Free Who Rides the Tiger by Anne Mather Page B

only John's glowering face, whenever she caught sight of him, warned her of his anger.
    Dinner was announced, and they entered a long dining- room where a polished wood table had been laid with lace place mats and gleaming cutlery. Cut wine-glasses caught the light, throwing it back in prisms of colour, and as it was diffused the room had a very intimate atmosphere. A centre piece of scarlet poinsettia and creamy magnolias in the green leaves of a rubber plant was quite arresting, and overhead a huge fan disturbed the warm night air.
    Dominique was seated on their host's left hand, with the girl Claudia on his right. John was seated further down the table, and as Dominique gave Vincente a startled glance at this arrangement she surprised a curiously triumphant look in his eyes. Then the look disappeared and he was the bland host again, exchanging pleasantries, discussing the merits of the wine they drank with the meal.
    But Dominique barely noticed what she ate. She was overwhelmingly conscious that Vincente Santos had deliberately set out to separate her from John, and not only physically, and she felt a mixture of fury and frustration. Fury, because he had no right to attempt such a thing, and frustration, because in spite of everything, she was still attracted to him.
    Claudia was captured in conversation by the young man on her right, and Vincente bent his head towards Dominique.
    'You look very beautiful this evening,' he murmured softly. 'Was it all for Harding's benefit?'
    Dominique compressed her lips for a moment. 'Why are you doing this?' she said, between her teeth.
    'Doing what?' he asked, lifting his wine-glass to his lips, looking round urbanely as though they were discussing the weather.
    Dominique's fingers were clenched. 'You know,' she said, her voice taut.
    'Do I?' He smiled at her charmingly. 'Tell me!' His eyes taunted her.
    Dominique refused to look at him, bending her head jerkily. 'I - I think you're despicable!' she exclaimed, in a low voice.
    'No, you don't,' he replied smoothly.
    'You know John is absolutely furious,' she said angrily. 'He already suspects that there was something behind this invitation!'
    'So there was,' he replied lazily. 'Do you like this beef? My chef, Maurice, has a special way of preparing it.'
    Dominique looked along the table at John and smiled appealingly, but John merely gave her a hard look and then concentrated on his food. She bit her lip, and looked at her own plate. Her nerves were jumping, and she wished she had drunk several glasses of some kind of spirit before attending the dinner party. That way at least she might have been able to enjoy it.
    Vincente finished his course, and pushed his plate aside, resting his arm on the table, turned in Dominique's direction. 'Talk to me,' he said softly. 'I like listening to you.'
    Dominique shook her head. 'For pity's sake,' she said tightly. 'Leave me alone!'
    'You would really like me to do that?' he murmured questioningly.
    'Isn't it obvious?'
    'No. What is obvious is that I disturb you just as much as you disturb me!'
    Dominique pushed her own unfinished plate aside. 'Your reputation hardly does you credit, senhor ,' she said bitterly.
    'And you believe everything you hear?'
    'What do you mean?'
    He shrugged. 'Let it pass!'
    'I think you enjoy baiting me,' she said, twisting her fingers together.
    'What would you rather I did?'
    'I've told you. Leave me alone!'
    'Arid if I did - you wouldn't object?'
    Dominique stared at him. 'Of course not.'
    He half-smiled. 'Do you know what I think? I think you would be jealous!'
    'Jealous!' Dominique almost uttered the word loudly. 'You're crazy!'
    'Am I?' He lay back in his chair. 'All right. We shall see.'
    And thereafter for the remainder of the meal, he ignored her, much to her relief. Even so, though, she had to admit his company was stimulating, and the other men seemed dull in comparison.
    Afterwards they all adjourned to the lounge which Dominique had seen on their arrival. The