to let her go, Francesca. If she passes these examinations of hers, she'll be off to college, and you won't be able to go with her to coddle her, and give way to her every whim.'
'I don't...'
'No? Yet she has the best that money can buy, and you look as if you dress from a second-hand stall.'
She drew a quivering breath. 'How dare you?'
'I dare because it's the truth, however unpalatable.' His tone was dispassionate. 'You spend your time endlessly making up to Jenny for something that wasn't your fault in the first place. But it's time you pushed her out of the nest, and started taking care of yourself instead. Or else find someone who'll do it for you.
'But what you can't do is live her life, and make her choices for her. She has to be able to make her own mis¬takes, and you have to let her.'
She stiffened defensively. 'And what makes, you such an expert?'
'Personal experience,' Miles said drily. `I can remember stretching parental tolerance to the limits, and Steffie was even worse. Jenny isn't the first girl to find an unsuitable boyfriend. I presume he's one of the stumbling blocks.'
'She met him at a disco on St Patrick's Night, and she's kept quiet about him all this time. And it's not even one of her fellow students. He's a garage mechanic, called Zak.'
'So, he can afford to take her to places like The White Hart. That will be part of the attraction, of course. And the fact that you'd disapprove, as you've just demonstrated, which makes him forbidden fruit, and all the sweeter.' He shrugged. 'All perfectly normal, so far.'
She said, `I thought Jenny and I had a different relation¬ship.'
'She's striking out for herself,' he said. 'And giving you the opportunity to do the same.' He paused. 'How did she take our engagement?'
'Not well.'
His mouth twisted. 'Hardly a surprise either. But maybe my absence will help there, too. Give her a chance to ac¬custom herself. Let you build a few bridges.'
She said, 'But your sister's coming to visit.'
`I haven't forgotten. In fact, I shall be bringing her back with me.'
She followed him into the hall, feeling oddly lost. 'Is there anything special you'd like me to cook?'
`I leave it to your good judgment. But don't work too hard. Take a break, and relax a little. Regard it as a bonus,' he added drily. He paused. 'You don't have to cook on Saturday night, by the way. Your friend Lady Markham rang just now, and asked us up to the Court.' He sent her a brief, taut smile. 'Something for you to look forward to.'
'Oh,' she said. And: 'Yes.'
'I should be back about mid-afternoon on Friday,' he went on. 'But I don't foresee any problems during my ab¬sence.'
Except, she thought bleakly, that I really don't want you to go. And that scares me.
She stood at the top of the steps, watching him drive away, then turned slowly and went back into the house.
Emptiness closed round her. And silence.
She thought, I'm just so used to him being here. He's become part of everything I do. And now he's gone.
And realised she wanted very badly to burst into tears.
CHAPTER SIX
Chessie sat on the bottom stair, arms wrapped tightly round her body as she struggled to regain control of her emotions. She was frightened and bewildered. Unable to make sense of her own reactions.
But the simple truth was that watching Miles drive off had been like a wound in the heart. Something she could neither understand nor explain.
When Alastair had left, she had cried into her pillow, but it had never occurred to her to swallow her pride and beg him to stay. Yet that was what she'd been tempted to do only minutes before.
I'd have pleaded with him, she thought, astonished, if it would have done any good.
He had kissed her until she'd melted in his arms, bought her a ring, and walked away from her, and she was at a loss to explain any of it. Especially her own sense of des¬olation now that he'd gone.
He'd offered her space, and now she was standing in the middle of a vast and echoing
'I don't...'
'No? Yet she has the best that money can buy, and you look as if you dress from a second-hand stall.'
She drew a quivering breath. 'How dare you?'
'I dare because it's the truth, however unpalatable.' His tone was dispassionate. 'You spend your time endlessly making up to Jenny for something that wasn't your fault in the first place. But it's time you pushed her out of the nest, and started taking care of yourself instead. Or else find someone who'll do it for you.
'But what you can't do is live her life, and make her choices for her. She has to be able to make her own mis¬takes, and you have to let her.'
She stiffened defensively. 'And what makes, you such an expert?'
'Personal experience,' Miles said drily. `I can remember stretching parental tolerance to the limits, and Steffie was even worse. Jenny isn't the first girl to find an unsuitable boyfriend. I presume he's one of the stumbling blocks.'
'She met him at a disco on St Patrick's Night, and she's kept quiet about him all this time. And it's not even one of her fellow students. He's a garage mechanic, called Zak.'
'So, he can afford to take her to places like The White Hart. That will be part of the attraction, of course. And the fact that you'd disapprove, as you've just demonstrated, which makes him forbidden fruit, and all the sweeter.' He shrugged. 'All perfectly normal, so far.'
She said, `I thought Jenny and I had a different relation¬ship.'
'She's striking out for herself,' he said. 'And giving you the opportunity to do the same.' He paused. 'How did she take our engagement?'
'Not well.'
His mouth twisted. 'Hardly a surprise either. But maybe my absence will help there, too. Give her a chance to ac¬custom herself. Let you build a few bridges.'
She said, 'But your sister's coming to visit.'
`I haven't forgotten. In fact, I shall be bringing her back with me.'
She followed him into the hall, feeling oddly lost. 'Is there anything special you'd like me to cook?'
`I leave it to your good judgment. But don't work too hard. Take a break, and relax a little. Regard it as a bonus,' he added drily. He paused. 'You don't have to cook on Saturday night, by the way. Your friend Lady Markham rang just now, and asked us up to the Court.' He sent her a brief, taut smile. 'Something for you to look forward to.'
'Oh,' she said. And: 'Yes.'
'I should be back about mid-afternoon on Friday,' he went on. 'But I don't foresee any problems during my ab¬sence.'
Except, she thought bleakly, that I really don't want you to go. And that scares me.
She stood at the top of the steps, watching him drive away, then turned slowly and went back into the house.
Emptiness closed round her. And silence.
She thought, I'm just so used to him being here. He's become part of everything I do. And now he's gone.
And realised she wanted very badly to burst into tears.
CHAPTER SIX
Chessie sat on the bottom stair, arms wrapped tightly round her body as she struggled to regain control of her emotions. She was frightened and bewildered. Unable to make sense of her own reactions.
But the simple truth was that watching Miles drive off had been like a wound in the heart. Something she could neither understand nor explain.
When Alastair had left, she had cried into her pillow, but it had never occurred to her to swallow her pride and beg him to stay. Yet that was what she'd been tempted to do only minutes before.
I'd have pleaded with him, she thought, astonished, if it would have done any good.
He had kissed her until she'd melted in his arms, bought her a ring, and walked away from her, and she was at a loss to explain any of it. Especially her own sense of des¬olation now that he'd gone.
He'd offered her space, and now she was standing in the middle of a vast and echoing
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