threw open the door to their room, waiting for her to come up to him. When he touched her arm she felt a wave of excitement shoot through her and she hastened her step to get away from him. She was being ridiculous! More men than she could count had made a similar gesture towards her and she had never felt the slightest thing more than a brief gratitude for their courtesy. Her innards had never, never turned to liquid fire, not even when some of them had kissed her.
It was a typical, impersonal hotel room, and yet she thought she
would never forget the way it had looked to her then. William swept back the curtains to reveal a view of the sea and the Parliament buildings outside the double-glazed windows. There was a small notice stuck on to the glass asking guests not to open the window when the air-conditioning was switched on, and she examined it with a care that she hoped would hide her nervousness from him.
'William—'
He looked up, his eyes quizzical. 'Georgina.'
'I'm sorry I'm not Jennifer. I mean, I know you're not getting any more pleasure out of this than I am. Wouldn't it be better —'
'No.'
'Why not?'
'I'm not pretending Jennifer wouldn't have been a better choice, but you'll do, Georgie Porgie. I'll see that you do!'
'One can't make oneself love to order,' she said, rubbing at the paper notice on the window with her finger.
'Who said anything about love?'
She sighed. 'It's hopeless trying to talk to you,' she complained. 'If you aren't in love with Jennifer why did you want to marry her?'
'I don't consider that any of your business,' he returned coolly. 'If you want to use the bathroom first, my dear, you'd better hurry up before my chivalrous instincts are overcome by need.'
'Have you got any?'
'Chivalrous instincts? I have a few. If you give up your bossy ways, you may be surprised.' He grinned maliciously at her. 'Are you going to try me out?'
Tears —tears, she hoped of fatigue — flooded into her eyes and she blinked them angrily away, disappearing into the bathroom. For a long time she stood in the small space that was all that was provided and fought to regain control over herself. She would feel better after a good sleep, she told herself, and therefore the sooner she got into bed the better, but until the luggage came up she had no nightdress with her. She undressed to her petticoat, paused, and then went the whole hog, taking a quick shower while she was about it. She put her petticoat back on, draping her towel about her shoulders for added protection.
William's eyebrows rose when he saw her. 'Is that for my benefit?' he asked. 'The female form holds no surprises for me, Georgie Porgie.'
'It's for my benefit!' she retorted.
His eyes travelled over with appreciation. 'Your modesty becomes you, but it doesn't cover you very well.' He watched the burning blush travel up the back of her neck as she turned away from him, seeking the safety of the bed nearest the window. 'Relax, Georgie. In that department, at least, you're every bit as good as your sister!'
She flung herself into bed. 'I'm better, if you want to know!' she declared violently. 'Even Jennifer admits that!'
'Does she, though? Then why try to hide yourself away? I wouldn't have said timidity, or coyness either, was a vice of yours.'
She gritted her teeth, hiding her face in the pillow. 'I'm not accustomed to sharing a room,' she said in muffled tones. 'Leave me alone!'
He stood over her, laughing. 'Very affecting. You'll get used to it, Georgie Porgie.' He bent down and kissed the exposed skin below her ear, ruffling her hair as he did so. 'Sleep well, little one!'
'I'm not a child!' she flared, frightened by the burning excitement his touch induced in her.
'No, you're not, so if you want to sleep don't press your luck, my girl!' He placed the back of his hand against her cheek in a surprisingly tender gesture. 'We'll talk this evening if that's what you want. I don't suppose you've ever seen the famous green flash
It was a typical, impersonal hotel room, and yet she thought she
would never forget the way it had looked to her then. William swept back the curtains to reveal a view of the sea and the Parliament buildings outside the double-glazed windows. There was a small notice stuck on to the glass asking guests not to open the window when the air-conditioning was switched on, and she examined it with a care that she hoped would hide her nervousness from him.
'William—'
He looked up, his eyes quizzical. 'Georgina.'
'I'm sorry I'm not Jennifer. I mean, I know you're not getting any more pleasure out of this than I am. Wouldn't it be better —'
'No.'
'Why not?'
'I'm not pretending Jennifer wouldn't have been a better choice, but you'll do, Georgie Porgie. I'll see that you do!'
'One can't make oneself love to order,' she said, rubbing at the paper notice on the window with her finger.
'Who said anything about love?'
She sighed. 'It's hopeless trying to talk to you,' she complained. 'If you aren't in love with Jennifer why did you want to marry her?'
'I don't consider that any of your business,' he returned coolly. 'If you want to use the bathroom first, my dear, you'd better hurry up before my chivalrous instincts are overcome by need.'
'Have you got any?'
'Chivalrous instincts? I have a few. If you give up your bossy ways, you may be surprised.' He grinned maliciously at her. 'Are you going to try me out?'
Tears —tears, she hoped of fatigue — flooded into her eyes and she blinked them angrily away, disappearing into the bathroom. For a long time she stood in the small space that was all that was provided and fought to regain control over herself. She would feel better after a good sleep, she told herself, and therefore the sooner she got into bed the better, but until the luggage came up she had no nightdress with her. She undressed to her petticoat, paused, and then went the whole hog, taking a quick shower while she was about it. She put her petticoat back on, draping her towel about her shoulders for added protection.
William's eyebrows rose when he saw her. 'Is that for my benefit?' he asked. 'The female form holds no surprises for me, Georgie Porgie.'
'It's for my benefit!' she retorted.
His eyes travelled over with appreciation. 'Your modesty becomes you, but it doesn't cover you very well.' He watched the burning blush travel up the back of her neck as she turned away from him, seeking the safety of the bed nearest the window. 'Relax, Georgie. In that department, at least, you're every bit as good as your sister!'
She flung herself into bed. 'I'm better, if you want to know!' she declared violently. 'Even Jennifer admits that!'
'Does she, though? Then why try to hide yourself away? I wouldn't have said timidity, or coyness either, was a vice of yours.'
She gritted her teeth, hiding her face in the pillow. 'I'm not accustomed to sharing a room,' she said in muffled tones. 'Leave me alone!'
He stood over her, laughing. 'Very affecting. You'll get used to it, Georgie Porgie.' He bent down and kissed the exposed skin below her ear, ruffling her hair as he did so. 'Sleep well, little one!'
'I'm not a child!' she flared, frightened by the burning excitement his touch induced in her.
'No, you're not, so if you want to sleep don't press your luck, my girl!' He placed the back of his hand against her cheek in a surprisingly tender gesture. 'We'll talk this evening if that's what you want. I don't suppose you've ever seen the famous green flash
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