Impetuous Masquerade Read online

  ‘Heavens, no!’ Rhia managed to dismiss his fears quite convincingly. ‘I’m just—tired, like I said. I’ll see you in the morning.’

  But in the morning, Rhia found it was virtually impossible to get out of bed. It took an actual physical effort just to go to the bathroom, and she returned to the bed sweating with the agony that even walking had become. She ached in every limb, and weakness forced a tear or two into her pillow as she contemplated the mess she had got herself into.

  She didn’t go down for breakfast, hoping that her absence would not be remarked upon. Jared would probably go out early again, and if Ben went with him, only Maria or Glyn was likely to come looking for her. Maria she could cope with, and Glyn—well, she could tell Glyn exactly what was wrong with her, and know that he would understand.

  However, the morning was almost over before anyone came to find her, and then it was not Maria or Glyn, but Jared. His sharp tattoo rattled her door a little before twelve o’clock, and she called ‘Come in!’ faintly, feeling weaker than ever now that she was hungry, too.

  Even so, nothing could prevent her from rising up on her elbows when Jared came into the room, pausing in the archway that led from the sitting room, gazing at her with dark brooding malevolence.

  ‘Are you ill?’ he asked shortly, little concern evident in his voice, and Rhia drew the velvet quilt closer to her chin.

  ‘No,’ she denied jerkily, shocked by his appearance. ‘I I feel a little tired, that’s all. I thought I might—spend the morning in bed.’

  ‘Did you?’ Jared propped his shoulder against the arching framework. ‘Or was it perhaps to avoid facing the inevitable questions we might be obliged to ask?’

  ‘Questions?’ Rhia was confused. ‘What questions? I don’t know what you’re talking about.’

  ‘So you know nothing about why my father should have chosen to disobey my instructions, or why Glyn should be running a temperature this morning.’

  CHAPTER TEN

  ‘YOUR father? Glyn?’ Rhia was confused. ‘No. Why? What happened?’

  ‘You tell me.’ Jared was abrupt. ‘But you went riding with Glyn yesterday, and you were the last person to speak to my father before he swallowed the best part of two bottles of whisky!’

  Rhia sank back weakly against the pillows. Right now, she did not feel capable of coping with this, and her mind ran riot with images of what two bottles of whisky could do to a man.

  ‘Well?’ Jared was waiting for her answer, and she shook her head.

  ‘Your—your father seemed perfectly all right when he left me yesterday afternoon,’ she said. ‘As—as for Glyn, you knew we went riding. I thought he had your permission.’

  ‘He did not have my permission to over-exert himself,’ retorted Jared harshly. ‘Haven’t you any sense? You’re supposed to be looking after him.’

  Rhia gazed at him with tremulous indignation. ‘Glyn’s not a child, you know. He does have a mind of his own. And—and right now, he needs to prove himself. For his own sake.’

  Jared’s lips curled. ‘So you chose to take him down into the ravine, where the air is damp and unhealthy at this time of year, and the track is unfit for horses.’ He swore angrily. ‘You must have been crazy. He could have broken his neck down there!’

  Rhia forbore to mention that these had been her fears too. He would not have believed her. Instead, she said: ‘I didn’t want to go down. It was Glyn’s idea.’

  ‘And you couldn’t stop him, I suppose,’ sneered Jared. ‘Rhia, if anything had happened to him—’

  ‘I know.’ Rhia drew a trembling breath. ‘But it didn’t. And—and you have no right to accuse me of—of carelessness. You can’t blame me for something that never happened.’

  Jared glanced over his shoulder and then, leaving the curving lintel, he approached the bed. ‘Perhaps I find your dindifference bloody hard to swallow,’ he snapped. ‘I mean, you’re supposed to be keeping Glyn company, and what are you doing? Lying in bed!’

  Rhia moistened her lips. ‘I—I didn’t feel very well this morning.’

  ‘Really?’

  ‘Yes, really.’ Bitterness made her gather the quilt even closer about her. ‘But if I’m betraying orders, go away and I’ll get up. Or,’ her eyes turned resentfully up to his, ‘do you intend to repeat your behaviour of the other evening? I suppose brute force would seem to offer a more satisfying outlet for your frustrations!’

  Jared’s mouth thinned. ‘Don’t taunt me, Rhia. I’ve apologised for my behaviour the evening we arrived, but I have to say, it was not without provocation.’

