AMANDA BROWNING – A Daring Deception (страница 3)

‘A lady,’ Linus corrected firmly. ‘In every sense of the word. And before you ask, Rachel, she was never more than a friend, to both myself and your grandmother. Of course there was a man involved— I cannot tell you his name; suffice it to say he was a noble personage of a somewhat obscure European enclave. They would most certainly have married, had that been humanly possible. Sadly, it was not.’ The regret in his voice was very real, and, recognising the implications, Rachel asked the obvious question.

‘What stopped them? Were they both married already?’

‘He was; she was not,’ Linus amended. ‘Being who he was, divorce was out of the question. The marriage had been a necessary joining of two powerful families. It was not a love match. Though I do believe there was mutual respect, and genuine love for their children, there was no grand passion. My friend and—we’ll call him the Archduke—met by the merest of chances, and fell deeply and irrevocably in love. They were, however, sensible people. Neither given to reckless or ill-judged actions. They had a choice to end the matter there, before getting in too deep, or continuing the romance as discreetly as possible.’

Rachel was utterly fascinated by this unexpected tale of romantic intrigue. ‘What did they decide?’

‘They chose to end it, of course. Too many people could have been hurt. Neither was happy, but they stood by their decision. Their lives drifted on, as lives tend to do, until one day, a long time later, their paths crossed again. It seemed to both of them that fate had taken a hand. Unable to walk away a second time, they began an affair.’

‘How long did it last?’ Nathan queried.

‘For more than thirty years,’ revealed, surprising both his listeners. ‘Of course the couple were discreet. They had a difficult life, picking up moments here and there, treasuring them, because they did not know when the next would come. Only death could part them, and that was how it turned out to be. The Archduke died not so very long ago.’

Nathan gave a soft whistle. ‘And nobody knew?’

The old gentleman’s face took on a grim expression. ‘Just a few good friends—or so we all thought. But it seems not to be so.’

‘Somebody spilled the beans,’ Nathan remarked gravely.

‘In a manner of speaking,’ Linus confirmed. ‘There were letters.’

‘Love letters?’ Rachel checked, with a wince, and he nodded.

‘They were written over that thirty-year period, and always kept safely locked away from prying eyes. Unfortunately during a recent party at my friend’s house the letters were removed from their hiding place.’

‘What did the police say?’ Rachel asked, naturally, and Nathan quirked an eyebrow at her.

‘She wouldn’t have told the police. Police make reports. Reporters ask questions. The next thing you know, the whole story is on the front of the tabloids and on prime time TV.’

‘Exactly,’ Linus agreed. ‘After nearly forty years of discretion, the very last thing she wanted was for the whole of her private life to come out. Not to mention how distressing it would be for the man’s family. No, there could be no police, which was why she wrote to me.’

‘She wants you to get the letters back?’ Nathan asked in no little amazement.

‘But how?’ Rachel frowned.

‘The method is up to my discretion,’ the old man replied, and her lips parted on an ‘o’ of surprise.

‘Are you saying she knows who took them?’

‘The thief was a man called Luther Ames,’ Linus revealed, with such a wealth of distaste in his voice that it was obvious to Rachel he had some prior knowledge of the man.

She had never heard of him. ‘Who is Luther Ames?’

It was Nathan who answered. ‘A playboy. A man with no visible means of income yet who always has plenty of money to throw around. His main hobbies appear to be collecting expensive antiques and gambling.’

‘He also happens to be my friend’s nephew. He attended the birthday party at her home on the day of their disappearance. The letters were kept in a drawer of the bonheur du jour in her bedroom. Unfortunately she had been called away upon some errand earlier in the day and had forgotten to lock it. Forgetfulness is one of the curses of old age. During the evening she discovered Ames coming out of her room. Oh, he made some believable excuse for being there, but later she found the letters were gone.’

‘But the affair ended years ago. What point is there in taking these letters now?’ Rachel argued.

‘Because although the affair is over the man’s family are still very much alive,’ Nathan responded grimly, receiving a nod of confirmation from her grandfather. ‘The threat of the disgrace is as strong as it ever was. I take it Ames wants money for the letters’ return?’

Linus sighed heavily. ‘No. When my friend demanded he return the letters, he said he would—provided she did him a little favour.’

