Second Best Wife Page 4

  'Don't!' she said sharply. 'It isn't necessary for you to put on an act until we're with your friends. You know very well—and so do I—that I wouldn't be here with you tonight if… if…'

  'I take your point,' Adam Lester intervened quietly, 'and I apologise. You're too intelligent to fool, and I should have known better.'

  Her reply was forestalled by their arrival at the Opera House. The downstairs foyer was packed with people, though it was as nothing compared with the aptly named Crush Bar.

  'Is it always like this?' Julia demanded breathlessly, as they squeezed their way up the shallow, carpeted stairs.

  'Usually, and always when it's a gala night—like tonight.'

  'Adam!' Jack Burglass was upon them, rotund and beaming. He gave Julia a swiftly appraising look, but there was no recognition in it, and she hid a smile.

  'You've already met Julia,' Adam said easily.

  'Not me, old chap,' Jack Burglass replied promptly. 'I never forget a beautiful face.'

  'You've forgotten this one, I'm afraid.' Adam put his hand on Julia's arm. 'It was in my office, the other day: behind a notebook and pencil.'

  'Behind a…' Jack gaped and peered closer. 'Good lord! Miss Gosford. I didn't recognise you. You look completely different.'

  'That's not very complimentary,' Adam grinned.

  Jack looked at him reproachfully before smiling at Julia. 'I can see why you don't come to the office dressed like this. If you did, no man would get any work done!'

  'I'd have found it a bit of a problem, I must say,' Adam put in, placing a hand possessively on Julia's arm and drawing her slightly in to his side.

  Julia allowed him to hold her, marvelling that he could put on such an act; for act it definitely was. He should have warned me, she thought irritably, and edged away from him. Jack Burglass noticed it and smiled slyly, and with increasing annoyance Julia knew she had done exactly as Adam had wanted. By playing hard to get, she was making it all too clear why Adam was on the prowl.

  'Come over to the bar,' their host said. 'I've some bubbly on ice.'

  The bar itself was even more crowded than the room around it, and with some difficulty they squeezed their way to the far corner.

  'Erica's here,' Jack murmured to Adam, over his shoulder. 'Have you seen her?'

  'No. Not for a few days. I'll try to have a word with her during the interval.' Adam looked and sounded unperturbed. 'I haven't seen much of her since Kenneth's death.'

  They reached the corner, where Jack's wife Betty, and an American couple, were waiting for them. The Americans, who were both lawyers, were soon engrossed in conversation with Adam, leaving Jack and his wife to talk to Julia.

  'Do you find Adam easy to work for?' Betty Burglass asked. 'I bet he can be quite a tyrant at times.'

  'Only when you don't do as he wants,' Julia smiled. 'But he's trained me well. I've been with him nearly four years, so I know how to cope with all his moods.'

  'Why can't you keep your secretaries that long?' Betty asked her husband.

  'I'm not as good-looking as Adam!' he chuckled.

  Julia was glad when the warning bell rang and they could make their way to their box. She looked around the theatre for a glimpse of Erica, and but even as she espied a pale blonde head, the house lights dimmed and the overture began. From then on, Julia was transported into a magical world, where poverty led to love, and love to exquisite music and song. Roy and his shallow loyalty seemed a million miles away, though the hurt he had caused her returned with painful force when the lights went up at the interval. Quickly she glanced at Adam, her sadness forgotten as she saw it mirrored upon his own face.

  'Don't look like that,' she murmured impulsively. 'No person is worth it.'

  'That doesn't ease the pain,' he said, leading her out of the box to the Crush Bar.

  He appeared to have changed his mind about speaking to Erica, and remained beside Julia for the entire interval, talking to her with an intensity which the rest of the party noticed. Once again she was irritated by his assumption that she would play along with him, but compassion for him made her do it; aided by the romantic music she had just heard and the champagne she was drinking.

  It was after one o'clock when Adam finally dropped her outside her home, having dismissed Parsons once he had met them with the car outside the Opera House.

  'It's been a wonderful evening for me,' she said. 'I'm glad you invited me.'

