'Left?'

'For the beach house.' Catherine shifted uncomfortably. 'Laura told me, actually.'

'He's left for the beach house? To finish this commission, one supposes?'

'I believe so.'

Mrs Prentiss sighed angrily. 'Isn't that just like a man? Running away from his responsibilities?'

Catherine cleared her throat. 'His-responsibilities?' she echoed.

'Of course.' The older woman stared at her. 'You, Catherine, you! He invites you here, into his home, and then abandons you.'

'I'm not a child, Mrs Prentiss.'

'I know that. Even so, he knows-at least, he must know--how much Laura wants to get married, and yet he persists in behaving in this irresponsible fashion! I suppose it's the artistic temperament. I suppose we must make some allowances for that.

But I do think he takes a shameful advantage of Laura. She's a lovely girl. There are several young men who would envy him his good fortune in being her fiance. But what does he do? He treats her with no respect whatsoever! '

Catherine made an effort to escape. 'I-don't you think we ought to be joining the others?' she suggested hopefully, but Laura's mother wasn't quite finished.

'If Jared is away,' she was musing slowly, 'what a wonderful opportunity you'll have for talking to Elizabeth.'

'But-'

Mrs Prentiss made a soothing gesture. 'Please. I'm not asking you to be indiscreet. Just to-well, discuss the wedding. A casual word here and there. You could learn so much.'

'I doubt it.'

'Oh, I knew I could rely on you!'

Mrs Prentiss took her dry comment as acceptance, and before Catherine had time to protest, she had turned and crossed the hall, calling for one of the servants to bring afternoon tea to them on the veranda. It was deliberately done, Catherine knew that, but she could say nothing. And besides, what had Laura's mother gained after all? She could not be compelled to relay her conversations with Elizabeth back to the Prentisses.. .could she?

Driving Catherine back to Amaryllis, Laura was much more relaxed. 'You and Mummy get on incredibly well, don't you?' she enthused, giving her companion a sidelong glance. 'I'm so glad.

She doesn't always like my friends.'

Catherine let this go without comment. She was feeling raw and vulnerable, and out of sorts with herself. What was it about these people that made her feel so sensitive? Why did they persist in involving her in their schemes? She and Laura were not really friends at all. They were acquaintances, that was all. And she did not get on well with Laura's mother. On the contrary, she felt a strong aversion towards her. All she was, was a stranger, a guest in the Royal house, not even a distant relative. She knew nothing about them or their plans, and she didn't want to know. If Mrs Prentiss wanted her daughter married, she should say so to the only person who could do anything about it. Jared! And why didn't he marry her, anyway? If they had been engaged so long, what were they waiting for? Money was no obstacle, on either side. The Royal house was big enough to accommodate half a dozen families. So why the delay? Was Elizabeth the obstruction? Or was Jared reluctant to make the final commitment? Oh, G.o.d! Catherine could feel tears smarting behind her eyes. It was nothing to do with her. Why couldn't they accept that? Why couldn't she accept it?

Laura refused her invitation to come in when they arrived back at Amaryllis. 'I'd better get home,' she said, slipping the car into bottom gear. 'Thanks all the same. I'll probably see you tomorrow. We might go to Sam Lord's Castle. Would you like that? We could have lunch there. I'm sure you'd like to see it.'

Catherine could think of no good reason for refusing, but she needed some time to herself. 'Make it the day after tomorrow,'

she said, and then despised herself when Laura's antic.i.p.atory smile disappeared.

'The day after tomorrow?' she said, with evident disappointment.

'Oh! Well-all right. But what are you going to do tomorrow?'

Catherine gripped her handbag very tightly, forcing a casual tone.

'Just have a lazy day,' she answered. 'See you!'

'See you,' echoed Laura, with a sigh, and Catherine entered the house feeling an absolute pig.

Lily was waiting for her in the hall.

'Miz Royal wants to see you, Miz Fulton,' she said, rather diffidently. 'She's in the library. Will you go straight through?'

Catherine sighed now. After her conversation with Mrs Prentiss, the last thing she needed was a scene with Elizabeth.

'I-will you tell Mrs Royal I'm just going up to wash my hands,'

she said, going towards the stairs, but as Lily nodded her head and turned away, Elizabeth's voice arrested her: 'Have you a minute, Catherine?'

Catherine turned, one hand resting on the bal.u.s.ter. 'I was just going to rinse my face and hands, Mrs Royal,' she explained tightly.

