Erskine, Barbara by Lady of Hay

Author:Lady of Hay
Language: eng
Format: mobi
Published: 2011-11-20T23:44:47+00:00

"Has madam finished?"

Jo stared up with a start. The waiter was standing beside her, his hand on her plate. The food on it was practically untouched.

"I'm sorry, " she said. "It was very good. I'm just not hungry. "

She looked across at Nick. He was watching her through narrowed eyes, twisting his empty glass thoughtfully between his fingers.

"You hypnotized me!" She gasped.

He shook his head. "I did nothing. I merely sat here and listened. Two coffees, please, and the bill. " He looked up at the waiter. Then he turned his attention back to Jo. He smiled faintly. "You were what I believe is called scrying,

seeing pictures in the candle flame. No doubt you could see them in a crystal ball as well. You must be psychic!"

Jo had gone white. "That's nonsense—"

"Is it? It's more common to see the future than the past, I suppose, but either way, three hundred years ago you would have been burned at the stake for less. "

"And today I could make my living telling fortunes. Oh, God!" She put her head in her hands. "I'm frightened, Nick. "

"Why?" He picked up the bottle and poured the last of the wine into her glass. "You obviously have a gift. And if you are going to persist with researching into the past, the ability to do it yourself will at least save you Bennet's no doubt exorbitant fees. " He pursed his lips. "Do you remember what you said?"

She took a sip from her glass, glancing around at the other diners. No one was staring. No one seemed to have noticed anything amiss. "It must have been you asking about Prince John earlier, " she said slowly. "I saw him again. Only he was older this time. A teenager. "

"But you found him as obnoxious as before. " Nick was still twisting his glass between his fingers.

Jo nodded thoughtfully. "He seemed to think me attractive, but his methods of showing it were pretty crass. Thank you. " She looked up and smiled as the waiter put a cup down in front of her.

"Perhaps your reactions were tactless and high-handed. " A nervous tic had begun at the corner of Nick's eye.

She stared at it. "We are talking about me again, " she said softly. "It was not me. It was Matilda. "

"Whichever one of you it was, you should have had the sensitivity to handle the situation more discreetly. " Nick took the bill and began methodically to check it.

"Why are you so angry?" Jo said suddenly. "It's as if you're taking it personally. I didn't mention Richard, did I? Or is it just because I talked about the past? Or because I wasted this beautiful meal? Or did I shout and yell and make an exhibition of myself?"

He shook his head, reaching into his pocket for his wallet. "None of them. Come on. Let's go. " He pushed his chair back and stood up.

It was a glorious night, warm and balmy. They walked slowly back up Victoria Road.

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