The Other Brother

by Jessica Steele

  Sandra was as bubbling over as she had been on the phone when Kathryn presented herself on her doorstep, looking more radiant than she had ever seen her.

  'Vic's upstairs changing,' she said, taking her into the kitchen, ready to make her a cup of coffee. 'Oh, Kathryn, isn't it wonderful!'

  And because she was experiencing for herself the thought that someone she loved so utterly might be loving her in return, Kathryn could do none other than agree.

  She saw Victor briefly when Sandra, because it was so ingrained in her, couldn't resist going up to have a last look at the children.

  'I mean it this time, Kathryn,' he told her before she could say a word, not doubting Sandra would have told her over the phone about their heart-to-heart.

  'I hope you do,' she said solemnly, and couldn't keep back the heartfelt words, 'Don't hurt her again, Vic'

  'I won't,' he promised, and so looked as though he meant it that she obeyed the impulse and gave him a sisterly peck an his cheek.

  She had a few minutes after they had gone to wonder if she had been too hard on her father. She remembered the love and devotion her mother had showered on her and Sandra, and for the first time began to see that her father

  might have been jealous of that devotion, the way Vic was of Sandra's devotion to Marigold and Gillie. And she had to wonder then if her father, in his own way, had loved her mother after all. She rejected the thought when she remembered the way he had left her alone when she had been ill, but she realised, when her thoughts swung from him and on to Nate, that she didn't feel as bitter about her father now as she had done. Had the love she had for Nate softened that bitterness?

  Her anticipation of the time she was to spend with Nate, even though they would be working, had her singing softly to herself the next morning as she put her foot down to get to his home the sooner. Her heart flipped at the thought that maybe he might kiss her again, but that wasn't too important—not this weekend at any rate. More important was the fact that he had said he wanted to get to know her better. Well, she was all for that, though she tried not to hope for too much too soon, for all he had intimated his feelings for her were stronger than liking, hadn't he?

  But as she drew up in front of the tall stately house that stood at the end of a long, long drive, her eager smile when she saw Nate come through the front door started to fade.

  For as she got out of the car to greet him, she saw his face was far from welcoming, and only then did it dawn on her what an uphill battle she had on her hands. For clearly in between last night and this morning Nate had had second thoughts. Had seeing Rex last night endorsed for him that to allow himself to fall in love with her would be like stabbing his brother in the back?

  'Hello,. Nate,' she forced the cheerful greeting, not attempting to extract her case from the boot since it didn't look as though her overnight stay would be favourably looked on.

  His greeting was so barely civil that had Kathryn not on that instant decided she would tell him exactly why she

  had broken with Rex, she would have got straight back into her car and left.

  She went with him into the wide hall, her footsteps echoing back from the black and white stone chequered tiles, hoping when the time came for her to tell him that his feelings for her, whatever they were, would be too substantial for them to be turned into hatred.

  But as she went into his study and saw from his crammed desk that he had already started work, and observed from his unsmiling look that he had no intention that the camaraderie they shared in the London office should spread into his home, she knew then that his hate was something she would have to risk.

  But before they got down to work, Nate seemed to realise she had driven quite some way, though his face didn't lighten at all as he asked, 'Do you want some refreshment before you start?'

  'No, thank you,' she said easily, her tongue hanging out for a cup of coffee. 'Sandra fed me such a huge breakfast I'm sure she thinks I'm wasting away.'

  That brought his eyes flicking over her, but he merely grunted. And had she not seen that spark of admiration, infinitesimal and quickly extinguished as his eyes lighted on her, then she had a feeling she would have given up there and then.

  But she had seen it, and as they got down to work, nothing in the sheer hard slog of the hours that followed would take away from her the fact that she had seen that

  spark.

  Lunchtime came and went, and with Nate not noticing the time Kathryn could only hope he had breakfasted as well as she had. And she knew when three o'clock came and went, his cold attitude to her not letting up as he pressed on with what they were doing, that her weekend case would be staying in her car.

