The Mistress of His Manor by Catherine George

Author:Catherine George
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: Fiction
Publisher: Harlequin Mills & Boon Ltd.

Chapter Seven

EASTHOPE COURT had once been the very grand home of a social-climbing Victorian industrialist. Now it was a privately owned hotel, recently refurbished to such splendour Jo wished she was wearing something more in keeping with her surroundings. Her dress fitted her to perfection, and it had been so expensive Kate had hidden the price tag, but it was nevertheless a black knit dress. Which would have looked a lot better with the new shoes she’d worn to Molly’s, which had heels two inches higher than the black suede boots she was wearing.

Relieved of her coat in a ladies’ room tricked out in Hollywood boudoir style, Jo touched up her lipstick, wished she’d worn more jewellery than just a watch and the plain gold studs in her ears, then, impatient with herself, went out into the foyer, where March was chatting with a man he introduced as the manager. The man personally led them through the palatial room, which was only half filled this early in the evening. He seated Jo at a window table, wished them a pleasant evening and left them to the care of a brace of waiters.

They were provided with huge menus, and their order was taken for wine, but Jo’s eyes were riveted to the view of floodlit lawns and tree-fringed lake.

‘Glitzy place,’ she said, when they were alone.

March eyed her closely. ‘You don’t like it?’

She laughed. ‘What’s not to like? Fantastic view, and if the food lives up to the surroundings it should be wonderful.’

‘It usually is. Though no better than the dinner we had at your friend Molly’s restaurant.’

Jo smiled warmly. ‘That’s a kind thing to say.’

March touched a caressing finger over the back of her hand. ‘It’s the truth.’

Feeling the touch right down to her toes, Jo took refuge in her menu. ‘What do you recommend?’

The dishes they ordered were exquisite to eat, and works of art to look at, but Jo’s pleasure in the evening came to an emergency stop halfway through her main course when a husky female voice exclaimed, ‘March! How lovely to see you.’

March rose to his feet as a blonde vision in sapphire-blue silk swept up to kiss him on both cheeks. ‘Hello, Lavinia.’

The woman eyed Jo with interest and beamed at March. ‘Aren’t you going to introduce me, darling?’

‘Of course.’ He smiled down at Jo. ‘Allow me to present Miss Joanna Logan. Joanna, meet an old friend of mine—Lavinia Fox-Hatton.’

‘How do you do?’ said Jo politely, with the warmest smile she could muster, and won a brilliant smile in return.

‘So nice to meet you. A pity you’ve eaten already—we could have joined forces.’ A slender arm adorned with a diamond bracelet waved imperiously. ‘Over here, Jerry.’

A tall, heavily built man came strolling to join them. ‘Hello, there,’ he said, shaking hands with March. ‘Haven’t seen you in ages.’ He smiled at Jo and gave her a graceful bow. ‘Jeremy Fox-Hatton.’

After another introduction, and a few minutes’ chat, he announced that he was ready for his dinner and took a noticeably reluctant Lavina away to a table on the far side of the room.

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