  Rhia gasped. ‘That’s not true!’

  ‘Isn’t it? You’re a provoking young woman, and you’d do well to remember you’re not dealing with some callow youth like Simon Travis.’

  ‘Why don’t you go?’ Rhia was weary of this conversation. ‘Tell—tell Glyn I’ll come to his room as soon as I’m dressed.’

  Jared nodded. ‘I’ll tell Maria to give him that message.’

  ‘Oh, yes.’ Rhia’s tone was bitter. ‘Get someone else to tell him. It wouldn’t do for him—or Lisa—to learn how freely you make use of my apartments.’

  Jared walked back to the archway, pausing to rest his hand against the wood. ‘Let’s leave Lisa out of this, shall we?’ he declared tersely, and Rhia pressed her lips together defeatedly as he disappeared from her sight.

  With a helpless feeling of depression she turned to thrust her leg out of bed, only to let out a sob of agony at the pain that ravaged her spine. Dear God, she thought tearfully, turning her face into the pillow. How was she going to get through the day? Her limbs were trembling with even this small effort.

  The hands that turned her over were not gentle, but her consternation at discovering Jared was still here when she had thought he was gone kept her chokingly silent.

  ‘For God’s sake, there’s no need to cry,’ he muttered, gripping her shoulders through the quilt, and giving her a shake.

  The spasm of agony that crossed her face at this mild admonishment caused his dark brows to draw scowlingly together. ‘God, I’m not going to hurt you,’ he snapped fiercely. ‘Stop looking at me as if I was some kind of inhuman monster!’

  Rhia moved her head from side to side. ‘Please,’ she whispered, ‘go away,’ and then could not deny the groan that escaped her when he thrust her back against her pillows with evident frustration.

  Jared’s eyes narrowed then, and watching her all the while his hands determinedly drew the covers away from her scantily-clad shoulders. Still able to see nothing amiss, he dragged the covers brutally to the foot of the bed.

  She did not know what he had expected to find, but he shook his head impatiently as she made a half-hearted effort to draw the folds of her virtually transparent nightgown about her. ‘For God’s sake, Rhia, what is it?’ he demanded, gazing down into drowned violet eyes that seemed to be reproaching him. ‘What’s wrong with you? What have I done? If I’ve hurt you in some way, then for heaven’s sake tell me!’

  Rhia expelled her breath weakly, her hands shaking as she attempted to reach for the covers. ‘I—I had a fall. Yesterday,’ she admitted reluctantly. ‘I didn’t want to tell you, because I knew what you would think.’ She caught her breath. ‘But it doesn’t really matter now, does it?’

  Jared’s heavy lids hooded his eyes. ‘How bad a fall was it?’ he asked harshly. ‘Where did you fall? Why on earth didn’t you tell me before this? I might have been able to help you.’

  Rhia shook her head. ‘It—it’s not important. I—I’m a bit stiff, that’s all. I’ll get over it.’

  Jared’s mouth twisted, and then, to her complete humiliation, he turned her over on to her stomach, catching his breath at the darkness he could see through the thin silk of her nightgown. Her mortification was complete when he hauled up the nightgown to expose the bruised skin at the base of her spine, and she quivered uncontrollably when his hands lightly touched her flesh.

  ‘God, why didn’t you tell me?�
�� he demanded thickly, and she felt the depression of the mattress as he seated himself beside her. ‘You could have broken your back,’ he muttered, with an oath, and Rhia, though she knew she would despise herself later, knew a melting delight in just feeling his hands upon her.

  ‘It—it probably looks worse than what it is,’ she ventured, after a moment, realising the possible interpretation someone else might put on his behaviour. ‘I didn’t have any liniment, you see.’ She forced a tremulous laugh. ‘I felt such a fool!’

  ‘Mmm.’ Jared was not amused, his hands stilled now, only his thumbs lightly massaging her spine. ‘I’ve got something that might help.’ He got to his feet. ‘Stay as you are. I won’t be a minute.’

  ‘Oh, but—’ Rhia half turned, but the effort was too great, and she lay there, prone, until she heard the sound of someone coming.

  She had wondered whether he might get Maria to bring whatever it was he thought would help her, but her heavy lids disclosed Jared’s tautly-moulded thighs as he came round the bed.

  ‘It’s an old Indian medication,’ he remarked, showing her the jar he was carrying. ‘It doesn’t smell too sweetly, but I can vouch for its efficacy.’

