who joined mother and daughter while Harry went to the twins’ corner. He knelt there talking to them for a moment, then brought them with him, an arm about each sleepy, confused child’s shoulders. Catriona took their hands, and Harry moved to Letty’s side, putting an arm about her waist.
Sir Gideon held up his hand to ask for a silence he already had. “As you may have guessed,” he said dryly, “I have an announcement to make. It gives me the greatest pleasure to inform you that my cousins, Letty Rosebay and Harry Talgarth, are engaged to be married.”
“Grandmama, does that mean we’ll have a daddy?” Donald piped up.
“Will Mr Talgarth be our daddy?” Daphne asked.
“Yes, my loves.”
The twins exchanged a glance. “Bang up!” they chorussed.
Everyone laughed and crowded round with felicitations. Gradually the good wishes turned into goodbyes, and Sir Gideon ushered his guests out to the hall. Letty and Harry together took the twins up to bed.
Catriona lingered in the drawing room, standing by the fireplace, warming her hands. She felt cold, hollow, more alone than she had ever been in her life.
Sir Gideon was losing both the girl he loved and the cousin who was more like a younger brother, with whom he had travelled the world. He had taken the news well, his disappointment well-hidden. Catriona vowed that Letty should never see her loneliness, only her joy in her daughter’s happiness.
From the hall came a last flurry of goodbyes, the sound of the front door closing. Catriona recognised Sir Gideon’s footsteps behind her, but she continued to gaze into the flickering flames, her head bowed, unwilling for him to see her despondency. He came to stand beside her, leaning against the mantelpiece.
As if he read her mind, he said, “You won’t lose her, you know, her and the twins. Harry means to make his home here at Marchbank. There’s plenty of room for two families.”
“Two families?” Startled, she glanced up to meet the steady regard of his dark eyes. “What do you mean?”
“Well, I shan’t insist on children, but if we were to produce one or two, I shan’t complain.”
“ We?”
“I’m hoping you’ll marry me, Catriona.”
Her heart began to race, thundering in her ears. “But I am forty-two!” she cried tragically.
“An excellent age. I look forward to it.”
“Nearly forty-three.”
“I trust I shall reach that, too, in the not-far-distant future.”
“But you are only forty and you can never catch up.”
“Not catch up, but grow closer and closer. At present my age is roughly ten elevenths of yours. When you are forty-eight and I am forty-five, I shall be eleven twelfths of your age. And—”
“You are laughing at me, Gideon!” she said, indignant. “I never learnt fractions.”
“Then let me explain. Imagine cutting a cake into twelve slices. Each slice will be smaller than if—”
“Pray don’t trouble yourself to explain.” She looked away from his mirthful face. “Do you truly wish to marry me?”
“I do.” He sounded utterly serious.
“Because you cannot have Letty?”
“Letty! Good gad, woman, she’s young enough to be my daughter.”
“Not unless you were excessively precocious,” she said tartly. “Anyway, that is no barrier to love.”
“Catriona, why in heaven’s name should you think me in love with Letty?”
“You have several times told me how charming you find her and how much you enjoy having the twins about the house.”
“My dear, I was under the impression that the way to a woman’s heart is to praise her children, not to mention her grandchildren. Not that I spoke anything but the truth.”
“Oh.” Feeling foolish, Catriona peeked up at him sideways. He looked just as good-natured and gallant and altogether attractive as always. “I thought you would be the perfect husband for her,” she confessed.
“Not for her, for you. I have written proof, my sceptical love.” Gideon took a paper from the inside
Sir Gideon held up his hand to ask for a silence he already had. “As you may have guessed,” he said dryly, “I have an announcement to make. It gives me the greatest pleasure to inform you that my cousins, Letty Rosebay and Harry Talgarth, are engaged to be married.”
“Grandmama, does that mean we’ll have a daddy?” Donald piped up.
“Will Mr Talgarth be our daddy?” Daphne asked.
“Yes, my loves.”
The twins exchanged a glance. “Bang up!” they chorussed.
Everyone laughed and crowded round with felicitations. Gradually the good wishes turned into goodbyes, and Sir Gideon ushered his guests out to the hall. Letty and Harry together took the twins up to bed.
Catriona lingered in the drawing room, standing by the fireplace, warming her hands. She felt cold, hollow, more alone than she had ever been in her life.
Sir Gideon was losing both the girl he loved and the cousin who was more like a younger brother, with whom he had travelled the world. He had taken the news well, his disappointment well-hidden. Catriona vowed that Letty should never see her loneliness, only her joy in her daughter’s happiness.
From the hall came a last flurry of goodbyes, the sound of the front door closing. Catriona recognised Sir Gideon’s footsteps behind her, but she continued to gaze into the flickering flames, her head bowed, unwilling for him to see her despondency. He came to stand beside her, leaning against the mantelpiece.
As if he read her mind, he said, “You won’t lose her, you know, her and the twins. Harry means to make his home here at Marchbank. There’s plenty of room for two families.”
“Two families?” Startled, she glanced up to meet the steady regard of his dark eyes. “What do you mean?”
“Well, I shan’t insist on children, but if we were to produce one or two, I shan’t complain.”
“ We?”
“I’m hoping you’ll marry me, Catriona.”
Her heart began to race, thundering in her ears. “But I am forty-two!” she cried tragically.
“An excellent age. I look forward to it.”
“Nearly forty-three.”
“I trust I shall reach that, too, in the not-far-distant future.”
“But you are only forty and you can never catch up.”
“Not catch up, but grow closer and closer. At present my age is roughly ten elevenths of yours. When you are forty-eight and I am forty-five, I shall be eleven twelfths of your age. And—”
“You are laughing at me, Gideon!” she said, indignant. “I never learnt fractions.”
“Then let me explain. Imagine cutting a cake into twelve slices. Each slice will be smaller than if—”
“Pray don’t trouble yourself to explain.” She looked away from his mirthful face. “Do you truly wish to marry me?”
“I do.” He sounded utterly serious.
“Because you cannot have Letty?”
“Letty! Good gad, woman, she’s young enough to be my daughter.”
“Not unless you were excessively precocious,” she said tartly. “Anyway, that is no barrier to love.”
“Catriona, why in heaven’s name should you think me in love with Letty?”
“You have several times told me how charming you find her and how much you enjoy having the twins about the house.”
“My dear, I was under the impression that the way to a woman’s heart is to praise her children, not to mention her grandchildren. Not that I spoke anything but the truth.”
“Oh.” Feeling foolish, Catriona peeked up at him sideways. He looked just as good-natured and gallant and altogether attractive as always. “I thought you would be the perfect husband for her,” she confessed.
“Not for her, for you. I have written proof, my sceptical love.” Gideon took a paper from the inside
Similar Books
