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‘Look—’ he studied her ‘—sit down and have another cup of tea—no, I’ll pour it—hang on, I’ve got a better idea.’ He guided her to a chair at the dining table and pulled it out for her. ‘Sit down and study some of my mother’s incomparable collection; it might calm you. While I pour us a drink.’
He turned away towards a cocktail cabinet.
Harriet drew a deep breath and combed her hair with her fingers but she couldn’t find her ribbon so she had to leave it loose. She took a hanky out of her purse and patted her face. Then her attention was drawn to an exquisite cameo in an old-fashioned rose-gold and pin-point diamond setting and she forgot about the wreck she might look as she stared at it rapturously. And Damien Wyatt put a glass of brandy down beside her and pulled out a chair opposite to sit down with his own drink.
‘Cheers,’ he said.
Harriet hesitated.
‘Don’t think about it; just drink it,’ he advised.
So she took a couple of sips and felt the brandy slip down and a warm glow of—what was it? Some confidence?—rise in its place.
But, before she could formulate anything sensible to say, he spoke. ‘How well do you know Arthur?’
‘Hardly at all. I know Penny better. We were at college together for a while, although she’s a few years older. Then we lost track of each other until I came up to Ballina. It was quite an amazing coincidence. I literally bumped into her—no,’ she said with her lips quirking suddenly as his eyebrows flew up, ‘not the way I bumped into you. This was on the pavement as we were walking along.’
A gleam of amusement lit his eyes. ‘I’m relieved to hear you say so. Go on.’
She looked rueful. ‘So we had coffee and compared notes. She told me about Arthur and how they’d moved from Sydney to Ballina to get out of the rat race. She told me she’d started a picture-framing business and a small art gallery and how Arthur still dealt in art—he was born up here apparently.’
‘Yes. He was a friend of my father’s; more than that, he helped Dad establish his collection.’
‘So I told her I’d also decided to get away from the rat race and I was looking for a job. That’s when she grew thoughtful and finally dragged me off to meet Arthur.’
‘I see.’ Damien swirled the liquid in his glass. ‘So they didn’t know—’ he lifted his dark gaze to her ‘—about your brother?’
‘No.’ Harriet traced the rim of her glass with her forefinger then took another sip. ‘I know it seems a bit deceitful, but I find it hard to deal with people feeling sorry for us.’
He was silent for a time, then, ‘What were you doing up here two months ago, when you bumped into me?’
‘I was checking out this rehabilitation centre. It was the first time I’d been to this area—another reason I was a bit dithery, I guess; I didn’t know my way around.’
‘It’s not exactly a metropolis,’ he said wryly then gestured as if to delete the comment. ‘But you’re living up here now? Your brother’s in the rehab centre?’
Harriet nodded.
‘Where are you living?’
She hesitated then took a sip of the brandy and shrugged. ‘In a rented caravan in the caravan park. I do have a job—it’s waitressing, so it keeps the wolf from the door, but—’ She broke off.
‘Only just?’ he suggested.
She didn’t respond but stared a bit blindly down at her glass.
‘OK,’ he said quietly, ‘no more interrogations. The job is yours if you want it but what are we going to do?’
‘Do?’ she repeated.
He set his teeth. ‘Yes, do! About the rest of it?’
Her deep blue eyes widened. ‘The rest of it?’
He grimaced. ‘You must have a short memory span as well as being accident-prone. Or do you often go around kissing guys like that?’
The confidence she’d got from a few sips of brandy ebbed a little at the same time as her eyes widened as the full memory of their passionate encounter hit her.
She took a larger mouthful of brandy.
‘You had forgotten,’ he marvelled.
‘No. But we did get interrupted,’ she responded tartly. ‘I don’t know about you, but I found it extremely embarrassing. Enough to make the rest of it, well...’ She broke off as she searched for the right words.
‘Pale into insignificance?’ he suggested dryly.
‘Not exactly,’ Harriet denied and took another sip of her drink. ‘But it did—move it back a bit if you know what I mean.’ She paused and shrugged. ‘It probably put it into its right perspective.’
