Today, Tomorrow and Forever Page 5

  Arthur was lounging by the pool when she re-entered the courtyard.

  'Been for walkies, dearie?' he called, giving her a shrewd glance that took in the dust-stained trainers. 'You want to be careful, it's not the safest of islands. Too many crumbly cliffs. Personally, I never leave the villa. It's safer that way.'

  She sat down on the seat he pushed forward. 'Do you go over to the mainland very often?' she asked, feeling trapped.

  'Only when I get island phobia,' he replied, 'and that only happens once in a blue moon. I like it here. But it's no good for somebody with all their life ahead of them. You'd hate it in winter. There's not even a boat to get you off then.'

  'What about a helicopter?' she asked.

  'Oh, so you heard it, did you?' He hesitated, as if making up his mind what to say next. 'It was probably just a visitor.' He looked at her carefully. 'Maybe it's the man who's going to buy?'

  'If I sell. If Richard and I decide to sell,' she corrected.

  'He will. Mather. Needs the money, I hear. It's up to you. You're not serious about not selling, are you?' His pale eyes in the pudgy face suddenly looked worried, narrowing, almost losing themselves in the folds of loose flesh.

  'I think I might be allowed to make up my own mind, don't you?' Feeling pressured and getting rather tired of being told what to do, she got up and made her way inside.

  Later Shanna had gone back to find Arthur to apologise for walking off and they had had a nice chat, he mentioning in passing a small private cove where she could swim. Somehow pleased to be away from the villa, knowing that to some extent she had the future of its occupants in her hands, she had escaped with a towel and swimsuit in the direction he had described. She had believed she would be alone and had stretched out, nearly naked on the fine white sand. She must have dropped off to sleep, for the next thing she knew a hand was brushing her forehead, pushing the dark hair gently back from her face. Her eyes snapped open, sending her bolt upright.

  A soft laugh made her turn her head. Paul was crouching beside her in the sand, ail trace of his former coldness gone as he laughed down at her.

  'You did look sweet. I've been watching you for ages.' He learned forward and took her in his arms. 'Sorry about all the cloak and dagger stuff. There's a very good reason.'

  She waited for him to explain, but he said simply, 'Trust me, Shanna, will you?'

  'Of course I trust you!' she exclaimed. 'Why shouldn't I?'

  But when he still didn't make her any the wiser she simply relaxed in his arms, feeling safe, protected by his warmth, despite the strangeness of his words. Automatically her head tilted, and she shivered as his lips came down over hers. But he pulled away and murmured, 'I can't stay long. I just wanted to hold you and try to explain a little bit about the situation I find myself in.'

  'It's all right.' She gave him a shy look. 'I had a bit of a chat with Katerina at the villa and something she said made me start thinking.' She leaned her face against his shoulder. 'I think I've guessed who you are. It's all right. Don't worry. I understand.'

  There was a pause. Paul rose hurriedly to his feet. 'Shanna, what do you think now you've seen the island? You're not seriously considering keeping it on, are you?'

  'Don't you want to?' Convinced he must be Richard Mather and for some reason didn't want his presence at the villa to be known just yet, she knelt at his feet, looking up at him in surprise. 'I had a wild thought you'd want to keep it. But I guess it is impracticable without pots of loot.'

  He looked confused. 'Go home. It's really not worth all the hassle.'

  'I'm sick of people telling me to go home! What if I like it here? What if I want to keep it on?'

  'It's not just your decision.'

  'I know, I know, but do you mean you wouldn't keep it—at any price?' she demanded. 'If you do, then I guess that's the end of all my hopes too. I mean—I'm just beginning to think seriously about it. I like it here. It could be developed or something.' She looked around in confusion. 'As long as we kept within governmental guidelines,' she added as an afterthought.

  'It's not worth the trouble, believe me. Why not just take the money and run?'

  'Is that what you want to do?'