  But it was at four o'clock, admitting she was flagging, that Kathryn's determination to ride out Nate's coldness to her began to weaken. How was she to ever get started on telling him about that awful scene she had witnessed in Rex's flat? she wondered. The way he had barked at her several times already had her knowing that if she so much as breathed his brother's name he would be marching her to her car before she could get another word out.

  At a quarter past four mutiny entered her soul; his unfeeling attitude was getting on top of her. And instead of complying with his brusque order to re-check some percentage figure, she laid down her pen. Then very clearly, she said:

  Tm thirsty.'

  That brought his head up to stare grimly, obviously soured that she had broken the rhythm of their work.

  'Then go and get a drink,' he said sharply.

  Kathryn stood up, tears near that all her hopes for that nebulous something to grow this weekend were now finally dashed.

  'You've regretted asking—accepting my offer to come here, haven't you?' she said chokily, and saw a muscle move in his temple as he controlled some urge, probably to agree in no uncertain terms, she thought.

  'A man has to do what a man has to do,' he quoted obscurely. And as tears started to her eyes, unable to bear that he was looking at her the way he had that first day they had met, as though he hated her, Kathryn bolted.

  She never made it as far as the kitchen, although she headed in the direction where she thought the kitchen lay. Nor did she have time to get herself under control before she saw Nate again.

  For silently he had come after her, had caught her in the hall, had taken her by the shoulders and was turning her round to face him. He looked down into her tear-drenched

  eyes, and as he swore softly he gathered her to him, pulling her head tightly into his shoulder.

  'Oh, Nate,' she cried weakly, no longer feeling like weeping, her heartbreak gone now that those two strong arms were holding her.

  But he shushed her quiet and continued to hold her in that comforting way. It gave her the strangest feeling that he was gaining some comfort too just from holding her. Though why he should be in need of any sort of comfort when he had been such a brute all day she couldn't fathom, and didn't try. It was-enough to be in his arms where she felt she belonged.

  And then with her need to tell him everything about Rex, the feeling came to her that she had his understanding now—he had understood without words that he was responsible for her tears, hadn't he?—she spoilt it all. She felt his arms slacken about her as she said:

  'You've been horrible to me because of Rex, haven't you?'

  His arms dropping away from her halted the truth she had been about to reveal. She saw his mouth firm into a tight fine, saw his jaw jut, knew he had hardened his heart against her, just as she knew that her untimely reminder of his brother still injured and in hospital had made him wonder how he could have ever have forgotten he had once sworn in anger to get even with her.

  And then while she watched—it was too shadowed in the hall for her to see if his eyes were smiling too—the firmness of his mouth began to curve into that half smile she knew so well.

  'I've been a perfect swine to you today, haven't I? he said to her amazement when she had been expecting to get blasted for so much as breathing his brot
her's name. And to her delight, he bent and lightly kissed her on the mouth, drawing back to add after a pause, 'You're right, of course. I have had Rex on my mind.'

  And while her heart raced and she became convinced suddenly that he would listen without blowing his top to what she had to tell him, Nate went on to charm away any idea she had that she wanted to tell him anything about his brother.

  'If I promise not to let thoughts of Rex intrude, not even to allow his name to come up between us, will you, Kathryn my dear, let me try to salvage what I was hoping in the office yesterday would prove a very happy time for both of us?'

  She didn't have to think about it. 'Of course, Nate,' she said softly, and wanted to laugh joyously when he said:

  'I'll start making amends by brewing that drink you're so desperate for.'

  Since he drank two cups of tea when it was made, Kathryn could only gather that he was as thirsty as she was, as amicably they sat in the kitchen.

  And her happiness was overflowing that when she thought he would now be ready to go back to work, he stood up, heading for the direction of the freezer standing in one corner, and muttered something about seeing what there was to eat for dinner.