  'It was Jack's evening really,' he smiled. 'But perhaps next time you'll let it be mine?'

  'Will there be a next time, Mr Lester?'

  'Mr Lester?' he echoed. 'What's happened to Adam?'

  'It's after midnight,' Julia replied, 'and I'm changing back to Cinderella.' Suddenly recollecting how that story had ended, she said hastily: 'What I mean is that the play has ended and we're returning to the status quo.'

  'Hardly,' he said with a faint smile. 'Julia of the long red hair can never go back to being the prim Miss Gosford. Anyway, I thought you were giving up that disguise?'

  'I'm getting cold feet.'

  'Then plunge right in,' he ordered. 'It's the only way.'

  Julia watched him run down the steps to his car, and only when he had driven away did she close her front door. What an unpredictable man he was: combining warmth with aloofness; hardheadedness with sentimentality, though admittedly the sentimentality was rarely shown.

  As she prepared for bed, she wondered why she had continued working for him for so long. He was not the easiest of employers and she had received many other offers—quite a few from his clients who, impressed by her efficiency, would have paid her considerably more than she was getting. But she had turned them all down without thought, and only at this moment did she find herself wondering why. She supposed it was because working for Adam was exhilarating. He gave all his cases a sense of urgency which prevented one's interest from flagging. And he was also appreciative when you used your initiative and things went well, rewarding you not only with a bonus, but with the time he took to tell you personally how well he liked what you had done.

  Slipping on her nightdress, Julia snuggled between the sheets. She was as wide awake as a cricket, and knew that sleep was a long way away. Curiosity to know the reason for Adam's estrangement from Erica Dukes stirred her imagination, for his attachment to the woman had lasted longer than any of the others she could remember in all the years she had worked for him. When she had first become his secretary, he had changed girl-friends as frequently as she herself changed shorthand notebooks, and every single female in the office had done her best to catch his eye. But to no avail; the one rule Adam Lester never broke was to mix business with pleasure.

  Until tonight, that was. Julia pulled a face. Not that Adam's evening with her had been all that much of a pleasure for him, regardless of how charmingly he had pretended it was. He had taken her out in order for it to get back to the lovely Erica, and it would be as well to remember it. She cast her mind back to Erica's entry into her employer's life. Kenneth Dukes had been his client for many years and, until two years ago, had been a frequent visitor to the office. Then his health had declined and he had spent most of his time in the country, since when Adam had started to see Erica.

  It had begun as a mild flirtation, and Julia had been given the task of buying flowers for him to send to her. This soon changed, and he started to choose the flowers himself—a sure sign of his deepening interest. But now it seemed as though the affair was over, and Julia wondered if it was because Erica had expected Adam to marry her when her husband had died, and he had refused. Yet if this were the case, why was he depressed? Could his unhappiness be due to the fact that he wanted to carry on living with Erica as before, but that she wouldn't agree? The more Julia thought about it, the more puzzling it became, and she decided that though she knew a great deal about her employer's working life, she was completely mystified when it came to his emotional one.

  Entering the office next morning, she felt slightly embarrassed. But
Adam's greeting was so natural that she soon, lost her shyness, and within moments was taking dictation in her usual efficient manner, once more the perfect secretary.

  'Do the letters right away,' he concluded, leaning back in his chair and looking at her. 'And as soon as I've signed them, have them delivered by hand.'

  'They should be ready in an hour.'

  He nodded, and Julia went out, feeling vaguely let down. She had been waiting to hear if he would call her Julia or Miss Gosford, and had ruefully noticed that he had carefully avoided using either, which still left her in a state of uncertainty.

  She returned with the letters within the hour, as promised. Adam was finishing a telephone conversation, and she knew from his tone that he was speaking to Erica Dukes. As he put down the receiver and took the folder from her, she was even more certain of it, for his face was flushed and looked angry. Quickly he scrawled his signature and handed her back the folder.

  'When you've given the letters to Parsons, come back in here,' he said abruptly. 'I want to talk to you.'

