‘No, darling, I know.’ Jonah smiled down at her so tenderly Frances turned away hurriedly and filled a kettle.
‘Let me get you some lunch—’ she began, but Jonah shook his head.
‘It’s very kind of you, but I really must get back to Brockhill. My father had a few suggestions to make, and I need a word with the architect. And my fax is probably churning out messages as we speak. By the way,’ he added, ‘wonderful news about the dog.’
‘Isn’t it just? Fenny’s in transports,’ said Frances, smiling. ‘I’m only sorry you got hurt in vain, Jonah.’
He shook his head. ‘Actually, it wasn’t in vain. If it took a few bruises to convince Leo that she still cared for me, I’m very grateful to Marzi.’
Leonie suppressed a shiver. ‘Speaking of which, take up something less dangerous than climbing as a pastime from now on. Croquet, maybe.’
‘Did Leo tell you we taped Marzi’s rescue?’ asked Frances. ‘Spare a minute to watch it before you go.’
Alone in the study, Jonah pulled Leonie on his lap to watch the brief bit of film, amused when Leo described the outcry after the plea for a home for the dog. ‘How on earth did he get down on that ledge?’
‘Chasing a rabbit, Dad thinks.’ She turned to wreath her arms round his neck, kissing him swiftly as the roar of a vacuum cleaner got louder.
‘Shall I pick you up tonight?’ he asked.
‘No. I’ll come to you. Are you busy all afternoon?’
‘If you want me I’ll make sure I’m not.’
‘I thought you might like to come to the vet to fetch Marzi when Fenny gets home from school. Are you up to driving?’
‘Of course. The only reason I let you drive home was to give my eyes licence to rove.’
‘Not only your eyes!’ Leonie jumped up. ‘Come on, or we’ll have Mrs Briggs in here, cleaning round us.’
Later that afternoon Jonah took all four Dysarts down to the surgery to collect Marzi from the vet. The dog staggered out with one of the assistants, still looking dazed, but his tail thumped feebly when he saw Fenny. She gave a cry of dismay and went down on her knees to embrace him, in tears as she saw the bloodstained gouges round his neck.
The young vet, who looked hardly older than Kate, assured Fenny that her dog would soon mend, after a course of antibiotics, and the fur would quickly grow back over his scratches.
‘The bump on his head came from the fall, but he probably got scratched by getting caught in a fence somewhere,’ she said briskly.
Fenny travelled home in the back of Jonah’s car, her arm round her precious dog. ‘I think Marzi should sleep in my room tonight,’ she said tremulously.
‘He’ll be better on his own rug in the scullery, darling,’ said her mother. ‘He needs to be in familiar surroundings to feel at home again. And you know he’s not allowed upstairs.’
‘Can I sleep down there with him, then?’ demanded Fenny.
The ensuing argument lasted the entire journey. But when they got home Jonah suggested taking Fenny and Marzi for a walk round the garden, and to everyone’s relief Fenny was resigned to normal sleeping arrangements by the time they got back to the house.
‘Jonah said Marzi might worry if I slept downstairs in the cold,’ she announced, frowning in concentration as she struggled to remove the dog’s leash without hurting his neck.
‘Jonah’s right,’ said Leonie, giving him a glowing look of gratitude.
‘And now I really must get back,’ he said with regret. He kissed Leonie swiftly. ‘I’ll see you later.’
‘When?’ demanded Fenny.
‘After you’ve gone to bed,’ said Leonie firmly, and went to see Jonah out.
‘If you love me, get Fenny to bed on time, Leo,’ he said, kissing her. ‘Quite apart from a normal need to eat tonight, we have things to discuss.’
‘What exactly?’ she demanded. ‘Tell me now.’
‘No. I’ll tell you tonight. So don’t keep me waiting!’
CHAPTER TWELVE
DUE to Frances Dysart’s need for help with the meal for next day, Leonie had little time to speculate about the subject of Jonah’s discussion. She was forced to keep her burning curiosity in abeyance while she peeled apples, scrubbed tiny potatoes, and concocted a fiery dressing for pasta salad. Kate took on the role of washer-up and cleared up steadily while her mother made bread and pastry and paid constant attention to the ham roasting in the oven. Fenny, demanding to help, was given cheese to grate, and while she laboured talked lovingly to Marzi, who lay in convalescent languor at her feet, occasionally bestirring himself to lick up the odd flake of cheese as it came his way.
