CHAPTER EIGHT

Free of the need for Joely to be treated as a student, she and Dominic were still doing some work around the monastery, watering the gardens, cleaning windows and helping out in the kitchen when needed (or when they wanted extra food). They were treated by the monks as if they were favoured guests, young relatives visiting the family home, to be alternately teased and indulged. In addition to putting bran on Dominic’s breakfast, Duncan now always made a point of tickling Joely’s navel, or as close to it as he could approximate. When he felt the stud there one night, he raised his eyebrows questioningly. The next robe that was delivered to their room for Joely’s use had a circle cut out in the middle of the front, and neither Joely nor Dominic had any doubt who was responsible. She elected not to wear that particular garment.

Two days before her three weeks were due to run out, the two of them went for a walk in the fields. There were acres of them, some under cultivation but much of it given over to long, fine grass with feathery fronds on top. Since the fields included a number of gentle hills, the fronds caught the breeze at different times in a progressive dance that travelled up and down as far as the eye could see.

“I’m going to miss this,” Joely said, taking a deep breath of fresh air. Dominic, her hand held in his, smiled.

“You should enjoy it fully while you can, then,” he said. He tugged her hand and took off, dragging her with him down one slope and up another at a fast pace, laughing when she protested and tried to break free.

“This is not enjoying!” she said when she caught her breath. “It’s exercising!”

“You say that like it’s a bad thing,” he responded. “You don’t like jogging or working out?” Joely looked at him as if he’d said something very strange.

“My mother never encouraged physical activity, and Justin positively discourages it in me,” she said. “So yes, I do jog, but I definitely don’t enjoy it. Justin works out regularly and occasionally jogs when he thinks he’s going to be chased by a reporter for a comment on something.”

Dominic decided not to comment on Justin. Every time he thought of him, he thought of the bruises he’d left on Joely’s arm, and a black rage settled inside him. Since the man wasn’t nearby to hit, it wasn’t constructive.

“When you say your mother didn’t encourage physical activity, do you mean you didn’t get to run around? Or play on swings or throw a ball or anything like that?”
”All of that,” she said. “Mother bought me dolls and board games. And the occasional book. I was expected to be neat and clean and presentable.” She could remember her mother pressing her soft, fragrant cheek to hers and saying “make Mother proud of you”.

“So…no spinning around on the spot until you fell down?” he asked, disbelieving. “No wading in gutters after rain? No pretending you were an airplane and running up and down the street?”

“No, no and no,” she said, smiling.
”You haven’t lived!” Dominic protested. “We have to fix that immediately. Come on, arms out. Make airplane noises!” Joely laughed, but he insisted, doing it himself, running around and imitating a range of planes. She joined in half-heartedly, feeling silly. After a minute, she was enjoying herself, dipping her arms up and down as she ran, feeling free and light-headed.

While still pretending to be a Concorde, she found her hands captured by him, and she was spun round and round with him, both of them moving fast, their heads back and hair caught by the wind.

“Don’t let go!” she shrieked. “It’ll hurt if you let go.”
”No it won’t,” he yelled back, slowing down just a little before letting go. They were both flung out to land heavily on the soft grass.

“You let go!” Joely said in a voice of betrayal.

“Are you hurt?” Dominic asked. She assessed the situation.

“No,” she admitted.

“There you go then,” he said. “Next, we are going to roll down the hill. But, in an adult variation on a childhood theme, we are going to do it naked.”

Joely stared at him.

“I don’t think so,” she said. He rolled onto all fours and began crawling towards her with intent.

“I do,” he said mischievously. She took off an instant too late, and he caught her ankle and brought her down, diving on her and rolling with her in his arms, both of them laughing.

“Robe off,” he insisted.

“No!” she responded. “Someone might see us!”

“Not out here they won’t,” he said. “The townspeople would never come round this far for fear of being caught by the monks, and the monks themselves are in chapel this morning. It’s not somewhere that anyone is going to stumble across, Joe.”

Caught up in his arms, she looked up at him, not convinced.
”I’ll get hurt if I roll down there,” she said, trying to look over the edge.

“No you won’t,” he assured her, hoping he was right. “Come on, off with the robes. I’ll go first, to prove it’s not dangerous.” And to catch her at the bottom, but he didn’t add that.

“All right, you first,” she said. “I’ll hold your robe.” He laughed.

“Good try,” he said. “Give it up, Joe. I’ll throw them down. That way we have to go down there to get them.” She sighed, but she let him draw it up over her head.
”Mmmmm,” he said, looking down at her body. “Or we could just stay here and…”
”On top of a hill? In broad daylight?” Joely squeaked. “I don’t think so!”

“You need to learn to live dangerously, girl,” he grinned. He pulled his own robe off, rolled the two up together and tossed them down the hill. They fell short and rolled the rest of the way.

“Here goes,” he said, lying down near the edge.

“Don’t hurt anything important!” she cautioned. He smiled.

“Good point,” he said, cupping one hand over his groin. Then he let himself go and rolled, over and over, sideways down the hill. Joely laughed as she watched him go, a flash of his backside, then of the front of his body, his legs and his hair flying about as he rolled. It did look like fun. He landed at the bottom and rolled over into a seated position.

“Your turn!” he called up. Wondering why she’d agreed to this and not at all sure she could do it, Joely lay down on her side at the top of the hill. Then she looked down and chickened out. This was just silly. Why would she roll over, put her face into the dirt, risk injury and look silly? And then she rolled.

And rolled and rolled, out of control and laughing hysterically, bouncing, spinning, her hair in her face, dizzy, until she found herself caught up against Dominic at the bottom.

“Fun?” he asked. Prying strands of hair out of her mouth, eyes shining, she nodded.

“What’s next?” she demanded, making him laugh. He looked down at her, cradled in his arms, her head off the ground, her hair falling about her face. She saw the change of expression in his face and welcomed it, even though they were outdoors and naked. She reached up to him, pulled his head down to hers and kissed him.

The ground was soft and smelt rich and earthy. Sun-warmed, it welcomed her as he lay her down gently and kissed her, stretching himself out beside her. All of the sensations combined, the light breeze through the long grass, the feel of the ground under her, the blueness of the sky with its fluffy white clouds, the surreal beauty of the man lying naked beside her, and Joely had to stretch, to take it all in, to give expression to the wonder she was feeling. Dominic watched her, smiling, as her back arched, her head went back, and her long limbs were extended, in a languorous, full-length movement.

“You’re a sight for sore eyes,” he said, his hand on her waist. “And a feast for the senses.” With that, he leaned over her and touched his lips to her ribs, his hand tightening possessively on her, rolling her towards him as he moved up and down her body, kissing, licking, touching and awakening every nerve ending. Joely rolled closer, wrapped one leg over him and around him, holding him tight, running her own hands over his back, over his smooth, warm skin.

“This feels so good,” she said. “You feel so good.” She moved, so she could feel the pressure of his groin against hers, and she rubbed herself against him.

