Marriage Under Suspicion (6 page)

'I didn't hear your car.'

'I parked down the road,' Kate admitted, hoping she wouldn't be called on for an

explanation, and feeling more awkward with every moment that passed.

'I see,' Mrs Lassiter said vaguely. 'Well, would you keep an eye on Tom for me, dear,

while I go and set another place? And make sure Algy doesn't steal any of the sausage

rolls I've made for tea,' she added, giving a warning look at the basset, who stared

mournfully back.

Kate sat down at the table, and looked at Tom's lump of pastry.

That looks nice,' she said. 'Is it a cake?'

'No, silly, it's a monster,' Holly said scornfully. 'Tom likes monsters.'

'Like monsters,' agreed Tom, with his blinding smile, splattering the pastry on to the

board.

Kate grinned back at him, wishing at the same time that she felt more at ease with the

pair of them. But perhaps she didn't see enough of them, she thought. And, an only child

herself, she had very little experience of young children, and their total unexpectedness.

She took a small piece of dough, and began to shape it into a rose, remembering how her

mother used to do the same thing to decorate her pies.

'I need to go,' Holly announced suddenly, standing on one leg. ‘And Grandma's shut the

door, so I can't get out.'

Oh.' Kate was taken aback. 'Well, I'll open it for you.' She paused. 'What about the

cloakroom door?'

Holly wriggled. 'I don't know.'

'I'll come with you and make sure,' Kate told her reassuringly.

She wasn't allowed to accompany Holly into the cloakroom itself, being told very

politely, to her relief that her niece could manage all by herself.

She was waiting outside when she heard a faint ting from the hall phone, indicating that a

receiver had just been replaced elsewhere in the house.

She looked up, and saw Mrs Lassiter coming down the stairs, looking preoccupied.

Kate thought, She's been making a phone call upstairs—where she wouldn't be

overheard. To Ryan— to tell him I've arrived? But why should she? Unless, of course,

Ryan didn't come down alone. And she instantly castigated herself for being not simply

paranoid, but ridiculous.

The Lassiters were kind parents, but quite conventional in their outlook. While Ryan

remained married to herself, they would never encourage him to bring some other woman

to meet them.

She said quietly, 'Holly's in the cloakroom. I'd better get back to check up on Algy.'

'Oh, please, dear.' Mrs Lassiter shook her head. 'The last time I left him alone, he ate a

dozen jam tarts, and a cheese and onion flan.' She shuddered. 'I don't know which was

worse—the crime or the consequences.'

When Kate got back to the kitchen, Algy was sitting by the door, looking the picture of

innocence. Only the crumbs still clinging to his heavy jowls gave him away.

'You're a terrible thief,' Kate told him severely, noting thankfully that he'd only got away

with a couple of the sausage rolls.

'Thief,' echoed Tom, gleefully, as she sat down again beside him.

Algy thumped his tail in agreement, then wandered over, dumping his chin on her knee

so he could drool on to her taupe linen trousers.

'Adding insult to injury.' She scratched the top of his head, and smoothed her hand down

the long, velvety ears.

Tom was getting restive, bored with his pastry, so, after a while, she took him into the

garden, the basset padding loftily behind them.

A wrought-iron table and chairs had been set under the shade of a tree. On the table was a

tray containing a covered pitcher of home-made lemonade and some glasses, and under it

was Thistle, panting gently. Nearby a rug had been spread on the lawn, with several toy

cars and a plastic tub of Lego.

Kate guided Tom towards these distractions, then sat at the table and poured herself some

lemonade, hoping its freshness would dispel the scared, dry feeling in her throat.

The sun was dappling down through the leaves, and the air was full of the scent of freshly

cut grass. The murmur of traffic in the distance was almost drowned by the busy hum of

bees at work in the herbaceous border.

Almost in spite of herself, Kate found she was drawing a deep, satisfied breath, and

lifting her face to the warmth as the peace of the garden worked its magic on her, and

some of her inner tension began to dissipate.

