Scarlet Lady (16 page)

Leo leaned forward till his mouth was a few inches from hers. 'I'll tell you the price when you know for certain if you're his daughter or not.'

'That makes a difference?' she asked, dry-mouthed.

Swiftly he kissed her, his mouth moistening hers. Miserable and confused, she lifted her hands to his face and held him while she returned the kiss with all her heart. When the pressure of his mouth had gone, she opened her drowsy eyes, her lashes fluttering with the shudders of tension that contact with him always produced.

'The bargain is sealed, Ginny,' he said softly. 'And yes, knowing who you are makes a difference.' He stood up. 'We'll go now. Ready?'

Something held her to the chair—a premonition that Leo would destroy her if she was Vincente's daughter. But there was only one way to find out. 'Yes,' she said hoarsely. 'I'm ready.'

*

'Beau Rivage?' Joseph turned the launch south out of Castries then looked curiously at Leo. 'You got someone meeting you on the beach?'

'No, we haven't,' replied Leo with a faint frown. 'Why?'

Ginny clutched his arm anxiously. They'd decided to give Vincente no warning—and, if he wasn't at home, to wait there till near dark in the hope he'd return. There would be servants around, surely? 'Is that a problem?' she asked.

'Long, long walk,' said Joseph. 'Track's probably overgrown. The master of Beau Rivage don't get out much and he don't look after the plantation.'

'Should we go back to the hotel and take a taxi?' suggested Leo.

'No way!' laughed Joseph. 'Not unless you like riding the road from hell! Tell you something, man—I can set you down at Beau Jardin. That's the next bay. Someone there can run you over to Rivage by truck. They might not go all the way, but they'll get you close enough. OK?'

'Thanks, Joseph. We'd appreciate that,' Leo smiled and steadied Ginny against the sway of the boat as they made their way to the seats in the stern.

It was nice having his arm briefly around her waist but he withdrew it all too soon. Surreptitiously she wriggled closer to him, wanting the comfort of his body because she felt sick with nerves. 'My hands are shaking. This is worse than appearing in a big show,' she said ruefully.

'You'll be all right.' Leo slid an arm around her shoulders. 'I'm with you, aren't I?' he said drily.

'My hero!' she joked, but felt as if that was true.

They both fell silent. Ginny spent the journey preparing herself mentally and emotionally for the meeting. Vincente would be some kind of sick and embittered old man, an ogre, and she'd hate him on sight. But she had to remain polite otherwise he'd never tell her anything. Somehow she had to gain his confidence—and since everyone obviously found him impossible that would be a tall order.

'You're very pale. And very cold.' Leo rubbed warmth into her body. 'It won't take long,' he said huskily. 'Then it'll be over with.'

Ginny gazed at him helplessly and found herself torn in two. It would be a relief to have it all over. But then would come the payment that Leo intended to demand. And then, probably, she'd never see him again.

'Beau Jardin!' came Joseph's shout after a while.

Startled, Ginny looked towards the coastline ahead, her heart pounding with apprehension. However, Beau Jardin looked so beautiful and serene that she felt herself relax a little.

'It's lovely!' she said softly.

'Civilisation, thank God! I was afraid it might be as deserted as Rivage. Looks like we will be able to find someone to drive us over for sure,' commented Leo, indicating the collection of assorted boats in the glassy bay.

The launch slowed and began to motor between the anchored yachts, launches and pirogues, the brightly painted dugouts used as water taxis. They approached the desert island beach—gently lapping waves, pale honey sand, coconut palms dipping to the water. And, set on the cliff that protected the almost landlocked bay, Ginny saw a white stone house with green jalousies and a blaze of colourful gardens around it.

'Gorgeous house,' she said.

'Splendid,' he agreed. 'Whoever lives here is worth a bob or two. Busy place, isn't it?'

There seemed to be a number of families swimming and chatting on the beach and she wondered if this was another secluded hotel. She looked towards Joseph to ask, but he was concentrating hard, his face screwed up with effort.

'I can hear music,' she cried in surprise.

Joseph had been manoeuvring the launch to the jetty and the roar of the reversing engines had masked the sound. Now she could clearly hear a steel band—and saw it too, under the shade of the palms.

'I think we've gatecrashed a party!' Leo frowned.

They were people of all shapes and sizes—an old St Lucian couple or two sitting in the shade of a gazebo, a horde of children splashing happily in the water, people in bathing costumes, casual T-shirts and shorts, elegant tropical suits and floaty dresses.

