expression drained from James Devereux’s face. ‘No,’ he said slowly. ‘Tests imply conscious thought. I just wanted you, Harriet. God help me, I still do.’
She rubbed a hand across her damp forehead, feeling her resentment evaporate at his honesty. ‘Why? We don’t even like each other very much.’
He smiled bleakly. ‘Our hormones obviously don’t believe that.’ The smile vanished suddenly. ‘Will you tell Tim?’
Harriet shuddered. ‘I most certainly will not. Will you?’
‘Hell, no! I was the one spouting fine words about shielding Tim from hurt.’ His mouth twisted. ‘We just forget it ever happened.’
‘Right.’
His eyes held hers. ‘I’m not sure I can do that.’
Harriet wasn’t sure she could, either. ‘It probably wouldn’t have happened normally, but you were talking about Madeleine, and I was tearful about this place, and the storm didn’t help—’
‘None of which is anything to do with it. With you in my arms I forgot everything and everyone, including Tim. Laugh if you like,’ he added savagely.
She shivered. ‘I don’t feel like laughing.’
‘Neither do I. For God’s sake let’s get out of here, away from this bed.’ He held the door open for her and Harriet brushed past, trying not to touch him as she made for the stairs.
In the kitchen, with the table between them and the storm retreating now in the distance, she felt marginally calmer as she faced the tall, haggard man who had just turned her life upside down.
‘I’ll ring my grandmother’s solicitor tomorrow.’
James nodded brusquely. ‘If you’ll give me the number I’ll pass it on to my lawyer.’
‘And until the sale is official I’ll keep paying Stacy to clean the house,’ said Harriet, determinedly matter-of-fact.
James shook his head. ‘I’ll see to that. She can carry on working here after the house changes hands. I’ll talk to the Edenhurst housekeeper, too. There may be something Stacy can do up at the hotel on a regular basis.’
‘Thank you. That would be a great help for her.’
Rain hammered against the window, and thunder cracked and rolled, but neither of them noticed the elements as silence fell that neither of them was willing to break. Harriet waited, nerves jumping, half wanting James to go and half wanting, quite desperately, for him to stay.
At last he gave her a look that turned her heart over. ‘Tell me the truth, Harriet. If you and I were unconnected in any way, would you have let me stay tonight?’
‘I would have wanted to,’ she said honestly.
His eyes lit with triumph for an instant before the shutters came down. ‘But because of Tim it will never happen.’
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