  Julia nodded and, having found the chauffeur, returned to Adam Lester's room. He was still at his desk, and looked in no better frame of mind. The lovely widow certainly had it in her power to anger him.

  'Take a chair,' he said abruptly, 'and put away your notebook.'

  Julia complied, then waited for him to speak. But he remained silent, staring into space, as if he had forgotten that anyone was in the room with him. He really was good-looking, she thought, eyeing him dispassionately, and with his charm and intelligence, was capable of breaking many hearts.

  'I've something to ask you, Julia.' Adam Lester finally spoke, the sharpness of his tone startling. 'It's about…' He paused, biting his lower lip with his strong white teeth, and frowning deeply, as if all the cares of the world had been thrust upon his shoulders. 'It concerns Mrs Dukes,' he went on. 'I've just been speaking to her, and she told me that the newspapers have discovered the terms of her husband's will.'

  'That doesn't surprise you, does it?' Julia commented. 'I mean, they were bound to ferret it out. After all, Mr Dukes was very rich and used to enjoy publicity when he was younger. He must have known the papers would try to create a last story around him.'

  'Yes… well, you're probably right. I daresay he did know—and was looking forward to it.' Again Adam paused, his anger replaced by embarrassment, which sat oddly on his saturnine face. 'I'd better tell you the whole story, since it happens to be connected with something else I wish to say.' He twirled a gold pen between his long, slim fingers. 'Dukes left his wife the bulk of his fortune on condition that she does not remarry for four years. If she does, she loses the lot.'

  'Good heavens!' Julia had never liked Erica, but this act from the grave seemed unnecessarily cruel. 'Did Mrs Dukes have any idea he was contemplating such a thing?'

  'No, definitely not. Their marriage ceased to mean anything to either of them years ago, but they remained excellent friends. He also made a point of telling her— and his children too—that he didn't want them to mourn him. He said he'd had a good innings and he wanted his family to enjoy the rest of their lives.'

  'He seems to have changed his mind as far as his wife is concerned,' Julia murmured, and was convinced this was the reason for Adam Lester's unhappiness. He had wanted marriage; after years of playing the field he had finally succumbed—the only pity being that it was to such an unworthy subject. But the subject, unhappily for him, was unwilling to forgo her husband's fortune.

  'I was hoping to marry Mrs Dukes,' Adam said quietly. 'But—well, now you know why I shan't.'

  'She turned you down because of the money?' Julia asked boldly.

  'Yes. It was a lot to expect her to give up.'

  'But you're not exactly on the breadline!'

  'Compared with Dukes' millions, I am,' Adam said abruptly, and fell silent again.

  'Why are you telling me all this, Mr Lester?' Julia asked, using his surname deliberately.

  He did not answer.

  'There must be a reason,' she persisted.

  'Yes, there is.' Adam slid his chair towards the window. The sun poured straight down on to his head, making his hair gleam like jet, though the light made it difficult for Julia to read his expression.

  'Since Kenneth Dukes' death,' he continued, 'all my friends have been expecting us to announce our engagement. When the details of Dukes' will become known— plus the fact of Erica not agreeing to marry me—you can imagine what a fool I'll look.'

  'I don't see why. Quite a few of your friends will think she's being very intelligent about it.'

  'Because she shows she loves her late husband's money more than she loves me? I'm not a pauper, for God's sake! Certainly I've more than enough money to keep a woman happy, no matter how extravagant her tastes.'

  Since the woman he loved had made it unmistakably clear that she did not happen to agree with him, Julia saw silence as being the best kind of diplomacy.

  'I know what you're thinking,' he said flatly, 'so don't just sit there like a dummy!'

  Annoyed, Julia spoke. 'Do you want me to say I think Mrs Dukes is behaving despicably?'

  'If that's what you think, then yes.'

  'Well, I do think it,' Julia retorted, still stung by his attitude. 'And I also think you were blind not to have seen what she was like months ago. You may be a sensational judge of character in your professional life, Mr Lester, but in your personal one you're a disaster!'

  A wry expression crossed Adam's face. 'You don't pull your punches, do you?'

