and neither did Fliss. Unfortunately the fun soon wears off for you, doesn’t it? How long were you married—six months? Nine? It couldn’t have been more than a year. I don’t suppose he felt he could come back to Fliss after that, not that she’d have had him. That really doesn’t matter. The point is this: I won’t have you playing those sort of games with Andy. He loves Fliss, but she isn’t an exotic flower like you. Like any man, he could be tempted away by the promise of your heady perfume and bright colours, without realising how swiftly they fade and rot away, leaving him with nothing except regrets. You could do it, as easy as blinking, but I’m warning you—don’t.’
Maxi had listened to his diatribe in a frozen silence. At the time, she had forced herself not to think of the impression she was giving. Her aim had been to salve Fliss’s pride by leaving her with someone to hate. Now, to realise that many had seen her as a bitch in heat appalled her, making nausea rise in her throat until she had to swallow it back.
Even though she knew it would do no good, she had to deny it. ‘I’m not like that.’
Unmoved, Kerr put the car in gear. ‘I wasn’t blind then, any more than I am now.’
Behind her eyes, her head began to throb, and she raised a hand to her temple. He was turning a visit that had always been hard in prospect into purgatory. Well, she didn’t have to put up with it. ‘If this is the way you feel, why don’t you just take me home?’ she stated in a frigid voice.
In reply Kerr increased speed. ‘No way. You inflicted this on us, and you’re damned well going to see it through to the bitter end.’
It was the knowledge that he wanted to see her wounded which roused her to fight back. ‘You’re a bastard.’
He laughed hollowly. ‘They say it takes one to know one!’
Maxi subsided then, sinking back into her seat, feeling rather more upset than she had expected. It was one thing to imagine what people must have thought, and quite another to actually know. Yet even with hindsight, she knew she wouldn’t have acted any differently. Sighing softly, she thought it was just as well she had broad shoulders and a philosophical disposition. Having played her part deliberately, she couldn’t really blame anyone for thinking she was the kind of woman who greedily took what she wanted. Despite what anyone thought, she had done nothing she was ashamed of, and she wasn’t going to be forced to hang her head in shame. She’d kept her chin up even if it did invite certain people to take a swipe at it!
In that fighting spirit she climbed from the car when they arrived at the country club. It was busy, being Friday night, but Maxi was used to such crowds and being in the spotlight. She slipped easily into the smoothly polite façde she usually kept for society occasions. It wasn’t the face her real friends saw, but she rather doubted she had many of those here tonight. Kerr kept a firm hand on her arm as he escorted her inside, and she had to admire the aplomb with which he made introductions.
In a country community, where everybody knew everyone else, her fame had gone before her. Their entrance caused quite a stir, and Maxi couldn’t help but be amused when the use of her name by Kerr was much like dropping a bomb. The reverberation spread to all corners in seconds. Her lips took on a cynical curve. Those fortunate enough to be here would be dining out on the story for weeks, she thought, and, glancing round to see just how Kerr was taking it, was surprised to see an almost identical look on his face. A laugh bubbled up, and received an answering grin, and, feeling much more kindly disposed towards him, she sailed on. Smiling, she replied politely to any questions asked of her, kept moving on and let the rest pass by.
‘You handled that very well,’ Kerr complemented, much to her surprise.
Feeling a small glow of warmth in her stomach, she looked at him curiously. What an enigma he was, haranguing her one minute, complimenting the next. ‘Thank you, so did you. Considering your well advertised inclination is to side with them, rather than me, I expected to be thrown to the wolves.’
With a hand on her elbow Kerr steered her through to the dining-room. ‘That’s where you’re wrong. I abhor gossip. It’s very often malicious and can hurt the innocent. If someone has something to say, then they should have the guts to say it to your face.’
A tiny smile lifted the corners of her mouth. At least he practised what he preached, if the way he spoke to her was anything to go by. ‘When you say things like that, Kerr Devereaux, I think I could even get to like you,’ she declared in amusement.
‘There’s no need to go that far,’ he retorted ironically, making her laugh.
‘I did say could,’ she qualified, and turned her attention to the table where the rest of the family sat waiting. Sinking on to the seat Kerr held out for her, she smiled an apology. ‘Sorry we kept you. I thought I’d forgotten something, and Kerr was just about to turn round when I found it. He wasn’t best pleased.’ As the lie tripped easily off her tongue, she caught his eye, and although he inclined his head in thanks she knew he was wondering if she always found it so easy to lie.
But she didn’t let that dampen her spirits now that she had found a reason to quite like him. However, it did occur to her in passing that he had been responsible for some of the biggest emotional swings of her life to date, but there wasn’t time to ponder why he should have had such an effect on her in such a short time.
They ordered their meal and ate it in reasonable good humour. Maxi deliberately took a back seat. This was Fliss’s and Andy’s night, and she had no intention of spoiling it by a careless remark. Neither, it seemed, did Fliss. Either Lady Ambro had spoken to her in the car, or she had decided to put a brave face on it herself. An onlooker, and there were plenty of those that night, would have said that nothing was wrong.
Afterwards there was dancing, with music supplied by a live band. The newly engaged couple rose at once, followed by Kerr, who graciously swept her mother on to the floor. That left Maxi alone with her father. It saddened her when an uneasy silence settled on them. When she glanced across at him, he was staring down fixedly into his glass of brandy. She decided then and there that the whole situation was ridiculous.
‘It’s all right, Father, you aren’t required to make polite conversation,’ she told him with gentle mockery, because she loved him, and didn’t want to hurt him any more than she already had. He looked up quickly. ‘But if you can bear to listen for a minute, there is something I want to say. Not everything is the way it seems. Sometimes people do wrong things for the best of motives.’
Sir John’s eyes, very much like her own, lanced into her. ‘Are you saying that’s what you did?’ he demanded gruffly.
With a sigh, Maxi reached across the table and placed her hand on his, relieved that he didn’t immediately pull away. ‘I’m saying you might care to think about it. Perhaps even give me the benefit of the doubt instead of condemning me unheard.’
After what seemed aeons, his answer was to ease away from her with another of his speaking grunts. At least, she thought, as the music changed and the dancers returned, he hadn’t walked away. Maxi glanced up to see Andy turning to her, clearly intending to ask her to dance. Before he could do so, though, a large male hand clasped hers and drew her to her feet. Even as a protest was leaving her lips, Kerr had drawn her on to the dance floor and into his arms.
‘Well, really! You might have asked me if I wanted to dance with you,’ she protested rather feebly, because something strange was happening to her insides. She was aware of several things all at once. That the arms which held her were strong yet gentle. That his chest was solid and somehow sheltering. And that her stomach was fluttering nearly as madly as her heart! From a distance she
