Forgotten Lover
Carole Mortimer

www.millsandboon.co.uk

Table of Contents

Cover

Title Page

CHAPTER ONE

CHAPTER TWO

CHAPTER THREE

CHAPTER FOUR

CHAPTER FIVE

CHAPTER SIX

CHAPTER SEVEN

CHAPTER EIGHT

CHAPTER NINE

CHAPTER TEN

Copyright

CHAPTER ONE

VELVET posed in front of the camera once again, her smile forced now as the sun continued to beat down on her, her make-up feeling as if it were streaking down her face. They had attracted quite a crowd of people as Paul set up his photographic equipment on the Fort Lauderdale beach, the holiday town twenty miles from Miami. Thank God they hadn’t decided to film in Miami itself; the one day they had spent there the beach had been absolutely crowded.

As it was they had attracted quite a few people, most of them male, all watching with interest as she and Carly posed in the numerous beach outfits. The shorts were very brief, some of the sun-tops even briefer, and this was obviously appreciated by their onlookers.

But despite the briefness of their clothing it was still terribly hot, the temperature in the nineties, and only being used to the coolness of English weather this heat had come as something of a shock to Velvet. All she longed to do right now was strip off, don one of the numerous bikinis she had brought with her, and run across the golden-white sand and into the deep blue sea, its coolness refreshing and invigorating.

Fort Lauderdale certainly lived up to its reputation. The people were very friendly, the beaches unbelievable, even down to the palm trees that grew tall and straight even in the strong sea-breeze. The sand was fine and smooth down to the sea edge, the water still and calm, the waves lapping gently against the shoreline. Tall hotels, and one and two-storey motels edged the beach across the shore road, their walls freshly painted in gay attractive colours. It was in one of these hotels that the three of them were staying, with a breathtaking view of the ocean from their rooms, both in the blazing sunlight hours and the bright moonlight.

But today was their first day of actually working, the previous day having been taken up in recovering from the nine-hour flight. Never having worked in such a climate before, Velvet hadn’t been prepared for the overwhelming heat and humidity that seemed to hit her like a blanket as soon as she had stepped out of their air-conditioned hotel this morning. Her brief clothing had instantly seemed too heavy, her make-up feeling caked on to her face, and all her energy seemed to be stripped from her. And that was before she had even begun working!

The last hour had seemed like a lifetime, each change of clothes taking longer than the last, and her movements were now slow and sluggish.

She threw off the straw hat. ‘No more, Paul,’ she complained. ‘I can’t do any more today.’ The blue sea behind her beckoned temptingly, increasingly so as each minute passed.

His camera lowered, his features boyishly youthful despite his thirty-two years, Paul was very slightly built, his blond hair over-long, his features striking rather than handsome. Because he spent so much time with women his manner was sometimes effeminate, often leading to snide remarks from people who envied him his skill with a camera, but Velvet knew that these remarks were unfounded. He and Carly, the other model on this assignment, had been living together for the past year.

‘Just another couple of shots,’ he encouraged. ‘Then we can all stop for the day. Okay?’

‘Okay,’ she sighed her agreement, and donned the hat again, sure that by now she must look a mess and not the beautiful model she was supposed to be.

Carly looked up hopefully from her sitting position on the sand. ‘Does that mean I can go and get changed?’

‘Yes, go,’ Paul told her in a preoccupied voice.

She stood up, grimacing. ‘So nice to be wanted!’

Paul ignored her, all his concentration on his camera and subject. He didn’t even see the models who stood before him as women, they were merely objects that he wanted to show to advantage with his skill as a photographer. Velvet loved to be photographed by him, knew he would bring out the best in her. If he hadn’t been the photographer on this assignment she doubted she would even have accepted it, hating having to leave Tony with her brother and his wife.

Not that Tony minded, he loved staying with his Uncle Simon and Aunty Janice. But Velvet herself felt guilty about leaving him, and would have brought him with her if it hadn’t been such a long flight. As a working widow she took Tony with her as much as possible, possibly a little too possessive of him. But he was all she had left of her husband Anthony, her dearly loved Anthony who had died shortly after their marriage.

But Tony was all she could ever wish for in her child, full of energy, so much so that he tired her out just looking at him. He was a beautiful child, almost eighteen months of pure devilment, his huge innocent brown eyes totally deceptive, as were his cherubic features and baby blond curls. Oh, how she missed him already!

‘There, finished,’ Paul lowered his camera. ‘You can go and get changed too.’

She wiped her damp face. ‘I think I’ll go back to the hotel and put on one of my own bikinis before I go in for a swim.’

‘Good idea,’ he nodded. ‘We’ll see you later, then.’

She looked down at the minute brown bikini she wore. ‘Will we need this tomorrow?’

‘No.’ He packed his equipment away for the day.

‘Then I’ll wear it back to the hotel.’ She pulled on a wrap, glad to be hidden at last from curious eyes. She was tall, with the slender figure of a model, her features classically beautiful, her brown eyes almond-shaped, slightly tilted at the corners to hint at the Oriental. And then there was her hair, her beautiful, red-gold hair, the colour of which could never be matched by anything out of a bottle. Her features and colouring were instantly riveting, making her one of the top models in England, although she doubted she had the ambition to actually reach the top. As long as she had enough money to support herself and Tony in comfort then she was happy.

Dear Tony! If she went back to the hotel now she might just be in time to call Simon and talk to Tony before Janice bathed him and put him to bed. Just to hear his childish lisping of the word ‘Mum’ would be enough to make her day.

‘Hey, sleepyhead,’ Paul interrupted her thoughts. ‘I was talking to you!’

‘I’m sorry,’ Velvet blinked, her lashes dark and silky. ‘What did you say?’

‘I said wear the bikini you have on, no one is going to ask for it back.’

‘Wear this!’ Velvet scorned. ‘You must be joking! It would probably fall apart in the water.’

He smiled. ‘A great advert you are for Style Swimwear!’

Carly bounced out of the back of the trailer they were using to change in, dressed in her own tight-fitting denims and a tee-shirt. ‘Ready?’ she smiled up at her boy-friend, her dark attractive features beautiful even without make-up.

Paul frowned. ‘Ready for what?’

‘To take me to Ocean World. And don’t say you forgot,’ she added as he began to shake his head. ‘You promised, Paul,’ she pouted petulantly.

‘I have to get this film developed.’

‘Ocean World won’t take long to see, and it’s only just down the road.’

‘We’re here to work, Carly. I——’

‘Oh, don’t be such an old grouch, Paul,’ Velvet cut in. ‘Take Carly to Ocean World.’

‘And what do I do if our client asks to see the initial photographs this evening?’

‘He’s invited us to dinner,’ Carly dismissed. ‘He’ll hardly expect to see the work already completed.’

‘I’d forgotten all about dinner this evening,’ Velvet frowned. ‘Isn’t it a little unusual to be invited out by the owner of a firm as big as Style Clothes?’

Paul shrugged. ‘It happens. Besides, we’re staying at his hotel. He lives in the penthouse apartment.’

She raised her eyebrows. ‘I didn’t know that.’

‘Where did you think we were having dinner?’ he teased.

‘Not at his apartment.’

‘He flew in yesterday evening,’ Paul explained. ‘I spoke to him last night while the two of you slept.’

Carly wrinkled her nose at him. ‘We don’t all have your stamina for work. Besides, Velvet and I need our beauty sleep.’

He grinned. ‘You said it!’

‘Why, you——’

Velvet laughed at Carly’s fury. ‘I think you walked into that one,’ she teased the other girl.

‘Maybe,’ she admitted grudgingly. ‘But just for that,’ she put her arm through the crook of Paul’s, ‘you can definitely take me to Ocean World.’

He sighed. ‘Who wants to see a load of dolphins performing tricks?’

