Betrayal Read online

  'You're young,' said Stephanie icily. 'I suggest you carry your own cases. Simon has had chest pains for the last few weeks, he shouldn't do heavy lifting.' With that she turned and went back into the house.

  'Is that true?' asked Lisa anxiously.

  'It's probably only indigestion. The doctor says I should lose weight and give up smoking, but that's a difficult combination. When I don't smoke I eat more!'

  Lisa realised that he didn't look well. He was pale and his hair had turned completely grey. 'I know everything there is to know about balanced diets and animal fats, I'll make sure you eat properly while I'm home,' she teased, picking up her cases and following Stephanie indoors. An hour later she was sitting in the library when Simon came hesitantly into the room. 'You don't really dislike finishing school, do you, sweetheart? It's important that you get all you can out of it. Stephanie and I, we're self-made people. I want you to…'

  'All they teach you is how to be a good wife! We've got to be able to fold napkins into imitation boats, turn tomatoes into red water lilies, think of colour themes for our dinner parties, know how to make a shy guest feel comfortable… it's so trivial.'

  'But…

  'Oh, we do some work. Languages, history… but they don't really count for much. It's certainly a finishing school. They're showing us how we'll finish up: rushing about playing at being a hostess while our wealthy husbands are off running their industries and making love to girls who learnt how to please men in bed rather than out of it!'

  'Surely you want to make a good marriage?'

  'I'm not sure what you mean by a good marriage,' replied Lisa softly.

  They looked at one another and he was the first to glance away. 'I meant a wealthy one.'

  'You're wealthy. Do you want me to have a marriage like yours?' she asked gently.

  'I made my money after I'd married; that's quite different.'

  'I really want to work with children,' she confided, her face suddenly more animated.

  'But that's ideal! Lots of rich wives don't know what to do with their spare time. You could work for the N.S.P.C.C. or something like that.'

  'I don't think I'd be able to make a living doing charity work!'

  Simon cleared his throat. 'You'll never be poor, darling. I've put a lot of money into a trust fund for you. No matter what happens that will always be there.'

  'I'm very grateful, but I do want to earn my own money.' 'You might not have time,' he said sadly.

  Lisa stared at him. 'What do you mean?'

  'Lisa, I have to talk to you during the holiday. Not now, but soon. Perhaps tomorrow night, when Stephanie's at her bridge evening.'

  'If you don't hurry up and get ready the dinner will be half over before we even arrive!' said Stephanie indignantly as she walked in on the pair of them. Lisa stood up slowly and walked gracefully out of the room.

  'You have to admit she's stunning,' whispered Simon.

  'With her approach to life, she needs to be. I'm only thankful he isn't going to be there tonight. I'd expected the school to soften her… '

  'She's all right,' Simon said in a tired voice. 'I'm going to have a whisky before I shower. Do you want a drink?'

  'The doctor said no alcohol.'

  'Sod the doctor!' he snapped, and Stephanie left him. She knew that there were times when he was better alone. Especially these days, when things were going so horribly wrong.

  Dinner was at the house of a Hatton Garden jeweller who'd done a lot of business with Simon over the years, not all of it legitimate. Simon had bought gifts for Stephanie from his shop, but outside office hours, in the small back room, other transactions had taken place. David Markoff either hadn't heard the rumours about Simon's current misfortunes or else he didn’t care.…Unlike many of the Greenes' so-called friends he hadn't severed all contact, and Simon was grateful. So grateful that he spent most of the evening chatting to David's wife, and missed the beginning of what was to be his greatest personal disaster.

  Lisa, still hungry because the food had been good but not abundant, wandered off into the room where the drinks were being served and began to help herself to some dry roasted peanuts. The young boy behind the bar, his eyes constantly checking the guests for attractive men, was totally disinterested in her and simply refilled the crystal glass every time she emptied it.

  When Toby Walker slid on to the stool next to her she was beginning to feel bored with the nuts and reached in front of him for some olives. To her surprise he put one large hand round her wrist and kept it lightly imprisoned.

