Paula's Way by Anna Jacobs

Author:Anna Jacobs
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Allison & Busby
Published: 2023-04-15T00:00:00+00:00

Chapter Thirteen

Two days after the ball, Richard and Paula got up late and sat enjoying a long lazy breakfast in the kitchen.

‘Let’s go away for a few days,’ he said suddenly. ‘In fact, let’s go today.’

‘That’s rather sudden, isn’t it?’

‘Yes. But don’t you think it’d be good for us to spend more time together given how close we’ve become in certain rather delightful ways? There always seems to be something or someone interrupting us here when we try to have a serious discussion about our future.’

Paula considered this, head on one side. ‘Hmm. Good idea.’

‘And you did say there were places in England that you wanted to see. We could perhaps visit one or two of them together.’

She beamed at him. ‘You’ve persuaded me. How about we start with Hadrian’s Wall?’

‘You’re on. I like Northumberland. It’s a beautiful county. You’ll be fascinated by the wall itself and I’ll take you to a partially excavated fort I’ve visited before.’

‘Even better! It’ll only take me ten minutes to pack.’

‘It might take me a little longer, because I have to check my car before I bring it round. I’ve only been using it for pootling around the neighbourhood.’

The doorbell rang just then. Richard grimaced and stood up. ‘Marian’s doing something in her own quarters, so I suppose I’d better answer that.’

To his dismay, he found Laurie standing outside.

She pushed past him without being invited in.

‘Hold on a minute.’ He grabbed hold of her jacket and tugged her back to stand beside him.

She shook him off. ‘I won’t put up with being ignored by such an old friend as you, let alone being denied entry to a house I’ve been in and out of freely for years.’

He stared at her in surprise. ‘Won’t put up with? What the hell do you mean by that?’

‘What I said.’ She dodged past him again and started running towards the kitchen.

He reacted quickly, ran after her and grabbed her sleeve, pulling her to a stop. ‘We’re just going out so it isn’t convenient for you to come visiting at the moment.’

‘Who’s we?’

‘Don’t play stupid. Who do you think? Paula and I.’

‘Well, what I’m here for won’t take long, so you two alleged lovebirds can still go out, but I need to see you first, and her as well, I suppose.’

He kept hold of her jacket. ‘Why?’

‘I’m bringing an invitation from my mother to you two and your aunt to attend a party at our house tomorrow night. Mother’s already invited several other people. It’s to celebrate your engagement, us being such old friends of the family. We were going to make it a surprise but Mother changed her mind and decided we’d better check that you’ll be free.’

‘Sorry, but we won’t be here tomorrow.’

‘Surely you can change your plans when Mother’s gone to so much trouble?’

‘She can’t have gone to that much trouble because we only got engaged a couple of days ago.’

‘Richard, don’t you think you should wait and—’

Laurie had begun to play with his sweater sleeve, walking her fingers up and down.

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