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Matthew stared back at him. ‘This is as much your house as mine, so help yourself. One of the things we need to discuss this weekend is what we’re going to do with the house now that Mother has decided to stay on the coast.’
David shrugged. ‘Frankly, I don’t give a damn what happens to it. It holds no place in my affections.’
Matthew smiled grimly. ‘Then at least we agree on one thing. I’ll make arrangements to have it sold when we move out if you’re agreeable.’
‘The sooner the better as far as I’m concerned. It will be one less link with the past.’ He met and held Matthew’s gaze, his face unrelenting, and Beth felt her heart ache. It was all going wrong, one thing after another, even her and Maggie’s well-meaning attempts to patch things up. It wasn’t going to be simple to end this bitter feud and wipe out the past, but when was it ever simple to do that? The past always had a huge influence on future events, as she herself was finding out. If she hadn’t needed it so desperately David would never have helped her in the first place and she now wouldn’t find herself in this intolerable position. She wanted to make their marriage real for any number of reasons, ones she wasn’t brave enough to admit to as yet, but she was afraid to take that step when everything hinged on the past. If she and David had met under different circumstances how would their relationship have progressed?
There was no answer to that question so she made her way slowly from the room and along the hall, stopping abruptly when a hand closed around her arm.
‘And what did you think you were playing at just now? I warned you earlier to watch what you said, Beth, and I meant it. I won’t countenance you making me look like a fool in front of Matthew!’
David’s fingers were bruising on her flesh, but Beth scarcely felt them as anger rose in her again. ‘If anyone is making you look a fool then it’s you! What are you trying to prove, David…that we have the perfect loving marriage?’ She dragged her arm away, glaring defiantly at him. ‘Well, carry on with your little game if that’s what you want to do, but don’t expect me to applaud your efforts. You make me sick with your lies.’
‘I don’t give a damn what you feel. What I do or don’t do is none of your concern. I gave you a home, Beth, and a job when you needed them most, but what I didn’t give you was a licence to pass judgement on how I conduct my life!’
‘So in return for a roof over my head I have to do as I’m told, is that it?’ She shook her head, the silky hair swirling like golden fire against the white shirt. ‘I won’t do that. I won’t perpetuate this lie in front of people like Maggie who have invited me into their home!’
‘I don’t see that you have that much choice. It would be a simple enough matter to end our arrangement, Beth. I wonder how you would manage then…with no job and no place to live? How do you think you would cope out in that hostile world all alone?’
There was anger on his face, but it wasn’t greater than she felt. How dared he say that? How dared he threaten her?
‘I’d manage, David. I would manage just fine. I don’t need your charity any longer. I should have left before, the last time you laid your cards on the table and told me exactly what you feel about me!’ She laughed bitterly. ‘I have to hand it to you: I was almost tempted to fall in with your suggestion about turning this farce into the real thing, but thank God I didn’t. I’ve made some mistakes recently, but that would have been the biggest one I could have made! Now all I have to do is pack my things when we get back to town tomorrow night and call it quits.’
She turned and ran up the stairs, leaving him standing there. When she reached the top, something made her look back, and she felt her stomach sink when she caught a movement at the far end of the hall. Her eyes met Maggie’s horrified gaze for a moment before she turned away, hardening her heart. She didn’t give a damn what anyone thought. From here on in she was going to look after herself. Once she’d left David’s flat tomorrow then that would be end of it all, one more bitter lesson to add to the others she had learnt recently.
