that's what you want?' His tone was dispassionate.
She put down the dissected nectarine and wiped her ringers on her napkin, staring at him.
'What on earth do you mean?'
He shrugged. 'I was thinking of your earlier comment—about everything changing.
Perhaps the consequences might not altogether please you.'
'Nonsense,' Kate said roundly. 'I want Louie to be happy, that's all. Where's the harm in
that?"
Ryan helped himself to another handful of grapes, his expression enigmatic. 'No harm at
all. Anyway, we'll go round on Saturday and wave Neil off into oblivion. Let's lose no
time about it.'
Kate hesitated. 'I understand that there isn't much to lose—before you go off to
Yorkshire.'
His brows lifted appreciatively. 'The girl detective strikes again. Although I was planning
to tell you this evening, anyway.'
'Tell me,' she said slowly. 'Not—ask me. Ask if I minded.'
Ryan shrugged. 'You lead such a busy life, darling. I didn't think you'd even notice my
absence.' He paused. 'Besides, a short time apart could even be therapeutic. Give us both
some space—some thinking time.'
Kate felt as if she'd been touched by an icy hand.
'Is that what you want?'
'I think it's what we both need.' His face was closed. She could not read his expression, or
guess his ultimate intentions.
Why do you want space? she cried out silently. When we're already a thousand miles
apart? And what do you need time to consider?
She wanted to ask if he was going alone, but her courage failed her.
Instead: 'Was this why you cooked the meal?' she enquired with forced lightness. 'To
keep me sweet when the blow fell?'
Ryan shrugged again. 'Perhaps I'm just worried about your sudden loss of appetite,' he
countered.
'A hangover from lunchtime,' she said. 'It's difficult to eat with one's foot wedged firmly
in one's mouth.' She paused. 'Ryan—you won't say anything to Louie, will you? I mean
about her lover. I don't think she meant to tell me.'
'I won't say a word,' he said lightly. 'Now sit down, and I'll bring you some coffee.'
'Such service.' She flashed him a smile. 'Maybe you should go away more often.'
His own grin was oblique. 'Maybe I will.'
He turned and went into the kitchen. Kate watched him go, aware that her heart was
thudding, and that the ground seemed suddenly to be sliding away from under her feet.
Had he just issued a warning? she wondered. Was he telling her their marriage, too, was
virtually finished? That his own life held a secret love, too? A love he could no longer
resist?
She took a deep, steadying breath. Whatever Ryan might or might not mean, it seemed
that, for the immediate future, he intended life to go on as usual.
And that's what I must do, she thought. Take things one day at a time. However
impossible that is.
She got to her feet, and went to the phone.
'Louie?' she said lightly. 'We'll be delighted to have dinner on Saturday. Looking forward
to it.'
Kate drew the brush through her hair, and allowed the shining strands to curve gently
forwards around her face.
She had taken great care with her appearance for tonight's dinner party. As she'd had a
free day, she'd booked herself in at a beauty salon for a top-to-toe pampering, including a
body massage with aromatherapy oil.
The ideal thing for stress, she told herself. And it was undoubtedly tension which had
caused the continuing bouts of nausea which had gone on plaguing her this week. Well,
they couldn't be allowed to go on any more. She needed to be on top form, physically and
mentally, if she was to convince Ryan that their marriage was worth saving.
After her gaffe over Penny Barnes, she'd made a valiant attempt to convince herself that
her suspicions and fears were totally unfounded, and that the anonymous letter had been a
piece of casual spite from some sad person with no life of their own.
And, on the surface, things appeared normal. She and Ryan shared a roof and, edgily, a
bed, met briefly at breakfast and
She put down the dissected nectarine and wiped her ringers on her napkin, staring at him.
'What on earth do you mean?'
He shrugged. 'I was thinking of your earlier comment—about everything changing.
Perhaps the consequences might not altogether please you.'
'Nonsense,' Kate said roundly. 'I want Louie to be happy, that's all. Where's the harm in
that?"
Ryan helped himself to another handful of grapes, his expression enigmatic. 'No harm at
all. Anyway, we'll go round on Saturday and wave Neil off into oblivion. Let's lose no
time about it.'
Kate hesitated. 'I understand that there isn't much to lose—before you go off to
Yorkshire.'
His brows lifted appreciatively. 'The girl detective strikes again. Although I was planning
to tell you this evening, anyway.'
'Tell me,' she said slowly. 'Not—ask me. Ask if I minded.'
Ryan shrugged. 'You lead such a busy life, darling. I didn't think you'd even notice my
absence.' He paused. 'Besides, a short time apart could even be therapeutic. Give us both
some space—some thinking time.'
Kate felt as if she'd been touched by an icy hand.
'Is that what you want?'
'I think it's what we both need.' His face was closed. She could not read his expression, or
guess his ultimate intentions.
Why do you want space? she cried out silently. When we're already a thousand miles
apart? And what do you need time to consider?
She wanted to ask if he was going alone, but her courage failed her.
Instead: 'Was this why you cooked the meal?' she enquired with forced lightness. 'To
keep me sweet when the blow fell?'
Ryan shrugged again. 'Perhaps I'm just worried about your sudden loss of appetite,' he
countered.
'A hangover from lunchtime,' she said. 'It's difficult to eat with one's foot wedged firmly
in one's mouth.' She paused. 'Ryan—you won't say anything to Louie, will you? I mean
about her lover. I don't think she meant to tell me.'
'I won't say a word,' he said lightly. 'Now sit down, and I'll bring you some coffee.'
'Such service.' She flashed him a smile. 'Maybe you should go away more often.'
His own grin was oblique. 'Maybe I will.'
He turned and went into the kitchen. Kate watched him go, aware that her heart was
thudding, and that the ground seemed suddenly to be sliding away from under her feet.
Had he just issued a warning? she wondered. Was he telling her their marriage, too, was
virtually finished? That his own life held a secret love, too? A love he could no longer
resist?
She took a deep, steadying breath. Whatever Ryan might or might not mean, it seemed
that, for the immediate future, he intended life to go on as usual.
And that's what I must do, she thought. Take things one day at a time. However
impossible that is.
She got to her feet, and went to the phone.
'Louie?' she said lightly. 'We'll be delighted to have dinner on Saturday. Looking forward
to it.'
Kate drew the brush through her hair, and allowed the shining strands to curve gently
forwards around her face.
She had taken great care with her appearance for tonight's dinner party. As she'd had a
free day, she'd booked herself in at a beauty salon for a top-to-toe pampering, including a
body massage with aromatherapy oil.
The ideal thing for stress, she told herself. And it was undoubtedly tension which had
caused the continuing bouts of nausea which had gone on plaguing her this week. Well,
they couldn't be allowed to go on any more. She needed to be on top form, physically and
mentally, if she was to convince Ryan that their marriage was worth saving.
After her gaffe over Penny Barnes, she'd made a valiant attempt to convince herself that
her suspicions and fears were totally unfounded, and that the anonymous letter had been a
piece of casual spite from some sad person with no life of their own.
And, on the surface, things appeared normal. She and Ryan shared a roof and, edgily, a
bed, met briefly at breakfast and
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