  When he didn't answer she rose to her feet. 'I suppose you're right. I could never buy you out.' She shrugged. 'Pity. For a couple of hours at least I've been enjoying this place. I started to like the idea of owning an island, after all.' She sighed. 'But I guess it's just a romantic dream. Katerina said Great-Aunt Vi was a romantic --' She stopped, blushing, remembering the rest of what she had said. 'You're right,' she mumbled, going back to her original tack. 'Everybody's right. They all agree. It would be stupid to refuse such a good offer.

  This business consortium, whoever they are, will get what they want. Though why they should want it I've no idea.'

  'Probably heard that somebody else is after it and want a piece of the action,' he said sharply. Then he stepped forward and took her in his arms. 'I'm truly sorry.' He brushed his lips across her forehead. 'I suppose that means you can leave first thing in the morning? There's nothing much to keep you here. I'll fix the boat to come out if you like.'

  She gave him a puzzled look. 'You, Arthur, Katerina—you all seem very glad to see the back of me. And this chap who arrived by helicopter, no doubt he'd be keen to see me go too.' She sighed and pulled a little face. 'I've never felt persona non grata before. But who am I to stay when I'm not wanted?'

  She felt hurt that Paul seemed so relieved she was leaving. The touch of his arms brought an uncontrollable thrill to her senses, and it hurt to think he didn't feel the same. Yet, when their lips met, how could it be such magic for her and not for him? She tilted her head back so she could read the expression on his face, desperate for the smallest sign of regret that they were soon to part.

  He seemed to be eyeing her with an alert watchfulness, and she felt a wave of disappointment sweeping over her. She knew that for her it was more than mere physical attraction, though she would have been the first to admit that it was his animal masculine power that first started to weave some kind of spell over her. But it was the losing of this something more she felt that pained her like the wrenching of a knife in the stomach.

  'Oh, Paul—whoever . . .' She fingered the edge of his jacket collar, not sure how to go on. Plunging on before she lost the feeling of recklessness that was sweeping her along, she murmured, 'I can't bear the thought of never seeing you again ... I think ... I think I really feel something for you. Something a little bit frightening. Could it be love?' She bit her lip. 'There, I've said it now.' Abruptly slipping away from him, she turned and began to run along the beach, covered in waves of embarrassment.

  'Shanna! Where are you going?'

  Not trusting herself to answer, she ran down to the water's edge and began to swim blindly out to sea. 'Oh hell, hell, hell,' she ground out as her own salt tears joined the salt water of the sea. 'I'm swimming in tears,' she muttered angrily over and over, 'I can't feel like this over someone I scarcely know. Yet I feel as if I've known him all my life. Oh, Paul, Paul. . .' A large wave washed right over her head and she turned on to her back, kicking out her legs to return to shore.

  Suddenly Paul appeared beside her, swimming strongly. She was glad her tears had been washed away, and when he took hold of her by the shoulders, bringing their faces close, she could see the regret on his face, together with that enigmatic something else she had seen before.

  She tried to swim away to conceal the hammering of her heart, but without speaking he took her in his arms, forcing her to tread water; then his lips searched for hers and they undulated among the waves like two creatures of the sea restored to their rightful element.

  Shanna felt her resistance dissolve as his limbs touched and left and touched again along the whole drifting length of her body, and they both slid over and around each other, flowing like liquid through crystals of light. Paul released her then took her up again, running his fingers sensually through the tendri
ls of dark hair flowing around her shoulders in the clear water. Below them sand and coral and the undulations of sea plants claimed them as inhabitants of a new world.

  When he did speak, the strange shuttered look came down over his face, but his words brought a streak of happiness arrowing through her. Against the side of her face he whispered, 'The feeling is reciprocated. Surely you can tell? Just remember that, will you? And trust me.' And despite the expression on his face her heart told her to trust him, come what may.

  'When are you going to explain what's going on, Paul?' she asked later as they walked back laced in each other's arms to where they had left their things.

  'I will tell you, I promise. But don't ask me when.'

  'So there really is something going on?'

  'I guess.' He kicked a pebble along the sand, slowly releasing her. Then he swivelled her round to face him, eyes closed as he brought his lips slowly down to her own. The kiss was long and deep. There was something final about it that made Shanna look up in alarm when he finally released her.

