Chapter Five

WHEREwere they, the Garden of Eden before the fall? Olivia walked ahead of him, breathing in the crystal-clear air, so pure and bracing. This was the most romantic spot she had ever been in. The dappled sunlight on her upturned face was as warm and intoxicating as a kiss. Kiss? Kisses? Something had drastically altered her mindset. She was becoming extremely susceptible to the world of the senses. It had much to do with McAlpine. The sheer physical presence of him. She had the grace to admit that. He was the only man she had ever met who could dazzle her with his sexual radiance.

You should be very concerned about that.

She had taken her inner voice along for the walk with them.

For McAlpine’s part, he appeared to be enjoying wandering around with her. That alone was giving her a huge buzz. Hugely unfamiliar for her—it had to be said. Surely her responses, however ill-advised, went a way to proving she wasn’t frigid—or at least glacial. Hang on, he had called her that in Scotland. The cheek of him. Then as now the sheer audacity of the man took her breath away.

Of course, the tropical heat had to be factored in. It was luscious, thawing her cold-climate blood and causing her to act with unprecedented abandon. Before her, large brilliantly coloured butterflies sailed languorously. Her light footsteps crunched down on a thick ground cover of dry leaves, twigs and a wide scattering of tiny little wildflowers in the cool range of colours that showed their daisylike faces above the sandy white soil. Everything seemed so much more vivid than usual. She thought the scene would be forever etched on her mind. That and the man who so nonchalantly was following her up. He might have been a lion on the prowl her heart was pounding so fast.

She realised she was moving a bit too quickly, getting way ahead of him instead of walking companionably alongside. Why? It wasn’t a chase. She wasn’t being pursued. Yet even the thought of a pursuit thrilled her. One could turn into a totally different woman with the right man. She was worrying that that man was McAlpine. She dared not get involved with him. But in its way it was rather wonderful to feel the way she did.

You could be courting disaster. Think about that.

Impossible to get away from the warning voice. Her father had sent her here to get a more insightful view of herself. In other words, find enlightenment.

Does anyone actually do that? Did Daddy for that matter?

All she knew was that she was undergoing a rapid change.

For better, or worse, Olivia?

Oh, shut up!

It seemed inconceivable to her so much lushness could co-exist with the sun-scorched grasses of the savannah and the terracotta plains. One could acquire a horde of worldly goods but nothing could compare with the matchless beauty and the deep spiritual power of nature. The full shade was blissful. Surely her wounded soul was on the mend? Her fall from grace had upset her more than anyone could know. That terrible row with her dearest Bella, her other half, her twin. Their rows had been so rare that the way they had gone at each other that terrible night—one might almost call it a catfight—had shocked them both to the core.

Even the thought of her twin made the tears spring to her eyes. But today the tears were mixed with delight. What had happened to her, what had happened to her family—the public disgrace—was starting to fade. Kalla Koori was a new world, a different universe. The whole atmosphere freed her up.

“This place looks pristine, ” she called back happily to McAlpine, waiting on his answer.

“Because of its extreme isolation. ” He watched her fling out her arm in a sweeping gesture, her expression so joyous he caught his breath. It was like seeing the petals of a budded pink rose slowly unfurl. Here was a woman ready to undergo a transformation. All she had to do was throw off the constraints of the past. A wedge of sunlight fell across her, turning her hair to spun gold. In her animation, she looked staggeringly beautiful. He had to take several deep breaths. Complications simply weren’t on the agenda.

“Untouched since the Dreamtime! ” Enchantment was in her voice. “I love that description—the Dreamtime—don’t you? What a beautiful way to express it. ”

“I think so. ” He was still a short distance behind her, aware he was experiencing a lightness of spirit he hadn’t felt in years. She might be overly conscious of her patrician background—a Balfour of Balfour Manor—but they shared similar feelings about a lot of important things. It was a source of deep gratification that she loved this place as he did. The beauty and power of nature had been quite beyond Marigole’s understanding. Marigole only found herself in the big cities of the world.

