Sweet Surrender (4 page)

Mrs Briggs, with the help of her daughter, had been busy in their absence. When the guests were shown straight into the large, south-facing dining room the table looked magnificent, with the flowers Kate had arranged as centrepiece, and an array of food, hot and cold, flanked by glasses which glittered in the rays from the setting sun, waiting for the champagne Charlie Hawkins, successful wine merchant, had provided as part of his gift to his godson.

Master Dysart was changed into something more comfortable, then provided with milk administered by Laura Brett, who persuaded Frances Dysart to keep her company on a sofa while the daughters of the house served guests with the celebration meal.

It was some time before Kate, now minus the hat, had time to talk to Alasdair, but at last she felt obliged to join him on his perch on the ledge in the big square bay window.

‘Have you been introduced to everyone?’ she asked.

‘Adam saw to that.’ He gave her a look which brought heat to her face. ‘You looked breathtaking in that hat, Kate—straight from a Russian fairy tale.’

‘Why, thank you, kind sir,’ she said lightly.

‘You should always wear that glorious hair down.’

‘Don’t you start! It was OK when I was eighteen, but I’m a big girl now, Alasdair.’

His soft laughter raised hairs on her spine.

‘Not really, Kate. More a pocket Venus!’

‘What are you saying to make this delightful creature blush?’ asked Jeremy Blyth, joining them.

‘Do sit down,’ said Kate, patting the broad ledge beside her. ‘Alasdair was just paying me a compliment. I think.’

‘As well he might, my dear.’ Jeremy shook his head. ‘I wonder if my darling Gabriel had any idea what she had to compete with when she met Adam? You Dysarts are a handsome lot.’

‘Including the baby of the family,’ agreed Alasdair, looking across the room to Fenny, who was chattering to Harry Brett and Jonah. ‘That charmer was a gawky little kid when I saw her last.’

‘But little girls get bigger every day, dear boy,’ said Jeremy, and turned to Kate. ‘Now then, fellow godparent, at what point should we converge, like the Magi, to present our gifts to the infant?’

‘After the cake is cut and everyone is refilled with champagne for the toasts,’ she said promptly.

‘Talking of which,’ said Alasdair, getting up, ‘your glass is empty, Kate. Let me get you a refill.’

‘Just lemonade, please.’

‘Oh, come on, Kate, you must have champagne in honour of your godson,’ he protested.

‘Not for me, thanks,’ she said with finality.

‘Is your aversion to alcohol in general, my dear?’ asked Jeremy gently after Alasdair left them.

‘Not at all. Just champagne—or any kind of wine, really.’ Kate smiled at him, then beckoned to Charlie Hawkins. ‘We hand over the presents after the cake is
cut, Charlie. Not that mine will be a surprise. Adam found it for me.’

‘Do tell,’ said Jeremy promptly.

‘Crystal claret jug—silver-mounted, but empty.’ Kate grinned at Charlie. ‘I’ll come to you for the claret when Hal’s eighteen.’

‘I’ll keep you to that, my lovely,’ he promised, and thrust a hand through his red hair. ‘I was over the moon when Adam asked me to be godfather, I can tell you. Never expected it in the circumstances.’

‘A more tactful person wouldn’t ask, but I’m famed for my lack of finesse,’ said Jeremy, eyes gleaming. ‘What circumstances, dear boy?’

‘Adam and I fell out over a woman a while back—before he met Gabriel,’ confessed Charlie. ‘Stupid mistake on my part. All over now, thankfully. Gabriel persuaded him to let bygones be bygones.’

‘Adam didn’t take much persuading—he was only too glad to mend the rift,’ said Kate, and looked up with a smile as Alasdair returned with her glass. ‘Thank you.’

‘Unadulterated, I swear,’ he promised her.

‘Good,’ Kate got up in response to Leonie’s beckoning hand. ‘If you’ll excuse me, gentlemen, duty calls.’

‘Gabriel and Adam are about to cut the cake while Dad and Jonah top up the champagne glasses,’ said Leonie when Kate joined her. She gave her sister a keen look. ‘So. How are things with Alasdair?’

Kate thought it over. ‘Friendly, I suppose.’

‘On your part maybe!’ Leonie’s dark eyes lit with a triumphant gleam. ‘But unless I’m mistaken—which I never am—now you’ve met up again Alasdair feels a whole lot more than friendly towards
you
, little sister.’

