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Lisa choked with laughter.
‘Of course not!’ she retorted.
‘Yet you live with him?’ demanded Matt sternly.
All the hostility between them seemed to come bubbling to the surface as the implication of his words sank in.
‘So you assume—’ cried Lisa hotly and then bit off the words.
‘I’ve seen for myself that you lie around naked on the dining table inviting his attentions,’ continued Matt in a hushed, rapid tone so that she had to strain her ears to catch the words. ‘So I assume that you’re having an affair with him. Is that unreasonable?’
Lisa flushed scarlet and glanced uneasily around her, but the other guests in the restaurant seemed quite unconscious of what they were discussing. Her mind raced as she tried to gather her thoughts. She could have told Matt Lansdon the simple truth, every bit of it, including the bargain about the art lessons. But why should she? What business was it of his?
‘It’s nothing to do with you,’ she flared.
‘I see,’ he replied mockingly. ‘Then I’ll simply have to go on making my assumptions, won’t I? But if you’re not in love with Tim, are you at least fond of him?’
‘As a matter of fact, I am!’
‘Then leave him alone, Lisa,’ urged Matt, leaning forward across the table and seizing her wrist. ‘Move out of that flat and give him a chance to grow up. He doesn’t need a woman like you in his life when he’s barely out of school and still wet behind the ears.’
‘A woman like me?’ echoed Lisa. ‘And what exactly is that supposed to mean?’
‘You know damned well what it’s supposed to mean. You’re a sensual, ambitious little schemer and you’re using your considerable charm and physical attraction to lure him into your nets.’
‘I’m flattered that you think I have charm and physical attraction,’ jeered Lisa.
‘Don’t be. It’s a simple statement of fact, not a compliment. What baffles me is why you bother. Is the money really worth it?’
‘What money?’ demanded Lisa contemptuously.
‘The money you hope to get when Tim marries you,’ snapped Matt.
Lisa’s mouth fell open. ‘Is that what I’m supposed to be after? Marriage to Tim?’
‘Oh, I love the bewildered innocence, sweetheart! But you’re wasting your time trying to fool me. Sonia’s already told me you and Tim are planning to get married.’
Lisa very nearly picked up the champagne bottle and emptied it over Matt’s head. Then she took a long, deep breath and exhaled slowly. She had disliked Tim’s mother from the moment she met her, considering her snobbish, patronizing and extremely silly, but even Sonia was incapable of such a pearl of fantasy without at least a grain of truth to get her started. Tim must have said something to set this whole tale in motion!
‘Where did you hear this?’ she asked.
‘Tim told her. She says she’s found you in the house twice when she went to visit him. The first time she suspected you were living with him, so the second time she arrived unannounced, found a wild party in progress and Tim draped all over you.’
‘It wasn’t a wild party!’ protested Lisa. ‘It was just a few of Tim’s friends at the end of third term. We’ve had much wilder parties than that.’
‘Have you?’ demanded Matt in an ominous tone. ‘As your landlord, I hardly find that reassuring. Anyway, be that as it may, Sonia tackled Tim about it afterwards and demanded to know what you were doing there. At first he told her a lot of implausible stories and then finally blurted out the truth—that he had fallen in love with you and was planning to marry you.’
Lisa gave a low gasp of indignation.
‘That idiot,’ she muttered. ‘I might have known he’d go to pieces once Sonia started interrogating him. He’s nothing but a big, silly kid.’
‘Exactly,’ growled Matt. ‘So why are you wasting your time on him? You don’t need a boy, you need a grown man, and a powerful one at that, to keep you occupied, young lady.’
‘Oh, so you’re offering your services, are you?’ demanded Lisa sarcastically.
Matt’s hold on her wrist tightened.