‘I do,’ Carly said firmly. ‘And if you aren’t careful I’ll push you in with the sharks!’

Velvet knew that this veiled argument hid a very real affection, Carly and Paul were very much in love with each other.

‘Okay,’ Paul gave in. ‘Coming with us, Velvet?’

She shook her head. ‘I’m going back to the hotel to make a telephone call and then I’m going swimming.’

‘Don’t be late for dinner,’ he warned. ‘Seven-thirty for eight in the penthouse suite.’

‘I’ll be there,’ she promised.

‘And look your most stunning, I think Daniels will appreciate that.’

She grinned at Paul’s determination to impress their employer. ‘I’ll wear the sexiest dress I can find.’

‘Not that one,’ he said hastily, obviously recalling the daring of the black gown she had in mind. ‘I don’t want him to take you to bed, just to realise how beautiful the models are I’ve brought with me.’

‘I’ll remember,’ and she laughingly took her leave of them. If she didn’t soon make that telephone call it would be too late.

Her casual attire was perfectly acceptable in the hotel reception, some of the other people walking about in even less than she was, their nakedness barely covered by swimming attire. Although a model, and reasonably sure of herself, she would have felt too embarrassed to walk in wearing just the bikini she had modelled earlier; it was two strips of material that only just contained her modesty. The matching wrap at least reached down to her thighs, although the material was diaphanous.

But she didn’t give the impression of being in the least selfconscious as she strolled across the reception area to the lift, a tall beautiful girl with strawberry-blonde hair and flashing dark eyes.

‘Velvet! Velvet, stop!’

She frowned, turning to face the owner of that deep, attractive voice, a voice as English as her own. A tall man, well over six feet, was making his way towards her, a ruggedly handsome man with dark almost black hair, distinguished wings of grey at his temples, his eyes deeply blue, surrounded by thick black lashes, his nose long and straight, a dark shadow above his top lip over the firmness of his jaw, a shadow that meant he probably had to shave twice a day. Above that strong jawline his top lip jutted out determinedly, the lower lip fuller, hinting at a deep sensuality. He had wide powerful shoulders, tapering to a narrow waist and lean hips, and he was probably the most handsome man Velvet had ever seen. The white trousers fitted to his muscular thighs, the dark blue shirt was partly unbuttoned down his chest, his skin was deeply tanned, as if he lived a lot of his life out in the sun.

Yes, he was very handsome, excitingly so, being in his late thirties or early forties, she would say, having an assurance and confidence about him that pointed to him being unnerved by little. He was also acting as if he knew her, and much as she would like it to be true, she knew she had never seen him in her life before. He just wasn’t the sort of man you forgot once you had met him.

‘Velvet!’ He grasped both her hands in his, searching her face with those deep blue eyes as if he intended memorising every feature. ‘My God,’ he choked, very pale beneath his tan, a haggard look to his face. ‘It really is you!’ His hands tightened on hers.

She gave a polite meaningless smile, trying to extricate her hands without causing a scene. Men had tried to pick her up in this way in the past, but never anyone like this man. ‘It really is me,’ she agreed lightly. ‘Now would you mind …?’ she looked pointedly at their joined hands.

‘God, Velvet,’ he groaned, making no effort to release her, ‘you don’t know what it does to me to see you here!’

She was beginning to, his hold on her hands was painful now. ‘Could you please let me go?’ she winced.

His hold relaxed a little, but he didn’t release her. ‘Velvet …’

She was becoming angry now, aware that they were attracting more than their fair share of attention. ‘I think we’ve established that that is my name,’ she said in her coldest voice, realising this man was going to be a difficult one to shake off.

‘It happened, of course, men claiming they knew her. In her profession it was bound to; men saw her photograph in a magazine and thought it entitled them to claim an acquaintance with her.

Not that this man didn’t look as if he would be interesting to know, he did. But she was here to work, and the sooner the work was finished the sooner she would be able to get back to Tony. Tony! Goodness, if she didn’t soon make that call Simon and Janice would have gone to bed too!

‘It’s been pleasant meeting you, Mr—er—— But I have to go now,’ she finally managed to release her hand. ‘If you’ll excuse me …’ and she turned to leave, already dismissing him from her mind.

A strong hand came out to stop her, blue eyes narrowing as the man moved to stand in front of her. ‘Velvet, I know things ended abruptly between us, but I thought you understood——’

‘Now look, Mr——’

‘Jerard,’ he put in tersely.

‘Mr Jerard,’ she said impatiently. ‘You——’

‘Just Jerard,’ he snapped. ‘Don’t play games, Velvet, not now, and not with me.’

She pulled out of his grasp, knowing there would be bruises on her wrist tomorrow. Paul would love that! ‘I don’t play games, Mr—Jerard,’ she snapped. ‘And I don’t particularly like the people who do.’

‘I don’t play games either,’ he rasped. ‘I never have.’

‘Then I wish you wouldn’t now,’ she rubbed her tender skin. ‘I’m in a hurry, and I really don’t have the time to talk to you right now.’

‘Velvet!’

She glared up at him. ‘Will you please leave me alone!’

He frowned. ‘Why are you pretending you don’t know me?’

‘Because I don’t!’ she cried her exasperation. ‘And if this is a pick-up it really isn’t a very original one,’ she dismissed scathingly.

‘Pick-up!’ he exploded, his eyes blazing, a pulse beating irratically at his jaw. ‘Don’t do this to me, Velvet. I may deserve it, but don’t do it.’ His expression was haunted.

She shook her head. ‘I have no idea what you’re talking about.’

‘I’m talking about us,’ he sighed. ‘You and me.’

‘There is no you and me. Now if we’re supposed to have met in the past, then I’m sorry, but I don’t remember the meeting.’

‘You do remember,’ he snarled, very tense. ‘You’re just trying to punish me.’

She bit her lip at the savagery of his expression. ‘I have no idea what you’re talking about. But you and I have never met before. Now I really do have to go.’ She brushed past him, and this time he made no effort to stop her.

She was shaking as she stepped into the lift, turning to press the button for her floor, seeing the man called Jerard still standing where she had left him, looking as if she had struck him a physical blow.

What had seemed to be a conventional pick-up, a ‘haven’t we met before’ approach, had turned out to be something else entirely. The man had to be insane, or else genuinely suffering from mistaken identity. And yet he hadn’t seemed mistaken, he had even called her by her name. But she didn’t know him, would never forget such an intense personality. Unless …? No, no, it wasn’t possible she had ever met him before.

She put the call through to Simon once she reached her room, just managing to talk to Tony before Janice put him to bed. His lisped question of when she was coming home brought a lump to her throat, and she quickly reassured him that it would be soon. She had only left him twice before, and each time it had only been for two days. Talking to her son like this, made conscious of the miles separating them, made her wish that she had never come to Fort Lauderdale.

‘How are you, love?’ her brother asked once Tony had gone off quite happily with his aunt.

‘I’m fine,’ she told him huskily. ‘Is Tony behaving himself?’

‘Does he ever?’ Simon laughed.

‘Oh dear,’ she sighed worriedly. ‘What’s he done?’

‘Nothing too serious. He tried to eat the cat’s food——’

‘Ugh!’ she grimaced.

‘Quite,’ he agreed dryly. ‘The only thing was he tried to eat it at the same time as the cat did. You can imagine what happened!’

‘I’m trying not to.’ Simon and Janice had a huge grey tabby, a placid creature, until it came to her food, that she would defend with her life. ‘What happened?’

‘Tiger turned round and swiped him one. That’s when Tony grabbed her tail and wouldn’t let go.’

Velvet was laughing so much she had tears streaming down her face—or could they be due to the fact that she was missing her son so much? ‘Who won in the end?’

‘I think they called it a draw. Tony had a scratched hand, and Tiger slunk off into a corner to wash her tail. They’re friends again now, though, they’ve been playing together for the last hour. Now, how’s the work going?’

