very big difference to put that spark in his eye. The only other time I see him look like that is when some business battle is about to commence. He thrives on opposition.’
‘I can imagine.’ Kerry reached for her bag and extracted her notebook and pencil. ‘How would you like to start?’
It was Estelle’s turn to smile. ‘You’re right, of course. I’m procrastinating. Are you close enough over there if I stretch out on the sofa here and just start talking?’
‘If I’m not I’ll let you know,’ Kerry promised.
Slipping off her shoes, the older woman settled herself comfortably with her head pillowed on a cushion. ‘You’ve read a lot of biographies,’ she said. ‘Where would be a good place to start?’
Kerry considered for a moment before replying. ‘Personally, I prefer the ones that go straight through from point A to point Z, rather than the flashback type.’
‘From childhood, you mean?’
‘If possible. Where and when you were born, what kind of lifestyle you had, schooldays and so on. Humorous little anecdotes, if you can remember any.’
‘Plenty of those. I was always into mischief of one kind or another. I got myself expelled from my convent prep school for taking other pupils on guided tours of the nuns’ quarters at a penny a time when they were supposedly all busy elsewhere. It was working quite well until we all trooped in on Sister Josephine who’d been taken ill and had had to retire to bed. I can still see her expression!’
“That’s the kind of thing,’ Kerry encouraged, laughing with her. ‘What about your family?’
‘I can’t offer any rags to riches theme, I’m afraid. My father was in banking, my mother something of a society queen. We lived not very far from here in a house not unlike this one.’ Her eyes were closed, her face relaxed, her voice reminiscent.
‘My brother, Robert, was born when I was five. As a girl, I took something of a back seat from then on, I suppose. Not that it worried me too much. I’d had my first experience of facing an audience in the school Nativity play. I knew even then that it was what I wanted to do with my life...’
Kerry’s hand raced over the page, her interest already captured. Later they could go back over it all and perhaps insert a little more detail here and there, but for now it was coming along just fine. She looked forward to hearing more.
Lee Hartford she relegated to the very back of her mind, vowing to keep him there from now on. He would probably be spending little time at home during the day anyway.
CHAPTER TWO
APART from a couple of brief encounters with the master of the house, when little more than a casual good morning was exchanged, that first week went by smoothly enough.
Working mornings only, Estelle was managing a fair output, leaving Kerry the whole afternoon to spend at the word processor putting the memories into readable form. What to keep in and what to leave out would be decided later. In the meantime, she was thoroughly enjoying the job.
She was in the study late on the Friday afternoon when Lee arrived home. With her back to the door and her mind absorbed, she didn’t hear him enter the room, becoming aware of his presence only when he paused behind her to view the computer screen over her shoulder.
‘So how’s it going?’ he asked.
His closeness disrupted her concentration, causing her fingers to stumble on the keys. Cursing inwardly, she deleted the mistyped letters.
‘It was going fine,’ she said pointedly.
He ignored the sarcasm. ‘How do you rate it yourself?’
‘On the basis of what we’ve got up to now, I’d say it stands an excellent chance of becoming a best-seller,’ she answered with truth. ‘Your mother has a way with words.’
‘Part of what makes her such a good actress, I imagine. Words are her stock in trade.’
‘Other people’s words. These are her own.’ Kerry swung her head as he moved to the big mahogany desk a few feet away, meeting the grey eyes with that same involuntary tensing of muscle and sinew. ‘Are you planning on staying?’
Dark brows lifted. ‘Do you object?’
‘Only in the sense that I find you a distraction.’ She could have bitten off her tongue the moment she had said it, seeing his mouth take on the infuriating slant. ‘The same way I’d find anyone a distraction when I’m trying to work,’ she added swiftly. ‘I realise it’s your study, but you did say I could use it.’
‘In your line you should be used to having other people around,’ he returned. ‘I’ve some work of my own to do, but I’m happy enough to have you share the premises.’
With anyone else there would be no difficulty, Kerry acknowledged. The best will in the world couldn’t put her at ease with this man. Standing there in yet another of the beautifully cut suits—blue this time—he radiated a masculine air of command that set her teeth on edge.
‘I’m just about finished for the day anyway,’ she claimed. ‘I’ll leave you to it.’
He studied her thoughtfully, dropping his gaze to linger for a deliberate moment on the firm thrust of her breasts outlined against the cream silk of her shirt. ‘We never met before, by any chance?’
She shook her head, making no effort to disguise her contempt. ‘We hardly move in the same circles.’
‘So you’ve based your view of me on what?’
Her chin lifted. ‘You get a lot of publicity.’
‘Oh, I see. My media reputation.’ His tone was dry. ‘You believe everything you read in the newspapers?’
Kerry gave him back look for look. ‘I don’t recall you ever suing any for libel.’
‘So far I never felt any need. The people who matter to me know me well enough to take everything said with a pinch of salt—the rest aren’t important.’
‘In which case,’ she asked, ‘why bother about my opinion?’
His smile was slow. ‘You’re another matter.’
‘Meaning you’re accustomed to instant idolisation from women?’
‘I wouldn’t go quite that far, but I don’t usually elicit instant detestation either. How about giving me the benefit of the doubt and forming your own judgement?’
Kerry curled a lip. ‘You just can’t accept it, can you?’
‘Accept what?’
‘That the woman exists who can find you resistible!’
The smile came again, grey eyes acquiring sudden tawny lights. ‘Is that a challenge?’
‘No, it damn well isn’t!’ she said, furious with herself for getting involved
