When the Devil Drives

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A moment later the front door banged, and she heard Philip go backinto the drawing-room, talking too loudly and cheerfully to Fiona.Joanna shrank back against the wall. All her worst fears were beingconfirmed. It was like a bad dream come true.Arson, she thought. And Simon had done it. Simon. He'd burneddown the Craft Company for the insurance. What was more, his guiltwas known. When he returned, he would be interviewed and arrested.And if he was convicted, he would probably be sent to prison.She felt sick again. The fool, she thought, hugging her arms acrossher body. The idiot! How on earth could he have imagined he'd getaway with it? But of course, she reminded herself grittily, Simondidn't think things through. That was why he was in his presentfinancial mess.She went slowly back to her room and got under the covers of thebed, still in her dressing-gown, shivering as if she would never bewarm again.What was going to happen to them all? she wondered wretchedly.They would lose the house, of course. That went without saying. Calwould take it to recoup his losses. Her father would be robbed of hisonly sanctuary. Simon's life would be wrecked and his marriage, suchas it was, ruined.If only he'd given her some idea—some hint of what he was planning.Maybe she could have talked him out of it. I should have guessedfrom the way he spoke that he had something totally crazy in mind,she castigated herself.Oh, Si, I won't be able to rescue you this time.
Two lonely people had found love and a brief happiness together, andfrom this two generations of disaster had sprung. Where would it allend? she asked herself desolately.But she could find no answer as she lay tossing and turning throughwhat remained of the night.'I wish old Si would come back,' Philip grumbled. It was theumpteenth time he'd said it, and Joanna felt her teeth grittingautomatically.This had been one of the longest days of her life, she thought. Thephone had never stopped ringing. Mostly it was friends andacquaintances calling to exclaim and condole, but sometimes it wasthe Press who'd got wind of the arson rumour, and were much trickierto fob off with 'No comment'. And twice it had been the police askingpolitely if Mr Chalfont had yet returned, or if there had been any wordfrom him. Again the reply to both questions was in the negative. Butfor how long would they continue to take 'no' for an answer?At least Fiona was out of the way, she thought. Mrs Driscoll hadborne her off to Harrogate, baby-shopping, 'to take her mind offthings'. Not that Fiona seemed unduly troubled. Simon's continuingabsence made her fretful rather than genuinely anxious. Clearly thedeeper implications of the situation were lost on her.Lucky Fiona, Joanna thought wryly.Cal had not phoned. There had not been a sign or a message from himall day. But then, what had she really expected?'See you around.' That surely had to be the most laconic of dismissals.
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WHEN THE DEVILDRIVESSara Craven
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CHAPTER ONE'SIMON, you don't—you
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Because Cal Blackstone wasn't inter
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Joanna bit her lip hard. It was Phi
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ack in his face, for God's sake.' H
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'Here?' Joanna stared at him, appal
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Know your enemy, had been one of Jo
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By the time she'd fetched the jack,
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Joanna sniffed delicately, grimacin
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Cal Blackstone threw back his head
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'Ah, but it will,' he said softly.
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CHAPTER TWOTHE mist swirled thickly
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'After all,' Fiona had often pouted
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As she heard the doorbell peal, she
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held together by an elastic band. H
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She didn't want to hear any more. H
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'And so it will be soon,' he said s
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'I don't need twenty-four seconds,'
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Why the hell was she worrying about
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'Not yours to that extent. Simon, a
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'And having my private affairs chew
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CHAPTER THREEDOWN by the reservoir,
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She started violently. She'd been s
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'Isn't that what all men want?'He s
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Joanna's watch said eight o'clock p
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the wedding ceremony, even in the n
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'I wouldn't blame it,' he said dril
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She sat rigidly on the edge of the
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'It's all right, sweetie,' her fath
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'You don't need to make excuses for
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His hand slid under her hair, lifti
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CHAPTER FOURJOANNA awoke from sleep
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'You were clearly in a highly nervo
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'You intend to go on with this—ob
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The living-room, she found, had alr
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Her smile was civil but totally dis
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'No one would ever regard your gran
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on your wedding night? Did you keep
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line of her throat to his mouth. He
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He moved out of the doorway, allowi
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Because she knew now, quite unequiv
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action would be to hire a business
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of some way by now to keep him off
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CHAPTER FIVEJOANNA felt better afte
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'How very good of you.' Joanna's fa
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And the trouble is it could all be
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with you to show you a cottage at N
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lavish arrangement of dried flowers
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There was a sudden burning ache in
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'Where do you think you're going?'
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thought about us. She assumed that
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She slid into the driving seat and
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Somehow, against all logic and all
Page 110 and 111: else around. She could not have bor
Page 112 and 113: Joanna had accepted his occasional
Page 114 and 115: Joanna had felt nauseated, close to
Page 116 and 117: She drew a deep, quivering sigh, an
Page 118 and 119: There was a moment of silence, tota
Page 120 and 121: 'I found out while you were in Amer
Page 122 and 123: She shivered as she remembered the
Page 124 and 125: CHAPTER SEVENJOANNA spent the follo
Page 126 and 127: Callum Blackstone had wanted Joanna
Page 128 and 129: How marvellous to be able to map ou
Page 130 and 131: The envelope was lying on the carpe
Page 132 and 133: using for the kitchen units. We've
Page 134 and 135: 'Maybe we should.' Cal's eyes dwell
Page 136 and 137: 'That's our business.' Joanna wonde
Page 138 and 139: 'He never will.' She was hurting so
Page 140 and 141: She could taste blood in her mouth,
Page 142 and 143: At the same time, Joanna was sane e
Page 144 and 145: 'That woman has got to go,' Mrs Dri
Page 146 and 147: Once I would simply have blamed the
Page 148 and 149: Anthony Chalfont stirred in his une
Page 150 and 151: traumatic thing. You were his nanny
Page 152 and 153: from then on.' She sighed. 'He'd ha
Page 154 and 155: 'Oh, we've been in touch with Mr Dr
Page 156 and 157: CHAPTER NINETHERE was darkness all
Page 158 and 159: Cal carried Joanna out into the hal
Page 162 and 163: Needless to say, her father had bee
Page 164 and 165: 'Perhaps,' Joanna said evenly. 'But
Page 166 and 167: It was the same receptionist at the
Page 168 and 169: She stared at him. 'Why—everythin
Page 170 and 171: When she was alone, she glanced rou
Page 172 and 173: een sheer hell for them both. He pr
Page 174 and 175: In between kisses, they spoke the f
Page 176 and 177: 'There's no need.' His hand gently
Page 178 and 179: 'No, my darling.' Cal looked at her
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When the Devil Drives

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