A Convenient Wedding

She lay back and crowed with laughter while he regarded her, fascinated. There was a glow about her that seemed to fill the room, and warmed it more than any fire. For a moment he shed caution and simply delighted in her.

‘Perhaps you should have just left me in the sea,’ Meryl said at last. ‘Then you’d have been quite safe.’

‘I doubt it,’ he said wryly. ‘You’d simply have risen from your watery grave to haunt me.’

‘Probably would,’ she agreed. ‘Serve you right. Anyway, I think I’ll risk being repelled again. Aren’t there organisations that could help you-give grants to preserve the heritage?’

‘Yes, there are, but the kind of money I’d need is beyond them.’ He made a gesture to dismiss the subject, then said, with meaning, ‘I hope Ferdy entertained you well today.’

‘Sure, he’s great. He took me to eat in this little restaurant near the ruined abbey, and pointed out the place where Bram Stoker wrote Dracula. No kidding. Tomorrow he’s going to show me the churchyard, and all the places where it really happened.’

‘It didn’t really happen. It’s fiction.’

‘I know that. But you know what I mean.’

‘Yes, I do. You see England as a kind of glorified theme park. Dracula on the one hand and a medieval castle on the other. What else did you talk about?’

‘What do you mean?’

‘You know perfectly well what I mean,’ he said, growing distant again. ‘Do I have any secrets left or did Ferdy reveal them all?’

In truth, he had virtually no secrets left. Ferdy was a blabbermouth, but a kindly blabbermouth who’d wanted to do the best for his friend.

‘None of it is Jarvis’s fault,’ he’d confided to Meryl. ‘His father and grandfather both spent money like water, and left Jarvis to clear up the mess. He can’t. It’s too big for one man. But he won’t say a word in criticism of them, even while he’s being slowly crushed to death.’

But Meryl knew better than to repeat any of this.

‘He told me you’re in a bad way,’ she said cautiously, ‘but I knew that already. How much would it take to repair this place and install central heating?’

‘God knows! I never let myself think about it. But there’s more than the castle. There’s a whole estate out there, going deep inland: farmers who are my tenants and need help. There are a dozen schemes I could use to help them if I could afford to.’

‘Then it looks like I’m your best hope. So why are you so much “agin” me?’

‘Because you’re an invader,’ he snapped before he could stop himself. Then, ‘I’m sorry. That was rude.’

‘It was honest. I don’t mind that.’

‘Then I’ll give you another reason. You’re living in a dream world. You have no idea how much this would really cost.’

She shrugged. ‘A few million, I suppose. Pounds, sterling.’

‘And you can afford that?’ he asked ironically.

‘I can once I’m married.’

‘And suppose, when you’ve paid my “price”, you turn out not to have enough money left for yourself?’

Meryl smiled with sheer amusement. It was the smile of a rich woman and it reminded Jarvis that she’d said he ‘couldn’t afford’ to turn her down.

‘You let me worry about that,’ she said. ‘I know how much I’m worth and it’s enough to take care of you and Benedict.’

‘Benedict?’

‘Benedict Steen. He’s a friend of mine in New York. He designs haute couture clothes, and I plan to invest in his business to put him at the top, where he belongs.’

Jarvis stared at her. ‘And is that going to take much?’

‘Ten million,’ she said serenely.

‘Pounds?’

‘Dollars.’

With an abrupt movement Jarvis rose and went to his desk, keeping his face averted so that she shouldn’t see the sudden feeling of revulsion that had swept him. He’d known she was wealthy. Now he understood that she had enough money to march in, take over Larne and change everything to suit herself. Her invasion would be impossible to resist-unless he resisted now.

‘You’ve got it all worked out neatly,’ he said. ‘Too neatly. You haven’t thought it through.’

‘I know what I can afford.’

As though that was the only consideration, he thought savagely.

‘I’m sure you do,’ he said. ‘But you don’t know what you can’t afford.’

She shrugged, lulled into incautiousness by the wine and a feeling of well-being. ‘I’ve never found that yet.’

‘Well, you’ve found it now,’ he grated.

She shook herself awake. ‘I didn’t mean-’

‘I know what you meant. If you’ve finished your supper I’ll escort you upstairs.’

She sighed but didn’t try to argue further. Together they gathered up her parcels and left the Library, heading for the stairs.

‘Jarvis!’ It was Hannah, calling from the kitchen. ‘Can I have a word?’

‘I’m coming,’ he called back. ‘I’ll say goodnight now, then.’

‘Goodnight,’ she said, and went on up the stairs alone.

Once in her room she hung up her new clothes, took a quick shower and donned a wispy lace and satin nightdress. It was low cut, held up by narrow lace straps, and probably not the right attire for this chilly place. But it was better than high-necked flannel, she thought.

She was about to switch off the light when she heard heavy footsteps in the corridor outside. They stopped and there was a long pause. Then the door was flung open with a crash and Jarvis strode into the room, his hands clenched into fists, a look of anger on his face.

‘Hey, where do you get off marching in here without knocking?’ she demanded indignantly.

Jarvis’s hands unclenched, but his face remained dark. ‘I came to find out who was in this room without my permission. I don’t go softly with intruders.’

‘Intruders be blowed! You put me in this room.’

‘No, I put you in the Green Room.’

‘This isn’t the Green Room? So that’s it! I wondered why it wasn’t green.’

‘This room belongs to Lady Larne,’ he said flatly. ‘You have no right to be here. Did you tell Hannah to bring you here?’

‘Of course not. How could I? I didn’t know there was such a place.’

‘Hmm!’

‘Don’t “hmm” me! I don’t tell lies.’

‘You’ll forgive my being suspicious-’

‘No, I won’t!’

‘But you’re a woman who feels entitled to go where she pleases, as she pleases. You’ve already made it clear that you think you can take over at Larne.’

‘I’ve done no such thing! Stop exaggerating. I just made a few suggestions.’

‘Apply for grants, restore the causeway-’

‘I have an organised mind. It thinks of things. I was only trying to help you.’

‘Have I asked for your help?’

‘Well, maybe it’s time you asked for somebody’s. And who else can help you?’

His eyes narrowed. ‘Are you serious?’

‘No.’ She backed off quickly. ‘You’re not at all what I had in mind.’

‘And I’ll bet I know just the kind of man you were looking for. A nonentity who’d give you no trouble afterwards.’

‘Then we’re the same,’ she flashed, ‘because you’d agree fast enough if you thought you could get me out of