  ‘Thank you.’ Rhia stretched out her hand for the jar, but Jared held it out of her reach.

  ‘I’ll do it,’ he stated, resuming his position on the side of the bed. ‘Now, relax, if you can. I’ll try not to hurt you.’

  His hands massaged the abused flesh with exquisite tenderness, moving in a rhythmic motion, soothing and relieving the taut muscles. He spread the ointment smoothly over her skin, opening the pores and allowing the healing unguent to invade the aching tendons. And as his fingers gently kneaded her spine, she felt a flooding wave of well-being washing over her.

  ‘Better?’ he asked huskily, his palms lingering in the small of her back, and Rhia nodded her head vigorously against the pillow.

  ‘Don’t stop,’ she breathed, nestling more comfortably into the mattress, but with a sound of aggravation Jared drew his hands away.

  ‘I’ve got to,’ he muttered harshly, and she turned her head confusedly to meet his smouldering eyes. ‘I’m not an automaton,’ he told her roughly, and getting up from the bed, he strode swiftly into the bathroom.

  When he came back, Rhia had straightened the covers on the bed and was sitting anxiously, waiting for his return. He came to the bathroom door, drying his hands on one of her towels, and spoke with crisp detachment.

  ‘I suggest you stay in bed for the rest of the day. Glyn can do without your company for once.’

  ‘Oh, no!’ Rhia shook her head in protest. ‘Jared, you’ve made me feel so much better—’

  ‘Even so, you need to rest,’ Jared retorted shortly, dropping the towel into the laundry basket. ‘I’ll have Maria send your meals up.’

  ‘All right.’ Rhia moved her shoulders a little disconsolately. ‘If that’s what you want.’

  Jared’s lips twisted. ‘What I want doesn’t come into this,’ he replied flatly. ‘I’ll explain the situation to Glyn. He’ll understand.’

  ‘Thank you,’ Rhia nodded.

  ‘Okay.’ Jared moved towards the archway. ‘Try and get as much rest as you can. We don’t want three invalids in the family.’

  ‘Three—’ Rhia broke off nervously. ‘Jared—about Ben: I couldn’t believe—I mean, I did think about what you said, but—’

  ‘I know.’ Jared cut her off without emotion. ‘See you.’

  Alone, Rhia found herself abysmally near to tears. A feeling compounded of her pity for Ben and herself weakened her already torn emotions, and when Maria came into the room carrying her lunch tray she found the patient’s eyes swollen and puffy.

  ‘Now what’s happened?’ she exclaimed, putting the tray to one side while she shook Rhia’s pillows and made her comfortable against them. ‘Jared told me you’d had a fall from your horse. He didn’t tell me he’d upset you.’

  ‘He didn’t.’ Rhia sniffed into her handkerchief. ‘As—as a matter of fact, he was very nice. He brought me that ointment—there, and—and it’s made my back feel much easier.’

  ‘Really?’ Maria viewed the jar with thoughtful eyes. ‘Well, I must admit, I had misgivings when he came up here. He was pretty mad, I can tell you.’ She grimaced. ‘Not that he was much different when he came down.’

  Rhia arched her brows. ‘No?’

  ‘No.’ Maria set the tray across her legs. ‘And finding you crying, I thought I’d found the cause. Seems like I was wrong.’

  Rhia hesitated. ‘You—you’re very fond of Jared, aren’t you, Maria?’

  ‘Like my own son,’ said Maria simply, folding her hands.

  ‘And—his brother?’

  ‘Angus?’ Maria shrugged. ‘Angus was so much older. Eight years, you know. Miss Margaret shouldn’t have had no more children after Angus, but Mac wanted sons.’ She sighed. ‘It weakened her, having Jared, but she never regretted it.’

  Rhia nodded. ‘And now Angus is dead, too.’

  ‘Yes.’ Maria’s tone became crisper. ‘Have you got everything you need?’

  Rhia looked down at the laden tray, at the succulent steak nestling in its bed of salad, and the waffles cooling in their bed of butter. ‘Oh, yes,’ she said, shaking her head. ‘I just hope I can do justice to it.’

  Maria smiled and turned towards the door, but in the curving aperture she paused. ‘I know it’s none of my business,’ she said, causing Rhia to look at her in anxious anticipation, ‘but when do you and Jared plan to tell Glyn you’re not the girl he thinks you are?’

