Challenge Page 9

  IT was very strange, thought Jessica, how he never did what you expected

  After her defiant announcement there had been a little pause while Leandro watched her enigmatically. Then he simply changed the subject. He asked none of the obvious questions. Instead he began, calmly and unemotionally, to tell her about the local villages, their history, their customs, until eventually she was able to take her share of the conversation with reasonable composure.

  Later they swam again and he lent her a mask and an air tube from the speedboat so that she could watch the fish underwater.

  `I've always wanted to try scuba diving,' she said, as they emerged, pushing the sodden hair back from her face as she pulled off the mask.

  `Then why haven't you?'

  She grimaced. 'I told you—I don't swim well enough.' Leandro considered that. 'You could improve. All it takes is practice.'

  Jessica laughed. 'No time.'

  He raised one eyebrow. 'All work and no play. .

  She flung up a hand. 'Makes Jessica a dull girl—I know, I know. You don't have to lecture me, I hear it all day from Sue.'

  `Miss York,' he said warmly, 'is a very sensible lady.' `And I'm a dull one. Ah, well,' she sighed, sending him a naughty look under her lashes.

  `I do not intend to tell you what you are,' Leandro informed her drily. 'Though it would be a great relief to

  my feelings, you would not find it flattering.'

  She shook her head, scattering droplets over him, laughing.

  `Did you bring me here to insult me, signor?' she demanded in mock outrage.

  `I brought you here,' he said deliberately, 'to see if it was possible to deflect you from work for more than fifteen minutes at a time.' He disposed himself on his rock, reaching for his towel which he rolled up and placed behind his head. 'I am glad to see it can be done,' he said.

  On this utterance, infuriating and unpredictable as always, he closed his eyes and gave every appearance of having drifted off to sleep. Balked, Jessica returned to her own rock and lay down.

  It was unnerving, this feeling she had of his being so completely capricious. She never knew what he would say or do from one moment to the next. At one point she had been positive he was out to seduce her. Then it had seemed as if the whole thing was much more serious than that. And now he was ignoring her.

  It would be nice, she thought wistfully, to shake him out of that annoying calm. On the other hand, it would probably both be difficult and involve some risk to herself. On the whole it was probably wiser to dream about it than to try to bring it about.

  She floated off into a half sleep, involving pleasurable visions of Leandro wrong-footed and apologetic; even, though by then she knew she was dreaming indeed, humble.

  He awoke her, arrogantly, by tapping her smartly on the shoulder.

  `The light will be gone in an hour or so. If you really want to wander round my uncle's future playground we should be moving.'

  Jessica had been fast asleep. She awoke with a jump, turned her head, and stared straight up into his eyes. He

  was so close that she could see images of herself in them, distorted by the curvature of his eye. Confused, she looked at him, not certain where she was.

  Leandro looked amused. Time to go,' he reminded her.

  Her lashes fluttered down and she gave a yawn. Then focusing properly, she opened her eyes again and looked at him very straightly, not speaking.

  His mouth thinned. The look of amusement vanished. The eyes looked almost black and very intent.

  Jessica whispered his name, making it a question. He was leaning towards her, supporting himself on one hand, the wrist so close to her head that she could hear the pulse in it. The beat was strong, rapid.

  She knew he was going to kiss her. She knew she was virtually asking him to kiss her, for all her silence. Maybe even by her silence.

  And he wanted to. Just for a moment she was absolutely sure of what he wanted, what he intended. She reached a hand out and touched his cheek lightly with the tips of her fingers.

  Leandro swooped suddenly. His lips brushed hers, just once; she felt the touch of his tongue. And then, as her eyes closed and her lips parted, he moved, almost flinging himself away from her.

  No time for dalliance, cara,' he said in a light, hard tone. I'm not climbing down those bloody steps in the dark we'd break our necks! Twenty minutes up the steps, half an hour looking round, ten minutes down again, and we go home with the sunset.'

  Jessica sat up very slowly. She felt bewildered. More than that she felt bereft, as if he had torn something away from her that he had given her before.

