A Rumoured Engagement

by Catherine George

  CHAPTER SIX

  THE autumn night was chilly as they walked to the car. Luke took off his jacket and put it round Saskia’s bare shoulders.

  ‘The car will soon warm up,’ he said as he started the engine.

  ‘I’m not really cold.’ She gave him a smile. ‘I’ve had too much exercise for that I haven’t danced as much for years.’

  ‘Did you enjoy it?’ he asked as the car began to glide away down the floodlit bends from the villa.

  ‘It was quite wonderful. I like Lauren and Tom. It was a magical evening all round.’

  ‘You were certainly the belle of the ball. Were you happy with your dress once you saw the others?’

  ‘Very. Luke, I now realise that you knew very well what sort of party it would be. Thank you for buying me the dress. It was pretty modest—in price and cut—compared with some of the creations there tonight Particularly the white number your friend was keeping on by some form of remote control.’

  Luke chuckled. ‘Luisa’s husband has a lot of money. She probably won’t wear the dress again. Which is just as well. Something extreme like that will be out of fashion by the next party.’

  ‘I didn’t see you dancing with her,’ commented Saskia, then bit her lip, hoping Luke wouldn’t assume she’d been watching his every move all night. Which she hadn’t. Not all night.

  ‘I didn’t dare,’ he said with feeling. ‘That was a very worrying dress. I wasn’t sure what would happen if she moved about too much.’

  Saskia giggled, then stretched out her legs, feeling utterly relaxed. ‘Thank you for taking me there tonight, Luke. It was quite an experience. What a house!’

  ‘It was a crumbling ruin when Tom took it over. But he’s a very successful wine maker in his own right, both here and in the States, and Lauren comes from seriously old money.’

  Saskia sighed. ‘Some people have it all, don’t they? She’s even pregnant—something they were obviously both very happy about.’

  ‘It’s the one thing that wasn’t easy for them. They’ve been married for seven years, and, I gather, for almost all of that time they’ve been trying for a child. Lauren’s been to a succession of very expensive doctors. So tonight was a very special celebration, not just a way to mark a good wine year. To be honest,’ he added, ‘I didn’t really know what to expect tonight. Their parties weren’t on such a lavish scale in previous years. Tonight they pushed the boat out a bit’

  ‘So you weren’t joking when you said there might be designer jeans?’

  ‘It was a possibility. But it wouldn’t have mattered. Anyone wearing jeans would have been green with envy once they laid eyes on you.’

  ‘Why, Cap’n Butler, I do believe you’re paying me a compliment,’ said Saskia in a phoney Deep South accent to disguise her pleasure.

  ‘I wasn’t the only one who liked your looks. Young Dante was very taken with you.’

  ‘He’s very young. But very sweet. I liked him.’

  ‘Dante Fortinari is a good five years older than you, Sassy.’

  She laughed. ‘Is he really? But it was a pleasure to be with him, however old he is. Because he knows the rules. Which is more than can be said for your friend Joel Gilbert.’

  ‘Why?’ said Luke instantly, glancing sharply at her. ‘What did he do?’

  ‘Just asked me too many questions,’ she said quickly. ‘He wanted my London phone number, but I told him I was flat hunting and didn’t have one.’

  ‘Very sensible. One of his chums is a gossip columnist Joel’s always on the lookout for the odd juicy titbit.’

  ‘I can hardly be of any interest to him!’

  ‘Possibly not But give him a wide berth anyway.’ He yawned suddenly, slowing a little. ‘Not far now. I should have taken the autostrada, I suppose, but it seemed a shame to pass up a trip through the vineyards by starlight Pity the moon is new. This bit of the world looks wonderful by moonlight.’

  ‘I can well believe it,’ she agreed softly.

  There was silence for a while, then he cast a swift look at her face. ‘Are you better now, Sassy?’

  She didn’t pretend to misunderstand. ‘Yes. Much better.’

  ‘I should be going back on Monday,’ he said quietly. ‘But, frankly, I hate the thought of leaving you at the villa on your own.’

  ‘I would have been anyway, Luke. I’ll be fine.’ Which wasn’t the exact truth. Without Luke for company the villa was likely to be a lonely place.

  ‘Why not come back with me?’ he suggested. ‘Spend the rest of your holiday in Oxford?’