It wasn't how she'd normally choose to spend a Sunday, she thought drily, with two dogs

snoring under her chair, and a very small boy playing motorways a few yards away, put it

had its compensations.

When Tom brought the Lego tub over to her, she thought he simply wanted it to be

opened for him, but be tugged at her hand, making it vigorously clear that be expected

her to join him on the grass.

'No, Tom.' She detached herself gently. 'Go and play nicely.'

But 'nicely' wasn't a word in his vocabulary. The round, solemn little face darkened

ominously and he let out a thwarted roar.

'He wants you to build him a garage,' said Holly, the faithful interpreter, appearing from

nowhere.

'Does he now?' Kate said grimly. She'd never actually touched a piece of Lego before,

and trying to fit the various blocks into a recognisable shape under the critical gazes of

Holly, Tom and both the dogs proved something of a trial.

'It's all wobbly,' said Holly, when she'd finished. And it hasn't got a window. Why hasn't

it?'

'I'm just the builder,' said Kate. 'Blame the architect.'

But Tom wasn't nearly so censorious. He sat and stared at it for a few minutes then

treated Kate to another of his radiant smiles before clumping rather unsteadily across to

her and planting a sticky kiss on her cheek.

It was a totally unexpected gesture, and Kate felt oddly touched by it. Neither of the

children had ever been particularly demonstrative with her in the past. Indeed, she was

aware that Sally had cautioned them more than once about being a nuisance to her. But

there'd been something very satisfying about the trustful way Tom's sturdy little body had

leaned against her. And not even the realisation that his clutching hand had left a perfect

set of fingerprints on the front of her cream shirt could detract from that.

She persuaded Holly to help her build some tracks with the rest of the Lego for Tom to

drive his cars down, and they were occupied with this when she heard the sound of the

Mercedes coming up the drive.

‘Mummy.' Holly took off joyously across the grass, as the car came to a halt, and Sally

emerged from the front passenger seat, bending to greet her daughter. The men left the

car more slowly, bringing the newspapers and various carrier bags.

For a moment, they all stood by the car and Kate could feel four pairs of eyes boring into

her across the expanse of lawn. As she got slowly to her feet, Tom tugged at the leg of

her trousers, and held his arms out, asking mutely to be carried.

'You're supposed to walk, Tom-Tom,' Kate told him gently, using the pet name employed

by the rest of the family, but she lifted him into her arms anyway, and stood holding him.

No, she amended mentally. Holding on to him. Because she was suddenly aware that she

was shaking inside. And that she felt disturbingly—painfully self-conscious. And that the

little body in her arms was a shield.

It was clear from their reactions, more wary than actually surprised, that Mrs Lassiter had

indeed rung the pub to warn them of her presence. But why she should have done so was

beyond Kate's comprehension.

It took all her courage to pin on some kind of smile as they moved towards her, Ryan

leading the way. His eyes were hidden behind dark glasses, and the rest of his face

seemed totally expressionless.

Kate, recalling the nature of their earlier parting, felt her heart sink.

'Hi,' she greeted them, trying to sound nonchalant. 'The weather was too lovely for work,

so I thought I'd join you.' She saw Ben and Edward Lassiter exchange glances, and

added, 'I—I hope that's all right.'

'It's fine, my dear. Couldn't be better,' her father-in-law said heartily. 'We see far too little

of you. I was just saying so to Ryan earlier.'

'Oh,' said Kate, wondering whether or not Ryan had agreed with him. There was certainly

no indication in his impassive expression.

Sally stepped forward, her eyes fixed on her small son who was fidgeting now that he'd

seen her. 'Kate—let me take Tom. He's far too heavy for you. And he's always filthy,' she

added, with a slight intake of breath as she removed him firmly from Kate's grasp. 'Just

look at the mess he's made of your shirt. Oh, dear, I'm so sorry.' She shook her head at the

little boy. 'Tom-Tom, I've told you not to pester Aunty Kate.'

