Part 23 (1/2)

”Lady Rose Balmore,” said Annabel.

”Who?” said Mary again, as Laura put the plates sharply down on the table.

”You know. The Marquis of Ranelagh's sister. Lovely woman. Chartley Hall.”

Cedric was standing by the French windows, watching the group with a detached air. He said, ”Vivienne Lash's daughter.”

”Who?” said Annabel sharply, turning round to see who had interrupted her so rudely. ”Oh, Cedric! h.e.l.lo! Er-well, we obviously didn't talk about that, of course.”

”I did a few films with her,” said Cedric reminiscently. ”Stunning creature. Flighty, though. Pretty mad. Still, gorgeous. Beautiful b.r.e.a.s.t.s.”

”Belle, old girl, you remember,” said Robert, harrumphing a cough into his big fist. ”Actress. Nice looker. In all those fifties comedies. Ran off with the brother. 'Member?”

”Yes, of course I remember,” said Annabel. ”Anyway, Lady Rose Balmore. I had the chance to meet her, most interesting woman. We discussed Chartley, you know-”

”Yes,” said George, coming alive abruptly. ”We went there on Wednesday, had a great day, didn't we, Laura?”

”Ah,” said Annabel, not particularly interested. ”Well, we talked about Chartley. I asked her-I hope she didn't mind!-how her brother was getting on. He's younger than she, you know. Dominic. And she said very well, and then I told her the apples at Chartley were perfect for jelly, and she must be sure to make some this year. She said she would pa.s.s it on. Well!”

With a lightning flash of certainty, Laura knew, as sure as the tide was coming in, that this was what Lady Rose had been coming to find Nick about less than two hours ago, and the cosmic irony of this made her want to laugh out loud, but of course she didn't. She sat down again, rather weakly, and poured herself another gla.s.s of wine. There was some dead dry skin on her feet, and she bent down to pull it off in a small act of bad manners directed at her aunt.

”Anyway, I mentioned-only in pa.s.sing-that my stepmother had a house on the coast nearby, and she was most kind about it, very nice. She even asked-”

”There's a car just pulled up in the drive,” said Jasper, wandering out onto the terrace, drying a gla.s.s with a tea towel. ”I wonder who...”

On the stone stairs by the side of the terrace, the sound of footsteps rang out, and a deep voice called tentatively, ”I am-I'm sorry to disturb you. I just wanted a quick word with-is this where Laura's staying? Is she here?”

Laura sat up sharply, or rather tried to, and banged her head hard on the table. ”s.h.i.+t,” she muttered, and turned around.

There, walking toward the table, walking toward her, was Nick. Right there. A real-life marquis, the most eligible man in the country, and he was looking for her.

Opposite her, Aunt Annabel's jaw dropped, so low that a bone clicked loudly in the silence.

chapter twenty-eight.

C an I help...” Robert began, half rising, but the words died on his lips.

”Oh, my G.o.d,” said Lulu. ”I know who you are! You were in Harpers last month! You're-”

”It's you,” breathed George.

Aunt Annabel tried to pull herself together. ”Good Lord,” she said. ”You-you're-”

”Ah,” said Mary. ”Of course! It's you.”

”h.e.l.lo,” said Nick. ”I'm Nick.”

”Oh, my G.o.d!” said Angela, appearing on the terrace with a summer pudding in her hands. ”You're...” She regained her composure remarkably fast, and said, ”Pudding?”

Dominic Edward Danvers Needham, twelfth Marquis of Ranelagh, Earl of Albany Cross, returned the gazes of those grouped around the table. Lulu giggled and turned her stringy frame toward him, her huge eyes even more enormous than usual.

”Er, no, thanks,” Nick said. ”I'm so sorry to interrupt your lunch. I just wanted a quick word with Laura here...” He stared at her intently across the table. ”Laura?”

Laura, meeting his gaze, stood up instantly. ”I'll be back in a minute,” she said to the others. ”Er-start pudding without me.”

”Fine,” said Cedric, hugely enjoying the street theater going on in front of him. He took out his pipe.

Annabel glanced at it disapprovingly. ”We're having pudding now,” she said firmly, her eyes following Laura. ”You can do that later.”

Laura escorted him away from the goggling family group, down the stone steps that led to the beach.

”Sorry about that,” said Nick as Laura shut the gate. ”I hoped you might have finished.” She turned to face him. ”h.e.l.lo,” he said.

”Hi,” she said uneasily. ”I-”

”Look,” said Nick, scratching his cheek, ”I won't disturb you for long. I just wanted to see you again. You were so strange this morning. I wanted to make sure you were okay.”

”Yes, of course,” said Laura, impulsively reaching out and putting her hand on his chest. ”I'm sorry, really sorry. I know you've got loads on today-I knew I was in the way.”

He held her hand, pressing it against his rib cage. ”That doesn't matter, Laura. Seriously. You're not-I was worried you might have regretted it. Last night.”

”G.o.d, no,” said Laura, rather too frankly. She clapped her hand to her mouth, as he smiled. ”I mean...no, of course not. It was-” She met his eyes, and smiled back. ”It was great. You know it was.”

”It was,” he agreed. He was still holding her hand. ”I'm glad. I thought you might have had second thoughts. About it all.”

”No,” she said. ”No, I haven't.”

Nick looked up at the sky. He was suddenly serious. ”It's getting late,” he said, switching gears. ”I can't stay long, either. I wanted to ask you to come tonight.”

”Tonight?” said Laura, not understanding. ”But you've got the...”

”Yes,” said Nick. ”It's the family dinner thing. It's good fun. Charles'll be there. And Lavinia.” He grinned quickly. ”You've met her, remember?”

”Yes,” said Laura. Her head was spinning. ”Yes, but-Nick-me? Come tonight? Why?”

”I want you to,” he said simply. ”I want to have you there. Please.”

”Nick, it's a family thing,” said Laura uncomfortably. ”I wouldn't want to-”

”It's lots of people,” said Nick. ”Laura, I keep thinking I've shortchanged you this week. Not telling you who I was.” He shook his head. ”I thought perhaps you might like an evening at Chartley, just one more night, Laura. I don't want you to think I didn't tell you because of...some stupid reason.”

”Go there-with you?” said Laura.

”Yes, absolutely,” said Nick. ”And I won't leave you on your own. I promise.”