A
DAM
made a speech, toasts were drunk to Henry Thomas Dysart, and once the champagne had gone round again, accompanied by slices of the frosted christening cake made by Laura Brett, the baby was put down to kick on a blanket and receive his tributes.

Kate smiled as everyone gathered round to look on. ‘Adam found the jug for me, so it’s no surprise, but at least I know I’ve got the genuine article.’

Her father patted her shoulder. ‘Good choice, darling.’

Charlie Hawkins sighed regretfully. ‘I did
not
buy these through Dysart’s; it seemed too much of a cheek. But I wish I had now, in case they’re not up to scratch.’

Adam assured his friend that the set of antique silver wine labels was of impeccable quality. ‘But I bet you paid over the odds for them.’

‘No matter,’ said Charlie with dignity, and gave way to Jeremy Blyth, who kissed Gabriel’s hand as he presented her with a large box.

‘Such a trial, dear heart,’ he said, ‘buying a present for a Dysart child. I toyed with the idea of a modest little painting, but in the face of his parents’ combined expertise I hadn’t the courage. So I played safe.’ He touched a manicured finger to the sleeping baby’s face. ‘Have fun with it, Henry Thomas Dysart. And may you grow up to be as handsome as your mother.’

Gabriel’s eyes widened as she took a battered teddy bear from the box. Some of the guests looked taken
aback, but Adam shot Jeremy a respectful look as he felt for the button embedded in the bear’s ear.

‘A Steiff, no less, and a pretty old one, too.’

‘But not frightfully valuable,’ Jeremy assured him. ‘I lusted after one of the limited-edition black bears manufactured when the
Titanic
went down, but the funds wouldn’t stretch. And if they had you couldn’t have allowed him to play with it.’

‘He’ll certainly play with this one,’ Gabriel assured him, and kissed Jeremy’s cheek with affection. ‘Thank you.’

Alasdair waited until the other guests had handed over their gifts before presenting his, and received an appreciative smile from Adam when Gabriel unwrapped a shallow silver drinking bowl with double handles.

‘A Scottish
quaich
! Very appropriate. Many thanks, Alasdair.’

At last, when guests were beginning to leave, the moment arrived that Kate had known all along was unavoidable.

‘I want a word in private before I go,’ said Alasdair, drawing her aside.

It was the last thing Kate wanted, with several interested pairs of eyes turned in their direction, and she made no attempt to hide her reluctance as she led the way to the study. ‘Only for a moment, then. I should be seeing people off.’

‘I’m not leaving until you promise to see me again,’ he announced, and stood with his shoulders against the closed door.

‘How very masterful. Are you barring my way until I agree?’ she said lightly.

‘Yes,’ he returned, not lightly at all.

‘Oh, very well. What did you have in mind?’

‘Just dinner, and a talk over old times.’

‘This week?’

‘No, next year,’ he said irritably. ‘Are you always so hard to pin down, Kate Dysart?’

She shrugged, resigned. ‘All right, Alasdair. Thursday, then. If that suits you.’

His jaw tightened. ‘I’ll make it suit me. Otherwise you’d probably refuse altogether. I’ll come for you at seven. Where shall we go?’

‘Somewhere local, please. I’ll consult Adam.’

Alasdair moved away from the door. ‘I’ll ring you to see if I need to book. And to make sure you don’t change your mind.’ He shook his head ruefully. ‘You were a lot easier to deal with in the old days, Katharine Dysart.’

‘You whistled and I danced,’ she agreed, and went to the door he held open for her. She gave him a cool little smile as she brushed past. ‘But I’ve grown up a bit since then.’

Kate was in bed that night before she had any peace to reflect on Alasdair’s part in the day. Once the Bretts had gone, and Leonie and Jonah had been waved off shortly afterwards, the rest of the family had talked over the day with satisfaction as they ate a supper of leftovers. But it had been left to Fenny to demand why Alasdair had talked with Kate in private.

‘Fenny!’ said Frances in disapproval.

‘She only asked what we’re all panting to know,’ said Adam, and eyed Kate expectantly. ‘Are you seeing him again?’

She made a face at him. ‘Yes. I couldn’t get out of it a second time.’

‘Why should you want to get out of it?’ he asked, surprised.

‘Perhaps,’ said Gabriel percipiently, ‘Alasdair was taking things too much for granted?’