'He wasn't pestering me,' Kate protested, swiftly. 'And the shirt will wash.'

But Sally was already carrying the child towards the house, scolding him fondly. Kate

watched them go, feeling momentarily bereft, then turned back to her father-in-law with a

determined smile.

'The—the garden's looking wonderful,' she ventured, hoping that it was true.

'You seem to be wearing some of it,' Ryan remarked quietly. He stepped forward, and

removed a couple of beech leaves from her hair. 'How on earth did you manage that?'

'Aunty Kate was hiding in the hedge,' said Holly, emerging from under the table where

she'd been ensconced with the dogs.

Ryan paused. 'Hiding in the hedge?' he repeated on a note of incredulity.

'I was looking over the gate,' nodded the child from hell. 'And I seed her.'

'Saw her,' Ben corrected her automatically, then stopped. 'At least—I'm sure you didn't,

Holly. Don't tell stories.'

'I did too see her,' Holly said obstinately. Kate, conscious that Edward Lassiter and Ben

were staring at her with astonishment, glanced at Ryan, and saw his mouth twisting in

faint amusement. She felt a wave of defensive colour sweep up into her face.

She said, snatching at her dignity, 'I wasn't hiding at all. I was walking round the side of

the house, and I thought I heard an animal in distress—a cat.'

Mr Lassiter laughed. 'It would be a brave cat who'd come within a mile of the place, my

dear. Algy and Thistle see to that. But it was a kind thought.'

'Indeed it was.' Ryan had removed his sunglasses and was studying her. 'And did you find

this—afflicted creature?' he queried softly.

'I'm afraid not.' Kate dropped hurriedly to one knee on the rug, and busied herself with

putting the Lego back in its tub.

'What a pity,' he murmured.

'Well, we'd better take these things indoors,' said Mr Lassiter briskly. 'It's about five

minutes to lunch.'

He and Ben walked away, leaving Kate alone with Ryan. She went on packing away

Lego, aware her hands were trembling.

He squatted beside her, picking up the garage, and studying it critically. 'An interesting

concept,' he commented.

'Oh, shut up.' Kate snatched it back. 'Tom liked it, anyway. And will you pass me those

cars, please?'

'Speaking of which—what did you do with yours?'

'Oh, I left it round the corner somewhere.' Kate nodded vaguely in the general direction.

'So that you could hunt for more stray animals on the way, perhaps?' He shook his head.

'I never knew you were so interested in flora and fauna, darling. It's given me a whole

new insight into your personality.'

She lifted her head and looked at him. 'Isn't that what marriage is all about?' she asked

deliberately. 'Two people changing—developing side by side?'

Ryan's smile did not reach his eyes. 'I don't know, my sweet,' he drawled. 'You tell me.'

He put the toy cars into a neat pile, and stood up, dusting his hands on his chinos. 'Now,

let's go and eat.'

He reached down and pulled Kate to her feet, his hands firm on her shoulders, sending

ripples of awareness tingling through her body.

He looked down at her, his eyes lingering on her parted lips. She looked back at him

mutely, feeling her breathing quicken, waiting for him to bend his head and kiss her.

Needing the reassurance of his mouth on hers.

He said gently, 'I hope you've got an appetite,' then let her go, and walked away over the

grass towards the house.

Kate stood watching his retreat. The sun poured down on her in dazzling warmth, but she

felt chilled to the very bone.

Coming here had clearly been a big mistake, she thought, swallowing. And at the

moment she wasn't at all sure how to retrieve the situation. Or even—if she could do so.

And she knew suddenly that she was more deeply, shakingly afraid than she had ever

been in her life.

'I'VE been looking at the sample menus from this new catering firm,' announced Louie.

'Darling, they're bland to the point of being invisible. Surely you aren't going to use