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'The brewery business!'

She laughed, and humour helped the hurt of the past to recede so that she could talk about it more easily.

'I never knew my paternal grandparents,' she said. 'They acted as if we never existed. They couldn't prevent my father inheriting the title, but they left all the family money to charity.'

'You're beautiful enough not to need help from anyone,' he said.

'For the moment,' she replied. 'But in this business there's always someone younger and prettier waiting to step into your shoes.'

'Not for years yet,' he assured her.

She smiled, then glanced at her watch.

'How inconsiderate I am,' said Matt. 'I didn't realise how late it was.'

'Not really, but my flatmate is moving tomorrow and I promised to help her.'

He motioned the waiter for the bill and they made their way through the restaurant. It was still fairly full, even at this late hour, and he stopped at several tables to speak to acquaintances. The men looked admiringly at Caroline, and though she could not overhear their remarks, she realised from the glances they gave her she was being discussed. Knowing Matt's reputation with women, she could imagine what they were saying, and because she had enjoyed her evening she found herself hoping he would not spoil it by making the obligatory pass.

During the drive home she was tense, and when the car drew up outside her front door, she quickly fumbled at the lock.

'Aren't you going to ask me in for a nightcap?' he said.

'You shouldn't drink and drive,' she replied sweetly.

'By the time I leave, the effects will have worn off.'

Disappointment washed over her, and angrily she jumped out.

'If you want me to pay for my evening, I'd rather do it with money!' she snapped.

He was halfway round the side of the car and he stopped.

'Ouch,' he said slowly, 'that was a right to the chin.'

'I'm sorry. But if you assume that one date entitles you to spend the night with me, I'm afraid you've wasted your time and money. And I know how precious . both of those things are to you!'

'And that was below the belt!' Anger deepened his voice and his Northern accent was more pronounced. 'I don't need to force myself on any girl.'

'You could have fooled me!'

'Perhaps you're the one who's doing the fooling.' He was beside her, looming tall. 'Are you really as outraged as you profess? You've been around long enough to know the score.'

'And you've been around long enough to know when a girl doesn't want to play!'

'In general, or just with me?'

'In general,' she said icily.

'Saving yourself for the man you marry?' he. asked sarcastically.

'How clever of you to guess.'

She was at the top of the steps and had inserted the key in the lock before he was aware of it.

'Caroline!' he called.

'Goodnight!' she replied, and slammed the door in his face.

So much for her hopes that he would behave differently with her from the way he normally did. He was an arrogant boor and she never wanted to see him again. If it weren't for Tom she'd refuse to do the modelling assignment. Shivering, she let herself into the flat. Even though she had to work for one of Matthew Bishop's companies she had no intention of having anything to do with its owner.

Jane
ran Caroline back to the Berkeley Hotel first thing the next morning to collect her car. Arriving back, they found the removal men waiting for them as well as an enormous basket of pink and white roses. Caroline read the simple message on the card that was nestling among the tightly closed buds.

'Please forgive me. Will you let me make amends at dinner tonight?'

Fuming at his audacity, Caroline expended her angry energy on helping Jane. She tried to put Matt out of her mind, but the flowers kept reminding her of him, and at nine o'clock when the telephone rang she knew he was at the other end of the line.

'If it's Matthew Bishop I'm not in,' she told Jane.

'Like that, eh?' Jane replied, and in gentle tones informed Mr Bishop that the object of his call was unavailable.

Exactly an hour later another bouquet arrived, twice as large as the first one. There was no message this time.

'You'll be able to open your own florist's shop,' Jane commented. 'What did he do last night, for God's sake?'

'Nothing, and he's not going to get another chance tonight. If he ...'

The peal of the telephone interrupted her, and Caroline motioned her friend again to answer it.

'No, Mr Bishop,' said Jane, 'Lady Caroline is still unavailable.'

An hour later another gift arrived. Not flowers this time but a beautiful Hermes scarf.

'I'd like to strangle him with it!' Caroline snapped, and flung it on the sofa.

