else. Sir Gabriel Carter certainly had some paternal interest in her, bela

rm at an extremely expensive boarding-school-though not the one Aria had attended. That had been aimed more at social status than the academic

indly to being called a bastard, and she fought back with all her strength. One particu

e, but he had. 'Would you like to ch

point, Father,' she had replied sco

land, if you'd feel happ

ifted in proud defiance. 'No on

moment, and then a semblance o

visual education that no books could ever supply. It was the first time he had ever spent more than a few hours with her an

reece and Israel and Egypt; Great Britain and Ireland; Japan and Hong Kong; each year until she was eighte

dd semblance of a smile

ng that she could really get a hold of. 'What have you been up to lately?'

an island,' he

ttle empire?

f Marlon Brando can own one, there is no reason why I shouldn't as

ely her father did not intend to go so far afield? She knew he had a

ef?' she asked, more to have her judg

'No. One of the smaller Society Islands near

eyebrow. 'And they don't mi

erned. The island is already privately

as her heart kicked an ex

ique; the expressive use of his hands; the fascination of his face that had more to do with the intelligence behind it than the Don Juan good looks; a

, then added, as if it was of no consequence at all,

emotion under control. She had hated Adrian blackwood... and been fas

o belittle her beliefs and she had fought him with every weapon in her armoury. And she was quite certa

d after you today,' her fa

ngs to remember me for,' she s

er face had that closed look that effectively shut him out. He wondered if there

en so young then-just out of school, no match for an experienced man of the world like Adrian Blackwood; particularly one who was su

He would have noticed some change in Vivienne's pattern of behaviour if Adrian had tried anything, and

nd the thought of his very strong-minded daughter rejecting the sophisticated advances of A

nt altogether, although Adrian Blackwood was very

isement ... money and power for the sake of wielding it ... and women, of course. Vivienne had recognised his type ins

time. I am tempted to play the devil's advocate ...' He had paused, th

only lasted that one night, Vivienne reminded herself cuttingly. She had seen him the next day with a glamorous woman on his arm and he had given Vivienne

told herself. Hi

rfectly obvious that he preferred women who didn't challenge what he chose to do with h

e a cool-headed reappraisal of her earlier speculation. It couldn't be Adrian Blackwood behind the cards and th

cynical mind of his now that she had more years of experience behind her. She wondered if he was still so wickedly handsome... s