‘Quite well. But it’s so hot. You know me, I can’t stand the heat. Also—No,’ Velvet bit her lip, reluctant to tell her brother about the strange man she had just met. ‘It doesn’t matter,’ she dismissed.

‘What is it, Velvet?’ he asked sharply, always having been the one she ran to with her problems.

‘There was this man——’

‘Looking the way you do there was bound to be,’ he derided.

‘No, it wasn’t like that, Simon. He—he was so strange.’ She went on to describe her meeting with the man called Jerard.

‘Did he upset you?’ her brother wanted to know.

‘Not really,’ she frowned. ‘He disturbed me more than anything.’

‘Good-looking, was he?’ Simon teased.

‘I didn’t mean that sort of disturbed,’ she told him crossly, in a way glad that he hadn’t taken the incident seriously; it made her feel she didn’t have to either.

‘I don’t see why not—it’s some time since Anthony died. You’re too young and beautiful to be alone for ever,’ he said gently. ‘Besides, Tony needs a father.’

‘Simon!’ she spluttered her indignation. ‘This man definitely wasn’t father material, not at all,’ she added with certainty. ‘And even if he were I’m not interested. He was weird,’ she shivered, the memory of his fierce blue eyes burning into hers still very much with her.

‘Then you make sure you stay away from him,’ her brother warned. ‘I’d better let you go now, this call must be costing a fortune.’

‘Okay. Give Tony a hug for me, and a hug and a kiss for you and Janice.’

‘See you soon, love.’

She felt quite dejected once she had rung off, feeling a need to get out of her room and be among people. But she didn’t feel like walking back over to the beach, opting to use the hotel pool instead. She just hoped she wouldn’t run into that hateful man again!

It seemed her luck was in; there was no sign of the man, and the pool was mainly deserted in favour of the beach. The pool was gloriously cool, and she swam for half an hour or more before getting out to lie on one of the loungers scattered about its edge.

‘You swim well,’ remarked someone at her side.

Her eyes flickered open to meet warm blue ones; a tall blond American was standing beside her, his tan a golden bronze. But Velvet didn’t welcome a pick-up twice in one day. ‘Thank you,’ she said uninterestedly, closing her eyes again.

‘You’re one of the models staying here, aren’t you?’

Another persistent one! She opened her eyes to find he had sat down on the lounger next to hers. Velvet sat up, the anger in her clear brown eyes shielded by the huge round sun-glasses she wore. ‘How did you know that?’ she wanted to know.

‘I’m the assistant manager here,’ he grinned at her, very handsome in a golden sort of way, rather like one of the Greek gods the romantics were always talking about.

Her mouth twitched into an unwilling smile, finally smiling openly. ‘That’s cheating!’

‘I know,’ he smiled. ‘One of the perks of the job.’

‘Chatting up girls?’ she teased, knowing this man was someone she could handle.

‘You’re my first model.’ His gaze was appreciative of her slender beauty.

‘I’m flattered!’ she laughed at his directness. She liked his candidness, although he was nowhere near as excitingly attractive as the man called Jerard.

Just to think of the other man gave her a shiver down her spine—and it wasn’t one of fear. That surprised her, she hadn’t thought herself that attracted to him. He was the first man she had found remotely interesting since Anthony had died, and she felt a certain amount of resentment towards him for kindling that interest.

‘I hope that scowl isn’t for me,’ the man at her side interrupted her disturbing thoughts.

‘I—No,’ she gave him a dazzling smile. ‘I was thinking of something else.’

‘That isn’t allowed when you’re with me. I’m Greg Boyd, by the way.’

‘And I’m Velvet Dale.’

‘Oh, I know that,’ he grinned. ‘I always know the names of the beautiful women staying at the hotel.’

‘That must be difficult,’ she teased. ‘They all look beautiful.’

Greg shook his head. ‘Pretty, not beautiful. There’s a difference. You’re beautiful.’

‘Thank you,’ she accepted the compliment for what it was.

‘Care to join me in a drink?’ he invited.

‘I——’ She gave a brief glance at her wrist-watch. It was already five-thirty, time she went back to her room to prepare for the evening ahead. ‘No, thanks. I have to go now.’

He watched as she stood up and pulled on her wrap. ‘Was it something I said?’ He looked crestfallen.

‘No,’ Velvet laughed at his woebegone expression. ‘I just have an appointment this evening, and I think I should go and get ready.’

‘Just my luck,’ Greg grimaced. ‘It’s my evening off,’ he explained. ‘And I’d been hoping you might join me for dinner.’

‘Maybe another night.’ She picked up her towel and sun-tan oil.

‘I don’t have another night off this week.’

She gave a lightly teasing smile. ‘Then might I suggest another girl?’

He burst out laughing, and stood up too. ‘You’re a little unusual, aren’t you?’ He fell into step beside her as they entered the hotel.

‘Am I?’ she quirked an eyebrow at him.

‘You sure are. I like you, Velvet Dale.’

‘Mrs Velvet Dale,’ she said pointedly.

Greg frowned. ‘You’re married?’

‘Widowed.’

‘At your age?’

She shrugged. ‘It happens. Besides, twenty-two isn’t young any more.’

He pulled a face. ‘What does that make me at thirty?’

‘Ancient!’ She laughed, the laugh dying in her throat as she became aware of piercing blue eyes watching her.

The man called Jerard was walking in the direction of the lift, his fierce gaze fixed savagely on her as she talked to Greg. And he looked furious, so much so that Velvet stayed talking to Greg while the other man got into the lift. She daren’t get in there with him, there was no telling what he would do if she did.

It took ages for the lift to come back down again, but luckily it was now empty. She hoped that man’s room wouldn’t be anywhere near hers.

She hadn’t really brought many evening dresses with her, not realising she would be dining with their important client. She wouldn’t wear anything too daring, at his age she might give him a heart attack. Charles Daniels must be at least seventy by now. No wonder Paul had warned against the black gown—it really was too seductively daring.

The brown one was ideal, attractive without being too revealing. Her hair was newly washed and gleaming, her make-up light and unobtrusive. She looked beautiful enough to make an impression but not to raise the poor man’s blood pressure.

‘Perfect,’ Paul told her when they called for her.

He was looking very distinguished himself in a black evening suit and white shirt, Carly as beautiful as usual in a clinging black gown.

‘How was Ocean World?’ Velvet asked them in the lift on the way up to the penthouse suite.

‘Well?’ Carly looked at Paul for the answer.

‘It was—it was good, very good,’ he admitted grudgingly. ‘Okay, okay,’ he sighed at Carly’s triumphant look, ‘so I enjoyed myself.’

‘You’ll have to go. Velvet,’ the other girl said enthusiastically. ‘If Grouchy here liked it then you know it was good.’

Velvet nodded. ‘I’ll see if I can get there some time tomorrow. I wanted to call my brother this afternoon.’

They stepped out of the lift. ‘How’s Tony?’ Paul enquired.

‘Wrecking the place, as usual,’ she laughed, looking around her appreciatively. ‘This is something, hmm?’

Paul nodded, their surroundings luxurious in the extreme. ‘Wait until you meet our host, he’s more than just something.’

Velvet laughed. ‘Seventy-year-old men don’t really appeal to me.’ Paul frowned. ‘Seventy-year-old——? He isn’t seventy, Velvet.’

‘But Charles Daniels——’

‘Died two years ago. His son’s been in charge ever since.’

She blinked. ‘His son?’

‘Yes, Velvet,’ a man appeared from a room to the left of them, a man with startlingly familiar fierce blue eyes. ‘I took over from my father,’ he confirmed his identity as Charles Daniels’ son.

She went pale. This man was the man who had stopped her in reception earlier, the man who claimed to know her—he was Jerard Daniels! Paul was right, he was more than just something, he was overpowering in the white dinner jacket and black trousers, every inch the powerful businessman he undoubtedly was.

