CHAPTER EIGHT

  LEIGH was to wonder the same things many times during the next few days. She had heard no word from Piers, although she ran to answer the telephone in the hallway every time it rang. But it was never Piers. She wasn’t surprised to hear from her mother, though; she had made no move to contact home herself and her parents had become worried about her. Somehow the silence from Piers made it too painful to talk to her mother, bringing back the memories of Christmas and the time they had spent together.

  ‘Leigh?’ queried her mother on the other end of the telephone. ‘That is you, isn’t it?’

  Leigh tried to stifle her disappointment. What had happened to Piers that he just ignored her existence like this? ‘Yes, Mum,’ she said dully. ‘It’s me. Is everyone all right at home?’ She forced some enthusiasm into her voice.

  ‘Of course they are, darling, but we were beginning to wonder what had happened to you. You aren’t ill, are you?’

  ‘No, I’m not ill.’ Just dying inside. ‘We’ve been busy at work the last few days.’ Which in fact they had, the sudden cold weather causing a lot of absenteeism through ‘flu. ‘Dad and the boys back at work yet?’

  Her mother laughed. ‘Yes, they went back yesterday, and very unwillingly too, I might add. A long holiday like that always makes you reluctant to go back to work. Oh, by the way,’ she continued, ‘I had a visitor yesterday.’

  ‘Did you?’ Leigh knew what her mother was going to say even before she asked the next question, but she asked it anyway. ‘Who?’

  ‘Why, Piers, of course,’ her mother said excitedly. ‘But I would have thought you’d have known that. Didn’t he tell you?’

  ‘No—no, he didn’t. I didn’t see him yesterday.’ Or the day before that or the day before that, her heart screamed. ‘What did he want?’

  ‘Oh, he didn’t want anything. He brought a lovely bouquet of roses for me and an expensive box of cigars for your father,’ Mrs Stanton laughed. ‘You know your father and his cigars. I told Piers he was being silly, but he insisted that we’d taken very good care of him over Chrismas and he wanted to thank us in some way.’

  ‘That was nice of him,’ Leigh said faintly. ‘Did he stay very long?’

  ‘An hour or so, but he had to leave early because he was going out. I naturally assumed—Well, never mind what I assumed.’ Leigh could almost see her mother fidgeting her agitation. ‘When will you be coming home, darling?’

  ‘Some time over the weekend,’ she promised. ‘I can’t really say at what time yet. I may have to work Saturday.’

  ‘That’s all right, dear. I’ll have to go now or the men will be home for their tea and I haven’t even started cooking it yet.’

  Leigh laughed with her mother before ringing off, although her heart was breaking inside. Piers had the time to visit her parents but not to see her. She might as well accept the fact that she no longer held a place in his life, if in fact she ever had. She had presented a challenge to him because she hadn’t liked him and hadn’t been afraid to show him that dislike. But once she had fallen for the fatal Sinclair charm, as many had done before her, she was no longer of interest to him.

  She stiffened her shoulders. Where was her pride? She couldn’t let the callousness of such a man ruin the rest of her life. Given time she would get over the hurt she felt at his rejection, and the time to start was right now. She marched purposefully back into the flat, her expression rebellious.

  ‘Are you still going to that party this evening?’ she asked Karen.

  Karen saw the new determination in her friend’s face and heaved a silent sigh of relief. It would be nice to see Leigh back to normal, and by the look on her face she was well on the way back. Karen didn’t know what had happened at Leigh’s home over Christmas, except that Piers Sinclair had been invited to stay and had accepted, but she knew Leigh had come back a different person. Often during the last few days she had caught a look of utter despair and bewilderment on Leigh’s face, and she longed to tell her Piers Sinclair exactly what she thought of him.

  ‘Well, I wasn’t,’ she answered truthfully. ‘But if you’re willing I am too.’

  ‘Good,’ Leigh grinned. ‘Get your glad rags on, then, or it will be over before we even get there.’ She felt her spirits lighten as the two of them rushed about getting ready. She put on a yellow silk blouse and a long black skirt, brushing her hair until it shone. She was going to enjoy herself this evening if she died in the attempt. She wouldn’t let Piers Sinclair upset her—why should she?

