The Bachelor's Wedding by Betty Neels

Author:Betty Neels
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Harlequin Enterprises, Australia Pty Ltd

CHAPTER SIX

‘WHY are you so late?’ Alice wanted to know crossly. ‘It’s a good thing it’s steak and kidney pudding, for I’ve no intention of cooking the dinner. It’s something I hate doing.’

Their father, coming into the kitchen added, ‘It would have been kind to have warned us that you would be so late, my dear.’

It seemed hardly the moment to tell them her news.

She decided that it was some kind of sign that neither her father nor Alice intended to go out that afternoon. They would be at home when the professor came, and she was thankful for that; she would never convince them that she was going to get married without some evidence. She got the tea a little earlier than usual and wondered when he would come. She was a sensible girl, but her nerves were positively jangling.

They didn’t have to jangle for long, though; just after six o’clock the Rolls stopped before the house and the professor gave the doorknocker a resounding thump.

‘The door, Araminta,’ called Alice from her seat in front of the television. Her father, immersed in the Sunday papers, didn’t look up.

Araminta went to open the door and the professor stood on the doorstep, looking down at her, wondering in his calm way if he was making the biggest mistake of his life. On the whole, he thought not; Araminta’s ordinary face was lifted to his and held an expression which reassured him. She had beautiful eyes, he reflected, and a gentle mouth. He smiled then. ‘Am I too early?’

She stood aside to let him come in. ‘No. Do you want to know now?’

He smiled at her. ‘Yes, please.’

‘You haven’t changed your mind?’ She was quite serious. ‘I mean, it’s quite all right if you have—no harm done.’

‘No, I haven’t changed my mind, Araminta.’ He bent and kissed her cheek. ‘Shall we tell your father?’

She nodded. ‘He’ll be annoyed…’

He appeared unmoved at the idea. ‘We will go back home presently and lay our plans.’ He took her hand and went with her into the sitting-room.

Less than an hour later, sitting beside Jason in the car, Araminta relived the rather unpleasant half-hour with her father and Alice. They had stared in surprise as she and Jason had entered the room, and Alice had jumped to her feet. ‘What a lovely surprise,’ she had cried. ‘I always hoped we’d meet again. Have you got another job for Araminta? Is that why you’re here?’

Araminta had said quickly, ‘Father, this is Professor Lister—my father, Jason.’ She had seen Alice’s look of surprise and her quick frown, and clutched his hand harder. It had been given a reassuring squeeze before the professor had shaken hands with her father.

‘Araminta and I have a surprise for you, sir. We are to be married shortly.’

Her father had been too surprised to speak for a moment; it was Alice who had said, ‘Marry Araminta? But that’s ridiculous—I mean, she doesn’t know how to dress decently, she’s not even pretty, you’ll be ashamed of her…’

She had stopped then because the look on the professor’s face had frightened her.

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