Today, Tomorrow and Forever Page 13

  Still troubled, she reached the Ritz by ten o'clock. Almost the first person she saw was Tom, complete in running shorts and shoes. He had just come in from the park and, oblivious to the stares of the other guests, was heading across the foyer when Shanna came through the revolving doors.

  'So he found you? Thank heavens for that!' he exclaimed without any preliminaries. 'He's been making our lives a misery ever since you left.' He remembered the courtesies then and shook her vigorously by the hand and started to lead her towards the lifts. 'Come on up. He's refusing to go anywhere this morning. I wondered why.'

  'No, wait—I—I'm not sure what I'm going to say to him, Tom.'

  'You mean you're having second thoughts about him? But I thought you were both—sorry, sweetheart, it was just an assumption I made. The way you both were when you were together. It was as if nobody else existed . . .'

  'Oh, Tom, don't. I feel so confused.' She passed a hand over her forehead. 'I do love him. I think he's wonderful. But,' she hesitated, 'I don't know how to put this into words, but --'

  'Look. Let's go in and have a bite to eat. It's something to do with Rowanna, is it?'

  She nodded.

  'Well, if you don't object to my shorts,' he grinned, 'and if I can get past the door, a cup of coffee and a breakfast special should give us time to sort things out.' Ushering her into the dining-room, he added, 'I'm fond of Paul. He's a good guy. But there are probably things he feels he can't tell you yet that somebody else might find easier.'

  When they were sitting down and Tom had placed their order, Shanna said, 'But it's nothing definite, you know, Tom. I've dreamed of him ever since I left. I've been through hell. But the man I think I love may not be the real one. Do you understand?'

  'I guess.' He grinned disarmingly. 'What you've got to know is that Rowanna is a hell of a woman. She's got me like this.' He crooked two fingers together. 'But knowing that, I can tell you things you gotta believe. You see, before the accident—I've had this from both of them—things were pretty washed up between them. She was a fun-loving girl. I mean, don't blame her, she's got—or she had—the looks. And she made full use of them. I mean, men. You know, they would flock around and—well, she never said no. Now, I can understand Paul's feelings at the time. He's not the type to let anybody make a fool of him. They fought.

  They made up. They fought again. Finally he told her to get out. He'd finished with her. He put the divorce in motion, and he'd plenty of evidence for it to go through quickly. But Rowanna still thought she could rely on him.'

  The waiter brought their order, sliding the plates discreetly on to the table, and Tom waited a moment until he had gone before telling her, 'She started running around with some no-good guy, and when it didn't work out she ditched him and rang Paul late one night to come and get her out of the mess she was in. In the car on the way home she started bawling him out. He said he'd finished. This was the last time he was helping her out. Prom then on she was on her own. The decree nisi had been granted and he'd no further obligation to her. It wouldn't be long before the decree absolute came through.'

  He paused. 'You don't know Rowanna. She's calmed down now, but I can imagine the whole scene only too well. She hit out at him.' He shrugged. 'It was an expensive mistake. He swerved off the road, and when I tell you he was driving over the ton you can guess what kind of mess the car was in when they were both finally cut free later that night.'

  Shanna looked down at the plate of scrambled eggs and smoked salmon Tom had ordered for her without seeing it. 'Was Paul hurt too?' she asked quietly.

  'Nearly bought it,' replied the Australian. 'It was touch and go whether he'd pull through. I've seen the records.' He looked away. 'Anybody else would have been livid with Rowanna. It was clear it was her fault, lashing out like that at that speed. But he blamed himself. Seemed to think it was all his fault she acted the way she did. As if he felt there was maybe something lacking in him because he couldn't make her happy. He told me a lot about the way he felt during that night I was up at the villa when you were there, Shanna. It was meeting you that made him rethink the whole scenario.'

  'Oh, Tom, he must think an awful lot of Rowanna to blame himself like that.'

  'I'm sure he did in the early days. Still does, but in a different way now. He knows they're not right for each other. It was Rowanna who tried to cling on. She didn't like being divorced, being on her own. She kept playing on her illness to keep him by her side.'

  'Does he still blame himself for what happened?'

  'No, I think he's seen the light. But he still bears the emotional scars, deep down. Rowanna's good at making capital out of other people's good nature. She enjoyed the fact that she'd somehow got the upper hand. She only had to raise a finger and he'd jump. I'm not a psychiatrist, you understand, but it seemed to me that by being so willing to please her, he actually made her desire to hide worse than it was. She was a queen in her own domain. There was no competition. She could do exactly as she pleased. I've talked it out with her. I understand her.' He gave a smile that was full of love at the thought. 'Why should she leave Tago Mago when she could get all she needed by staying put? She must have known that as soon as she was better, Paul would go.'

  'Did she know that?'

  'She knew. That's why she was nearly hysterical when she knew it'd been left to someone else. It would have meant the end to all her security. She forced a promise from Paul to buy it back from you. At any price. Richard Mather got the impression that the place was worth a lot more than it is, so he tried to get another buyer to up the price, maybe hoping others would come in and push the price sky high. But it fizzled out on him. I mean, it's a nice enough location, but the government won't allow it to be developed, so it's not worth much to anyone in a straight commercial sense.'

  'So, what now?' Shanna looked at him, ice in her soul. She couldn't let Paul leave Rowanna. Despite her emotional blackmail, it seemed as if the other woman really needed him.

