chance like this. If she did end up getting home later than promised, then so be it. At least he’d not suggested a stronger drink.
‘That would be nice,’ she said in an accent she hoped sounded as refined as his. The next minute she felt her hand being threaded through the crook of his elbow, and he was already hailing a taxi.
It was a wonderful end to a wonderful evening. In a small restaurant they drank real coffee she found quite palatable, poured from an elegant bone china coffee pot with milk from a matching jug, and sugar cubes in a bowl complete with silver sugar tongs. But she had refused supper, feeling too tensed up to eat. Trying to be on her best behaviour never went with eating. She might have made a mess of it, and that would be unthinkable.
She watched as he smoked a fragrant cigarette taken from a gold case. She declined the one offered her, never having smoked, but sat lapping up his words as he told her about himself.
‘My folk are horsy people. My father breeds ’em – thoroughbreds, hunters. They enjoy point to point. Flat racing finds them well to the fore, and of course steeplechase. My father is a great betting man. He knows form like the back of his hand – makes a pile, I believe.’
Eveline decided to say nothing about her grandfather as a betting man and continued to listen as Laurence went on. ‘They enjoy socialising. My mother’s quite a beauty, and a wonderful hostess. They’ve a large circle of friends, mostly horse people like themselves. I don’t care much for the brutes myself, I much prefer town life.’
He had such a breezy and carefree air, and was so well-mannered. After the boys she knew, rough-tongued and cocksure, he was a breath of fresh air. Even the elegance of this small restaurant with its comforting tinkle of china and low hum of conversation was different to what she was used to.
Her heart going pit-a-pat, she prayed he’d ask to see her again. But as he saw her to a taxi, giving its driver money in advance plus a sizeable tip, he said, ‘I shan’t see you home but you’ll be safe enough in a taxi.’
Then as she made to get in, he grasped her waist and drew her to him, kissing her full on the mouth. Nothing tender about it, a hungry kiss and it frightened her. Taken by surprise she pulled away.
‘I’m not that sort of girl!’ she gasped, instantly feeling that she might have misinterpreted his actions. What she should have said was that she’d known him for too short a while for them to kiss but it was too late. His lips had grown tight as he leaned forward and jerked open the taxi door for her. The taxi driver was looking straight ahead. He’d seen this all before, and that alone made Eveline feel she was being taken by him to be
that sort of girl.
For a moment or two Laurence stood looking at her, his hand on the open door. Perhaps he
had
been anticipating something more once inside the taxi but she would never know.
‘I won’t be at your meetings for a while,’ he said, making her heart sink despite the fright he’d given her. ‘My cousin will not be in London for quite some time and won’t need me as a chaperone. I’m staying with my people for a week or two then off to Nice seeing a few friends there.’
A sudden grin took her off guard. It was as if those few moments before had never taken place. ‘When I’m back in London I could take you to the south coast one Sunday. Have you been to Brighton?’
‘No,’ she said, awed but happy again, and deeply relieved. Despite all, her heart told her she did want to see him again. ‘I’ve never even been to the seaside, ever.’
He was smiling. ‘Then that’s where we’ll go.’ This time his hand was gentle as he helped her into the taxi, standing back and closing the door.
It didn’t matter if she was a bit late home. With all that had happened to her this evening she was ready to meet a scolding from her mother but it was her dad who was waiting up for her.
‘What
‘That would be nice,’ she said in an accent she hoped sounded as refined as his. The next minute she felt her hand being threaded through the crook of his elbow, and he was already hailing a taxi.
It was a wonderful end to a wonderful evening. In a small restaurant they drank real coffee she found quite palatable, poured from an elegant bone china coffee pot with milk from a matching jug, and sugar cubes in a bowl complete with silver sugar tongs. But she had refused supper, feeling too tensed up to eat. Trying to be on her best behaviour never went with eating. She might have made a mess of it, and that would be unthinkable.
She watched as he smoked a fragrant cigarette taken from a gold case. She declined the one offered her, never having smoked, but sat lapping up his words as he told her about himself.
‘My folk are horsy people. My father breeds ’em – thoroughbreds, hunters. They enjoy point to point. Flat racing finds them well to the fore, and of course steeplechase. My father is a great betting man. He knows form like the back of his hand – makes a pile, I believe.’
Eveline decided to say nothing about her grandfather as a betting man and continued to listen as Laurence went on. ‘They enjoy socialising. My mother’s quite a beauty, and a wonderful hostess. They’ve a large circle of friends, mostly horse people like themselves. I don’t care much for the brutes myself, I much prefer town life.’
He had such a breezy and carefree air, and was so well-mannered. After the boys she knew, rough-tongued and cocksure, he was a breath of fresh air. Even the elegance of this small restaurant with its comforting tinkle of china and low hum of conversation was different to what she was used to.
Her heart going pit-a-pat, she prayed he’d ask to see her again. But as he saw her to a taxi, giving its driver money in advance plus a sizeable tip, he said, ‘I shan’t see you home but you’ll be safe enough in a taxi.’
Then as she made to get in, he grasped her waist and drew her to him, kissing her full on the mouth. Nothing tender about it, a hungry kiss and it frightened her. Taken by surprise she pulled away.
‘I’m not that sort of girl!’ she gasped, instantly feeling that she might have misinterpreted his actions. What she should have said was that she’d known him for too short a while for them to kiss but it was too late. His lips had grown tight as he leaned forward and jerked open the taxi door for her. The taxi driver was looking straight ahead. He’d seen this all before, and that alone made Eveline feel she was being taken by him to be
that sort of girl.
For a moment or two Laurence stood looking at her, his hand on the open door. Perhaps he
had
been anticipating something more once inside the taxi but she would never know.
‘I won’t be at your meetings for a while,’ he said, making her heart sink despite the fright he’d given her. ‘My cousin will not be in London for quite some time and won’t need me as a chaperone. I’m staying with my people for a week or two then off to Nice seeing a few friends there.’
A sudden grin took her off guard. It was as if those few moments before had never taken place. ‘When I’m back in London I could take you to the south coast one Sunday. Have you been to Brighton?’
‘No,’ she said, awed but happy again, and deeply relieved. Despite all, her heart told her she did want to see him again. ‘I’ve never even been to the seaside, ever.’
He was smiling. ‘Then that’s where we’ll go.’ This time his hand was gentle as he helped her into the taxi, standing back and closing the door.
It didn’t matter if she was a bit late home. With all that had happened to her this evening she was ready to meet a scolding from her mother but it was her dad who was waiting up for her.
‘What
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