All around them were beautiful trees of different heights and foliage. Olivia studied the striking patterns of the various barks. Most of these trees were unfamiliar to her. Towering palms trees dominated, some with slender trunks, others more substantial, grander. She saw several species of acacia. Great spiky pandanus trees and tall aquatic plants framed the crystal-clear ponds that lay at their feet. The ponds now in clear view were surprisingly large, isolated one from the other by stretches of pure white sand and intermittent silver-grey boulders.

“Lubra Lakes. ” An element of excitement was in her voice. She understood immediately this was a special place. Mystical in character. Each great pond glittered with a mirrorlike intensity, the colour a uniform deep emerald green. Some of the graceful gums that bent their heads over the pools were draped with vines bearing exquisite red-orange throated flowers that were so sweetly scented she thought the fragrance ought to be bottled.

“Enjoying yourself? ” His tone was indulgent.

“I’m having a great time. ” She turned back to him, her normally contained expression lifted into radiance. “This is the loveliest place. We might be visitors to an ancient cathedral. ”

“Which is why I brought you here. ” He moved with sure-footed grace down the coarsely grassed slope. “Tell me, do you still feel punished for being sent here? ”

She felt her cheeks pink. “Actually, I’m asking myself why I ever worried. ”

You should!

OK, she had to trust in her common sense. There was no future in this adventure as far as she could see. She was to return home. McAlpine would remarry, hopefully this time happily. She was as sure as she could be of anything that he wouldn’t have his work cut out finding another wife. Apart from the obvious wealth, he was such an arresting man with a presence and air of command that went far beyond his years. His powerful body, so athletic, gave off remarkable energy. In that way he fitted into the same mould as her father. Both of them magnetic men.

Even thinking it, she was overcome by an extraordinary indolence. She didn’t wonder at its source. He was standing right beside her. She wanted to crumple gracefully onto the sand, then lay back against its yielding warmth. Once there she would fix her eyes on him…lift a hand, beckon him, allurement in her eyes. She knew with every fibre of her being she could count on him to be everything a woman could want in a lover. She had given up hoping for that. In Scotland, increasingly thrown off balance by him, she had decided wrathfully he was anything but her type. How different it was here, on his own land.

Your physical attraction to him was always there.

Now came profound understanding.

Her inner voice crashed in with a warning.

Do you honestly think you’d be a match for him?

Probably not. But no other man had put her in a fever, or caused a tsunami of sensation. She was floundering in the giant swells.

“So whatdid you have to worry about? ” McAlpine was asking. His expression suggested he recognised she was falling out of character. Or the cool, self-assured character she liked to present to the world.

Are you going to pull yourself together?

She chose not to listen. Instead she inhaled deeply, bending to pluck a wildflower. “I did entertain a few concerns we mightn’t get on. That and the prospect of loneliness, of course. The station is very isolated, vast and nearempty of humans. I’ve been thinking of how the men and women on the First Fleet must have felt when they arrived in the Great South Land. A glorious blue harbour to confront them, but beyond that an enormous wilderness—an island continent unlike anything they had ever seen—only a handful of miles beyond their small settlement the impassable Blue Mountains. I call that daunting. I come from a small overcrowded island. Enormous open spaces such as you have here can be overwhelming. My life has been so very different. ”

“Very structured, ” he agreed. “But please don’t forget it was the men and women of the tiny British Isles that opened up this vast country and colonised it. My ancestors among them. That took real guts. ” He removed the pretty little wildflower from her hand, then pushed it into her hair. “You’re not afraid ofme, are you? ”

“In a way. ” She wouldn’t have to work hard to turn him into the object of a hopeless passion.

Don’t show agitation. It means nothing. He doesn’t fancy you. This crazy rush of emotion is all on your side.

“What way? ”

She didn’t know how to respond.

“Olivia? ”

She shook back her hair, dislodging the flower. “Nothing serious. But I know I irritate you and you can’t deny it. ”

His eyes gleamed pure gold. “All human beings irritate one another from time to time. I’m moreimpatient of the fact you underestimate yourself and your worth. The more I get to know you, the more I see beneath the ultra-cool pose, where may well lay chronic loneliness. You could throw in a dollop of insecurity. ”

He was looking at her steadily, openly challenging her, but she could only feign a nonchalant shrug. “You must have defective reasoning powers if you think I’m lonely or insecure. ” It seemed imperative to get back to her old form.