  'If you're that hungry, I suggest we go on somewhere else and have a proper meal!' he laughed. She turned to look at him. He was stunningly handsome with jet black hair, dark…blue eyes and a fantastic tan that looked genuine. 'I'm Toby Walker,' he added as an afterthought, and then paused as though she ought to know the name. 'I'm Lisa Greene, and kindly let go of my wrist. I'm desperate for an olive.'

  'Only an olive?'

  'Possibly a heap of spaghetti bolognaise wouldn't come amiss.' 'I'm suitably crushed!'

  'Why should you be? You weren't responsible for the extremely lean cuisine we've just finished, were you?'

  'No! Are you here with anyone?' he added, his eyes lingering on her crossed legs which looked endless from where he was sitting.

  'Only my parents.' 'Who are they?'

  'Mr and Mrs Greene!'

  'Very sharp! I meant which ones are they? Point them out so that I can see where your good looks come from.'

  'That's my father over there, talking to Mrs Markoff, and my mother's the lady in the glittery dress.'

  'You don't look like either of them.'

  'That's probably because I'm adopted.' She wondered why she'd told him; it was something she usually kept to herself.

  'A beautiful orphan, how romantic!' His eyes glinted with amusement.

  'Sarcasm…is…more…effective…when…it's…done…with…subtlety,'…she retorted, and wished she'd kept silent.

  'I don't know anything about that. I'm an actor.'

  'At least that's different. Are you resting at the moment? That's what actors usually do, isn't it?'•

  'No, I'm working. I've got a series running on television.'

  'You mean you're the star?' she asked with a laugh. She was only flirting with him because he was so handsome and the youngest person in the room apart from herself. She didn't imagine he was really famous. All show-business people exaggerated, it was part of their nature.

  'Yes,' he said slowly. 'I'm the star. Where have you been living? On the moon?'

  'I'm at finishing school in Switzerland.'

  'My, my! Daddy wants you to marry well, does be?'

  'Yes. What's your programme called? I'll make sure I watch an episode.'

  ' The Outsider. I'm an undercover intelligence officer who rushes round saving the country every Monday night after the news.'

  'I'm impressed. How did you get the part?'

  He shrugged. 'I was lucky. In the right place at the right time, that sort of thing. I hadn't done much before. I took up acting rather late, having started out as a draughtsman.'

  'Useful to have a trade to fall back on in the hard times.'

  'There won't be any hard times after this, providing I'm sensible, of course.'

  'And are you sensible?'

  'Not always, ' he said slowly.

  'Good! I don't ever intend to be too sensible, not even when I'm old and grey.' Their eyes met and she was fascinated by his undoubted magnetism.

  'Lisa, darling,' cooed Stephanie, 'I'd like you to meet… 'Toby turned round and smiled his most charming smile at her. He was amazed by the venom in her small, over made-up eyes and saw how quickly she reached out a fat hand to take hold of Lisa's arm. 'Lisa, I said… '

  'I'm talking to someone,' protested Lisa.

  'Hasn't your school taught you about mixing?' hissed the older woman. 'You can't just sit here chatting away to some second-rate TV star, there are important people for you to
meet.'

  Toby, who could hear every word, had to turn away to conceal his annoyance. He didn't consider himself to be in the least second rate.

  'Stephanie, please!' protested Lisa under her breath. 'I'm enjoying myself. Toby, didn't you mention something about going out to eat?' and she slithered off the bar stool so that her dress got caught up, revealing shapely thighs and a tantalising glimpse of lace-trimmed french knickers.

  Toby shrugged. He knew enough to remember that the Greenes were no longer people of any importance. However, he wasn't sure about Lisa. He fancied her, but then he usually fancied attractive girls. However, there was something about her that was refreshing and attractive, although she was a trifle too edgy for him to feel entirely comfortable with. Just the same, it would be interesting to find out what she was like between the sheets.

  'Sure! Don't worry, Mrs Greene, I'll bring her safely home in the morning!'

  'In the morning?' Stephanie was still standing with a look of shock and fear on her face when Simon finally joined her, by which time Toby and Lisa were speeding across London, laughing at everything and entirely innocent of the alarm their excursion was causing at the Markoff dinner party.

