it went on for several days—pleasant, undemanding friendship with almost the innocence of childhood. It seemed strange to think of this man in such a light, but when she saw him fooling with Phantom it was hard to remember his harsh reputation, and the power he held over them all.
Then he vanished.
‘He just took off without a word,’ Kate said when they bumped into each other while shopping. ‘He was sitting at the computer when I took in his morning coffee. I don’t know what he saw there but it made him say a very rude word. Then he made a phone call. I got out fast but I could hear a lot more rude words.’
Walter, who also happened to be there, said, ‘Only rude words?’
‘I heard him say, “I don’t care; it mustn’t be allowed to happen,” and “Do you realise what this would mean if—?” and “When I get my hands on him I’ll—” and then more rude words.’
‘Sounds like a disaster,’ Walter observed.
‘Nah,’ Kate said. ‘Not him. He’s too big for disaster. You mark my words, they can’t touch him.’
‘That’s not what the papers say,’ Walter insisted. ‘This “credit crunch” thing has hit all the big shots. Next thing you know he’ll have to sell this place and we’ll have someone new to worry about.’
‘Oh, stop panicking!’ Harriet said, trying to sound amused and not quite succeeding. ‘He’s better than Rancing. The furniture shops love him now he’s started kitting out Giant’s Beacon, and he’s given quite a bit to charity.’
‘Yes, I heard about that donation to the animal shelter,’ Walter said. ‘I wondered how he knew about it—unless you told him.’
‘I may have mentioned it. He likes to be told about things.’
‘Yes, everyone’s talking about how you and he swim together in the mornings. You’re a clever lass, getting on his right side.’ He added significantly, ‘You probably know more than anyone.’
‘I know he looks fantastic in swimming gear,’ she agreed.
‘That’s not what I meant.’
Yes, she thought, she knew what he meant. This was the moment a less loyal friend would tell how he’d been tricked by Rancing, exposing him to ridicule. For the first time she appreciated how vulnerable Darius had left himself by confiding in her.
‘We don’t discuss business,’ she said. ‘I wouldn’t understand it if we did. I’ve no idea where he’s gone, why he’s gone or when he’ll be back.’
Or if he’ll ever be back, she thought sadly.
She didn’t doubt that another financial calamity had befallen him, and that he’d gone to try to head off trouble. It must be urgent because, despite their friendship, he hadn’t left her a word. Still she was sure he would call her.
But he didn’t. Days passed without a word. Wryly, she decided that this was a lesson in reality. When his real world called she simply ceased to exist, that was something to remember in the future.
If there was a future.
Harriet tried to follow the financial news and learned of the sudden collapse of a property company with global tentacles, but she could only guess whether he had had an interest there.
Then, just when she’d decided that he’d gone for good, Darius turned her world upside down yet again. As she and Phantom headed for their morning swim he suddenly gave a bark of joy and charged onto the beach to where a figure lay stretched out on the sand. Fending off the dog, who was trying to lick him to death, Darius rose on one elbow and watched her approach.
‘Hello, stranger,’ she said when she could speak through her emotion.
‘I hoped you’d be here,’ he said as she dropped beside him. ‘I got back at three in the morning and came out here so as not to miss you. I dozed off for a while, but I knew someone would wake me. All right, Phantom, cool it, there’s a good fellow.’
‘Did things go as you’d hoped?’ she asked.
‘More or less. I averted disaster—until next time.’
‘You mean we’re safe—here on the island?’
‘You’re safe. This is the last place in the world that I’d give up. Now, I need to ask a huge favour from you, an act of friendship. It’s very important to me.’
‘Then consider it done.’
‘I told you Mary left me for another man, and they were planning marriage. Well, the date has been set, and I’ve been invited.’
‘To your ex-wife’s wedding?’
‘Yes, it took a bit of manoeuvring, but I managed it. I told her we should seem friendly for the sake of the children. They’ll be there so we’ll get some time together and they’ll know their parents are on good terms. You see, I really took your advice.’
‘I advised this?’
‘You said cunning was better than aggression, and it took all my cunning to manipulate myself an invitation. Mary finished by saying she completely agreed with me and she praised me for thinking of it. She even said I must be improving.’ He gave a self-deprecating grin. ‘And I owe it all to you.’
He spread his hands in a gesture of finality, his expression radiating such cheerful triumph that she chuckled and said, ‘You’re telling me that I instructed you in cunning?’
‘There’s cunning and cunning,’ he said. ‘Some kinds I’m better at than others. Manipulating share prices is easy, but—’
‘But a child’s heart is more complicated than a share price,’ she supplied.
‘You see how right I was to listen to you. The best friend and adviser I have.’
‘Stop buttering me up,’ she said severely, ‘and tell me what you want me to do.’
‘Come with me to the wedding, of course. How can I turn up alone when my ex-wife is marrying another guy? I’d look like a prat.’
‘And we can’t have that,’ she said in mock horror. ‘If the markets got to hear—’
‘All right, make fun of me. I wouldn’t put up with it from anyone else, but with you I guess it’s the price of friendship. OK, I’ll pay it.
‘And there’s another thing. I told you about my father and how he likes to control everyone’s life. His latest mad idea is to marry me off to Freya, my stepsister. Either me or one of my brothers, but at the moment it’s my head he’s trying to put on the block.
‘Luckily, Freya’s no more keen than I am. We get on all right, but that’s all. If I can convince my father that it’s not going to happen then he’ll turn his attention to one of the others.’
‘Poor Freya.’
‘That’s what I think. You’ll like her.’