“If you don’t stop that, we’ll be getting down to business very quickly,” he threatened, kissing her mouth, soft – then hard.
”You’re all talk,” she teased, rubbing against him again.

“Right, then,” he said, “This student is obviously getting out of hand and some severe punishment is in order.” She laughed as he rolled her over onto her back, opened her legs and lifted her hips.

“Just remember, this is for your own good,” he said, his eyes warm and full of mischief. “And it’s going to hurt me more than it will hurt you.”
”Hurt me,” she said breathily, playing the game.

“Oh I do love a woman who plays hard to get,” he said, giving in and sliding into the heat and wetness of her.

It was a playful, hot and fun romp, their hands and mouths everywhere, their bodies moving together in an effort to get as close as possible. Free of the need to limit their movements to the boundaries of a single bed, they rolled around a lot, shifting position constantly.

“There now,” Dominic said, hefting her into yet another position, his thighs behind her, his arms around her, the two of them facing each other, seated. “Position number twenty-four from the Kama Sutra.”

“Are we working our way through all of them?” she asked.

“And then some,” he said, rocking into her and holding her tighter still. Her head fell back, exposing the curve of her neck for him to plunder, which he did.

If it hadn’t been for a cloud crossing he sun, they might never have seen the flash of the camera, but in the sudden temporary dullness, it was bright and startling. As one, they both turned to look in the direction from which it had come. They saw a small, dark-haired woman in black jeans and a t-shirt. She had a pointy face, which was focused on the buttons on some sophisticated-looking equipment slung off her hip. Two cameras hung around her neck, and a case full of other gear was at her feet.

“Shit!” Dominic said. “I don’t believe this! Dianne, what the hell are you doing?”

“Going after a front page photograph,” the woman replied, unfazed, finishing what she was doing. She looked up and grinned at them. “And I think I may have just got it.”

“You bitch!” Joely couldn’t help herself. “Give me that camera! Dominic, let me up!” He was already moving out of her, shifting to reach for their robes.
”Don’t walk towards her, Joe,” he said. “She’ll just take more photos.”
”That’ll just mean more photos to be exposed when I get the film off her,” Joely said between clenched teeth. Her anger was overriding her embarrassment at being caught in this position. She pulled her robe on.

“Oh come on,” said the photographer. “You’re fucking one of the world’s top film stars in an open field, Miss Roberts. You can hardly expect privacy. I’m surprised there isn’t a crowd of photographers here capturing you from every angle.”

“That does it,” Dominic said, tugging his robe over his head and surging to his feet. “Now you really are going to have to give up the film, Dianne.” She backed off then, because he was strong and he was determined.

“Too late,” she said smugly. “I took a digital photo as well and I’ve already transferred it to my home computer.” She held up the connecting devices.

“Well you won’t be living long enough to enjoy your ill-gotten gains,” Dominic said, still advancing. “And I’m going to enjoy smashing every bit of equipment you have into smithereens.”

“Come on, Dominic,” she said, taking another few steps back. “You’re fair game, you know that. You never mind us taking photos of you.”
”You’ve never taken a photograph of me making love to my girl before,” he pointed out. “Give me the camera, Dianne.”
”No!” she protested, hugging her camera to her. “I told you, I’ve sent the picture already.”

”I’ll just check that for myself,” he said.

“No,” she said again, trying to ignore the fact that he was big enough to be blocking out the sun.

“I’d give in,” Joely advised, warmed by the fact that Dominic was looking so formidable as well as by his “making love to my girl” comment. The woman looked at her.

“Come on,” Joely said, echoing her own words. “Be fair. Would you want photographs of you making love in circulation?”

“I’m not famous,” Dianne replied matter-of-factly. “Although I’m working on it.”

“I’m not famous either,” Joely protested. “I’m someone’s daughter and someone’s stepdaughter, that’s all. Do you realise how difficult this could make things for me?” She could just imagine what Justin would say and do. His perfect little stepdaughter, engaged in full-on, naked afternoon delight with a matinee idol. Just wonderful. Joely frowned, and concentrated on working that thought through in her head for a while.

Dianne tried for a compromise. She really didn’t want her cameras broken. She’d already broken the cardinal paparazzi rule by not running as soon as she had her photo, but she’d wanted to get that file sent through to her home computer.

“How about…” she was thinking quickly. “If you’ll pose for some photos, Dominic, I might give you those ones back,” she said. Dominic had stopped reaching for the camera while Joely was talking. He laughed at the woman’s offer, a mirthless laugh.

“Let me guess,” he said. “Nude shots?”

“Definitely,” she said, looking him up and down. “I’d trade for that, but I’d need a lot of photos of you. No! Give that back!” He’d snagged the computer she had clipped onto her belt while she was talking, and was now looking at it, flicking through the options on the tiny keyboard. He turned his back to her and blocked her as she tried to retrieve it.

“That cost a fortune!” she protested. “Come on, I need that!”
”Damn,” Dominic said, turning round and giving it back. “She didn’t lie,” he said to Joely. “She’s sent it. All right. I’ll pose for some photos for you as long as you promise me you won’t publish any photos of Joely and I together.”

“You will?” Dianne was stunned. “Full frontal, no hands in the way, everything out there for everyone to see?” Dominic sighed.

“Yes,” he said. “You will never get another willing photograph of me, Dianne, but yes, I will pose for you now in exchange for the photos you just took.” Dollar signs were flashing in front of her eyes. The photos she had of him with Joely were worth a fortune, given that Joely was Justin Williams’ stepdaughter, but photographers and film-makers the world over had been trying to get totally nude images of Dominic Blake for more than six years without success. It wasn’t just newspapers that would buy these photographs; it was magazines, websites, and television programs. Dianne’s greedy little heart was beating at an alarming rate.

“No,” Joely said, putting a sudden jolt in the photographer’s dream of fame and untold riches.
”No?” Dianne asked, confused.

“No,” Joely said again. She took Dominic’s hand, squeezed it. “You’re entitled to a view on this, but I don’t think you should let her take nude photos of you in exchange. I’m not ashamed for people to know that we’re lovers. I don’t care what they think.” She was almost certain that he’d made the offer of the swap for her sake, and she didn’t want him to have to do it. And, if Justin was going to be upset by it, so be it. If his political aspirations were going to suffer a setback because his stepdaughter was sleeping with a movie star, then so much the better.

“You’re sure?” Dominic asked. She nodded.

“Dianne, how much of us can be seen in the photographs you took?” he asked. “Just lots of skin, or are we talking details? Any really private parts?” Still looking confused, Dianne picked up her digital camera, pushed some buttons and turned it round, holding on to it tightly in case one of them grabbed it from her.

“I took the same photograph with two cameras,” she said. “That’s it.” They both leaned closer and looked. The composition was amazing, Dianne certainly knew her stuff in that regard. The photograph showed the two of them entwined, Dominic’s tanned body a contrast to Joely’s pale skin, her head back and his mouth at her throat, his arms around her body, hers around his neck. They were obviously linked at the groin, but beyond that, no “details” as Dominic had put it, were on show, other than the curve of the side of Joely’s bottom and a hint of the cleft in the middle of it.