  She wound her hair into a knot at the base of her neck with fingers that were not entirely steady. Leandro was not looking at her he was looking at the speedboat, half

  turned away from her. His chest, she saw suddenly, was rising and falling as if he had run a race. Her eyes flew to his face, but it was expressionless. He was even putting on his dark glasses, locking his eyes away behind that mask.

  She stood up, brushing the light powdering of sand from her legs. Her thoughts scurried like caged mice. She had wanted him to kiss her. He must have known; he could not have avoided knowing. So why had he turned away?

  She looked at him and away again, quickly, before he could catch her looking at him, in case that shaming hunger still showed on her face. He had rejected it, rejected her. Her mouth was dry.

  In a high, strained voice, she said, Will it really take twenty minutes?'

  He turned back to her then. Presumably he was relieved that she was not going to make a scene, Jessica thought. A little gust of anger shook her and then evaporated. She half turned away from him, pulling her clothes on fast, kneeling to tie her shoelaces.

  `Depends how good you are at climbing uneven stone stairways.'

  Was it her imagination, or did he sound constrained as well?

  She stood up and walked towards him with resolution, giving him a defensive smile.

  `I do a lot of clambering. It's part of the architectural course: muddy sites, roofs, lofts. I'm halfway to being a mountain goat after all these years!'

  Was his answering smile an effort?

  `Then I don't know how long it will take. I've never been up there with a lady goat before.'

  They went across the shingly beach to the speedboat. He did not help her in. In fact, for the rest of the day he was scrupulous in not touching her—not when they

  disembarked at the larger beach, not when she stumbled on an uneven step, not even when they were back at the yacht and she was stiff and less than graceful in climbing aboard.

  Jessica said nothing, but she noticed the way he refrained from touching her and was chilled by it.

  Leandro himself said nothing that would explain it. He was his normal self, quirky, amusing, with that underpinning of self-mockery that was so attractive. Outwardly he seemed the same. Sue York, meeting them on deck, clearly saw nothing unusual.

  `Have a good day?' she asked, strolling with Jessica back to her cabin.

  Jessica was good at disguising her feelings. Over the years she had had plenty of practice.

  `In parts,' she said lightly.

  `Ah.' Sue was intrigued. 'Does that mean the dashing Leandro distracted you?'

  `I was sidetracked to the extent of a swim,' Jessica admitted.

  Sue laughed. 'Only a swim? He must be losing his grip! At least, if the stories I hear are true.'

  There was an odd little pain in Jessica's chest, as if all her blood had been seeping back to her heart and was now squeezing it hard. But all-she said was, 'Very probably.'

  Jessica at last sat back with a sigh. She had been working without a break since the early hours of the morning and now it was finished. She surveyed the neat drawings, the pile of text that Sue had typed, with pardonable satisfaction.

  `I think,' she announced, 'I am pleased with myself.' Sue looked up from where she was edging punched paper into a file, and smiled.

  `You h
ave every reason.'

  `Well, I think so.' Jessica arched back in her chair, stretching her arms up behind her.

  `Tired?' asked Sue, closing the file with a decisive snap and transferring it to her pile.

  `Mmm.' Jessica let her arms fall. 'Cramped more than anything,' she said ruefully.

  `And hungry, I should think. Do you know you forgot to eat your lunch?'

  Jessica looked guilty. 'I realised later. But I wasn't hungry, I wanted to get this done.'

  Sue picked up another set of papers and began to punch holes at the binding edge. She gave every appearance of being absorbed in the task.

  `Is that because the project is so fascinating? Or because you want to get away?'

  Jessica was not deceived by the neutral tone. She grinned at Sue's downbent head.

  `I've got a lot of work waiting for me in the office,' she said, equally neutrally.

  Sue gave her a sharp look. 'You're running away,' she accused.

  Jessica turned wide green eyes on her secretary. 'Running away? Why should I do that?'

  `You know,' Sue said shrewdly.

  But Jessica shook her head.

  `Jess, the man's crazy about you,' Sue said impatiently. 'And he's gorgeous. Why won't you even give it a try?' She sounded despairing.