  Saskia thought it over. It might be a very sensible thing to do. The trip, with Luke’s help, had begun the cure for Francis. If she stayed on her own she might start feeling sorry for herself. ‘I might, at that, if you can arrange a flight,’ she said slowly. ‘It’s probably a very good idea. I need to look for somewhere to live, anyway, now I’ve sublet my attic.’

  ‘I’ve been thinking about that,’ said Luke as he turned off on to the road up to the Villa Rosa.

  ‘Do you know of anything? I just need something to rent for a while, until my tenant moves out.’

  Luke parked the car at the back of the dimly lit villa, then got out and came round the car to help her out ‘I might. Let’s talk about it over a nightcap. Neither of us drank much tonight,’ he said, yawning. ‘I think a glass of our old friend Vin Santo, and one or two santucci, would give us both a good night’s sleep after all that dancing, Sassy.’

  Saskia had no desire to drink wine or anything else, but had no intention of refusing in case Luke took it as a rebuff. And she had even less desire to go to bed yet, despite her exertions. Adrenaline was still flowing from the party, and if Luke wanted to linger a while she was only too happy to linger with him, however late it was. Because tomorrow, she thought happily, there was no need to do anything.

  She kicked off her shoes and curled up in a corner of the sofa in the sitting room, aware, and still secretly amazed, that the prospect of them lazing around the villa together was such a pleasant one.

  ‘That’s a funny little smile,’ observed Luke as he came in with wine bottle and glasses in one hand, a dish of almond biscuits in the other. He had taken off his jacket and the handsome tie bought in Florence, and after filling their glasses he handed her a biscuit then sank down in to a chair, stretching out his legs with a sigh.

  ‘I was lost in contemplation of doing nothing at all tomorrow,’ she said, dipping her biscuit in the wine.

  ‘Likewise,’ he said with satisfaction. ‘Then on Monday I must get back to the grind. Are you still of a mind to come with me?’

  Saskia nodded, crunching on her biscuit. ‘If possible, yes. I’ll help keep Jonty and Matt amused.’

  ‘Bring them up to town and I’ll take you all to lunch at Smollensky’s Balloon.’

  She looked at him sharply, but Luke’s eyes were closed, his glass dangling from one long hand. ‘They’d like that,’ she said carefully.

  ‘Ah, but would you?’ The eyes remained shut, hiding their expression from her.

  ‘I’d have to be a miserable soul to turn down an offer of lunch complete with clowns and magicians,’ she said with asperity. ‘Of course I’d like it And it would give Marina a break. Unless,’ she added swiftly, ‘you meant Mother and Sam to come too?’

  ‘No. I meant the twins and you and me. A novelty for all concerned.’ He opened his eyes to give her a questioning look.

  ‘Good idea.’ Saskia met the look squarely, to convince him she meant what she said, and Luke got up, proffering the wine bottle. ‘No, thanks,’ she said decisively. ‘Any more and I’ll be telling you the story of my life. Which would be a terrible bore since you know most of it already—and rather more of one incident than anyone else does.’

  ‘Don’t worry. No one else will hear anything about it from me,’ he assured her, and resumed his chair. ‘Though just this once, before we dismiss the subject for good, I want you to know that in my opinion Francis Lawford is one stup
id bloody fool. What the devil he thought he was doing, playing games with the ex when he’d persuaded you to move in with him, I fail to see. The man’s an idiot’

  Saskia smiled at him radiantly. ‘Thank you, Luke. You know just how to comfort a girl.’

  He nodded complacently. ‘So I’m told.’

  At one time Saskia would have wanted to hit him, but now the deliberately smug look on his face merely made her laugh. ‘Such conceit!’

  ‘I was joking, Sassy,’ he said quietly.

  ‘I know,’ she answered in kind.

  ‘And that’s the difference, isn’t it? You don’t flare up any more when I tease.’

  She nodded, a smile as crooked as his curving her mouth. ‘Could it be I’ve grown up at last?’

  ‘Whichever way I answer that I’m in trouble!’

  Saskia laughed, wriggling down until she was lying full-length on the sofa, her head propped up on a cushion. ‘No. Not any more. At least, not from me.’ She pushed her hair back from her face. ‘Though, to be frank, if anyone had told me last week I’d be sitting here with you like this, and perfectly happy about it, I’d have laughed them out of court.’

