Roberta Leigh - In Name Only Page 6

  "Marry Jane?" he said in a strangled voice. "My father must have been joking! He couldn't have said that ." '

  "It's all here," Mr. Trupp patted the document. "And quite legal, Mr. Hamilton. Sir Angus made sure of that."

  "He must have been out of his mind. He knew I loved Carole — that I intended to marry her — and now you say I've got to marry Jane?"

  "If you wish to inherit your father's money," Mr. Trupp agreed.

  "I'd rather be a pauper!"

  "The marriage need only last a year." The lawyer picked up the will and re-read the relevant passage. "I bequeath everything I possess to my only son; Nicholas, on condition that �he, marries Jane Roberts and remains married to her for a period of not less than one year. During this time I hope he will come to his senses and realise the worth of one girl against the worthlessness of another. Should my son -"

  "Don't bother going on with the rest," Nicholas burst out. "I don't want to hear any more."

  "I think you should," Mr. Trupp said firmly, and continued to read. "Should my son fail to conform to the conditions I have set out, all my personal fortune and my own shares in the Company are to be divided between the charities set out below." Mr. Trupp looked up. "I advise you to take it seriously, Mr. Hamilton. As I said before, the will is completely in order. You would fail if you tried to have it set aside."

  "That's the last thing I would do," Nicholas said icily. "Do you think I want my private affairs bandied about by the gutter press?" He stood up and paced the room. "He must have been mad. I can't believe it." Two angry steps took him to stand in front of Jane. "It was your idea, wasn't it?" he said furiously. "My father couldn't have dreamed up a scheme like this on his own. You planned it all."

  "I had nothing to do with it," Jane whispered. "I'm as amazed as you are."

  "You're lying! I know my father liked you and he made no secret of the fact that he wanted me to marry you. That's why you got him to dream up this crazy idea."

  "I didn't," she cried, "I didn't! Believe me, Nicholas, I-"

  "Believe you?" he retorted. "I wouldn't believe you if you told me the time!" His fury was so intense that his whole body was shaken by it and for a moment she was afraid he would strike her. But with an effort he regained some control of himself and turned to look at Mr. Trupp. "Legal or not, I don't intend to marry someone I don't love. I'd rather be a pauper with Carole than a millionaire with-"

  Not bothering to finish the sentence, he walked out, slamming the door behind him. In the silence that followed Jane groped for her handkerchief and wiped her eyes. Behind her there came the snapping shut of a briefcase, followed by steps across the carpet and the pressure of Mr. Tripp's hand on her shoulder.

  "I'm sorry about this, Miss Roberts. If there had been any way I could have avoided it…"

  "It wasn't your fault. You were only doing your duty." ' She looked at him. "Couldn't you have persuaded Sir Angus not to do it? Didn't you realise it would never work?"

  "I discussed it with Sir Angus, of course," the lawyer said uncomfortably, "but you know for yourself the sort of man he was. Once he'd made up his mind, nothing could dissuade him. And he'd set his heart on his son marrying you."

  "But not like this," she burst out. "It won't work. It can't. Besides, Nicholas will never agree."

  "Not if he were allowed to decide for himself," Mr. Trupp said. "But it's Miss Sheridan who'll do the deciding; and she won't let Mr. Hamilton give up the money involved, I promise you that ."

  Jane's pride rose in revolt at the idea of marrying a man who did not want her. But though her immediate reaction was to refuse to have any part in the scheme, her love for Nicholas made her consider what the outcome would be for him if she refused. In his present state he would consider the loss of his inheritance negligible in comparison with the loss of Carole, yet Jane was still convinced that what he believed to be love was only infatuation, and that given a year it would die. It was this - more than anything else -that decided her to do as Sir Angus had wished, provided Nicholas himself agreed.

  The long silence was broken as from somewhere in the house a clock chimed, and she counted the strokes to herself. Nicholas's furious, humiliating words rang in her ears, but she dismissed them, willing herself to believe that even if their marriage did not make him love her, she at least had the chance, by delaying his marriage, to prove to him what sort of a girl Carole was.

  "I'll marry Nicholas if he will agree to it," she said aloud.

  Mr. Trupp patted her hand. "Don't worry. He'll come back. Just give that young woman of his a chance to make him see sense."

  When Nicholas told Carole about the will, she was aghast; not that she had ever had any doubts of Sir Angus's opinion of her, for when they had met he had gone out of his way to show he had not been impressed by her charms. Though she had tried to ingratiate herself into his favour, the occasion had been a dismal failure and the invitation was never repeated. From that time Nicholas avoided any mention of his father, and though Carole had been furious at being slighted in this way she had not felt sufficiently sure of her hold on Nicholas to protest or to insist upon being acknowledged by Sir Angus. Now she was filled with vindictive bitterness towards Jane, a girl she had always ignored on the rare occasions when they had encountered each other, and who, if Nicholas was to be believed, now threatened her whole existence.

  "I'll see her damned before I'll marry her!" Nicholas said, his voice harsh with suppressed fury. "I told her so, too! She must have persuaded Father into making such an infamous will."

  "But what will happen if you don't marry her?" Carole asked pointedly.