  He reached out and let one finger course slowly down the side of her face. 'Be ready to leave first thing in the morning. I'll contact you on the other side,' he said tersely. 'Believe it.'

  He must know that's the biggest incentive to leave he could offer, she thought as she watched him walk away along the beach. The other side. I shall see my love on the other side.

  Looking out to the huge hump of the main island across the channel, she recalled his words as they had stood looking across at Tago Mago itself the previous night. 'The land of lost delight,' Paul had murmured. Now she was confused. She had thought this was supposed to be that land. But she was being persuaded to leave it by the very man who could make of it a dream come true.

  CHAPTER FOUR

  Wondering why Paul hadn't told her from the beginning that he was visiting Tago Mago so that they could then have pooled resources, Shanna pondered events as she changed into her one good dress before dinner. She guessed it must have been as much a shock to Paul, or Richard as he really was, to discover that they were the co-owners of the island.

  But why should he be visiting in secret? Was he hoping to avoid being pressurised to sell as she had been until he had a chance to make up his mind properly? Yet he seemed as keen as anybody to get rid of the place.

  Frowning, she slicked gloss over her lips, gave her eyelids a dusting of soft colour, and, feeling presentable in her plain black shift, let herself out of her room and made her way down the outer staircase to the terrace. It was wonderful that it was still warm enough to dine outside.

  Not expecting anything special, she was surprised to find the table set with tall candlesticks and proper silver. No picnic spread this, she thought, examining with pleasure the way the candlelight glittered off the crystal goblets, scattering tiny rainbows of colour over the pale lace cloth.

  Cook could be seen in the kitchen through an open window looking on to the terrace. Shanna wondered if she would join them for dinner, for the table was set for four.

  As she looked round Arthur appeared silently in one of the doorways on the other side of the pool. He didn't appear to see her, but walked outside with a thoughtful expression, skirting the pool without looking at it and pausing for a moment on the far side. It soon became clear he was waiting for someone, for he glanced at his watch a couple of times and then, apparently catching sight of a figure coming in through the gate, hurried forward with a muffled word of greeting. Then Shanna gasped. The man who was coming openly towards the terrace was no stranger.

  It was Paul, as handsome and casually elegant as ever in a white dinner-jacket, open-neck silk shirt and pale cream trousers. He seemed remarkably at ease and it looked obvious from where Shanna was watching that he had been here before.

  Yet when Arthur noticed her standing beside the table he hurried back round the pool towards her, beckoning Paul forward as if to introduce them both.

  Before he could say anything though, Shanna herself stepped forward, holding out her hand, fully expecting Arthur to introduce her with the words, 'This is Richard Mather.'

  Instead, Paul took her hand in his and said quickly, 'Yes, we have already met. Shanna --' He bent and dropped a playful kiss on to the back of her hand.

  Shanna gulped and, in a dream, found herself holding on to it as if to let it go would be to find herself sinking deeper into fantasy.

  Conscious of Arthur's eyes on. them both, she turned away as if to admire the table arrangement and, with Arthur's non-stop chatter in her ears, tried to ignore the wild racing of her pulses at Paul's unexpected appearance. When Katerina came out a few moments later and Arthur bustled about supplying them with drinks she allowed herself to join in the conversation, keeping up a superficial chatter that totally concealed how confused she really felt.

  She found Katerina giving her a knowing wink as she served the main course, and it was obvious she found the juxtaposition of Paul and herself at the table a source of romantic speculation.

  'Why didn't you tell me he was going to show up?' asked Shanna under her breath as she helped clear the table.

  'I'd no idea you'd met.'

  'But he told me he was called Paul Elliot.'

  'Isn't he?' Katerina looked mystified.

  'That's one of the names he goes under,' retorted Shanna, smiling to soften the impact of her bewilderment.

  Katerina in her turn shot a puzzled look in Shanna's direction, but the baked Alaska was ready to come out of the oven and all her attention was concentrated on that, and by the time they were both sitting at the table again the issue seemed to have taken second place. Paul and Arthur were deep in conversation about the vexing problem of maintaining a reliable electricity supply to the island.

