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CHAPTER ONE

'No, no, nein, nada, non Is that clear enough for you, Mike? Or do I have to spell it out? N—O'

'Don't be so negative, Beth, darling,' Mike drawled, his blue eyes dancing with amusement 'You know you'll have fan, you always do with me'

Beth stared down at her stepbrother in exasperation, but a hint of a smile pulled at the corners of her wide mouth He really was the limit Sprawled in her one and only coently swinging an expensively shod foot, he was the epitoance The price of his shoes would have kept her for a ht wryly But that was Mike: hand but the best would do I to Mike

'Much as I love you, Mike, I a to dress up as a French tart to your matelot and let you throw me around the boardroo to you, the fir its centenary and the chair on The answer is still no

'But, Beth, I have a two-hundred-pound bet withdirector He said I wouldn't dare liven up the chairman's party with an impromptu cabaret Of course, I said I would, and I can't afford to lose' He glanced up at her, his blue eyes narrowing assessingly on her lovely face 'Unless, of course, you lend me the two hundred quid'

'Oh, no! No way! Lendingit down the drain You et out of it Or, better still, why not ask one of your nuirlfriends?'

'Ah, well, there's the rubFor the past six months I've concentrated exclusively on one particular, lovely girl' His handso, much to Beth's astonishment 'Elizabeth is the perfect woent and wealthy, and I fully intend to ested the wheeze to her, she toldmyself on your mercy'

Mike in loveThat Mike was conte 'You really want to irl?' Beth asked incredulously

'Yes,else in the world'

There was no doubting his sincerity; it was in his eyes, the unusual seriousness of his tone, the way he straightened up in the chair, before continuing, 'Which is why I daren't take the chance of asking another girl If Elizabeth found out it would be curtains foron fidelity But as you're ht be mad for a while, but at least she'll knoasn't unfaithful'

Then Beth did sic: it never occurred to hiet the whole stupid idea She remembered the first time she had e in the village of Compton, not far from Torquay in Devon Her late father had been an artist who'd never quiteof a cerebral haee Her mother also considered herself an artist, but in truth was a run-of- the- men, craved fame The su in the summer season cabaret at a local theatre in Torquay, It was at the theatre that Leanora had ent of the star of the show

After a ind roht, had been dressed up as a flowergirl in satin and lace, while Mike, at twelve, was supposed to be an usher After a civil cere with about a hundred guests, all descended on Torquay's largest hotel for the wedding breakfast