Sweet Sanctuary (12 page)

He grimaced. "Nick put my back up."

"What did you say to him?" She watched him with curiosity and hidden pleasure.

Jimmy hesitated, then laughed. "I reminded him that he was in no position to talk. I remember the days when Nick was the local Don Juan. Pre-Sylvia, of course. I bet no one came and warned him off the course."

"Was Nick annoyed?" Mrs. Butler was openly amused now.

"Annoyed? He was livid! I thought he was going to push my face through the back of my head for a minute. Then he left—suddenly."

The vivid blue eyes sparkled. "How very interesting."

Jimmy looked at her with narrowed eyes. "Yes, I thought so, too." He stopped speaking as Kate entered the room, her brown hair shining silkily, full green skirts flaring round her slim legs as she walked. She looked gay and vital, smiling as she took Jimmy's outstretched hands.

"Well, hello!" Jimmy whistled. "You've done something to yourself—you look different."

"An improvement?" Her eyes laughed at him.

"Definitely," he agreed.

Mrs. Butler was wide-eyed, and Kate looked at her eagerly. "Do you like the new me?"

"Charming," Mrs. Butler nodded. "Quite charming. What a difference clothes can make! You always look very attractive, my dear, even in those jeans, but in that dress you look quite stunning… that is the word, wouldn't you say, Jimmy?"

"Stunning is the
mot juste
," he agreed with a grin.

Kate kissed her, on impulse. "I won't be late, I promise."

Mrs. Butler hugged her. "Forget time for tonight. Just enjoy yourself, child."

There was no sign of Nicholas as they left the house, but as they drove down the drive, Kate, glancing wistfully back, was sure she saw his head outlined against the faint gleam of a window upstairs.

"I've booked a table at my favourite restaurant." Jimmy smiled at her. "I hope you like French cooking."

"Where is it?"

"Half an hour's drive—very popular night spot. You can dance after dinner, and they do a couple of floor shows. Good band, friendly people. You'll like it."

"It sounds rather smart. Am I suitably dressed?" She looked down doubtfully.

"Perfect," he assured her. "This isn't London, you know. Girls wear almost anything to these places and no one raises an eyebrow. Things are pretty free and easy."

"Well, that's a relief." She settled back with a sigh. They drove in silence for a while, then Jimmy glanced at her and asked what she was thinking about.

"Sylvia," she said absently, then flushed and looked at him in consternation.

"Funny," he said cheerfully, "so was I! Tell me, Princess, what have you done to offend Sylvia?"

"How do you mean?" She was wary.

"When I asked her to give you the message about our date I did it as a tease. I knew it would make her mad to be used as a messenger to another girl, but I didn't expect it to have quite such an effect. She went purple with rage. She hates you, sweetie." He looked at her oddly. "I wonder why."

"You're exaggerating."

He shook his head. "No, Sylvia despises me too much to hide her feelings in front of me. She might pretend with Nick, but never with me. What have you done to her?"

"I haven't done anything." Kate spoke firmly, with some annoyance at his persistence. She did not want to continue with this conversation.

"Come off it, love. Even Sylvia isn't that irrational. I suppose she objects to Nick's interest in you?"

His calm reference to Nick brought a flood of hot, revealing colour to her face. She felt her heart thud against her chest and her throat closed convulsively.

Jimmy shot her a look. "Sorry, am I trespassing on private territory? I was just waffling. But take my advice and steer clear of Sylvia. She makes Mata Hari look like Goldilocks. She's far from being a nice girl."

"I never thought Goldilocks was very nice, either," said Kate in a desperate attempt to change the subject. "Eating other people's porridge, breaking up their home…"

"That does sound like Sylvia," agreed Jimmy, with a hoot of laughter.

"How is your father?" Kate asked wildly.

Jimmy laughed, but obligingly replied, and the conversation left the subject of Sylvia for the rest of the evening.

The meal was delectable, beautifully cooked and served, in pleasant but not over-obtrusive surroundings. After they had eaten they danced for a while, then watched the cabaret. Kate found herself getting tired soon afterwards. She was not used to late nights or noise, and the atmosphere of the restaurant during the floor show was rather wearing. The band was beginning to make her head ache, the dazzle of revolving lights, the overheated atmosphere, all combined to give her a feeling of sudden weariness.

Jimmy grimaced, seeing her suddenly drooping. "You look like a last year's snowdrop. Getting late for you? Shall we go?"

She smiled apologetically. "I'm sorry, it's a bore for you, but I usually go to bed so early. I think you have to be in training for one of these places."

"Don't think about it," he shrugged. "I'm usually an early bird myself. The farm work starts at crack of dawn, you know, and for all Nick's belief that I'm a gay rover, I tend to be in bed by ten most nights of the week."

Kate went to the cloakroom to fetch her coat and tidy up. As she came out again into the wide lobby of the restaurant, she saw Sylvia standing with her back to the cloakroom door, talking to the very attractive man she had seen her with in Maiden on the day when she bought all her clothes.