He came forward to take her hand, the intensity of his gaze not allowing for the other couple in the room. ‘We meet again, Velvet,’ he said huskily.

She was mesmerised, held immobile by the intimacy of his expression. ‘I—Yes,’ she confirmed stupidly.

‘The two of you have met before?’ Paul sounded puzzled.

‘I——’

‘A couple of years ago,’ Jerard Daniels answered for her. ‘Although Velvet chooses not to remember that,’ he added harshly.

‘I don’t choose to, Mr Daniels,’ she snapped. ‘It happens to be the truth.’

‘But I remember you—vividly.’

She blushed at the familiarity in his eyes, her smile strained. ‘I’m sorry,’ she shook her head, ‘but I really have no recollection …’

‘Never mind,’ he put her hand in the crook of his arm, smiling at the other couple. ‘Shall we go through and have a drink before dinner?’

For the next fifteen minutes he was everything the polite host should be, although he didn’t let Velvet leave his side, his hand snaking out to grasp her wrist if she should attempt to do so.

He frightened her. There was about him an air of suppressed violence, a dangerous quality to him that disturbed her.

‘Have you lived in Florida long, Mr Daniels?’ Carly asked him as they ate their dinner, Velvet placed opposite him at the long table.

‘Jerard,’ he put in smoothly. ‘And I don’t live here, Carly. I’m only here at all because Velvet is.’

‘Oh.’ Carly sounded unsure of his direct answer.

Colour blazed in Velvet’s cheeks at the puzzled glances Paul and Carly kept shooting her. This man was embarrassing her, was giving her friends the impression that they had a relationship. ‘Is your wife with you, Mr Daniels?’ she asked waspishly.

His expression darkened, his gaze rapier-sharp as he looked at her. ‘My wife is dead, Velvet,’ he rasped.

‘Oh!’ She moved uncomfortably. ‘I—I’m sorry.’

‘She isn’t,’ he said abruptly. ‘To die from heart disease isn’t very pleasant.’

‘Oh.’

His eyes narrowed. ‘And your husband is dead too.’

She blinked at him, bewildered by his knowledge of her when she knew absolutely nothing about him. ‘He died in a flying accident,’ she supplied.

‘I know that too—you were a passenger. You were carrying his child at the time.’

She swallowed hard. ‘I—Yes.’

In that moment Jerard Daniels looked satanic, as if he would like to hit out and hurt someone. He seemed to control this urge with effort. ‘You have a son,’ he said in a curious flat voice.

‘Tony, yes.’

‘Named after his father.’

‘I—yes. You see, Anthony never saw him. He was born on the day Anthony died.’ She didn’t know why she was explaining herself to this man, her life with Anthony had nothing whatsoever to do with him.

‘I have a daughter,’ Jerard Daniels told her.

‘You do?’ she asked interestedly, her assumption that this man wasn’t father material instantly contradicted.

He was watching her closely. ‘She’s eight years old.’

‘Is she here with you?’ Carly wanted to know, obviously feeling that she and Paul had been excluded from the conversation long enough.

Jerard Daniels smiled at her, a completely charming smile. ‘Not at the moment, no. She’ll be joining me soon.’

‘That will be nice for you,’ Carly responded to that smile, instantly captivated.

‘Very nice,’ he nodded. ‘How’s the photography going, Paul?’ He suddenly seemed to be remembering his manners.

Velvet relaxed for the first time since she had entered the apartment and discovered Jerard Daniels was their host, his attention at last removed from her. How did he know all those things about her life? And why did he maintain that they had met before when she knew they hadn’t?

She listened to his conversation, sensing that he knew almost as much about photography as Paul did. He was a man who would have a knowledge of many things—and she seemed to be one of them!

Carly was giving her a frowning look, as if to say ‘What’s with you two?’ She wished she knew that herself? She shrugged at the other girl, knowing that Carly was curious about the past relationship Jerard kept insisting they had had. Well, she was curious about it herself!

She wanted to excuse herself after dinner was over, but the two men were still discussing photography, making it highly unlikely that Paul would want to leave just yet. And she could hardly leave without him and Carly, not without making a scene.

So she sat in one of the armchairs, a polite smile of interest fixed falsely on her face as she tried desperately to remember if she and Jerard Daniels had ever met before. He was so adamant that they had, and he didn’t seem the type to lie about something like that. Besides, he was very attractive, having charmed Carly until she was starry-eyed, so he didn’t need to go to such extremes to get a woman.

She watched him as he talked to Paul. He really was very attractive, in a harsh sort of way. Still, it sounded as if life had dealt him a series of hard blows lately, first of all his wife dying of heart disease and then his father dying too. But she really couldn’t say she knew him.

Maybe she reminded him of his wife or something? She could come up with any number of excuses for his mistake in thinking he knew her, but she had no way of knowing if any of them were right.

When Paul finally suggested they leave she stood hurriedly to her feet, eager to be gone.

Once again Jerard Daniels took hold of her arm, holding her easily at his side. ‘You two go ahead,’ he said politely to Paul and Carly. ‘I just want to have a private word with Velvet.’

She swallowed hard. ‘It’s late, Mr Daniels,’ she told him sharply. ‘Perhaps we can talk in the morning?’

‘Tonight,’ he insisted in a hard voice that brooked no argument. ‘Now.’

‘I——’

‘We’ll see you in the morning, Velvet,’ said Paul before he and Carly stepped into the lift.

‘How dare you!’ Velvet turned angrily on Jerard Daniels once they were alone, forgetting for the moment that he was employing her, remembering only that he had embarrassed her. ‘You know what they’re thinking!’

He raised one dark eyebrow. ‘And what would that be?’

‘That I’m spending the night up here with you!’ she snapped, two bright spots of angry colour in her cheeks.

He looked unconcerned. ‘So?’

‘So I want to leave now. Look, I’m sorry if I don’t remember meeting you before, but I meet such a lot of people in my profession. If we were friends——’

‘We were a little more than that, Velvet,’ he revealed tightly, his features set in harsh lines.

She looked at him dazedly, licking her lips nervously. ‘You mean …?’

He gave an arrogant inclination of his head. ‘I mean we were lovers, Velvet.’

CHAPTER TWO

SHE pulled out of his grasp. ‘I don’t believe you!’ she gasped.

His eyes were narrowed to icy slits. ‘It’s the truth, I can assure you. I loved you, I thought you loved me too. It seems I was just the first man in your life,’ he rasped.

Her eyes were wide with shock. ‘The first …’

‘I was your first lover, Velvet. You were a virgin when we made love.’ His mouth twisted bitterly.

‘I—I—Oh God!’ She turned away, shaking with reaction. ‘This can’t be happening to me,’ she groaned.

Jerard walked past her into the lounge, poured out two brandies and handed her one. ‘Drink it,’ he ordered, swallowing his own in one gulp, unmoved by the fiery liquid.

Velvet took a tenative sip, grimacing at the unaccustomed alcohol. She never drank alcohol, had always had an aversion to it.

‘I think you’d better go,’ Jerard Daniels said harshly. ‘We obviously have nothing to talk about.’

‘I—No. I—Yes, I—I’ll go,’ and she turned blindly in the direction of the lift.

‘But first——’ he swung her round to face him, ‘first I get to kiss the woman who’s haunted my days and invaded my nights for longer than I care to remember!’ His mouth ground down on hers, demanding that she respond.

No man had kissed her since Anthony, no one had been allowed close enough to take this liberty. But Jerard Daniels wasn’t going to ask her permission; he took what he wanted, uncaring whether or not she enjoyed it.

But she was enjoying it, had melted at the first pressure of his lips on hers, gave herself up to the pleasure he was evoking—was even managing to kiss him back.

