A Winter Love Story by Betty Neels

Author:Betty Neels
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Harlequin
Published: 2013-07-30T16:00:00+00:00

Chapter SIX

THE DAY BEGAN WELL. Thomas had no need to leave the house until nine o’clock, so they had leisure to clean up the puppy, anoint his battered little paws and brush his coat while he lay on Claudia’s lap.

‘What shall we call him?’ she asked. ‘A nice English name, since I found him in Hyde Park.’

‘Since you found him you must choose his name.’

‘Yes, well...’ She thought for a moment. ‘Harvey—that’s easy to say, isn’t it?’

Harvey cocked an ungainly ear; he was beginning to look more like a dog every minute.

Mr Tait-Bullen went presently, promising that he would be back for tea unless some emergency turned up.

‘Oh, good,’ said Claudia, with such transparent pleasure that he turned to look at her. She met his gaze with a look of faint enquiry. ‘You look surprised. But teatime is one of the nicest parts of the day, isn’t it? You can tell me what you’ve been doing and I’ll listen...’

Mr Tait-Bullen discovered to his surprise that the idea appealed to him.

At four o’clock Cork arranged the tea things on a small table in the drawing room, and, since Mr Tait-Bullen had phoned to say that he would be home shortly after half past four, Claudia carried Harvey in his box from the sitting room and set it near the open fire. She had been out walking again, and was still in the tweed skirt and a blouse, but she had tidied her hair and powdered her nose and put on a pair of elegant kid slippers. She was sitting admiring them when Thomas came in.

He crossed the room and dropped a quick kiss on her cheek. ‘How very cosy it is here. Cork’s bringing the tea.’

He sat down opposite her. ‘You have had a happy day? Harvey is doing well?’

‘He’s better. Look at him, Thomas. He’s almost like a normal puppy.’

Harvey took this as a compliment and waved his tail.

‘You don’t mind him being in here? I don’t think he’ll get out of his box.’

‘I don’t imagine he could do much harm even if he did. He certainly looks more like a dog.’ Thomas stretched an arm and tickled Harvey behind one ear. ‘I must let John know how he’s getting on. I dare say he’ll want to see him again.’

Cork brought in the tea then, and buttered muffins in a dish, a fruit cake and a plate of paper-thin sandwiches. He arranged everything just so, and stood back to admire his handiwork.

Claudia said, ‘Thank you, Cork, it all looks delicious. I hope you’re going to have your own tea now?’

‘Thank you, madam, yes. Dinner at the usual hour? You won’t be going out again, sir?’

‘I hope not, Cork.’ And, as Cork slid through the door, Thomas added, ‘I’ve a mass of paperwork to sort out. A quiet evening at home to get that done will be delightful.’

Claudia, pouring tea, agreed placidly. If she had been looking forward to an evening in his company, she didn’t utter the thought aloud.

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