  Jessica stood up. 'Because I don't choose to,' she said decisively.

  Sue's lips tightened in evident disapproval, but she said nothing more. She knew there was no point in protesting further when Jessica spoke in that tone of voice.

  Jessica ignored the subject, going on to discuss the circulation of the papers they had prepared.

  `Send a copy to Andrew by airmail this afternoon, and another to the office under separate cover. I'll give one to Prince Giorgio in person when he comes back this evening.

  Sue was making a list. 'And the others?'

  Jessica surveyed the piled files doubtfully. 'He asked me for seven copies. I suppose the others must be for his partners. Maybe the lawyers; the local authority, of course.' She debated. 'Best give them to Sandra.'

  Sue grimaced. The Italian girl had not exactly been unfriendly but her manner was strange and she had sometimes forgotten things Sue had asked her to do. Sue preferred not to ask her for help as a result.

  suppose so,' she said reluctantly.

  Jessica shrugged, though her expression was one of understanding. 'I know. But she's Prince Giorgio's secretary and he is the one who's paying the bills. Anyway,' she added with a laugh, 'she won't be able to lose a pile that high, no matter how hard she tries.'

  `She seems to be able to lose an amazing amount,' Sue said drily, remembering one or two painful misunderstandings as a result of Sandra's apparently erratic memory. 'But I suppose you're right.' She made to pick up the files.

  Jessica stopped her. 'They're too heavy. Ring for Enrico and ask him to lend you one of those wheeled trolley things they serve the drinks from at Leandro's orgies.'

  `That's an idea.' Sue rang the bell. She gave Jessica a mischievous glance. 'And when were you at one of his orgies?'

  Jessica frowned. 'I wasn't. But I've seen the things and Enrico told me that was what they were used for. I thought they looked as if they might come in handy some time.'

  `The orgies?' Sue teased, and encountered a fulminating glance from Jessica.

  Before she could take up arms against the accusation, however, there was a knock and Enrico appeared. He observed the tray of uneaten lunch immediately and directed a look of such reproach at Jessica that she, to Sue's great amusement, began to fidget.

  Sue explained their need. Enrico listened attentively and then reluctantly shook his head.

  `I am so sorry, Miss York, but it is not possible. Tonight the Signora has a party, a big party. Already the little rolling tables you speak of are prepared.

  `Oh,' said Sue, philosophical.

  `Oh?' queried Jessica, suddenly suspicious. 'A party? A real Volpi-style party? A two-orchestra party?'

  Enrico looked slightly taken aback and he looked at Sue for help. Sue met the question in his eyes with a shake of the head and a faint shrug, disclaiming all knowledge.

  He said rather helplessly, 'It was arranged some time ago, signorina. There will be about two hundred guests.'

  Jessica's eyes narrowed. 'Why wasn't I told?'

  `Really, Jess,' expostulated Sue. 'You can't expect them to ask your permission to give a party on their own yacht!'

  That stopped her. She bit her lip. 'No, I suppose not. But ' she directed her words at Enrico `—I think I could expect not to be kept kept in the dark, either.'

  He avoided her eyes, manifestly uncomfortable. 'I would be happy to assist Miss York to deliver the files to Prince Giorgio's office,' he offered.

  Jessica brushed it aside. 'He told you not to tell me, didn't he?'

  `I have received no instruction on the matter from Prince Giorgio,' Enrico said fluently.

  `Not him.' Jessica was not deceived. 'The Body Beautiful. The resident heart-throb. The last of the great party-givers!' She was so angry, she was nearly spitting the words out.

  Sue said quickly, 'That's not fair, Jess. You can't expect Enrico to answer that sort of question. They're his employers, for God's sake!'

  `I am not,' said Jessica, rather white about the mouth, `being manoeuvred into going to one of Leandro's Riviera revels.'

  Sue exchanged eloquent looks with Enrico. 'Fine. Whatever you say. I can't see that one party here or there matters myself, but that's your business. Go ashore for the evening, if it's so important to you. Only stop abusing poor Enrico and let me get these files delivered.'