  "The estate and all the property will be sold and the money given to charity!"

  "Is there a lot of money involved?"

  "The entire holding my father had in the Company, as well as his private fortune and the trust that controls mine."

  Carole was horrified. "But haven't you any money of your own?"

  "Only the few hundred a year my mother left me - not what I've been used to, but I suppose it will be a help. Anyway, I'll still have my salary as Chairman of the Company. The job's mine, at least!"

  He moved to her and caught her close against him, resting his dark head against the soft, bright hair. "Don't worry, darling, I'm not a complete fool. I can always earn a decent living. I could sell the Company — get the extra cash — and then go into something smaller."

  "I won't let you!" Carole tore herself out of his arms and faced him. "I won't allow you to throw everything away because of me. I couldn't bear the thought of it!" Her brain worked quickly. "Think of the future, Nicky - think of our children." She moved closer. "They have a right to the inheritance as well. After all, darling, a year isn't so long to wait, and we can be married as soon as you get a nullity decree."

  It was Carole's remark regarding his duty to any children they might have which steadied him, and there was a long pause before he spoke again.

  "All right, darling, I'll do it. I'll go in and tell her - we may as well get it over with as soon as possible. Good lord, Carole, a year! Each day will seem like a century."

  He tried to pull her close again, but she evaded his arms, understanding her effect on him only too well, and realising that it would take little to weaken his resolve to carry out the conditions of the will. Cold fury engulfed her, for though she loved Nicholas as much as she was capable of loving any man, he would be useless to her without money. It was better that he should marry another woman - it was only for a year, after all, and then there would be nothing to stand in their way.

  "Come along, Nicky. Let's go back to the library."

  Hand in hand, they re-entered the room and Nicholas went straight over to Jane, his face so cold and set that she flinched at his approach.

  "I've talked it over with my fiancée" - he emphasised the last two words, "and have decided to marry you. I shall do so immediately - we might as well get the year finished as quickly as possible. I'll get a special licence and we can b
e married at a register office at the end of the week. The lawyer will inform you of the exact time and place."

  Then turning to Carole, who had been staring at Jane with venom in her eyes, he took her arm. "Come along, darling. My business with Jane is finished."

  The early morning sun streamed through the window of Jane's bedroom, falling on to her closed eyes and awakening her with its light. She lay there quietly for a moment, realising that this was her wedding day. But she experienced none of the happiness a bride was supposed to feel on her wedding morning, for she knew that when she met Nicholas today his eyes would not light up with love at seeing her, nor his hand come out to hold hers encouragingly as they stood before the registrar to be made man and wife.

  She remembered her parents' astonishment when she had told them she was going to marry Nicholas, and though her mother had been adept at hiding her feelings, her father was not so well versed in subtlety.

  "You're going to marry Nicholas Hamilton?"

  "Yes."

  "Bless my soul! I know your mother and I - I mean, I always imagined he was going to marry that —"

  Mrs. Roberts interrupted quickly, "Jane knows exactly what you thought, darling!" Then turning to her daughter "This is rather sudden, isn't it?"

  "We decided very quickly."

  "You must have done," her father murmured, and then, intercepting a glance from his wife, subsided into silence.

  Mrs. Roberts was convinced there was more behind her daughter's statement than they knew, but from the time Jane had been old enough to understand and work things out for herself, they Had never at any time forced a confidence from her that she had not been willing to give, and knowing and loving her daughter as she did, she believed Jane would tell them the real story in her own good time.

  She moved across to her now, and put her arms around the slim young shoulders. "I'm sure you and Nicholas have a very good reason for what you're doing, and if you ever feel you want to tell us what it is, or need our advice, you know your father and I are always here to help you."

  Jane put her cheek against her mother's and hugged her tightly. "I know you are, darling. You're the most wonderful parents a girl ever had, and I will tell you the truth as soon as I can."

  Indeed she did not know why she had not told her parents there and then the real reason she was marrying Nicholas. Perhaps it was because she felt they would disapprove of the motivation, for they had never considered money the most important thing in their lives, and though she could have accepted criticism of her own actions, she could not have borne any criticism of Nicholas.

  On the one occasion she had spoken to him about their forthcoming marriage he had told her he wished to keep the reason for it a secret.

  "Otherwise it would make me the laughing stock of

  London," he had said, and though she had pointed out that this would happen anyway when their marriage was annulled, fie had laughed bitterly and shaken his head. "The gossips will either say I was fickle or you were frigid! Either way it'll be less objectionable than the truth."

  Jane remembered these words as she dressed for her wedding, and her expression was so anguished that her mother felt like begging her not to go on with a marriage that was obviously taking place for reasons totally unconnected with love. But Jane's manner forbore any discussion, and in miserable silence Mr. and Mrs. Roberts accompanied her to the register office.

  Nicholas and Alec Morris were waiting for them in the foyer, and for the sake of appearances Nicholas drew her towards him and kissed her cheek. Even though she knew it to be an empty gesture she could not stop the fast beating of her heart as she felt the touch of his lips, and it required all her control not to respond.