  At three a.m., after a long walk along the Embankment, where Toby talked about his work and his ambitions while Lisa listened intently, they drove to an overnight cafe for long-distance lorry drivers.

  She was intoxicated by the strangeness of it all. Toby himself came from the East End—when he forgot that he was an actor his speech lapsed into a heavy London accent—and the cafe and its occupants were quite outside anything she'd ever encountered.

  There were wolf whistles and appreciative shouts as she walked in, her low-cut green silk dress ludicrously out of place; but it was obvious that the cafe-owners knew Toby well from the way they greeted him like an old friend.

  Over an enormous fry-up of bacon, eggs, sausages, tomatoes, fried bread and chips, it was Lisa's turn to talk. Toby seemed fascinated by the finishing school, unable to believe the sheer banality of some of the classes.

  'What about sex?' he asked. 'Sex?'

  'Sure. What do they say about that? Isn't it part of the curriculum? I'd have thought it was pretty important, but perhaps not if you're expected to marry a peer of the realm!'

  'The only thing they ever talk about is being careful not to squander ourselves on the wrong person. I suppose they're scared we'll get so frustrated we'll dash out and have it off with the first personable waiter we clap eyes on!'

  'And do you?'

  'Jump into bed with waiters? Certainly not!' 'Get frustrated?'

  Lisa knew that she was going to blush and was furious with herself. She put a fork loaded high with chips into her mouth and then hoped he'd lose interest, but he didn't. 'What do you do?' he persisted. 'Mess around with each other?'

  'No!' She was so startled that she began to choke. 'So, who keeps you happy?'

  'Sex isn't the most important thing in the world,' she said, after taking a long drink of water. 'Most of us don't bother about it while we're there.'

  This was totally untrue. The majority of the girls spent a lot of time and ingenuity fixing up assignations with men; returning in the early hours of the morning by climbing up ladders previously hidden by their co-conspirators. But Lisa and one or two other girls didn't take part in any of this. At the back of her mind Lisa was nervous of an affair. She'd seen how involved and vulnerable it made the girls; watched them agonising over late periods and broken meetings, and decided that she didn't want that kind of pain. Sex could wait.

  'For one awful moment there I thought you were going to tell me you were saving yourself for your husband!' he laughed.

  'I'm saving myself for someone I really want.'

  There was a long silence. Toby's face remained expressionless but inside he could hardly believe his luck. She was young, very nearly beautiful, and a virgin. It wasn't the kind of situation he was used to, but it was one he knew with certainty he was going to enjoy.

  He'd already discovered how misleading obviously sexy and experienced girls were. They squirmed and moaned a lot, but deep down they were as cold as ice. It was the girls like Lisa who were the best. The ones who were cool and self-controlled on the surface. Once you got them going there was no stopping them.

  Aware that he was becoming aroused by his own thoughts he decided to change the subject. 'Why do you hate your parents?' he asked softly.

  'I don't!' she protested. 'I think you do.'

  'I certainly don't hate Simon. He's a bit weak and can't control Stephanie but basically he's all right.'

  'You do hate Stephanie?'

  'Let's say we don't get on too well.' Her voice was tight, her eyes suddenly filled with pain.

  'Why's that?'

  She remembered that terrible scene when she was seven years old. The hatred that had burst from the previously loving Stephanie. The realisation that her life until then had been based on a lie, and the knowledge that although she'd been chosen she wasn't really loved. 'I don't think that's any of your business,' she said abruptly.

  Toby lost interest. His erection had subsided and he could safely get up from the table. Conversation was no longer important. 'How about coming back to my place? It isn't exactly palatial but it's O.K. We'll have coffee and play some music. What do you say?'

  She wasn't stupid. She knew that if she went back with him there might be coffee and music, but she'd also be expected to jump into his bed and she didn't want to. Not yet; perhaps later on, but not now. 'No thanks, Toby. I'd better get home.'

  He wasn't expecting a refusal, not even from an upper class virgin who'd never seen his series. Normally his dark good looks were enough, and he’d thought that things were going well.…He was annoyed, but clever enough not to let it show. 'Some other time then?'