  'It must be something I learned from you.'

  'I'm glad of it. Because at least now I can be equally blunt.' His pause was momentary: only enough to draw a deep breath. 'I don't like being made to look a fool—and as you've rightly said, that's exactly what I've been. But I can still remedy the position—if you'll help me.'

  'I'll do anything I can. You know that.'

  'Even to marrying me?'

  Julia's eyes widened and she found it impossible to speak.

  'Marry me,' Adam reiterated. 'If you are my wife, everyone will think Erica was merely another of my girlfriends—no more important than any of the others.'

  Still Julia was too stunned to reply. Had this idea been in the back of Adam Lester's mind when he had invited her to the opera last night, or had it only occurred to him after this last telephone call from Erica Dukes? But whenever he had thought of it, to do as he asked was out of the question.

  'Well?' he said. 'You're not usually at a loss for words.'

  'I am now,' she muttered. 'And a good thing, too. Otherwise I might say something I'd regret.'

  'Why are you so angry? What's wrong with my proposal?'

  'What's wrong with it? Good heavens! I'm not a robot who'll do exactly as the great Adam Lester commands. Marriage isn't a business contract to me, and—'

  'I'm sorry you feel insulted,' he cut in, though he did not look in the least sorry, merely surprised. 'Be sensible, Julia. Surely you can see my proposal has many merits. After all, you've also been disappointed in love, so you can't pretend you're starry-eyed about it. Or are you still waiting for Mr Right to come along?'

  His question reminded Julia of the agony she had endured over Roy, and she shook her head emphatically.

  'Well then,' Adam continued, 'what's wrong with a businesslike marriage? I think it has as much chance of succeeding—probably even more—than many that are entered into when blinded by passion.'

  Julia could not deny this, and as her anger cooled she began to understand the reason for Adam's proposal, and to see some merit in it. Being Mrs Adam Lester had much to commend it from a material point of view—except that she wasn't sufficiently materialistic to consider it from this angle. Of course it also had merit on another plane too; for physically he was a strikingly handsome man who knew how to make a woman feel wanted.

  Angry at where her thoughts were taking her, Julia frowned. The proposal was outlandish and she should turn it down out of hand
.

  'Mrs Dukes might still change her mind,' she said quietly. 'You'd be furious if you then found yourself tied to somebody else.'

  'I've no intention of waiting for her to have second thoughts—which is exactly what my friends will expect.'

  'So you think that if you marry someone else they'll realise you weren't in love with Mrs Dukes?'

  'Not if I marry any woman,' he said, 'only you.' Adam slid his chair towards his desk so that he could rest his elbows on it. His jacket was unbuttoned to reveal his expensive blue silk shirt, the material of which rippled to show the muscles on his chest. 'If I were to marry you, everyone will think we kept our relationship secret to avoid gossip in the office. It would also explain why I let my name be linked with another woman.'

  'Mrs Dukes being the cover, instead of the other way around?'

  'It makes sense, don't you think?'

  'Only up to a point. I mean, if you'd really loved me, you'd have married me before.'

  'Perhaps I wasn't ready to commit myself. There are any number of reasons why I'd want to keep our affair under wraps until we'd both decided exactly what we wanted to do, and Erica was a wonderful way of doing it.'

  'Even to the extent of going to bed with her?' Julia asked flatly.

  'These days, men aren't faithful until they've actually decided on marriage.'

  'And not even then,' Julia retorted. 'Your friends will really think I'm a first class idiot to be your part-time girl-friend and let you wander away whenever the fancy took you.'

  'I don't see why. As I've just said, neither of us was totally sure, and until we were, we played it the modern way.'

  'As you're so modern,' said Julia, 'why are you insisting on marriage? With Mrs Dukes, I mean.'

  'Because I won't live with a woman for four years and take second place to her first husband's money. I'm also thirty-five, Julia. I want children while I'm still young enough to enjoy them.'

  It was the first time Julia had heard Adam talk of children, yet it did not surprise her that he wanted his own. A man so concerned with his public image would wish to have children to carry on his name.