  The party was being given at one of their college friends’ house and it was well under way by the time they arrived in Leigh’s Mini. The whole house was in semi-darkness, but they knew by the loud music that they had come to the right place. It was so dark inside that it was hard to distinguish one person from another, but the two girls pushed their way through the crowd until they reached the bar.

  Luckily Keith was one of the people propping up the temporary bar. Leigh handed over the bottle of drink they had brought with them before turning to grin at Keith. ‘Hi,’ she greeted. ‘Anyone interesting here?’

  ‘There is now.’ He put an arm around each girl. ‘Now that my two favourite girls have arrived.’

  Karen laughed. ‘And how many other girls have you said that to tonight?’

  Keith placed a hand across his heart. ‘Not a single one—on my honour. Now what can I get you to drink?’

  They gave him their orders while they went to say hello to their hostess, joining in the dancing on the way back as this seemed to be the only way to get through the crowd. ‘God!’ breathed Leigh. ‘I think the whole of the college and hospital are here tonight.’

  ‘I know,’ sighed Keith. ‘It’s terrible trying to dance in here, and it will be even worse at Maxine’s tomorrow. I don’t think I’m looking forward to the crush.’

  ‘Tomorrow?’ queried Leigh. ‘What’s so special about tomorrow?’

  Karen gave her a disbelieving look. ‘Don’t you realise that it’s New Year’s Eve tomorrow?’

  ‘Oh yes, I’d forgotten.’

  ‘How can you forget a thing like that?’ asked Keith jokingly, suddenly looking at something over Karen’s shoulder. ‘Don’t look now, girls, but I think we’re just about to be interrupted, and I’m not sure it’s a welcome interruption, especially for Leigh.’

  ‘Hi,’ greeted a familiar voice. ‘I haven’t seen you at any of the parties lately, Leigh. How have you been?’

  Leigh turned to face Gavin. ‘I’m fine. And you haven’t seen me lately because I’ve been busy, also we’ve had the Christmas holidays. Did you have a nice Christmas? You went skiing, I believe.’

  ‘How did—Oh yes, of course,’ he gave a bitter smile. ‘My father, I suppose.’

  Leigh smiled sweetly. ‘But of course. Did you have a nice time?’ she repeated.

  ‘Not bad.’ Gavin came to stand in front of her, effectively cutting the other couple out of the conversation. ‘It would have been better if you’d been there.’

  Leigh almost laughed at the irony of it all. Here was Gavin saying he would have welcomed her company over Christmas, whereas Piers, the man she had spent Christmas with, couldn’t have cared less whether she was with him or not. ‘I wasn’t asked,’ she answered in a teasing voice. ‘But I couldn’t have come anyway. I always go home for the holidays.’

  ‘Have you forgiven me yet?’ Gavin asked seriously.

  Leigh’s eyes widened at this direct approach to their last meeting. She had quite expected him to ignore what had gone before, but it seemed she was wrong. ‘I don’t know that I have anything to forgive you for. You said what you felt at the time and if I didn’t like it then that was up to me.’

  ‘But I didn’t mean it, Leigh, not then or now. I was angry and said things that I wouldn’t normally have said.’

  ‘Does this change of heart have anything to do with your father?’ she asked shrewdly. ‘Oh yes, Gavin, I know he spoke to you about it. Well, does it?’

  He shook his head. ‘Not really, in part maybe. He made me see how stupid my accusations about the two of you were, that’s all.’

  Leigh looked away. ‘What exactly did your father say about me?’ she asked tightly.

  ‘Only that I had the wrong idea about you two completely, and that he was old enough to be your father,’ he laughed, ‘as well as mine.’

  ‘Is that what he actually said?’ Leigh felt a constriction in her chest, as if a heavy weight were being pressed down on her. So that was how Piers thought of her, as a child. The knowledge was crushing as well as hurtful. Piers certainly hadn’t acted like a father figure on Christmas Eve, anything but. But then he had told Gavin this before Christmas. How did he think of her now? If the fact that he hadn’t contacted her was anything to go by then he didn’t think of her at all.

  Gavin shrugged his shoulders carelessly. ‘Words to that effect—I can’t recall what his exact words were. But I don’t want to talk about Dad. I want to know if you’ll come to a party with me tomorrow, night?’