Joely gulped. They looked so abandoned, so…so hot! The tangle of limbs, their bodies so close together, the muscles in Dominic’s arms standing out, showing how tightly he was holding her, all combined to show two people lost in pleasure.

“Publish and be damned,” she said, pleased at how calm she sounded. Dominic looked down at her quizzically. “As long as you don’t mind, of course,” she said. He grinned.

“You heard the lady,” he said to the photographer. “And Dianne?” he added. She looked up at him, then down the long length of his brown robe and back up again, obviously disappointed that one of her personal holy grails had been snatched away. She couldn’t be too disappointed though. Not with the photograph she did have.

“Yes?” she responded.

“I mean it. You’ll never get a willing photograph of me again,” he said. “I have a good relationship with the paparazzi. I recognise that you all have a job to do. But this was a total invasion of privacy, on private property, I might add. You know damned well that I could sue you for every cent you make from that photograph. But I probably won’t, because by then it will have appeared all over the world anyway, and I don’t need the money. Get a good price for it, though, because I can guarantee that a lot of other famous faces won’t be turning your way with a smile in future.”

His grip tightened on Joely’s and he turned his back on Dianne and walked away from her.

“Good exit line,” Joely commented quietly. He grinned again.

“I thought so,” he said. “You sure you’re okay about this?”
”I’m scared silly about it,” she admitted. “And annoyed that she intruded like that. But yes, I’m okay.”
”Good,” he said. “Let’s go find somewhere a little more private to finish off what we were doing when we were so rudely interrupted.”

“Which Kama Sutra position was it again?” she asked, tugging her hand out of his and slipping her arm around his waist. The beauty of the robe was that she could feel his body through it. That, and the fact that it was easy to take off.

“I forget,” he admitted. “So I guess we’ll just have to start at position number one again, and work our way back up.”

……………………

They had to tell Bernard, if only because there was a distinct risk that the world press was going to descend on the monastery. Several of the photographers from the first visit had hung around for a couple of days afterwards hoping for shots of Dominic, but he’d stayed well out of sight and they’d eventually given up, deducing that he must have left. He’d made a phone call to his publicist from Bernard’s office, and a hint had been dropped that he had moved on to a friend’s private island in the Bahamas. Now, it was going to be obvious that it was a lie, and the fact that he was having a fling with Justin Williams’ stepdaughter was going to be big news.

“What do you want to do?” Bernard asked. “You’re welcome to stay. This old building has withstood attacks before. It will again.” Joely smiled.

“Thank you,” she said. “I appreciate that. Unfortunately, once my stepfather sees it, I think the attack will become more pointed.”
”You think that it will be printed in newspapers?” Bernard seemed sceptical. “If it is as graphic as you say it is, I can’t believe that reputable newspapers would include it. Surely their readership would be distressed? And there are the children who might see it?”
”You’ve been in here a long time, Bernard,” Dominic said, but without sarcasm or condescension. “If it’s a slow news day, it’ll make the front page on some papers, and it’ll be in the front three pages on almost all of the others.”

”Really?” Bernard was perplexed by this drop in standards. He’d been equally perplexed to find out that Dominic and Joely had been making love in the fields, but he’d very nicely not given voice to what he felt on that subject. He hadn’t needed to. They’d both seen the look on his face. Dominic had expected some sort of punishment for it, but it hadn’t been forthcoming.

“How quickly will it appear?” Bernard asked. Dominic shrugged.

“She’ll have set up a bidding war for it,” he said. “But that can happen fast. I’d say within a day. Otherwise it’s old news.”

“So if I’m still here, you would expect a phone call or a visit from Justin within a day,” Joely said. “And that wouldn’t be pleasant. He’d probably have a lawyer with him, too.” She sounded resigned. Bernard smiled at her.

“I’m not afraid of your stepfather, Joely,” he said. “And you are welcome to stay here if you don’t feel safe with him.”
”It’s all right,” Dominic said. “I’ll look after her once she’s away from here.”

“I’m sure you will,” Bernard said. “So are you going now, or waiting until the storm hits?”
”Tomorrow, if it’s all right,” Dominic answered for them. They’d already discussed it. “There’s no point in trying to avoid them, so I thought we’d just drive out of here tomorrow and I’ll take Joely to her stepfather’s house to collect her stuff.”

“And then?”

“And then I hope she’ll agree to move in with me,” Dominic said. Joely chewed her lip. Bernard wisely didn’t take that any further.

Dominic did. Back in the room, he sat down on one of the beds and looked at her.

“Why the hesitation?” he asked. She sighed and sank down on the other bed, facing him.

“I don’t want you to feel that you have to take me in,” she said. “I feel like a maltreated house pet, being taken away from a cruel owner and given a new home.”

“What?” Dominic almost smiled before he realised she wasn’t joking. He leaned across and took her hands. “Joely, you can’t be serious. I’m far too selfish to do something like that. I’ve asked you to move in with me because I want you to.”
”And when you get back into your life and start mixing with all of those beautiful actresses and models and opera singers again?” she asked.

“I’ll introduce them to my girl,” Dominic said. “Assuming you want to meet them. Some of them are dead boring.”

“What if you get tired of me? No, don’t scoff, it could happen easily! I don’t know anything about movies, popular culture, television shows, hardly any of the things that most people my age take for granted. I’m not interesting and I’m certainly not going to be an asset to your career,” she said. “And assuming that Justin disapproves, which is a safe assumption, I’m going to be penniless!”

“Now where do I begin with all of that?” Dominic said. “Let me see… I will not get tired of you, because all of those things that I take for granted will be new and exciting in your eyes. I’ll get to experience them through you, and I’ll get to keep my tutor role going for a long time. You are interesting and although you will be an asset to me in more ways than I can count, that’s not something you have to worry about. My career is something I will look after. You and I will work on our life and our love.”

Joely didn’t look convinced.

“And as for the money, well, I couldn’t care less,” he said. “If you don’t mind my asking, how much is it?”
”Four point two million,” she said flatly. “My mother left just over two million and Justin has managed to increase it over time. He comes from a very moneyed background himself and he knows what to do with it. He gives me regular updates, just to make sure that I know how much I’ll be leaving behind if I go.”
”Four point two?” Dominic repeated. “He’s been looking after that money for ten years and he’s only been able to double it in that time? The man’s a fool or a charlatan!” Joely looked confused.

“Joely, love, my people can safely double, treble my money within half that time,” he said. “Four point two million is a lot of money, but when you consider the monopoly cash they pay me for strutting around movie sets, it’s nothing to worry about. I will happily transfer that much money and more into an account in your name.” Joely gasped.

