Part 11 (1/2)
”Very good.” Patrick ran a casual hand over his tie before walking across to the door of the morning room.
When he entered the room he found Barbara impatiently flicking over the pages of the Totler. She looked up at his entrance and upon seeing him she rose instantly to her feet.
”Darling! I've been waiting ages. Where on earth have you been?”
She crossed the room and bestowed a light, perfumed kiss on his hard cheek before allowing him to speak.
”I've been to see Andrew,” replied Patrick, withdrawing himself from her, and walking lazily across to the window. ”I'm sorry you've had such a wait. You should have rung first to see if I was in.”
”Yes, darling, I know,” said Barbara, apparently unperturbed by his coolness of manner. ”But I wanted to see you and I naturally thought you would scarcely be out of the house before ten. It's not your usual procedure.”
Patrick turned and nodded in a.s.sent. His displeasure at seeing her had not changed, but if he wanted to get his own way he would have to appear more gracious than he was acting at present.
Smiling his disarming smile, he said: ”Forgive me for my abrupt manner, Barbara. I'm absorbed by the new play at the present time and I'm afraid I tend to withdraw into myself for no apparent reason.”
Immediately Barbara was all contrition. ”Oh, I'm the one who should apologize,” she exclaimed warmly. ' Coining here shamelessly like this without invi tation, disturbing you.”
”Nonsense,” said Patrick smoothly. ”I'm not working this morning, as you can see. Now, would you like some coffee?”
”Well, Mrs. Chesterton did offer me some earlier on, and I refused. Yes, I think I would like some.”
Patrick went to the door and issued instructions to his housekeeper and then returning to Barbara he offered her a cigarette.
”Tell me,” he said without preamble, ”why have you stopped Samantha from going out with Drew?”
Barbara was taken aback. She applied the tip of her cigarette to the flame of his lighter before replying. It gave her a moment to gather her thoughts.
”Well,” she said slowly, ”I can't really say that I've act ually prevented her from going out with Drew....”
”Haven't you? I understood from him that you told him Samantha had contracted a chill after her arrival in England.
You never mentioned that to me when we dis cussed Samantha yesterday.”
”No... well... actually, it was only a slight cold. I was worried about her, that was all.”
”So then you've no actual objection to her friends.h.i.+p with Drew?”
Barbara bit her lip. ”No ... why should I have?”
Patrick half-smiled, rather sardonically. ”Why indeed! The reason I am posing these questions is that my sister rang me to tell me that she and her husband are having a barbecue this evening. They have invited us to go, you and I that is, and Drew of course. I thought Samantha would like to go as Drew's partner.”
Barbara was clearly at a crossroads. Her own natural desire for his company was marred by the invitation to her daughter.
She obviously did not like the idea of Sam antha going with them, and Patrick had a strong suspicion why.
”I... I think I ought to discuss this with Samantha,” she said, slowly. ”She ... well ... she may have other plans. She and Mother are leaving for Daven in the morning.”
Patrick drew swiftly on his cigarette. He, too, was puz zled.
He could not fully understand his own reasons for wanting to protect Samantha. Since he met her on the aeroplane he had felt a strange responsibility for her and he had known Barbara long enough to know that heir acceptance of Samantha as her daughter was not altruistic.
But he could not understand why she had accepted the girl as her daughter at all in the circ.u.mstances. There had got to be a reason, and he would not rest until he had found out that reason.
Was it possibly anything to do with John Kingsley? After all, he had no reason to love Barbara after the way she had treated him.
He realized that she wanted to keep Samantha away from him for a more personal reason, but it was unlike Barbara to be jealous of anybody. Samantha was a lovely girl, of course, and if she was already discontented before her daughter had been with her for any length of time, why did she not send her away again?
Barbara was a rich woman. She could easily afford to send Samantha back to Italy, or to some other place, where she need not interfere with her own life. The more he heard about the affair the more concerned he became.
Barbara was such a fiery-tempered creature arid unpre- dictable when crossed. If Samantha was causing any great inconvenience to her mother, there might be drastic re- percussions.
”Ring her,” he said coolly. ”Or shall I?”
Barbara rose to her feet again. She had seated herself on a low lounger, but at his words she moved swiftly to the telephone...
”I ... myself will ring her,” she said. ”I expect she will be out, though. She and Mother were going shopping this morning.”
Patrick did not offer any further comment and without looking at him again, Barbara lifted the receiver.
Patrick walked over to the telephone while she was mak ing the call. He had no intention of allowing her to say that Samantha was not at home if she was.
As it happened, Samantha herself was allowed to ans wer the phone. In the last few days, someone had always answered the telephone instead of her and as she had no reason to suppose they would he, she thought that Andrew had not tried to get in touch with her.
Now, hearing her mother's voice, she said: ”Yes, it's Samantha here. Do you want Grandmother?”
”No.” Barbara ran a tongue over her lips. ”Samantha, I'm with Patrick. He has asked me to ask you whether you would like to go to a barbecue tonight at his sister's house. She lives on the coast. Andrew is going and he would like you to go as his partner.”
Samantha gasped. Although hearing that her mother was with Patrick Mallory had slightly dulled the feeling of well-being it gave her, she nevertheless knew she would go anywhere if he was to be there.
”Thank you,” she said formally. ”I'd be delighted to accept.”
”You have nothing planned with Mother?”
Samantha thought for a moment, ”Oh, no. She said she was going to have an early night so that the journey to Daven tomorrow wouldn't tire her.”
”I see.” Barbara sighed. ”Very well then, I'll relay your answer to Mi. Mallory.”
”I gather she would like to come,” said Patrick rather dryly, after Barbara had hung up.
”Yes. Thank you for asking us.” Barbara resumed her position on the lounger. ”Tell me, what do you think of my daughter?”
The question was not the simple one it appeared, but Patrick did not hesitate before answering. To do so would arouse Barbara's suspicions.
”I think she's a very attractive girl,” he replied easily. ”Not as beautiful as you, Barbara, because your slight ness precludes any definite resemblance. I think she must be more like her father.”
”Yes, she is. John was tall and well built, too.”