brisk stride, and the commanding power of his voice. She couldn't imagine him sick—di-minished in any way. 'I'm so sorry.' She hesitated. 'In a way, it's fortunate you decided to take this job in London.'
'Yes, I suppose so.' He gave a brief, almost bitter sigh. 'Hell, what a mess.'
'But why didn't Linnet mention it to me?'
'Who knows why Linnet does anything?' Alastair said with a slight snap. 'After all, it's hardly something that can be kept under wraps, however much she might wish it.'
'Perhaps she feels your father needs rest and quiet when he comes down here, and wants to discourage visitors,' Chessie suggested.
'You're joking, of course.' His tone was derisive. 'She regards his condition as a temporary inconvenience. I gather she's even planning to revive the Midsummer Party. Mark her return in style.'
'But surely...' Chessie stopped herself right there. If Linnet couldn't see that was inappropriate, it was no con¬cern of hers.
'It's so good to be back here,' Alastair said softly. 'Know that there's someone on my side again.'
She thought, But I'm in no position to take sides—even if I wanted to—which is by no means certain.
She felt guiltily relieved when she heard Jenny coming noisily along the passage with the fresh coffee. The whole evening had been too intense—too bewildering, she thought. She needed time and space to think. To come to terms with everything that had happened. Not least with Alastair's sudden reappearance.
She should have been giddy with delight and relief. Jenny had clearly thought she'd find them wrapped round each other. Instead, she simply felt—stunned.
I have to adjust, that's all, she told herself defensively.
And her talk with Jenny would have to be postponed, too, which maybe wasn't such a bad thing. It would give her time to prepare, to work out a reasoned argument, in¬stead of steaming in with all guns blazing, which had rarely succeeded in the past. She would have to be understanding, she thought glumly. Speak to Jenny woman to woman.
But what will I do if she won't listen? she asked herself unhappily as she drank more coffee she didn't want and her sister chattered away to Alastair.
'And I've got this wicked CD in my room,' Jenny was saying. 'I'll get it, so we can listen to it while we're fin¬ishing off the wine.'
`I don't think so,' Chessie intervened, feeling like some¬one's Victorian granny. 'It's getting late, and Alastair has to go. You have school tomorrow, and I must work.'
Jenny's scowl was immediate. 'Oh, for God's sake, Chess, don't be so wet,' she exclaimed impatiently. 'Tell The Ogre that his beastly meal gave you food poisoning, and you're having the day off. Don't you realise? Alastair's back.
'Nice try, honey.' He grinned at her. 'But Chessie's quite right. Tomorrow's a working day for all of us. And there'll be plenty of other evenings—now that I'm back.' And he allowed his hand to rest briefly but significantly on Chessie's.
'You haven't a clue how to deal with men,' Jenny ac¬cused when he'd gone. 'I was going to put the music on, and leave you alone with him.'
'Not very subtle.' Chessie piled crockery and glasses onto the tray. And what made you suddenly such an expert on men? she wanted to ask, but didn't.
'Well, who needs subtlety—especially when you haven't seen each other for yonks?' Jenny sniffed. 'You were just sitting there like a stuffed dummy. No wonder he pushed off to the States if this is how you used to treat him.'
Chessie sighed. 'Love, I don't want to argue at this time of night. We're both tired. But I need to deal with Alastair in my own way. And at the moment, I feel really confused.'
Now, she thought, would certainly not be a good time to introduce the topic of Miles' extraordinary proposal. And, as far as Jenny was concerned, there would probably never be an optimum moment.
Besides, when the time came, she could always make up some story about feeling in a rut to explain why they were moving. So there
'Yes, I suppose so.' He gave a brief, almost bitter sigh. 'Hell, what a mess.'
'But why didn't Linnet mention it to me?'
'Who knows why Linnet does anything?' Alastair said with a slight snap. 'After all, it's hardly something that can be kept under wraps, however much she might wish it.'
'Perhaps she feels your father needs rest and quiet when he comes down here, and wants to discourage visitors,' Chessie suggested.
'You're joking, of course.' His tone was derisive. 'She regards his condition as a temporary inconvenience. I gather she's even planning to revive the Midsummer Party. Mark her return in style.'
'But surely...' Chessie stopped herself right there. If Linnet couldn't see that was inappropriate, it was no con¬cern of hers.
'It's so good to be back here,' Alastair said softly. 'Know that there's someone on my side again.'
She thought, But I'm in no position to take sides—even if I wanted to—which is by no means certain.
She felt guiltily relieved when she heard Jenny coming noisily along the passage with the fresh coffee. The whole evening had been too intense—too bewildering, she thought. She needed time and space to think. To come to terms with everything that had happened. Not least with Alastair's sudden reappearance.
She should have been giddy with delight and relief. Jenny had clearly thought she'd find them wrapped round each other. Instead, she simply felt—stunned.
I have to adjust, that's all, she told herself defensively.
And her talk with Jenny would have to be postponed, too, which maybe wasn't such a bad thing. It would give her time to prepare, to work out a reasoned argument, in¬stead of steaming in with all guns blazing, which had rarely succeeded in the past. She would have to be understanding, she thought glumly. Speak to Jenny woman to woman.
But what will I do if she won't listen? she asked herself unhappily as she drank more coffee she didn't want and her sister chattered away to Alastair.
'And I've got this wicked CD in my room,' Jenny was saying. 'I'll get it, so we can listen to it while we're fin¬ishing off the wine.'
`I don't think so,' Chessie intervened, feeling like some¬one's Victorian granny. 'It's getting late, and Alastair has to go. You have school tomorrow, and I must work.'
Jenny's scowl was immediate. 'Oh, for God's sake, Chess, don't be so wet,' she exclaimed impatiently. 'Tell The Ogre that his beastly meal gave you food poisoning, and you're having the day off. Don't you realise? Alastair's back.
'Nice try, honey.' He grinned at her. 'But Chessie's quite right. Tomorrow's a working day for all of us. And there'll be plenty of other evenings—now that I'm back.' And he allowed his hand to rest briefly but significantly on Chessie's.
'You haven't a clue how to deal with men,' Jenny ac¬cused when he'd gone. 'I was going to put the music on, and leave you alone with him.'
'Not very subtle.' Chessie piled crockery and glasses onto the tray. And what made you suddenly such an expert on men? she wanted to ask, but didn't.
'Well, who needs subtlety—especially when you haven't seen each other for yonks?' Jenny sniffed. 'You were just sitting there like a stuffed dummy. No wonder he pushed off to the States if this is how you used to treat him.'
Chessie sighed. 'Love, I don't want to argue at this time of night. We're both tired. But I need to deal with Alastair in my own way. And at the moment, I feel really confused.'
Now, she thought, would certainly not be a good time to introduce the topic of Miles' extraordinary proposal. And, as far as Jenny was concerned, there would probably never be an optimum moment.
Besides, when the time came, she could always make up some story about feeling in a rut to explain why they were moving. So there
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