Dangerous Rhapsody Read online

  Much, much later Emma reluctantly roused herself, looking down on Damon with adoring eyes. He smiled.

  ‘Are you happy?’ he asked, carrying the palm of her hand to his mouth.

  ‘Need you ask?’ she said, sliding her arms back into the sleeves of her dressing gown. ‘I've never been so happy before. You know that.'

  ‘And Johnny?’ he said deliberately. They had not talked much about her brother since the funeral.

  Emma sighed. ‘Oh, darling, you know I miss him sometimes. But I can't help but be grateful that the inspector came to tell us about him at that particular moment. Had he not arrived, I don't know what would have happened.'

  ‘No,’ agreed Damon seriously. ‘It was lucky that Bob came so early. He thought I might be using my time in sailing while I was home, and he knows I like to get away early in the morning.'

  ‘It was very lucky,’ said Emma, closing her eyes for a moment, reliving those hours of horror. She shivered. ‘Poor Johnny! To be killed like that, with the hounds after you! It's an awful thought!'

  Damon sighed. ‘I wonder sometimes whether it would have happened had I not forced you to go to Sainte Dominique.'

  ‘But that's ridiculous!’ exclaimed Emma, shaking her head. ‘Johnny has been in and out of trouble as long as I can remember. He was always wanting money. Sooner or later the time was bound to come when his debts exceeded his assets.'

  Damon looked intently at her. ‘Is that what you seriously believe?'

  Emma frowned. ‘Of course. Why? Did you think I might blame you?'

  ‘The thought had crossed my mind,’ he confessed, shrugging.

  ‘Oh, Damon,’ she whispered, and then slid determinedly off the bed. ‘I must get dressed. Annabel will be up soon.'

  Damon smiled. ‘All right.'

  She looked back at him suddenly. ‘By the way, I wanted to ask before but didn't like to, did you sleep with that Chinese girl?'

  Damon stared at her in astonishment, and then slid forcefully out of bed, pulling on his own silk dressing gown. He caught her by the door, pinning her there with his arms.

  ‘Emma Thorne!’ he muttered, with mock-derision, ‘how dare you even ask such a thing?'

  Emma flushed, her new-found temerity vanishing.

  ‘Well… I… I only wondered,’ she said hotly.

  Damon's eyes softened. ‘Okay, okay,’ he said. ‘I'll forgive you.'

  ‘And?'

  He shook his head. ‘Of course not. I've never even looked at another woman since you came to my office to ask me to help Johnny.'

  ‘Oh, thank you, darling,’ she murmured, hugging him close. ‘And now I can get my bath in peace.’ She turned. ‘By the way, yesterday Annabel read the first page of her new book, and Doctor McAndrew thinks it will only be a matter of time before her eyes are completely adjusted again.'

  Damon smiled. ‘We're very lucky, aren't we, Emma?'

  ‘And contented, too,’ said Emma, looking back at him lovingly, before she walked confidently through the door into the bathroom.

  ISBN-13: 9781460347652

  DANGEROUS RHAPSODY

  © 1969 Anne Mather

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