  'Dinner?' she exclaimed, beginning to feel hungry at the mere mention of the word. Then she saw Nate had turned and was smiling ruefully.

  'Are you not going to allow me to show you I'm not loathesome all the time?'

  Kathryn wasn't quite sure what he meant. 'You want me to stay to dinner?' she guessed.

  'You weren't thinking of going back to London tonight, were you?' And while she was still trying to steady her heart, he came towards where she was sitting, and she was charmed again when he said, Tt won't take me a minute to make a bed up for you.'

  She beamed at him simply because she couldn't help it,

  and regardless of Women's Lib, told him, 'Making beds is a woman's work. I'll do it if you show me where everything is.'

  The freezer forgotten, paper work forgotten, she went up the stairs with him, surveying the large bedroom with its enormous windows which he took her to and left her in while he went in search of sheets and blankets. They had passed other bedrooms on the way to this one. Open doors showed they were not furnished, as Nate had told her some of the rooms weren't as yet. Oh, how she would dearly love to go round the showrooms with him selecting pieces for his home, she thought. Not that he appeared to need her assistance, for this room with its creamy carpet and richly red-brown furniture, the double bed with its finial ends, showed he was not lacking in taste.

  Nate came back, dumping the load he was carrying on to a lemon velvet covered chair, and Kathryn's happiness soared to new heights at the simple domesticity of it all when he went to one side of the bed and helped her to make it.

  'Don't forget the hospital corners,' she grinned, and wanted to grab back the unthinking reminder she had given him of Rex when she saw his lips firm, his face hard before he bent to his task.

  But that hard look had gone when he raised his head again, and once more he was the Nate who was doing all he could to make amends for the brute he had been, even looking pleased when she confessed she had her small case in the car. He sent her to get it when their bedmaking was completed, and left her at the bottom of the stairs saying he would go and find out what there was for them to eat.

  Because, as it turned out, he was as hungry as she was, they dined early. And although what they ate was simple, chops and vegetables from the freezer, cheese and biscuits, to Kathryn's mind, because he had let her help prepare it,

  it was the best meal she had ever tasted. Their togetherness didn't come to an end when the meal was finished. For, insisting on doing the washing up, she found Nate had picked up a tea towel and was equally insistent on doing his share.

  'I like this feeling of being partners,' he said, turning away as her eyes flew to him to place the plate he had just dried on the table behind them.

  Afraid to speak, a glow suffusing her, she wanted him to know she liked it too. 'It is nice, isn't it,' she said quiety, finding the soap suds in the washing up bowl of the greatest interest.

  He had no need to reply, and in fact didn't. But when she felt the thistledown kiss he planted on the nape of her neck before he reached for the next plate, Kathryn was glad her shaking hands were hidden in the sudsy water, keeping from him how much he disturbed her.

  The washing up completed, and several hours yet of Nate's company before her until she went up to her room, she knew she had to make some attempt at normality if she didn't want him to guess her feelings for him. The time since he had caught hold of her in the hall and shown he wasn't averse to her company, and the very way he had not wanted her to go back to London that night seemed to confirm it. But she still had no clear idea of how he felt about her. And really, she thought, as she tried to keep a lid on the excitement that was threatening to spill over, she mustn't take the way he had said he liked their being partners as any sort of declaration.

  'Hadn't we better get on with some work?' she said suddenly into the companionable silence that had settled between them. Work, after all, was the reason she was here.

  Nate gave an exaggerated sigh that made her smile as he said, 'I suppose so. Though to tell you the truth, Kathryn, I would much prefer to sit here looking at you.'

  Her heart somersaulted and her smile widened. 'That's no way to keep your job as company chairman,' she said as clearly as the constriction in her throat would allow, and had to swallow hard when Nate left his chair and came and placed an arm lighdy round her shoulders, keeping his arm around her as he escorted her to where their work lay.

