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'Late twenties Tall, broad, fair' Betsy shrugged, thinking that if she did go out with Joe even once it would ically transform her lie into the truth

Gerinned 'Well, it's about time-'

Rory was frowning 'How uy? There are a lot of creeps out there Be careful,' he urged Betsy

Geh she had been slapped and Betsy could have groaned out loud Gehtest interest in or concern for her sister Bowing her head, Betsy got through the aard silence that followed that co up the pyjama clad toddler who had crept into the roo Snatched up into a cuddle by her fond aunt, the little girl giggled and turned up an entrancing face An adorable enes, Sophie had Rory's dark brown hairblue eyes Soon after the diversion supplied by her niece's entrance, Betsy announced that she 'really had to fly' because she had an early start in the

She had only just got back to her cramped bedsit in Hounslohen her mother phoned her

'Geh a sense of absolute frustration engulfed Betsy at those familiar words she still sat down to dutifully listen

'I shouldn't have gone over for dinner' Betsy sighed 'It just causes friction' -

'There wouldn't be a problem if Rory would just marry your, poor sister,' her mother lamented 'There she is, the n of a wedding ring! Of course she's unhappy They've got their nice apart for?'

Betsy drew in a slow, deep sustaining breathe 'This isn't any of my business, Mum-'

'But you know Rory Bartram better than anyone!' Corinne protested vehe Gemma's heart-'

'Lots of couples live together these days,' Betsy interposed gently

'Rory wasn't planning to h, was he?' Corinne snapped out that rehter's behalf 'Is it any wonder that Gemma feels terribly hurt when she sees the father of her child paying attention to you?'

'He wasn't paying attention to me,' Betsy stressed wearily, but she knew that the older wo All worked up by the spur of a doubtless ehter, Corinne Mitchell was set on having her say about the deficiencies of Gemma's relationship with Rory

It was a familiar pattern and it hurt Betsy a lot that her s Why did she have to be upbraided with the tale of Gemma's problems with Rory? Why was she expected to endure her sister's shrewish co silence? Even less welco bitter note in her mother's voice that implied that it was somehow Betsy's fault that Geht it should be

More andthat when Gemma was annoyed with her she would be shunned by the rest of her family as well It would be quite a feeeks before she heard froain Gemma was very like her mother in looks and personality and Corinne identified closely with Gemma's interests When she was a kid, Betsy had never questioned the reality that her sister two years her junior was the favoured child As a baby, Gemma had had a heart murmur and everybody had fussed over her By the time she'd received a clean bill of health; her parents had been so used to giving her the lion's share of their attention that nothing had changed Betsy's parents simply idolised Gemma and Sophie was the jewel in her sister's crown

In comparison, Betsy had always been a bit of a misfit in the Mitchell family circle Her preferences in clothes and her interests had never been feh to meet with her mother's approval In fact her happiest childhood randfather, who had restored classic cars in his spare tier, she had been a sporty toe had been obsessed with the boys who drove them On that front she had been a shy late developer and intimidated by the success of her kid sister in the sa Gemma when she was only thirteen

Betsy had hteen He had been a friend first, but she had kno she'd felt about hi her out At that point, Betsy killed her forbidden thoughts stone dead That was the past, she reminded h6tse1f sharply Nobody needed to tell her that no ainst his will Nor, she reflected, should she even have been surprised when Rory had fallen for Gemma, as much livelier and sexier That ot into bed

The nextwhen she arrived at work, Joe Tyler was already putting a glea· polish to the bonnet of the car he drove He was a hard worker, she acknowledged grudgingly, and she questioned her own al a little arrogant and conceited, but he was young, attractive and single and she had reat deal less It was only teeks since he had joined the staff at Irousing about the aard hours, the low pay and the de and unappreciative customers In fact, rather like herself, Joe was a loner and ahad it been since she had dated so rather self-consciously closer to the blond man

'You said you would get tickets for the racing at Silverstone, is the offer still open?'

Joe kept on polishing 'Maybe… '

Her ready temper sparked her into embarrassed defensiveness 'Well, when you've made your mind up, tell me But then maybe I'll need-'

'No, you took e hand on her arain 'Offer's still open'

He was built like a rock face and the unease that he had awakened in her before alo into retreat, she ed to s satisfaction he could barely hide If Joe Tyler thought she would be a pushover for hishe was

Six weeks after his previous visit, Cristos flew into London from the South of France

Tiht and handed him a sealed envelope

Cristos raised a questioning brow 'What's this?' 'Spyros Zolottas asked ive it to you before you left the airport'

Cristos pulled out a brash greetings card signed by his cousin 'But it's not my birthday,' he said in bewilderment

Ti Some minutes later, Cristos came to a halt twenty feet away from the limousine that his P A had indicated across the car park His mystification came to a sudden end and was replaced by a raw leap of anticipation He had a photographic memory It was the same car that had been driven by the beautiful redhead he had admired while in his cousin's company more than a month earlier He could not initially credit that Spyros could have come up with such a classy surprise

Tient explanation, 'Your cousin was determined to surprise you He said that he would take responsibility for hiring this particular limo company for the weekend but I didn't feel-'

'No need to hyperventilate,' His elittering over the fe from the driver's seat

Not even the chauffeur's uniform could conceal her essential perfection Slender as a reed with a waist that could not be larger than the span of his two hands, she race of a dancer He pictured her in silk Silk that would slide across her fine skin and feel smooth as satin beneath his hands It did not cross his ht not be able to have her Whenever he wanted a woot Once or twice the strength of his own netic pull with her sex had been a curse when the wives and partners of his friends had given hinals But he had never met with failure

'I should warn you that your security teae in your travel arrangements,' Timon continued anxiously 'There has not even been time to check out this new company'