Free Merlyn's Magic by Carole Mortimer

other, the Bentons' relationship was quite an eye-opener for
her.
    But she felt even more ill by the time James walked her
back to her suite, her eyes stinging too now, and she knew it wasn't
just from the cold she could feel coming on. Anne and James had the
closest, most special relationship she had ever seen, and the nearest
Merlyn had ever come to feeling that sort of love herself had been when
she looked at Rand Carmichael for the first time and knew she wanted
him. And that wasn't the same thing at all.
    'What happened between you and Brandon last night,
Merlyn?' James spoke in the darkness.
    Her face drained of all colour, and the pounding in her
head became stronger. She swallowed hard. 'He made it clear he doesn't
want anyone, least of all me, portraying his wife,' she explained
huskily.
    'That was this morning, I'm talking about last night.'
    Merlyn kept her face averted, knowing those deep brown
eyes could become hypnotic if she let them, and that beneath the
gentleness of his love for Anne he could be as ruthless as the next
man. She shrugged. 'What makes you think anything happened?'
    His mouth quirked at her evasion. 'It may have escaped
your notice, but the rest of us call him Brandon.'
    'So?' she challenged, having noticed that discrepancy
herself, but putting it down to the fact that last night he had wanted
to forget who he really was as he made love to her.
    'So you tell me,' James prompted softly.
    'He let me sleep in his spare bedroom because he had no
choice,' she dismissed hardly.
    'Is that all?'
    'What else were you expecting?' She forced lightness to
her expression as she turned to face him on their entrance to the hotel
reception.
    He made a rueful expression. 'Well, I haven't seen too
much of Brandon lately; his choice not mine,' James added hardly. 'But
he always used to be able to appreciate a beautiful woman.'
    'Appreciate, James?' she mocked with raised brows.
    'Enjoy,' he drawled.
    Her eyes flashed. 'The most enjoyment Rand found with me
was this morning when he told me to get out of his life and stay out,'
she related bitterly, knowing she spoke the truth. He hadn't found
physical release with Merlyn Summers last night, he had made love to
Suzie, his wife.
    'I'm sorry.' James took her hand in his. 'He wasn't always
like this.' His head shook regretfully. 'The four of us used to have a
lot of fun when we were together.'
    'You and Anne, and Rand and Suzie,' Merlyn said abruptly.
    'Yes,' he sighed, seeming lost in thought. 'It feels like
another lifetime.'
    Merlyn had no wish to hear about the cosy foursome they
had made. 'You had better get back to Anne, she'll be wondering where
you are,' prompted Merlyn lightly. 'And I want to get a good night's
rest before going back to London tomorrow.'
    'You're sure we can't persuade you to stay on a few more
days?' said James regretfully.
    They had been trying all evening, ever since she had told
them she would be leaving in the morning. 'No one could do that!' she
told James vehemently.
    As it happened it wasn't a
someone
that prevented her leaving but a
something;
she
woke up in the morning with a raging temperature, a rasping sore
throat, and legs that refused to support her to the bathroom let alone
all the way back to London!
    The chill she had picked up during her constant dousings
when she arrived raged for three days and nights, the fever finally
breaking on the third night. She woke up to find Anne sitting beside
her bed, the other woman instantly putting down the book she had been
reading to bend over her concernedly.
    'How are you feeling?' she probed gently.
    'I hurt,' Merlyn managed to croak. 'All over!'
    'That's to be expected,' Anne nodded, talking softly,
seeming to know without being told that any loud noise would hurt
Merlyn's throbbing head. 'Can I get you anything?' she prompted.
    Merlyn sipped the cool water Anne helped her sit up to
drink, her face deathly pale even from that small effort as she lay
back against the pillows.
    'Don't