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‘I’m not here to be entertained, Mum,’ Megan chided. ‘I’m here to work now.’
‘You’re sure there’s no chance of them taking you back at the hospital?’
‘Not unless that boy tells them the truth. And as he’s already left the hospital I don’t think there’s any likelihood of that.’ Besides, Roddy’s attitude this morning to her dismissal had pointed to him not giving a damn.
‘It’s such a shame,’ her mother frowned. ‘You’ve wanted to be a nurse ever since you were a little girl.’
‘Yes,’ Megan agreed grimly. ‘Still,’ she added brightly, ‘we can’t have everything we want in life. And maybe now that I’m home I can be of some help to Brian.’
‘Field work isn’t for a girl, Megan. What we need is another man.’
‘Well, you’ll just have to take what you can get,’ Megan told her lightly, ‘and that’s me!’
‘You haven’t thought any more about selling to Mr Towers?’
Her mouth tightened. ‘I don’t need to think about it. I wouldn’t sell to him if I were destitute.’
‘We aren’t far off that,’ sighed her mother.
‘Don’t be silly,’ Megan said briskly. ‘All it needs is hard work and—–’
‘And don’t you think Brian has been working hard?’ her usually even-tempered mother became angry. ‘Do you think we both haven’t? But it isn’t enough. We can’t manage any more.’
‘But if I—–’
‘It isn’t enough, Megan,’ her mother repeated firmly. ‘Your father left the farm and land between the three of us, but I don’t think he intended for it to be a millstone around our necks. He knew I’d always have a home with your Aunt Rose, as soon as I’d got you two children off my hands, of course, and—–’
‘Thanks!’ Megan said dryly.
‘Well, I expect you’ll get married one day.’
‘I expect.’
Her mother gave her an impatient look. ‘Well, you will, you’re a beautiful girl—even if I do say so myself.’
‘Dad always said I got my beauty from you,’ Megan smiled mischievously.
Her mother blushed. ‘So he did,’ she agreed in a choked voice. ‘Anyway, I’m sure your father intended for us to sell the farm back to Mr Towers, in fact he said as much before he died. He wanted us to use the money as we wanted. Oh, I know Brian wanted to give it a year’s trial, see how he managed.’ She sighed. ‘I think it’s pretty obvious that he can’t manage at all.’
‘So you want to sell?’ Megan asked dully.
‘I do,’ her mother nodded. ‘And I think Brian would too if he could find himself a job in this area. Joyce wouldn’t want to move too far away from her parents.’
Joyce was Brian’s girl-friend of two years, and they were pla
‘I think you should talk this over with Brian, Megan,’ her mother advised.
‘Maybe I will, Mum. Later, perhaps.’ If Brian really wanted to sell she would have no choice but to agree. But to sell out to Rome—Jerome Towers, that she wouldn’t like.
She was still thoughtful when she met Roddy Meyers later that afternoon, although his triumphant smile made her burn with anger and her eyes glow a deep sparkling green. ‘You needn’t look so pleased with yourself,’ she snapped as he handed her into the low dark green sports car. ‘I’m not here through choice,’ she added moodily, resisting the impulse to turn and look at The Towers, telling herself she didn’t really want to catch a glimpse of Jerome Towers.
Roddy turned to grin at her. ‘But you are here.’
‘Yes!’ Megan snapped.
He accelerated the car out on to the narrow, winding road. ‘Where shall we go?’
‘Here is far enough, I think,’ she told him rigidly. ‘I only agreed to meet you so that I can tell you I won’t be forced into meeting you again.’
‘Forced, Megan?’ He raised one blond eyebrow.
‘Yes, forced! You knew I wouldn’t want your brother to hear about the trouble I had at the hospital, that I wouldn’t want anyone to know,’ she added hastily as she saw the speculative look in his eyes.
‘But you specifically mentioned Rome,’ he said thoughtfully. ‘Why him especially?’
‘I only mentioned him because he happened to be the witness to your blackmail,’ she said awkwardly. ‘I like your brother even less than I like you—and we both know my feelings towards you.’
They were still driving, the high hedges making it impossible for them to see anything but the road in front of them. It gave them an intimacy Megan found irksome.
‘You looked like another of the fatalities to Rome’s charm to me,’ Roddy scorned. ‘You hated him seeing you in my arms.’
‘I hated being in your arms,’ she corrected forcefully. ‘Your brother’s presence there was irrelevant.’
‘You’re a liar, Megan Finch,’ Roddy told her harshly. ‘I don’t know what it is about Rome, but the women go down like ninepins whenever he’s around.’
‘My mother tells me he has a girl-friend in London.’ In which case he had no right to have asked her out—even if he had changed his mind.
‘She must mean Stella,’ Roddy said knowingly. ‘She’s been Rome’s woman for over a year now.’
‘His woman!’ Megan spluttered. ‘My God, what a charming description,’ she said disgustedly.
‘But a true one. Stella wouldn’t mind, she likes being his woman. She would probably like to be his wife too, but Rome doesn’t go in for permanent relationships.’
‘A year sounds pretty permanent to me.’
‘And me,’ Roddy gri
‘He sounds a right swine,’ and she was well out of the situation! thought Megan.
‘I’m his one weak spot,’ Roddy told her with satisfaction. ‘Rome can see no wrong in his little brother.’
‘Meaning?’ her eyes narrowed suspiciously.
‘Meaning that even if you told him the truth about what had happened at the hospital he wouldn’t believe you. Rome’s opinion of women isn’t too hot.’
‘You mean he’s never caught you in a compromising situation, never caught you trying to force some other poor girl into bed with you?’ Megan scorned him, angry with both men. ‘Not even Patsy?’ she asked softly.
Hot colour stained his cheeks. ‘What do you know about her?’
‘I know that she’s newly married, that she’s frightened to work at the house while you’re there. What did you do to the poor girl?’
‘Nothing,’ he said moodily. ‘And I don’t see that it’s any of your business anyway.’
Megan shook her head. ‘Why don’t you choose a woman who’s attracted to you in return?’
‘Who says she isn’t?’ he asked sneeringly.
‘I do. Patsy’s only been married six months, I doubt she’s interested in extra-marital affairs just yet.’
Roddy gave an unpleasant smile. ‘Every woman is interested in an affair, married or not.’
‘The trouble with you, Roddy,’ Megan taunted, ‘is that you think every girl is playing hard to get. Well, I wasn’t, and I’m still not interested. Now I won’t tell your brother anything about you, Roddy, if you don’t tell him anything about me. I think it’s a case of mutual silence.’
‘Maybe,’ he agreed consideringly. ‘Does that mean you aren’t going to go out with me?’
‘It means,’ she controlled her anger with difficulty, ‘that I want you to stay away from me. You’ve already ruined my career, I don’t want you to do any more damage to my life. No one knows, not my family or anyone, that you’re the man involved in my dismissal. I’d like it to stay that way. Will it?’
‘I suppose so,’ he gave a grudging nod.
Megan heaved an inward sigh of relief; one of her problems was solved at least. ‘Right, well you can take me back now.’
Roddy gave her a sulky look. ‘You could at least go out with me now you’re here.’