'I'm sure that can wait,' replied Elizabeth imperiously. 'If you don't mind...'

Catherine saw the sympathetic look in Lily's eyes as she made her way back to the kitchens, and took strength from it. Holding her head high, she preceded Elizabeth into the library.

Elizabeth was still wearing her working attire of silk shirt and jodhpurs, which was strange for this hour of the afternoon. But perhaps as Jared wasn't here, she had less interest in her appearance, thought Catherine, realising as she did so that she had never felt her felinity so strongly as she did with this woman.

'You've been to Fourwinds,' Elizabeth said, as she closed the library doors.

'Yes.' Catherine saw no reason to enlarge upon it.

'Laura invited you.'

'Of course.'

'Of course.' Elizabeth indicated a chair, but Catherine preferred to stand. 'It's rea.s.suring to know she thinks of you as a friend.'

Catherine let that go. 'You wanted to speak to me, Mrs Royal?'

she prompted.

Elizabeth sighed, subsiding into a low chair with her usual grace.

'Oh, dear, we've come a long way in ten days, haven't we? We began as friends, and what are we now? Antagonists--enemies?'

'I think you're exaggerating, Mrs Royal.'

'I hope so. I really hope so.' She bit her lip delicately. 'About last night, Catherine-'

'I really don't think we-'

'Please! Don't jump to conclusions. I was about to apologise for-for perhaps making more of something that everyone else sees in its true perspective. Tm sorry. There-now will you sit down?'

Catherine felt an immense sense of weariness enveloping her.

'Why did you want to speak to me, Mrs Royal?'

Elizabeth exhibited a moment's impatience. 'I'm trying to tell you, Catherine,' she snapped. Then she forced a smile. 'You could help by telling me that you accept my apology.'

Catherine bent her head. She knew she was being ungracious, but she couldn't help it. She was so tired, 'it doesn't matter,' she said quietly. 'And I'm sorry you felt the need to say anything.' She looked up. 'If that's all...'

'It's not all.' Elizabeth pressed her lips together for a moment.

'I-I wanted to talk to you about- the wedding.'

'The wedding?' Twice in one afternoon? It was too much!

Catherine stared at her bewilderedly. 'What wedding?'

'The wedding. Our wedding. Jared and Laura's wedding, of course.' Elizabeth linked her fingers together. 'You must have known they were planning to get married. People don't get engaged for nothing, now do they?'

'I-I-' Catherine could feel her mouth opening and shutting like a fish and endeavoured to prevent it. 'I-didn't realise anything was arranged.'

'No? Well, you haven't been here long enough to know everything, have you?' inquired Elizabeth pleasantly. 'However, it's been understood for some time that the engagement has lasted long enough. Naturally Jared didn't want to rush things after his father died, but I think a suitable interval has elapsed now, don't you? It crossed my mind that you might be glad of the diversion. You can't find life too exciting here. Not after London.

And who knows, once he's married, perhaps Jared will allow you to return to England, and the-friends you have there.'

There was a coldness flooding Catherine's system. It began in her stomach, a hard little core of ice, that spread its chilling tentacles to the extremities of her being. So that was it, she thought bitterly. For some reason, Elizabeth had decided she wanted her out of the house, and if it meant submitting to Jared's marriage to Laura, she was prepared to do it. She must have known that sooner or later the situation would arise, so why not now? Mrs Prentiss, at least, would be delighted!

'This is rather sudden, isn't it?' Catherine couldn't quite keep the edge out of her voice. 'Laura didn't mention it to me, and I'm sure she would have done if. . .'

Elizabeth took a moment to smooth the cloth of her breeches.

'As a matter of fact, Jared and I only discussed it last night. After you had gone to bed.'

'But you cou-' Catherine broke off, biting her tongue. She had almost fallen into the trap Elizabeth had unwittingly laid for her.

Or was it unwitting? She couldn't be absolutely sure Elizabeth didn't know about that late night outing. Jared might well have told her. Catherine's flesh crept at the thought. Shaking her head, she muttered: 'It was-rather late, wasn't it?'

'Jared told me he intended spending a few days at the beach house. I thought we should get matters settled before he left.'

Catherine looked into Elizabeth's complacent face, and wished she knew the truth. Had Jared spoken to his stepmother after he got back in the early hours of the morning? How could he have done so? Unless their relationship overstepped the bounds of common decency... She shivered, in spite of the heat of the day.