He appeared to acknowledge just that. “Olivia, I don’t want you to feel threatened by anything I say. I’m merely pointing out you spend a lot of time protecting your image. Be yourself. That’s my advice. Your real self, like you are today. Don’t shut life out. It has to be lived. We shouldn’t die pondering and mourning all the things we didn’t do for want of a certain courage. Reach out. Few amongst us haven’t been hurt, but we have no option but to live in hope. ”

She could tell him she wasn’t managing to shuthim out. He was getting to her at every level. Her hitherto impregnable defences were proving as flimsy as a set of cardboard boxes. “Shutting people out goes along with a fear of betrayal. ”

“Tell me about it! ” There was an edge to his voice. “So who areyou talking about here, an ex-lover? Wasn’t there someone in tow at the wedding? I seem to remember a blond guy hovering in the background undecided whether to break up our little altercation or not. ”

“That was Justin, ” she said. “I’d become resigned to the fact I couldn’t seem to sustain relationships. Now it occurs to me I didn’t actuallywant to. I suppose that’s a step along the road to self-enlightenment, would you say? ”

“Sure is. So you haven’t been in love? ”

To her astonishment she answered truthfully. “Thought I was. But not for long. ”

“Do you believe in love at first sight? ”

She believed in a storm of emotion. “Did you fall in love with your ex-wife on sight? ” she countered. He probably had. Wonderful sparks right from the start. Something like she had experienced with him. Only they were sparks of sexual hostility.

“I’d known Marigole since we were kids. But as for the legendarycoup defoudre, that hasn’t hit me. Tell me about Justin. ” He stooped to pluck another purple wildflower. “Is he in or out? ” He straightened, pushing the flower into her abundant golden hair, then standing back to admire the effect. “No, don’t touch it, ” he said, as she put up a tentative hand.

“I was only going to tuck it in more firmly. I didn’t mean to throw away the last flower. It’s just that you have a way of rattling my cage. ”

“And it’s dead easy. Why is that? ”

The expression in his eyes appeared intense. “Because you’re Australian, ” she said, offering an idiotic explanation. “Oh, God, let me rephrase that. You’re very frank. We British are inclined to be much more reserved. ”

“You consider that agood thing? ” He didn’t bother to point out his family’s British background. She would have known it anyway.

The fear of being mesmerised increased her desire to protect herself. “It’s always beenmy approach. ”

“Could be one reason why you’ve led such a dull life. And you have had a dull life, haven’t you, Olivia, for all the material splendour? When we first came down here your responses were uncomplicated, spontaneous. Let’s stick to that. ”

“You’re the boss! ”

“And you can’t ignore it, ” he said with a glint in his eyes.

She was grateful for the feather-light breeze that was cooling her flushed cheeks. It was a relief to turn away from his searching eyes. Eyes that seemed to divine she was an emotional mess. Each day it was becoming more apparent to her that the person she had striven so hard to create, the person she thought her father wanted, didn’t match up with her inner identity at all. McAlpine, almost a stranger, had plumbed that fact.

Why do you let him rouse you? Rouse you and rouse you. Not just your body. Your soul.

Maybe she was evolving far too fast.

The whole area was alive with bird song, punctuated by the odd startling cry. She continued on, to be nearer the water. The perimeter of each lake was festooned in glorious native water lilies. Very curiously with floating lilies of a different colour—one a gorgeous blue-violet, another the palest yellow with a gold-brown centre, the third so deep a pink they were almost lilac.

“Was the planting deliberate? ” she turned back to ask in a conciliatory manner. If he suddenly disappeared she would be totally lost in this flowering wilderness. “Different coloured lilies in each lagoon? ” She didn’t want to fall out with him. She wanted them to be friends.

Who are you fooling? Don’t you really mean, much more than friends?

He moved slowly towards her, looking amused. “Olivia, the blue lotus is found naturally all over our tropics. It’s common to Australia and North Africa. It was the sacred flower of ancient Egypt, as you probably know. Most of our pools and lagoons carry flowers of the one colour. After the rains on our stations in the Queensland Channel Country you have mile after mile of white everlastings that eventually run into mile after mile of yellow. ”

“How lovely! ” She was standing only a few feet from the edge of the emerald water. Shards of sunlight were hitting the transparent wings of dragonflies, iridescent blue and dark yellow as they darted from one stunning water lily to the other. “Are there fish in the lakes? ”

“Nothing to make a meal of. In season the lakes are a haven for all manner of water birds, including the black swans. Be careful where you’re walking now. ” The grass had turned coarse and grainy.