  A moment later she was standing with him in front of the registrar, and the ceremony was so brief and formal that it was not until she felt the coldness of the platinum ring on her finger that �she realised she was finally married.

  Alec came forward with a broad smile. "It's about time I kissed the bride—if you've no objection, old man ? "

  Nicholas smiled. "I'm afraid I do object - but you can kiss me if you like!"

  Amid a gust of laughter they left the register office and stepped out into the sunshine. Although they had tried to keep their marriage a secret, they found themselves surrounded by a barrage of press photographers and reporters clamouring for photographs and a statement, and though Nicholas refused to say anything they were nearly blinded by the clicking of flashlights.

  As he watched the strained smile on Jane's face, Alec felt instinctively that something was wrong. When he had first met her she had struck him as a pretty and intelligent girl. But now she looked so frigid and reserved that he wondered what had made Nicholas choose her instead of Carole. However no sign of his thoughts appeared on his face, and cracking the obvious jokes expected of a best man, he drove Nicholas and Jane to the Savoy where the wedding luncheon was being held.

  Jane did not remember much of the meal, though she supposed she must have laughed and talked at the appropriate times and responded to the sallies tossed back and forth between the few friends Nicholas and her parents had invited to the reception.

  It was mid-afternoon before they finally set out on their honeymoon, to be spent at a hotel on the south coast, and sitting beside Nicholas as he sent the sleek, black Jensen hurtling along the narrow lanes, she nervously twisted the wedding ring on her finger. Occasionally she glanced at his profile, and seeing the firm chin and finely moulded lips - lips which would never curve with love for her - she felt the prick of tears at the back of her eyes, and had to blink furiously to stop them spilling over.

  Nicholas drove in complete silence, his foot never easing on the accelerator, and it was just after seven o'clock when he brought the car to a standstill at the entrance to one of the largest and most luxurious hotels-in the country. Their honeymoon was about to begin. Jane smiled bitterly to herself - what a mockery that word was, applied to them! If Carole were by his side instead of herself, she knew without any doubt that Nicholas would never have chosen so public a place for his first weeks of marriage but had decided on this hotel as the easiest way out of an embarrassing situation.

  He jumped from the car without a word and went round to help her out as the commissionaire collected their lug-gage, and a few moments later they were ushered into the largest suite of rooms Jane had ever seen.

  Completely detached, it ran along two sides of the square in which the hotel was built, its windows looking down on to the central courtyard with its terraces and blue-tiled swimming-pool.

  She walked slowly through the suite and found that apart from a small lounge there were two bedrooms and a communicating bathroom. The bedrooms were unlike anything she had ever seen before — here was luxury in the most complete sense of the word, from the thick pile of the grey carpets to the shimmering blue silken hangings and satin-covered beds. Instinctively she chose the first bedroom she entered, dropping her hat and coat on to a chair as she walked across to the dressing-table mirror. Could the white-faced girl with the large, sad eyes really be her? She ran her fingers through her hair, pushing it back from her forehead and noting ruefully that she looked more like the chief mourner at a funeral than a bride. She closed her eyes for a moment, giving way to the weariness and dejection which hovered over her like a cloud, and opened them again to see Nicholas regarding her from the doorway, his face dark and inscrutable.

  "You're tired," he said abruptly. "Perhaps you'd prefer to have dinner sent up?"

  She shook her head quickly. "No, thank you, I'd prefer to have it downstairs. I'm not tired at all - it's just - just the strain of getting married. When I've had a bath and changed, I'll feel better." She glanced at the plain enamel watch on her wrist. "Would eight-thirty suit you?"

  "As well as any other time," he replied curtly. "But I must warn you not to expect me to be the most cheerful of companions!"

  The door banged behind him and she turned back wearily into the room, the easy
tears of strain trickling down her cheeks so that the room shimmered and glistened as she moved across to the bathroom.

  However, a warm bath refreshed her, and she felt more relaxed as she put on one of the dresses she had bought for her trousseau - delicate filmy white tulle which clung to her waist before billowing out to the floor. In the past few months she had let her hair grow, and she brushed it until it shone and twisted it into plaits, dark and gleaming like a raven's wing, round her head.

  Precisely at eight-thirty she entered their lounge and found Nicholas already waiting for her. He stood up politely as she came in, his cool eyes travelling appraisingly over her, although all he said was: "Good evening," in the same hard tone in which he always addressed her when they were alone.

  As they entered the dining-room many heads turned to watch them, for they made a striking-looking couple, but Nicholas felt no pride, aware only of an upsurge of bitterness that he did not have Carole's blonde loveliness by his side. He gave no obvious sign of his feelings, however, though an observant onlooker might have noticed that the slight smile on his mouth did not reach his eyes, which remained hard and cold as polished agates.

  During the meal he kept conversation to the minimum, drinking far more than he usually did, and because Jane knew the hopelessness of trying to stop him she kept insisting that they dance, and by standing up and moving frequently on to the floor, made it impossible for him not to follow her. But the feel of his arms around her was almost more than she could bear, his touch an exquisite agony which sent a pang of longing quivering through her. Her mood was echoed by the husky tones of the vocalist.

  You and the night and the music Fill me with wild ecstasy…