She couldn't believe that he could have come back to Elizabeth after making such violent love to her. But if he hadn't, was all this a lie? A fabrication? Would Elizabeth dare to suggest such a thing without Jared's permission? Catherine had to concede that she probably would not.

'So,' she shifted restlessly, 'when is the wedding to be?' She would not let Elizabeth see how much this news had shocked her.

'These things take a little time to arrange,' replied Elizabeth, crossing her legs. 'Six or eight weeks, I should think.'

'Eight weeks.' Catherine's lips tightened. 'Laura will be pleased.'

Elizabeth met her gaze without flinching. 'I'm sure we all are,' she countered silkily, and Catherine had the strongest urge to scratch her eyes out.

CHAPTER SEVEN.

Catherine had a letter from Tony next morning. It was like a breath of fresh air to read his jaunty writing, reminding her that despite his difficulties, he had never buckled under the strain.

She had written to him just over a week ago, giving him her address, and a brief but amusing resume of events since her arrival. She had touched a little on the antagonism Jared was exhibiting towards her, but had omitted to mention the deception she was practising. She guessed that Tony would not approve of that, whatever her newly-appointed guardian might think of him.

Elizabeth came into the morning room as Catherine was finishing her breakfast, and her eyes immediately alighted on the letter with its British postmark.

'The boyfriend, one presumes,' she commented slyly, and Catherine s.n.a.t.c.hed up the letter and thrust it into the pocket of her jeans.

'A friend, yes,' she conceded shortly.

Elizabeth smiled, and Catherine suddenly realised she was not wearing her working clothes. Instead, she was slim and elegant in a lime green skirt suit, the green and white striped lapels of the jacket matching the contrasting hem of the skirt. It was the first time Catherine had seen her legs without covering, but although they were quite short, they were as neatly proportioned as the rest of her.

'I expect you're wondering where I'm going,' Elizabeth remarked, noting the girl's admiring interest with mild satisfaction. 'As a matter of fact, I rang Marion Prentiss. I thought we should get together-to discuss the arrangements and so on. She was most agreeable, so I'm going over there this morning. I suggested that you might like to come along too, but she said that you had told Laura that you wanted a lazy day. Is that right? I must say, you did look rather-peaky, yesterday evening. Perhaps our climate doesn't agree with you, after all.'

There was a grain of maliciousness in what Elizabeth was saying, although it was delivered with a conciliatory smile. Catherine chose to accept it in kind.

'On the contrary,' she said smoothly, 'I love this weather, and I'm never happier than when I'm sunbathing. If I looked a little tired, it's because Laura is so-energetic. Too energetic for me, I'm afraid.'

Elizabeth's smile disappeared. 'So you don't want to come?'

'No, thanks.' Catherine finished her coffee and pushed the empty cup aside. 'But don't worry about me. I don't get bored. I'm very happy here.'

Elizabeth drove away soon after ten, and Catherine breathed a sigh of relief when the sound of the engine died away. With Jared at the beach house, she had the house to herself, and there was a certain excitement in the thought. All those rooms that she had never explored. Elizabeth was not like Mrs Prentiss. She had not taken her guest on a conducted tour. But then perhaps Mrs Prentiss wouldn't have done if she hadn't wanted something.

How astonished she must have been to receive Elizabeth's call.

Catherine couldn't help a small smile. Did Laura's mother think she had had anything to do with it? Well, in a way, she supposed she had, she mused. But not in the way Marion Prentiss would think.

Leaving the lounger beside the pool, she strolled restlessly through the gardens. Henry's brother, Raoul, was tr.i.m.m.i.n.g the hedges beside the path that flanked the tennis courts, and his big brown eyes widened at the sight of her in scanty red shorts and a white halter top. Flushing, Catherine beat a hasty retreat, walking back to the edge of the pool and staring down frowningly into its depths.

She wondered what Jared was doing. Was he working? Was he finding it easier to concentrate down at the beach house, within sight and sound of the surf he loved, than in the isolated confines of his studio? His studio. ..

Turning, her eyes sought the second floor of the house. It was up there somewhere. She knew it was. She had once questioned Susie when she encountered the girl carrying a tray of food upstairs. There was a second staircase, at the end of the corridor opposite to the one where her room was situated. But no one went up there. Except by invitation. . .

With a.s.sumed nonchalance, she walked into the house. Lily was in the morning room, clearing away the breakfast dishes, and she looked expectantly at her.

'You want something, Miz Fulton?' she asked, straightening from her task.

'I-no, nothing, thank you, Lily,' Catherine gave her a faint smile.