“I mean it,” he said.
”I can see that,” she replied. “But I don’t want you to. You shouldn’t have to. Apart from anything else, my mother left me that money, and stupid though it may seem, I feel I have a right to it. Or more right than the “Elect Justin Williams” fund does, anyway.”
”It’s not stupid at all,” he said. “I’d want to fight for it too. So we will. But money is not an issue, Joe.” She nodded.

“So what else is bothering you?” he asked. She went to shake her head.

“No, something is,” he said. She sighed.

“I don’t want to run away,” she said. “I feel as if he’s won if I just run away. I want to go back to the house – my house by the way, and prove to him that I’ve grown and that he can’t control me any more.” Dominic was looking dubious.

“You don’t understand that?” she asked.

“Oh, I understand all right,” he said. “But I don’t want him knocking you about.”

“I don’t think he will,” she said. “Not if I’m confident. Besides, there is a political dinner dance on tomorrow night. Even if the photo has come out by then, he’s not going to want to look out of touch or unsupportive, so he’s going to want me to be there. Which means he can’t hit me where a bruise would show, and my face has always been his preferred target in the past.” Dominic’s expression darkened.

“It’s all right,” she said, squeezing the hands she was still holding. “Just for a week or so, then I’ll be able to leave and feel that I’ve done it on my own terms. Assuming that the offer of a roof over my head still stands then.” He smiled.

“Can I come to the dinner dance?” he asked. Her face lit up for an instant, then she shook her head.

“It’s a fundraiser for Justin,” she said. “People pay money to be there. They’re never sold-out, and they’re usually stuffy, boring, exclusive things.”

“It’s a fundraiser and they’re trying to sell seats?” he asked. She nodded. His grin spread slowly across his face. “Here’s betting that when your stepfather’s public relations people hear that I’m planning to come, they wet themselves with excitement.” She looked uncertain.

“Not to be arrogant about it, but I have some pulling power, sweetheart,” he said. “They’ll get photographers, they’ll get publicity and they’ll get people ringing up to book. I’ll bet money on it.”
”How much?” she asked. His habit of betting was rubbing off. He grinned again.

“Four point two million,” he suggested.

………………….

Dinner that night was made poignant by the fact that it was their last one. Joely in particular was looking around at faces that had become so familiar to her over the last three weeks and already missing them. Seeing how sad she was looking, Dominic caught her hand under the table and squeezed it.

They made love for hours that night. Caught up in the flush of the changes that were about to occur to them and their relationship, they wore each other out with their passion. And some time during the night, they started using the word “love” more often, both of them comfortable with it. It was the first thing Dominic referred to when she woke up in the morning, held against his chest, his arms around her.
”I was just thinking that if anyone had told me I’d find love in the monastery, I’d have looked at them very strangely,” he said, scoring a sleepy laugh out of her.

“And Justin thought he was sending me here to be punished,” she said, nuzzling into his chest with her nose.

“Well you weren’t too happy the first few days,” he reminded her. She wriggled loose of his grip and stretched her arms up above her head, feeling parts of her body waking up and complaining a bit from their overuse the night before.

“I made up for it,” she said, turning back to him and kissing him.

As a goodbye gift, everyone left Dominic’s breakfast plate untouched, and for the first time, he was able to not eat bran. Andy, who’d been told that they were leaving, was looking very sad, and refused to hug Joely. Daniel smiled apologetically at her and she nodded her understanding. As they were leaving the dining hall however, he changed his mind and enfolded her in a huge bear hug. Then Daniel hugged her. And then Duncan, and Michael, and five others, until she was almost in tears. Bernard was waiting for them when they walked out into the hallway, and Joely was startled to see her suitcase and another small one – presumably Dominic’s, resting over near the main entrance. They’d been brought down while they were at breakfast. Resting on top of them were bags like the one her clothes had been put into when she arrived.

Bernard patted her cheek and then moved closer, kissing her gently on the forehead. Touched, she watched as he did the same to Dominic, who bent down so he could reach him. Then he stood back and put his hands in his sleeves. Behind him, most of the monks came out of the dining hall to watch them leave. Dominic turned to her, an unreadable expression on his face. She wasn’t to know that he was annoyed at himself for not explaining this part of the ritual to her. He’d thought he would have time in their room after breakfast, but that was not going to happen. Ah well, he’d just have to show her.

He winked at her, and then he pulled his robe up and off, folding it and handing it to Bernard. Joely’s eyes widened. Dominic nodded to her and looked down at her robe. Joely looked at him, then glanced over at Bernard and all of the others. She looked back at Dominic. He nodded again, a half smile on his face. She shut her eyes and sighed. Then reached down and dragged the robe up and over her head, fumbling as she turned it right side out and folded it. Then she, too, handed it to Bernard, who smiled as he received it.

Dominic took her hand, and together they walked across the hall, across the stones she’d cleaned on the first day, a long walk naked over that circular floor, the eyes of the monks on them. At the other side, he picked up the bag that rested on her suitcase, reached into it and carefully removed her earrings, which she put on. She was already wearing the navel stud, which she hadn’t removed since he’d restored it to her, other than on those occasions when he’d made a grand production of removing it to make love, saying that he was “stripping her”.

He handed her the bag, and as she began to put her clothes on, he picked up the other bag and did the same, putting on the jeans and t-shirt she’d seen him in the night at the club. Finally, both of them fully clothed, they turned and waved to the monks. Then Dominic picked up both cases and they walked down the hallway, through the large front door and out into the sunlight.

And the flash of cameras.

“Dear heaven,” Dominic said as people rushed towards them. “Just smile and say nothing, sweetheart. Leave it to me.” Gladly. Joely couldn’t count the number of people there, and it was frightening to be crowded the way they were as they walked down the stairs.

“Back off and let us get to the car,” Dominic said, doing his best to keep them from jostling Joely. The noise levels were getting high.

“Are you married?” “Are you engaged?” “This way, Joely, look this way, love!” “Have they thrown you out of here because you’re lovers? Did you break the rules here?” “What does your father think about this?”

The questions were being thrown like weapons, shrill and invasive. Dominic put down a suitcase and held up one hand. There was relative silence.

“No, we are not married and no, we have not been thrown out.” The questions started again as soon as he drew breath.

“How does Justin feel about it?” “What about Helena, Dominic?” “Is Joely pregnant?”

Joely looked around in disbelief at the last one. Who asked that one, she wondered. And why?

“Oh stuff this,” Dominic said. “Let us through, come on now. We’ll give you some photos if you let us through to the car.” On his own, he’d have shouldered through, but with his hands full of suitcases and with Joely to protect, he couldn’t do it. Which, since none of the crowd showed any signs of moving, was why he was so pleased when the front door opened behind him and several large monks, led by Duncan, came down the stairs.

“Clear a path,” Duncan said. “And you lot are all on private property here, so you can just pack up your gear and get going or we’ll have the police out here quick smart. Off you go now.” The surprise factor of a number of large men in brown robes pushing through the people gave Dominic and Joely time to scoot through to the car. He threw the cases into the back and then unlocked the door for her.