'It looks fun,' she said wistfully, clambering onto the wooden jetty. 'Thanks, Joseph! Bye, everyone!' She managed a smile and a wave as the boat motored away with its quota of hotel guests bound for Castries. 'I'm so nervous,' she confided shakily to Leo.

'Take my hand,' he said gruffly. 'We'll find the host or hostess and arrange transport.'

Ginny groaned in dismay. 'No need,' she said, aghast. 'I think she's found us! Oh, Leo! This is too much!'

'Good Lord!' he exclaimed. 'Isn't that the woman...?'

Gulping, Ginny nodded. Coming towards them was the brunette who'd burst into Ginny's room, rasped Pascal's name in distress and then fainted. Stunned, she watched the woman approach, taking in the mass of shining brown hair, the simple white string-strap dress, the sweet face tense with anxiety.

'Pascal's wife!' she whispered in horror, and her cheeks flared scarlet with embarrassment at the confrontation.

'I'll protect you,' Leo said under his breath. 'I won't let anyone hurt you.' His eyes slanted to hers when she raised a bewildered face. 'You represent an investment,' he drawled cynically. 'One I mean to share.'

Her mind whirled. Everyone wanted a piece of her. Agents, publicists, managers and now Leo—presumably because she might stand to gain from Vincente's estate! She was only a commodity to them. Not a person at all. 'You want to own a share in Ginny McKenzie?' she asked bitterly.

'Absolutely,' he replied, smoothly suave. 'So let me defend you if necessary. We'll present a united front and I'll inflate my chest a bit. Always impressive.'

'Does nothing for me,' she muttered crossly.

'Smile, sweetheart. Or put on that Grace Kelly stare that freezes blood. Good afternoon, Mrs St Honore,' he said politely.

The woman had eyes only for the mortified Ginny. 'Good afternoon,' she said in a quietly modulated voice.

'Can I help you?' she asked warily, faint disdain on her generous mouth.

'I hope so.' Ginny took her cue from Pascal's wife and adopted a polite, distant manner. 'We were wondering if...' She licked her lips. The woman was so hostile and Ginny cringed with shame.

'Can anyone here give us a lift into Beau Rivage?' Leo asked commandingly. And for once Ginny blessed his air of authority.

The woman drew in a sharp breath. 'No,' she said flatly. 'Walk. It's about three miles. If you find the right track. Watch out for the snakes.'

Ginny glanced up at Leo. He'd gone white. The only thing he feared. And she knew that the deadly fer-de-lance inhabited the rainforest together with boa constrictors which had been brought to the island ages ago to keep the slaves on the sugar plantations.

'I know why you're being unhelpful. But I think you've misjudged my wife,' Leo said tightly. 'She—'

'Your
wife?'
Obviously surprised, the woman directed her large hazel eyes at Leo and then smiled the kind of smile at them both that melted hearts. 'Oh, I'm so glad! It
was
a mistake! Thank goodness!'

Ginny let out a sigh of relief. This wouldn't be so hard as she'd imagined. 'Mrs St Honore—'

'Mandy, please,' she said encouragingly. 'Mandy.' Ginny hesitantly returned the beaming smile. 'I'm Ginny McKenzie. This is Leo. Look... I know how it must have seemed to you,' she said, her face hot and burning with the memory, 'but I'd been taking a shower and your husband came in and—'

'Oh,
that!'
dismissed Mandy, as if finding her husband glued to a half-dressed woman were a mere trifle. 'Please don't worry about that. Pascal explained. He'll be mortified that he was so curt with you. You must have been poleaxed! No, something else was bothering me. We thought you... No. It doesn't matter. It's all right now, though,' she said contentedly.

Leo's hand tightened around Ginny's waist and she remembered that he'd said that Pascal would not welcome a sister who'd share Vincente's legacy. 'I think we deserve an explanation. What
were
you worried about?' he asked softly.

It was Mandy's turn to look embarrassed. 'It really isn't important now,' she said awkwardly.

'Surely we have a right to know?' insisted Leo gravely.

Mandy sighed. 'All right. It's not exactly the greatest kept secret in the world. Pascal thought...' She shuffled her feet awkwardly then looked at Ginny. 'He was certain you'd come to St Lucia to be Vincente's mistress!' she said wryly.

'I
beg
your pardon?' gasped Ginny, deeply offended.

'What?' cried Leo.

'He had good reason—honestly,' explained Mandy. 'Vincente had recently advertised for a companion/ housekeeper. When Pascal heard you'd been asking for his father, he thought—' Ginny gasped and Mandy gave her an understanding look. 'I know; it's awful, isn't it? But everyone here is aware that he likes young women around him to fetch and carry for him. To read to him and keep him company. And... and so on,' she finished delicately, blushing beneath her tan.

