Free The Scent of His Woman by Maggie Pritchard Page B

belted himself in without another word, giving Lexie no option but to drive
away, he was right, if they delayed any longer someone would spot them and the game
would be up. “Right buster” she thought, “let’s see how you like being driven by someone
in a proper temper!”
Geth could hardly believe the noise the little car made as she stamped on the
throttle, he’d never heard anything like it, more like a sewing machine than a car. He had
to admit though, Alun was wrong, it could certainly move fast enough to kill something. Not
only that, but if she kept on throwing it around corners at breakneck speed, that something
would be the two of them!
‘What the...’ he struggled not to let lose a stream of curses as she took the next
bend, throwing him against the door despite the seatbelt.
‘Don’t worry,’ she said with irony in her voice, ‘we won’t roll, 2CVs are designed not
to roll and anyway, in two minutes I’ ll be home and you’ll be walking.’
Hardly were the words out of her mouth, when they rounded another bend in the
road and the village green with her little shop came into view and Lexie began to slow the
little car. At least she would have been able to see her shop, if it wasn’t for the troop of
press and photographers waiting outside. Not knowing what to do, Lexie hit the throttle
again and Geth was pressed back into the uncomfortable little seat by the sudden
acceleration as they whizzed by. He only just caught a glimpse of the resulting scuffle of
the press men, as they recognised her car and scrambled into their vehicles to give chase.
A gamut of emotions flooded through Lexie as she drove past, she was angry, both
with Geth and the press hounds, how dare they interfere in her life in this way? She was
incredulous that they should want to, who was she to warrant this kind of attention? But
now she was beginning to be frightened too, if she couldn’t go home where could she go?
If she went to either of her sisters she would only involve them in this nonsense, for
nonsense it was, press hounding people in South Wales, she could hardly credit it. So
what was she to do? The only sensible option seemed to be to take Geth up on his offer to
look after her, but that would mean spending time with him, the result would be tantamount
to an admission of guilt, and even if, technically, he had got the information from her, she
was still innocent, he had tricked her, plied her with wine and romance, and she had not
been worldly wise enough to see what he was doing. No she certainly knew who the guilty
party was and it was not Alexandria Owen, no matter what the world thought.
Geth watched her face as she drove, the stricken look sending an unfamiliar surge
of guilt through him. Later there would be time to explain it all to her, that the information
had come from within the village council and not only was she not to blame, but neither
was he guilty of tricking her into providing the intelligence that had enabled them to turn
the tables on the protest. He’d bought the cottages as a good investment, but also as
leverage to make sure she complied with his demands. It had taken some pretty forceful
tactics to get the deal all but done and dusted during the last week, but his staff as usual,
had risen to the challenge. Soon he would play that little ace, but now was clearly not the
time, the press were hot on their heels and no way could they outrun them in this glorified
toy. His voice was calm, in control as he spoke, giving her instructions.
‘Head for Cardiff and my apartment, with a bit of luck we can get to my car, then we
will be able to outrun them.’
‘They’ll catch us on the motor-way, there is no way I can outrun them in Belinda.’
Her voice was scathing.
‘Take the old A48,’ he instructed, they might not think you would do that and it will
give us a head-start.’
As she drove at breakneck speed down to the city, he found himself praying she
was right