watching for some sort of signal, some indication of how to greet David.
And then the other couple was beside the table and Rand was getting politely to his feet as David came to a pointed halt.
„Good evening, Kalinda,“ the well-remembered voice said suavely. „I hadn’t expected to see you here tonight I don’t believe you ever met my wife. Darling, this is Kalinda Brady. She and I are presently involved in some business negotiations.“
Kalinda could have screamed at the harmless way in which he said that, but she looked beyond David’s handsome features to the face of the woman she had used as one of the arguments for not going through with the confrontation with David.
It was a lovely, charming face, a face that said the other woman knew nothing about the darker side of her husband’s nature and preferred it that way.
„Good evening, Mrs. Hutton,“ Kalinda said politely, holding out her hand. It was taken graciously as the other woman smiled and said something polite in return. And then Kalinda glanced at Rand, preparing to introduce him.
„I don’t believe we’ve met,“ Rand was already saying smoothly, before Kalinda could get the proper words out of her mouth. He looked straight at David. „I’m Rand Alastair, Kalinda’s fiance.“
9
Only David Hutton’s wife appeared to accept Rand’s deceptively casual announcement at face value. Kalinda decided rather cynically that she and David both owed Mrs. Hutton a vote of thanks for giving them time to recover from the shock.
With polished charm the lovely woman at David’s side extended her congratulations and made the proper remarks. Rand responded to her calmly, easily, until they were interrupted by David who had obviously managed to begin reasoning things out.
„I hadn’t realized you were engaged, Kalinda.“ The dark gaze that Kalinda had once found so attractive pierced her, looking for the lie.
„It’s a very recent development,“ she explained, astonished at her own coolness. She flicked a quick look at Rand who came to her rescue.
„Last weekend, in fact,“ he elaborated, smiling fondly at Kalinda who felt herself redden. „We haven’t even had a chance to buy a ring. We were on vacation in the mountains,“ he went on, speaking apparently to David’s wife. „Soon after we arrived back in town we discovered some rather urgent business had developed.“
Kalinda felt David stiffen at the words, his narrow gaze going to Rand’s hard profile.
„Kalinda and I will have to settle the business matters this week and then we’ll have time for all the little niceties of an engagement“ Rand turned his head with an amused gleam in his hazel eyes, catching David Hutton’s assessing glance. „Nothing very complicated, so it shouldn’t take too long.“
„I had heard you’d gone to work for Brady Data Processing,“ David said coldly. „It must have taken the promise of a considerable financial reward to draw you out of retirement…“
„Money, Pm afraid, had nothing to do with it Kalinda was the reason I decided to get involved in the business world again.“
Kalinda felt a happy warmth flood her veins. Rand had just made it very clear his interest in going to war against David was entirely personal, not monetary. He could not be bought.
„I see,“ David said icily. „You don’t appear to think this rather urgent business matter you mentioned will take long to settle?“
„Not at all.“ Rand smiled his shark’s smile. „A quite simple bit of corporate game-playing. I’ve had a great deal of experience in this sort of thing, as you may know. In this instance, it’s all a piece of cake. Kalinda’s firm is surprisingly strong. Her credit flexibility would astound you. I rather think when the current matter is settled I may encourage her to do a little corporate hunting. Brady is in a very strong position to get involved with the merger craze as a buyer.“
The meaning in his words hung in the air, unsaid, but clear. Brady Data Processing might soon be seriously looking at David Hutton’s firm as a potential acquisition. The thought of turning the tables on David nearly made Kalinda laugh. It was all she could do to maintain only a polite, amused smile.
„That’s enough business for tonight, David,“ Hut-ton’s wife was saying cheerfully, a fine-boned hand on her husband’s sleeve. „We really should leave these two by themselves. They’re probably taking an evening to celebrate their engagement…?“
„How did you guess?“ Rand said dryly.
Her smile broadened as she politely inclined her head in farewell. There was so much David wanted to say and so little he could say under the circumstances. She saw it all in those handsome dark eyes. He was calling her every name in the book, frustrated, angry, and beginning to perceive his own potential failure.
Without a word he turned and walked stiffly away with his wife. Rand sat down slowly, his thoughtful gaze on his opponent Kalinda didn’t hesitate. Leaning forward, she hissed, „You might have warned me!“
„It was a spur-of-the-moment inspiration,“ he defended, his gaze swiveling back to her accusing features.
„The hell it was! You’ve been planning this all day. Why didn’t you tell me you were going to let David think we were engaged?“
„Because I thought I’d only get a lot of static from you,“ he retorted imperturbably, reaching once more for the wine menu as the wine steward approached.
Kalinda sat impatiently, one toe tapping the carpet in irritation as Rand deliberated with the steward. When they were atone again she resumed the attack.
„Aren’t you afraid you might talk yourself into a corner with lies like that one?“ she grumbled, wishing with all her heart it hadn’t been a lie; that Rand wanted to marry her, not just have an affair.
„1 have never talked myself into a corner I didn’t want to be in or couldn’t get out of if I wished,“ he declared emphatically, beginning to study the list of delicate salads on the front page of the menu.
„Well, that’s very nice for you, but what about me?“ she protested feelingly, annoyed at his casual arrogance. „Word of this so-called engagement is going to go around like wildfire. I have no desire to go through the process of being jilted again! It’s… it’s humiliating!“
Even as she spoke, Kalinda thought ahead to just what Rand’s announcement might mean. It was easy for him to use whatever tactics came to hand in this business battle, but she was the one who was going to be left to deal with the aftermath. And right now the aftermath of an affair seemed far more depressing than the aftermath of a merger action.
Rand set his menu down with care, eyes turning a little golden in the flickering candlelight as he caught her half-accusing, half-despairing look.
„Do you really believe I would deliberately humiliate you, Kalinda?“ he asked softly.
The simple question stopped her in her tracks, effectively cutting off the flow of angry words she had been preparing to launch as the full realization of her new predicament registered. It struck her very forcibly that this was the second time that day Rand had asked her for a show of faith. The first had occurred that morning when he’d asked her if she thought he’d let Hutton buy him off.
She eyed him thoughtfully, wondering why he was pinning her down like this. But forced to consider the question in depth, rather than in irritation, she knew there could be only one answer.
„No,“ she sighed, sitting back in her chair and lifting her chin with a regal air. „I don’t believe you would deliberately humiliate me, Rand.“
There was a long, weighty pause while the implications of her confession hovered between them. Rand’s eyes never left hers and she could have sworn there was the faintest of smiles playing at the edge of his mouth.
„So why,“ Kalinda went on steadily, needing to know the answer, „did you use that line on David?“
