that's all.' 'But isn't
there anyone you'd like to be there?' 'No.' The reply was clipped
and definite. 'And you?' She was hesitant. T should tell Uncle
Martin. He's been my guardian ever since my parents died.' 'Tell
him then.' His eyes challenged her. 'Or are you afraid that he'll
forbid the banns?' 'No.' She shook her head, although she didn't
really know what Uncle Martin's reaction would be. He'd told her
since childhood that she would always have a home with him,
almost as if he expected her to be doomed to everlasting
spinsterhood. And perhaps he did at that, because she was
certainly no match for Celia in looks. But the situation was out
of her hands, because when she telephoned the house, Mrs Fraser
told her that Mr Caswell was abroad on a marketing trip, and
unlikely to be back before the end of the month. The usual faint
curtness in her tone did not encourage Laura to confide in her.
So by the time her uncle returned, the marriage was a fait
accompli, and her wedding ring no longer felt alien on her hand.
She rang him at the works to tell him the news, and ask if she
could bring Jason down for the weekend to meet him. Her words
were greeted initially by a stunned silence, and then with an
explosion of rage. 'Married?' His voice stormed at her. 'Married?
You must be out of your mind. Who is this fellow?' She said
quietly, 'The man I love. Uncle Martin— please beJiappy for
me.' There had been another long silence, then he'd muttered an
ungracious assent to their visit and rung off, leaving Laura
mystified, and more than a little troubled. She tried to comfort
herself that the sight of her obvious happiness would mollify
him. But it hadn't turned out like that at all. In fact the visit
had been pretty much of a disaster from start to finish. Jason
and her uncle had descended from cool civility to a wary
antagonism, until Laura felt like the buffer state between two
nations preparing to declare war.
She was bewildered by their reaction to each other. Alone with
Jason in their room, she tried tentatively to justify her uncle's
reactions. 'He's always been so good to me, so generous,' she
told him unhappily. 'Getting married like this—he must feel as
if I've slapped him in the face.' Jason Was sitting on the edge
of the bed, unbuttoning his shirt. He gave her a wry look.
'So—you think if we'd waited, asked his permission, had the
ceremony in the local church with him to give you away—that
would have made all the difference?' 'It might,' she said. He
shook his head, shrugging off his shirt. As always, the sight of
his lean body turned her mouth dry with excitement. 'You're
fooling yourself, my darling. There's no way I could ever be an
acceptable husband in your uncle's eyes, for all kinds of
reasons.' After lunch on Sunday when Jason had gone for a walk,
she found out what some of those reasons were. 'He's no good,'
her uncle had said brutally as they faced each other.' He's a
down-at-heel artist with an eye to the main chance, and in you
he's got a meal ticket for life. That's all you'll ever be to
him, Laura. I'm surprised your own commonsense didn't tell you
that.' She said fiercely, 'It's not true. You have no right to
say that.' ' I have every right, my dear.' He looked older
suddenly. 'I'm very fond of you, Laura. I've always tried to do
my best for you. Your marriage has been a shock—a blow and I
won't deny-it. Why you've admitted yourself that you know nothing
about him— his family, his background, and these things matter,
although you may not think so.' He paused. 'Naturally, he's aware
that you receive an income from the company under your father's
will.' ' I told him, yes, but it isn't really important. Jason is
going to be a success in his own right. His paintings sell.' She
tried to smile. 'You make him sound like a fortune hunter, and me
like some nineteenth-century heiress.' 'Joke about it as much as
you
there anyone you'd like to be there?' 'No.' The reply was clipped
and definite. 'And you?' She was hesitant. T should tell Uncle
Martin. He's been my guardian ever since my parents died.' 'Tell
him then.' His eyes challenged her. 'Or are you afraid that he'll
forbid the banns?' 'No.' She shook her head, although she didn't
really know what Uncle Martin's reaction would be. He'd told her
since childhood that she would always have a home with him,
almost as if he expected her to be doomed to everlasting
spinsterhood. And perhaps he did at that, because she was
certainly no match for Celia in looks. But the situation was out
of her hands, because when she telephoned the house, Mrs Fraser
told her that Mr Caswell was abroad on a marketing trip, and
unlikely to be back before the end of the month. The usual faint
curtness in her tone did not encourage Laura to confide in her.
So by the time her uncle returned, the marriage was a fait
accompli, and her wedding ring no longer felt alien on her hand.
She rang him at the works to tell him the news, and ask if she
could bring Jason down for the weekend to meet him. Her words
were greeted initially by a stunned silence, and then with an
explosion of rage. 'Married?' His voice stormed at her. 'Married?
You must be out of your mind. Who is this fellow?' She said
quietly, 'The man I love. Uncle Martin— please beJiappy for
me.' There had been another long silence, then he'd muttered an
ungracious assent to their visit and rung off, leaving Laura
mystified, and more than a little troubled. She tried to comfort
herself that the sight of her obvious happiness would mollify
him. But it hadn't turned out like that at all. In fact the visit
had been pretty much of a disaster from start to finish. Jason
and her uncle had descended from cool civility to a wary
antagonism, until Laura felt like the buffer state between two
nations preparing to declare war.
She was bewildered by their reaction to each other. Alone with
Jason in their room, she tried tentatively to justify her uncle's
reactions. 'He's always been so good to me, so generous,' she
told him unhappily. 'Getting married like this—he must feel as
if I've slapped him in the face.' Jason Was sitting on the edge
of the bed, unbuttoning his shirt. He gave her a wry look.
'So—you think if we'd waited, asked his permission, had the
ceremony in the local church with him to give you away—that
would have made all the difference?' 'It might,' she said. He
shook his head, shrugging off his shirt. As always, the sight of
his lean body turned her mouth dry with excitement. 'You're
fooling yourself, my darling. There's no way I could ever be an
acceptable husband in your uncle's eyes, for all kinds of
reasons.' After lunch on Sunday when Jason had gone for a walk,
she found out what some of those reasons were. 'He's no good,'
her uncle had said brutally as they faced each other.' He's a
down-at-heel artist with an eye to the main chance, and in you
he's got a meal ticket for life. That's all you'll ever be to
him, Laura. I'm surprised your own commonsense didn't tell you
that.' She said fiercely, 'It's not true. You have no right to
say that.' ' I have every right, my dear.' He looked older
suddenly. 'I'm very fond of you, Laura. I've always tried to do
my best for you. Your marriage has been a shock—a blow and I
won't deny-it. Why you've admitted yourself that you know nothing
about him— his family, his background, and these things matter,
although you may not think so.' He paused. 'Naturally, he's aware
that you receive an income from the company under your father's
will.' ' I told him, yes, but it isn't really important. Jason is
going to be a success in his own right. His paintings sell.' She
tried to smile. 'You make him sound like a fortune hunter, and me
like some nineteenth-century heiress.' 'Joke about it as much as
you
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