Why, if she was the mercenary, calculating woman heâd assumed, hadnât she sold Tarika Bay to him?
His lips tightened as he watched her sip her wine, red lips lushly inviting. For a whileâokay, since the day theyâd met!âheâd been fighting a desire to find excuses for her supposed greed.
He put his fork down on his empty plate. Now he found himself wondering whether her wild abandonment in his arms had been a natural generosity, or a calculating attempt to soften him in case she needed a loan. The thought outraged him for reasons he wasnât prepared to explore right then.
It would be much easier if he could convince himself she was a greedy, amoral sensualist.
Perhaps it was simply that she had enough contradictions in her character to intrigue him. Businesswoman, artist and craftsperson, sensual lover, yet a woman who blushed occasionally and hated itâ¦
She had certainly enjoyed making love with him, but did it mean anything to her?
DRAGGING her gaze away from the polished hide of the bull pacing past her, Morna Vause eyed the spectators at the local Agricultural and Pastoral Show. Tinny music from the sideshows floated across the showgrounds, mingling with the busy hum of New Zealanders having a good time.
In a brittle voice she murmured, âIâd feel safer if there was more than one strand of wire and a few spectators between that animal and me.â
Cathy Harding grinned. âI know youâre the consummate city slicker, but can you imagine something that big actually running? I bet I can hop faster than its full speed. With your long legs it wouldnât have a hope of getting anywhere near you. Are you bored? Would you like to go home?â
âIâm not in the least bored,â Morna told her honestly. She squinted from beneath the brim of her hat at the cloudless sky, a richer, more mellow blue than summerâs brassy brilliance. âItâs autumnâweâre supposed to be cooling down.â
âNot in Northland.â
Mornaâs idle gaze skimmed the crowd, stopping at an arrogantly held head a few yards away. Registering great heightâabout six inches over six feetâblue-black hair, olive skin, and an air of cool authority, she felt an odd shimmer of awareness, a kind of alteration to the fabric of her life sheâd only experienced once before.
And look what that got you, she told herself sternly. Humiliation and pain and bitter betrayal and a total loss of self-respectâ¦
Physically, this man didnât even look like Glen. Not only was he much taller, his wide shoulders reminded her of the axemen sheâd watched demolish tree trunks a few minutes ago. Glen had cherished his urban worldliness, whereas this man looked thoroughly at home in a very rural situation.
Unexpected heat shivered along her nerves. All she could see of the unknown man was one superb cheekbone, a strong nose and an even stronger chin, yet something about his stanceâan indefinable aura of complete self-confidence?âgoaded her into instant dislike. Glen had had the sameâ
Mercilessly slamming the door on unwanted memories, Morna fanned herself more vigorously and forced her eyes back to the show ring, where another gleaming mountain of animal was striding ponderously past, dwarfing its handler.
Face lighting up, Cathy exclaimed, âOh, look, thereâs Marty with our bull! Nickâs so pleased it got Champion of Champions.â
Nick Harding was Cathyâs husband and Mornaâs foster-brother. Morna patted a damp black lock of hair back into her sleek bob and said respectfully, âItâs certainly a splendid beast. Gorgeous.â
Cathy chuckled. âI wouldnât exactly call them gorgeous, more overwhelming. I saw you admiring them like a veteran cattle fancier over at the pens with Nick.â
âI love those burnished colours.â Frowning, Morna watched another animal approach. âThey make me wonder if I could get that effect in a piece of jewellery. Iâd have to use enamelâ¦â
âIt intrigues me that you rely on forms and colours from nature so much. Designing and making jewellery seem such sophisticated skills.â
Wrinkling her nose at the sickly perfume of candyfloss that floated over other, more earthy scents, Morna pointed out, âThe raw materials are very basic. Precious gems and metals are gifts from the earth. And as for sophisticationâwho could be more sophisticated than Nick? Yet here he is, lord of the manor and thoroughly enjoying it.â