Roses and Champagne by Betty Neels

Author:Betty Neels
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Harlequin Readers' Choice
Published: 1983-07-30T16:00:00+00:00

CHAPTER SIX

SHE THOUGHT OF their conversation in the hall before they left. Katrina had found her voice; rather high and wooden, but still a voice. She said inanely: ‘Oh, yes—really? Well…’ and then: ‘Would you like a drink?’

Lucius was looking at her very intently, his grey eyes thoughtful. ‘No, thanks. There’s punch waiting for us, Great-Uncle Tom’s own recipe, heaven help us all.’ He smiled then and she had smiled back at him carefully. On no account must he ever discover her feelings about him; she must remember to be the old friend, the girl from next door. Providentially Lovelace came into the room, and she turned away from Lucius to ask him if they had all they needed in the kitchen and to wish him goodnight. ‘Don’t wait up, Lovelace,’ she told him. ‘I shan’t be late, but I’ll lock up as I come in.’

Lovelace preceded them into the hall and opened the door. ‘Very well, Miss Katrina. We all hope you both enjoy a good evening.’

The echo of their combined thanks hung on the frosty air as they got into the car.

‘We’re riding in the morning?’ asked Lucius as he started the car.

To refuse would make him ask why. ‘Yes, I’d like to. Would you like to come back to breakfast?’

‘Thanks. What are you doing for the rest of the day?’ He added slowly: ‘We ought to spend it together, you know.’

Katrina said in what she hoped was a perfectly natural voice: ‘Oh dear—and I promised I’d go over to Mrs Lovell’s.’ Which was quite true in a way, she had, but she hadn’t said when. ‘Lunch,’ she added; she would have to take the car somewhere, have lunch at a pub, and stay away until teatime.

‘Dinner, then,’ said Lucius, and this time she had agreed meekly.

Christmas dinner was as traditional as Christmas Eve’s had been: lobster patties, roast turkey with a vast assortment of vegetables, little sausages, and a huge baked ham, and then the pudding, aflame with brandy and borne to the table with ceremony by Cobb. There were trifles, jellies, fresh fruit salad, thick rich cream and brandy butter, and lastly Welsh rarebit and Stilton with the port. The meal took a long time because everyone talked so much, but finally at Dora’s signal, Katrina, Jeremy’s fiancée, and Miss Porter, the companion, rose from the table and went back to the drawing room, where naturally enough and not at all to Katrina’s liking, the talk was of weddings; hers and Lucius’s in particular, of course. She reminded herself that they were all kindly disposed towards her, their eager talk of white satin, bridesmaids and whether to have the full choir was genuinely friendly, and it seemed to her to be positively unkind to contradict them in any way. She murmured in what she hoped was a noncommittal way and was relieved when the men joined them, but only briefly, for Lucius made no effort to divert the talk into other channels—indeed, he positively encouraged his

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