A Reckless Affair

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He was tall, but not as tall as his son. Damn. Damn. Damn. Why did she have to make comparisons when she was trying to wipe Jake from her mind? But Hugo was impressive, a man of obvious authority with the glamour of having been a fighting man, which her father, in the medical services, had so clearly lacked.

He was slightly rugged, wearing a light cream-coloured suit of the kind which was almost a uniform in the present company. She watched him link fingers with his wife’s, smile lovingly, exude fidelity, and she found she could look no more. Tears stung as she turned away.

Such a scene of marital harmony and felicity... Her early instinct has been right—she should never have come to Virginia with Jake. It was sheer madness to have taken such a risk.

Apart from anything else there had been something strange about her meeting with Hugo, brief though the introduction had been. Something odd and perceptive about the way his eyes had probed, his head held slightly to one side as if picking up vibes, his hand holding hers for a split second longer than had been necessary. She had felt her knees begin to shake and had been grateful for the arrival of a group of guests, with their noise and laughter.

‘Miss Ginny.’ At that moment of introspection she felt her arm being grasped and, startled, she looked up into the face of someone she had met earlier, a Colonel—an old army colleague of Hugo Vanbrugh.

He was a tall, handsome man, something of a dandy, with his grey moustache parted neatly in the middle and curled to each side into pomaded whiskers on each mahogany-coloured cheek. He was wearing pale striped trousers with his cream jacket, and a blue silk shirt chosen, Ginny was sure, to enhance the blue-grey eyes which sparkled with mischief and the joy of living. A red rose was in his buttonhole, marking the occasion of a ruby wedding.

Without effort, Ginny succumbed to the charming old-world manners, allowing herself to be guided towards one of the open windows, glad of an excuse to escape her pressing concerns for even a short time.

‘I’ve been longing to speak with you, Miss Ginny. I’m so determined, you see, to find out, despite your delightful English accent, if there is any chance that your full name is Virginia and, if so, were you named for our State? I would so love you to confirm both of these facts.’

His words made another small piece of the jigsaw drop into position. She felt a momentary shock, though she was confident nothing in her manner had betrayed her, her voice remaining calm and unruffled as she would have wished. ‘You’re right about my name being Virginia, though no one has ever used the full name.’ She affected sadness, apologised prettily with hands outstretched in a gesture of regret. ‘But I’m afraid I know of no connection with the State. My parents, as far as I know, chose the name simply because they liked it.’ Lies came so easily to the tongue when they were so assiduously practised.

‘Well, I’m real sorry about that.’ His cheerful expression was a comfort. ‘I was about to ask Hugo...’ His eyes narrowed, became more searching. ‘You remind me... I don’t suppose you and I have met before, have we?’

Ginny’s heart gave a great leap. She breathed in slowly, then quite deliberately she raised her glass and sipped from it before replacing it on a table. ‘Colonel...’ There was a gurgle of humour in her voice, and she shook her head with another regretful smile, ‘I should certainly have remembered if we had. You are not the kind of man I should have been likely to forget.’

A practised flatterer himself, he was able to smile when he saw the tables turned. ‘How very disappointing.’ The appreciative eyes sparkled down at her.

‘Colonel.’ The deep voice from behind made Ginny turn as Jake put a possessive hand on her elbow. ‘Why is it you always monopolise the prettiest girl in the room?’

‘I suppose—’ the older man shrugged modestly ‘—you could put it down to practice.’

‘More than likely.’ Jake grinned. ‘I’ve been looking everywhere for Ginny, then I caught sight of you out here and I knew where she would be. Do you mind if I steal her away for a few moments?’

‘I mind, darn it Of course I mind. But I can quite see she might prefer your company to mine.’

‘You mustn’t say such things, Colonel, I’ve loved talking with you.’ It was more a desperate gesture towards common sense than the strict truth.