Suddenly his mouth gentled on hers, tasting her lips like a thirsty man in the desert craves water. His hands moved caressingly across her bare back, probing the line of her shoulder-blade and shooting spasms of pleasure through her body.

Velvet groaned with the familiarity of his movements, distant memories flashing into her brain, memories that faded before she could recall the reality of them.

This man had kissed her before, had touched her, she knew it as surely as she breathed. She just didn’t remember it!

He swung her up into his arms, still kissing her as he carried her into one of the bedrooms, kicking the door shut behind them.

The slam of the door was enough to bring her to her senses, and she started to struggle as he gently laid her down on the bed, clearly intending to join her. ‘No!’ She broke away from him.

‘No?’ he groaned in raw agony, his eyes glazed with passion.

‘No,’ she choked, scrambling off the bed. ‘I—I don’t know what happened just now——’

‘You wanted me,’ he rasped. ‘That’s what happened.’

Velvet blushed at the accuracy of his words. She had wanted him, and that had never happened to her before with a complete stranger. But was he a stranger? He didn’t seem to think so—and neither did her body.

‘And I wanted you,’ he added sneeringly. ‘How does it make you feel to know that after all this time I still want you? Does it give you a cheap thrill to know that I was completely taken in by you and the love you professed to have for me?’

Velvet swallowed hard, frightened of his anger. ‘I——’ she licked her lips. ‘I——’

‘You’re speechless, hmm?’ he derided bitterly. ‘I thought we had something special, Velvet, the sort of love that would last even though we were apart.’

She frowned. ‘I’m sorry …’

Jerard Daniels’ eyes flashed deeply blue. ‘Get out of here!’ he snapped. ‘I’ve been in love with a dream all this time. But I can see the reality now, can see that I meant nothing to you. How could I?’ he scorned. ‘You didn’t waste any time getting married, did you, and to your nice respectable lawyer.’

‘Anthony …?’

‘Yes, Anthony Dale!’ he rasped. ‘How long did you wait, Velvet? One week, two? It couldn’t have been much more than that!’

She shook her head. ‘I don’t——’

‘You don’t remember!’ he cut in furiously. ‘No, I realise you don’t. I was just one of the men stupid enough to fall in love with you. I thought I meant something to you, that we had something special, but we obviously didn’t.’

‘Please,’ she begged. ‘You don’t understand——’

‘But I do—finally,’ he said heavily. ‘Goodbye, Velvet.’

‘Please, let me——’

‘Go!’ He scowled at her, walking out to the lounge and picking up the whisky bottle and a glass before returning to the bedroom. He threw himself down on the bed, pouring some of the whisky into a glass. ‘Close the door on your way out.’ He threw the whisky to the back of his throat before refilling the glass to the rim.

Velvet stumbled from the room, almost running to the lift. That Jerard Daniels intended getting drunk she had no doubt. She only wished she could drown her own pain in the same way.

But alcohol wasn’t the answer for her, she needed a clear head to work out this puzzle. But it wasn’t such a puzzle, it was more of a blank, a blank that she would possibly never fill.

She had wanted to explain to Jerard Daniels, to tell him why she didn’t remember him, but she had a feeling that the truth would be even harder for him to understand and believe.

She reached her room without seeing anyone, knowing that if she had they might wonder what had so upset her that she was as white as a sheet.

The doctors at the hospital had told her that it had been the shock, the shock of losing Anthony and the birth of little Tony. She had woken up in a hospital bed with the last eleven months missing out of her life, knowing only that she had lost the husband that she loved, and that she had given birth to his child.

She and Anthony had been going out together for eighteen months, had been engaged for six months of that time, and she knew that she loved him. But all their married life together was a blank to her, the trauma of his death had erased their marriage from her memory.

And now Jerard Daniels claimed to have met her during that blank eleven months, claimed they had been lovers, that he had been her first lover. She knew that she and Anthony hadn’t made love before the blank in her life, and had loved Anthony all the more for respecting her wish that they marry first.

Anthony had been older than her, was a friend of her brother’s to start with. She had been nineteen when they first met, had liked his blond good looks and serious manner. He had belonged to the same law firm as Simon, but was new to town, so Simon had taken him under his wing and brought him home to dinner. Velvet had been living with Simon at the time, their parents having recently emigrated to Australia to be close to their other son Nigel, and his wife Jennifer. Velvet was supposed to have joined them, but once she had met Anthony she had refused to go, continuing to live with Simon and Janice until she married Anthony.

So where did Jerard Daniels fit into the nice tidy pattern of her life, where did he fit into that blank eleven months? Only he could tell her the answer to that question, and after the way they had parted this evening she doubted he would be in any mood to tell her anything.

This had never happened before. No one else had come forward and claimed to have met her during that time. In fact she had come to accept the blank, to accept her life as it now was, certain that her marriage to Anthony had been as successful as the rest of their relationship. Simon had assured her it was—Simon! Perhaps he would know something about Jerard Daniels? Perhaps she would call him tomorrow and find out.

She wasn’t able to sleep, disturbed and upset by this strange turn of events. How could she have taken a lover when she was engaged to Anthony? How could she have taken a lover at all! She didn’t believe it, couldn’t believe it. Especially a man like Jerard Daniels! Anthony had been ten years her senior, but Jerard Daniels must be even older than that, and she just couldn’t believe she was ever involved with such a man. If only he weren’t so adamant!

She had been up and dressed for hours when Carly knocked on her door, and had been expecting the barrage of questions that came her way from the other girl.

‘What time did you leave Jerard’s apartment last night?’ Carly asked eagerly.

‘Just after you,’ Velvet answered rigidly.

‘Really?’ Carly looked disappointed.

‘Yes, really,’ she sighed.

‘What did he want to talk to you about, then?’

‘Just work,’ she shrugged.

Carly gave her a scornful glance. ‘I’ll bet!’

‘Carly——’

‘Look, Velvet,’ Carly grinned, ‘it was obvious the man fancies you like hell.’

‘He——’

‘He wants to sleep with you,’ Carly insisted.

‘Maybe,’ Velvet admitted grudgingly, knowing that last night that had been true.

‘No maybe about it,’ Carly scoffed. ‘Paul and I could feel the air sizzle every time he looked at you. It was a relief to get away from the heat!’ she grinned.

Velvet blushed. ‘I—He——’

‘He asked for you especially, you know.’

She gave the other girl a startled glance. ‘What do you mean?’

Carly sat down on the bed, and Velvet faced her across the room from the chair in front of the dressing-table. She shrugged. ‘Paul thought he’d asked for you because he’d seen some of your other work and liked the look of you. But after last night, after finding that you two had met before, we realised that had been the reason he requested you on this job.’

Velvet frowned. ‘You’re saying that Jerard Daniels asked Paul to bring me here?’

‘Exactly,’ Carly nodded.

Velvet didn’t like that, just as she didn’t like the fact that Jerard Daniels seemed to know so much about her life. It was like an invasion of privacy, leaving her naked and defenceless.

She stood up briskly. ‘Are we working today?’

Carly looked disappointed. ‘Does that mean the subject of Jerard Daniels is closed?’

‘Very much so,’ Velvet nodded.

‘Will it always be?’

‘I’m not sure, but I think so.’

‘Shame,’ Carly sighed. ‘You meet some creeps in this line of work, but he’s such an interesting individual. Interesting!’ she dismissed in disgust. ‘He’s gorgeous. Tall, dark, and mysterious.’

Velvet smiled. ‘And Paul?’

‘Oh, heavens—Paul! We’re supposed to be meeting him in reception. He wants us all to have an early breakfast and then get to work before it gets too hot.’

‘Good idea. The heat finished me off yesterday.’

‘Me too,’ Carly grimaced. ‘And if we don’t go down now Paul will probably complete the job.’

Velvet laughed. ‘Then let’s go.’

