Marriage On The Agenda. Lee Wilkinson
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into the gilt-edged mirror while a trickle of women began to collect their coats.
The St Valentine’s party was almost over, and as far as she was concerned the whole thing had been a total disaster. Had she known what trouble her being late would cause she would have cancelled her appointment, even if it had meant losing a client.
As it was, she’d displeased her father, made Jonathan Drummond think badly of her and, on this special night for lovers, thoroughly upset Mark.
Thinking of the promising moment that had suddenly metamorphosed into an unpleasant flare-up, she gave a deep sigh. Of course he wouldn’t do as he’d threatened. The only reason he’d flaunted his conquest of the blonde had been to add weight to his demands, and his ultimatum had been caused by a build-up of anger that had needed to find an outlet.
But it was ironic to think that if it hadn’t been for him jumping in too soon they would have been on their way to his flat by now. Perhaps, rather than reacting in the way she had, it would have been better if she’d controlled her temper and agreed to go, regardless.
Once they were lovers the tension between them would ease. They could go back to being happy and enjoying each other’s company, rather than Mark, frustrated and resentful, quite often spoiling things by sulking.
She sighed deeply.
But it wasn’t too late. She could always find him and apologise yet again. Tell him she’d changed her mind, she would go with him.
Joining a short queue, Loris collected her belongings. Then, slipping her evening bag into one of the deep pockets of her cloak, she put the cloak over her arm and, case in hand, made her way into the crowded foyer.
She was scanning the throng for Mark when she noticed the blonde. Wearing an expensive-looking fur coat, Pamela was heading for the exit. As she reached it Mark, who had obviously been waiting for her, stepped into view. An arm around her waist, he escorted her through the heavy glass doors.
For a second or two Loris was shocked into stillness, then, a combination of anger and dismay making her heart beat faster, she pushed her way outside.
It was still raining hard, and she was just in time to see, through the downpour, Mark’s silver Mercedes spray water from beneath its wheels as it pulled away from the entrance.
A gusty wind was driving icy rain beneath the hotel’s brown and gold canopy but, oblivious to the cold and wet, she stood as if stunned, staring after the car.
‘Suppose you put this on before you get saturated?’
Taking her cloak, Jonathan Drummond placed it around her shoulders and pulled the big, loose hood over her dark hair.
He himself was bare-headed, wearing only a short car-coat with the collar turned up.
‘Let me have this.’ He relieved her of the case.
‘Thank you,’ she mumbled. Then, unencumbered, began to walk towards a line of waiting taxis drawn up on the forecourt.
Reading her intention, he stopped her. ‘I’m afraid you’ll find they’re all prebooked.’
‘Oh,’ she said blankly.
Putting his free hand beneath her elbow, he urged her towards a modest white Ford saloon. ‘Jump in and I’ll drive you home.’
CHAPTER TWO
STILL feeling stunned, Loris found herself being helped into the passenger seat. Her case was tossed in the back, and a moment later Jonathan Drummond slid in beside her.
She had made no move to fasten her seat belt, and he leaned over and fastened it for her. His fair hair was darkened by the wet and, feeling curiously detached, she watched a drop of water trickle down his lean cheek.
As they joined a queue of cars and taxis that were leaving the hotel forecourt and slowly filtering into the stream of late-night traffic, he said, ‘You live in Chelsea, I believe?’
Loris pushed back her hood and, making an effort to come to grips with the situation, answered, ‘That’s right. But I wasn’t intending to go to my flat.’
‘Whose flat were you intending to go to?’
She bit her lip, and stayed silent.
Slanting her a glance, he murmured, ‘I see. But you were unexpectedly…shall we say…replaced?’
So he’d seen Mark and the blonde driving away.
Gathering together the tatters of her pride, Loris informed him haughtily, ‘I was intending to go down to my parents’ house.’
‘At Paddleham?’
Wondering how he knew so much, she answered, ‘Yes.’
‘So Longton was supposed to be going too?’
He was too quick by half. Sounding suitably amazed, she asked, ‘How on earth did you deduce that, Holmes?’
Grinning, he answered, ‘Elementary, my dear Watson. You didn’t go with your parents, you don’t have a car, and you hadn’t ordered a taxi. Which means you were expecting your fiancé to drive you down.’
Then, sounding as though he cared, ‘No wonder you looked shattered, being treated so shabbily.’
‘It was partly my own fault,’ she admitted.
‘All the same, it must hurt like hell.’
She said, ‘I’m more angry than hurt.’ And discovered it was the truth.
‘Stay that way. Anger is easier to cope with.’
As they neared the head of the queue, he asked, ‘So which is it to be? Chelsea, or Paddleham?’
‘I can’t ask you to drive me all the way to Paddleham,’ she demurred.
‘I’ll be happy to, if that’s where you want to go?’
‘It isn’t really,’ she confessed, dismayed by the thought of having to try and explain Mark’s absence. ‘But I can’t go back to my flat.’
‘Gee that’s tough, doll.’ Sounding like a gangster in a second-rate movie, he asked out of the corner of his mouth, ‘So what are the Mob after you for?’
She laughed in spite of herself.
‘It’s not quite that bad. I agreed to let an old college friend of mine have my flat for tonight and tomorrow night.’
‘And there’s only one bedroom?’
‘Worse. Judy and Paul are on their honeymoon… Monday, they’re flying to Oz to go backpacking.’
‘Hmm… Well, if you can’t go back to your flat and you don’t want to go to Paddleham—’ he gave her a villainous leer ‘—what about my place?’
Loris was about to curtly refuse, when she realised he was pulling her leg.
Lightly, she said, ‘I’m afraid I’m superstitious about going anywhere new on a wet Saturday.’
‘Pity.’
‘But thanks all the same.’
‘Think nothing of it. We aim to please. So what’s it to be?’
Briefly she considered asking him to take her to a hotel, then dismissed the idea. She could well do without the expense. In any case, by breakfast-time next day her parents would require some kind of explanation. Though she dreaded the prospect, her practical streak insisted that it would make sense to be there in person to make it.
Coming to a decision, she said, ‘If you really don’t mind, I think I’d better go to Paddleham.’
‘Paddleham it is.’
A moment or two later they had joined the traffic stream and were heading out of town through gleaming, rain-lashed streets.