“I’m fine. ” She was fairly suffocating with sexual awareness. In fact, he made her feel so hot she could break out in a rash. The tiniest miscalculation on her part and she could make an utter fool of herself. She feared that above everything. Staying in control had been an important component of her character. She knew she was incapable of handling a man like McAlpine.

Poor old Justin was more your speed.

How she would love to distance herself from that inner voice! It was even possible she had an over-reliance on it. Bella had no inner voice to prevent her from taking things to what she in her righteousness had often consideredextremes. Maybe Bella had the better way of doing things?

There was a sudden loud, whirring sound. The beating of dozens of wings. She looked up to witness a great flock of brilliantly coloured parrots coming in to settle in the trees. She stood magnetised by the spectacle, throwing back her head to glory in the sight. The sun flashed off strong jewel colours—emerald, ruby, sapphire, topaz, garnet. Her head was flung so far back she felt a flicker of vertigo. To counteract it, she reached for a low-hanging branch, conveniently to hand. Only at the very moment she clutched it, it gave a sharp crack, then snapped off in her hand.

She let out a muffled cry, afraid she was going to skid down the bank into the water, crushing the carpet of native herbs as she went.

Only McAlpine was there to catch her.

Surreal! How had he done that?

A pouncing lion couldn’t have made it faster.

“Bravo! ” There was a self-congratulatory note in his voice. They might have been a pair of trapeze artists and he had just saved her from a nasty nosedive.

One arm was locked around her waist in a steely embrace. She couldn’t stand straight. It was as if she had entered a state of total paralysis that compelled her to remain bent over his arm. Her two good legs offered no support whatever. Another huge difficulty was to get back her breath. Even the chatter of the birds had stilled in anticipation of her next move.

He turned her body, glowing now, in his arms. She couldn’t bear to look at him. The tight leash she habitually kept on herself had snapped. Were there no bones in her legs at all?

“Olivia? ”

Was there a thread of mockery beneath the concern? She felt like whimpering. Wouldn’t that be shocking to whimper at the ripe old age of twenty-eight! There didn’t appear to be an iota of strength left in her body. God knows what a doctor would have to say about her condition. She only knew she was without enough breath to respond. Her hair had let her down as well. It was in total disarray, flowing everywhere, like it used to do when she was a child.

Surely this confirms you’re sexually repressed?

The danger was herreal self fighting to get out.

Her mind might have been scrambled, but her body began to obey some fundamental need. It started to press into his. Male against female. Shocking, sensual pleasure. In one way she felt stunned; in another, the strange feeling was approaching euphoria. She imagined powerful circuits switching on in her brain…lighting up…dopamine pouring into her blood…He might have been kissing her all over.

Moments were stretching into infinity. Even McAlpine seemed to have lost direction. Her breasts rose and fell in agitation, nipples hard as berries. Human sexuality wasn’t all that different to the animal kingdom. Male and female were designed to mate. It wasn’t long intellectual discussions that brought it about. It was action. And action had been missing from her life.

He spoke first, his voice as smooth and golden as warm honey. “What can a man do when he finds a beautiful woman in his arms? ”

Dredge up what’s left of your control, girl. Go on.

The voice was whispering as though it was all it could do to issue the husky warning.

She didn’t want togo on. God, his hands were grasping her hips. But she knew she had to make an attempt. “He could let her go, ” she said into the fraught pause. She couldn’t think straight. Her stomach was doing somersaults in the way of a woman getting ready for a parachute jump.

“I will in a moment. ” He was making best use of that mellifluous mesmerising voice. “It’s just that I have a hunch you badly need kissing. Not now and again, but constantly. I’m good with my hunches. Raise your head, Olivia. Be daring for once in your life. ”

The challenge put her on her mettle. Overbearing, arrogant, incredibly sexy man. He needed putting in his place. “Don’t even think of kissing me, ” she warned in her cut-glass voice.

