A Stranger's Love. Laura Martin

morning.’ He held out his hand. ‘Now, you are quite welcome to accompany Bethany and me back along the track to her cabin if you’re afraid of being left alone here——’

      “Well, how incredibly gallant of you!’ Theo burst out angrily. ‘You don’t expect me to waste my time travelling to some shack on the side of a cliff-top do you—with her? What kind of a fool do you take me for?’ Her eyes narrowed with sudden suspicion. ‘You forget I know you from old, Chad Alington! It wouldn’t surprise me if you’ve already made some kind of a move on her! She’s your type, isn’t she? A leggy blonde? Haven’t you had more of those in your bed than any other——?’

      ‘That’s enough!’ Chad’s mouth tightened ominously. ‘You’re making a spectacle of yourself! Now, you may do as you like, Theo, stay or come with us, but either way I’m taking Bethany back home. Are you going to hand over the keys or not?’

      Theo wasn’t sure what to do. Bethany, disturbed by the venomous accusations, watched in embarrassed fascination as indecision crossed her carefully painted features. ‘Damn you!’ she gritted shakily. ‘If you’re so keen to waste your time on this...this country bumpkin, then do it! But it’s my car—we elected to leave yours back at the hotel, remember?—and I’ll be damned if I’ll let you use it to transport another of your conquests about!’ She tossed her raven-black head dramatically. ‘I won’t be treated like this! I’m going back to the hotel!’

      If Theo had expected some kind of emotional response, she was going to be sorely disappointed, Bethany thought. Chad’s gaze rested indifferently on Theo’s face. ‘OK, if that’s how you want it,’ he drawled, unaffected by her scowl of animosity. He shrugged and watched impassively as she marched over to the door in her impossibly high heels. ‘I’ll see you when I see you, Theo,’ he called as she thumped down the stairs. ‘Don’t drive too fast, will you?’

      ‘If you expect me to be in any way impressed——’ Bethany began frostily, as Chad followed her down the staircase a moment after they had heard the predictable screech of burning rubber on the lane outside. ‘You shouldn’t let her drive, she’s been drinking——’

      ‘No, she hasn’t.’ Chad’s voice held a hint of amusement.

      ‘Oh, come on!’ Bethany spun around to face him, her green eyes narrowing with dislike. ‘It’s not in the least bit funny! I saw the bottles of wine. Heard what she said. I’m not a fool, whatever you may think!’

      ‘Meaning, I suppose,’ Chad drawled, ‘that you think I plied dear, innocent Theo with drink just so I could get my wicked way with her!’

      Bethany’s lips pursed grimly. ‘You said it!’

      ‘Yes, and you thought it!’ Chad shot back. ‘Your opinion of me isn’t particularly high, is it?’

      Unconsciously her mind swung back to the cabin, the rug, the pressure of Chad’s mouth as it scorched her lips... the scene—a prelude to lovemaking if ever there was one—she had unwittingly stumbled upon this evening... Oh, God! What was it about this man? she thought angrily. Did every woman fall like an idiot at his feet? ‘Can you give me one good reason why it should be?’ Bethany enquired frostily. ‘And don’t remind me about saving my life!’ she added caustically, thrusting away the treacherous thoughts. ‘Because I’m honestly beginning to wonder if it wouldn’t have been better if you’d left me stranded out there on the rock! I’m sure I would have been able to get back under my own steam...eventually. Anyway,’ Bethany continued sharply, aware that her lie about saving herself hadn’t sounded the least bit convincing, ‘that’s not the point! Theo’s whole demeanour was that of someone who had been drinking and you let her walk out of here——’

      ‘She hadn’t touched a drop!’ Chad’s voice was sharp. ‘Will you stop ranting on about drinking and driving, Bethany! Theo’s an actress; she’s got an early call in the morning. Whatever else she may do, she takes her career very seriously indeed and alcohol is a definite no-no as far as she’s concerned, especially on the eve of a big job.’

      Bethany frowned. She had supposed the reference to leggy blondes to be just a wild accusation made in a fit of alcoholic rage. If Theo had been sober...The picture of Chad in bed with any number of beautiful women sprang unasked for into her mind. ‘But she acted as though she’d had a few...’ Bethany began, thrusting away the vision, sickened by the fact that she could so nearly have joined their number.

      Chad inhaled a breath and shrugged impatiently. ‘Theo’s always like that. It’s just her way. The old seductress routine maybe, I don’t know——’

      ‘Oh, come on!’ Bethany felt anger surge at his indifferent response. ‘You don’t expect me to believe that it was she who brought you here?’ she delivered with disbelieving venom. ‘That you were the innocent party being led astray! You upset her! You used her!’ Bethany accused wildly. The need to be perverse was overwhelming suddenly. She hated Chad Alington for causing this emotional turbulence that seemed to have risen out of nowhere. She had spent months and months trying to regain her equilibrium, trying to forget about her past life with Philip, and now here she was, here he was, stirring up her well-ordered thoughts and responses.

      ‘Your concern for Theo’s welfare is extremely touching,’ Chad replied tightly. ‘But, Bethany, the woman is as hard as nails! Surely you worked that out for yourself! She can be good fun, but she can also be quite a bitch when she wants to be. Tonight’s performance is not unusual by any means, believe me!’

      ‘Oh, isn’t that just convenient!’ Bethany snapped. ‘She can take care of herself, so that absolves you from all blame! My God! You men really are all the same! You just take what you want and never a thought for anyone else’s feelings!’

      ‘Both Theo and I are adults, well over the age of consent!’ Chad thundered. ‘We see each other from time to time on a casual basis—an arrangement that suits her as much as it does me.’ He reached out a hand and dragged Bethany to a halt on the bottom-most tread. ‘Do you have to be so damned naive?’ His eyes flashed to the smooth pale face in front of him. ‘Theo can take care of herself. Didn’t she prove that tonight? After all, I’m the one who’s been stranded out here. So save your sympathy—she wouldn’t thank you for it!’

      ‘Don’t patronise me!’ Bethany, fighting for self-control, pulled her arm free from his hold and glared furiously up into Chad’s angular face.

      ‘You’re upset because of what Theo said, aren’t you?’ he murmured, with a sigh of exasperation. ‘Can’t you see she just used that reference to women in my bed to cause trouble?’

      ‘I suppose you’re going to tell me now that there isn’t a grain of truth in it!’ Bethany responded frostily. ‘What was the seduction routine at my cabin this afternoon, if it wasn’t just another in a long line of calculated operations? Well, come on!’ she demanded shakily. ‘Lie to me! After all, I’m so incredibly naive! I’m bound to fall for any yarn you care to spin! Go on! Tell me what Theo said wasn’t true!’ She was shaking with emotion. This arrogant, autocratic man thought he knew it all, had already decided she was a silly little slip of a girl who had no idea about the real world...real life...

      ‘Would there be any point?’ Chad enquired bitingly. ‘It seems to me that whatever I say is only going to incense you more.’

      ‘Damned right it is!’ Bethany replied instantly. ‘Hell! You men are all the same——!’

      ‘Bethany, be quiet!’ His voice was deeply scathing, bored almost. ‘I’m becoming sick of that clichéd phrase! You’re talking absolute rubbish! Stop using this fit of temper as a shield to hide behind because you can’t handle the fact that we almost made love——’

      ‘How dare you?’ She couldn’t believe he was actually saying this to her. ‘How dare you stand there and presume certain things that are in no way true——?’

      ‘They’re true,’ Chad cut in tersely. ‘You wouldn’t be reacting this way if they weren’t.