  Luke nodded, smiling his crooked smile. ‘This time I’ll risk admitting I feel the same. Which brings me to the subject of your accommodation problem.’

  ‘Do you know of anything fairly cheap?’ She pulled a face. ‘I need to save hard so I can give in my notice at the bank in the not too distant future.’

  ‘But would you be happy doing something less demanding?’

  ‘If it meant shorter hours and less hassle, yes, I would.’

  ‘Then I’ll keep my ear to the ground.’ He sat upright, his eyes on the hands clasped between his knees. ‘With regard to a place to live, Sassy, I know of something very cheap indeed, no references needed.’

  ‘Where?’ she demanded, sitting up in turn. She swung her legs to the ground, and leaned forward. ‘Near you?’

  He nodded. ‘Which, of course, might be the snag where you’re concerned.’

  ‘It might have been at one time,’ she admitted frankly, and smiled. ‘But now we’ve proved we can stay under the same roof without bloodshed I think I can hack it as a mere neighbour. So what and where is it, this place near you? A flat?’

  He raised his head to look her in the eye. ‘No. I’m suggesting you move in with me, rent-free, for a while. You said you wanted to save.’

  Saskia stared at him blankly. ‘You mean come and live in your new house?’

  ‘Just until your tenant moves out Or until we come to blows. Whichever happens soonest’ He shrugged. ‘It’s a fair-sized house. I’ve commandeered one bedroom and bathroom for myself, obviously. But you could have your pick otherwise.’ He looked at her astonished face in silence. ‘Are you ever going to say anything, Sassy? Your mouth’s hanging open.’

  She closed it with a snap, looking at him doubtfully. ‘Do you mean this, Luke?’ she said hesitantly. ‘Apart from various other considerations, wouldn’t I be—well—rather in the way sometimes?’

  ‘When, exactly?’ he enquired affably.

  Saskia eyed him balefully. ‘When you say “Your place or mine?” and the lady chooses yours, Lucius Armytage. As you know perfectly well.’

  ‘Is that the only obstacle?’

  ‘I’m sure there are others, but it did rather leap to mind!’

  Luke got up, held out his hand, and Saskia put hers into it, letting him pull her to her feet He took her by the shoulders, his hands warm on her bare skin as he looked down into her eyes, his own very direct.

  ‘At the moment there are no women in my life other than Marina and you,’ he informed her evenly. ‘If, however, such a contingency should arise, I would make it plain that my house was out of bounds while you occupied part of it. Should you consent to do so, that is. Two relatives sharing a house is not exactly front-page news, Sassy. No one would be surprised.’

  ‘Except me!’ She grinned suddenly. ‘And Sam and Mother would probably collapse in each other’s arms in shock at the news.’

  Luke chuckled. ‘You’re probably right. Anyway, it’s only a suggestion. Sleep on it and let me know tomorrow. If the answer’s yes I need to make a few purchases pretty quickly.’ He bent, and surprised her with a swift kiss on both cheeks. ‘Now, do you want to go to bed, or shall I be too noble for words and volunteer to make you some tea? But before I do there’s one more thing. If the answer’s no I shan’t be offended, Sassy. So no more daggers drawn and all that. Speaking personally, I very much prefer the new, friendly state of affairs between us to the old hostilities.’

  ‘So do I,’ she said breathlessly, still all at sea from the caress. Then she gave him a sudden, mischievous grin. ‘Besides, if I start snarling at you again you might want the dress back.’

  ‘Keep that in mind,’ he advised. ‘So. Do you want some tea?’

  ‘Yes, please, but I can make it—’

  ‘No.’ Gently he pushed her back down onto the sofa.

  ‘Just for tonight, Cinderella, I’ll make it. Though be warned—this service is not included if you do come to live in my house. I shall provide you with your own kettle!’

  Saskia laughed as he left the room, and stretched out again, swinging her legs up on the sofa. Live with Luke? She thought about it at great length, trying to come to terms with the fact that it was a very tempting prospect indeed, far more than she cared to let Luke know. And rent-free, at that. She would say yes the moment he came back.