‘I might be, I just might be,’ he growled. ‘Not marriage, Lisa. I’ve no intention of marrying a woman who’s available to the highest bidder, but a love affair, that’s something else.’ He leaned forward and his voice was so low that she could scarcely catch the words, but when she did they made her quiver with rage and something else. ‘I can make you tingle and ache with sexual passion in a way that boy hasn’t even discovered yet. You’re a gambler and a deeply sensual woman, Lisa, and I’m a man of considerable experience. Why don’t you try your luck with me?’
CHAPTER TWO
LISA was so outraged by this question that for a moment she was completely speechless. Yet if she was honest, it was not only outrage that she felt. A strange, throbbing warmth began to pulsate deep inside her at Matt’s words, and the intense, stormy look in his eyes made her feel breathless. Feeling almost as angry with herself as with him, she jerked her hand out of his grip and gave him a cold, challenging stare.
‘What exactly are you suggesting?’ she demanded.
Matt smiled lazily as if he was enjoying the situation.
‘I’m a wealthy man,’ he said in a low voice. ‘I could set you up in style with a luxury flat and a studio. I already come to Melbourne quite frequently on business and I could come even more frequently for pleasure.’
Lisa felt the taste of rage in her mouth, as pure and toxic as neat alcohol.
‘You make me sound like a fast food outlet,’ she hissed. ‘Juicy steaks, medium rare, prepared to perfection while you wait! And our money back guarantee if we fail to satisfy.’
Matt looked at her from under half-closed lids.
‘Oh, I don’t think you’d fail to satisfy,’ he murmured.
She leapt to her feet with an inarticulate gasp of rage.
‘I’ve never been so insulted in my life!’ she cried.
Matt seized her wrist again. Gently, tenderly, as if this was nothing more than a playful disagreement between them. Yet there was something merciless in that grip.
‘Sit down,’ he invited. ‘I haven’t finished with you.’
‘Well, I’ve finished with you!’ she flared and turned as if to flee.
His grip tightened. There was a latent physical force in that warm, hard, masculine hand that enthralled and alarmed her. He wasn’t actually hurting her, she couldn’t say that, but he was making her aware in the most blatant possible way of his virility and strength. With a sense of disbelief, she realized that the only way she could escape would be to shout for help and knock over a few wineglasses. For one wild moment she seriously contemplated the prospect. But Matt’s wordless, lingering smile made her decide against it. He might seem conservative on the surface, but with a sudden flash of insight she guessed that he was really totally indifferent to the opinion of others. If she made a scene, he was probably perfectly capable of swinging her over his shoulder and marching out of the restaurant. Shuddering inwardly at the image, Lisa subsided into her seat and glared at him.
‘Am I to take it that your answer is no?’ he asked mildly.
‘Yes,’ said Lisa between her teeth.
‘Your answer is yes?’ marvelled Matt, deliberately misunderstanding her. ‘What an unexpected pleasure! I’m sure we’ll get along brilliantly together.’
‘I didn’t mean that!’ flared Lisa, losing all patience. ‘I meant yes, my answer is no. Oh, stop trying to make me sound stupid! I wouldn’t have an affair with you if you were the last man on earth.’
‘And yet you’re prepared to do it with Tim?’ he challenged.
‘Well, he says he’s going to marry me, doesn’t he?’ demanded Lisa sarcastically. ‘He told Sonia so, didn’t he? I’d hardly be likely to give up the prospect of marrying Tim just so that I could go to bed with you, now would I?’
‘You’d be wiser if you did,’ growled Matt, dropping his benevolent pose. ‘A marriage between you and Tim would never work.’
‘Why not?’ asked Lisa angrily.
‘He’s not up to your weight,’ retorted Matt.
‘If you’re going to make cheap shots about my figure—’ began Lisa.
‘I’m not talking about your figure!’ cut in Matt impatiently. ‘It’s magnificent, as you well know. I’m talking about your personality, your style. I’ve seen enough of you to know that you have vitality, gusto, humour and blatant sex appeal. Compared to you, Tim is nothing but a colourless boy. Maybe in a few years he’ll gain some colour, but not if he’s stuck in your shadow. Lisa, I’m appealing to your better nature. Give him up!’