  Leigh quirked a mocking eyebrow at him, a slight smile on her lips. ‘And do you think I ought to after all that’s been said and done between the two of us?’

  Gavin smiled too. ‘No, I don’t. But will you?’

  She had to laugh at his honesty and soon he joined in. ‘If it’s the party at Maxine’s,’ Leigh said finally, ‘I’m already going. With Karen.’

  He shook his head. ‘It isn’t the one at Maxine’s. Dad is giving a New Year party and of course I’m invited, with partner. I would like you to be that partner.’

  ‘Your father …’ Leigh repeated faintly, hoping her sudden pallor would go unoticed by Gavin. It wouldn’t do to let him know how she felt about his father. ‘You did say your father is giving the party?’

  Gavin sipped his drink. ‘Mmm. He always gives a party to welcome in the new year. And this year I’m going to have the most beautiful girl there as my partner. Do you mind?’

  Leigh’s thoughts were like a tangled jungle. The desire to see Piers again was very strong, and yet she didn’t want him to gain the impression that she was chasing him. But how could it look that way when she was accompanying his son? It couldn’t. But she must make sure Gavin knew there would be no strings attached to this evening out together. Gavin might look like Piers in a youthful way, but there was no doubt in her mind which one it was she loved. Piers was the only man to ever make her feel wanton as she had whenever they were together.

  ‘Not if you want to take me,’ she answered finally. ‘But it will only be as friends, Gavin. I don’t want—’

  ‘Don’t worry, Leigh,’ he stopped her. ‘Tomorrow will. just be to show that we’re friends again. We’ll take it from there, okay?’

  ‘Okay,’ she agreed, laughing. Tomorrow she was going to see Piers again! She just couldn’t believe it. Suddenly the evening seemed brighter and she set out to enjoy herself.

  Keith tapped her on the shoulder. ‘Is this conversation still private or can anyone join in?’

  After that the four of them chatted and danced together, although Leigh didn’t miss the few resentful glances Karen shot in Gavin’s direction on her behalf. A though Leigh couldn’t blame her, Gavin’s behaviour hadn’t been all that good since the moment she had first met him.

  Gavin made arrangements to pick Leigh up at nine-thirty the next evening, informing her that the party didn’t start until late and so she wouldn’t be home until the early hours of the morning. He had taken her warning about not trying any tricks on her with good grace, even going so far as to blush a little.

  ‘Well, I think you’re very silly,’ Karen said as she prepared for bed. ‘I wouldn’t trust Gavin Sinclair one more time. He’s too temperamental, you never know when he’s going to do something completely out of character—or in character, depending which way you look at it.’

  ‘Perhaps you’re right. But I have to give him one more chance. He’s only young.’

  ‘Well, so are we, but we don’t go about trapping unsuspecting people into compromising situations. Not that I wouldn’t mind trying it with some of the boys I know,’ Karen chuckled.

  ‘There you are, then,’ laughed Leigh, snuggling down under the bed covers. ‘I suppose he thought it was worth a try.’

  * * *

  Leigh’s thoughts and feelings were mixed as she showered and dressed before getting ready to go out with Gavin. She wanted to see Piers, but she was frightened he would snub her, or worse still, just ignore her, and she would just die if he did that. Surely he wouldn’t be that cruel! She would just have to act cool and not let him see that his absence from her life bothered her.

  Gavin’s eyes lit up with admiration as he looked at her, bending down to kiss her cheek. Leigh looked at him searchingly. ‘Purely platonic,’ he excused. ‘But you look absolutely gorgeous.’

  ‘Thank you,’ she said shyly. Her dress was ankle-length, petrol blue in colour in a floating chiffon, very demure with a high neckline and long clinging sleeves. Her hair showed up very black against its lighter colour and shone a glistening raven black.

  As Leigh had expected, Piers’ apartment was in one of the wealthier blocks near the river. A soft gentle flow of music could be heard from the luxurious interior as the two of them discarded their coats for the manservant to take away, although nothing could be heard from outside the apartment and Gavin explained that the walls were soundproof. The music was much louder when they entered the lounge, so Leigh could only assume that the interior wall must be partly soundproof too.

