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answer depends on just how much you love your brother.'
And there he had her. She had nowhere else to go. It was either do as he
suggested, or see her brother deteriorate before her eyes. She loved him too
much to do that, so she had no choice.
'You're despicable! How can you call yourself a friend?' she choked.
'Is that a yes or a no, Kate?'
'You know it's yes,' she muttered thickly. 'If you give me the money, I
promise to... meet you whenever you say.'
The hands on her arms urged her upwards and turned her to face him. 'Oh,
no. The money comes afterwards, Kate. Of course I trust you, but people can
be forgetful. So, we have a deal,' he declared with satisfaction. 'All the best
bargains are sealed with a kiss,' he added, and brought his head down.
If she hadn't given her word, she would have run like mad. Honour kept her
there although the lips that claimed hers so greedily made her flesh crawl,
especially when his tongue insinuated its way between her teeth. Revolted,
she only prayed she could bear it as long as necessary.
Although she hadn't responded, he seemed satisfied when he released her. 'I
think we'll be more comfortable upstairs, don't you?' he suggested throatily.
There was nothing else for her to do except allow him to lead her back to the
hall, and the stairway that led upwards into darkness. Coldness invaded her
as she mounted them by his side, feeling as if she was going to her own
execution. But she didn't falter, just kept on going, blanking her mind of all
thought except that she was doing this for Philip.
What took place behind the closed door of his bedroom was a nightmare.
She refused to relax or respond, giving him no encouragement, but she was
unable to detach her mind from what happened to her body. He wasn't
brutal, just uncaring of her unresponsiveness or her innocence. Calling her
his 'little cat', he was not satisfied until long into the night, and by then she
was no longer innocent in mind or body. She felt degraded sullied by a lust
that sought pleasure and didn't care if it gave none in return.
Worse, though, followed.
He watched her as she slid from the bed to dress, and when she turned to him
and asked for the money, he laughed in her face. 'Did you seriously think I
would hand over that sort of money for the pleasure of your body, delectable
though it was?' He lay there against the pillows, sheet pulled negligently
across his hips, and informed her just how ridiculously naive he found her. 'I
wouldn't give it to you, even if I could, little cat.'
If she had had a knife in that moment, she would have driven it into his lying
heart. 'You're beneath contempt! If it's the last thing I do, I'll make you sorry
for this, Aidan Crawford!' she swore in bitterness and hatred...
Kate came back to the present to find her cheeks wet with tears. She wiped
them away with fingers that shook. 'He just lay there and laughed at me,' she
added in a painful whisper. 'He just laughed.'
In the silence that fell, she waited for Aidan's response, but none came. She
looked at him anxiously. Did he believe her? She couldn't tell. His head was
lowered, but his hands were curled into fists on his knees. As if feeling her
eyes on him, his head came up, and she breathed in sharply at the pain and
anger in his face.
'Oh, Kate, what can I say? Sorry is too bloody inadequate! When I think...'
He halted abruptly, swallowing, then jumped to his feet and paced away to
the dresser. The tension in him was awesome as he crashed his fist against
the top. 'This time, by God, he's gone too far!' he declared through gritted
teeth, then suddenly he headed for the door.
Eyes wide, Kate swung her legs to the floor. 'Where are you going?'
He didn't miss his step. 'To find my brother and do something I should have
done a long time ago!' he flung over his shoulder, and disappeared out into
the passage.
Kate's heart thumped wildly as she followed him. At the door she heard his
descent of the stairs, and by the time she reached them she could hear angry
voices coming from below. She froze then, one foot hovering on the top
step. Then there was a startled yell and the sound of furniture breaking
followed by a sudden silence. Her hand flew to her lips as she watched
Aidan appear in the hall, one hand massaging the other.
She must have made some noise, for he looked up sharply. The look on his
face was one of grim satisfaction. Slowly he mounted the stairs towards her,
stopping when they were level.
'Andrew has decided not to stay after all,' he said drily.
Reeling a little, Kate's eyes dropped to his hand. She took it between hers,
thumb rubbing softly over bruised knuckles. 'Then you did believe me?'
His free hand came out to draw her close. 'Oh, yes. Can you ever forgive us
for what you went through?'
'Can you forgive me?' she countered, voice muffled by his shoulder. Beneath
her cheek his chest heaved.
'You have nothing to reproach yourself for, Kate. There's nothing to forgive.'
He eased away a little to gaze down at her. 'I wish there were something I
could do to wipe away the past completely,' he sighed.
Kate shivered. 'I just want to forget. To put it behind me once and for all.'
He stared at her, a strange expression in his eyes. 'Can you, Kate?' he asked
gently.
A little shaken, she thought she understood. 'I...don't know,' she said
honestly.
With a wry smile Aidan turned her about and, still with his arm around her,
urged her back to their room. Kate's eye fell on the bed immediately and she
went across to smooth it out and turn the covers back. Aidan watched her in
silence for a moment then with a sigh he went to collect his robe from the
chair.
'I think we both need some sleep before we make any decisions,' he offered
evenly.
It was the lack of tone that made Kate look up with a frown. 'Do we have any
decisions to make?' she questioned, surprised.
'I think so. That's why I intend to sleep in the spare room tonight.'
The statement fell into the pool of silence and sent ripples through the room,
and Kate. She tensed.
'You don't have to.'
Aidan half smiled. 'Oh, but I do. Don't worry, I won't be far away if you need
me. But I very much doubt you'll be having the nightmares any more. So,
sleep well, Kate, and I'll see you in the morning.'
Before she could even start to find the words to argue, he was gone, shutting
the door softly behind him. Slowly she sank down on the bed, eyes still on
the door. Why had he done that? Why had he gone? A horrible idea came to
her. He had said she need not blame herself, but perhaps he couldn't stomach
the thought of her with his brother. Had his kindness hidden a disgust of her
now?
Painful fingers tightened about her heart. That had to be it. What other
explanation could there be? She felt crushed, for how could she fight that?
Yet she must, because she loved him too much to allow Andrew to come
between them any more. But what to do? What to do?
The question battered her mind long after she had changed and climbed into
bed. But it was hard to think when the bed felt cold and empty without Aidan
beside her. Finally, in desperation, she reached for his pillow, dragging it
into her arms and holding it tight. His scent lingered there, and she squeezed
her eyes to hold back foolish tears and buried her face in it.
Eventually she fell asleep like that, heart aching and no nearer a solution
than before.
CHAPTER TEN
KATE stood at the kitchen window, a steaming mug of coffee clasped in her
hands. She felt chilled, although the room was warm. Nor was it the snow
gently falling beyond the glass that made her shiver. It was the man slowly
making his way up to the house. There was a set to his shoulders that made
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