A Convenient Wedding

‘Oh, yeah? These figures say differently.’ He waved some sheets of paper. ‘Pay up. My client’s getting impatient.’

Meryl glided silently into the shadows, hoping Jarvis would be less aware of her. How it must gall him to have this scene witnessed!

‘Your client and I had an agreement-’ Jarvis began.

‘He’s changed his mind,’ Blackham snapped. ‘He wants his money now, or he’s prepared to start legal action.’

‘You know I can’t produce that sum at a moment’s notice,’ Jarvis raged. ‘Do you think I don’t know what’s behind this? His “legal action” can topple me into bankruptcy.’

‘That’s nothing to do with me-’

‘The hell it isn’t! Your client would love to bring me down, then move in and buy Larne on the cheap. And it’s not just him, is it? There’s a consortium all ready and waiting, licking their lips-’

Meryl was standing by the door and sensed Hannah slipping in behind her to mutter in her ear, ‘Mr Steen called to say “Larry knows everything, and is on the warpath”.’

‘When was this?’

‘Hours ago.’

‘Then he might be heading this way,’ Meryl breathed in horror.

Decision time. No more games. But for Jarvis it wasn’t a game. His world was crumbling around him and only she could stop it happening. In ten minutes it would be too late.

She had the strangest feeling of watching the scene from the sidelines. Somebody-it must have been herself- strode forward and whisked the papers from Blackham’s hands, giving a brittle laugh to indicate how trivial this situation was.

‘How much?’ she asked, scanning the papers. ‘Good heavens, as little as that?’

‘If you call twenty thousand “little”-’ Blackham snapped.

‘My dear man,’ Meryl said as haughtily as she could manage, ‘it’s nothing to me.’

That’ll confirm his worst suspicions, said the inner voice.

But there was a time to be restrained, and a time to be over the top. And this situation demanded over the top with a vengeance.

‘I’ve heard about you-’ Blackham began.

‘Then you know that I spend this kind of money on a dress.’ She took out her cheque book and scribbled. ‘Now, go away and stop bothering me.’

He made a last effort. ‘A cheque’s no use. It can be bounced.’

She turned on him a look of such amazement that he retreated.

‘No cheque of mine has ever bounced,’ she declared, blithely editing out certain incidents that had been entirely Larry’s fault. ‘But if you want a money order I’ll call the bank manager right now.’

‘And he’ll get out of bed?’ Blackham sneered. ‘Best friends, are you?’

‘Since eleven o’clock this morning,’ she confirmed sweetly.

There was something about her total confidence that made him back down. Muttering, ‘Give it here, then,’ he snatched the cheque and strode to the door. There he turned and surveyed them sardonically.

‘There are several like me due in the next few days,’ he said. ‘I hope the rumours of your marriage are true.’

Beside her Meryl was aware of Jarvis clenching his fists, controlling himself with an effort.

‘Get out,’ he growled.

When they were alone he spoke to her, sounding as though the words were torn out of him. ‘Thank you.’

‘Well, it’s only what I owe you after nearly plunging you into disaster.’

‘What do you mean?’

‘You said it yourself, there’s a consortium waiting to bring you down over a minor debt. Why do you think they moved in right now?’

He nodded. ‘Because you’re here.’

‘Right. They were afraid I could save you, so they moved in fast. If you’d gone down tonight, it would have been my fault for coming here. Don’t you see, Jarvis? Now I have to marry you, whether I want to or not.’

‘Well, don’t sound so damned tragic about it,’ he snapped.

‘You’d better say yes before they pounce again.’

‘I’ll pay you back every penny,’ Jarvis said furiously.

‘What with?’ A little imp was driving her, forcing her to make this happen. She didn’t ask herself why. She didn’t need to.

‘I can give you what you want,’ she reminded him. ‘This place, on a sound financial footing. And you can give me what I want.’

He gave a bark of ironic laughter. ‘Benedict Steen.’

‘My freedom. My independence.’ With a beating heart she waited for him to speak.

‘It seems I have no choice,’ he said at last.

How angry his eyes were! He hated being cornered. He hated the way she’d rescued him by flaunting her wealth. He almost hated her.

‘I’ve had more ardent proposals,’ she observed wryly.

‘You offered me a business deal and that’s what I’m accepting. After our wedding you’ll take possession of your inheritance, and Larne estate will get your dowry. And then you’ll go back to your real life in New York.’

‘Eventually. It wouldn’t do your dignity much good if I rushed away next morning, would it?’

‘I don’t know what you mean.’

‘Aw, c’mon!’ Meryl said mischievously. ‘The great Lord of Larne, with his droit de seigneur and heaven knows what else-and the day after the wedding his bride takes flight. You’d never live it down. All right, I’ll give you a practical reason. If I dash off so fast it will give Larry a weapon to try and get it annulled. Besides, I need to be here to oversee the final paperwork.’

‘And then you’ll leave?’

‘If you still want me to. You might have changed your mind.’

‘Don’t count on it. I’m doing my duty. Nothing more.’

‘You’re such a romantic,’ she complained.

He had a horrible feeling that he was being churlish. Tonight he’d looked into the precipice and she’d pulled him back, saving not just himself but the whole of Larne and everyone who lived and worked there. For that she deserved better than what he’d offered so far.

‘I want to say-’ he began, smiling as best he could.

‘Do you have a telephone I can use? I’m not sure if my mobile works across the Atlantic.’

‘There’s one in your room, on the window seat, just hidden behind the curtain.’

‘Thanks. I’ll say goodnight, then.’

‘Goodnight.’

After such a long day he’d expected to sleep at once, but he was in turmoil. When he’d given up all hope of rest he threw back the sheet and pulled on a robe. There was only one person he wanted to talk to now, because only she would understand his feeling of moving through a parallel universe.

Meryl was still in Lady Larne’s apartment, which connected to his own by a narrow corridor, whose stone floor and walls were icy. He shivered and pulled his robe more tightly around him, glad of the light he could see under her door. But as he raised his hand to knock he was halted by the sound of her voice.

‘So it’s all settled,’ she was saying to somebody. ‘You’ll have the money as soon as I can fix it. When can you get over here?’

There was a pause then she laughed softly in a way Jarvis had never heard before.

‘I’m longing to see you. Oh, Benedict, we have so many plans to make.’

Jarvis went quietly back to bed.

Meryl was up with the lark next morning. Benedict had managed to tell her roughly when Larry had left, so she knew he wouldn’t be here until the afternoon, which gave her time for what she had in mind. Seth, one of the