  Jessica made no answer. She sat down, watching Sue and Enrico gather up files as if she could not quite bring them into focus. Her face was tense. Sue watched her unobtrusively as she went about her work and realised with a slight shock that, without make-up, Jessica's face was showing strain. There were faint shadows under her eyes as if she was not sleeping properly and the eyes were pulled down at the corners. As Sue watched, Jessica's lids blinked twice, and she shook her head as if she were throwing off tiredness.

  `I'm sorry,' she said. 'I don't know why I'm sitting here. I'll give you a hand.'

  She did so, and within ten minutes the files were with Sandra. The blonde received them with uncharacteristic preparedness, putting them on two shelves that had been cleared ready for them in a security cupboard.

  `They are highly confidential, no?' she asked.

  `I suppose they are,' Jessica agreed. 'I certainly don't want any other firm of architects pinching my ideas, anyway.'

  `Pinching?'

  `She means stealing thieving,' explained Sue, as the

  blonde frowned. 'She is joking,' she added in explanation.

  `I see. A joke,' said Sandra.

  `I doubt it,' muttered Sue, and Jessica rapidly extracted her from Sandra's office.

  `Why does the woman annoy you so much?' she asked.

  Sue shrugged. 'I don't know. Maybe it's just chemistry.' She gave a sudden chuckle. 'I think I'm allergic to peroxide!'

  Jessica stopped dead, giving a great shout of laughter. `Sue York, you're a cat!' And then, intrigued, 'Do you really think that hair is unnatural?'

  Sue gave her a disbelieving look. 'Jessica! Do you mean to say you can't tell?' And, as Jessica shook her head, she concluded drily, 'The hair is about as natural as her fingernails—I don't think she was born with crimson claws either. I don't know how she can type with talons that length.'

  `No,' Jessica agreed thoughtfully. 'Now you mention, it, I don't either.'

  `Maybe she doesn't have to type. Maybe she's the sort of secretary who orders flowers and reminds the boss of the family's birthdays.'

  `I would think Prince Giorgio was too busy for that to be satisfactory,' murmured Jessica. 'Of course. . Her voice trailed off.

  Sue scented mystery. 'Yes?'

  `She sometimes seems very close to the Body Beautiful,' said Jessica lightly. 'She calls him Leo,' she added after a pau
se, as Sue continued to look at her expectantly.

  Sue stared. 'You think she keeps the job because she's having a fling with Leandro?'

  `It's possible.'

  `It's nonsense,' Sue said roundly. `I'm surprised you should even give it a moment's thought. It is not,' she added with some emphasis, 'Leandro Volpi's style. Even I can see that.'

  Jessica looked unconvinced, but all she said was, 'You may be right,' and, in spite of determined needling from

  Sue she refused to discuss the subject of Sandra or Leandro Volpi any further.

  She did, however, make instant and thorough plans to be off the boat before the unadvertised party began. Sue was surprised at the determination Jessica brought to it.

  `You'd think you were trying to avoid attending your own execution,' she observed, when Jessica put the phone down after arranging to take the launch to Portofino at seven-thirty.

  `Maybe I am,' said Jessica drily and, true to form, said no more.

  She had avoided Leandro, deliberately and successfully, ever since their outing to the beach. It was all too obvious that there was some pull of attraction between them which could, if not resisted, upset the even tenor of her existence. To be fair, Jessica was fairly certain that Leandro wanted to resist it as much as she did; that had been clear from his manner to her on the return from the beach.

  She did not really understand why, though. Of course, it might be that he had at last recognised what she had told him all along—that she had different habits and assumptions and their ways of life were utterly incompatible. She did not think that was the answer, though. He had had plenty of opportunity to recognise the truth of her argument for days before the trip to the beach.

  No, Jessica was inclined to think it was something to do with that question of his, and her answer. It was ironic really. If ever there was a man who was not entitled to despise a woman for not being a virgin, it was Leandro. But it seemed that from the moment she answered his question he had lost all interest in her. She shrugged. It was just as well. Fighting him off was exhilarating, but it distracted her from her work and made the yacht an uncomfortable place to stay.