‘Amber Hollingsworth,’ she said, her businesslike tone a reflection of the control she was trying to muster. But her temper was fairly bubbling at Beverly’s unjust accusations.
‘Hello, Amber,’ a cool male voice drawled down the line. ‘I’m so glad to find you home.’
‘Ben,’ she croaked, then swallowed to clear the instant thickening in her throat.
‘Right in one. I’m surprised you recognised my voice. Or were you expecting my call?’
‘Er...’
He laughed. It was not a warm sound. ‘You seem at a loss for words. How unlike you, Amber. I recall you were always very good with your tongue.’
At that moment, Amber’s tongue lay uselessly in her mouth. Not so that awful night, she recalled. It had danced with Ben’s in an erotic tango during kisses which hadn’t been kisses but a total seduction of her senses—and her conscience.
But of course he wasn’t referring to that.
‘The silent treatment might have worked for you in the past, Amber,’ Ben went on coldly, ‘but not this time. I’ve been trying to ring Gran, but she’s taken the phone off the hook. Why would that be, I wonder? I can only imagine she’s getting calls she doesn’t like.
‘Whatever, I’ll be leaving here first thing in the morning and should be in Sunrise by mid-afternoon. I just thought I’d let you know that if you have any ideas of threatening Gran, or doing anything at all that might be construed as harassment, then I’ll have you in court so fast it will make your head spin.’
Amber found her voice at last. ‘But I would never do anything like that!’
‘Now, why is it I have no confidence in that sweet assurance? Have you spoken to Gran since the paper came out?’
‘No.’ She’d been going to drive out today, but in the end had decided not to. She’d spent the day going over the plans for the complex and seeing if there was any alternative to putting the car park on Sinclair land. There was. But it was far too expensive. Still, it was a solution of a kind, if her back ended up against the wall. Sunrise was going to get its complex, even if Hollingsworths had to take a loss!
‘I’m surprised,’ came Ben’s droll remark. ‘I thought you’d be out there, rolling out some more honey-tongued arguments to change Gran’s mind.’
‘Believe it or not, Ben Sinclair,’ Amber snapped, ‘but when I spoke to your grandmother the other day she seemed very agreeable to the idea of selling. And my offer was very generous—triple what that land is worth on the open market. I have no idea what changed her mind, or gave her the attitude she expressed in the paper. Unless it was you,’ she added tartly.
His momentary silence surprised Amber.
‘I haven’t spoken to Gran since last Sunday night,’ he said curtly at last. ‘Might I ask when you made this very generous offer?’
‘Monday.’
‘Well, as you can see, I had nothing to do with Gran’s supposed change of attitude. Maybe you mistook her agreement in the first place. I would imagine you’re pretty used to assuming most people would do what you want, Amber. The Sinclairs must be proving a bit of a thorn in your side.’
Amber gritted her teeth. ‘I don’t think I mistook her attitude at all. Look, if you’ll be home tomorrow afternoon, I’d like the opportunity to speak to you both together. I believe, once I explain the full situation, you’ll be able to make your gran see how important this complex really is to Sunrise Point’s future. Ben, you have no idea how many local people don’t have jobs. Especially amongst the young.’
‘My God, Amber, this new you is quite a stunning change from the old Amber. She wouldn’t have given a damn about Sunrise Point’s future. After all, she couldn’t get out of the old hometown fast enough. The Amber I came to know and love certainly wouldn’t have sounded so passionate about things local and economical. I’m sure I will find it fascinating to hear your selling spiel.
‘Be at the farm at four,’ he ordered brusquely. ‘But don’t bother bringing the Hollingsworth chequebook. Because we’re not selling. Not now. Not ever.’
He hung up, leaving Amber in a state of mounting fury. Who did that supercilious, sarcastic bastard think he was? No one had left town more quickly than he had. No one was more selfish—or less socially conscious.
As for his gran, it was her land still, wasn’t it? If Amber could persuade her to sell, then Ben Sinclair could just butt out.
She wouldn’t be at the farm at four. She’d get there at three, with a damned sight more than the Hollingsworth chequebook in hand. She’d have a few other subtle enticements up her sleeve which an old lady might appreciate.
Ben wanted war? Well, he’d get war!
‘Who was that?’ Beverly demanded to know. Amber replaced the receiver and turned to face her sour-faced stepmother. Beverly wanted war too, it seemed. Still, there was no point in lying to her.
‘Ben Sinclair,’ Amber said a touch aggressively. ‘Pearl Sinclair’s grandson.’
Beverly’s eyebrows lifted, then fell. ‘Your father said he’d be in touch. What did he want?’
‘To see me. Out at the farm. Tomorrow afternoon.’
‘So what’s he like, this Ben Sinclair?’
‘Tall, dark and handsome.’
‘Really! How old?’
‘Thirtyish,’ Amber guessed. He’d been about a year older than herself, and she was twenty-nine next birthday.
‘Smart?’
‘Super-smart, and sexy as hell.’
Beverly’s eyebrows lifted some more. ‘Really!’
‘He’s also a bastard of the first order!’
Beverly blinked. ‘Goodness, Amber, I’ve never heard you speak so passionately about a man before. Maybe I was wrong. Maybe you’re not sexless after all. Maybe you just need the right male to bring out the fire in you. I’m intrigued. I think I shall invite this Ben Sinclair to dinner.’
‘Don’t you dare.’
‘Amber, this is my home. I will invite whom I please.’
‘I think Dad might have something to say about that.’
‘I think your father will approve wholeheartedly. He always says the best place for one’s enemies is under your own roof where you can see them. I’ll go ask him.’
She swanned off, leaving Amber to smoulder all by herself.
Oh, go and invite him to dinner, she thought at last with reckless anger. I don’t care. At least that way I’ll have all my current enemies present under the one roof as well!
CHAPTER FOUR
BEN cursed the Pacific Highway all the way home. Dangerous damned road. The government ought to be skinned alive for not spending the money and turning it into a dual highway from Sydney to Brisbane. It was no wonder he didn’t visit Gran as often as he should. You took your life in your hands every time you got behind a wheel and headed north along the coast road.
His watch said a quarter to three as he reached the top of Wingaroo Mountain then began the slow, winding descent which would take him down into the valley and the town of Sunrise.
Thank God he would arrive at the farm in plenty of time to be unwound and prepared for Amber’s arrival around four. And in plenty of time to have a good chat with Gran. He still hadn’t been able to contact her by telephone. Clearly she’d taken it permanently off the hook. He would have something to say about that when he got home—and her not telling him anything about