He pulled back a fraction. “For a goddess to be scared of mortal man? ”

“Scared? Good gracious, I’m not scared ofyou, McAlpine. ” Scared of all the disturbances within her maybe.

“Scared of yourself, then? ”

Spot on.

She threw up her head. “Look, I’m not getting into any situation when I’m forced to spend months with you. ”

His expression was suave. “But my dear Ms Balfour, I wouldn’t dream of taking advantage of you. I’m probably more of a gentleman than your insipid Justin. ”

“He’snot my Justin. ”

“Glad to hear it. I thought he was a real wimp. You deserve a lot more. What we need to find out is what has gone wrong in the past. Why your love affairs haven’t worked. ”

“Youshould talk! ” she shot back, blue eyes flashing.

“I agree. But maybe that’s why I feel foryou. First we need to know whether you can kiss. That’s a start. I have an idea you favour keeping your strawberry lips tightly shut. ”

“Having fun, are we? ” she asked loftily.

“I’m dead serious, Olivia. You’re twenty-eight. High time you were married. I know you want kids. ”

“Surely that’s normal enough, ” she returned with considerable heat. “I’m normal enough. ”

“Let’s find out. ” He moved her in closer.

God, girl! Time to act. Pour scorn on him. Freeze him out.

Hard to freeze anyone when you felt molten. “I’m thinking you’re a shameless man. ”

“For wanting to kiss you? ” His voice deepened.

“Youwant to kiss me? ” She drew in a convulsive breath.

“You’re in my domain. ” He slid his arms down her straight back to her waist.

“I’m well aware of that. But I came here on business, remember? ” What her body desired was way too dangerous.

“Nonsense! Your dad shunted you out of the country. There’s a huge scandal on the front page of the world’s newspapers every other day of the week. You know that as well as I. It’s all part of the media cycle. Illegitimate children abound. Who worries about that any more? Children are a great blessing. Anyway, everyone gets their fifteen minutes of blame. I promise you, Olivia, this little experiment will be painless. ”

She felt maddened by their proximity. “I don’t take kindly to experiments. ”

“Trust me. I’m onyour side. You fascinate me. You did from our first frosty encounter. Of recent times I’ve come to the conclusion you don’t actually knowhow to come down from your pedestal. ”

“And you’re happy to hold the stepladder? ” Her knees were sagging beneath her.

“Well, I’ve had far more experience than you. Why not pass a little of that expertise on. The big plus for me is you have such a beautiful, sensitive mouth. ”

A sound like static was crackling in her ears. “Subtext—I don’t knowhow to use it to kiss? Is that what you’re saying? ” She tried to disengage. Couldn’t. “My answer to your little experiment has to be no, McAlpine. I’m sure you don’t hearno often. This is one of your experiments that won’t work. ”

“Only I’m thinking it will. ” He was holding her as though he relished having her in his arms.

Would you just look at that challenging glint in his golden eyes! Are you going to stand for it?

More likely she was about to cast off her old moral code.

“You’re a seriously arrogant man. ”

“I’m one of the good guys. I’ve suffered, Olivia. Just like you. ”

All ofa sudden her tender heart smote her. She was a woman who took no pleasure in people’s suffering. Even McAlpine. The acknowledgement that he had suffered sent her last defence crashing. Behind the all-conquering male front, he too could be in need of comfort.

Comfort wasn’t what she got. Or gave. Rather a raging excitement. Regrets could come later. She found herself breathing in the scent of him like a woman deprived of an essential powerful aphrodisiac. So extravagant was her reaction to it, she began to lose touch with the world around her. There was no drawing back, no flinching, no timidity—only wave after wave of pleasure. His mouth—such a firm generous mouth—came down on hers not hard or fast, but slowly…slowly…savouring the taste of her as though she was utterly delectable. It was astonishing to experience the wild burst of freedom. No need for him to prise her lips apart with the tip of his tongue. He had instant admittance. She who had earned a reputation for being cold had finally discovered the one man to turn up the heat.

