AS the light sea-plane circled the small Caribbean island of St Johnâs, Autumn stared up at it, shielding her eyes from the brilliance of the sun.
âHere comes our big fish,â Alan said humorously, sliding an arm round her shoulders and pulling her against him. âI hope youâre going to do your courier bit well and help me hook him.â
They were standing on the smooth pale sand in front of the hotel, a tall, almost too finely drawn girl with a cloud of sunbleached honey blonde hair and eyes the misty violet colour of the bougainvillea that smothered the walls of the double-storey blocks of bedrooms scattered discreetly in the hotel grounds, and a slightly shorter, thickset man in his early thirties, his lightweight tropical suit over-formal next to the golden-toasted, bikini-clad body of his companion.
Autumn moved away automatically, a reflex action where men were concerned and one she barely noticed any more, but Alan Shields saw it, and his mouth compressed slightly. He had taken Autumn on to the staff of his package holiday business, Travel Mates, on the recommendation of his secretary, Sally Ferrars. As far as doing her job went, he had no complaints, but Autumn had displayed a steadfast refusal to respond to his advances which had aroused at first disbelief and then, when he realised that she meant it, curiosity.
Autumn was twenty-two and must surely have had relationships with other men; she was too attractive sexually not to have done, so why the cold shoulder for him? He was not bad looking; comparatively wealthy, free, white and over twenty-one.
He had tried to pump Sally, but she had refused to be badgered. âLeave Autumn alone,â was all she would tell him. Sally was engaged to a British Airways pilot and she treated him with a sisterly forbearance. He glanced thoughtfully at Autumn.
âWeâve really got to pull out all the stops on this one,â he warned her. âIf this guy doesnât come up with the goods, weâre well and truly sunk, and Tropicana will take us over. If that happens weâll all be out of a job.â
Autumn knew that Alan wasnât exaggerating and sympathised. The success of St Johnâs as the ultimate Caribbean holiday retreat was very close to his heart, and he had invested heavily in the small island and the hotel complex he was having built there. His business, Travel Mates, had been doing very well and there had been no reason to suppose that St Johnâs wouldnât be hugely successful. The hotelâs first season had been booked up well in advance and building was on schedule. But then a freak hurricane had virtually destroyed the main hotel building; holidays already booked had had to be cancelled and money refunded, and as a result Alan was facing ruin unless he could find someone willing to invest in the venture.
The larger holiday operators were hovering like vultures, waiting to see what pickings they could get if he failed, and Autumn didnât need to be reminded how important it was that this possible backer Alanâs merchant bankers had found them invested in the island of St Johnâs.
Even so, she disliked Alanâs suggestion that she could make some effort to âcharmâ the man, and she frowned slightly. She liked Alan, and owed him a great deal. Without the job he had given her⦠She sighed and glanced at her watch. Nearly four oâclock. Every afternoon she spent a couple of hours in the hotel foyer, answering the questions of the holidaymakers who needed advice or help.
âWeâre having dinner alone tonight, just the three of us in my bungalow,â Alan told her, âso wear something pretty.â
âPretty? Donât you mean sexy?â Autumn queried, giving him a sharp look. âI wonât be used as bait, Alan. Iâm not making myself available to your backer. Letâs get that understood right from the start.â
Alan assumed a hurt expression.
âYouâve got it all wrong. All I want you to do is smile nicely and make him feel welcome. Nothing wrong in that, is there?â
âI think Iâll reserve judgment,â Autumn said dryly.
She was well aware that Alan thought her something of an enigma, but his earlier determination to break through her defences had waned when he realised that she was not going to give way, and now he tended to treat her more as an efficient member of his staff and less of a challenge to his masculinity. There were still times, though, when his conversation held distinctly sexual overtones, but Autumn had grown adept at keeping him at armâs length.
âWant to come with me to welcome our visitor?â Alan asked lazily, seeing that she wasnât going to be drawn.
Beyond the reef the small bi-plane had landed safely and was bobbing gently on the smooth water.
Autumn shook her head.
âIâm too busy. Iâll see you later.â