This Cold Country by Annabel Davis-Goff Page B

her surprise, Daisy found that she was also considering her own instinctive feelings, although she was well aware they should have little or no influence on how she now behaved. It seemed she could imagine James making love to her but, if such lovemaking did take place, it would not begin with her relinquishing her virginity in such a casual manner. She felt none of the desire she had experienced earlier, sitting fully clothed, a table between them, in the library. What had then seemed sophisticated and exciting had now become crass and presumptuous. What had then been flattering was now boorish. Before she had been in thrall to James; now she was embarrassed by him.
    â€œJames, I don’t think you should be here. It’s the middle of the night and you shouldn’t be in my room.”
    James didn’t reply. Instead he stroked Daisy’s hair.
    â€œHow charming. You’re wearing a snood.”
    That did it, and Daisy pushed him away. Her hair, thanks to one of Valerie’s beauty tips, was rolled around a sanitary towel and held in place by a stout hair net.
    â€œDaisy—”
    Daisy felt a sudden and deep resentment for all the slightly disgusting procedures to which women were obliged to submit themselves in order to make themselves attractive to men. Daisy filed her fingernails out of earshot of the nearest man, spat guiltily into her mascara box, and rolled her hair up at night secretly and usually uncomfortably. Now it seemed she might be humiliated for choosing a painless alternative to sleeping on lumpy curlers.
    James was not deterred by Daisy’s rebuff, and his hands on her shoulders were stronger and more urgent.
    â€œNo, James, please.” Daisy deliberately raised her voice.
    â€œShh,” he whispered.
    â€œPlease don’t!” She spoke a little louder, allowing—contriving—a note of panic in her voice. James let go of her shoulders and rose to his feet.
    â€œOh, very well. There’s no reason to call for help. I’m not going to force myself on you.”
    Daisy felt a wish to placate him, but she knew that was what he intended and she remained silent. After a moment she heard him move toward the door, stumbling against some unseen object on the way. Daisy suppressed an impolitic giggle and a moment later saw his silhouette outlined against the dim light of the corridor. Then he closed the door and she was once again in complete darkness.

Chapter 5
    D AISY STOOD IN front of a large, mottled looking glass. She held the diamond necklace up to her throat, holding the clasp together behind her neck without hooking it. The necklace was pretty, but sparse; a few perfectly respectable diamonds surrounded by diamond chips set into a band of dark silver, with some smaller stones set in strands that dropped from the neckband. Daisy thought it was probably several hundred years old.

    â€œTrying it on for size?” Patrick’s reflection joined Daisy’s in the looking glass. Although his tone was light and amused, it lacked gentleness, and Daisy immediately felt defensive.
    â€œI’m not trying it on, I’m just holding it up to see what it looks like.”
    Patrick raised one eyebrow and Daisy knew what he was insinuating. He thought she was imagining herself wearing the diamonds, having first married James and then killed off his mother.
    â€œLady Nugent asked me to unpick it; it was mounted on a frame so she could wear it as a tiara. It’s been like that since the coronation.”
    Patrick laughed and if she hadn’t been feeling offended and cross, Daisy would have laughed, too. But she was hurt by the insulting implication of his words and angry at the way she had been treated by James and his family that day.
    â€œI don’t know if this is an example of upper-class hospitality, or if your family is simply lacking in good manners, but I have been rudely and unkindly treated by everyone since I got here.”
    Patrick