intervention, we are now to all intents and purposes engaged to each other, and we'll be¬have accordingly.'
'Must we?' She stared at him beseechingly.
'Of course.' His scar looked silver in the moonlight. Carved from stone. 'Any kind of volte-face at this stage would simply make us both look ridiculous, and I won't permit that.'
'Thank you.' Her voice quivered. 'You—you're very kind.'
He said quietly, 'Don't kid yourself, Francesca. At this moment, I feel a number of things, and kindness, believe me, is not one of them. Now I'll take you home.'
They completed the journey in another, to Chessie, un¬nerving silence.
Miles brought the car smoothly to a halt beside the flight of steps that led up to the housekeeper's flat.
Hunched in her seat, Chessie was aware that he'd turned his head, and was studying her.
Oh, what now? she thought, her skin tingling in sudden apprehension. And if he—reached for her, what would she do? How should she react? In the space of a few hours, her entire life had shifted on its axis, and she was floundering.
Instead 'Would you like me to come in with you?' The offer was polite, no more. And he didn't move an inch.
She shook her head, weak with relief ` I think it's better if I deal with this on my own. But—thank you, anyway,' she added stiltedly.
'One day, I'll have to teach you to show your gratitude more positively,' he murmured. 'Goodnight, Francesca. I'm sorry the evening was such a disaster for you. I'll see you in the morning.'
She stood in the moonlight, watching him drive away to the front of the house. He might have proposed marriage, but the protocol between boss and employee was still being maintained, she thought as she went slowly up the steps. Not that she'd have it any other way, of course.
She sighed, and switched her attention resolutely to her most immediate problem.
She had no idea what she was going to say to Jenny, or even how to approach the problem, although she could pos¬sibly begin with a pointed reference to the cost of electric¬ity, she thought as she stepped into the narrow hall to find lights blazing everywhere.
As she took off her jacket the sitting-room door opened, and Jenny appeared wreathed in smiles. 'Chessie—at last. I've got the most wonderful surprise for you.'
`I think I've had all the surprises I can handle for one day,' Chessie told her grimly. 'We need to talk, young lady.'
'Oh, that can wait,' Jenny said in gleeful dismissal, and stood aside so that Chessie could precede her into the sit¬ting room.
For a moment the whole world seemed to stop as she stared in total disbelief at the tall figure rising from the sofa to greet her.
Her heart lurched painfully. Her voice was barely a shaky whisper as she said, 'Alastair...?'
'No one else.' He walked across to her, and put his hands on her shoulders, smiling down into her startled eyes. 'Aren't you going to say "Welcome home"?'
'Yes—yes, of course.' She drew a deep, steadying breath. 'It—it's great to see you again. I just didn't ex¬pect...'
His look was quizzical. 'It can't be that much of a shock. Jenny says she told you we were reopening the Court.'
'Yes,' she said. 'Yes, she did.'
'And anyway...' his voice sank to a whisper '...you knew I'd be back one day—didn't you?'
No, she thought, with an odd detachment. I knew nothing of the sort. You disappeared from my life, and it felt like forever.
She said,` I—I assumed you'd decided to stay in America.'
'Well, it was tempting,' he conceded. 'And I wasn't short of offers. But when this merchant bank in the City came up with a job, it seemed too good to turn down. So, here I am.'
His smile widened. 'And aren't you the tiniest bit pleased to see me?'
'Of course I am.'
It was like Christmas, she thought, and her birthday. And having her most private and secret dream miraculously come true. But, like all dreams, there was still that touch of unreality about the whole thing—almost like a warning.
'Then show me,'
'Must we?' She stared at him beseechingly.
'Of course.' His scar looked silver in the moonlight. Carved from stone. 'Any kind of volte-face at this stage would simply make us both look ridiculous, and I won't permit that.'
'Thank you.' Her voice quivered. 'You—you're very kind.'
He said quietly, 'Don't kid yourself, Francesca. At this moment, I feel a number of things, and kindness, believe me, is not one of them. Now I'll take you home.'
They completed the journey in another, to Chessie, un¬nerving silence.
Miles brought the car smoothly to a halt beside the flight of steps that led up to the housekeeper's flat.
Hunched in her seat, Chessie was aware that he'd turned his head, and was studying her.
Oh, what now? she thought, her skin tingling in sudden apprehension. And if he—reached for her, what would she do? How should she react? In the space of a few hours, her entire life had shifted on its axis, and she was floundering.
Instead 'Would you like me to come in with you?' The offer was polite, no more. And he didn't move an inch.
She shook her head, weak with relief ` I think it's better if I deal with this on my own. But—thank you, anyway,' she added stiltedly.
'One day, I'll have to teach you to show your gratitude more positively,' he murmured. 'Goodnight, Francesca. I'm sorry the evening was such a disaster for you. I'll see you in the morning.'
She stood in the moonlight, watching him drive away to the front of the house. He might have proposed marriage, but the protocol between boss and employee was still being maintained, she thought as she went slowly up the steps. Not that she'd have it any other way, of course.
She sighed, and switched her attention resolutely to her most immediate problem.
She had no idea what she was going to say to Jenny, or even how to approach the problem, although she could pos¬sibly begin with a pointed reference to the cost of electric¬ity, she thought as she stepped into the narrow hall to find lights blazing everywhere.
As she took off her jacket the sitting-room door opened, and Jenny appeared wreathed in smiles. 'Chessie—at last. I've got the most wonderful surprise for you.'
`I think I've had all the surprises I can handle for one day,' Chessie told her grimly. 'We need to talk, young lady.'
'Oh, that can wait,' Jenny said in gleeful dismissal, and stood aside so that Chessie could precede her into the sit¬ting room.
For a moment the whole world seemed to stop as she stared in total disbelief at the tall figure rising from the sofa to greet her.
Her heart lurched painfully. Her voice was barely a shaky whisper as she said, 'Alastair...?'
'No one else.' He walked across to her, and put his hands on her shoulders, smiling down into her startled eyes. 'Aren't you going to say "Welcome home"?'
'Yes—yes, of course.' She drew a deep, steadying breath. 'It—it's great to see you again. I just didn't ex¬pect...'
His look was quizzical. 'It can't be that much of a shock. Jenny says she told you we were reopening the Court.'
'Yes,' she said. 'Yes, she did.'
'And anyway...' his voice sank to a whisper '...you knew I'd be back one day—didn't you?'
No, she thought, with an odd detachment. I knew nothing of the sort. You disappeared from my life, and it felt like forever.
She said,` I—I assumed you'd decided to stay in America.'
'Well, it was tempting,' he conceded. 'And I wasn't short of offers. But when this merchant bank in the City came up with a job, it seemed too good to turn down. So, here I am.'
His smile widened. 'And aren't you the tiniest bit pleased to see me?'
'Of course I am.'
It was like Christmas, she thought, and her birthday. And having her most private and secret dream miraculously come true. But, like all dreams, there was still that touch of unreality about the whole thing—almost like a warning.
'Then show me,'
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