Lisa scowled at him. She was secretly flattered by his comments about her vitality and sex appeal and she couldn’t help agreeing with his assessment of Tim. All the same, she felt it was underhanded of Matt to try to appeal to her better nature after he had already leapt to such outrageous conclusions about her greed and ruthlessness. She still felt angry and offended and wanted to go on fighting with him until she had evened the score before she laid down her weapons.
‘What makes you think I have a better nature?’ she cooed.
Matt’s eyes flashed ominously.
‘Then you won’t give him up?’ he challenged.
Lisa smiled provocatively, enjoying the heady sensation of power that his uneasiness was giving her.
‘Tell me one good reason why I should.’
‘Money.’
‘What?’
Lisa almost fell off her chair.
‘I thought that would make you take notice,’ said Matt contemptuously. ‘All right, here’s the deal. I’ll pay you if you promise to move out of Tim’s flat and stay away from him for a year.’
Lisa stared at her companion in disbelief. Was it a joke? No, it couldn’t possibly be. Matt’s expression was grimly serious and he was already reaching inside the pocket of his dinner jacket for a chequebook and a gold pen.
‘What’s to stop me from taking the money and going back on my word?’ she demanded, turning over the possibilities as if it was some kind of quiz game. ‘Or do you have too high an opinion of my character for that?’
‘No, I don’t,’ retorted Matt rudely. ‘Naturally I’ll take precautions. The payment will be in quarterly instalments with the first one being made now as a gesture of good faith. Once you’ve moved out of the flat there will be three more instalments at intervals of three months, provided you keep your side of the bargain. And, believe me, I have ways of checking.’
‘You mean you’ll have a private detective spying on me?’ she demanded.
Matt shrugged and smiled unpleasantly. Lisa let out a low gasp of rage.
‘Just as a matter of interest, how much are you offering me to do this?’ she demanded.
He named a figure that made her jaw drop.
‘B-but that’s a fortune,’ she stammered.
‘I take it we have an agreement then,’ he said coldly, scrawling on the cheque and signing it with a flourish. ‘There you are, Lisa. It’s been most interesting doing business with you. Now what about my other offer of changing your allegiance from Tim to me? Are you sure you don’t want to accept that, too?’
For a moment she was speechless with indignation, then belatedly she found her voice and her power of movement. With shaking fingers she snatched the cheque from Matt’s hand and glanced down at it. A long row of noughts at the end blurred before her gaze. Then holding the paper as distastefully as if it were a spider, she thrust it into the candle flame.
‘I have only one thing to say to you,’ she told him as the acrid smoke coiled up. ‘If I ever choose to marry Tim, there is no way on earth that you’ll be able to stop me!’
A warning heat scorched her fingers so that she dropped the charred remnants of the cheque in the ashtray. Then, snatching her evening bag off the table, she strode to the door with her head held high and her eyes flashing. A brief pause to claim her coat and she was on her way. She was dimly aware of a hubbub behind her as a waiter bustled over to investigate the smell of smoke and Matt placated him with a substantial tip before hurrying after her. He caught up with her just as the doors of the lift were closing. Thrusting one muscular, black-clad leg between them, he forced them open and rejoined her. He looked as impeccable as ever, but something wild and dangerous lurked at the back of his ice-blue eyes. Lisa felt an irrational surge of panic as the doors closed behind him, leaving them alone together. Her heart began to thud frantically and her breath came in shallow flutters as the lift plunged downwards.
‘Don’t ever behave like that in public again,’ he warned.
Then he swept her into his arms and kissed her. It was not just the motion of the lift that gave her that dizzy, plunging sensation. As she hurtled down the lift shaft, locked in his arms, Lisa had a giddy feeling of being totally powerless. A warning bell sounded as they reached the car park, but Matt simply reached out and pressed the button for the top floor again. He was still kissing her passionately when the door opened near the restaurant and Lisa came to her senses enough to realize where they were.