Leonie smiled on the hive of industry with deep, inner contentment. Quite apart from her reunion with Jonah, it was so good to be home the thought of leaving grew less attractive by the minute. ‘Two parties in such a short space of time is a bit hectic for you, Mother,’ she commented.
‘I’ll lie in a darkened room next week,’ said Frances cheerfully.
In the end Tom Dysart had arrived, and Fenny had finished her supper and had been taken to bed before Leonie had a chance to get ready. She rushed through a shower, her hair still damp when she ran to give Fenny a last goodnight kiss before racing downstairs in a hooded scarlet fleece and ancient old jeans.
‘Are you going out with Jonah dressed like that?’ demanded her father.
Leonie grinned, gave a swift explanation, then seized the picnic basket she’d filled, bade a general goodnight and ran out to her mother’s car. As she drove into the Brockhill drive the lodge door flew open and Jonah came out, tapping the watch on his wrist.
‘You’re late,’ he accused, taking the basket. ‘Come on, Red Riding Hood, I’m hungry.’
‘I’ve been busy, Mr Wolf!’ She reached up to kiss him. ‘And you’d better keep some of your appetite for tomorrow. Mother’s been cooking up a storm.’
‘Did I mention food?’ He closed the door behind them, dumped the basket on the floor and took her in his arms, smoothing the hood away from her damp hair. ‘Leo, your hair’s still wet!’
‘In my unmaidenly impatience to get here I didn’t wait to dry it properly.’ She grinned. ‘My choice of outfit utterly horrified my father.’
Jonah gave her a comprehensive survey from head to foot, then held her close and kissed her. ‘It doesn’t horrify me,’ he whispered, putting a questing hand to the zip beneath her chin. He slid it open to discover she wore nothing underneath, and stood transfixed in shock for an instant before kissing her so fiercely they were soon panting and breathless, his fingers were drawn like magnets to the nipples which sprang erect to his touch. He tore his mouth from hers at last and yanked up the zip to cover her, his dark-ringed eyes accusing.
‘Hell, darling, I’m not Superman. How do you expect me to keep my mind on food when you come dressed like that?’
Leonie scowled. ‘I can always go back home—’
‘Not on your life,’ he growled, and crushed her to him. ‘Tomorrow we’ll be surrounded by relations. Tonight you’re mine.’
‘Only tonight?’ she teased, mollified.
Jonah sobered. ‘You’ve been mine from the first moment we met, Leo.’
‘I know,’ she said, equally grave. ‘I’ve always known it. That’s why—’
‘Your Italian never had a hope,’ he said flatly, and picked up the basket. ‘God, Leo, we’re so lucky to get a second chance.’
Leonie was deeply aware of it, happiness bubbling inside her as she shared out slices of still warm ham with potato salad, and chunks of her mother’s new bread. ‘There’s only cheese afterwards. You’ll have to wait until tomorrow for pudding.’
‘I’ve got all I want right here,’ he said, kissing her hand. ‘I hope your mother isn’t tiring herself out over this. I should have booked a meal somewhere and saved her the trouble.’
‘Maybe we could do that some other time. But in the circumstances, with Fenny and so on, it’s best we’re at home.’ Leonie gave him a c
hallenging look. ‘Right, Jonah, I’ve been patient long enough. What was so important that it had to wait until now to discuss?’
‘Let’s finish supper first.’ He smiled at her. ‘Don’t look like that, darling. Nothing’s going to come between us again, I promise, no matter what happens. I forgot the wine,’ he added suddenly, and made to get up, but she pulled him back.
‘Just as well. I’m high on adrenaline anyway, and just a bit tired. A glass of wine would probably have me on my back in no time—’ She blushed at the look in his eyes. ‘Don’t say it,’ she said fiercely.
‘Say what?’ He smiled innocently, and cleared his plate with a sigh of satisfaction. ‘That was perfect.’
‘Come on, Jonah,’ she urged. ‘Talk. Or I’ll expire with curiosity.’
He dumped their plates on the floor and drew her close. ‘This is a bit difficult—’
‘Why?’ Leonie eyed him suspiciously. ‘Is it to do with a woman?’
