man, his hair long, dark and shaggy, while Anthony’s was blond and kept expertly styled. Rufus was also the more powerfully built, and even the casual clothing they both wore was of a completely different style; the older man wore jeans, whereas Anthony’s trousers were tailored. And, although both men were strikingly handsome, that was in a completely different way, too: Anthony’s was a boyish handsomeness, while Rufus Diamond’s face looked as if it had been hewn from the rocks along the seashore.
If Rufus had heard that remark about Jessica’s nannies, had he also heard his brother call her his darling?
Cobalt-blue eyes were narrowed on the two of them in cool assessment before he turned to look at his brother. ‘Davina seems to be wondering where you’ve got to,’ he went on pointedly. ‘I told her to look for the first pretty face and she was sure to find you there! And I was right,’ he added softly, his speculative gaze encompassing Annie again as well now.
She felt the colour enter her cheeks, could feel its warmth. And it had nothing to do with being called pretty by this man. Why was Rufus so contemptuous of her? He didn’t even know her! From the way he talked to her, and about her, she didn’t think he was going to take the time to get to know her, either!
‘I was merely asking Anthony if he knew whether or not you were coming up to see Jessica again,’ she told him tartly. ‘She seemed to think you would be.’
‘And she was right, because here I am,’ he returned, amusement—at her expense!—darkening his eyes even more.
She met that look unblinkingly. ‘I’m sure Jessica will be thrilled,’ she said evenly.
To her surprise Rufus threw back his head and gave a shout of laughter, his expression warm now, that grin still curving his lips as he looked down at her. ‘I was wondering if this unusual colour was real or from a bottle.’ He reached out and lightly ruffled the deep red of her short, curling hair. ‘Now I know it is red! I should watch yourself with this one, Anthony,’ he told his brother. ‘She may just turn round and bite!’ And, with that last taunt left floating in the air between them, he strode off to Jessica’s bedroom, quietly going inside. Jessica’s squeals of delight were heard seconds later.
‘What did he mean by that last remark?’ Anthony asked sharply. ‘Exactly what did the two of you talk about when you met earlier?’
Annie smoothed her mussed hair with irritated fingers. Really, Rufus Diamond treated her as if she were no older than Jessica! Although, from the implications he was making concerning herself and his brother, he didn’t really believe that...!
‘Annie!’ Anthony snapped impatiently. ‘I asked what you and Rufus talked about earlier,’ he prompted at her puzzled look.
She thought back to that embarrassing conversation with him on the beach, when she had mistaken him for a trespasser—and knew she couldn’t tell Anthony about that. She felt uncomfortable enough about the encounter already, without sharing it with anyone.
‘Not a lot,’ she responded vaguely. ‘Although he did tell me to be careful on the beach; he said someone had once died there.’ She looked up at Anthony, perplexed.
He pursed his lips thoughtfully. ‘Did he, indeed?’ he said slowly. ‘Did he say who it was?’
‘No.’ She shrugged. ‘We really weren’t talking for that long.’ Only long enough for Annie to make a complete fool of herself!
‘Hmm.’ Anthony was still attentive. ‘It’s interesting that he told you about that at all.’
Annie was intrigued now. ‘Is it?’
‘It isn’t important,’ Anthony dismissed carelessly. ‘Although you do realise, with Rufus around, we’re going to have to be even more careful about when and where the two of us meet?’
She had been debating this afternoon, as she’d stood on the jetty waiting for him—pointlessly, as it turned out—whether or not they should meet again. Oh, she was no less attracted to him, and she wanted to feel wanted by him, but he was engaged to another woman—no matter how much of a farce, on his part, the engagement now was.
This was the circle in which she had kept going round and round, and every time she’d come back to the fact that she was attracted to a man who was engaged to marry someone else. Even though the attraction seemed to be reciprocated, it was still wrong for her to feel this way about a man promised to another girl.
She drew in a controlling breath. ‘Perhaps we shouldn’t meet...’
‘I was hoping you would say that!’ Anthony gave her a hug, smiling down at her when he released her. ‘It won’t be for long; as I’ve said, going by Rufus’s last visit, this one may only be for a day or so. Then we can start to see each other without worrying about him.’
That hadn’t been what she was about to say at all. Much as it pained her, the only conclusion she had come to concerning her relationship with Anthony—such as it was!—was that it would have to end. At least until Anthony had decided what he was going to do about his engagement. But Anthony seemed to have misunderstood her just now...
‘You really are wonderful, Annie,’ he told her huskily, blue eyes glowing. ‘How could I have been so stupid as to think I could make a go of things with Davina?’ He shook his head at his own lack of forethought. ‘I’ll sort things out, Annie, you’ll see. In the meantime, I intend to stay as much out of Rufus’s way as possible. I suggest you do the same.’
Easier said than done!
As Jessica had hoped, Daddy did come and carry her downstairs to dinner. Which meant he came up to Jessica’s bedroom to collect her. And as Annie was there too, having helped the young girl to dress in her prettiest dress—red velvet edged with fine lace at the neck and cuffs—she encountered Rufus again not much more than an hour later.
As the Diamonds were a family that dressed for dinner, his black evening suit, snowy white shirt and black bow-tie came as nothing of a surprise to Annie. The fact that the formality of his clothing did little to disguise the leashed power within was also expected; Rufus Diamond was a man who exuded arrogant masculinity.
‘Does our little mouse still have her roar this evening?’ he teased. ‘Or has Anthony managed to talk you down to a whimper?’
Jessica looked puzzled by his query. ‘But we don’t have any mice, Daddy.’
Annie didn’t pretend not to know it was her he was referring to. Usually she was so calm and controlled—temper tantrums hadn’t gone down too well at the children’s homes! It was only this man who brought back echoes of the fiery side of her nature that over the years she had taken such care to quell.
As he did now! ‘The younger Mr Diamond doesn’t talk down to me at all,’ she told him tartly.
The humour left Rufus’s darkly mocking face as he frowned, giving him a slightly menacing appearance—and making Annie wonder if she was wise to talk back to him so sharply. He was her employer, after all...
‘Don’t backtrack, Annie,’ he replied curtly—as if he was well able to read her inner uncertainty.
Maybe he could. She had never been any good at hiding her feelings. Another reason for ending this barely formed relationship with Anthony. It could only bring her grief, and possibly dismissal from working with the little girl she already adored. These
