Page 39 (1/2)

'The hell you aren't! Did you bring your lover here, to flaunt in my face? Let me in' It was the merest of courtesies, because they both knew she couldn't stop him

He stood in the s in a predatory sweep 'Where is he, Clare?'

'You have no right—'

'I told you the rules No visitors'

'You're visiting,' she pointed out, edging towards the bed as hebetween David and the lump under the covers

He looked at her, flushed and nervous, backing away fro the sheerness of the French silk His set to police them In the closet?' He matched the sudden de open the door of the built-in wardrobe If Clare hadn't been so angry and offended, she would have laughed

'You'rea coe of the bed and felt behind her to pull up the sheet she had turned down earlier, but she had forgotten the mirror on the wall by the closet David turned and in two strides was towering over her, reaching past her to rip the sheet back down

He stared at the bright, enquiring brown eyes, as dark as his own, looking up at him from the pillow For a full thirty seconds he stared in silencer Then he looked at Clare, whose pretended nonchalance was ruined by her hectic colour and quivering mouth

He sat down beside her on the bed and placed the teddy bear on to his knees The bear earing striped pyjaram embroidered on the jacket

'J' David traced the thread 'Nohat could that stand for I wonder? John? Jake? Joseph?'

Clare averted her face David's voice was very soft, very controlled Dangerously so She sensed that to laugh or to taunt hie And he aiting, wanting to be pushed…

'Or… could it be… Julian?' The softness congealed into a thin sheet of ice 'Aren't you going to introduce me to your… friend, Clare?'

Clare risked a tiny step on to the slick surface 'It's not really ave it to me'

'To keep you company?'

'S-soone David was stroking the bear's soft hand, and the way his fingers slid through the silky fur was unnervingly evocative