'Not surprising the man's sick,' muttered Leo viciously.

Ginny winced, praying fervently that Vincente wasn't her father. She was getting cold feet. Maybe she wouldn't go to Rivage.

Mandy sighed. 'Pascal thinks it's a kind of macho thing with him. Every now and then women float in— usually from England—and Vincente gives them the once-over. Sometimes he employs them, though they never stay long. It's no wonder that the hotel is suspicious of any beautiful woman asking for Vincente St Honore.'

'They...' Ginny gulped. 'They thought I was a candidate too? Leo,' she said faintly, 'that's why no one would tell me where he lived!'

'Or maybe Pascal asked them not to.' Leo's dark eyes bored into Mandy and she dropped guilty eyes. 'I thought so.'

'None of us have wanted to be associated with what Vincente does,' said Mandy quietly. 'People would rather he didn't live on the island. Everyone shuns him, other than the few who work for him. Please, Ginny, forgive us for misunderstanding, but you can see why Pascal was so angry. He was fed up with Vincente's companions being dumped when he was bored with them and fed up with them demanding their air fare home and weeping on his shoulder.'

'Is Pascal here?' asked Leo curtly. 'I want to talk to him.'

'Of course.' Mandy led them back along the jetty. 'What-a shock you must have had when Pascal burst in on you and then I did a dying-swan act on your quarry tiles!' Mandy giggled and Ginny found herself smiling back. 'We'll find Pascal and he can apologise and explain. f m so glad you came, Ginny. Pascal tried to reach you this morning to invite you to lunch.' She grinned. 'He wanted to stop you meeting his father.'

Ginny shuddered delicately. 'He would have been doing me a favour,' she muttered.

'So...' Mandy's big hazel eyes slanted up to Ginny's '.. .why ever would you want to see such a horrible man?' she asked frankly.

'I think we'd like to discuss that with Pascal,' said Leo coolly, pressing warning fingers into Ginny's shoulder.

'AH right.' Mandy didn't seem offended at all. 'Well,' she said cheerfully, 'I hope you'll stay here for a while. We're having such fun. Lunch is over, but it looks like the party's going on till midnight, because we'll be dancing on the beach. Oh, and we're serving tea soon. Chocolate cake with chocolate butter-cream included, by my request!' Her delighted laughter tinkled out. 'I can ask for almost anything now I'm pregnant,' she grinned.

'Oh! Congratulations,' said Ginny warmly.

Mandy flung an arm out to embrace the beach, the dense foliage in the valley and the house on the cliff. 'It's wonderful, isn't it? Welcome to Beau Jardin. Welcome to our home,' she said softly.

'Thank you,' Ginny said, responding to Mandy's frank, open nature.

'Pascal's making sandcastles,' chattered Mandy, leading them from the jetty along the beach, and Ginny tried to imagine the flaxen-haired dynamo doing anything that ordinary. 'Practising to be a father,' she said gently, her expression like that of a Madonna.

And Ginny felt a twist of envy. This woman was deeply happy, with a loving husband and a child growing in her body. She felt herself trembling, and acknowledged with a grateful look the pressure of Leo's hand on her waist.

When Mandy turned to speak to a small child and exclaim over a collection of hibiscus petals, Leo whispered, 'Whatever you do, don't tell Pascal or Mandy why we're here. Or that you might be Vincente's daughter. Accept Pascal's apologies and any invitation to stay for the afternoon. I can see some four-wheel drives up at the house. I'll find someone on his staff who'll run us over.'

Ginny nodded and then smiled as Mandy turned back to them and they continued on across the beach, smiling and waving at people as they went.

'You're not the only one Pascal accused of applying for the job of Vincente's mistress,' Mandy confided to Ginny. 'I'd answered an advert, you see, and Pascal thought it was one of Vincente's—you know the kind. Housekeeper/companion required for rich man of property, fiftyish, quiet location, send photograph and measurements. View to marriage.' Mandy smiled ruefully. 'The marriage bit was just the bait. Vincente's been catching women with it for years.'

'An... advert?' said Ginny faintly. She and Leo exchanged puzzled looks.

'Yes.' She gave Ginny a curious look—one that Ginny knew only too well. 'Don't I know you from somewhere—other than your hotel room? I didn't get much of a look at you last time—my mind was on other things,' she said ruefully. 'But I
have
seen you before, haven't I?'