  The fork Rhia had used to take a slice of tomato to her mouth clattered on to the plate. ‘You—you know?’

  ‘It’s just as well I do,’ Maria essayed dryly. ‘If not, I’d have been mighty suspicious. No one in their right minds would hide hair like that less’n they had a reason.’

  ‘Oh!’ Rhia put up a horrified hand to her head. ‘I forgot.’

  ‘That’s okay. Jared told me the truth days ago. You’re Val’s sister, and you agreed to come on doctor’s advice.’

  Rhia nodded. ‘Something like that.’

  Maria frowned. ‘He also said that you already had a boy-friend, is that right? Or was that just for Mrs Frazer’s benefit?’

  ‘Lisa?’ Rhia was confused.

  ‘That’s right.’ Maria was complacent. ‘Seems like a reasonable thing to do, seeing as how he’s taken with you himself.’

  ‘Jared?’ Rhia’s pulses raced. ‘Don’t be silly—’

  Maria gave her an old-fashioned look. ‘You’re not that ignorant, Rhia. You’ve seen the way he looks at you, same as I have. And why not? He’s a virile man. Just because Mrs Frazer considers him her property, doesn’t mean he hasn’t got eyes in his head.’

  Rhia was trembling. It should not have shocked her, but it did. Heavens, hadn’t she known there was that unwilling attraction between them? Hadn’t she herself fought that very attraction every time he came near her? But hearing it from Maria, hearing her put into words something which had been so nebulous, was not the sweet fulfilment she had imagined. On the contrary, it sounded coarse and sordid, hinting as it did at an illicit relationship, and the confirmation of Jared’s involvement with Lisa was as painful to bear as her bruises had been earlier.

  ‘I’d better go.’ Maria was suddenly all bustle, as if regretting that revealing confidence. ‘I’ll send Rebecca up for the tray later. You try and get some sleep.’

  But although Rhia made a valiant effort with the meal, her appetite had completely disappeared, and she pretended to be asleep when Rebecca came to take the tray, to avoid any unnecessary scoldings. She did not sleep, however. She lay there wishing she had taken Simon’s advice and told Jared she couldn’t help him. It seemed as though every day brought some new complication, not least the growing knowledge that she was falling in love with a man she could never have.

  * * *

  By evening, she was feeling physically more comfortable at least. The
soothing salve had done its work, and the stiffness was gradually easing out of her bones. She could actually get out of bed and go to the bathroom without groaning every inch of the way, and she thought by the morning she would be able to put this particular disaster aside.

  Rebecca brought her dinner and looked surprised to find Rhia seated at her dressing table, brushing her hair. Belatedly, Rhia saw the wig residing beside the bed, and knew a feeling of frustration when the Canadian girl admired her hair. Earlier on, when Rebecca came to collect the tray, she had kept her head half under the covers, but now there was no disguising its length.

  ‘Hey, you must be feeling better,’ she exclaimed, setting the tray on the table close by. ‘But my, I wouldn’t wear any wig if I had hair as pretty as you.’

  Rhia sighed, making an indifferent gesture. ‘I—Glyn likes my hair short. I—let him think I’d had it cut.’

  ‘Oh, I see.’ Rebecca accepted her explanation without question. ‘And right now, he’s not seeing too good anyway.’

  ‘That’s right.’

  ‘My, but it’s pretty,’ Rebecca repeated enviously. ‘I think he’d change his mind if’n he could see it.’

  Rhia forced a smile. ‘You could be right. You—er—you won’t tell him, will you? It’s a secret.’

  ‘My lips are sealed,’ declared Rebecca dramatically, and exited the room still shaking her head over Rhia’s transformation.

  Rhia managed to drink the soup and eat a little of the chicken supreme Maria had served, but the creamy jacket potatoes were beyond her, as too was the spicy apple strudel. Instead, she helped herself to a Californian peach, peeling it carefully and enjoying its succulent flesh.

  She was wiping her lips on her napkin when she became aware that someone was watching her, and she looked up from the tray to find Jared leaning against the arched entry. He looked pale himself this evening, as if he had spent the day in his den instead of out in the open air, his black silk shirt and narrow tie matching the tight-fitting moleskin that closely moulded his thighs. Every taut muscle was thrown into sharp relief by the light behind him, and Rhia averted her eyes from where they were disposed to linger.