Act of Betrayal Read Online Free PDF Page B

when I dropped it.'
    'Right,' he said unemotionally. 'And I assumed you might need it
    at some time.' 'It could have waited,' she said. 'You could have
    given it to Fergie—my uncle's secretary. Anyway, thank you.'
    'Graciously spoken,' Jason approved sardonically. He sat down at
    the other end of the sofa, leaning back, very much at his ease.
    'Well, aren't you going to pour the tea?' She shrugged. 'I'm sure
    Celia would prefer to do that. She's the hostess here, after
    all.' 'And you're what? The skivvy? The Cinderella of the
    establishment, with that lipstick the nineteen eighties
    equivalent of the glass slipper?' She bit her lip. 'Please don't
    be ridiculous. And don't—don't judge by appearances either. I'm
    glad to do anything I can for Uncle Martin. It's the least I can
    offer in exchange for a roof over my head.' 'You had a roof over
    your head,' he said softly. 'A perfectly adequate one—although
    not admittedly as flash as this.' He looked around, his lips
    curling slightly. 'What charming decor? Your choice?' He knew
    perfectly well that it wasn't, she thought stormily. On one of
    their few visits to his house during their brief marriage, she'd
    told him how much she loved the quiet charm of this room, with
    the pale silk wallpaper and faded chintzes which had furnished it
    then. She said quietly, 'It was time for a change.' 'A telling
    phrase,' he said cynically, and the colour ran into her face. She
    leaned forward and began to pour the tea, praying that her hand
    wouldn't shake and betray her. 'And not the only change,' he
    added. 'There's also yourself. You've allowed yourself to become
    a shadow, instead of the flesh and blood I remember. If I painted
    you now, what would there be just a soft blur in the background?'
    'You still paint?' To her annoyance, the question was out before
    she could prevent it. 'Sometimes.' He sent her a cool smile as he
    took the cup from her. ' If I can find a subject which appeals to
    me. I have to be more selective these days, now that my time is
    limited.' Underneath her confusion of anger and anxiety, she was
    conscious of the stirrings of regret. He'd been a truly talented
    painter, and his work had just started to sell, even though he'd
    refused to compromise his arresting, almost violent style. He'd
    believed in himself, and in his work, and it seemed impossible
    that now he'd relegated it to the role of a hobby, to be pursued
    in whatever leisure he allowed himself. As if he could read her
    thoughts, he said, 'It was time for a change,' mocking her with
    her own words. She drew a breath. 'And the change was Tristan
    Construction? How did that come about?' 'Through the death of my
    father,' he said expressionlessly. 'The company belonged to him.'
    She swallowed. I..I didn't know. I'm sorry.' 'Are you, Laura? I
    can't imagine why. You never knew him. In fact, you didn't even
    believe he existed.' She was suddenly and chillingly aware of the
    anger in him, the violence just below the surface. She said
    tightly, ' I had good reason-if you remember.' 'Yes, I remember,'
    he said too ggntly. 'Every detail of the whole bloody mess is
    indelibly engraved on my memory, darling, believe me.' 'You both
    look very fierce,' Celia said from the doorway. 'Would you rather
    throw this cup than drink out of it?' Laura said levelly, 'I'd
    really prefer to do neither. So, if you'll both excuse me.'
    She got up, and he watched her, his mouth smiling, but his eyes
    grim. He said, 'Until later then.' 'Later,' she repeated. 'The
    drinks party, sweetie,' Celia chirped. 'For the Tristan
    executives. I've decided to do my bit for Caswells at last.
    Aren't you pleased?' 'Over the moon,' Laura said wildly,
    wondering why Celia hadn't been strangled at birth. Celia pouted
    prettily. 'Laura's always telling me I don't take sufficient
    interest in the company. But all that's going to change from now
    on.' She sent him a mischievously provocative look from under her
    lashes. 'In fact, I'm