said tartly. ‘He’s dull, he’s limited, you’re only dating him because you’ve known him since the year dot, and he takes you for granted.’
‘Well, I take him for granted, too. It’s cosy.’
Dulcie muttered, ‘Give me patience,’ and returned to her work, but only after Gina had made her promise yet again that not a word would pass her lips.
It was true that she’d known Dan since childhood, and was comfortable with him, but what was wrong with that? she thought, a tad defensively. The long years of suffering a crippling disability had left her willing to count her blessings.
She was meeting him that night in a tiny restaurant a couple of miles away. She booked a taxi, then, on impulse, called the garage and asked about her car.
‘You’re lucky,’ the head mechanic told her. ‘It’s not easy to find a new engine for that make, but for Mr Page we pulled out the stops.’
‘Excuse me—did you say a new engine?’ she asked faintly.
‘Only thing that will do it. New steering, too.’
‘But it’ll cost a fortune.’
‘Well, it’s going on his bill, so why worry?’
‘Oh, no, I don’t want this—’
‘Too late. It’s in pieces now.’
Dazed, she put the phone down. She needed that new engine, but to owe a stranger so much!
But, of course, Carson Page was a rich man who’d simply bought off trouble because it was quicker that way. She needn’t give him a second thought, any more than he would give her a second thought.
CHAPTER TWO
GINA went to change for the evening ahead, slipping off her smart business suit and donning a simple green dress. It was sleeveless but had a high neck against which rested a dainty pendant.
She brushed out her hair and added a little more make-up. Then she was ready.
She was a few minutes late at the restaurant, but there was no sign of Dan. She ordered herself a sherry, and sat waiting, hoping he wouldn’t be too long.
‘Do you mind if I join you?’
She looked up to see Carson Page standing, regarding her gravely.
‘Are you waiting for someone?’ he asked.
‘Yes, Dan—my boyfriend. He’s a little late.’
‘Then I’ll only stay a moment.’ He sat down. ‘I just wanted to let you know that your car will be finished the day after next.’
‘I know. I called the garage. Mr Page—’
‘Carson.’
‘Carson, I had no idea you were going to replace the engine. There was no need for that.’
‘According to the garage, there was every need.’
‘You know what I mean. I want to pay you—not immediately, but in instalments—’
‘All right, pay me one day. Now, can we forget this?’
She agreed, with a horrid suspicion that she was boring him. ‘How did you know I’d be here?’ she asked.
‘I was going to drop in at your office, but I arrived just as you were getting into a taxi. So I told my taxi to follow you.’
He ordered himself a drink, and she watched him, trying to tie this man in with the ogre Dulcie had described. ‘Difficult and demanding’ she could understand. Even when he was being kind, his air of pride and self-will were unmistakable. A bad enemy. A man who expected things done his way, and at once. A disturbing man. An exciting man.
She tried to brush that idea away, but it lurked on the fringe of her consciousness, taking little pot-shots at her more sedate thoughts.
He was different from other men, as a lion was different from kittens. She wished Dan would hurry up and arrive. Something was happening here that was threatening her carefully constructed world, and if she hurried she might still be in time to avoid it.
‘What about your car?’ she asked, hoping that her voice wouldn’t shake and betray her inner confusion.
‘It’ll be ready by tomorrow.’ He looked at the clock on the wall. ‘Seven-twenty. What time was your date supposed to arrive?’
‘Any time about now,’ she prevaricated. Dan should have been there at seven. ‘He’s very busy.’
‘So am I, but if I make a date with a lady I’m punctual.’
‘Actually I’m early. I don’t expect him until seven-thirty,’ she said defiantly.
‘If you say so.’ His dark eyes warned her not to try to fool him.
‘What did you think of Philip Hale?’ she asked, valiantly searching for a new topic of conversation.
‘He’s everything you said. Brilliant—couldn’t have a better man—for a limited range. Also the biggest bore in creation. Never says anything once if he can say it ten times.’
She choked into her sherry and put it down hastily, her shoulders shaking.
‘Don’t smother it,’ he advised her. ‘Laugh aloud. He isn’t here to know.’
‘I shouldn’t think anyone’s ever spoken about him that way before,’ she chuckled.
‘Nonsense. Everyone who’s ever met him must have said something like that as soon as they escaped.’
He hoped she would go on laughing, because her laughter made the sun come out again. But she controlled herself, pressing her lips together, although her eyes still brimmed with fun. He would have to make do with that.
‘Anyway, bore or not, I’ve decided to take him on. I’m seeing him again tomorrow, heaven help me! He’s a good lawyer, within his range. Do you have a speciality?’
‘Property and commercial law.’
‘So you might be doing some of my work?’
There was a noise in the background. Gina leaned forward, frowning. ‘Could you repeat that?’
‘You might be doing some of my work.’ He saw her watching him intently. ‘What is it?’
‘I’m deaf,’ she said simply.
‘Nonsense!’ he said brusquely. ‘You can’t be.’
Gina’s face broke into the happiest smile he’d ever seen.
‘Thank you. That’s the nicest thing anyone’s said to me since—since I went deaf.’
He frowned. ‘But you seem to be hearing me quite normally. Are you saying you’ve been lip-reading all this time?’
‘Oh, no. I have a cochlear implant that helps me. I can hear most things, but if there’s background noise I sometimes miss a few words.’
Before her eyes he changed. A heaviness seemed to settle over him. ‘I see,’ he said. ‘I never suspected—’
‘Why should you? Apart from the odd moment, I’m just like everyone else.’
‘Yes, of course. Forgive me. I was just thinking—’
Gina watched him in dismay. She knew exactly what he was thinking. She was used to people who flinched at the word deaf, who couldn’t cope with even the thought.
But not this man, surely? She’d been so sure that he was special that she’d admitted her problem without worrying. Now her heart sank at the thought that he might be no better than the others.
The discovery hurt, but she couldn’t escape it. There was