said, âThis has gone far enough. You are behaving like a child. First a harlot and now a child. There is only one role I want to see you play from now on, Saskia, and that is the one we have already agreed upon. Iâll warn you now. If you do or say anything to make my family suspect that ours is not a true love match I shall make you very sorry for it. Do you understand me?â
âYes, I understand you,â Saskia agreed woodenly.
âI mean what I say,â Andreas warned her. âAnd it wonât just be the Demetrios chain you wonât be ableto work for. If you flout me, Saskia, Iâll see to it that you will never be able to work anywhere again. An accountant who canât be trusted and who has been dismissed on suspicion of stealing is not one that anyone will want to employ.â
âYou canât do that,â Saskia whispered, white-faced, but she knew all too well that he could.
She hated him nowâ¦really hated him, and when in the next shop he marched her into she saw the salesgirlâs eyes widening in breathless sexual interest, she reflected mentally that the other girl was welcome to himâ¦more than welcome!
Â
It was late in the afternoon before Andreas finally decided that Saskia had a wardrobe suitable for his fiancée.
At their last port of call he had called upon the services of the storeâs personal shopper who, with relentless efficiency, had provided Saskia with the kind of clothes that she had previously only ever seen in glossy magazines.
She had tried to reject everything the shopper had produced, but on each occasion apart from one Andreas had overruled her. The only time they had been in accord had been when the shopper had brought out a bikini which she had announced was perfect for Saskiaâs colouring and destination. The minuteness of the triangles which were supposed to cover her modesty had made Saskiaâs eyes widen in disbeliefâand they had widened even more when she had discreetly managed to study the price tag.
âI couldnât possibly swim in that,â she had blurted out.
âSwim in it?â The other woman had looked stunned. âGood heavens, no, of course not. This isnât for swimming in. And, look, this is the wrap that goes with it. Isnât it divine?â she had purred, producing a length of silky fragile fabric embellished with sequins.
As sheâd seen the four-figure price on the wrap Saskia had thought she might actually faint with disbelief, but to her relief and surprise Andreas had also shaken his head.
âThat is not the kind of outfit I would wish my fiancée to wear,â he had told the shopper bluntly, adding, just in case she had not fully understood him, âSaskiaâs body is eye-catching enough without her needing to embellish it with an outfit more suitable for a call girl.â
The shopper diplomatically had not pressed the issue, but instead had gone away, returning with several swimsuits.
Saskia had picked the cheapest of them, unwillingly allowing Andreas to add a matching wrap.
Whilst heâd been settling the bill and making arrangements for everything to be delivered to his riverside apartment Saskia had drunk the coffee the personal shopper had organised for her.
Perhaps it was because she hadnât really eaten anything all day that she was feeling so lightheaded and anxious, she decided. It couldnât surely be because she and Andreas were now going to go to his apartment, where they would be aloneâcould it?
âThereâs an excellent restaurant close to the apartment block,â Andreas informed Saskia, once they were in the car and he was driving her towards thedockland area where his apartment was situated. âIâll arrange to have a meal sent in andâ¦â
âNo,â Saskia protested immediately. âIâd rather eat out.â
She could see that Andreas was frowning.
âI donât think