  'What now? What now is me.' Tom beamed. 'Don't ask me how it happened. We just clicked. She's a classy woman and I guess I'm a pretty home-spun sort of bloke. But I'm what she needs right now. And, sweetheart, I'm not going to question it. It might go away!' He tucked in to his Scottish kippers with all the relish of a happy man.

  Shanna felt tears build up behind her eyes. 'Oh, Tom, I'm so confused. I love him so much, but I can't get it out of my head that he ought to stay with Rowanna.'

  'Don't you dare suggest it! You'll make four people very unhappy if you do.'

  'Do you think so?'

  'I know so!'

  'Oh, Tom, I thought it was just a case of Paul wanting me because --' She looked down, embarrassed.

  'Because he can't resist a pretty face? You don't believe it's that any more, do you?'

  She shook her head. 'No. And you've helped clear something else up for me, too. You see, I couldn't understand why he seemed so cold towards her. I didn't understand what had been happening between them. It just seemed so out of character—to want to ditch someone when they seem to need you so much.'

  'She's got me now. I guess I can handle her. She knows it too. For one thing I haven't got money to spoil her with like Paul. She's going to have to make do with living like everybody else. It's the dose of reality she needs.'

  'I do love him,' she said. 'It seems to have happened so quickly. I was frightened by it.'

  'Look, don't tell me all this,' Tom grinned, 'tell him!'

  She followed his glance.

  'He looks like death. Go and give him a kiss. I guess he thinks you're not going to show up.'

  Shanna watched as Paul, his beloved face haggard with despair, stood for a moment in the doorway searching the faces of the diners, then his eyes met hers, the misery lifted a little, but there was still emptiness in the glance as it swept her face.

  He came over at once. 'Why didn't you come up?' His voice was harsh, making him sound peremptory as if he expected the worst, but Shanna laughed up at him, unres
trained joy welling up, transforming her pale face into a picture of radiant happiness.

  'I bumped into Tom,' she explained, reaching up to touch his sleeve. 'We've been having a talk.'

  'Look, I've finished now.' Tom pushed his plate to one side. 'Come and sit here, mate. I'm going to take something up to Rowanna.' He got to his feet. 'See you around, kid.' He patted her on the shoulder, then, with a brisk nod and a smile of sheer good nature, he made off out of the dining-room.

  'What was all that about?' asked Paul, eyeing Shanna suspiciously. 'Are you two up to something?'

  'Merely getting the lowdown on you, Mr Paul Elliot. Do you mind?'

  'I do rather.' He began to smile. 'You're looking surprisingly cheerful this morning. Is this how you always look first thing in the day?'

  'First thing? It's nearly eleven o'clock!'

  'Is that all? I seem to have been sitting up there in my suite waiting for a knock on the door for a hundred years. Shanna Douglas,' he went on, talking his cue from her dancing eyes, 'how about a change of name? I've got one I could offer you. What about it?' His voice had softened, the bantering look replaced by one that told only of tenderness and love.

  'I misunderstood you,' she whispered. 'I'm so sorry, Paul, darling. Tom has told me about Rowanna. It's cleared up a lot of confusion in my mind. I just wish I'd known how things stood between you sooner. Dear Paul, you know I think you're the most wonderful man in the world, don't you?'

  'That's a good start to the weekend,' he murmured, fingering a tendril of hair on her cheek. 'What do you say we spend the rest of it up in my suite? They have excellent room service. And maybe we can start with a bottle of Dry Imperial?'

  'What's that?'

  'Champagne, you idiot. It's what they recommend to celebrate engagements.'

  'Paul, I love you.'

  'The simple words are the best. I love you too, Shanna. These last few weeks have proved that it's the lasting kind. I know I'm going to love you—today, tomorrow and forever.'

  And with that he sealed his promise with a kiss, and Shanna knew that it was a promise she could trust.

  Later she signed over her aunt's inheritance to him at the price his company were asking, and later he handed her the deeds back again as an engagement present. Richard Mather, who found he couldn't get away from his job in Malaya, expressed his satisfaction with his share of the deal, and Rowanna, some weeks after plastic surgery and looking almost as radiant as the bride, hung on to Tom's arm and announced that they'd bought a small villa on the mainland.

  Paul and Shanna returned to Tago Mago for their honeymoon. Paul had decided to relocate in Paris, but hoped Shanna would keep the island as their own special hideaway. They explained this to Henry, who was just leaving as they arrived.

  'Break your honeymoon for a few days, darlings, and make an old man very happy,' he suggested as he opened a bottle of Moet et Chandon. And when they asked him why, he announced, 'To celebrate the opening of my restaurant, of course.' He told them he had bought a place in the hills above Marbella, and they promised to fly over for the opening celebrations.

  When they were alone at last, Paul tenderly pulled the little hearts and flowers of confetti out of Shanna's hair, watching them as, caught by the wind, they scattered over the surface of the pool.

  'I thank Aunty Vi for bringing us together,' she murmured as she slid down beside him on one of the sun-loungers.

  'It may not have been the wedding she anticipated,' he murmured, smiling, as he began to nibble her ear, 'but who can understand the plotting of a fairy godmother?'

  'Perhaps she was cleverer than we thought? After all, everybody has got exactly what they want.'

  'I certainly have. I hope it goes for you, too?'

  'Need you ask!' She kissed him fondly. 'I always suspected she was a bit of a witch. And she's certainly made magic for me.'

  'It's going to be me who makes magic for you from now on, Shanna—you and me together—and we're going to rediscover the land of lost delight.'

  'Yes, Paul, yes. Let bewitchment begin!'