  She yawned, her eyelids suddenly like lead, and she blinked them hard, hoping Luke wouldn’t be long with the tea. She burrowed her head into the cushions, suddenly so tired it was an effort to keep her eyes open…

  CHAPTER SEVEN

  SASKIA woke slowly in her own bed to broad daylight, and found half the day gone. And her new dress hanging on the wardrobe facing her. In sudden panic she flung back the bedclothes, relieved to find she was still wearing the black silk teddy of the night before, and even her stockings. She blew out her scarlet cheeks, leapt from the bed, stripped off the underwear, then huddled into her towelling robe for an urgent visit to the bathroom, praying she would make it there and back unseen.

  Mission accomplished, Saskia raced back to her room to remove last night’s make-up from her flushed face, then she slapped moisturiser onto her skin and brushed her hair, grateful now for the expensive haircut which fell so obediently into place. Thanking her lucky stars that she’d avoided meeting Luke until she looked rather more appetising, she pulled on a shirt and jeans, then stood still, dismayed to hear voices somewhere outside, followed by a tap on her door.

  ‘Sassy,’ called Luke softly. ‘Are you awake?’

  ‘Just about.’

  ‘We’ve got company.’

  She grimaced, unseen. ‘Who is it?’

  ‘Dante and Mirella. I’m giving them coffee in the kitchen. It’s a bit chilly and grey out there today. You need a sweater.’

  Saskia took time to make up her face, then hunted out the long cardigan she’d had no need of until now. Woven from the wool of some northerly Scottish sheep, and dyed a shade of burnt orange that went well with the gold threads in her hair, it was a comfort against the sudden cold of the day. She found a lipstick that toned, tied a white-dotted green cotton scarf at her throat, and went out to meet the visitors.

  Dante and Luke got up from the table as she entered the kitchen, the former coming forward, hand outstretched. Luke smiled at her, the familiar teasing gleam in his eyes.

  Mirella smiled shyly. ‘I hope we did not wake you, Saskia. We brought you this.’ She gestured towards a small gilt evening purse on the table. ‘I thought it might be yours.’

  Saskia smiled warmly at the girl, and shook hands with Dante, who, like Luke, was dressed in jeans and sweater, with a glove-thin suede jacket slung over the back of his chair.

  ‘I hope you are not exhausted,’ he said, holding onto her hand a little longer than strictly necessary.

  ‘Not in the le
ast I’ve been sleeping for hours. Good morning, everyone.’ Saskia smiled at Luke, who placed a cup of coffee beside the empty place at the table and held out a chair for her, surprising her with a casual kiss on her cheek as she sat down.

  ‘‘Morning, sleepyhead. Dante and Mirella came round to ask us out to lunch.’

  ‘How nice,’ lied Saskia, resisting an urge to touch her hand to her cheek. ‘It was very kind of you to trouble to bring the purse, but it isn’t mine.’ Because her only handbag was a large, all-purpose affair, she had dispensed with one altogether the night before.

  ‘Then we shall take it back.’ Mirella cast an eye at Luke, then looked at Saskia pleadingly. ‘You will come out to lunch? Please?’

  Saskia hadn’t the heart to refuse. Mirella, it was fairly obvious, had manufactured the excuse of the purse to achieve another meeting with Luke. Though, to be fair, Dante was equally pressing. She looked at Luke. ‘All right with you?’

  He nodded. ‘But we can’t stay out too long. At least, I can’t I’ve got some work to do this evening before I fly back tomorrow.’

  ‘You are leaving tomorrow?’ said Mirella, looking stricken.

  ‘He’ll be back,’ said Dante, grinning, then looked at Saskia. ‘Will you be back also?’

  ‘She comes here a lot,’ said Luke blandly. ‘This house belongs to her mother—my charming stepmother,’ he added. ‘Marina allows me to come and go here as I need to.’

  ‘You are fond of her,’ stated Dante, and looked at Saskia. ‘If the lady is as beautiful as her daughter it is not difficult to see why.’

  ‘Oh, she is,’ said Luke. ‘Though in a totally different way. Sassy gets her looks from her father’s family.’

  Dante smiled at Saskia. ‘Does everyone call you Sassy in England?’

  ‘No. Only the twins. And Luke keeps it up to annoy me.’ Saskia got up to get the coffee pot from the stove. ‘Refill, anyone?’

  Eventually it was decided to lunch in a trattoria wellknown to the Fortinaris, but the journey was made in separate cars, since Luke made it clear that he could spare only a couple of hours for lunch as he had work to do later. Saskia, he said blandly, could linger over lunch rather longer if she wished.