‘You mean he’s prepared to blackmail his own aunt? That’s despicable!’ Rachel exclaimed angrily. The man had to be a monster.

‘It certainly explains how he manages to always have money to spare, despite his lifestyle. He’s probably done this before,’ Nathan observed bluntly. ‘What are his terms?’

Linus grimaced. ‘He wants her to use her influence with a certain company to make sure a take-over goes ahead. A take-over which will increase his personal fortune by several million pounds. Naturally, she flatly refused. However, time is running out, and, the situation being what it is, she cannot dare him to publish and be damned. She has to get the letters back, for she knows that if she does not he will use them. For all his charm, he has a vengeful streak if he doesn’t get his own way. She knows it, and so do I. The only sure way of knowing the matter is closed is to take the letters back—fast.’

At that, Nathan went quite still. ‘And you need my advice as to how to go about it?’ he charged, in a strangely toneless voice which had Rachel glancing at him sharply.

Linus looked him squarely in the eyes. ‘No. I need you to steal the letters for me.’

For a moment Nathan simply stared at him in stunned silence. ‘You cannot be serious.’

Immediately Linus raised a calming hand. ‘Oh, not steal, exactly. Retrieve would be a better word.’

Nathan uttered a bark of laughter. ‘Steal or retrieve; there’s very little difference between the two. Whichever way you put it, it’s breaking the law.’

Linus’s gaze narrowed. ‘I never expected you to be so nice,’ he said sharply.

‘Nice? I think I’m entitled to be a little alarmed when you ask me to break into Ames’s house and do some thievery of my own,’ Nathan protested reasonably.

Linus tutted irritably. ‘Don’t be a fool, boy. I don’t expect you to break in at dead of night. I expect you to be invited in,’ he declared. ‘Once inside, you’ll have every opportunity of searching the house.’

‘You have it all figured out, don’t you?’ Nathan observed in mingled amusement and incredulity.

‘I don’t like to leave things to chance,’ Linus concurred.

‘Then perhaps you can tell me how I am to get invited into Ames’s house? Just walk up to the front door and ask if it’s OK if I stay for the weekend? Oh, and by the way, whilst I’m here do you mind if I search the place for some letters you stole?’ Nathan said facetiously, causing Linus to glower at him.

‘You don’t have to do anything. All you will need is Jasmine to run interference.’

Both Rachel and Nathan blinked. ‘Who?’ they chanted in unison.

‘You know,’ Linus snapped tetchily. ‘That blonde woman you’re going out with. What’s her name…? Jasmine, or something equally ridiculous.’

Rachel hastily stifled a giggle and received a quelling look for her pains. ‘Her name is Jade, and for your information we are no longer an item,’ Nathan replied tightly.

‘Then take someone else. Who are you dating at the moment?’ Linus ordered.

‘At the moment I’m not dating anyone,’ Nathan said through gritted teeth.

‘What do you mean, you’re not dating? You always have a woman around somewhere! Can’t keep your hands off them!’ Linus exclaimed irritably.

Much to Rachel’s amusement, faint colour stole up Nathan’s neck. ‘Well, I’m sorry, but I don’t have one. I had no idea it would be required.’

Linus’s fingers tapped out a staccato sound of annoyance on the desktop. ‘Then you’d better go out and get one! Damned quickly too!’

A muscle ticked in Nathan’s jaw, and Rachel watched it in fascination. ‘Does she have to be blonde, or will any colour do?’

‘Of course she has to be blonde. Ames has a thing for blondes. He likes them decorating up his house, apparently. Curse your fickle heart, Nathan. You’re putting the whole plan in jeopardy. There are three real passions in Ames life: blondes, antiques and gambling, and you and your girlfriend were to supply two of them. A double entrée into his house. But you need to catch his eye. I understand Ames is going to be in his American home at Lake Tahoe this weekend, and I had everything planned for then. He’s bound to keep the letters close to him, and who knows when we’ll get another opportunity like this? You’d better go out and pick up the first blonde you meet.’

The outrageous suggestion appeared to echo round the room, and Rachel thought Nathan was in imminent danger of exploding, he was so furious. However, with a monumental effort of will, he forced himself to relax. ‘For your information, I do not pick up women off the streets.’