Free Merlyn's Magic by Carole Mortimer Page A

try and talk any more,' Anne encouraged. 'Just go
back to sleep. You'll rest properly now that the fever has broken. And
you'll want to look your best when Christopher arrives…'
    Merlyn fought the waves of sleep that washed over her,
trying desperately to take in what Anne was saying about Christopher.
The sleep defeated her.

    She was out of bed and sitting in a chair in the lounge
when Christopher arrived the next day, having been admiring the view of
the lake out of the long glass doors that opened out on to her small
off-the-ground balcony.
    Not knowing who to contact when Merlyn became ill, Anne
had finally telephoned Christopher and he had promised to let her
parents know she was all right, at the same time informing Anne that he
would be down himself once he had finished filming. Merlyn had smiled
ruefully when Anne related the last a little indignantly; that sounded
like the Christopher she knew and liked, work had to come first.
    Not that they were close enough for her to expect him to
come rushing up here to her side anyway. Although Anne seemed to have
formed a different opinion, acting as if she were sure Christopher were
the love of Merlyn's life, insisting on helping her wash and dry her
hair and adding a little make-up to her pale face, and getting out a
silky black nightgown for her to put on beneath her robe. The nightgown
wiped all the amusement at her new friend's antics from Merlyn's face;
it was the one she had worn the night she went to Rand.
    Christopher did little to allay the impression of intimacy
between them when he arrived just after lunch, presenting her with
roses and chocolates before kissing her lingeringly on the lips. Merlyn
didn't need the dusting of blusher Anne had insisted on as colour
flooded her cheeks.
    'Nice to see you again, Mrs Benton,' he greeted the other
woman warmly, his arm still about Merlyn's shoulders as he sat on the
side of her chair.
    Anne returned his smile. 'I'll leave the two of you alone.
Please join James and me for afternoon tea once Merlyn has settled down
for her nap,' she invited Christopher.
    'She has the makings of a drill-sergeant,' Merlyn said
dryly once the other woman had left. 'Do you know that she had me
drinking hot milk this morning?' she added disgustedly as Christopher
chuckled. 'To build up my strength, she said. It's all I can usually do
to take the stuff in tea and coffee!'
    Christopher grinned at her discomfort. 'Did you drink it?'
    'Anne may give the impression of being a cuddly blonde,'
Merlyn muttered, 'but underneath that warm exterior beats a heart of
pure ice!'
    'You drank it,' laughed Christopher softly.
    Merlyn gave him a disgruntled look. 'She stood over me
until I did! But she wouldn't have succeeded if she hadn't caught me at
a time when I'm feeling too weak to fight her,' she defended irritably.
'And what about you just now?' She frowned at him. 'You don't usually
kiss me hello like that.'
    'I didn't like to disillusion the cute but domineering Mrs
Benton,' he said ruefully. 'When she telephoned and told me you were
ill and I said I'd come up as soon as I could get away she assumed we
were lovers, and I didn't like to disappoint her.'
    'You mean she bullied you into acting out of character
too,' Merlyn said with satisfaction.
    'Well…'
    'And you were too frightened of her to tell her your only
interest in seeing me was to find out if I had managed to talk to her
brother-in-law and persuade him into letting me star in your film!' she
accused.
    Christopher arched dark blond brows. 'You know damn well
that isn't my only interest in you,' he drawled. 'You just won't let me
pursue my other one!'
    During their brief acquaintance, his efforts to persuade
her into his bed had been made with an arrogant lack of subtlety that
told her he usually found little resistance to his physical interest in
a woman. And yet it was all done with such good humour, Christopher not
at all offended when she refused him, that she realised plenty of