Kate's Progress (11 page)

‘Rather than risk breaking our luck, shall we just go on drinking champagne?’ he asked when the waitress hovered for the wine order.

‘
You
can,’ she said genially. ‘I’m about at my limit.’

He ordered a bottle anyway, and lunch went on for such a long time, and he was such fun, and she was enjoying herself so much, that she ended up drinking quite a bit of the second bottle – not exactly her share, but enough to make her very relaxed. Jack seemed to have hollow legs, and put it away with ease, but it didn’t seem to have a bad effect on him. She remembered Gaga saying that when drink was taken, a man only became more of himself – which was a grand way of telling what his real nature was, she had added as a warning. Jack, after more than a bottle of Ayala, was relaxed, smiling, charming, voluble. Was it possible he was just a genuinely nice man?

She told about her family connections with Exmoor, and then asked him about his family. ‘Your son, Theo – short for Theodore?’

‘Oh, I know,’ he groaned. ‘What a thing to burden him with, poor little beggar! But have pity on me – his mother wanted to call him Titus.’

‘No!’

‘It’s true. I said to her, “Do you want all those Titus A. Newt jokes thrown at him?” Then it was Tiberius. She actually wanted to name our son after the most corrupt and sexually depraved emperor in Roman history!’

‘Wasn’t Caligula—?’ Kate hazarded.

‘He was mad. Tiberius knew what he was doing – that made it worse. Hey, you’re an educated woman!’

Kate shrugged. ‘I read a book once.’

‘That’s more than I can say for Felicity. She thought Tiberius had a nice sound to it. Distinguished, she called it. In the end, we had to compromise on Theodore. It quickly got shortened to Theo, which isn’t too bad.’

‘I quite like it.’

‘But I’m working towards “Ted”, or “the Tedder”.’

‘So you and Felicity are divorced?’

‘Oh yes – it’s all legit.’ He gave her a canny look. ‘No need to be nervous.’

She smiled at the joke, but asked, ‘What went wrong?’

He shrugged. ‘We should never have married, really. But I’d known her all my life. Her family and my family have always been connected. Our fathers knew each other, our mothers were on the same committees, we played together as children, went to the same dances when she came out – all that sort of thing. We looked good together, and it was always sort of expected that we’d get married eventually, so when the time came I just – went along with it. It seemed easier than the alternative.’

‘I’m guessing that going along with things is rather your weakness,’ she said.

He grinned. ‘How well you know me already! I like to avoid trouble whenever possible.’

‘So you’ve been married a long time?’ Kate said, puzzled.

‘We got married when I was twenty-three.’

‘Oh – then, how old is Theo? I was picturing a little boy.’

‘He’s five. Felicity didn’t want kids straight away, and then when she was ready, it didn’t happen.’

‘I’m sorry – not my business,’ Kate said.

‘It’s all right. I don’t mind. The sad thing is that when eventually Theo did come along, it seemed to be the last straw for our marriage. We both adored him, but we couldn’t stand each other any more. We’d been on rocky ground for a long time, but somehow it all became unbearable once he was there, and we fought like cat and dog, which obviously wasn’t the right atmosphere to be bringing up a kid. So I left, went back to The Hall – the family home, you know? Flick and I had a trial separation, and it became permanent. Theo’s only five, but we’ve been divorced two years.’

He sounded genuinely sad, and there was a moment of silence.

‘But you obviously get to see him,’ Kate said encouragingly after a bit.

‘Not as often as I’d like, especially now he’s at school. But they live in Dunster, so it’s not too far away, and I get to see him weekends and holidays. Felicity travels a lot, so when she does, it makes sense for Theo to come to me, especially since it means he can see his grandmother and the rest of the family.’

‘Back living with your mum at – what is it – thirty-five?’ Kate said with a teasing grin. ‘The tale of our times.’

‘Thirty-six next month,’ he admitted. ‘But she’s only my stepmother – I don’t know if that makes it more or less pitiful.’

‘I’ve driven past The Hall more than once. I don’t think “pitiful” is the right adjective.’

‘More about you, now,’ he said, surreptitiously topping up her glass.

‘Don’t think I don’t see what you’re doing,’ she warned.

‘You can always leave it,’ he said blandly. ‘Is your mother from round here too?’

So she told about the Irish connection, how Dad had gone to Dublin to do a job, fallen in love with Mammy and, since she was unwilling to leave Ireland, married her and stayed there, setting up his own business in a city that was just bursting into prosperity, with all the renovation and conversion prospects that opened up.