“You said you’d pose for photos!” one of the people called out.

“So I did,” Dominic said. He put his arm around Joely. “Smile, sweetheart,” he said in her ear. “Think about how your stepfather must be reacting to Dianne’s photograph.” Joely’s smile was wide and genuine, and the camera flashes almost blinded them.

“Enough now,” Duncan said. “And don’t block the road, mind.” Two of the monks had jogged down the drive already, heading for the gate. When Dominic started the car and took off quickly, the reporters and staff ran after them, but he lost them easily, the Lamborghini negotiating the turns in the driveway like the thoroughbred it was. Seeing the electronic double gates shutting behind the car, the reporters rushed for the pedestrian gate, only to find that the monks had locked it. Fifteen frustrating minutes later, Bernard walked down with the “misplaced” key and let them out, but by then, it was too late for them to follow. The sleek black car had disappeared.

……………………………….

Two hours later, Dominic swung the car into the entrance to the driveway of Joely’s home. There were reporters there, too, although not in the numbers that they’d experienced at the monastery. Dominic ignored them this time, and Joely turned away when the cameras flashed. If this was fame, even reflected fame, it was going to take some getting used to. How did Dominic put up with it, she wondered. The intercom clicked on.

“Dominic Blake and Joely Roberts,” he said. The gates opened and they drove through, Joely’s stomach sinking. The reporters, who’d already been evicted once that morning, did not attempt to follow them.

”Not a bad little place,” Dominic commented. “Very ‘landed gentry’.”

“It’s only forty years old,” she said. “My mother had it built in her heyday, and she wanted it to look like old money. Heaven knows why.”

“I like the gardens,” he said. “And the balconies. We can do a scene from ‘Romeo and Juliet’ while we’re here.”
”We’re both too old,” she smiled despite her trepidation.

“Speak for yourself,” he said. “I played Romeo less than two years ago in the West End and was considered an unqualified success.” She laughed.

“Romeo with an Irish accent?” she teased.

“You may have noticed that I can control my accent,” he said, doing so.

“I have,” she assured him. “But I like the Irish accent.”

“I’ll keep it then,” he said, making her laugh again.

No-one came out to meet them. Dominic pulled Joely’s suitcase out of the back of the car and carried it up the steps to the portico-ed entrance. The door opened as he reached it.

“Thank you,” said the man at the door. “I’ll take that.” Dominic handed it over. The man remained where he was.

“Mr Williams asked me to tell you that you are not welcome in this house,” he said. Joely turned away, her face falling.

“Oh did he?” Dominic said. “Well, Mr Williams is going to have to tell me that himself, I’m afraid.”

“He has authorised me to use force if necessary,” the man said. Joely snapped at that.

“You’re new here, aren’t you?” she asked him. He nodded.

“Yes I am, Miss,” he said.

“So you probably aren’t aware that I actually own this house,” she said. “Mr Williams is my guardian, but this house is mine. And I will invite whoever I want into my own house. Mr Blake is coming in, so get out of the way. Now.” She’d rocked him just a little, but he was made of strong stuff.

“Mr Williams said…” he tried again.

“Move away from the door,” Justin’s voice came from behind him. The man moved and Justin appeared. “You can go away,” he said to Dominic. “And you…you can go straight to your room. I will deal with you later. I cannot believe what you’ve done to me!”

“I’m not a child to be ordered to my room, Justin,” Joely said. His eyes narrowed.

“Don’t speak to me like that,” he said. “Why are you still here?” he rounded on Dominic.

“For the entertainment value of course,” Dominic said drily. “I rarely get to see such a first class bastard in action these days.”

Justin’s mouth moved, but for an instant no words came out.
”I’ll have you arrested if you don’t get off my property!” he said.
”My property,” Joely corrected, standing straight despite the glare that was directed at her. “And he is not leaving just yet.”
”If at all,” Dominic said. “And to be honest, I’m surprised that you’re even suggesting it. Do you have any idea how many newspapers are represented by the reporters down there at the gates?”

“I have no interest in tabloid…” Justin began. Dominic interrupted, naming some of them. Not tabloids, they were the establishment papers Justin normally bent over backwards to get his name into.

“I don’t believe you,” he said. Dominic shrugged.

“Your choice,” he said. “Joely and I will just stroll down and give them a bit of an interview through the gates. Tell them what you’ve said and done. And while we’re gone, you might like to call your public relations people and get them working on damage control. Coming, Joe?” He held out his hand, and she put hers into it without hesitation. Justin’s face was crumpled in a frown. His people had already advised him that morning to welcome Dominic with open arms. As he’d predicted, they’d been falling over themselves with excitement at this unexpected windfall for the election campaign. Justin had chosen to disregard their advice, believing them to be wrong. He was being forced to revise his opinion.

“Come in,” he said. “But it will be a short visit, I can assure you.”
”It will last as long as we want it to,” Dominic said, managing to brush Justin’s shoulder roughly with his arm as he went past. Joely rolled her eyes at this display of testosterone on parade, but she had to admit that she secretly liked it.

She led him through to the back parlour, the one she liked the most, part conservatory, part comfortable chairs and occasional tables.

“Not there,” Justin said crisply. “My office.”
”No,” Joely said. “I want to sit out here.” Left standing by himself, Justin glared again, then walked after them with bad grace.

“Well I can see that the place was an abject failure in terms of teaching you manners,” he said caustically. “As well as in encouraging moral behaviour, obviously. All you appear to have learned is how to behave like a slut and prevaricate. You and “Peter” here.” Dominic, who’d been about to sit down, stood up straight again.

“It’s all right,” Joely said. “Sit down, Dominic.” She patted the sofa beside her.

“I’ll sit, but if he insults you again, I won’t stay down,” he said. As Justin came closer, Dominic took one step nearer to him, just enough to show how much taller and bigger he was. Then he sat down. Joely sighed. This was not going to be easy.

“I’m not impressed, you know,” Justin said, sitting down in an overstuffed armchair. “Displays of brute strength don’t concern me.”
”Which is why you threatened to have me forcibly removed, of course,” Dominic said. Joely’s hand on his arm calmed him down. “Oh forget it,” he said. “I’m sure you’ve had a difficult morning, Mr Williams.”
”Difficult does not begin to describe it,” Justin said, his voice curt. “Waking up on the day of a big fundraiser to find that my stepdaughter has been cavorting naked and spreading her legs for anyone would have been enough to ruin my day, but to find that she was stupid enough to let someone take a photograph of her doing this was beyond comprehension. Although it shouldn’t have been. She’s always been stup…urkkk!”

His words trailed off into protest as Dominic lunged out of his seat, lifted him out of his chair by his shirt collar and shook him.

“Listen, you piece of…”
”Dominic, let him go!” Joely insisted, grabbing his arm. “Please, let him go.” Dominic released him and let him fall back into the chair. Justin bounded up again immediately, his hand to his throat.

“I’m calling the police!” he said.