Flushing, she broke away from Matt and had to endure the disapproving glances of two elderly women and the sly grins of their spouses on their way down again. She was relieved when they parted company with the older couples and emerged into the car park, but even then her troubles were not over. Matt took her arm tranquilly and guided her towards the limousine, visible behind one of the pillars.
‘I don’t need a ride,’ she said. ‘I’m going back upstairs to call a taxi.’
‘Do as you’re told, Lisa,’ he ordered amiably. ‘I don’t want to have to carry you to the car. Of course, once we’re inside it you’re welcome to quarrel with me, provided you don’t mind William overhearing every word.’
She cast him a smouldering look.
‘You brute! I hate you! How dare you maul me like that in the lift?’
Matt’s voice was full of lazy amusement as he pulled her out of the path of a departing Rolls and waved cheerfully at the two older couples inside the vehicle.
‘Maul you, sweetheart? What rubbish! You enjoyed every moment of it as much as I did.’
This was so close to the truth that Lisa sat fuming in silence half the way home. Her response to Matt Lansdon appalled her, but when she had finally stopped berating herself, she began to worry about the more important issue of what she should do. Well, there was really only one answer to that. Tim must be made to tell the truth and both male Lansdons must grovel apologetically at her feet. After that she would have to move out and find herself somewhere else to live. Her pride could not possibly permit her to remain in her present situation, although the prospect of finding lodgings she could afford made her spirits sink. She would have to find a waitressing job again and that would leave even less time available for painting. Besides, in spite of Tim’s outrageous behaviour, she had a niggling suspicion that she was going to miss him if she never saw him again. Of course she wouldn’t miss Matt Lansdon and she hoped devoutly that she would never have to see him again. If only she could get through the rest of this evening, with luck she might never have to set eyes on him in future!
When they entered the flat, Lisa waved hopefully at the huge, open-plan living room, which dominated the lower floor.
‘Would you like to sit down and fix yourself a drink,’ she asked, ‘while I go upstairs and see if Tim’s home?’
‘No, thanks,’ replied Matt coolly. ‘I’ll come up and see for myself. I am one of the family, after all.’
She couldn’t help resenting this invasion of the more private part of the flat, nor did it make her task any easier. If Tim had drunk too much at a party, which had happened several times lately, there would be little chance of concealing the fact from his uncle. Oh, well, perhaps it would do him good to be accountable for his actions for once! A thin rectangle of golden light under his bedroom door showed that he was at home.
‘Perhaps you’d like to sit down,’ invited Lisa. ‘And I’ll ask Tim to come out and speak to you.’
‘All right,’ agreed Matt.
She waited until he had taken his seat in the small sunroom off the dining area and was on the point of tapping on Tim’s door when she realized that was out of character with her role as his fiancée. Instead she boldly opened the door as if it belonged to her own bedroom, slipped inside and shut it behind her. Tim was busy getting undressed and looked up with an expression of mild surprise as he pulled on a pair of navy blue silk pyjama bottoms. His upper half was still bare, but Lisa spared him no more than a glance. Tim was like a brother to her and in any case his thin, boyish physique awoke no dangerous longings in her of the kind inspired by his uncle. He pushed a lock of his silky, honey-gold hair out of his brown eyes and flashed her a mischievous grin.
‘Did you get rid of Uncle Matt?’ he demanded without any preliminary greeting.
‘No,’ said Lisa flatly, leaning back against the door. ‘He’s in the sunroom, waiting to talk to you.’
An expression of comic dismay flitted over Tim’s features and he looked wildly around for an escape route. His gaze lingered momentarily on the curtained picture windows.
‘Oh, no, you don’t!’ cried Lisa, darting towards him. ‘There will be no ladders of knotted sheets, no death-defying human fly exits. You’re going to face the music, laddie. Dear old uncle Mathew wants some answers and so do I!’
‘What do you mean?’ asked Tim uneasily, backing away from her.
