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‘If couldn’t trust my own instincts or judgement where you were concerned,’ he said, seeming satisfied by her stunned silence. ‘How could I trust you? I felt furious, betrayed…but I was excited, too. I wanted it to be you, because it would licence me to act on my passions in the cause of natural justice…’
‘I—you…I don’t know what you expect me to say…’ she stammered, intensely flustered.
‘Should I send you some more roses?’ he murmured, removing his spectacles to bare his black-eyed gaze.
‘No!’ She couldn’t help thinking of what had happened the last time he had taken off his glasses. ‘No…’
‘You were equally quick to think badly of me, so in a sense we’re even,’ he slyly pointed out.
‘I had the better reason,’ she flashed. ‘And Neville said—’
‘Ah, Neville.’ He cut her off, his expression suddenly shuttered. ‘I don’t doubt my dear cousin cast me in a rather unflattering light…’
The full implications of what he had said were only now beginning to sink in. Rachel stared sightlessly at the notes in her hand. ‘I—why are you so willing to trust me now?’
Annoyed by the husky tenor of her voice, she looked up at him, hardening her expression. He needn’t think that just because he had confessed to being dangerously attracted, she would overlook everything that he had said and done. ‘And why should I believe what you tell me?’
‘Perhaps because we both know each other a little better now,’ he said, moving around the bar. ‘Truce?’
She flushed. ‘If you think that a few kisses constitutes knowing someone better—’
He studied her blush. ‘Actually, I was talking about our mutual investigations. The man I have watching you says that you have a reputation in your neighbourhood for being a soft touch for those in trouble, but you’re scrupulous about old-fashioned principles like honesty and fair dealing.’
‘You’ve had me under surveillance?’ she bristled. She had been so busy keeping tabs on him that it had never occurred to her to look over her shoulder.
‘It seemed like a good idea at the time.’ He shrugged. ‘Of course, if I’d known that you were going to start shadowing me, perhaps I could have saved myself the expense.’
‘You knew I was following you?’ She remembered how naively pleased she had been with herself the previous night.
‘Well, not until my detective came in with his report while I was visiting Dad—and told me that you had just accosted my mother on the ward,’ he admitted.
At least it was some consolation that he hadn’t spotted her himself! She knew it would be hypocritical to voice her fierce objection to the invasion of her privacy.
‘I hope he’s costing you an arm and a leg,’ she contented herself with snapping.
‘I get a discount—he’s with the firm that does the security work for Ayr Holdings. The same one that beat yours out of those contracts,’ he said, adding insult to injury.
‘I suppose he’s the one you’ll get to pick up your Porsche—’
‘No, actually I told him his input would no longer be necessary, that I’d handle it myself from here on…’
Rachel folded her arms over her chest. ‘Did you show him the photographs?’
Matthew’s eyes glowed with quiet understanding. ‘I haven’t shown anyone. I never even mentioned the word “blackmail”. As far as he was concerned it was simply a straightforward case of me wanting to find out more about you.’
She stiffened. ‘Are you having the bill charged to Ayr Holdings or to a private account?’ she asked.
‘Privately,’ he admitted.
‘I see. So he knows it’s something you don’t want going through the books, then. He probably thinks that you’re vetting me as a potential mistress,’ she said sourly.
‘Lover.’
The soft word caressed her senses like a fur glove. ‘What?’
‘Just being precise. You could only be my mistress if I was already married. Since I’m not, that would make you my prospective lover rather than my kept woman.’ As she scrabbled for a sufficiently devastating answer he added: ‘But why set your sights so low? Maybe he thought I was checking out your suitability as a potential wife…’
Her heart gave a sickening thump. She tossed her head. ‘What makes you think that marriage to you would be such an elevation? Anyway, men who’re contemplating a new marriage generally don’t continue to wear their old wedding rings…’