“You call them,” Dominic said. “I’ll enjoy telling them about the times you’ve slapped Joely around. And that you paid for her to be taken into a place that provides harsh wake-up calls for males only. You do that, Justin.” He used the older man’s first name deliberately. His brown-gold eyes were hard as gemstones. “And then we’ll see how successful you are in being elected, what with all of the domestic violence groups lobbying against you. Oh, and my fans, of course,” he smiled, a smile Joely hadn’t ever seen on his handsome face before and didn’t want to see again, ever.

“You think you’re so smart, don’t you?” Justin said, but he stopped walking away.

“No,” Dominic said. “But I know the press and I know public relations, and I know who’ll come off worse in this. Now, I’m prepared to sit down and discuss this rationally, but if you insult Joely again, I am not going to be responsible for my actions. No more insults, Justin. Are we clear on this?” Justin didn’t answer. He sat down again, though. Dominic, not taking his eyes off him, sat down too, Joely by his side.

“Now, as I was saying,” Dominic said. “You’ve had a difficult morning. We could have called you last night to warn you that it was going to happen, but we weren’t sure on the timing and quite frankly, we didn’t care enough to bother. But…” he held up his hand as Justin went to interrupt. “We are prepared to be part of the spin your people are no doubt working on as we speak. Subject to some conditions.”
”I don’t negotiate with people like you,” Justin said.
”People like him?” Joely said, amazed at how intransigent he was being. Could he not see that he was looking down the mouth of a gift horse? “People like Dominic, who is so newsworthy that reporters track his every move, photograph him constantly and chase him round the world? People like Dominic, who can get world attention for your unimportant little fundraiser tonight? Those sorts of people?”

Justin opened his mouth to tell her to shut up, then glanced at Dominic and changed his mind.

“I don’t believe for a minute that he has that sort of clout.”
”Then go look outside the front gates,” Joely said. “They’re not there for you, Justin, or for me. They’re there because Dominic is here. I’ll guarantee you that if you walk out there, not one of them will ask you anything other than what you think of the relationship between Dominic and I. They don’t care about your take on foreign policy or the welfare state.”

“That’s nonsense,” Justin said. Dominic leaned back in his seat, put his arm along the top of it, behind Joely’s shoulders.

“Go take the walk then,” he said. “Test it out. We’ll wait here for you. But before you go, how about a little wager that she’s right? How about…oh, I don’t know – what was the bet we settled on yesterday, Joe? Four point two million dollars?”

Justin glared. Then he smiled nastily at Joely.

“You won’t be getting any of the money,” he said, his tone strident. “I’ll make sure you don’t get a penny of it. Or this house. Under the terms of the guardianship agreement, you are expected to comply with my directions, and you have most certainly breached…”
”I don’t need it,” Joely interrupted. “If it makes you happy, you keep it, Justin.”
”No,” Dominic demurred. “Your mother left you that money, Joe. It’s yours, and you will get it. My lawyers will make sure of it.”
”I can afford to keep it in court for decades,” Justin said dismissively, confident of himself there at least. Dominic laughed.

“I could buy and sell you five times over, Williams,” he said. “Joely is not going to need that money, because she’ll have as much as she wants, but by hell, she is going to get it anyway. Save yourself the embarrassment of looking like the grasping, greedy bastard that you are, and give in graciously.”

Predictably, things went downhill from there, and if Justin’s main adviser hadn’t chosen that moment to arrive, violence would not have been averted. To Joely’s intense relief, Harry Warburton, a rotund, greying man with a mind as sharp as a tack, convinced Justin to go into his office with him. He shook Dominic’s hand warmly before he left, making it clear that he at least understood the marketing appeal of the actor.

“That went well, I thought,” Dominic said after the two men had left. Joely sank down into the cushions and laughed softly. She was amazed that she could laugh. Three weeks before, she would never have been able to cope with that sort of unpleasantness, but now, it was just something to get through on the way to the life she was going to have.

“Yes, he adored you,” she said. Dominic grinned.

“Not half as much as I liked him,” he said. “He reminded me of my father in some ways. Although he’s not as big, or quite as quick with his fists as my Da was.”
”Your father was a fighter?” Joely asked, surprised. He’d mentioned his sisters a few times, but nothing about his parents.

“No, he just liked to hit his wife,” Dominic said. “And only after he’d been drinking, which was not more than six nights a week, seven if he had enough money. He belted her around so often I actually thought her eyes were naturally that colour until I was about eight.” The colour had drained from Joely’s face.

“Oh Dominic, I’m so sorry,” she said. No wonder he was so angry at the thought of Justin hitting her.

“It’s okay,” he said. “It’s long over now. When I was sixteen, he came home drunk and started to lay into her, and I decided I’d had enough. She’d always told me to stay out of it before, but that night I didn’t. I beat him senseless, with Ma screaming at me to stop it. I’d never have been able to do it if he wasn’t drunk. The next morning he was gone. I’ve never seen him since.”
”Never?” Joely was amazed. He shook his head.

“And never will,” he said.

“And did your mother recover?” she asked. He shrugged.

“Not so’s you’d notice,” he said. “She never forgave me, never spoke to me again, actually. He was a good-looking bastard, the ladies loved him, and she forgave him anything he ever did. She never forgave me, though. Oh, it’s a long time ago, Joe,” she was clinging onto his arm, tears in her eyes. His accent had become thicker as he talked about the past, but he didn’t appear to be upset. “She died three years later, without ever speaking another word to me. She was a tough woman in her own way.”
”And your sisters?”

“Oh, they never stopped talking,” he said with a smile. “And when she died, I took over responsibility for them, worked a few jobs around the town until I was “discovered” packing groceries in a supermarket and lured into a studio for some photographs.”

“What for?” she asked.

“Jeans,” he said. “I posed for some figjam shots, someone else decided to see if I could act, I was sent off to acting and dancing schools for a while and the rest is history.”

“Figjam shots?” Joely asked. He grinned.
”It has a few variations, but in this case, it’s ‘fuck I’m gorgeous, just ask me’,” he said. “I was bare-chested, with my hands behind my head and this snotty smile on my face that would have scored me a good belting in my neighbourhood.”

“Well you are gorgeous,” she felt she should point out.
”So are you,” he said, bending down to kiss her.

They were still kissing some time later when the two men came back, and Justin made a noise of utter disgust. He was quietened by Harry, who sat down in the one remaining armchair after Justin was seated.

“Mr Williams tells me that you are prepared to assist in publicity,” he said.

“Subject to some conditions,” Dominic said, his arm around Joely.

“And they are?” Harry asked.

“Joely and I will have no restrictions placed on how often and when we see each other,” he said. Justin’s lips twisted, but he said nothing. Dominic went on.

“Mr Williams will cease giving Joely orders and treating her like a badly behaved child,” he said.

“I will NOT sit here and listen to this!’ Justin said, standing up. Harry looked at him. He sat down again, obviously incensed.