‘What would that be?’
She glinted him an assessing look from beneath her lashes, then thought—why should I try to spare his feelings? ‘It was just something that happened in the heat of the moment, wasn’t it?’
‘Go on.’
Harriet hesitated, unable to read his expression but feeling a prickle of apprehension run through her. ‘Well, you insulted me, I responded—’
‘With a blow, allow me to remind you.’ He looked sardonically amused.
Harriet compressed her lips. ‘I’m sorry. I believe I had cause, however. Look—’ she paused ‘—I wouldn’t be surprised if you weren’t still furious with me over your car.’
‘Not to mention my collarbone. There are still some things I can’t do. I’m not still furious, however.’ Damien Wyatt crossed his arms and leant back with a frown growing in his dark eyes. ‘Well, I may have been a bit annoyed but I have to say I’m mostly confused now. In fact I’m beginning to wonder if I’m hallucinating. Did you or did you not kiss me back almost like a woman starved for—that kind of thing?’
Harriet stared at the cameo for a long moment then looked at him squarely. ‘Maybe. But it’s best forgotten.’
‘Why?’
Harriet pushed her glass away and stood up. ‘Because I have no intention of getting involved with you, Mr Wyatt. Please don’t take that personally. I’m...I’m...happy to be fancy-free, that’s all.’
He stared at her and she was suddenly conscious that not only was she completely unable to read his thoughts but, more than that, it troubled her.
Why? Why should she care one way or another about what he thought of her? The sensual response he’d managed to draw from her had come about because he was experienced and worldly—she had little doubt of that—so why should she invest it with any special meaning or depth?
Well, she amended her thoughts, she had to take some responsibility for her reaction, surely? Starved? Perhaps—but she didn’t even want to think about that...
‘Would you mind if I went now? I’m sorry if I’ve wasted your time but I honestly don’t think it could work.’
Damien stayed absolutely still for a moment longer then he straightened and stood up, leaning his fists on the table. ‘Yes, I would mind,’ he said dryly, ‘and I’ll tell you why. I don’t propose to have you on my conscience for a moment longer, whether I realise it or not, Harriet Livingstone.’
‘You don’t have to have me on your conscience!’ she objected.
‘Believe me, I’d rather not but—’
‘What do you mean—whether you realise it or not?’ Harriet broke in to ask with a frown.
He shrugged. ‘I can’t work out why else I agreed to see you again.’
Harriet linked her fingers together and told herself not to pursue this but some demon prompted her, rather than simply getting up and walking out, to say, ‘If you think I could ever work for you, you must be mad, Mr Wyatt.’
Their gazes clashed.
‘The job is yours, Miss Livingstone,’ he replied deliberately. ‘You can move in the day after tomorrow—I’ll be gone then. I’m going overseas for some weeks, at least a month. Of course Isabel, who runs the house and the rest of it when I’m not here, will be in residence. So will Charlie, for a while anyway. Did Arthur get around to mentioning the remuneration package we thought was suitable?’
Harriet blinked. ‘...Yes.’
‘You can add a twenty per cent commission on any items I decide to sell. Will that do?’
‘I...I...’ She hesitated.
‘Don’t go all dithery on me again, Harriet,’ he warned. ‘Finish your brandy,’ he ordered.
She stared at him, deep hostility written into her expression. ‘No. I’ve got to drive.’
‘All right, but I need to know if you’re going to take it or not.’
Harriet would have given the world to answer in the negative but if he was going to be away...and surely she could finish the job in a month if she worked day and night...?
‘I’ll take it,’ she said barely audibly.
‘Do you want to see the studio and the flat?’
‘No.’ She shook her head. ‘I’m sure they’ll be fine.’
He studied her narrowly with a glint of curiosity in his dark eyes. ‘I can’t work out if you’re a superior, head-in-the-clouds although accident-prone academic type or a rather exotic bundle of nerves.’
Harriet took a breath and actually managed to smile. ‘If it’s any help, neither can I. Goodbye, Tottie,’ she added and patted the dog’s head.
Damien Wyatt looked heavenwards as Tottie came as close as such a regal-looking dog could to actually simpering.