‘Yes,’ he said promptly, grinning as she bristled. ‘And don’t even think of hitting me in my present state. Besides, the woman is you, Leo.’
‘Oh.’ She subsided uneasily. ‘Go on, then.’
‘In the past,’ he began, ‘I always took care to make sure you didn’t get pregnant by accident.’
‘I know.’ A shudder ran through her. ‘That’s why I was so shattered about Rachel.’
Jonah pulled her closer, smoothing her head against his shoulder. ‘Leo, I really did take you to my place for tea when we got to London the other day. I honestly never anticipated what actually happened. And when it did the thought of precautions never entered my head. Not until later, anyway. And from your startling, wonderful revelation about your own love-life I doubt that you were doing anything about birth control either.’
‘Of course I wasn’t,’ said Leonie serenely.
Jonah frowned, and tipped her face up to his. ‘You’re remarkably laid back about this.’
She shrugged. ‘As you say, by the time I had any thought to spare for such things it was too late, anyway.’
‘And you don’t mind?’
‘The risk of a baby?’ Leonie shook her head. ‘As long as it’s your baby, Jonah, no.’
‘Thank God,’ he breathed, and kissed her fiercely. ‘If I’m honest, I think it was a pretty Freudian lapse. A way to be sure we’d get married this time.’
‘For me too,’ she admitted. ‘But I was already sure, Jonah. The real moment of truth hit me when I thought I’d lost you down that cliff. From then on it was time for desperate measures to get you back. So I decided to seduce you any way I could.’
Jonah’s eyes smouldered. ‘I wish I’d given you the chance to try!’
‘A good thing you didn’t. I’ve never tried to seduce anyone, so I’d probably have botched the whole thing!’
He laughed indulgently. ‘Leo, your success was assured, believe me. Surely that was obvious when we danced together at Adam’s party? I could have thrown you on the floor and made love to you there and then.’
‘Then why were you so horrible when I came here the following night?’ she demanded, eyes kindling.
‘I was hopping mad, Miss Dysart.’ Jonah tapped her cheek with an admonishing forefinger. ‘When you came storming in here, throwing wild accusations at me, I lost my temper, and retaliated in the way I knew you’d resent most of all.’ His eyes gleamed. ‘Besides, I needed to know if you still responded to me.’
‘And I did,’ she said in disgust. ‘Right here on this sofa. Did you enjoy your revenge?’
‘In a way. But it backfired, because in the end I was more aroused than you were. I’ll never know how I managed to break away.’ His eyes darkened at the thought of it, making her heart beat faster.
‘You don’t have to break away now,’ she said unevenly, but he shook his head.
‘Not yet. There’s something I want you to do for me.’
‘Anything in the world,’ she promised recklessly.
‘I hope you mean that, Leo, because quite apart from the possibility of a child, I don’t want to let you out of my sight for long again.’ He took her face in his hands. ‘Don’t go back to Florence, darling.’
‘I’m not going to.’ She laughed in delight at his astonishment. ‘I’ll get in touch with the principal and ask him to get a substitute teacher for the summer term—’
Jonah crushed her mouth under his, his arms threatening to crack her ribs, but, suddenly impatient, Leonie pushed him away and stood up, unzipping the fleece and tossing it away.
‘I thought you said this was a sofabed,’ she said huskily, standing with her hands clasped behind her back.
Jonah got up very slowly, his eyes riveted on her. Suddenly he came to life, tearing off his shirt as he leapt to seize her in his arms, his hands flat against her back to hold her against his bare chest.
‘It seemed a shade lacking in subtlety to have a bed ready and waiting,’ he said hoarsely, and slid his hands round to cup her breasts, his thumbs brushing the tips into sensitive, erectile conductors which set up a chain reaction of wanton heat streaking through her entire body.
‘Jonah,’ she gasped, her hand sliding over the taut musculature of his shoulders. ‘Let’s make sure. Let’s make a baby. Right now.’
They gazed into each other’s eyes, breathing hard, then Jonah’s lit with sudden, defusing laughter. ‘If you mean that give me time to do something about this sofa. I refuse to conceive my first-born on the floor.’
They unfolded it together in desperate, clumsy haste, but once it was ready they were content just to lie holding each other for a while.