“Mr Williams will not make any objections if Joely chooses to move out of the house, either temporarily or permanently,” Dominic continued. Justin looked away. Dominic squeezed Joely’s shoulders, the sign for her to continue. Justin looked back as she started speaking.

“And finally, in exchange for being able to continue using my house as his base, Justin will terminate the guardianship and release my inheritance to me,” she said. Justin was up again.

“You’re out of your mind,” he said. “No, I won’t sit down!” he said to Harry, who was out of his chair as well.

“You have to acknowledge that you’re asking a great deal,” Harry said to Dominic and Joely.

“You have to acknowledge what sort of publicity your campaign is going to get through our relationship,” Dominic countered calmly. “And in terms of campaign funds, and what Mr Williams is going to make if he gets the job, Joely’s inheritance is a drop in the bucket. He can well afford it, he just doesn’t want to give it up, just as he doesn’t want to give up control of her life.” He stood up too.

“As a gesture of goodwill, I will attend the dinner dance tonight as Joely’s partner, and I will say nothing that can be construed as criticism of this slick piece. Beyond that, I’ll make no promises. Walk me out, Joe?”

With Justin spluttering behind them, Harry’s soothing tones in counterpoint, they left the room. Dominic stopped just short of the front door and pulled her close to him.

“I don’t like leaving you here,” he said. “Come with me.” She shook her head and smiled.

“No,” she said. “I need to do this myself. Besides, I’ll be seeing you tonight.”
”You will,” he said. “I think Harry will come and get me himself if necessary.” She laughed softly.

“What are you going to do for the rest of the day?” she asked.

“Me?” he said. “I’m going shopping. Sure you don’t want to come?” Temptation jumped up and down inside her. She quelled it firmly.

“Another time,” she promised them both. “I need to make a start on this now. See you tonight.”

Their kiss took a few more minutes, but finally he managed to drag himself away. Very reluctantly, cursing himself for giving in to her request to leave her there.

………….

Thanks to Harry, Justin left her alone for the rest of the day, and she took the opportunity to walk around and reacquaint herself with her house and with the people who worked there. The butler who had provided Bernard with corroboration of her treatment at Justin’s hands was no longer working there, so he’d presumably had another job to go to. The others were, though, and since all of them were used to treating her as someone quite unimportant in the running of the house, she enjoyed giving them a shake-up, asking after their work and instructing them to make some changes if she believed they were necessary.

She could feel the gossip and complaints starting as soon as she turned her back on them. And she loved it. So many of those people had indirectly conspired with Justin to keep her trapped here, reporting on her movements to him, taking books from her room if he hadn’t approved them and thwarting her in little things. Over time, she would rid her home of all of them. But not yet. First, they needed to see that the power base had shifted in the house. Once they’d grasped that, several of them would probably leave of their own accord, which would be even better.

Not one of them had asked her about Dominic or her front page turn on the newspapers. She found them stored neatly on the shelf beside the kitchen table, and went through them, laughing at some of the stories that had been made up about them. Apparently she and Dominic had been seeing each other for months, under Helena Miller’s nose, and had “snuck away” to the monastery for some peace after she’d found out. Another newspaper claimed that Dominic had met her at a political fundraiser and “stolen her away” from under Justin’s nose. Lots of noses featured in the stories, it appeared. Even Thad Quinlan scored a mention, as her “ex-boyfriend”. Since she’d never even been on a date with him, she felt that it was stretching the point somewhat.

By far her favourite was the one that just had the photo, blown up to almost half a page, with the words “Hanky Panky” at the top, and the caption “Dominic Blake and Joely Roberts (stepdaughter of Justin Williams) caught in a compromising position. Neither party was available for comment.” That made her laugh for some time.

She ate lunch alone, in the garden room, and spent much of the afternoon in her own room, trying to find something decent to wear for the dinner dance. It was hopeless. Justin’s choices of evening wear for her were truly awful, expensive clothes that either didn’t fit properly or were out of style or just the wrong colour. Despairing of looking even half-way decent, she eventually just grabbed one she hadn’t worn before and put it on. She would have liked to look nice for Dominic, but obviously that was not going to happen on this occasion. Sighing, she opened the door of her room then went back in to find a handbag.

Dominic, having got past the butler with no difficulty this time, even being directed up to her room, stood in the doorway of her bedroom and silently looked at her. She was in a pale pink dress with ruffles at the neck, long sleeves and a ruffle around the hem at the bottom. It was tight at her hips and bust and loose around her legs, and it seemed to be made up of tiny little pleats that ran from top to bottom. It was cut in a sharp triangle down into the front, and it looked awful. The colour made her look washed-out and the style was suitable for a woman thirty years older.

“Hello,” he said. She spun around to look at him.

“You’re here!” she said, beaming. She was moving towards him, but then her steps slowed at the look in his eyes. “I look dreadful, don’t I?” she said, a sad look in her own eyes. “He’s always done this. He’s always chosen things that make me look as if I have no taste.” Dominic glanced over at her wardrobe doors.

“It’s packed full of dresses just like this,” she said. “Certainly nothing to match you. Don’t you look dishy?” He smiled and advanced further into the room. Long suit jackets always looked especially good on tall, lean men, and this one fell almost to his knees at the back. Black, it was complemented with a crisp white shirt and a shiny silver tie. With his neat, glossy hair, his athletic physique and his amazing face and his eyes, he looked like he’d stepped straight out of Central Casting - Prince Charming stereotype.

“Just as well I bought something for you then,” he said, holding up a large shiny cardboard bag by two silk rope handles. “I just hope I guessed the sizes right. I’ve been getting very touchy-feely with sales assistants all afternoon, putting my hands on them to see if they were the same size as you.” Joely went to laugh, then realised he was serious.

“You were putting your hands on them?” she repeated. He nodded.

“Around their waists, and above and below. They were very cooperative.”
”Oh, I’ll just bet they were,” she said. “But what have you bought me?”

“A dress,” he said. “Get that ugly thing off, Joe. Let’s get you into something decent.”

She didn’t move.

“You bought me a dress?” she said, stunned. He nodded.

“I know I’m a bit substantial and male to be a fairy godmother, but I just had this nagging feeling that you wouldn’t have anything suitable, that your stepfather might have a habit of hiding your light under a bushel as far as clothes go. And that’s not going to happen tonight, is it, Joe?” She blinked back tears.
”No,” she said. “Shut the door, Dominic.” He reached back and shut it, then waited for her to unzip the dress and let it fall to the floor.

“Here, I’ll take that while you get that underwear off,” he said, reaching down and scooping it up.

“But I’ll need underwear,” she said, looking down at the rose-pink matching set she was wearing. “I can’t go without…Dominic, what are you doing?” He’d opened the curtains over one of the windows, pushed the window out further, and as she spoke, was dropping the pink dress out the window.

“Putting out the rubbish,” he said calmly. “Underwear off, Joe. I’ve bought you some of that, too. A woman once told me that the underwear should match the dress.” She smiled at the memory. Then she reached behind her to undo the bra.

