thought as she struggled, that the mastery of his kisses was having the oddest effect on her. If she didn't dislike him so
very much, she would, she thought, have found the experience quite enjoyable.
This thought alone had sufficient strength for her to give one gigantic push, which happened to coincide with what must, she thought, be Jud's own opinion that he had had enough, for she found herself free of him with the space of a yard or so separating them.
A mixture of emotions rioted through her as she found herself free of him. His face was looking as unconcerned as ever, but to her regret, the best she could come out with as she whipped anger into every word was a sarcastic :
`I thought you said you were choosey.'
`Stung, did it?' he enquired coolly, in no way put out by her anger. Lucy looked away from him. If she could be sure he wouldn't try that trick again she would have turned her back on him, but she wasn't taking any chances. 'You have no need to worry,' his voice reached her, 'I'm not likely to kiss you again.' His tone indicated that he thought once was enough for any man, which had her wanting to fly at him. Only with the greatest of effort did she restrain herself. Then out of the blue he asked, 'Where's your engagement ring?'
It irritated her that he should refer to it as her 'engagement ring'. 'In my bag,' she replied shortly, and found herself commanded
`Put it on.'
Lucy could see little point in arguing. As he had said, the bargain was well and truly sealed, and in any case she had a feeling if she didn't voluntarily 'put it on', Jud Hemming would slip the ring over her knuckle if it meant he had to break her finger to do so. Going over to the side of the settee, she picked up her bag and delved into it to extract the ring. As she knew it would, it fitted.
`Anything else?' she asked, and wanted to add `sir' but thought better than to risk it, for all she was no longer afraid of him.
`Yes,' he answered. 'Make sure you're wearing it when I introduce you to my mother.'
`Intro ... You don't think I'm coming back with you, do you—not after that ...'
`Good God, you'll be telling me next you've never been kissed before,' he interrupted her scoffingly.
`I've been kissed many times before,' Lucy returned smartly, 'and always enjoyed it before.'
She expected some stinging sarcasm to come hurtling her way for that 'before', but to her utter amazement she saw she had amused him, saw for the first time a hint of amusement in his face, quickly gone, as he said, 'You may have been kissed many times, but you still have a lot to learn,' then went on in a different tone, 'I think it only fair, Lucy, in view of the hurt my mother received today, that you come with me and meet her.'
He couldn't have said anything more calculated to get her to agree to go with him. She could fully understand, Lucy thought, the pain his mother must have felt at having someone outside the family telling her of her son's engagement.
`Have you told your mother our engagement will end in three months' time?' she questioned.
`I think she's had enough hurt for one day,' Jud told her. `She's old-fashioned enough to believe in love, and is tidied pink at the idea that I've at last found the "right one".' Not without much searching and sampling either, I'll bet, Lucy wanted to put in, but thought better of it, though Jud's lips twitched again briefly, which gave her an idea he knew exactly what she was thinking. would rather she kept her illusions for the time being,' he went on, nu sign of humour on his face now. 'She hasn't been well—seeing me ensnared seems to have put new life into her.' He paused, then with his eyes not leaving her face, asked bluntly, 'Well, will you come?'
`Have I any choice?' She didn't expect an answer, which
was just as well, because she didn't get one.
Up in her bedroom Lucy would have loved to dawdle as she dressed herself ready to meet Jud's mother. She was being contrary, she knew, but it
very much, she would, she thought, have found the experience quite enjoyable.
This thought alone had sufficient strength for her to give one gigantic push, which happened to coincide with what must, she thought, be Jud's own opinion that he had had enough, for she found herself free of him with the space of a yard or so separating them.
A mixture of emotions rioted through her as she found herself free of him. His face was looking as unconcerned as ever, but to her regret, the best she could come out with as she whipped anger into every word was a sarcastic :
`I thought you said you were choosey.'
`Stung, did it?' he enquired coolly, in no way put out by her anger. Lucy looked away from him. If she could be sure he wouldn't try that trick again she would have turned her back on him, but she wasn't taking any chances. 'You have no need to worry,' his voice reached her, 'I'm not likely to kiss you again.' His tone indicated that he thought once was enough for any man, which had her wanting to fly at him. Only with the greatest of effort did she restrain herself. Then out of the blue he asked, 'Where's your engagement ring?'
It irritated her that he should refer to it as her 'engagement ring'. 'In my bag,' she replied shortly, and found herself commanded
`Put it on.'
Lucy could see little point in arguing. As he had said, the bargain was well and truly sealed, and in any case she had a feeling if she didn't voluntarily 'put it on', Jud Hemming would slip the ring over her knuckle if it meant he had to break her finger to do so. Going over to the side of the settee, she picked up her bag and delved into it to extract the ring. As she knew it would, it fitted.
`Anything else?' she asked, and wanted to add `sir' but thought better than to risk it, for all she was no longer afraid of him.
`Yes,' he answered. 'Make sure you're wearing it when I introduce you to my mother.'
`Intro ... You don't think I'm coming back with you, do you—not after that ...'
`Good God, you'll be telling me next you've never been kissed before,' he interrupted her scoffingly.
`I've been kissed many times before,' Lucy returned smartly, 'and always enjoyed it before.'
She expected some stinging sarcasm to come hurtling her way for that 'before', but to her utter amazement she saw she had amused him, saw for the first time a hint of amusement in his face, quickly gone, as he said, 'You may have been kissed many times, but you still have a lot to learn,' then went on in a different tone, 'I think it only fair, Lucy, in view of the hurt my mother received today, that you come with me and meet her.'
He couldn't have said anything more calculated to get her to agree to go with him. She could fully understand, Lucy thought, the pain his mother must have felt at having someone outside the family telling her of her son's engagement.
`Have you told your mother our engagement will end in three months' time?' she questioned.
`I think she's had enough hurt for one day,' Jud told her. `She's old-fashioned enough to believe in love, and is tidied pink at the idea that I've at last found the "right one".' Not without much searching and sampling either, I'll bet, Lucy wanted to put in, but thought better of it, though Jud's lips twitched again briefly, which gave her an idea he knew exactly what she was thinking. would rather she kept her illusions for the time being,' he went on, nu sign of humour on his face now. 'She hasn't been well—seeing me ensnared seems to have put new life into her.' He paused, then with his eyes not leaving her face, asked bluntly, 'Well, will you come?'
`Have I any choice?' She didn't expect an answer, which
was just as well, because she didn't get one.
Up in her bedroom Lucy would have loved to dawdle as she dressed herself ready to meet Jud's mother. She was being contrary, she knew, but it
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