First Love, Last Love by Carole Mortimer Page A

effort to hide. Even if he had known her family she could see no reason for her mother’s death to have upset him so much—after all, they couldn’t have been that friendly. ‘I’m afraid so,’ she confirmed.
    ‘I see,’ he said heavily.
    ‘Shouldn’t you release her hand now, Laurence?’ Alex put in coldly. ‘I’m sure she’d like it back.’
    ‘Of course.’ Some of the colour seemed to be ebbing back into the thin cheeks, although he was still very pale. And he would keep staring at her! It was very unnerving. ‘I’m sorry—Lauri,’ he gave a jerky smile.
    ‘I—That’s perfectly all right.’ But it wasn’t! The intensity of his gaze was making her feel very uncomfortable.
    ‘I’ll just get my cases.’ He turned back to the trolley containing his luggage.
    ‘Why does he keep staring like that?’ Lauri whispered to Alex.
    ‘Perhaps he finds you beautiful,’ he rasped, his face rigid.
    ‘Don’t be silly. We both know I’m not.’
    ‘Fishing for compliments, my dear?’ he taunted with a sneer.
    She frowned. ‘I know you’re tense about this meeting, Alex, but that’s no reason for you to talk to me like this.’
    ‘Isn’t it?’ he scorned harshly. ‘My God, isn’t it?’
    ‘No. I—’
    ‘Here we are,’ Laurence Daniels rejoined them. ‘Shall we go?’
    ‘By all means, let’s go.’ Alex led the way, striding off and leaving them to follow.
    ‘I’m sorry about this,’ Lauri said awkwardly, falling into step beside Laurence Daniels, not really sure why she should have to apologise for Alex’s disgraceful behaviour. He was like a Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde, and at the moment Mr Hyde had definitely taken over.
    Laurence shrugged. ‘I’m used to it.’ He watched her keenly. ‘Tell me, Lauri, have you known Alex long?’
    She blushed. ‘Not very long, no.’
    ‘I wondered … You’re very young to be one of his girl-friends.’
    ‘Seventeen isn’t all that young nowadays,’ she told him defensively.
    ‘Seventeen …’ he echoed huskily. ‘Yes, I suppose you would be. And you have no father to help advise you.’
    It was a statement, not a question, and Lauri frowned. This was the strangest conversation! But then Laurence Daniels seemed to be a strange man. He seemed quite nice, and yet there was still the way he kept staring at her, and if he were a younger man she would suspect that look. But surely a man of his age couldn’t be interested in the girl she still was? No, she was sure he wasn’t. Maybe he was trying to see Alex’s interest in her. She was curious as to the conclusion hecame to, especially as she didn’t have one herself.
    ‘No, I have no father,’ she confirmed.
    ‘I’m sure if you had that he would advise you that Alex is a very dangerous man.’
    ‘Dangerous?’ she repeated disbelievingly. ‘Surely that’s too strong a word, Mr Daniels?’ Although the savage cruelty in his face minutes earlier had given her some hint of the side of his character he usually held in check.
    ‘Call me Laurence,’ the man at her side invited. ‘And I think dangerous is quite a mild word to describe Alex.’ He looked at his brother-in-law’s rigid back as he walked ten or fifteen yards in front of them. ‘Much too mild,’ he murmured almost to himself.
    Lauri automatically got in the back of the Rolls, leaving the seat next to Alex for Laurence Daniels, feeling slightly piqued when Alex didn’t even seem to notice she was there, let alone where she sat. She could excuse his behaviour if it was just directed at his brother-in-law, but she didn’t understand why she was being included in the cold-shoulder treatment.
    ‘Lauri has just been telling me that you haven’t known each other long.’ Laurence spoke to Alex.
    Alex’s attention remained rigidly fixed on the road in front of them as he drove the car with his usual skill. ‘No, not very long,’ he agreed tautly.
    ‘Where did you find her?’ Laurence probed.
    He was given a cold angry stare.