At the same time, Harriet said, ‘Oh! I wonder where I put my glasses?’
‘Here,’ he remarked flatly, picking them up from the dining table and handing them to her. ‘I’ll see you out.’
Harriet hesitated. ‘I’m sure I could see myself out.’
‘Not at all. After you.’
So it was that Harriet preceded him out of the dining room and out of the house to the driveway. There was only one vehicle parked there: hers.
Damien Wyatt took one look at it and swore. ‘You’re not still driving that damn tank, are you?’ he asked with furious incredulity.
Harriet coloured slightly. ‘It just refuses to lie down. Anyway, it’s not mine, it’s Brett’s, my brother’s. It’s very good over rough and sandy terrain.’
‘I believe you.’ Damien favoured the vehicle with a lingering look of malice then transferred his gaze to Harriet.
‘Well, enjoy your stay at Heathcote, Miss Livingstone.’ A tinge of irony entered his dark eyes. ‘Don’t go about kissing too many men at the same time as you’re happy to remain fancy-free. Oh, and watch out for Charlie. He is, not to put too fine a point on it, a womaniser.’
Harriet drew a deep breath. ‘Perhaps he takes after you?’ she said quietly, and climbed into her battered old vehicle.
He waited until she’d driven off before saying to Tottie, ‘What the devil do you make of all that? OK, I know you’re on her side, but I don’t ever recall kissing a girl I’ve—virtually—just met like that.’
Predictably, Tottie didn’t answer; she only yawned.
Damien Wyatt shrugged. In fact I haven’t kissed anyone quite like that for a while, he added to himself. Been too busy, been somewhat cynical about the whole tribe of women, to be honest. What I need, if that’s the case, is someone nice and uncomplicated who knows the rules of the game—doesn’t expect wedding bells in other words—rather than importuning an accident-prone, scholarly type who drives a horrible vehicle and has the nerve to suborn my dog!
‘That’s you, Tottie,’ he said severely but Tottie remained serenely unaffected.
‘Of course you could always kind of...keep an eye on her while I’m away,’ Damien added. ‘Heaven knows what “a left-handed syndrome” could lead her into.’
‘Permission to speak,’ a voice said and Charlie strolled onto the drive.
‘Don’t start, Charlie,’ Damien advised.
‘She’s gone, I see.’ Charlie came to a stop beside Tottie and his brother. He shoved his hands into his pockets. ‘Unusual vehicle. For a girl, I mean. Not to mention some kind of an antique dealer, according to Isabel.’
‘It’s her brother’s, apparently. Listen, Charlie—’ he explained Harriet’s background and the agreement they’d reached ‘—so leave her alone, will you?’
Charlie looked offended. ‘Acquit me! Would I try to steal your girl?’
‘Yes,’ Damien said flatly. ‘Not that she’s my girl—not that she’s my girl—’ He broke off and swore. ‘But she’s got a job to do here and the sooner it’s done, the better.’
Charlie frowned. ‘Why do I sense a mystery attached to Miss Harriet Livingstone? Smashing pair of legs, by the way.’
‘I don’t know,’ Damien said shortly. ‘How long are you here for?’
‘Relax, Bro,’ Charlie said cheerfully. ‘I’m due back at the base in a week. By the way, you are now talking to Flight Lieutenant Charles Walker Wyatt. Which is what I dashed into the dining room to tell you, incidentally.’
‘Charlie!’ Damien turned to his brother. ‘Congratulations!’ And he shook his brother’s hand then enveloped him in a bear hug.
‘I suspect I got it by the skin of my teeth but, yeah!’
‘Come in and I’ll shout you a drink.’
* * *
It was just before they were called into dinner that Charlie said thoughtfully, ‘There’s something about that girl, Damien. Easy to run onto the rocks there—take care.’
Damien Wyatt opened his mouth to deny that there was any possibility of his running onto any rocks with Harriet Livingstone but he closed it.
And he said musingly, ‘I’m glad to hear you say so because for the last few hours I’ve been wondering what on earth got into me. So what do you think it is?’