The kisses altered in character…deepened, bringing forth her soft moans. “Your skin is like satin…as cool. ” He turned his ministrations to her face, dragging his mouth across her cheekbones, her cheek, letting his lips trail down the column of her neck. A normal enough communication in lovemaking, only the way he did it was so erotic she had to bite her lips to prevent herself from crying out. The static in her ears was turning into a roar, like waves crashing up against a cliff.

“Clint? ” Her voice quavered. He had to relent or she would be totally seduced.

He kissed her mouth again before answering. “You want me to stop? Or do you want me to really make love to you? ”

She couldn’t mistake the powerful tension in him or his male arousal. He wasn’t nearly as much in command of himself as he might like to think. She reached to grasp his wrist. “What are we doing? ” she asked frantically. This was no experiment. This was full-on sexual passion. “You’re not in love with me. You don’tknow me. I don’t know you. ”

“Then how come we’re doing so astoundingly well? ” He stared challengingly into her eyes. “I don’t play childish kissing games, Olivia. Ido feel something for you. That’s pretty obvious. You feel something for me, so don’t bother to deny it. But you’re right. No seduction scene allowed. Just a sizzle. And I thought I was off women, would you believe? ”

“Men of strong passions don’t go off women, ” she said bluntly, thinking of her father.

Thump…thump…thump. Her heart was drumming so hard she had to hold a hand to it. He had aroused her to such a pitch. And soeasily. God knows what would happen if they ever got into bed.

He released her, holding up his palms in a gesture of surrender. “Well, you’ve certainly mastered the kiss and in only one lesson. What say we try again before we go to be sure? I’m fully aware you’re here on business, only this time give me all you’ve got. ”

Her temper shot up in plumes of flame.

Give it all you’ve got!

She was so furious, shedid.

The second time it was like plunging into a volcano with a billion lava-red stars to light up the darkness. She felt weightless. Except for her breasts that by comparison felt heavy. There was also an intense quivering between her legs, little knifelike plunges. She tried to clench her muscles to make it stop. It only made it worse. The action was painfully and massively erotic. And he was onlykissing her. What if he started working her out of her clothes? What if he started kissing the most erogenous zones of her body? She didn’t know if she could stand the liberation. On the other hand, she was responding like a woman breaking out of a suffocating cocoon.

You were dying for this!

I know.

Only you could be giving your heart away. Remember, Houseman? Give crowns and pounds and guineas but not your heart away.

The abruptness with which he released her was startling. Mercifully he kept a hold on her shoulder because she was swaying like a willow in a high wind.

He gave her a taut half-smile. “That will do for today. Though to my mind, your education is complete. ”

“Well, you’d know, McAlpine. ” Her legs were wobbly, her breath unsteady.

“You can’t manageClint? ”

“McAlpine helps keep me on my guard. ”

“You’ll have to call me Clint when my guests arrive. ” He studied her with interest. Her blue eyes were ablaze, the cool classical features softened into an alluring womanliness. “Better go back to the jeep? ” he said.

Before all control was lost.

She followed his cue, her manner, ludicrously under the circumstances, formal. “Thank you for showing me this wondrous place. ”

“I trust you to come down here by yourself. I’ve accepted your word you’re an experienced rider. ” She would be with her upbringing.

“Nothing to stop you from checking me out. ”

He gave her his hand as the going got rough. “We’ll make it late this afternoon. I can fix you up with the right mount and saddle. I’d like you to wear a hard hat when you’re out. At least until you get to know the terrain. It would take us days to drive around the station. We’ve stayed close in, where I want you to remain. ”

“Your wish is my command. ” He could easily have let her hand go, yet he continued to hold it, smothering her in feeling. “Do you suppose your daughter will like me? ”

“You want her to? ”

“Of course. ” She removed her tingling hand as they reached the top of the slope. “I don’t suppose your exwife will. Mightn’t it be a good idea if I called you Mr McAlpine while she’s around? ”

“We don’t go in for such formality around here, Olivia. Clint is fine. My ex-wife has a new man in her life. With any luck at all she’ll marry him. ”

“Whatis love? ” she asked.

