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The stranger let go of her, laughed softly, and leaned back against the door, his hands shoved lazily into his pockets. He had shaved, Arden noticed in some still-logical part of her mind, and changed from his worn denims to a pair of white duck trousers and a pale blue shirt.
‘A modern-day version of Rashomon,’ he said. ‘The Japanese play—do you know it? A woman claims rape, a man claims seduction, and it’s up to the audience to determine the truth.’
Colour leaped into Arden’s cheeks again. ‘I was not raped.’
‘Indeed she was not,’ Lithgow said.
The man nodded. ‘At least you agree on that. As for me, I don’t know what happened here tonight, but—’
‘No,’ Arden snapped,
‘you certainly do not, but I can tell you one thing for certain. This man—’
‘This man,’ he said with a little smile, ‘is the reason you were too busy to join me this evening, señorita.’ His gaze went to Lithgow, sliding over the pale face, the fine English wool suit, the gold Rolex winking from beneath a hand-tailored cuff. ‘And I can easily see why he would be more to your liking.’
Arden flushed darkly. ‘I’ve no idea what that’s supposed to mean.’
‘Haven’t you?’
Arden took a deep breath. ‘All right,’ she said, ‘all right, this is enough. I am not going to stand here, in my own bedroom, and—and defend myself against a pack of lies!’
Lithgow sank down on the edge of the bed, his shoulders slumped, the very portrait of despair. ‘I’m so upset,’ he whispered. ‘Nothing like this has ever happened to me before. I should have known. She asked me to stop by and accompany her to the party—’
‘I never did,’ Arden said furiously. She spun towards the stranger. ‘Dammit, do I look as if I’m going to a party?’
The green eyes narrowed and swept over her again, and even though her robe was tightly closed Aden felt as if that gaze were stripping her naked. After a moment, his eyes met hers and a muscle knotted in his cheek.
‘That depends on what kind of party you mean.’
Arden sprang forward, her hand upraised, but he caught it easily, his fingers curling around her wrist, pressing down against the nerves that lay in the soft underside so that she gasped with pain.
‘You have already miscalculated in your dealings with one man tonight, señorita. I urge you not to make the same mistake with another.’
‘You,’ she hissed, ‘you—’
The bed creaked as Lithgow rose to his feet. He walked forward slowly, then he cleared his throat.
‘Señor,’ he said, ‘have you a family? If you do, you will understand my concern for those nearest and dearest to me.’
The stranger gave a little laugh. ‘Without question, señor.’
Arden blew out her breath. ‘I don’t believe this,’ she said. ‘Has the world gone crazy? Isn’t anyone concerned about me? I’m the one who needs protecting; I’m the one who was—’
‘I should never have let this—this Jezebel lure me to her room to—to try and destroy me.’
‘He’s lying,’ Arden said angrily. “Don’t you hear it in his voice? Can’t you see it in his face?’
The stranger didn’t even look at her. ‘If you’re asking me to be discreet—’
‘Yes. Exactly. As one man to another—’
‘You have my word on it, señor.’ He turned slowly towards Arden. ‘Unless, of course, the señorita is correct, and you are lying.’ Lithgow began a sputtering protest, but the stranger silenced him with a look. He turned to Arden, who gave him a hesitant smile.
‘Thank you,’ she said. ‘I kept hoping he couldn’t take you in, but I wasn’t—’
“There would be no point in my pledging my silence, if that is the case,’ he said softly, his eyes locked with hers, ‘since the lady will wish to call the police and press charges. Isn’t that right, señorita?’
Arden ran her tongue over her lips. ‘The police?’
