Whatever was wrong, she wanted to put it right for him, just as he had put so much right for her. For better or for worse, she loved David Hartley. There were still difficulties to overcome or to negotiate around before she could feel completely satisfied with their relationship, but she had no doubt left in her mind that he was the man she wanted in her life.
The cold light of battle in his eyes suddenly flared into a blazing furnace of fury. ‘I am well aware that I’m an uninvited guest at this feast, Caitlin. A gatecrasher who turned out to be useful. Too useful to spurn.’
Caitlin’s heart contracted. Had her mother attacked him? ‘David, I’m not spurning you,’ she cried. Surely their kiss in the pantry was evidence enough of that.
‘You did this morning, Caitlin. And who do you suppose has just walked in to join the party?’
‘I don’t know.’
‘He came h
ere, Caitlin. He came to your parents’ home. Expecting you to be here. As you are.’
‘I don’t know what you’re talking about, David?’
‘Then let me refresh your memory. The man who stole my patents. The man who cheated his way into becoming my biggest competitor. The man who got to the German delegation before they came to me...’
He punched the words at her in seething accusation. She stared back at him in pained bewilderment, her brains scrambled with the implications of what he was saying.
‘So tell me, Caitlin...what the hell is Michael Crawley doing at your parents’ thirtieth wedding anniversary party?’
She had no idea. None at all. As far as she knew, Michael Crawley had no connection whatsoever with her family. She herself had never spoken a word to the man. She had only seen him once when she had accompanied David to a preliminary court hearing on the litigation between the two parties.
Like David, he was in his early thirties. He had left Caitlin with the impression of a very slick operator, with the morals of an alley cat. He was quite a handsome man and well aware of it. Caitlin hadn’t liked his eyes. They seemed to be constantly calculating his effect on others.
‘Well?’ David prompted tersely.
How could she explain the inexplicable? Before she could think of a word to say, another voice intervened.
‘Ah, there you are, Caitlin! My Valentine!’
Caitlin goggled at Michael Crawley. He stepped out of the lounge-room, into the foyer where she and David were standing, and didn’t so much as hesitate in coming straight to her side, smiling at her as though they shared some special, private secret.
‘Everything turned out wonderfully well, Caitlin,’ he said in a tone of warm intimacy. ‘I’ve been with the Germans all afternoon, thanks to you, my sweet.’
‘You piece of slime!’ David sliced at him.
Crawley laughed. ‘You’ve never been a good loser, have you, Hartley?’ He leaned closer to Caitlin and sniffed. ‘Not wearing my perfume. I thought Beautiful was perfect for you.’
Caitlin was completely dumbstruck. She couldn’t believe what was happening.
‘I’ll buy you some more tomorrow. Anything you like,’ Crawley went on good-humouredly. ‘More roses, as well. Jenny said you didn’t take them with you.’
Jenny? Jenny Ashton? Was she in on this...this...? Caitlin couldn’t find a word for it.
‘Caitlin?’ David bit out.
She looked at him in helpless appeal, appalled by the credibility Crawley was evoking with facts she couldn’t dispute. The Germans, the perfume, the roses...it added up to a damning indictment of duplicity on her part.
David’s eyes seared hers with burning questions. Caitlin didn’t know how to begin to answer them. All she could think of was she was innocent.
‘Let me give you a tip, old boy,’ Crawley drawled condescendingly. ‘If you want to keep a woman, don’t take her for granted. And if you’ve been running after Caitlin today, you’ve left your run too late. Why don’t you trot on home now? You are...shall we say...yesterday’s man?’
‘Is this true, Caitlin?’ David grated.
‘No!’ she cried, finally finding voice. ‘David, I swear it isn’t!’
Crawley turned to her in exasperation. ‘Don’t tell me you’ve changed your mind again. What’s he been promising you? More money?’ His voice hardened. ‘You can’t play both ends against the middle, Caitlin. Besides...’ his eyes glittered mockingly at David ‘...I doubt Hartley will forgive your disloyalty to him.’