  'We have our own generator, but it's fairly unreliable,' Arthur told Shanna. 'But don't run away with the idea I'm trying to put you off --' he laughed, gauging her reaction.

  'It's all right,' she told him. 'I've been thoroughly put off the idea of hanging on. I realise there's more to it than I first thought, and frankly I would never be able to raise enough money to run the place properly. Electricity is something that hadn't even crossed my mind. Besides, Paul here has really put me off. He wouldn't want the responsibility either.'

  Arthur and Katerina looked first at each other and then at Paul. There was an odd hiatus in the conversation before Paul broke smoothly in with some comment about Katerina's cooking, and the moment of awkwardness vanished. Shanna couldn't help wondering what she had said to provoke that swift exchange of glances.

  Dinner passed pleasantly with talk of this and that, and it was heaven as far as Shanna was concerned to be sitting opposite Paul. He was so handsome, so cool, so witty, and she found herself falling ever deeper under his spell.

  Only when conversation turned to Shanna's early departure on the next day did she sit up.

  'I'm not sure I want to go back so soon,' she said. 'In fact, if it's all right with you, Katerina, I'd like to stay one day more. I hope I won't be encroaching on your hospitality?'

  'Not at all, my dear,' Katerina was quick to reassure her.

  'I feel I've scarcely given Great-Aunt Vi a thought, when in reality I came to, you know, sort of pay my respects to her. It seemed wrong just to pocket the money from her gift to me without trying to discover what it was she loved about the place --'

  'And why she thought it would be a suitable bequest?' Katerina smiled.

  Shanna's glance slid to Paul. She really hoped Katerina wouldn't mention the nature of their conversation earlier in the day, in view of the way she'd already laid her cards on the table over her feelings for Paul! He would start to feel pressured, as if they were running some kind of marriage bureau, with him as the chief victim!

  Leaning forward, she told them, 'I feel I haven't had time to think this thing out properly, and I really do feel that Richard and I need to talk it over properly, even though we both think we know what our decision is going to be.' There, that shou
ld impress him with her businesslike attitude! He couldn't feel she was pursuing him with such a harmless suggestion.

  She went on, 'I understand Aunt Vi wrote many books here and I would love to see her study and the library. I gather it was quite extensive?'

  Her words provoked a response from Paul she hadn't expected, for he broke in evenly with, 'Of course, but no doubt you can get all that done this evening, Shanna? I'm at your service. We can talk as long as you like. I understand a lift back to the airport has already been arranged?' He turned to Arthur.

  How, thought Shanna, can Paul say that? Unless, she considered, he had had a talk with Arthur earlier before he turned up here. Idly wondering where he had been when he'd appeared at the gate just now, she shook her head at his words. 'It took me so long to come here, Paul, I would feel cheated if I had to go straight back.'

  She smiled brightly. She had been accused of having a stubborn streak. Not often apparent, it suddenly surfaced. Why was Paul trying to get rid of her so hurriedly? It was nothing to do with him whether she stayed a day or a month. Until the sale was made, the place was as much hers as his. Dismayed to find that his attitude hurt so much, she couldn't help biting her lip.

  'My dear Shanna,' began Katerina, 'you're welcome to stay as long as you like, but,' and here she shot a quick glance at Paul, 'the helicopter will be going out tomorrow and it will be far more convenient if you leave with it than having to get the boat over from Cala Longa.' She turned to Shanna. 'You do understand, don't you, dear?'

  'If it's inconvenient, I don't want to put you out,' Shanna replied in her most diplomatic manner, 'but really I quite enjoyed the boat ride and,' she exaggerated, 'I wouldn't miss the return journey for anything.' Only a few hours longer with Paul, that was all she asked. Surely Katerina could see that?

  'But think of the problems of getting a cab from Cala Longa,' argued Paul.

  She nearly gave up then, but instead shot him daggers and said, 'I'm sure Arthur would ring Santa Eulalia for me, and after all, it won't break the bank, will it?'