‘Something like that,’ Kate agreed. ‘I just wish he hadn’t chosen to turn up at school. Imagine the ribbing I’ll get from the rest of the staff next week!’

‘He can turn up outside my college any time he likes,’ said Fenny with envy. ‘You don’t need someone as tall as Alasdair, anyway, Kate. He’d suit a beanpole like me much better.’

‘I seriously doubt that,’ jeered Adam. ‘He prefers women with brains.’

‘Hey!’ objected Fenny indignantly, then threw up a hand. ‘OK, OK, I may not be as clever as Kate, but I do have
some
brains.’

Kate had changed the subject hastily by asking about the best place for a meal these days, and shortly afterwards Gabriel and Adam had taken their son home, and Kate had been able to go to bed, in urgent need of time to herself.

Alasdair’s reappearance in her life, she reflected, was nowhere near as welcome as he obviously assumed it was. After their final meeting, when he’d been so angry with her for what he’d called wasting her talents, her resentment had been so fierce she’d done her best to forget she’d ever met him. But, she admitted honestly, Alasdair still held the old physical appeal for her, whether she liked it or not. She’d been a late developer where the opposite sex was concerned, and Alasdair had been the first to arouse any sexual feelings in her. Now he’d matured into a powerfully attractive man he still had the same ability to make her pulse race, but she didn’t need her famous qualifications to recognise it as pure basic chemistry. An inconvenience, but nothing
more than that. Alasdair Drummond would be given no chance to disrupt her life a second time.

Because Fenny, as usual, preferred not to drive herself to college, instead of letting her go by train Kate gave her a lift back next day, stayed for a while to drink coffee and chat with some of Fenny’s friends in her room in hall, then drove back to Stavely in time for dinner alone with her parents for the first time.

‘So what do you want to do with the rest of your week?’ asked Frances.

‘As little as possible. I’m going out with Toby tomorrow night, but otherwise I thought I’d just catch up on some sleep, walk the dog, and wheel the baby out in his buggy now and then. But first I quite fancy a trip into Pennington. Are you free to go out to play tomorrow, Mother? I need some clothes.’

‘When is your mother not free to go shopping for clothes?’ said Tom, laughing.

‘Very true,’ agreed his wife with relish. ‘I’d love to, Kate. I’ve got a dentist’s appointment there after lunch, but otherwise I’m yours. What did you have in mind?’

‘Nothing exciting. A new bathing suit for swimming with the school, some underwear—and lots of window shopping.’ Kate smiled. ‘Village post office apart, Foychurch is a bit lacking that way. I yearn to gaze into shop windows full of things I can’t afford.’

When Alasdair rang, halfway through the meal, Kate excused herself and left the room to speak to him.

‘Have you sorted out somewhere for Thursday, Kate?’

‘I’m told the Forrester’s Arms is the local in-place for food these days. Only five miles away and no need to book. See you about seven, then, Alasdair—’

‘Hold on, what’s the rush?’

‘I’m in the middle of dinner,’ said Kate firmly. ‘See you Thursday.’ And she returned to the meal, wondering why Alasdair Drummond, who hadn’t been in contact for years, now seemed unable to let a day go by without getting in touch.

Thoroughly enjoying the shopping expedition next day, Kate bought a plain navy swimsuit from a sports shop, some cotton underwear from a chainstore and resisted all her mother’s coaxing on the subject of a new dress for her evening with Alasdair. ‘The one I wore for the christening was a pricey little number, so I might as well get some mileage out of it.’

And nothing Frances could say would change her mind, though Kate’s resistance weakened when her mother spotted a pair of cropped trousers in bright coral linen in a window. ‘Perfect for the summer—you need something frivolous, so let me treat you,’ said her mother firmly. ‘I only wish I was young enough to wear them myself.’

Kate gave in without a struggle. And when her mother bought her more underwear, frivolous and lacy this time, Kate’s resistance was at an all-time low.

‘Come on, you subversive creature,’ she said to Frances. ‘Let’s get out of here before you undermine every principle I’ve got.’

But Frances went on to buy miniature T-shirts and dungarees for the baby, a lipstick each for Kate and Gabriel, and a bag full of goodies from the food hall before they moved on to as much window gazing as Kate’s heart desired. And later, during lunch, Frances was so obviously enjoying the time spent with her daughter Kate felt guilty because she wasn’t home to do this kind of thing more often.