‘Thank you, my dear, you are very kind—but an old campaigner knows when the time has come to make a tactical retreat. I fear I stand little chance with Jake around—though if I had been twenty, or even ten years younger, I might have given him a run for his money. But off you go.’ He was being mockingly flirtatious. Raising Ginny’s hand, he took it to his lips, and she felt the brush of silky hair against her skin. ‘I hope to see you before you leave for England, Miss Virginia. And in the meantime...’ He frowned, searching her features closely. ‘I shall try to remember.’

As they crossed the lawns Ginny felt her agitation mount. Suppose he did remember...suppose he had at some time met her mother, and began to jump to conclusions. Suppose...

‘The Colonel,’ Jake said softly into her ear, ‘is the local “Don Juan”—a great ladies’ man.’

‘I think I guessed as much.’ She was surprised her voice sounded so calm, so unruffled, but the opportunity was too good to miss. ‘But he is a bit older than your father?’

‘Mmm. Considerably.’

‘So... did he serve in Vietnam as well?’

‘Oh, no. He had retired long before that. But you must ask Dad if you want to know more about that.’

‘Ah.’ So he could not have known her mother. She hurried on. ‘And is there a Mrs Colonel?’

‘No. He has been chased from one end of the county to the other but no one has been skilful enough to catch him. Come on—’ seizing her hand, he hurried her towards a clump of trees ‘—I want to show you the lake.’

And, in spite of everything, in spite of knowing all the risks, as she did, she allowed herself to be guided along a path through the wooded area well away from the house, and there, wandering among the trees in the dappled heat of the perfect afternoon, she lost all the will to resist.

She would not close her mind to the dangers—that was a promise fervently made—but what was wrong with enjoying the touch of his fingers on her inner wrist for a few brief minutes? It was such bliss, and there was no harm when...

‘Ginny.’ They had reached the edge of the small lake, and stood together for a moment watching flies dance on the golden haze above the surface. Occasionally there was a widening ring on the water, streaked pink and gilt by the late sunshine, while at the far side, among clumps of sedge, a family of water fowl floated, preened and dived. It might have been the Forest of Arden, certainly it had that same air of enchantment, and for a moment it seemed possible to enter that magic world, to find solutions to what was insoluble.

And Jake was turning her towards him, his index finger lightly tracing the line of her jaw. ‘Virginia.’ The name lingered on his tongue, mingling with a groan, as if even its familiarity had taken on a whole new meaning. ‘I can hardly believe we’ve known each other for just two days and yet...and yet...’ Intense blue eyes burned down into hers, his voice deepened. ‘I feel I’ve always known you. At least, I’ve suspected, hoped you were out there somewhere, waiting for me to find you.’

His words were such an echo of her own feelings that she knew a moment’s sheer exultation, so intense and powerful as to frighten her after a moment into sense and even banality. ‘Yes.’ Her tone was considering, slightly doubtful, and her jaw was rigid with the strain of her false smile. ‘Well, what I find so marvellous is that everyone is so friendly. Your mother didn’t even blink when we arrived today, right in the midst of the preparations for the party.’

‘Well, Mother takes everything in her stride. She is the world’s best organiser.’

Not unlike her own mother. The bleak thought was like another reminder. ‘You realise, of course, that if I had known about their anniversary before you popped it out at me on the plane nothing would have persuaded me to come?’ Hard to imagine a less appropriate visitor at their family celebration, on the tines of the wicked fairy at the christening, though maledictions were not in her plan.

‘Nonsense.’ He dismissed her protestations with easy confidence. ‘They are all thrilled to have you, though I confess they’re going to be taken aback to discover you’re not exactly what you appear to be.’

‘What?’ His words caused a throb of anxiety bordering on real fear. She was becoming so enmeshed in deceit she would soon be unable to pick her way through all the lies. ‘What on earth do you mean?’

‘Well, I suspect—’ he grinned ‘—in fact I’m sure they’ve got the idea that you and I are... Well, I’m not in the habit of flying down from New York with girls in tow.’