It felt odd to be naked in front of him, here in her own room, particularly since he was fully dressed and standing a few steps away from her. The look of appreciation in his eyes warmed her, though.

“Underwear, please,” she said, holding out a hand.

“First things first,” he said, smiling. ”Here,” he reached into the bag and withdrew a large, black velvet case. He walked forward, holding it. “First, I thought diamonds, because of your colouring – very Princess Grace, after all, but then I decided no, because of your eyes.” He opened the case and Joely gasped at the sight of an elegant tear drop sapphire, held on a gold chain so delicate it looked as if it would snap.

“Do you like it?” he asked. She raised her eyes to his.

“I love it!” she said. “Oh, Dominic!”
”Good,” he said, sounding relieved. “There was another, bigger one, lots of sapphires, sort of like a choker only looser. I liked it too, but I thought this would go better with the dress. I spent ages deciding which one to buy for you, and I couldn’t make up my mind.” He looked sheepish. “I bought the other one, too. I’ll give it to you later.”

“You bought me two sapphire necklaces?” Joely asked, reaching for the one in front of her. She had completely forgotten that she was now naked except for her stockings and a pair of pink high heels.

“Among other things,” Dominic admitted. The picture she was presenting was not lost on him. He turned her round by the shoulders and took the necklace from her, fastening it while she held her hair up.

“I wanted to see it on you, just on your lovely body, with no clothes,” he said. “You make it look good.” The intensity in his voice warmed her.

“What other things?” she asked, looking down at the necklace. She blinked at the sight of her bare breasts, and covered them with her hands.
”A few other baubles,” he said. He made her shift one hand by giving her another box, this one holding small sapphire drop earrings.

“You must have spent a fortune!” she protested as she put them on. He shrugged and smiled, loving the rise and fall of her breasts, and all of the rest of the view as well.

“They can be family heirlooms. You can leave them to our children or grandchildren,” he said casually, looking back inside the bag while Joely blinked and processed that comment.

“This one I’m putting in,” he said, holding up a smaller box. When he flipped it open, she laughed. It was a sapphire navel stud. Obediently, she stood in front of him while he sat on the bed, removed the one she was wearing and inserted it. Once finished, he bent down and kissed it.
”Perfect,” he said.

“Dominic, when you said about leaving them to our children and grandchildren,” Joely said.

“Well, maybe not this,” he said, grinning as he touched the sapphire framed by her tight navel. He let his fingers trail down a little lower, then he looked up, past the breasts she was covering again, to her eyes. “Am I moving too fast for you, Joe? Tell me if I am. I don’t want you to trade one dictatorial, overbearing tyrant for another one.” Joely shook her head, amazed.

“No,” she said. “Not at all. Of course not.”

”No?” he repeated. “Good.” He reached into an inside pocket of his coat. “I’ll give you this as well, then. Just back up a step or two, will you?” He seemed nervous. Joely backed up, then caught her breath as he dropped to one knee and took her hand.

“Marry me?” he asked. She barely gasped out a “yes” before he opened up the last of the little velvet boxes and, smiling broadly, slipped a magnificent sapphire and diamond ring onto her hand. It was a little too large, but it didn’t matter. Joely burst into tears.

“Oh dear heaven,” he said, laughing as he stood up and pulled her against him. “This is not the time to cry, woman!”

“I’m sorry,” she hiccupped into his shoulder. “I’m so happy.”

“Heaven help us if you ever get sad is all I can say,” he said. Then he cupped her face in his hands and kissed her, a long, deep kiss full of promise. Then he kissed the tears off her cheeks. Then, he resolutely put his hands on her shoulders and stepped back.

“Tempting though it would be to spend the night here with you stripped down to sapphires, I think we’d better get you dressed, sweetheart,” he said. Joely glanced down, suddenly aware again that she was naked. As proposals went, this one was unorthodox. But very Dominic.

“I suppose so,” she said. “I don’t want to go to this dance, Dominic.”
”You’ll have fun,” he replied. “I promise.” The words were no sooner out of his mouth when the door of her room was flung open.

“Would you hurry up and stop being so typically inconsiderate of everyone’s…” Justin stormed in, stopping mid-sentence when he saw Joely standing nude in front of Dominic.

“Do you never knock?” Dominic demanded, stepping in front of her and blocking her from Justin’s view.

“What are you doing in here?” Justin seethed, walking in. “And why are you naked, and where did you get that necklace?” Obviously he’d had a good look before Dominic moved.

“The same place I got the earrings and the navel stud,” Joely said, grateful for the cover Dominic was providing. “And the ring.” Justin’s glare skidded over Dominic.

“You have no right to be buying her jewellery,” he said. “No right at…ring? What ring?” Joely draped her left hand over Dominic’s shoulder.

“This ring,” she said. Justin’s jaw tightened.

“You can just give it back,” he said.
”No,” Dominic spoke for her. “She can’t. I won’t take it back. We’re engaged, Williams, and there’s not a bloody thing you can do about it.”
”We’ll see about that,” Justin said. “For God’s sake, cover yourself. This sort of indecent behaviour might appeal to him, but it’s not acceptable to the rest of the populace, believe me.” Before Dominic could respond, Joely did.

“I don’t care about the rest of the populace,” she said. “Go away so I can get dressed.”

Not happy about leaving Dominic there, not happy about anything at all, in fact, Justin left the room. Dominic turned and pulled her into his arms again, holding her as close as he could.
”I love you,” he said. “And I can’t wait to take you away from that bastard. But in the meantime, let’s get you dressed. I want to see if everything fits.”

The only underwear was a blue g-string with a trim of fake diamonds across the front.

“No bra?” she asked, peeking into the bag.

“No bra,” he shook his head. “You don’t need it with this.” He pulled the dress out and held it up. Joely reached for it immediately, her eyes shining. It fit, if not perfectly, then well enough to attest to his intimate knowledge of her body. It was strapless silk, the fitted, lined bodice dipping between her breasts enough to show them off but not enough to risk them falling out. The skirt was full and heavy, falling to just below her knees. It was elegant, expensive and perfect.

“Shoes,” he said, pulling out the last box from the bag. “I hope I got these right.”
”I have black shoes anyway,” she said, her eyes widening at the strappy blue, high-heeled shoe he pulled out and slipped onto her foot.

“How did you know my size?” she breathed as he did the straps up.

“The times I rubbed your feet,” he smiled up at her. “I held your foot against my hand, so I knew how long it was. And I told the saleslady that all of you was slender, so I figured your feet were, too.”

“Dominic, this is so beautiful.”
”Almost worthy of you,” he agreed, straightening up and turning her so she could look at herself in the mirror. “Now, you’d better fix your make-up and we’ll go downstairs and make a start on a night of fun and frivolity under the watchful eye of that bloodsucking stepfather of yours.” Joely laughed and headed for the bathroom and her cosmetics.