Substitute Engagement. Jayne Bauling
Flanders, the marine biologist,’ Rob supplied, when she broke off again as she wondered why she was bothering to confide anything at all. ‘He made some impressive discoveries, and it seems that you’re set to continue his work eventually as it’s marine biology you’ve been studying, isn’t it? Johannesburg always strikes me as an incongruous place to do it, inland as it is, but, of course, Wits degrees are recognised worldwide.
‘Hotel work seems a bit of a waste for you. Why don’t you go back and find something that will utilise your specialised knowledge?’
She was surprised that he should know so much about her, but she didn’t dwell on it, riled by an awareness that his advice was far from being disinterested—proffered for his sister’s sake rather than hers. He wanted her off the island.
‘Why? Are you afraid I’ll embarrass Thierry and your sister if I hang around?’ she challenged defiantly. ‘That I’ll cause trouble—try to get Thierry back?’
‘And succeed? Haven’t you learnt anything this afternoon about the dangers of being over-confident?’ Rob derided with deliberate cruelty, and Lucia was very glad of her darkened lenses, because while she could keep her mouth in the shape of a smile she had no control over anything her eyes might be revealing.
‘Go back to South Africa or home to England, Lucia. There’s no suitable work for you here, and at this stage of your career, fresh out of university, no research organisation or publisher is going to give you the sort of funding your father must have had to be free to roam around the ocean for so many years.’
‘I’m staying,’ Lucia insisted, wishing that she could come up with some dignified reason for doing so, hating the idea of his knowing just how stupidly over-confident she had been in coming back to the island without giving any consideration to the possibility that Thierry might no longer want her and that she would be left trapped here, unable to afford to leave.
‘If I can’t get a job here, I’ll try somewhere else—one of the other hotels, probably.’
He studied her in silence for several seconds, his eyes very hard. Then he shrugged. ‘Do as you please, but I think you should bear in mind that if you make any attempt to sabotage my sister’s relationship with Thierry Olivier I will make you regret it.’
The arm round her waist took on the quality of steel, so she was perplexed by his sudden, flirtatiously caressing smile until he added authoritatively, ‘Don’t stop smiling, Lucia. Olivier has just seen you, and he and Nadine are both looking this way now.’
‘I don’t want to speak to them yet.’
She couldn’t keep a panicky note out of her voice. Even if no one else guessed what she was going through, Thierry should, and the thought was unbearable. She couldn’t even bring herself to look in his direction for the moment
‘Until you’ve planned your strategy?’ Rob mocked. ‘You won’t have to speak to them. I’ll take you over to meet Chester Watson now, and then I’ll go and make the great announcement for them, as that’s the way my sister wants it. But just remember what I’ve said. No trouble—no spoiling her day, please, Lucia.’
LUCIA’S face ached from smiling and smiling as she pretended that she didn’t care, but the glass of champagne that Rob had taken from a tray borne by a passing waiter and handed to her had a tendency to shake if she didn’t concentrate.
It was difficult to concentrate on anything at all when her inner turmoil was so distracting, but she was determined not to let anyone know how shaken she was so she kept on smiling, forcing herself to talk sociably when she was introduced to Chester Watson—an attractive, stocky Englishman whom Rob said the Ballard Group had poached from one of Kenya’s most famous hotels.
It was obvious that Chester held his employer in high esteem, and Lucia saw why. Their conversation touching briefly on hotel business at one point, Rob became very much the high-powered tycoon, decisive and commanding, but without being condescending, looking at Chester as he spoke, using his name and soliciting his opinion.
They were soon joined by the young woman in whose company she had first seen Rob. Madelon Brouard was a few years older than Lucia, glamorous and sufficiently sophisticated to be able to reveal her interest in Rob without being crass about it in any way, even when he had his arm round another woman’s waist.
‘Incidentally, Chester, Lucia thinks she’d like a job here,’ Rob mentioned after the introductions were completed.
‘You would love it, Lucia,’ Madelon immediately put in enthusiastically. ‘I work in the hotel shop. It is the best employment I have had, and I have done most sorts of work. I was infected so badly by the wanderlust that I could not go home to take up my place at university when the one year of travelling I promised to myself ended. So here I stand, unqualified for all but casual labour to this day. But I have learned several languages and had many wonderful experiences. Did I say, Rob? Chester talks of moving me into Nadine’s post.’
‘So you won’t be replacing Nadine, Lucia,’ Rob said significantly, with a mocking smile that added silently, Although Nadine has replaced you in another area.
‘In fact, I’ve an idea that we might have something unique for you, Lucia,’ Chester told her. ‘In view of who you are—Ernest Flanders’ daughter—and your own special interest and abilities. Oh, yes, I’ve heard a lot about you since I’ve been here. You have fans on the island, it seems, and, of course, your father is remembered with admiration.’
‘I’m sure I can be useful,’ Lucia submitted eagerly. ‘And, while I can’t match Madelon’s several languages, I am as fluent in French as in English, because when we weren’t living in the Comoros we’d often be in places like Mauritius, Réunion and the Seychelles, and I usually had to attend French schools.’
‘And you get on with people?’ Chester probed.
‘Very well,’ she claimed confidently, and was piqued by Rob’s sceptical smile.
Well, of course he was an exception. What else did he expect when he had been the bearer of bad news, delivering it with more sadistic enjoyment than compassion? Not that she wanted his sympathy, or anyone else’s either—
It was at this point in her angry thoughts that Rob removed his arm from around her waist, and Lucia was subject to a moment’s sheer, unreasoning panic in response to the loss of its warmth and, she realised belatedly, its support.
‘Will you excuse me, please? Nadine is sending out agitated signals so I’d better go and play my part. I won’t be long, angel,’ he added to Lucia, his tone indulgent. ‘Chester and Madelon will look after you.’
Furious, she would have told him that she didn’t need looking after if it hadn’t been for the inhibiting presence of the other two.
So it was shaming that his departure should leave her feeling so oddly bereft, but she would have died rather than show it. She watched him go, attracting as he always did much feminine attention and rewarding it with the occasional smile when eye contact was made, but she thought that she knew where his real interest lay, as it was with Madelon that she had first seen him.
Lucia turned to Chester Watson determinedly. The manager just had time to relieve her mind by assuring her that employment at the hotel included board and lodging if required, when someone interrupted, demanding his urgent attention.
‘Perhaps you’ll come and see me tomorrow morning and I’ll tell you what I’ve got in mind, Lucia?’ he suggested quickly. ‘I really must deal with this now, unfortunately.’
‘I like him, but it is Rob Ballard I find attractive.’ With both men gone, Madelon seized the opportunity to indulge in girl-talk. ‘You too? I heard something, that you were engaged to Thierry Olivier previously, but Rob is much more