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'Nice dog.' The man stood up and stretched out a hand, saying, 'Give me the torch while you put the coat on.'
Beth didn't see any point in arguing. If he was going to hit her over the head with something and have his wicked way with her, it might as well be the torch as anything else. Clearly Harvey was going to be no help whatsoever.
The man pushed past her and walked to the cottage door as she slipped the jacket on. It drowned her, but right at this moment that was very welcome. She followed him, Harvey trotting at her side, and watched as he first tried the door and then walked round the building checking each window as she'd done. Of course he didn't end up sitting in fox or badger dung.
When he re-emerged from the back of the cottage Beth said a little testily, 'I'd already tried all the windows.'
He didn't comment on this. What he did say was, 'What's that terrible smell? Raw sewage?'
'I slipped over at the back of the house. I think an animal had been there.'
'And how.' He didn't bother to try to hide his amusement.
She wasn't about to stand in the wind and cold discussing how she smelt. And he hadn't exactly been a gentleman to mention it in the first place. 'So, can you get me in?' she asked shortly. 'It's freezing out here.'
'Probably, but I don't intend to. There's no point in forcing the door or a window and causing a considerable amount of damage when you can contact the agent in the morning and ask them to call by. This place is rented by Turner & Turner, isn't it? The local estate agent?'
'Yes, but—'
'So I suggest you come back to my place and get a good night's sleep and we'll sort it in the morning. You haven't got anything on the stove in there, have you? Nothing's going to cause a problem?'
Was he mad? She would no more think of going back to 'his place' than flying to the moon. Stiffly now, Beth said, 'I lit a fire. I can't leave it.'
'You already have,' he pointed out silkily.
'The guard wasn't in front of it.'
'There's hardly any smoke coming out of the chimney so it's probably dying out already. It'll be all right'
So now he was an expert on fires? 'I can't possibly just walk away; you must see that?'
'Of course you can.' The comment about the estate agent had told her he must be a local, and this was confirmed now when he added, 'I know John Turner; I'll call him myself in the morning and explain the situation. You'll be back in by ten o'clock. He'd prefer that than breaking and entering, I'm sure.'
She didn't want to be back in by ten o'clock, she wanted to be back in now. 'If you know him, can't you phone now?'
She could see the silhouette of his head shaking as he said, 'No can do. Friday night is John's snooker night with the lads. Nothing gets in the way of that.'
This was absolutely ridiculous. 'I couldn't possibly go home with you, Mr... ?'
'Black. Travis Black. Why couldn't you come home with me, Miss...?'
'My name's Beth Marton and I'm not in the habit of ac¬cepting overnight accommodation with complete strangers,' she said tightly, refusing to acknowledge Harvey, who had set himself down at the side of Travis Black for all the world as though he was his dog instead of hers. The traitor.
'We're not strangers, we've introduced ourselves.' It was lazy and the amusement was back tenfold. 'And rest assured I'm not so desperate for female company that I've seized on your unfortunate predicament with rape and pillage in mind. It's a genuine offer; you'll sleep alone, especially in view of that.. .unusual scent you're wearing.'
Swine. Dignity was hellishly difficult in view of the pink silk pyjamas and the smell, but Beth made a stab at it as she said crisply, 'Thank you for the offer but I couldn't, Mr Black. There's Harvey, for one thing.'
'I wasn't proposing you tie him up and leave him here. Of course he comes too.' He turned at this point, beginning to walk back to his car. 'Still, it's up to you.'
'Where are you going?' Beth knew her voice was too shrill but she couldn't help it. He wasn't going to just leave her here, was he? No one would be so hard-hearted.. .would they?
'Home.' He didn't bother to turn round. 'It's late and it's been a long day. I'm hungry, tired and it's beginning to rain. You can come with me or stay here—it's up to you.'
She didn't move until he had actually seated himself in the car; she couldn't quite believe he was just going to drive off. When he started the engine she admitted defeat, especially with the few spots of rain turning into a steady downpour.
She hurried across the garden to the gate, Harvey bounding at her heels, and tapped on the driver's window. It lowered. This time she kept the light just clear of his eyes but allowed the torch to give her a clear view of his face. It was an interesting face. Not handsome exactly—it was too rugged for that and the bright light showed up a scar on one chiselled cheekbone, but it had something which would make any red-blooded woman take a second glance. His hair was ebony-black but she couldn't determine the colour of his eyes with the brightness of the light distort¬ing everything.