  'Yes, definitely some other time.'

  'Always providing you're allowed to see me again.'

  'I shan't ask their permission.' Despite her bravado she knew they could stop her if they found out.

  'How about coming to a Boxing Day party with me? It doesn't start until nine and should go on all night. I could pick you up at seven and we'll have a few drinks first.'

  Lisa thought quickly. He was outstandingly attractive and quite obviously experienced. She probably wouldn't find a better person to initiate her into all the secret delights that the girls at school talked about so endlessly. She was also flattered that he'd chosen her.

  Unaware of quite how jaded and consequently perverted Toby Walker was becoming, she decided that he would be perfect for her first lover; and the fact that at last someone really seemed to like her made the decision all the more inevitable. 'Sounds fun! I'll write down my address for you.'

  'I know where you live.'

  'You do?' She was plainly astonished.

  He cursed himself for the slip. 'I heard your mother talking about your house. Let's get going.'

  He drove fast and badly, never dropping below 80 m.p.h. unless braking sharply and frequently, but Lisa found it all exhilarating. When he finally leant across to kiss her goodnight she was a little surprised to find his tongue half-way down her throat in the first few seconds, but quickly got caught up by his passion. Eventually he drew away and gave a low laugh. 'Roll on Boxing Day!'

  She was still holding her fingers to her bruised lips when Simon turned on the hall lights. 'Where the hell have you been?' he shouted, his face flushed with rage.

  'For a drive with Toby Walker; formerly a draughtsman and now, it would seem, the hero of every woman's dreams!'

  'A drive?' 'And a walk.'

  'Nothing else?' He could barely control his temper and a vein was throbbing in his left temple. Lisa was dismayed by his rage, it seemed so out of proportion.

  'We had something to eat before we came back. Let's be honest, the Markoffs didn't exactly put on a banquet fit for a king!'

  'You really expect me to believe that's all that happened?' 'It's the truth,' she protested def
ensively.

  ‘You should take a look at yourself in the mirror!'…he roared, stepping closer to her as his flush subsided, leaving his skin the colour of putty. Automatically she glanced at the ornate mirror hanging over the telephone table. Her lips were swollen and there was a love bite just below her left ear. She didn't remember the love bite.

  'He kissed me good night. That's not a crime.' 'He made quite a meal of it, didn't he?'

  Lisa felt the excitement of the evening draining away. 'Did you expect me to go through life like a nun?' she asked, wishing he'd leave her alone with her thoughts.

  'Yes!' he shouted, regardless of the fact that Stephanie was now standing behind him on the stairs. 'That's exactly what I expected. Why would I bankrupt myself on that fancy finishing school if it wasn't to keep you out of trouble? You're… '

  'I'm what?'

  'Important to me,' he mumbled, turning his head away so that she couldn't see the expression of self-disgust in his eyes.

  'What is all this? I'm not in line for a royal marriage! Besides, apart from future kings even royalty aren't expected to marry virgins. If they were, the line would soon die out.'

  'You stupid little slut!' hissed Stephanie, pushing her husband to one side. 'If you've thrown everything away on that oversized male model I'll never forgive you. Don't you realise the sacrifices we've made to send you to Switzerland? Haven't you the faintest idea of why we're… '

  'Be quiet!' snapped Simon. For once his wife obeyed him. Lisa looked from one to the other in bewilderment. I don't like it in Switzerland. If money’s a problem I’ll be happy to come home. Besides, I really don't…see what harm one evening out with an attractive man can possibly have done. I thought you wanted me to mix with the people at dinner. You both seemed keen for me to go.'

  'Not for his benefit!' shrieked Stephanie, beside herself with temper. 'He isn't of any importance at all. He was only there to make up the numbers.'

  Lisa decided they were behaving in the manner they believed expected of doting parents. Either that or they'd got her in mind for a friend's son and didn't want her soiling herself with anyone else. Well, for once she wasn't going to try and please them. Toby had liked her and Toby was fun. A little bit dangerous perhaps, but fun.