Second Time Around by Marcia Willett

Author:Marcia Willett
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: St. Martin's Press
Published: 2011-04-04T04:00:00+00:00

‘THE THING IS …’ SAID Giles. He paused and Kate braced herself, knowing that these words generally prefaced a confidence. ‘The thing is—I didn’t want to rush it.’

Kate and David studiously avoided meeting each other’s eye. They had been having supper at the London house when Giles had arrived. He had sat with them, drinking wine while they ate and now, with supper cleared away, the moment for which Kate and David had been waiting had arrived. Even as a child it had taken Giles some time to come to the point. ‘But he’s more open than Guy,’ Kate had once told David. ‘Guy never tells me anything at all.’ Giles thought things through carefully and rarely did anything on the spur of the moment. He was not over-confident but he was kind and sensitive to the needs of others.

‘Well.’ David cleared his throat as the silence lengthened interminably. ‘I wouldn’t say that two meetings in three months is absolutely rushing it, old boy. No need to fear that.’

Kate who, in her anxiety had drunk too much wine, knew an urge to giggle hysterically. She made a strange noise—a cross between a groan and a scream—and David glanced quellingly at her.

‘That’s true.’ Giles swirled his glass of whisky thoughtfully. ‘I was just wondering whether … I can’t decide … If she’s down there with Felix …’

‘Giles!’ said Kate sharply. ‘Come to the point!’

‘Sorry.’ He looked guiltily at her. ‘I was wondering if I might just pop down to see her. You know. Just for the day or something.’

‘Wonderful idea,’ said David easily. ‘Poor girl must get terribly lonely with only old Felix to keep her company. I should go … if I were you.’

‘Would you?’ Giles looked at him eagerly. ‘You don’t think she’ll wonder if I’m … well, pushing it a bit?’

Kate clutched her glass tightly and closed her eyes for a moment. She took several deep breaths lest she should scream with frustration. David smiled quickly at Giles.

‘Shouldn’t think so for a moment.’ He pursed his lips and shook his head as though giving the matter serious thought. ‘After all, it’s your home, isn’t it? No reason why you shouldn’t be there.’

‘It might be embarrassing for her. That’s what I was wondering. There on her own. As if I’m hoping that …’ He took a quick gulp at his whisky. ‘Well, you know what I mean.’

‘Perhaps she might like it,’ said Kate. Both men stared at her. She stared back at them. ‘Don’t look at me as if I’m some kind of pervert,’ she said crossly. ‘Do you know what I think, Giles? I think you should go down to Devon and tell Tessa exactly how you feel. Just do it! Stop pussyfooting about! Stop trying to find the answers before she’s even thought of the questions. Stop wondering if she might be offended or shocked. Just go down and … and do it!’

Giles looked at her with an expression of such hope and excitement that Kate felt a great surge of love for him—followed by a pang of guilt.

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