‘So you were brought up in Dublin? You don’t have an accent,’ he commented.

‘I dropped it when I moved to London. It wasn’t difficult – I’m a fair mimic.’

‘Are you going back there?’

‘Only to visit. I like it over here. More opportunities.’ She didn’t mention the dating scene, but the thought of it shut her up, and there was another silence. She thought he would ask her about how she came to buy Little’s – everyone else seemed interested in that. But perhaps it was a sensitive subject to a Blackmore, because of the breaking-up-the-estate thing. Instead he asked her about the job she had given up, and the conversation rolled on.

By the time the second bottle was empty, they both had their elbows on the table, and were talking like old friends. The waitress, who Kate had seen hovering about in the background, finally came near enough for Jack to notice her, and he sighed and straightened and said, ‘I suppose we’d better let the staff clear up. What about coffee and brandy in the bar?’

Kate shook her head at him. ‘You’re incorrigible. I told you I had to work this afternoon. In fact, I was going to drive into Taunton to shop first, but I don’t think I’d better, after all that champagne.’

‘I’ll drive you,’ he offered at once.

‘You’ve had more than me,’ she said, though she was rather thrilled by the offer. He really did want to spend time with her. ‘Aren’t you worried about being stopped?’

‘Stopped? Who by? This is the countryside. There aren’t any police. Come and have some coffee, anyway.’

She thought the coffee would be a good idea, but of course when the moment came she found herself persuaded into a brandy, and they talked on for another hour, by which time Kate knew she was neither going to Taunton nor doing any work. All she wanted was to get her head down and have a snooze.

‘I’m going home,’ she answered firmly to all his beguilements and offers of alternative entertainments. ‘This has been a wonderful lunch, but I really am going home.’

‘I’ll drive you.’

‘It’s only up the road, and I need the walk.’

‘I’ll walk with you.’

‘No you won’t. Really, thank you for everything, but no. You ought to take that poor dog for a walk. He’s been lying about all afternoon waiting for you.’

‘He’s all right. Sleeping is his best thing. All right, if you’re really sure this is it –’ he gave in to her slightly squiffy firmness – ‘I’ll let you go.’

‘
Let
me?’ she queried, but he didn’t seem to hear her.

‘But I will see you again? Let me take you out to dinner. What about Friday? Oh, no, wait, I can’t do Friday. Saturday – what are you doing Saturday evening?’

She wished for dignity’s sake she could say she was busy, but she hesitated just too long to lie convincingly. ‘Well …’

‘Good. Saturday evening, dinner. Do you like dancing? There’s a dinner dance at the Country Club in Liscombe.’

‘A dinner dance? I didn’t think they still had such things!’

‘You’re in the countryside now,’ he said, pretending to be offended. ‘We may be a little behind the times but that’s no reason to mock.’

‘I don’t have anything remotely suitable for a dinner dance,’ she said.

‘It’s not as posh as it sounds. You don’t need a long dress. Didn’t you bring your London clothes with you?’

‘Look, let’s save time – are you going to take no for an answer on this one?’

‘No. I’ll wear you down with argument.’

‘All right, rather than being worn down, I’ll say yes – if you promise it isn’t posh.’

‘Not a bit posh. I’ll pick you up at seven thirty.’

‘I haven’t told you my address,’ she said, for just the fact of having a date again had thrown her back into a London mindset.

One eyebrow went up. ‘Little’s Cottage,’ he reminded her.

‘Oh, yes. I suppose you would know where that was,’ she said.

‘Considering my stepmother used to own it,’ he said, and for a moment there was something unexpectedly grim about his expression as he said it.

When she got home, she sat on her bed to take off her sandals, and then it looked so inviting that she lay down, just for an instant, just while she sorted out her whirling thoughts, and the next thing she knew she was waking up and the sky was streaked with red outside. She struggled up, feeling as if all her senses were smothered in a blanket – and her tongue was made of one. She looked at her watch. It was well after seven. Too late to go to Morrison’s now, not that she really needed a meal tonight, after that lunch. Oddly, though, her first thought was that she was hungry. What was it about food, that the more you ate, the more you wanted? Drink, though – she was never going to drink again. Ever in her life. That brandy was a mistake. Not that she’d been drunk, she excused herself hastily. Only pleasantly relaxed.

