah went on, determined not to let this witch-woman ruin Nick’s reputation in the eyes of his business colleagues. ‘Nick has always had my love, and he always will. He has not, however, ever acted in any way with me but as my protector, and my friend. So yes, I agree with Nick. If you believe he’s behaved in such a dishonourable fashion, then you should leave. There is no place in my home for anyone who doesn’t hold Nick in the same high regard in which my father did, and in which I do. So please,’ she said, and stood up also, ‘let me show you to the door.’
‘No,’ Nick said, and pressed a gentle but firm hand on her shoulder. ‘Let me.’
Sarah threw him a grateful glance before sinking back down into her chair, only then realising her knees were very wobbly indeed.
‘Good luck,’ Chloe grated out with one last vicious look at Sarah. ‘You’re going to need it.’
As Nick shepherded Chloe from the terrace, Derek began a slow clap, joined by several of the guests.
‘Very impressive, sweetie,’ Derek said softly. ‘But also rather telling.’
Sarah’s head jerked around towards him. ‘In what way?’
‘Blind Freddie can see you’re in love with the man.’
Sarah sighed. ‘Was I that obvious?’
‘Afraid so.’
‘Oh, dear.’
‘No matter. Now, tell me what happened a little while back that made you so mad. Was Nick as jealous as Chloe said he was?’
‘Yes.’
‘I knew it! He fancies you, doesn’t he?’
Sarah shook her head. ‘I couldn’t believe it when he told me he did. And not just lately. Since I was sixteen.’
‘Wow. Did you tell him you fancied him right back?’
‘Yes.’
Derek looked confused. ‘Then I don’t get it. What’s the problem? Not me, I hope. You did tell him I wasn’t your real boyfriend, didn’t you?’
‘Oh, yes. I was totally honest with him. I even told him you were gay.’
‘And?’
‘He still rejected me. Said he was no good for me.’
‘What?’
‘He told me my father asked him to protect me from the scoundrels of this world, of which he rates himself the gold-medal winner.’
‘For crying out loud, can’t the man see that his not sleeping with you all these years makes him one of the good guys?’
‘Obviously not.’
‘This calls for even sneakier action. Now, tonight I suggest you—’
‘Stop, Derek,’ she broke in. ‘Just stop.’
‘You’re giving up,’ he said, disappointment in his voice.
‘No, I’m moving on. And so is Nick. He’s already told me he can’t wait to leave here.’
‘That’s because he can’t trust himself around you. You’ve got him on the ropes, sweetie, and he’s running for cover.’
‘Then let him run. It’s over, Derek.’
‘How can it be over when it hasn’t even begun?’
‘Could we just leave this conversation and eat?’
Derek shrugged, then fell to devouring some prawns.
Sarah was doing her best to force some food down her throat when Nick returned to the table. Her hand tightened around her fork whilst he removed Chloe’s chair, along with her plate, before pulling out his own chair and reseating himself.
‘Sorry about that, Sarah,’ he muttered as he shook out his serviette. ‘Thank you for standing up for me.’
‘That’s all right. Chloe shouldn’t have said what she did.’
‘No, she shouldn’t have. But I can understand why she did. Jealousy can make you do…stupid things.’
‘Yes, I know. I’m truly sorry for this whole charade today, Nick.’
‘I wasn’t talking about you, Sarah. I was talking about myself.’
Her head turned and their eyes connected.
‘You were jealous, weren’t you?’ she whispered.
‘We’re not going to go there again, Sarah,’ he warned her abruptly. ‘Do I make myself clear?’
If his harsh voice wasn’t sufficiently convincing, his cold eyes were.
‘Crystal clear,’ she said.
‘Good. Now let’s forget about everything that has happened today so far and enjoy our Christmas lunch.’
Sarah sat there in stunned silence when Nick tucked into his food with apparent relish. She was even more amazed when he started up a very lively conversation with the man on his immediate right.
Was he just pretending, or hadn’t he been genuinely upset by the events of the day? Chloe had been his girlfriend for the last six months and she’d just been dismissed in an instant.
Hadn’t he cared about her at all?
Obviously not.
Maybe Nick was right. Maybe he was a scoundrel.
Sarah slid her eyes to her right, where she surreptitiously watched him eat half a dozen oysters; watched him lift each oyster shell to his lips, tip his head back, then slide the tasty morsel down his throat, after which. he would lick his lips with relish.
Sarah finally found herself echoing this action with her own tongue, moving it over her suddenly parched lips, her heartbeat quickening when his head turned her way.
He stared at her