‘Oh, I’m sorry. I hope it won’t make things difficult for you when they find out the truth. I mean...’ She felt colour rise in her cheeks. ‘I mean when your father knows it’s really him I came to see.’ She hoped her detached tone might cool the situation just a little, and certainly when he answered he was a little more thoughtful.

‘Funnily enough I don’t think he has the faintest idea. Certainly he showed no sign when he heard your name, though Browne, even with an e, is fairly common.’

‘Oh.’ Now was the moment to begin to clear up at least a minor deceit. ‘Maybe I can explain that. He would know my...my parents as Martyn-Browne, but when Dad left the army he dropped the first part. He thought it was pretentious and had been tacked on just a generation or so ago. A bit of a relief, really—some of these double-barrelled names can be quite a mouthful.’ Her smile was tentative, apologetic, even. ‘Can you imagine, “Virginia Martyn-Browne”?’

‘Ah.’ He looked steadily down at her for what seemed a long time. ‘And what other secrets have you been hiding from me, Miss Martyn-Browne?’

For a moment her heart seemed to stand still, then it was racing hectically. But, with an effort, she forced herself to answer lightly. ‘So many I don’t know where to begin.’ It was a relief to see him smile, and she felt she could hurry on. ‘But perhaps it was a mistake—first of all coming down here, but, more than that, hiding the real reason for my visit. On reflection, it might have been better to explain at once.’

‘Mmm.’ Jake considered. ‘But that will be resolved this evening, when all the guests have gone and we’re having a family dinner, just the four of us.’

She spoke slowly, sorrowfully, voicing thoughts which had been on her conscience since the early moments of their acquaintance. ‘You know, you are very trusting, Jake. You have only my word that I’m who I say I am, that your father and mine were so very friendly all those years ago. I could be perpetrating the most enormous con trick.’

And I am, she admitted silently. How often in the courts I have seen and heard the lies with which people use and abuse each other, and I feel nothing but disgust. Yet here I am, pursuing a most devious line against the kindest people... Tears began to prick at her eyes.

‘Are you?’ His voice was mellow and amused, a dark slender eyebrow raised in gentle disbelief...

Yes. She wanted to say it, but couldn’t. For the simple reason that the truth was not something she could share with Hugo’s son. If he chose to do so that was a different matter, but it was not her secret. So she managed a false smile. ‘I’m not.’ Stricken with guilt at her deception, she took refuge in some trite advice. ‘But people these days ought not to be so trusting. I might have some dire reason for wishing to infiltrate your family...’

‘I’ll lock my door tonight as a precaution.’ Now his look was teasing but with a hint of a challenge.

‘I promise you are quite, quite safe.’ Her tone was slightly sharp and the eyes raised to his were brilliant with indignation. As well as frustration.

‘You disappoint me.’ She found herself manoeuvred against the bole of one of the ancient oaks, and as he spoke in that low disturbing voice he placed one hand flat against the trunk and hooked the other against her waist, pulling her into the curve of his body, effectively overpowering her.

‘Jake.’ It was a gasp of fear and longing. ‘Jake, don’t.’

And gently, gently, all his attention on her mouth, he lowered his mouth to hers. She willed him to stop, of course she did, and with a quite desperate longing to be free. She saw him, felt him come nearer, felt his breath on her skin, was close enough to confirm the ridiculous length of the lashes which framed his eyes. And she was losing control, could feel it slipping away from her, and was helpless to do anything about it. Her heart was hammering against her ribs, her legs had turned to water—only the strength of his arm stopped her from slipping to the ground.

It didn’t seem possible that what she was engaged in was forbidden, against the laws of nature. Her lips parted to ease her frantic breathing, adding an air of eager collusion.

But his mouth on hers was unbearably sweet, coaxing and tender one moment, irresistibly fierce and demanding a moment later. Very much as Ginny had, in the past forty-eight hours, imagined it would be. And for the time being all her fears and reservations were submerged in this wash of delicious, sensual indulgence, this opening up, this giving and taking of such mind-blowing pleasure and...