Omigod, Jack Blackmore! Had she made a fool of herself ? She’d been very relaxed with him – too relaxed? He was obviously well-off, from a prominent County family, and charming to boot. Why had he been interested in her? Not that she hadn’t had dates with high-powered men before, in London, but she wasn’t exactly showing herself to London standards here, in a cotton skirt, T-shirt and sandals and minimal make-up. Was it just that she was new? Did he have a crack at all fresh blood when it appeared? She could believe that of him. Divorced and sexy man on the loose, naturally he’d try out any eligible female who crossed his path.

But it hadn’t felt like that. That was the trouble. They had got on so well. And he had asked her out again. Had been quite determined about it. He seemed really to like her …

She shook her head to clear it. First, a very large mug of tea. And second, a long soak in a bath. Sleeping in your clothes made you feel so grubby. Maybe she’d take the tea into the bath with her. And the telephone. It was a while since she’d phoned the girls. And she definitely needed to run Blackjack past another female of dating age.

‘You sly boots!’ Jess exclaimed. ‘I thought you weren’t going on the pull while you were down there!’

‘Well, I’m not actually dead, you know,’ Kate observed. ‘And when it’s thrown into your lap like that …’

‘Yes, why was it?’ came Lauren’s dry voice. She was on the other handset so they could all hear each other.

‘Why not?’ retorted loyal Jess. ‘It’s our Kate we’re talking about. She’s gorgeous.’

‘I wasn’t
looking
particularly gorgeous,’ she admitted. ‘Dirty nails, grubby, curling plasters, and my hair dragged back in a scrunchie.’

‘Well, maybe he likes the natural look,’ Jess said. ‘A sophisticated man might get tired of always having women in full warpaint and all the trimmings.’

‘A lunch of bread and cheese as a rest from all that caviar and lobster, you mean?’ Kate said solemnly. ‘What on earth will I wear to the dinner dance – a sack?’

Lauren cut through this. ‘
Is
he sophisticated?’

‘He’s the son of Sir George Blackmore, who owned most of Bursford and the surrounding countryside.’

‘Owned?’

‘Well, Sir George is dead now.’

‘And who owns it now?’

‘I don’t know,’ Kate admitted. ‘I believe Jack’s the younger son. Not absolutely sure, but I think the brother, Edward, is the elder.’

‘So presumably he inherited, and it doesn’t follow that Jack is rich at all,’ said logical Lauren.

‘He
looks
rich,’ Kate said feebly. Some nice clothes and cash in the wallet didn’t really mean anything; nor did buying an expensive lunch and champagne. He looked the sort who would always do himself well, whatever his circumstances. And – she had a sudden horrid thought – what about the divorce? Surely he’d be in for massive alimony and maintenance? But perhaps living back at home meant he had few other expenses. ‘Anyway,’ she said, pulling herself together, ‘you didn’t ask if he was rich, you asked if he was sophisticated.’

‘And is he?’

‘Coming from that sort of family he’s bound to be,’ Jess said. ‘Private school, country club, moving in the best circles.’

‘But he seemed very down-to-earth and nice,’ Kate said. ‘Not at all “county”, just – nice.’ It sounded inadequate, and it was. ‘He was really worried about his little boy’s dog. And the dog – it’s a big hairy mongrel, not some pampered Crufts’ winner.’

‘Oh, Kate,’ Lauren sighed, ‘be careful. The way you’re defending him, it sounds as if you’re smitten.’

‘I am not!’ Kate objected. ‘I enjoyed his company, that’s all.’

‘Well, he sounds like trouble to me,’ Lauren said. ‘Divorced with a child, just for starters. Where would you fit in to that scenario?’

Kate laughed. ‘I’m not planning to marry him, just go out to dinner with him.’

‘He’s already moved you in one encounter from lunch to dinner. Where else is it going to lead? You say he’s good-looking, charming, flashes his money around, drinks a lot, gets you to drink a lot. What’s he after, Kathleen Marie Jennings? You have to ask yourself that.’

‘Maybe he just likes my company too,’ she said, and this time it didn’t sound feeble. ‘And I appreciate your concern, but don’t worry about me. I can handle it. I’m not falling for him, or anyone. I’m not going there, not after Mark. Not for a very long time. If ever.’

‘Oh, don’t say “if ever”,’ Jess objected with concern. ‘You’re lovely. You can’t be wasted. That mustn’t happen.’