personal space, mentally sealing every crack in her composure, determined not to leave him any opening for a different ending to this final encounter. Jared King was a good man. She might not leave him feeling good about the rather curt end to their relationship, but at least she could ensure nothing worse happened to him because of her.
It should have been a relief to reach the outskirts of Broome, knowing their time together was mercifully short now. Perversely, that reality increased the painful anticipation of parting. Forever, Christabel thought, on a wave of intense misery. In a few more minutes, Jared King would only be a memory for her, and she had a terrible urge to feast her eyes on him while she still could, to stamp every detail of him on her brain. She didn’t have a photograph of him. All she would have was a memory and it had to last forever.
But if she looked at him he’d see...he’d feel what she was feeling. Jared was so perceptive, so sensitive to mood changes. She couldn’t risk looking. Her hands clenched in savage resistance to the urge that would undermine the attitude she had struck. For his sake, she reminded herself. For his sake she had to be content with the memory of their one night together.
The Range Rover turned onto the road to the airport. She shot a quick glance at Alicia in the back seat, realising she’d been completely quiet on the trip. Her head was slumped in sleep. She’d nodded off, tired from the long walk at the bird observatory. A five-year-old child, Christabel thought, worrying over how long she could keep her daughter an innocent little girl, ignorant of the forces that saw only her inheritance.
Jared drove straight to the KingAir office. There was one small plane out front, ready to be taxied onto the runway. Desperate to limit any farewell scene, Christabel anxiously gabbled, “I’ll take Alicia out to the plane while you notify the pilot we’re here.”
“She’s asleep. I’ll carry her. See you both strapped into your seats,” he firmly countered.
“Okay,” she agreed, realising his way might be easier, avoiding a spate of questions from a newly wakened Alicia.
The moment he switched off the engine, they were both out of the vehicle, Jared appearing as keen as she was to speed her on her way. There was no more talking between them. Whatever Jared thought of her decision, he was keeping it to himself and she was grateful not to have any argument from him.
They walked out to the plane in a silence that throbbed with all that remained unspoken. Having spotted them from the office window, one of the KingAir employees—the pilot?—raced out to catch up with them and be on hand to open the door and adjust the front passenger seat in the cockpit to allow access to the seats behind it. He helped Christabel into the small plane then stood back for Jared to lift Alicia into the seat beside her.
As he withdrew his arms from around her daughter, Christabel grasped his hand, wanting one last touch of him. “Thank you,” she said huskily. “Thank you for everything, Jared.”
His mouth took on a wry twist as he answered, “My pleasure.”
But there was no pleasure in his eyes. They were hard and flat and she had the quivery feeling that they were shielding a relentless drive to accomplish what he wanted accomplished. Which was probably to cut her out of his life as ruthlessly as she was cutting him.
“Fasten your seat belts,” he instructed, moving his hand from hers to lock the front seat back into place. “Take-off will be in five minutes.”
He closed the door and strode back to the office with the KingAir employee. The parting was so abrupt, she’d had no time to remind him about bringing the Cherokee to the airport. He’d remember, she assured herself. Though he might not want to remember anything else.
She sat in a pall of sadness, waiting for the pilot to come. Her chest was so tight, she needed the release of tears, but knowing instructions
It should have been a relief to reach the outskirts of Broome, knowing their time together was mercifully short now. Perversely, that reality increased the painful anticipation of parting. Forever, Christabel thought, on a wave of intense misery. In a few more minutes, Jared King would only be a memory for her, and she had a terrible urge to feast her eyes on him while she still could, to stamp every detail of him on her brain. She didn’t have a photograph of him. All she would have was a memory and it had to last forever.
But if she looked at him he’d see...he’d feel what she was feeling. Jared was so perceptive, so sensitive to mood changes. She couldn’t risk looking. Her hands clenched in savage resistance to the urge that would undermine the attitude she had struck. For his sake, she reminded herself. For his sake she had to be content with the memory of their one night together.
The Range Rover turned onto the road to the airport. She shot a quick glance at Alicia in the back seat, realising she’d been completely quiet on the trip. Her head was slumped in sleep. She’d nodded off, tired from the long walk at the bird observatory. A five-year-old child, Christabel thought, worrying over how long she could keep her daughter an innocent little girl, ignorant of the forces that saw only her inheritance.
Jared drove straight to the KingAir office. There was one small plane out front, ready to be taxied onto the runway. Desperate to limit any farewell scene, Christabel anxiously gabbled, “I’ll take Alicia out to the plane while you notify the pilot we’re here.”
“She’s asleep. I’ll carry her. See you both strapped into your seats,” he firmly countered.
“Okay,” she agreed, realising his way might be easier, avoiding a spate of questions from a newly wakened Alicia.
The moment he switched off the engine, they were both out of the vehicle, Jared appearing as keen as she was to speed her on her way. There was no more talking between them. Whatever Jared thought of her decision, he was keeping it to himself and she was grateful not to have any argument from him.
They walked out to the plane in a silence that throbbed with all that remained unspoken. Having spotted them from the office window, one of the KingAir employees—the pilot?—raced out to catch up with them and be on hand to open the door and adjust the front passenger seat in the cockpit to allow access to the seats behind it. He helped Christabel into the small plane then stood back for Jared to lift Alicia into the seat beside her.
As he withdrew his arms from around her daughter, Christabel grasped his hand, wanting one last touch of him. “Thank you,” she said huskily. “Thank you for everything, Jared.”
His mouth took on a wry twist as he answered, “My pleasure.”
But there was no pleasure in his eyes. They were hard and flat and she had the quivery feeling that they were shielding a relentless drive to accomplish what he wanted accomplished. Which was probably to cut her out of his life as ruthlessly as she was cutting him.
“Fasten your seat belts,” he instructed, moving his hand from hers to lock the front seat back into place. “Take-off will be in five minutes.”
He closed the door and strode back to the office with the KingAir employee. The parting was so abrupt, she’d had no time to remind him about bringing the Cherokee to the airport. He’d remember, she assured herself. Though he might not want to remember anything else.
She sat in a pall of sadness, waiting for the pilot to come. Her chest was so tight, she needed the release of tears, but knowing instructions
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