His expression turned bleak. “Whatever it is, Olivia, it’s in pretty short supply. ”

Saturday morning Olivia was up at first light. She was nervous, although she’d had a great team to support her during the week—no lukewarm responses such as she’d been guilty of herself in the past, but enthusiastic approval. It occurred to her she had lived her life encased in her own private space. That wasn’t happening here. The team wanted in. Her “posh” accent brought forth many a chuckle from the house girls, as though she was doing a lot of it for fun.

Bessie came and went as she pleased. She was treated with great respect as befitting a tribal princess. This week she had returned from a painting trip into the desert, presenting Olivia with her first piece of what was a unique blend of aboriginal and western art. The canvas depicted a field of wildflowers, their faces with wonderful definition. Great storm clouds were massed in the background; in the foreground an aboriginal rain maker, naked except for a few strategic feathers, going about his ancient ritual, holding aloft a long stick which Bessie told her was a yamstick, always associated with magical powers.

“Thisis magic, Bessie. ” Olivia felt moved to tears by such a splendid gift.

“Them fellas do the magic. I’ve seen ‘em make rain. The downpours make the desert bloom. All those wildflowers I paint are botanically correct. ”

“I’m sure they are. Thank you so much, Bessie. I love it. I’ll take it home with me when I go. Value it always. ”

“That’s if we let yah escape! ” Bessie gave a big smile, showing her beautiful teeth. “Your heart has opened up, Livvy. You might not get to leave us at all. ”

Again Olivia thought she was privy to a prophecy.

So many times in the past she had been challenged to show off her skills as her father’s hostess. Heaven knows she had done the rounds of all the major social events—the Balfours were invited everywhere—as well as formal and informal dinner parties. She had always felt confident of orchestrating a dinner party for anything up to forty people. She had made it her business to foresee everything her father might want and he was a very exacting man. Which people were fun, interesting, socially connected, influential, including those that were at the top of the political game.

Kath had been a tower of strength, making her famous bitter-chocolate mousse tart which Olivia had pronounced superb at their trial run. There was a time-honoured Moroccan orange tart—almost as delicious—for those who professed to have had their fill of chocolate. Honestly, could that happen? For starters she planned oysters in champagne with caramelised spring onions. For those who didn’t like oysters, there were artichoke hearts with foie gras.

Because she had spent so much time in Morocco and McAlpine knew it well, she and Kath had perfected a tagine of chicken with preserved lemon. It was to be served with piping-hot rice and garnished with tiny sprigs of watercress. She’d had lots of fun choosing the wines from an extensive cellar, of imported and domestic product. Nothing but the best!

Kath had thoroughly enjoyed being put on her mettle. The four house girls, with Bessie making up a highly vocal and sharp observer, were fascinated by the whole procedure. The house was full of the most beautiful flowers. The orchids that had been flown in from Thailand had cost an arm and a leg.

“You’ve got carte blanche! ” McAlpine had assured her before he left.

“You sure know how to do things, Livvy, ” Bessie gazed with pleasure around the formal dining room. “I never seen a dinner table look so beautiful. Clint’s mum and his aunty Buffy are known for their gracious tables. Just between you me and the gatepost, they’ve met their match. ”

Olivia had to blush. The team were so full of unstinting praise. It would be terrible to come a cropper. Especially with the ex-Mrs McAlpine around. “I’m good at some things, Bessie, ” she confided, perfecting the placement of a table setting. “Not terribly good at others. ”

“Get away with yah! ” said Bessie. “All you’ll ever need to be is yahself. ” She rubbed her palms together as though the friction was the first move in creating a spell. “So what are you gunna wear? ” she asked with interest, surveying Olivia’s ultra-slim figure. Olivia was wearing one of her silk shirts with linen trousers, her hair pulled tight off her face into a Grecian knot.

“Lord knows! I may need some advice. ” Bessie had proved herself as a wonderfully artistic person. She had a great eye for colour.

“Just don’t go scraping yah hair back, ” Bessie advised “Not that it ain’t nice. But for evenin’! I just love your hair. When it’s out you look like a princess in a fairy tale. ”

“Except I don’t really go in for glamour, Bessie. ”

“That’s because you’re always hidin’, ” said Bessie. “Yah can’t stifle the person yah really are, Livvy. Not forever. I bin dreaming about yah! ” Bessie’s liquid gaze was deep and mysterious. “I wanna see those dreams come true. ”

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