Genevieve looked back, startled. “Get real, Em. How can I possibly marry Colin when Blaine kissed me? I’m afraid of Blaine.”
“That powerful?” Emmy looked at Genevieve with love and understanding. She adored the girl.
“He’s turned my world upside down, Em. Maybe he didn’t mean to. But he has. I was going along okay. But now! He’s pierced me like an arrow. So strange when he’s planning on getting married himself.”
Emmy closed the box of chocolates carefully. “I take it you mean Sally Fenwick?” she asked briskly.
“Of course I mean Sally.” Genni didn’t look up. “She’s lovely and kind. They’ve been very good friends for so long. Sally is coming to the wedding. She’s staying at the same hotel. Even Hilary likes and approves of her.” Genevieve referred to Blaine’s prickly young stepsister, several years younger than herself. “Hilary hinted marriage isn’t far off.”
“Really? I thought it was a bit of a one-sided relationship,” said Emmy levelly.
“That’s because Blaine never gives anything away.”
“He kissed you. Some kiss by the sound of it.”
Genevieve’s face flared. “Blaine does everything like that, though, doesn’t he? He doesn’t realise he’s so…”
“Powerful?” Emmy hit on the right word.
“God I hate him!” Genevieve said in a small voice.
“Why don’t you tell him?” practical Emmy suggested.
“I did.” Genevieve barely whispered it. “I told him I wanted him out of my life. I told him I was sick to death of his dictatorial ways. I haven’t been able to do a thing to please him for years.”
“Why don’t you tell him again? You might get through this time.”
Genevieve considered this, then shook her head. “I won’t see him until he walks me up the aisle.”
“So tell him tonight,” Emmy pressed. “What’s wrong with that?”
“You mean go to his hotel?”
Emmy nodded. “If I were you I’d do it like a shot.”
Genevieve stared at her. “Emmy, darling, what are you saying?”
“Maybe what I should have said before. Tell Blaine what you tried to tell your mother. You can’t go through with this marriage.”
Genevieve sat erect in her chair and looked at her dear friend in alarm. “He’d be shocked out of his mind.”
“I wonder,” Emmy countered briskly.
“No Courtland would do such a terrible thing. Call off a wedding at the last moment.”
“It’s healthier than making a dreadful mistake, poppet.” Emmy leaned over to grasp Genevieve’s arm. “Blaine’s no ordinary man. Tell him what’s in your heart. Let him take charge.”
Genevieve’s lovely face looked stricken. “I don’t know if I dare. This is dreadful, Em. The house is ready. The church is ready. Our dresses are hanging upstairs. Fabulous dresses that cost a fortune. Three hundred guests are coming. The presents are all in. I don’t know if I have the courage. I don’t think I can humiliate Colin and his family. Colin’s father might very well line up a pantechnicon to run me over. He’s the Freight King after all.”
“Listen, you’ve been bullied into this,” Emmy snorted. “By Colin’s steamroller of a father on the one hand and your conniving mother on the other. An engagement of a couple of months was diabolically clever. You haven’t had time to know your own mind. But evidently Blaine’s kissing you has changed it.”
Genevieve’s face mirrored her inner havoc. “I felt something I’ve never felt in my life. I felt Blaine owned me body and soul. That he’s always been waiting for me to grow up. One kiss ended our old relationship. Dear God, I thought we were family. But it wasn’t family in my blood. I can’t deny I always thought he was the most marvellous man in the world, so exciting he makes the air vibrate, but we were cousins. I was his little Violetta. Remember how he used to call me that?”
“Oh, golly, I remember everything.” Emmy’s voice was low and wry. “Blaine has quite a way with words. For a very commanding man, daunting man at times, Blaine has his softer side. He could be very tender with you. Go to him, poppet. Pour out your heart. I have a feeling he’d pull down the stars for you if you asked him. No, don’t look at me like that. It’s true.”
“It’s not easy, Emmy,” Genevieve said sadly. “I think Blaine wants our break to be permanent.”
* * *
Hilary Courtland caught sight of Genevieve the minute she entered the hotel. Just seeing her gave Hilary a queer feeling when she’d been having a good time. Genevieve was moving with the speed and grace of a gazelle but Hilary got the impression of a deep unhappiness. Trouble, Hilary decided. Genni was looking for someone. Who else could it be but Blaine?
“Say, isn’t that your cousin?” Hilary’s male companion asked with immense interest. They’d been tucked away in a banquette, enjoying a mild flirtation, when he heard Hilary’s odd little gasp and caught her startled gaze. Intrigued, he turned his head to follow up on the direction.
“Yes, that’s Genevieve,” Hilary answered, her smile twisted, her tone a lot more revealing than she intended. Ever since she could remember Hilary had felt rancour towards Genevieve. She was Blaine’s sister yet Genni was the one Blaine had always cared about. Genni of the huge violet eyes and Rapunzel hair. Tonight Genevieve was casually dressed, navy gold-buttoned blazer, pale blue shirt, blue jeans, sneakers on her feet yet she looked like the model for the latest Ralph Lauren collection; a glamour girl like her dreadful femme fatale mother.
“God, she’s a beauty, isn’t she?” her companion commented, quite tactlessly. “Drop-dead gorgeous! How could a guy like Colin Garrett, even allowing for the Garret money, win her heart?”
“Well he has!” Hilary answered tartly, rendered almost dumb by jealousy. She put the lemon squash she was nursing down heavily and jumped to her feet. Genevieve appeared to be moving toward the bank of lifts. She had to stop her before she reached Blaine. She had to break what was coming up.
“Don’t go away.” She tossed a false smile at her boyfriend. “I’ll have a word with her and I’ll be right back.”
Her companion waved her off. “Take your time.” In actual fact he felt cheated out of meeting the gorgeous Genevieve. What was she doing here alone this time of night? Whatever it was, it didn’t suit Hilary. She looked upset. Perhaps trying to make sense of her cousin’s unexpected appearance.
Hilary, a small pretty dark-haired, dark-eyed girl but without the Courtland stunning good looks and height, put on a burst of speed. She reached Genevieve just as she was about to step into a lift.
“Hey, Genni!” she called, using such an urgent tone people turned their heads.
“Hilary!” Genevieve turned about, doing her utmost to hide her dismay. For all her efforts to be friendly to Blaine’s young stepsister she had long since realised Hilary would never like her. “What a surprise!”
“And where are you off to?” Hilary fixed Genevieve with big questioning eyes.
Genevieve felt most unwilling to confide in this moody girl but what excuse could she offer? “I wanted to see Blaine for a moment,” she explained as casually as she could. “The receptionist said he was in.”
“Actually he didn’t go out.” Hilary reached out confidentially for Genevieve’s arm and drew her away. “He and Sally are making a night of it. They had dinner together in the hotel. He’s with her now, if you know what I mean?” Hilary rolled her brown eyes expressively. “I’d