  So this was the type of atmosphere Piers was accustomed to living in, Leigh thought nervously, feeling way out of her depth in such distinguished company. Gavin took two glasses of bubbly liquid from a passing waiter and handed one to Leigh.

  ‘Stop looking so frightened, Leigh. They’re only human like we are.’ Gavin took her hand. ‘Come on, I’ll introduce you to some of the people here. Some of them are okay when you get to know them.’

  For the next half an hour Leigh was dazzled by the sparkling beauty of actresses and models, and the rugged good looks of actors and racing drivers. Although she didn’t usually like alcohol she had allowed Gavin to replenish her glass for her, and was certainly beginning to feel more relaxed, although she still hadn’t seen the one person she had come here to see. Of Piers there had been no sign, although she assumed he must be somewhere in the apartment—after all, it was his party. She was just beginning to wonder if perhaps he wasn’t here when she saw him across the other side of the huge room. He wasn’t aware of her, so she could watch him completely unobserved, something she loved doing.

  Here in his own surroundings amongst his own friends he took on a frighteningly aloof quality, making Leigh wonder at her own forwardness with him when they had been on their own together. Alone with him she had forgotten he was the famous Piers Sinclair, but here amongst all these celebrities she realised he was way out of her class. These people, whom she had only ever seen before on television or in films, were actually his friends. It was a frightening thought. What could a child like herself give to him that all these glamorous women couldn’t give him ten times better?

  For the first time she realised with complete seriousness how futile had been her childish imaginings regarding Piers and herself. Of course he had taken her out, exercised all that devastating charm she had known he was capable of, but then wouldn’t any man have done the same when confronted with such an innocent as herself? What a challenge she must have been to him, a little pre-nurse who answered him back and didn’t act as if he was something special every time he walked into a room. But he was something special, and someone completely out of her reach. What a fool she had been. What a stupid, stupid fool!

  ‘Gavin,’ she swallowed hard, nausea rising in her throat. ‘Gavin, I want to go home. You don’t have to go with me,’ she said desperately, wishing only to be alone with her misery. ‘I can get a taxi.’

  He held her arm. ‘Certainly not! If there’s any taking home to be done I’ll do it—I haven’t forgotten that I was ungentlemanly enough to refuse you once before.’ He looked at her closely in the warm orange glow of the room. ‘Don’t you feel well?’

  Leigh opened her mouth to answer him and saw with terror that Piers had spotted them, or at least his son. He didn’t seem to have seen Leigh yet, or she felt sure his relaxed expression would have changed, and so she turned away in an effort not to let him do so. She was aware of his approach with every fibre of her body, and wished with all her heart that she could make her escape without being noticed. But already it was too late. Piers was standing next to Gavin, a smile of welcome for his son on those firm lips that had once claimed hers in passion.

  ‘Good evening, Gavin,’ Piers said lightly. ‘Sorry I wasn’t here when you arrived, but Marlene decided to throw one of her not infrequent tantrums—My God! Leigh!’ he said the last between clenched teeth.

  Leigh raised her violet eyes to meet the chill blue eyes of the man she loved. ‘Mr Sinclair,’ she acknowledged calmly. ‘It’s nice to see you again.’ What an understatement! It was like being given a small slice of heaven.

  ‘And you,’ he returned dazedly, a polite reply that Leigh felt sure was a lie. He turned to his son. ‘I didn’t realise it was Leigh you were bringing tonight, Gavin. You only said a friend,’ he smiled bitterly. ‘The second time, I believe.’

  Leigh knew he was referring to the first time the two of them had met and she suppressed her blushes as best she could, threading her arm intimately through Gavin’s, much to his pleasure. ‘I’m sorry to have to cut our evening short, but Gavin was just going to take me home.’ She just had to get away from here now, away from those piercing blue eyes that delved into her very soul.

  ‘Oh? Why was that?’ Piers studied her through narrowed eyes.

  ‘Leigh isn’t feeling well,’ Gavin answered for her.

  ‘Really?’ Piers’ appraisal deepened. ‘Perhaps a little fresh air will make you feel better. Would you like to attend to the music, Gavin, while I take our guest out on to the balcony.’