No telephone call followed the arrival of this gift, but an hour later another package arrived; an outrageously expensive flagon of the finest French perfume.

'It still won't make that rat smell any sweeter,' Caroline fumed, and handed it to Jane. 'Use it to bowl Bruce over.'

'I wonder what you'll get next,' grinned Jane. 'I can see this going on all day.'

'He'll have to give up some time,' Caroline shrugged. 'Meanwhile I'll start filling your bottom drawer for you.'

'I wish he knew what size tights I wore,' Jane chuckled.

But the next gift that arrived came at lunch time, and was a lavish hamper from Fortrium's, filled with home-made pate, a creamy asparagus quiche, hothouse Muscatel grapes and peaches, and a bottle of champagne. This time there was a message with it too, written in the same handwriting as the card that had accompanied the flowers.

'I know you're always a crosspatch until you eat, so I'll wait for the second burp and call you!'

'You really should talk to him,' Jane counselled, her plain face pink with the excitement of it all.

'You're too soft-hearted,' Caroline snapped. 'It's time Matthew Bishop learned he can't have every girl he fancies.'

'Do you fancy him?' asked Jane.

'Yes. But that's as far as it will go.'

'We're two old-fashioned girls,' Jane muttered. 'Isn't it a shame!'

Matt's call came at three o'clock, and Jane was almost apologetic as she repeated the lie she had uttered twice already. This time when she put down the telephone she looked woebegone.

'He sounded furious!' she exclaimed.

'Good. That should be the last we'll hear of him.'

But she was proved wrong, for at four o'clock a vast box of chocolates, almost two feet square, was delivered to her door by Matt's chauffeur, Frank.

'How's this for a sweetener?' Matt had penned.

'Could you drop the box into Great Ormond Street Hospital on your way back?' Caroline asked Frank.

'Very good, my lady,' he said, poker-faced, and carrying the box nipped smartly down the stairs.

An hour later, With both Caroline and Jane waiting expectantly for a ring at the door bell, there was nothing.

'He's finally taken the hint,' said Jane.

'Thank heavens for that,' Caroline lied, and felt her heart give a lurch as the bell vibrated sharply in her ear. This time she was at the door before Jane, and once more saw Frank. Silently he held out a small package and stood impassively while she opened it. Inside was a jewellery box, and nestling on a bed of black satin, a gold charm. It was a dog kennel, containing a miniature poodle with tiny emerald eyes peeping up at her.

'There's a note with it, my lady,' the chauffeur said, and handed it to her.

'Haven't I been in the doghouse long enough?' she read. Her lips twitched, and she burst out laughing. She was still laughing when the telephone rang, and this time she answered it herself.

'Are you willing to share a bone with me tonight?' Matt asked, 'and afterwards you can bang it on my head.'

'What a lovely idea!'

'I knew you'd think so. I'll call for you at eight-thirty.'

'You must let me know what happens,' said Jane, coming out of the bedroom as Caroline put down the telephone. 'It's just my luck to move out at a time like this.'

'I hope I've shown Matt Bishop that it's not his luck,' Caroline said as she kissed her friend goodbye, and tried not to feel regret that Jane was finally leaving. She would miss her companionship, but would soon appreciate having the flat to herself.

She tried to feel calm about the evening ahead, but as it drew near she could not stop the excitement mounting in her. Be careful, she warned herself. The fact that Matt apologised doesn't mean he won't try again.

To prove to herself that he was unimportant to her she dressed casually in a pink cashmere two-piece, and settled herself on the couch to wait. In a few minutes she was fast asleep.

She was awakened by the blasting of a horn, and hurried to the window to see Matt's car below. He was on time again. She ran down the steps and he greeted her with a smile.

He was dressed casually too, in a light grey suit and a blue shirt. His eyes were glinting with humour and for the first time she noticed the colour; brown with gold flecks in them. He had short lashes, but they were thick like his hair.

'I decided not to risk coming up to call for you,' he said.

'Is that an admission of defeat or good tactics?'

'Both. I believe in biding my time.'

'You didn't bide it very long last night.'