Jimmy was standing some distance away, watching Sylvia and her companion with curiosity.

Kate walked towards him. Just before she reached him, Sylvia and her companion went into the restaurant together.

"Well, well, well," Jimmy murmured. "I wonder what that means…"

She looked at him enquiringly.

He grinned. "Sylvia's escort is none other than Sir Rodney Paton."

"Paton?" The name was faintly familiar. She looked into the restaurant. Sylvia and her companion had a table beside a brilliant bank of flowers. Above the pinks and purples of the flowers, Sylvia's utterly simple white dress had a classic simplicity, giving her blonde beauty a new dimension. The finely pleated white folds moulded her body. Around her throat hung a silver chain from which an emerald glittered, set in heavy antique silver. Her hair was swathed elegantly above her face and pinned with a silver lover's knot. She smiled at her companion, leaning forward so that the emerald shone at him as brightly as her green eyes, the cold stone lying just above the fullness of her white breasts.

Jimmy whistled beneath his breath. "Boy, is he hooked! Sylvia has a problem."

Kate looked at him with puzzled, worried eyes, her brow knit in concern.

"Rodney Paton is the big electronics king. Three factories in the south of England, a house in London, and a very elegant house here in Essex. He's a millionaire—just what Sylvia has always wanted for her birthday."

"Oh," said Kate softly, her frown deepening.

"Oh, indeed," Jimmy echoed. "But what will dear Sylvia do about Nick? Sir Rodney may be stinking rich, but he isn't either as young or as good-looking as Nick. I imagine Sylvia is wishing she could have her cake and eat it."

Kate looked at the man who sat opposite Sylvia. He had a charming, attentive smile on his face, and she could see, even at this distance, that Sylvia engrossed all his attention. He was, as Jimmy had put it, quite hooked. His eyes flickered now and then, tracing the proud sweep of Sylvia's body in the white dress. Then he looked up into her green eyes, and his smile deepened.

Sylvia was more difficult to read. She was totally responsive to her companion, her eyes fixed on his, her manner pliant and quietly eager, vaguely little-girl beneath her sophistication.

Kate already knew her too well to be deceived. Sylvia, like a first-rate actress, was giving the performance of her life, but for all its brilliance, it was still acting, and the hollowness came over to the other girl very clearly.

"She isn't in love with him," she said aloud.

Jimmy laughed. "Simple Kate! Bless you, of course not. How could you think it?"

"But she is in love with Nick," Kate said falteringly, and with reluctance. Then, because she had to be honest with herself, "Or rather, she wants more from Nick than just his money. Nick himself attracts her."

"Sex is a powerful attraction, Kate," Jimmy said lightly. "Even Sylvia has to weigh that against money. When money and sex come in the same box it's very tempting." He put an arm around her and led her out of the restaurant. "Cheer up! Sir Rodney may not be as sexy as Nick, but he has a damned sight more money."

"It's nothing to do with me," she said defiantly.

Jimmy sighed. "Dear Kate, I'm on your side, you know. I have a grievance against Sylvia."

"Oh?" She let him help her into the car and looked up at him as he shut the door.

"Sylvia has consistently ignored me," he said, grinning. "That's a deadly insult to my virility."

She laughed at that, smiling at him as he slid the ear into reverse and backed out of the car park. "Sylvia doesn't know what she's missed," she said.

He was amused. "Don't let Nick hear you say that!"

"Nick?" She was flushed again at once. "Why shouldn't I?" Her chin went up in defiance.

"I'm beginning to wonder," Jimmy said softly.

It was midnight when Jimmy drove back through the gates of Sanctuary. The wind made restless music in the trees which lined the drive. A few stars sparkled faintly in the sky. Kate was too sleepy to feel more than a faint interest as the dark bulk of the house drew nearer. All the lights were out. She had expected that, since Mrs. Butler went to bed very early, but she knew that the kitchen door was always unlocked. Country habits were different from town ones. No burglar would be attracted to Sanctuary—the loneliness and isolation meant that he would need a vehicle, and the dogs which slept in the kitchen at night, friendly though they were, would be sufficient warning of intruders.

Jimmy Whitney was a countryman, and knew that he would find an unlocked door at the back of the house, so drove round to the stable yard to let her out of the car. He walked to the kitchen door with her. They were both relaxed and at ease. It had been an enjoyable evening. Wine, music and dancing had made them closer to each other than any other entertainment would have done.

There was something, Kate decided, about dancing that made it easier to relax. The combination of exercise and pleasure, perhaps. She yawned and Jimmy laughed.

"You won't need a cup of cocoa before bed tonight!"

"Would you like one?"

He shook his head. "Better not—Nick might suspect I was seducing you down here!"

This made her immediately determinedly rebellious. "I shall make some for myself. You might as well have some. Blow Nick."

Jimmy laughed. "All right—if you want to play it that way. Blow Nick indeed!"

She made cocoa in a small saucepan while Jimmy lounged against the table, talking in a soft voice so as not to disturb the house. The dogs, having given them an excited but subdued welcome, had gone back to sleep in various corners.