Paul was scowling when they stepped out of the lift. ‘I thought I told you not to stop and ask questions,’ he told Carly impatiently, marching them both into the dining-room.

Carly poked her tongue out at him across the table. ‘Only because you wanted to know the answers yourself. And they say women are nosey!’

He gave the waitress three orders of coffee and toast, scowling heavily at his girl-friend. ‘Velvet’s relationship with Mr Daniels is none of our business,’ he hissed.

‘Who says so?’ she scorned.

‘He does,’ Paul sighed.

Velvet frowned. ‘When did he tell you that?’

‘Just now, on his way to the airport.’

He had gone; Jerard Daniels had left! Velvet felt the tension draining out of her. ‘He had no need to do that,’ she said lightly, feeling suddenly free now that she knew he wasn’t going to suddenly appear. ‘We really didn’t have a relationship.’ Not one she remembered anyway. ‘And I didn’t want toast for my breakfast, Paul,’ she effectively changed the subject, ‘just coffee.’

‘You’ll eat the toast,’ he growled. ‘You hardly ate any dinner last night.’

She smiled. ‘I won’t kid myself that you’re concerned for my health.’

His mouth twitched and then he too smiled. ‘Sorry, Velvet. I think the heat is getting to me too.’

‘I should treasure that apology, Velvet,’ Carly put in cheekily. ‘It’s almost unheard-of.’

Both girls burst out laughing at Paul’s outraged expression, and soon he joined in.

The subject of Jerard Daniels seemed to be forgotten by the other couple, so Velvet decided to do the same. She wouldn’t bother to call Simon about the other man, not now that he had left the hotel. If it was still bothering her when she got home she could ask her brother about it then.

Greg Boyd had just come into the dining-room, dressed much more formally than yesterday as he came over to their table, his grey lightweight suit and white shirt very smart, as was the rest of his neatly groomed appearance.

‘Hi,’ he greeted them with a smile.

‘Good morning,’ Velvet returned with a smile, and made the introductions.

He sat down at the fourth chair at their table. ‘I’m going to be free this afternoon,’ he told Velvet. ‘I wondered if you would be too.’

‘You’ll have to ask Paul that.’

He looked at the other man. ‘Well?’

‘Why not?’ Paul shrugged. ‘It’s too hot to work in the afternoons anyway.’

‘So gracious!’ Carly grimaced.

Paul quirked an eyebrow at her. ‘I thought you wanted me to drive you to the Everglades?’

‘I do,’ she nodded eagerly.

‘Then shut up.’

Velvet laughed. ‘Don’t mind them, Greg,’ she advised at his worried frown. ‘They love each other really.’

‘Huh!’ Paul scoffed.

‘I have vays of making you suffer,’ Carly said in her most ham German accent.

‘Sexual threats, no less,’ Paul taunted.

‘Are you sure they love each other?’ Greg teased.

‘Very sure,’ Velvet laughed. ‘They just have a strange way of showing it.’

‘You’re not kidding,’ he drawled.

Paul put his arm about Carly’s shoulders. ‘I might even make an honest woman out of her one day.’

‘You should be so lucky,’ she answered in a disgruntled voice.

He nuzzled his lips against her earlobe. ‘I will be.’

‘Huh!’ but Carly was obviously weakening towards him, and snuggled into his arms for further kisses.

‘It’s enough to put you off your breakfast,’ Velvet teased.

‘It sure is,’ Greg grinned. ‘So about this afternoon …’

‘Come with us, if you like,’ Paul invited.

‘I’d like to, but I don’t really have the time to go that far. I have to be back on duty at six,’ Greg explained regretfully.

‘How far are the Everglades?’ Paul groaned.

‘About an hour’s journey either way, and then there’s the two-hour trip round. You won’t see anything if you don’t take the tour.’

‘Oh God,’ Paul moaned. ‘I hate organised tours.’

‘Then cycle round,’ Greg suggested. ‘It’s only fifteen miles, and you can hire a cycle there.’

‘Cycle!’ Carly burst out laughing at Paul’s stunned expression. ‘When did you last ride a bicycle, darling?’ she mocked.

‘When did you?’ he scowled.

‘About six months ago, for an advert I was working on.’

‘As I recall you sat on it, you didn’t ride it,’ he scorned. ‘I think we’ll skip the bicycle ride,’ he told Greg, ‘and take the tour after all.’

Greg nodded. ‘It’s worth it. I guarantee you’ll enjoy it. But don’t expect the Everglades to be like the Hollywood producers would have you believe in the films they make about it. It’s basically flat, no tall trees, with occasional small tree islands.’

‘Oh.’ Carly sounded disappointed.

‘Parts of it are like they show in the movies,’ Greg consoled her. ‘I’m just warning you that the majority of it isn’t.’

‘Still want to go?’ Paul asked her.

‘I’m not sure …’

‘I didn’t mean to put you off,’ Greg sighed.

‘You haven’t,’ Carly gave him a bright smile. ‘We’ll go,’ she told Paul. ‘Maybe I’ll feed you to an alligator.’

‘Sharks, and now alligators! I’m beginning to think you don’t love me any more,’ he mocked.

She gave him a sweet saccharine smile. ‘Maybe I don’t.’

‘Liar!’ he laughed.

Greg grinned, ‘You two are really something!’

‘Aren’t they?’ Velvet laughed.

‘Where shall we go this afternoon?’ Greg asked her.

‘How about Ocean World?’

He grinned. ‘Why is it that all the girls I date want to go to Ocean World?’

She couldn’t help smiling. ‘How many times have you been?’

‘About fifty—this year!’

Paul spluttered with laughter. ‘You poor devil! Was it worth it?’

The other man smiled. ‘Most times, yes.’

‘I think they’re getting personal,’ Carly told Velvet in a stage whisper.

Velvet knew they were. She liked Greg very much, but she had no intention of sleeping with him. ‘Are we going to get any work done today?’ she asked in a stilted voice.

Paul pushed away his empty coffee cup. ‘I’m ready.’

‘And me.’ Carly gulped down the last of her coffee, then stood up. ‘See you outside, Velvet,’ and she pulled Paul away.

‘That remark wasn’t meant for you, Velvet,’ Greg told her anxiously, having noticed her withdrawal, as had the other couple.

‘Wasn’t it?’ she said tautly. ‘I don’t know what you’ve heard about models, Greg, but I can assure you that most of us are very hardworking, and have husbands or steady boy-friends.’

‘Do you have a steady boy-friend?’

‘No. I’m the exception.’

‘Well, I may not be a boy, being thirty and ancient, but I would like to be your friend,’ he said seriously. ‘I like you, Velvet. I just want to spend some time with you.’

She gave him a searching look. ‘Is that all?’

‘Scout’s honour.’

‘Were you ever a Boy Scout?’

‘No,’ he grinned.

Velvet shook her head. ‘I thought not. Look, I think I should warn you that you’re wasting your time if you want anything more than friendship from me. I have a young son in England that I would like to be able to look straight in the eye when I get home. I don’t sleep around.’ But she had once slept with Jerard Daniels, according to him. And she had the feeling it was the truth; the sure way he had found the sensitive areas of her body had seemed to indicate previous knowledge of her in particular. She blushed as she remembered the way he had caressed her back, seeming to know exactly the right places to touch.

‘I understand that, Velvet,’ Greg told her softly. ‘And I’m not denying that I wish it could be different. But I knew straight away what sort of girl you are. And I still want to take you to Ocean World.’ She laughed. ‘For the fifty-first time—this year?’

‘It could be the hundredth and I’d still want to take you.’

‘Okay,’ she stood up. ‘What time shall I meet you?’

‘Two o’clock in reception?’

‘Fine,’ she nodded. ‘And now I really do have to get to work.’

‘So do I.’ He held up his hand in a casual wave.

