Husband On Trust. Jacqueline Baird

it in the tautness of his features and the cold black depths of his eyes. ‘Where the hell do you think you’re going?’

      ‘You know the saying—two’s company, three’s a crowd,’ she shot back furiously. ‘I’m leaving.’

      He shook her arm, his mouth a tight, menacing line. ‘You are not going anywhere.’ His black eyes held Lisa’s in a fierce challenge, daring her to disagree.

      ‘Oops, I seem to have made a mistake.’ Margot’s voice cut through the electric tension in the air.

      Both Lisa and Alex turned to look at the woman with equal degrees of anger.

      ‘Sorry, I must have got the day wrong. I could have sworn it was tonight.’

      Lisa took a really good look at the other woman. She had small breasts and a tiny waist, but she was not a natural redhead. On seeing the woman’s face for the first time, Lisa’s eyes widened in stunned recognition. Her picture had been on posters around Stratford-upon-Avon a couple of months ago. It was Margot Delfont, an up-and-coming Shakespearean actress.

      ‘Margot, get dressed and get out,’ Alex commanded. ‘I’ve told you it’s over.’

      ‘But after two years I didn’t think you meant it, Alex, darling.’ Margot replied lightly, though Lisa saw the naked pleading in the other woman’s eyes and had to look away. ‘I mean, that was weeks ago, and we’ve had tiffs before, and got over them.’

      ‘How many weeks ago? Seven?’ Lisa asked, but she already knew the answer.

      ‘Not now, Lisa,’ Alex snapped at her. Then, picking the red dress off the floor, he walked across to Margot and threw it at her. ‘Out.’

      But Lisa saw it all now. The first time she had met Alex he had said he was in Stratford for the theatre, but had left early. He hadn’t been there for the play but obviously to see his girlfriend. Lisa’s lips twisted in the travesty of a smile. Alex had had a drink with Harold, Nigel and herself, before pleading a late dinner engagement and leaving, but only after having made quite sure he could see Lisa the next day. The phrase ‘killing two birds with one stone’ sprang to mind…

      A night with his lover and a bid for the property Lisa owned. What a naive fool she had been! Lisa clenched her teeth to stop herself crying out in pain.

      ‘Look, I’m awfully sorry, darling, but really it is no big deal. In fact, it might be rather fun with a threesome,’ Margot suggested, smiling up at Alex as she shimmied into her dress. And then, turning her attention to Lisa, she added, ‘I’m sorry, we haven’t been introduced, but you must be the new wife. So what do you say?’

      Lisa shook her head in complete disgust. It was like a black comedy, and she would not demean herself with a response.

      ‘Margot, shut up and get out.’ Not by a flicker of an eyelash did Alex betray his feelings. He simply gave the woman standing by the bed a cold, impersonal inspection. ‘And leave the key behind this time.’

      Lisa didn’t know which one she hated more. Margot, or her arrogant husband. She almost felt sorry for Margot; it was obvious she loved Alex, and would do anything, anything at all for him! But it was equally obvious he cared little or nothing for her; she had been a convenient body in his bed when he had needed a woman.

      Alex turned back to Lisa, sliding a proprietoral arm around her waist. ‘This is all an unfortunate mistake.’

      Lisa glanced up at him. A mistake, he’d said, but it was Lisa who had made one. Alex didn’t feel any more for her than he did for Margot. His handsome face was expressionless; he was not at all embarrassed by the ludicrous situation he found himself in. Because he didn’t really care for either woman…

      The realisation galvanised Lisa into action. With an almighty jerk and a hefty kick to Alex’s shin, she broke away, and was out of the door and straight into the guest room across the hall, slamming the door behind her. Luckily it had a lock, and swiftly she turned the key. She flung back her head and took deep, shaky breaths, trying to force the air into her lungs. She saw the light switch and pressed it on. The sudden glare hurt her eyes and she doubled over. Her stomach churned and she knew she was going to be sick. Stumbling into the adjoining bathroom, she bent over the toilet bowl.