Later Frances went off to her dentist, leaving Kate to
haul their shopping back to Dysart’s. On her way to the auction house she tripped and dropped one of her parcels, and to her surprise found that the smiling man who retrieved it was Jack Spencer.

‘Why, hello there!’ Kate returned the smile with pleasure. ‘Thank you. As you can see, I’ve been indulging in some serious retail therapy. How’s the new arrival, Mr Spencer?’

‘In an incubator for a day or two, but only as a precaution. He’s a great little chap.’

‘And how about Abby?’

‘Happy as a lark now.’ He smiled down at her. ‘A lot of which is down to you, Miss Dysart.’

‘More down to having a new baby brother!’

‘How about celebrating his arrival by having lunch with me?’

Kate shook her head regretfully. ‘I lunched early with my mother. She’s gone off to the dentist.’

‘When are you due to meet her again?’

‘In an hour or so.’

He eyed her burden with disapproval. ‘You’re not going to haul those bags round town until then?’

‘I was just taking them back to my father at the auction house.’

‘Ah!’ He nodded in comprehension. ‘You’re one of those Dysarts.’

‘The family business. I was going to beg a coffee while I wait.’

‘Have one with me at the Chesterton instead.’ Without waiting for her consent, he took charge of her bags and hurried her off to the car parked illegally at the kerb. ‘They’ll give me a sandwich to eat with it while you tell me everything you’ve been doing since I saw you last.’

With a bemused feeling she was beginning to asso
ciate with Jack Spencer, Kate meekly let him hand her up into the black Cherokee Jeep, and raised a quizzical eyebrow as he stowed her parcels in the back.

‘A problem?’ he asked, as he drove off.

‘No. I was just wondering if everyone always does exactly what you want all the time.’

‘Pretty much,’ he admitted cheerfully.

Kate took a look at his suit, which on close quarters proved to be of quality as good as anything worn by her father or Adam. Or Alasdair. ‘Day off today?’ she asked.

He shook his fair head, which looked marginally tidier than the last time they’d met. ‘Interview.’ Again the sidelong grin. ‘Though a meeting with you is an unexpected bonus. I was driving past when I spotted you juggling with those bags.’

‘You mean you just stopped the car when you saw me?’

‘I came to a screaming halt and raced after you like the guy in the TV ad. Only I didn’t have any flowers to give you.’

‘You’ve already done that bit!’

He laughed as he turned in to the Chesterton car park. ‘So I have.’ He glanced at his watch. ‘Hurry up. Ten minutes of your hour gone already, so we’ll have coffee in the bar.’

Kate’s hair was braided into a corn dolly plait, instead of the knot her companion had objected to previously, and she wore jeans and ankle boots and a Barbour jacket over a heavy pink sweater, but as she went through the portals of the elegant hotel she wished she’d chosen something smarter for her shopping spree.

‘I’m not really dressed for a place like this,’ she muttered, as Jack ushered her into a bar crowded with businessmen talking shop before lunch.

He gave her a morale-boosting look as he seated her at a corner table. ‘You look good to me,’ he informed her, which had such a ring of truth to it Kate relaxed, and watched Jack Spencer with frank curiosity when he went off to the bar to joke with the man behind it as he placed their order. Neither as tall as Alasdair, nor as lean as her brother, there was nevertheless an air of authority about Jack Spencer that made Kate wonder exactly what kind of building work he was involved in. And at his age what job was he interviewing for? She raised her eyebrows, impressed, when he returned to the table accompanied by a waiter with a tray of coffee and sandwiches.

‘That was quick’ she said, when the waiter had departed, generously tipped.

‘I said you were in a hurry. He must have thought these were for you,’ he added wryly, looking at the dainty, crustless selection.

‘Eat them two at a time,’ she advised.

He laughed, and asked what kind of shopping she’d been doing.

‘Clothes to wear for the job. Other than that just window shopping with my mother. I miss that in Foychurch.’

‘It can’t be the only thing you miss.’ Jack Spencer eyed her curiously. ‘What do you do for entertainment in a quiet place like that?’

‘I keep very busy,’ she assured him. ‘Teaching is no nine-to-five job. And apart from the usual routine I run the after-school science club, help out on school trips and various fund-raising events, co-produce the school plays. Socially I see a film or share a meal in Hereford with colleagues, and so on. In summer I like grubbing
about in my cottage garden, and in winter I belong to the village dramatic society—’