Carly and Paul were waiting outside in the van, Paul obviously not pleased at this further delay, and Carly agog with the existence of Greg.

‘I’m beginning to wonder about you, Velvet,’ she teased. ‘You have men appearing from everywhere!’

‘I met Greg yesterday, and——’

‘You don’t have to explain yourself to us,’ Carly cut in. ‘You’re free, over twenty-one. It’s just that I’ve never seen you with any man before, and two in two days comes as something of a shock.’

‘Mr Daniels doesn’t count. He——’

‘He looked as if he counted to me,’ Paul scoffed. ‘The man’s mad about you.’

Velvet flushed. ‘He isn’t! He——’

‘You really don’t have to explain to us, Velvet,’ he said gently. ‘We’re just glad to see you coming alive again. You’re too young and beautiful to be alone for ever.’

‘Tony needs me,’ she defended.

‘And what do you need?’ Paul quirked an eyebrow at her.

Her blush deepened. ‘Not that, that’s for sure,’ she snapped, the memory of her reaction to Jerard Daniels still too vivid for comfort.

Paul’s mouth twisted. ‘Believe me, Velvet, everyone needs “that”. It’s just that some people are able to suppress the feelings.’

‘Then I must be one of them!’

He shook his head. ‘You have to be kidding!’

‘Paul——’

‘He’s only teasing, Velvet——’

‘No, I’m not Carly,’ he said firmly. ‘I think we’ve known Velvet long enough to be able to talk bluntly.’

‘Not that bluntly,’ Carly warned.

‘Velvet?’

She sighed. ‘It isn’t that I don’t appreciate what you’re saying, it’s just that at the moment Tony comes first in my life.’

‘That doesn’t mean there isn’t room for a man too.’

‘Well, neither Jerard Daniels or Greg fits the bill.’

‘Okay,’ Paul shruggingly accepted her reluctance to discuss it.

The heat seemed even more unbearable today, so much so that she finally couldn’t stand it another moment longer, and ran into the refreshing blue sea. It was beautiful, cool and clean, and she swam for ten minutes or more before rejoining Carly and Paul on the sand, where Paul was just packing his camera equipment away for the day.

His gaze ran over her appreciatively. ‘You’re right about these costumes, Velvet, they’re useless for actually swiming in. It didn’t fall apart,’ he grinned, ‘but it did become transparent!’

Consternation washed over her face and she grabbed a wrap to pull on over the bikini that now showed every curve of her body as if she were naked.

‘I should have known!’ she said angrily, her embarrassment very acute.

Paul still smiled. ‘I’m not complaining.’

Carly punched him on the arm. ‘I am. Keep your eyes off!’

‘Spoilsport!’ he moaned, holding his bruised arm.

‘I’m going to get dressed,’ and Velvet marched off to the van.

Carly followed her, chuckling at her furious expression. ‘It wasn’t that bad,’ she teased.

‘It was awful!’ Velvet’s face was still bright red. ‘Jerard Daniels shouldn’t be allowed to sell these!’ She threw the bikini down in disgust.

Carly changed too. ‘The price he’s asking for them I doubt they would normally get wet.’

Velvet didn’t know how she was going to face Paul again, never having gone in for any of the semi-nude modelling that some of her friends had.

But she needn’t have worried. He had forgotten all about it by the time she and Carly returned to the beach, more concerned with the fact that he got sand in his camera.

‘I’ll have to clean this out,’ he muttered. ‘I’m sorry, Carly, but the Everglades are out for this afternoon. Why the hell Daniels insisted we come out here to take the photographs, instead of in a studio like we usually do with beachwear, I just don’t know. Florida is all wrong for this type of work. The light is all wrong, the wind is too strong, it’s too damned hot, and worst of all, it’s playing havoc with my camera equipment.’ He scowled heavily.

Velvet had a feeling she knew exactly why Jerard Daniels had wanted them to come out to Florida. He had wanted her here, and this had been his way of doing it.

‘Would you like to come with Greg and me this afternoon?’ she asked Carly.

‘No, I’ll stay and keep Paul company.’

‘Sure?’ She was now regretting her decision to accompany Greg, and having Carly with them would take away the impression of a twosome.

‘Sure,’ Carly nodded.

Greg proved to be an entertaining companion, standing patiently beside her as they watched the keepers getting into the pool to feed the sharks, saw the sea-lion show, and watched the dolphins perform their endearing tricks. Velvet loved the lazy dolphin most of all, because she appeared to do everything wrong but in reality performed some quite amazing antics.

As they came down the steps from the top of the dolphin pool the woman in front of Velvet suddenly seemed to falter, lose her step and fall down the last three stairs to the ground. She let out a cry as she landed awkwardly on her ankle, and the little girl at her side bent down anxiously.

‘It’s all right, Vicki,’ the woman instantly assured her, her pretty face creased up in pain. ‘I’m all right.’

Velvet and Greg reached the bottom of the stairs in seconds, going down on their haunches beside the woman, a small pretty brown-haired woman of perhaps thirty, her distressed brown eyes and white face evidence of the pain she was trying to hide from her little girl.

The little girl was perhaps six or seven years in age, dressed in denims and a tee-shirt that showed the thinness of her body, her dark hair long and straight, her eyes a deep, deep blue. She was a pretty child, and she looked more than a little upset by her mother’s accident.

‘Your ankle?’ Greg took charge with the minimum of fuss.

‘Yes,’ the woman groaned, obviously in agony.

‘I’ll get you to the hospital,’ Greg said grimly.

The little girl seemed to recoil, and moved back against the wall, her eyes wide with fear.

‘It’s all right, Vicki,’ the woman struggled to sit up, her voice distinctly English. ‘Vicki!’ She held out her hand to the little girl.

‘No,’ the girl shook her head, ‘I won’t go to hospital. I won’t!’

Velvet instantly went to her side. ‘It’s all right, darling. No one will hurt you at the hospital,’ she soothed.

The girl huddled into her side. ‘They kill people there,’ she shuddered.

Velvet was taken aback by this statement, and looked frowningly at the injured woman.

‘Could you possibly take Vicki back to the hotel?’ the woman requested.

‘Well, I——’

‘That’s a good idea, Velvet,’ Greg interrupted. ‘You take care of Vicki and I’ll get this lady to hospital.’

Velvet took one look at the frightened little girl and knew that it was the wisest course of action; Vicki was likely to become hysterical if subjected to a visit to the hospital she so dreaded.

‘How about an ice-cream before we go home, Vicki?’ she coaxed the little girl.

‘I—I’m not sure,’ she looked up warily, the lashes surrounding her deep blue eyes ridiculously long. ‘Faye?’ she looked at the woman for the answer.

‘Go with—Velvet?—Go with Velvet, Vicki. Mr Boyd will take me to get my ankle seen to.’

Velvet frowned. Did Greg actually know this couple? And it didn’t sound as if the woman and the little girl were mother and daughter after all, maybe they were sisters instead.

‘They’re staying at the hotel, Velvet,’ Greg explained, helping Faye to her feet. ‘Take Vicki back there and wait for us.’

‘No ice-cream?’ Vicki pouted.

‘Yes, you can have an ice-cream,’ Greg grinned at her, swinging Faye up into his arms. ‘But don’t be too long getting back to the hotel,’ he warned Velvet. ‘I doubt we’ll be late.’ He strode off.

‘But I——’ He’d gone! She looked down at Vicki, grinning to reassure her. ‘Banana split?’

She licked her lips in anticipation. ‘Lovely!’

The little girl’s fright seemed to be forgotten as she ploughed her way through the huge banana split Velvet ordered for her in the ice-cream parlour they found. Velvet settled for a chocolate milk shake, not the watery type you usually got served in England; the straw stood up in this one, which was so thick she could hardly suck it up the straw.

Vicki sat back once she had finished her ice-cream. ‘Could you tell me the time, please?’