'More fool me,' he said. 'But you're so beautiful you made me lose my head.'

Caroline did not believe that a man of his experience could not control himself, and knew he was mouthing words he did not mean. He wanted her, and had not seen any reason to pretend otherwise. But now he had learned his lesson and would be wary how he treated her.

'You'd better have hot milk tonight instead of champagne. It will cool your ardour,' she said.

'I'll keep off oysters too,' he shot her a quick glance. 'I thought we'd go to Maidenhead. I know a wonderful place on the river.'

'As long as you don't give me a reason to push you in!'

'Don't you trust me?' he asked plaintively, and without waiting for an answer set the car in motion.

The restaurant he took her to was in a beautiful old-world mansion, and the food was excellent. As if realising Caroline had worked hard all day, Matt regaled her with amusing stories that required no response, enabling her to enjoy the delicious menu he had ordered for her.

'The only thing I didn't choose was your dessert,' he said, as the main course plates were cleared away. 'I was frightened of picking something too plain!'

She nodded seriously and studied the dessert menu. 'What is Charlotte Malakoff aux Fraises?' she asked.

The waiter kissed the tips of his fingers. 'Layers of almond cream, liqueur-filled sponge and fresh strawberries accompanied by Chantilly cream.'

'That's for me!'

Matt eyed her with amusement. 'You're incredible! It must be your appetite that I like most about you!'

'Can't I tempt you to a little?' she asked.

'A little of what?'

'Layers of almond cream, liqueur-filled sponge and fresh strawberries accompanied by Chantilly cream!'

His laugh was spontaneous. 'You're never short of an answer, are you?' she asked.

'Not to that particular question. I'm asked it too many times.'

'Do you always give the same answer?'

'I promise not to repeat myself, then,' he said.

'I bet you don't mean that?'

'You bet right!'

'You play so hard, I'm surprised you find time to do any work.'

'By managing to combine the two.' He smiled at her expression. 'For example, I'll be joining you and your brother when you go down to France. This kind of mail order is a new venture and I want to supervise it myself until it gets off the ground.'

Caroline's heart seemed to skip a beat, and she was not sure whether to be pleased or sorry.

'I can't ever imagine you delegating your work.'

'I assure you I do—otherwise I'd never get time to play!'

She looked past him. 'Here comes my five thousand calories,' she said, and picked up her spoon.

'Do you mind if I smoke a cigar?' asked Matt, when she had finished eating.

'Not at all. I love the smell.'

'You're a girl with no vices,' he sighed. 'You don't drink, you don't smoke, and you don't ...' He smiled. 'Well, we won't go into that again! How come a girl like you hasn't been snapped up by now?'

'I could ask the same question?'

'A wife happens to be one of the things I can do without, although the gossip columnists are always too eager to marry me off.'

'I don't read the gossip columns much,' Caroline shrugged.

'Not interested in how the other half lives?' He paused. 'But I'm forgetting—you
are
the other half!'

'Don't remind me,' she responded. 'I've been trying to live it down for years!'

'Does your brother feel as you do?'

'No. He enjoys his title. It works wonders at impressing the girls.'

'Are you close to him?' asked Matt.

'Yes. Being orphaned when we were young has drawn us together.'

'I envy you. I was an only child, so I had no one to confide in.'

'I don't confide in Tom,' she said. 'It's usually the other way around. Although he's two years older than me, I'm the one he's leaned on. I suppose I'm partly to blame because I've allowed it and so have my aunt and uncle. He can charm the bubbles out of a glass of champagne when he chooses.'

'And you have enough effervescence to put them back again!'

She was pleased by the unusual compliment. 'What a nice thing to say!'

'I could say a lot of other nice things,' he assured her.

'I'm more interested in hearing about you.'

'I've already told you my life story.'

'Then tell me how you see your future?'

'As more of the same.'.

'And definitely no marriage?'

'Definitely.' The answer was firm and the look on his face told her that he was not talking for effect but because he meant it.

'Am I boring you?' he asked.

She was startled. 'Why?'

'Because you just gave a deep sigh.'