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.txtNo sooner had she dressed and breakfasted, however, than she immediately began to wonder if shewasn't about to have another inauspicious day, for as soon as she reached the public lounge on her wayto the bar she found Kurt waiting for her with a thunderous look on his face.`So you weren't interested in my stepbrother, eh?' he didn't waste any time in charging wrathfully.`Ishould have known you'd be no different from the rest!'Mention of Corey had Dale's facial muscles tightening in dismay.Good lord, had Opal made good herthreat already? `Whatever are you talking about?' she asked, trying to sound innocently amused andwanting to hear exactly what he had to say before committing herself.`You know damned well what I'm talking about! It was all over the air waves yesterday evening aboutCorey's and your budding romance!' he railed.`Our what?' she gasped jerkily.Somehow she suspected that wasn't quite how Opal had intended theinformation to be taken.`Oh, how r-ridiculous!'`Is it?' he thrust his angry face forward to sneer rancorously.`Well, of course it is!' she asserted in an urgent voice.`I don't know who could have started such arumour,'-not much, she didn't! `but they're wrong, believe me! Quite wrong! There's absolutely nothingbetween Corey and myself.'`No?' he countered once more, and in just the same scathing tone.`Then perhaps you'd better tell himthat, because he told me something quite different!'`Y-you've already spoken to Corey about it?' Dale's eyes closed in despair.`Yes, I fronted him about it!' he grated between clenched teeth.`And his answer makes a liar out of you,I can tell you that, you two-faced little bitch!'`How do you mean?' she quizzed faintly, dreading to know the worst, and too perturbed to takeexception to s vilification.`Because, according to him, the pair of you are on e point of becoming engaged!' Dale stared at himincredulously.Oh, God, was this me sort of macabre joke Corey and Opal had worked out betweenthemselves? Or was he just using her in order to achieve his own ends, after all?`Then he's lying!' she accused distractedly.'Or-or you misunderstood him.Or more likely still, he washaving you on.But I can assure you, we are not almost engaged!'Kurt hesitated, momentarily put out of stride by the afflicting stories.Then his lips thinned and he shookhis head scornfully.`Just friends, huh?' he jeered on a disparaging note.`Then why the big love scenethat apparently took place yesterday? Try explaining that.if you can!'`Oh, there was no big love scene! The whole thing's been exaggerated out of all proportion!' sheretorted.exasperatedly.`You deny kissing him?'She made a deprecating gesture with her hands."Well-no, not exactly-but.'`No, I didn't think so!' he broke in savagely, eyes glittering.`Your whole protest's been nothing but apack of lies, hasn't it? Well, I wish him joy of you, because I'm beginning to think I've had a luckyescape!' And with a last derisive curling of his upper lip, he turned on his heel and stormed from theroom.Indignation, disappointment, and anger all welled up inside Dale as she watched him leave, and onlyseconds later she was pacing down the hall herself, intent on finding Corey! That Kurt should havebelieved she was deliberately two-timing him was bad enough, but that Corey should have gone to suchfile:///E|/My%20Library/books/ROMANCE/kerry%20allyne/1982%20%20spring%20fever%20TXT/spring%20fever.txt (51 of 80)05/05/2010 14:42:13file:///E|/My%20Library/books/ROMANCE/kerry%20allyne/1982%20%20spring%20fever%20TXT/spring%20fever.txtlengths to further the idea was absolutely infuriating!Unable to locate him anywhere at the front of the hotel, she headed towards the back and eventuallydiscovered him seated on a stool in the kitchen, casually talking to Myra.And the fact that he did appearso relaxed and at ease did nothing to appease Dale's sense of outrage and, with a glare that should havefelled him on the spot, she strode towards him determinedly.`Morning, Myra,' she acknowledged with a bright, tight half smile as she crossed the room and came to ahalt before the object of her attention, whereupon she heaved smoulderingly, `I'd like a word with you inprivate, if you don't mind!'Before he could answer, Myra had cut delightedly into the conversation.`Oh, Dale! Congratulations onyour impending engagement!' she exclaimed.`I hope the two of you will be very happy.'Not wanting to embarrass the woman by refusing to accept her good wishes, Dale stammereduncomfortably, 'Er-thank you, Myra, although I-I'm not quite sure congratulations are-er-actually inorder as yet.I mean,'' she paused, swallowing convulsively, on seeing the look of puzzlement creepingover the woman's face, `it's not as if anything's really been settled.'`But I thought.' Myra began, frowning.`Dale just means it's more usual to have a ring to display before accepting congratulations,' insertedCorey easily, and cast his supposed intended a taunting smile.`Isn't that right, angel?'`Something like.' Her eyes clashed direfully with his.Undeterred, he slid an arm around her slender waist, drawing her closer to his side.`And that's what youwanted to see me about, is it?'`Among other things!' she gritted between falsely smiling teeth.`In that case.' He rose lithely to his feet, but kept her pinned against him.`If you'll excuse me, Myra,we'll see you later.'`Of course,' the older woman allowed readily and then chuckled.`I expect you'd prefer to be on yourown, in any case.'And especially when murder was about to be committed! added Dale pungently, jerking free of his graspthe minute they were out of Myra's sight.`What the hell do you think you're playing at, Corey, telling everyone we're engaged?' she demanded ofhim furiously.`You know that nothing's further from the truth, and if you think it's amusing, then I canassure you, I don't! It's already broken up my relationship with Kurt!'Turning left, Corey made for the side verandah and Dale followed him.`Don't blame me, angel,' hedrawled indolently.`You were the one who said, whoever got Tavener's Bridge got you as well.'Dale felt her jaw starting to drop with incredulity."Are you telling me that's what brought all this on?some facetious remark I made last night?' she part gasped, part seethed.`Was it facetious?' One dark brow crooked obliquely.`Oh, of course it was!' she flared.And seeing the amused flicker in his eyes, `As you damned wellknows.The same as you're being now!'He grinned quite openly at that.`Perhaps it will teach you to be more circumspect with what you say infuture.'`In other words, it's just your way of paying me back for all those things I said, is it?'`Not entirely.' His lips twitched wryly.Amethyst-coloured eyes surveyed him suspiciously [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]