‘Perhaps you should go home. You can’t afford it and I shall worry about you.’
‘You don’t need to worry about me.’
‘Well, I know that really. You were always the strong one, weren’t you? Nothing happens that you can’t cope with.’
His smile was like a steel mask.
‘Lee, I need to talk to you. There’s something-’
Charlene sat still, feeling as though dead weights were dragging her down, until Travis’s gentle hands drew her to her feet. He paused to smile back at Penny, saying, ‘I’ll claim that dance later. Keep it for me.’
‘Oh, lovely!’ she cried.
Images flickered through Charlene’s consciousness. Penny, thrilled by attention from Travis, Lee disgruntled because she was focusing on another man.
At their table, Travis drew out her seat and ushered her into it, as theatrically attentive as a servant. He was doing it for her, she knew. Just as he’d fixed it so that she could talk to Lee, he would fix it again by dancing with Penny. But it would all be for nothing. Lee was embarrassed to see her. He’d made that very plain.
She should never have come here.
Charlene laid her hand softly over her stomach, then moved it away quickly, unaware that Travis was watching her with kindly, troubled eyes.
The speeches began. Denzil Raines praised Brenton to the skies, wished him happy birthday and presented him with a costly gift. More gifts, more speeches. Brenton accepted it all with an evident sense of entitlement. Charlene reckoned this was a man used to getting his own way, who didn’t easily give up.
It was time for the dancing. Travis claimed Penny at once, thus freeing Lee to talk to Charlene. But when she approached his table it was empty.
It offended her pride to go searching for him, but pride was something she couldn’t afford right now, so she looked around until she saw him deep in conversation with Denzil. There was no way she could interrupt him now, as he must have known. Heavy-hearted, she began to return to her table.
‘Got a few minutes to spare for me?’
Brenton was standing there, a grim smile on his face.
‘So Travis has dumped you already, has he?’ he asked. ‘That’s what you must expect. He’s just making use of you. When you’ve served your purpose you’ll be out.’
‘And you know all about using people to serve a purpose, don’t you, Mr Brenton. Who do you think you’re fooling?’
‘And just what does that mean?’
‘It means exactly what you’re afraid it means. I know what you did. You’re not so on top of the situation as you think you are.’
‘Everything all right?’ That was Travis’s voice. The dance had ended and Penny had already gone in search of Lee.
‘Everything is wonderfully all right,’ Charlene declared. ‘Mr Brenton has just made his meaning plain to me, and I’ve made my meaning plain to him.’
Very deliberately, she stepped closer to Travis and slid her arm around his neck. Her message was plain. Brenton could do his worst. Travis was under her protection now and everyone had better remember that.
Travis reacted on cue, putting his arm around her waist, drawing her close, echoing her message. Brenton made a face and walked away.
‘Let’s go outside for a while,’ Travis said.
‘Oh, yes,’ she said gratefully. ‘Let’s get away from here.’
The hotel garden was full of trees hung with lights. As they strolled beneath them, music reached them from a distance.
‘I’m not sure exactly what I walked into,’ Travis said, ‘but I reckon you just sent the enemy packing for the second time tonight. Was he giving you trouble?’
‘Not as much as I gave him. He warned me that you’d dump me when I’d served my purpose.’
‘I won’t get the chance. You’ll dump me first. Did you fix things with Lee?’
He sensed her reluctance to answer. ‘Not really,’ she said. ‘We need another meeting.’
‘And will that be any different?’ he asked ironically. ‘No, no, I shouldn’t have said that. I’m sorry,
‘Probably not,’ she admitted. ‘I can’t kid myself that he was glad to see me, but I can’t leave things as they are.’
‘Well, one thing will definitely change. You’re not staying in the Howley. You must move in here.’
‘I couldn’t possibly afford this place,’ she protested.
‘But I can. You’ve helped me, and now I’m going to help you. You won’t even ask me about the bill.’
‘Won’t I?’
‘No. That’s an order. You’re moving in here and living like a star. It’s the only way to be taken seriously in this town. We’ll book your room now, then collect your things from the Howley. That’s settled. No argument!’
She surveyed him tenderly. ‘So you really can do macho?’
‘Well, sometimes-if someone else writes the script. Come on, let’s get this sorted.’
A hundred pairs of eyes watched as they left the restaurant, arms about each other’s waists. At the reception desk there were more curious eyes to see Travis order the room.
‘I want the best suite you have,’ he said. ‘Make sure it’s ready in an hour. And please give this note to my driver, who’s in the canteen at the back, so that he’ll know I want the car.’
‘Are you sure you should be leaving?’ she asked as they headed out of the hotel. ‘Perhaps you should stay for the rest of the celebration.’
‘The things I’m celebrating have nothing to do with this place. And I’m not letting you out of my sight in case you vanish,’ he said, looking alarmed. ‘You saved me from disaster.’
As if to prove it, Denzil appeared, smiling to see them together, and waved them on their way.
‘See what I mean?’ Travis said. ‘That was the official seal of approval. Ah, there’s Rick!’
When they were settled in the car and moving off, Rick said over his shoulder, ‘I watched the arrivals on TV. You sure looked good.’
Travis grinned and gave Charlene a thumbs up. She returned the gesture.
At the Howley, Travis accompanied her up to her room, waited while she packed, then picked up her luggage and headed downstairs.
‘Oh, no!’ she said, in dismay. ‘The desk is closed. How can I pay my bill if there’s nobody there?’
‘You’ve already paid the bill,’ Travis said.
‘But how-?’
‘Rick saw to it while we were upstairs.’
‘But how did he know to-? That note you sent him. You told him to-’
‘Let’s get out of here,’ he said hastily.
‘You went behind my back.’
‘I didn’t want to waste time arguing, and I still don’t. Come on, let’s go.’
As they went out she said, ‘Of course I’ll pay it back. How much do I owe you?’
‘Just get in the car.’
‘How much?’
On the journey back she tried to feel indignant, but it was impossible. The feeling of being protected was like a draught of magic. Even her sadness about Lee faded before it.
‘You know what you are, don’t you?’ she murmured.
‘Something terrible, I guess.’
‘A male chauvinist porker!’
He beamed. ‘That’s the nicest compliment anyone’s ever paid me!’
