Mistress at a Price by Sara Craven Page A

for a girlie chat? And I was scared she just wanted to have another go about my father.

    She felt infinitely depressed, but managed to summon a smile. ‘ If that ’ s really what you want, ’ she said quietly, ‘ I wish you every happiness. ’

    Vanessa stretched a manicured hand across the table and laid it on Cat ’ s. ‘ And I wish the same for you, dearest. ’ Her voice was oddly gentle. She paused. ‘ Just don ’ t take as long as I ’ ve done to find it. ’

    Cat looked down at her plate. ‘ I ’ m perfectly content with my life, Ma. ’ And in twenty-four hours ’ time I could be on the edge of bliss , she added, silently and exultantly.

    But less than twenty-four hours later much of her exhilaration had evaporated as she searched despairingly through her wardrobe, trying to find something which would look good without seeming as if she was trying too hard.

    Eventually she decided on a cream georgette skirt, cut on the bias, with a matching jersey top, short-sleeved and round-necked, and a plain jacket the colour of sapphire. She put gold studs in her ears, and a tiny sapphire pendant in the shape of a star nestled at the base of her throat. She wore her favourite pale rose lipstick, and her nails were varnished in a similar shade.

    She drew a deep breath as she looked at herself in the bedroom mirror.

    ‘ You ’ ll do, ’ she said aloud.

    It would have been far more cool to arrive late, she knew, but her taxi delivered her at Mignonette punctual to the second.

    She paid off the driver and walked slowly into the restaurant.

    She saw him at once, standing at the bar with a drink in his hand, and this time her eyes did not deceive her. He was wearing casual dark grey pants, and an open necked shirt that was almost silver. His jacket was slung across one shoulder. He was talking to the barman, and not looking at the door, so she could feast her eyes on him as greedily as she wished.

    For a moment she indulged herself to the hilt, then started towards him, her stomach churning and a tight knot of excitement in her chest.

    ‘ Cat — you came. ’ A man ’ s voice intruded into her happy dream. Someone stood blocking her way. ‘ I was so afraid you ’ d turn me down. ’

    Dazed, Cat focused on him, her brows snapping together as recognition followed.

    Oh, God, she thought. It ’ s Tony, the best man.

    ‘ This is just so great. ’ He was smiling happily, oblivious to her sudden pallor as shock and disappointment kicked in. ‘ Have you been here before? One of the guys at work recommended it. Our table ’ s ready, so we may as well go in, ’ he added eagerly. ‘ We can have a drink while we ’ re ordering. Better than standing at the bar. ’

    But then , anything was better than standing at this bar .

    ‘ Yes. ’ It didn ’ t even sound like her voice. ‘ Yes, of course. ’

    As she followed him, putting one foot somehow in front of the other, like a mechanical doll, she risked one swift glance at Liam.

    He had turned, probably to see what all the excitement was about, as Tony had not lowered his voice. The world shrank suddenly to enclose them in some echoing void, and their eyes met in one stunned, coruscating flash.

    I thought it was you. She wanted to shout the words aloud in her despair. It should have been you.

    But she said nothing, making herself look straight ahead, her silence drowning Tony ’ s chatter.

    Then they were moving under the archway into the restaurant, but Cat could still feel Liam ’ s gaze burning into her back every step of the way, until, at last, she was safely out of his range of vision.

    CHAPTER SIX

    ‘ DID you like the flowers? ’ asked Tony.

    Cat, who ’ d been sitting gazing unseeingly at the menu, started. ‘ Thank you — they were amazing. ’ She thought of the long stiff stalks, and the still tightly furled, scentless crimson buds. ‘ But why didn ’ t you sign the card? ’

    ‘ Cheryl was always complaining I wasn ’ t