‘This is how it should be,’ said Leonie, rubbing her cheek against his shoulder.
Jonah chuckled. ‘In a makeshift bed, in a cold, half-empty cottage?’
‘No!’ She nipped his skin playfully. ‘I meant that in your flat the other day it was like a bolt from the blue, an irresistible force that swept us away. I had no more thought about consequences than you did.’
‘I’m glad I wasn’t the only sinner,’ he said wryly, and turned her face up to his. ‘But we made love again that night, remember. I’d had plenty of time to think by that time.’
‘So had I,’ she pointed out. ‘Did I voice any objections?’
‘No. And by then you were wearing my ring.’ Jonah smiled reminiscently. ‘It was all you were wearing.’
‘Just like now!’ Leonie stretched luxuriously against his responsive body. ‘But I’m serious, Jonah. This time it ought to be different.’
Jonah shifted so that they lay facing, looking into each other’s eyes. ‘You mean you want a love-child, not a happy accident.’
‘Exactly!’ Leonie smiled with passionate gratitude. ‘You always could read my mind.’
‘Can you read mine now?’ he asked, pulling her closer, his body hard and ready against her.
She laughed breathlessly. ‘I don’t need to!’
Jonah began to kiss her with a slow, savouring relish she responded to with such ardour the speed of their loving quickly accelerated. Mutual heat flamed higher as his mouth moved lower, his hands cupping her breasts to receive his seeking lips, resulting in such delicious torture she retaliated with caresses of her own. But Jonah stayed her hand, flipped her on her face and held her still while he kissed every inch of her from the nape of her neck to her heels. At last he turned her back again, his eyes holding hers as his fingers slid slowly upwards from ankle to knee and higher, until she was at breaking point by the time he reached his goal, his caresses causing such hot turbulence it affected them both in equal measure. Controlling himself with superhuman effort, Jonah took time to press a kiss to each bare knee before he thrust himself home between her thighs with a sureness Leonie greeted with a gasp of deep, visceral pleasure, arms and legs around him in passionate embrace as they surged together in perfect, accelerating rhythm to achieve their hearts’ desire.
CHAPTER THIRTEEN
IT WAS very late by the time Leonie got to bed. Jonah
had been adamant about going back to Friars Wood in the car with her, preferring a walk back to Brockhill to the alternative of seeing her drive off there alone in the middle of the night. After a lengthy farewell she had let herself in by the back door as quietly as she could, grateful that Marzi was still in too dazed a state to make much fuss at the sight of her.
Leonie had set her alarm before getting into bed, afraid she might sleep late in the morning, but though she fell asleep quickly enough she was awake long before her clock roused her. She lay gazing out at the bright morning, and smoothed a gentle hand over her midriff, wondering if her night of love with Jonah had produced the longed for result. She slid out of bed, suddenly too full of energy to stay there any longer, and went off to have a bath. And discovered red marks here and there on her skin in interesting places, her face equally red as she remembered how she’d acquired them.
Early as it was, the kitchen was already filled with the scent of roasting meat, and Frances Dysart looked up from her breakfast in surprise when Leonie joined her. ‘Good morning, darling, you’re early.’
‘It seemed like a good idea today.’ Leonie bent to fondle Marzi, who’d come to greet her with something of his old exuberance. ‘Hello, old boy. You’re looking a lot better.’ She smiled at her mother. ‘I thought I’d be early enough to take Marzi out for you. Fenny and Kate are still asleep.’
‘I’ve already taken him for a quick run round the garden. Your father can give him a longer walk later, with Fenny.’ Frances poured tea for them, smiling at her radiant daughter. ‘You obviously had a lovely evening with Jonah.’
‘I certainly did. I’m afraid it was late by the time I got home.’
‘I know. I heard you come in.’
‘Sorry! I tried to be quiet.’
‘I wasn’t asleep. Not,’ added Frances hastily, ‘that I consciously stayed awake.’ She smiled sheepishly. ‘I couldn’t help wondering about the kind of wedding you want.’
‘As long as it’s as soon as possible, I don’t mind,’ said Leonie promptly, reflecting that ‘soon’ was a good idea in more ways than one if her instincts were right. She looked up to find her mother regarding her with amused resignation. ‘Sorry. Did you say something?’
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