Sweet Surrender. CATHERINE GEORGE
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ate her breakfast thoughtfully, her eyes on the hat on the dressing table. At last she could resist it no longer, and got out of bed, brushed her hair back behind her ears and pulled on the hat. Relieved to sniff lavender instead of camphor, she stood back, eyeing the result. Even with striped pyjamas, and without layers of eye make-up, the fur hat was dramatic. And surprisingly flattering.
When Kate got downstairs she found Mrs Briggs, her mother’s cleaner, dealing with potatoes in the kitchen sink while Frances carved slices from a ham. Kate greeted Mrs Briggs affectionately, put her breakfast things in the dishwasher, then demanded a job.
‘You can slice the turkey, if you like,’ said her mother.
‘Won’t Dad mind? Carving’s his specialty.’
‘He’s gone for a drive. Hal was so wakeful last night I ordered Gabriel and Adam back to bed for a nap. The baby was a bit noisy after they left him here, so Tom and Fenny went out in the car with him to let me get on.’ Frances chuckled. ‘No matter how cross he is Hal goes to sleep the moment the engine starts.’
Kate listened to the latest news of Stavely from Mrs Briggs as the three of them put the finishing touches to the feast, then went into the dining room to lay out silverware on the vast damask cloth that only came out for special occasions. Afterwards Kate sent her mother up to dress, checked on the arrangements she’d made the day before with Jack Spencer’s flowers, then returned to the kitchen when she heard Fenny come in with her father and Adam.
‘I hope your hourly rate isn’t too exorbitant, Fen,’ said Adam, relieving her of his sleeping son.
‘You may ply me with champagne later,’ she assured him.
‘Mother says you’re to go up and change, Dad,’ warned Kate.
‘Shouldn’t I be doing the carving?’
‘All taken care of while you were touring the countryside,’ she assured him.
‘Thanks, Dad,’ said Adam gratefully. ‘Gabriel and I slept like logs for a couple of hours.’
‘Which was the object of the exercise,’ said his father, on his way to the door. ‘Go on, get your lad dressed in his best bib and tucker. People will be arriving soon.’
‘Don’t forget, Kate, leave your hair down,’ ordered Fenny as they went upstairs, then bit her lip. ‘Sorry! I’m bossy, but I mean well.’
‘I know. I tried the hat on, by the way. It looks rather good.’
‘Which, translated from Kate-speak, means it’s a knockout!’
Later, in a clinging amber knit dress bought with her Christmas present money, Kate eyed herself critically in the mirror. Her hair, brushed back to reveal her ears, left the emphasis on the eyes she thought of as her best feature. The dark-rimmed irises were translucent hazel shot with gold, and made up today with a drama she normally never bothered with. And probably wouldn’t have bothered with now, she admitted sheepishly, if Alasdair Drummond hadn’t been invited. The sound of cars drawing up outside sent her to the window to see her sister Leonie and her husband, Jonah Savage, greeting Gabriel’s parents, and Kate yanked on tall-heeled brown suede boots and hurried from the room to bang on Fenny’s door.
‘Get a move on. Leo’s arrived.’
After a flurry of hugs and kisses everyone was soon crowded into the kitchen as usual, catching up with each others news as they drank coffee. Gabriel handed her son over to her mother, so that Laura Brett could indulge in extravagant baby-worship as she told her grandson how beautiful he was, and, after contributing her own share, Leo drew Kate aside.
‘You look good, love. Great to see that hair down for once. All set to carry out your duties?’
Kate flicked a hand at Leonie’s violet wool suit. ‘You look pretty gorgeous yourself, Mrs Savage. But I’m a tad nervous about the godmother bit. I just hope I don’t drop my nephew in the font.’
Jonah Savage hugged Kate and Fenny in turn. ‘Hi there, you gorgeous creatures. Invited anyone along today?’
‘If you mean anyone male, no,’ said Kate. ‘Fenny wouldn’t know which one to choose, for a start.’
‘I’m not the only one,’ said Fenny, and batted her eyelashes at Jonah. ‘Adam says Kate has two admirers. Two that he knows about, anyway.’
Kate shot her a startled look, then choked back a laugh. Fenny meant the accountant and the teacher, not the pharmaceutical star and the builder.
‘She’s got an older flame than that coming today,’ said Adam, joining them. ‘Remember Alasdair Drummond? He’s back from the States, so I asked him along.’
Leonie gave her sister a sharp look. ‘You two still in touch, then?’
Kate shrugged. ‘Not really. I hadn’t heard from him for ages until a couple of days ago.’
‘Is he the one you were up at Cambridge with?’ asked Fenny.
‘For a while. He was a lofty research fellow and I was a humble first-year when we met.’
‘Then how on earth did you manage to get friendly?’ Fenny pulled a face. ‘It wouldn’t happen at my Alma Mater.’
Kate shrugged. ‘He just happened to be on hand the day I arrived, helped carry my gear, and sort of looked out for me from then on.’
‘Her minder. He kept the wolves from her door,’ said Adam with satisfaction.
Kate made a face at him and went off to talk to Gabriel’s parents, leaving Leonie to gaze after her with troubled eyes.
‘I hope that’s not starting up again,’ she murmured.
‘What?’ said Fenny curiously.
Leonie sighed. ‘Kate had a huge crush on Alasdair Drummond in those days.’
‘Reciprocated?’
‘No. Which worries me.’
‘Kate doesn’t look worried.’ Jonah comforted his wife. ‘Besides, that was years ago. She’ll have got over it by this time.’
Fenny’s eyes gleamed. ‘Or is she still carrying a torch for this Alasdair?’
‘I hope not.’ Leonie fixed her brother with an accusing eye. ‘What gave you the bright idea of asking him here today?’
‘I’ve been doing some business with him. Besides, I like him.’ Adam shrugged ruefully. ‘And I thought, in my infinite wisdom, that Kate would be pleased. But Gabriel says I’m wrong.’
Leonie sighed. ‘Oh, well, it’s only for an hour or two. Kate can hardly come to harm with us around.’
‘How can she come to any harm?’ said Fenny, mystified. ‘It’s a christening, not an orgy!’
“‘Out of the mouth of very babes…’” teased Jonah. ‘Your mother’s signalling, Leo. Time to put on your hat.’
Fenny pulled a face. ‘I’ll be the only one with naked hair.’
‘Good thing St Paul can’t be here, then,’ said Jonah. ‘Women’s hair was his weakness. Mine too.’ He leered at his wife. ‘One of them, anyway.’
‘Don’t be rude,’ said Fenny, sticking her tongue out at him. ‘If Kate heard you she’d start scraping her hair back in a bun again, so keep your weaknesses to yourself, Jonah Savage.’
A few minutes later the newest addition to the family was swathed in the shawl that served all Dysart christenings, and his various female relatives were ready and hatted when Fenny dashed to join them, wearing a man’s navy coat and clumpy, platform-soled shoes, her hand held up for attention.
‘For pity’s sake tell her she looks great,’ she hissed, then stood aside nonchalantly when Kate appeared in her long, fitted coat