Velvet had to stop herself smiling, the little girl’s manner was so grown-up. ‘It’s ten past five.’

‘Then we should be getting back.’ Vicki got down off her stool, looking up at Velvet expectantly. ‘My father will be back now. He’ll be getting worried about me.’

Velvet raised her eyebrows, taking Vicki’s hand as they went out to get in the taxi she had ordered. ‘You’re here with your father?’

‘Oh yes,’ Vicki nodded. ‘My mother d-died, and—and Faye takes care of me.’

‘I’m sorry, darling,’ Velvet squeezed the hand that had trustingly stayed in hers. ‘But Faye is nice, isn’t she?’

‘I don’t know. She hasn’t been my—my friend very long, just a few months, only since Mummy died really.’

The loss was obviously a recent one, and by Vicki’s age she would guess her mother couldn’t have been very old. It was also natural to assume that she had died in a hospital, hence the child’s aversion to them. It must have been very rough on a little girl of this age, old enough to understand what was happening, but not old enough to understand why.

‘Are you going to be my friend?’ Vicki asked her shyly.

‘Of course I am,’ Velvet smiled, as the two of them got out of the taxi as they reached the hotel. ‘I can always do with an extra friend, Vicki.’ She led the way into the hotel, already feeling a bond developing between them.

Vicki let out a squeal of delight, letting go of Velvet’s hand to run over to the man pacing up and down the reception area. ‘Daddy!’ she cried before launching herself into his arms.

Velvet swallowed hard, keeping to the background. The man now holding Vicki in his arms was none other than Jerard Daniels, which meant that Vicki must be the eight-year-old daughter he had spoken of.

He turned and saw her, his eyes narrowing to icy slits, his face harsh. His long strides brought him quickly to her side. ‘Do I take it you’re the young woman that stupid idiot entrusted my daughter to?’ he rasped.

She gulped. There could be no doubt about his fury, he was absolutely white with it, although his voice was controlled enough, probably for Vicki’s sake.

She had thought he had left the hotel, gone back to England. ‘You’re still here,’ she said dazedly.

‘Of course I’m still here,’ he snapped. ‘Where the hell else would I be?’

‘But I—You went to the airport.’

He nodded grimly. ‘To collect Vicki, and that idiotic woman who will leave my employment as soon as she’s well enough to walk.’

She blinked. ‘Faye?’

‘Yes.’

‘How is she?’

‘She has a broken ankle,’ his mouth twisted. ‘She’s lucky she doesn’t have a broken neck to go with it!’

Velvet shook her head. ‘Sorry?’

‘So will she be when she’s well enough to listen to what I think of her, just dumping my daughter on a perfect stranger!’

She gasped. ‘She didn’t dump Vicki on me. She was in pain, her ankle obviously needed expert attention, and Greg——’

‘Who the hell is Greg?’ he cut in furiously.

‘The assistant manager here.’

Jerard Daniels gave a deeply impatient sigh. ‘And where does he fit into all this?’

‘You mean you don’t know?’

‘Would I be asking if I did?’ he asked with veiled violence, Vicki still held firmly in his arms.

‘No, I suppose not.’ He had intended making her feel foolish—and he had succeeded. ‘Greg and I were at Ocean World when Faye fell. Greg took her to the hospital. I thought he must have called you.’

‘No, Miss Rogers did that,’ he said grimly. ‘Babbling on about leaving Vicki with some woman who just happened to be there.’

‘Velvet, Daddy,’ Vicki put in. ‘She’s nice,’ she told him conspiratorially.

Velvet felt grateful for the support of one of the Daniels family; she obviously wasn’t going to get any support from Jerard Daniels. He was treating her almost like a criminal.

‘Faye—Miss Rogers didn’t just leave Vicki with a stranger,’ she told him coldly. ‘Greg recognised her, and she recognised him. She probably thought I worked at the hotel too——’

‘Instead of which you’re his girl-friend,’ he scoffed.

‘I’m a friend,’ she said firmly.

‘She’s my friend too, Daddy,’ Vicki put in innocently.

‘How nice!’ he scorned.

‘I bet she’d be your friend too, Daddy, if you asked her.’

He looked up at his daughter, his face softening into a smile. ‘I already did ask her, poppet,’ he said huskily. ‘She said no.’

Vicki thought for a moment, frowning. ‘Maybe you didn’t ask her properly,’ she said slowly. ‘If you pulled a face at her you probably frightened her.’

‘Pulled a face?’ he queried softly.

‘Yes, you know, like this.’ She did a good impression of his furious expression of a few minutes ago. ‘Like that, Daddy,’ she told him seriously.

Velvet had to once again stop herself from smiling, but the impulse quickly died as Jerard Daniels scowled at her.

‘Yes, just like that, Daddy,’ Vicki cried excitedly.

It really was too much for Velvet, she couldn’t contain her amusement any longer, chuckling softly.

‘I’m glad you find it amusing, Mrs Dale,’ Jerard Daniels rapped out. ‘But I didn’t find it in the least amusing as I waited here for the return of my daughter—if she did return. Say goodnight to Mrs Dale, Vicki,’ he ordered tautly. ‘We have to go now.’

Consternation washed over Velvet. ‘Mr Daniels——’

‘Say goodnight, Vicki.’ He was unrelenting.

"Night, Velvet.’ The little girl yawned tiredly, her head dropping down on to her father’s shoulder; her long flight had obviously tired her as much as anything. ‘Will I see you tomorrow?’

‘I——’ Velvet looked at Jerard Daniels’ haughty expression. ‘You might,’ she compromised.

‘I hope so,’ she murmured, already half asleep.

Her father’s expression as he walked off with her in his arms left Velvet in no doubt as to his opinion of her seeing his daughter again tomorrow or any other time.

Long after she reached her room she remembered what Vicki had said about her mother dying recently. If she had died recently, then that meant Jerard Daniels had been married at the time he claimed they had been lovers!

CHAPTER THREE

SHE joined Carly and Paul in the dining-room for dinner, having no real appetite for the food, not after the scene she had been through with Jerard Daniels.

‘What was going on earlier in reception?’ Carly broke into her thoughts. ‘I thought Mr Daniels was going to get violent.’

‘Carly!’ Paul warned, frowning heavily. ‘When are you going to learn to mind your own business?’

‘Never,’ she grinned. ‘I’m nosey, I don’t mind admitting it.’

Her boy-friend sighed. ‘I’m sorry about this, Velvet. She’s incorrigible!’

Velvet smiled. ‘I don’t mind. I just didn’t see you at the time.’

‘We were in the lounge,’ Carly revealed. ‘Mr Daniels had been fuming up and down the reception area for an hour before you came in. I’ve never seen anyone that angry before, I thought he was going to explode. What happened?’

She explained the situation to them—after all, she owed it to them to do so, it could affect their job here.

Carly whistled through her teeth. ‘So that was his little girl.’

‘Mm,’ Velvet nodded. ‘She’s a sweet little thing, a bit on the small side for eight, but very bright.’

‘He seems very fond of her.’

‘And no doubt he is,’ she busied herself arranging her napkin. ‘Vicki certainly idolises him.’ That much had been obvious.

‘It’s a bit rough on a child to lose her mother at that age,’ Paul echoed her own sentiments.

Velvet bit her lip. ‘I hope she’s going to be all right, now that Faye’s hurt.’

‘It’s Daniels’ problem,’ Paul dismissed as their meal arrived. ‘Let him deal with it.’

Velvet knew that Jerard Daniels wouldn’t appreciate her concern, anyway. But she couldn’t help worrying. Vicki had so recently lost her mother, and now she had lost what Velvet presumed to be her nanny. Unless Jerard Daniels could be persuaded to forget the incident! After all, what had the poor woman done besides taking the only course of action she could in the circumstances?