  At half past nine he threw down his pen and declared that even company chairmen couldn't be expected to work such disgusting hours, showing his consideration was all for her when he added, 'It's not fair on you. You'd work until you dropped without complaining, wouldn't you?'

  She couldn't tell him it hadn't seemed like work, that just to be with him, having the odd heartwarming remark thrown her way as they soldiered on, was all she needed to keep her from wilting. So instead she pretended she had had enough for that day.

  'We can have a fresh start tomorrow,' she remarked as he led her into the sitting room, made sure she was comfortably seated, then went to fix her a drink. He came back briefly to hand her the sherry she had asked for, then thrilled her anew when he raised his own glass to salute her, saying, 'To my lovely Kathryn.' And she was glad then that he turned to the tape deck, for she couldn't hope to hide that her eyes were shining from the possessive way he had called her his lovely Kathryn.

  Strains of Rodrigo's Concierto d'Aranjuez filled the room as Nate came to sit opposite her. Kathryn had always liked the guitar concerto and closed her eyes, hearing the music as its blind composer must have done. But as the music went on, came to a passage that was so beautiful in its haunting sound, it so tugged at her that, never more happy with Nate so near, she just had to keep her eyes closed so he shouldn't know she was on the brink of emotional tears. Not tears of sadness, but tears from the pure golden sensitivity of the moment.

  The haunting passage ended, and as it did so she heard Nate move, felt him near and opened her eyes to see he had come to sit on the arm of her chair. And she was too emotionally involved then to hide what she felt for him. And suddenly there was triumph in his eyes, triumph she didn't understand until very gendy he pulled her to her feet.

  'I've just learned,' he said softly, 'that the way to your heart is through music' And she knew then he knew she loved him, that he knew and was not unhappy about it. Which could only mean, couldn't it—that he—that he loved her in return!

  She smiled at him, and although she didn't think he was a shy man recalled he had said that once a Kingersby gave his heart it was for ever, so it had to be, hadn't it, that Nate had never said those words 'I love you', and could, her mind drifted dreamily on, mean he was having difficulty in getting the words out.

  'You've had a hard day,' he told her gently, taking her unf
inished glass of sherry from her. 'I think it's time you went to bed, don't you?'

  'Yes,' she said, almost trancelike, her voice barely audible, knowing if she was dreaming then she never wanted to wake up as Nate put an arm around her and took her with him to switch off the tape, then went with her to guide her up the stairs and to the door of her room.

  And there, with his arm still about her, he placed a warm kiss on her inviting mouth, looked as though it was hell to tear himself away, but found the will to remove his arm, saying softly:

  'Goodnight, my beautiful Kathryn. I must leave you now, but I hope it won't always be like this.'

  She had felt cold, forlorn, when he had removed his arm, but at his words heat enveloped her. And, her heart thudding, she just knew she couldn't let him go until she knew exactly what that remark meant.

  'You want to—stay?' she enquired, pink staining her cheeks.

  Nate's lips curved. 'Don't doubt it, my dear. But I think we'll have the wedding first. . .'

  That was as far as he got. He hadn't told her he loved her., but he was asking her to marry him and at that moment the thought of actually being his wife entirely consumed her.

  'Oh, Nate!' she cried, and couldn't help but fling herself at him, her arms going round him, who moved to kiss whom first immaterial as their lips met.

  Met and clung, so that the fire that was in her for him went completely beyond her control, and nothing else mattered. How could it? Nate had asked her to marry him!

  Rapturously she pressed herself to him, felt his hands at the back of her pulling her even closer, and gave him her -whole heart when his kiss deepened.

  Kiss for kiss she gave him, delighting when his hands caressed her, her hands gripping him in an ecstasy of rejoicing. Her love for him merged with a growing desire, a desire she knew had started to rage in him too.

  And when their next kiss broke and Nate pulled back, showing all the signs that this was where he would say goodnight and mean it, she saw then that with him saying, 'I think we'll have the wedding first', he was struggling against his need for her.