The Mistress of His Manor by Catherine George Page B

being. Not what I wanted to hear. I had expected Kate to take my side, and resented Jack even more when she didn’t.’ She shrugged. ‘But something good came out of all that teenage angst. I worked like a demon to get into Oxford. But in retrospect it’s pretty obvious I hooked up with Charlie there just to get at Jack.’
    March’s arm tightened. ‘But your relationship with your father must have improved if you work together now.’
    ‘It has. Though there were stormy scenes when I refused to go back to Oxford. But I knew very well that Jack loved my mother. Still does. He was so worried about this pregnancy he could hardly bear to let her out of his sight.’
    ‘I can understand that. My father felt just the same about my mother. Which,’ March added dryly, ‘was fairly rare in the circles they moved in. It scotched any ideas that Lord Arnborough had married Miss Frances March for her money.’
    ‘But she was so beautiful no one would have thought that anyway, would they?’
    He shrugged. ‘My father’s shortage of cash was well documented. But, much against Randall March’s wishes, his daughter chose a lowly baron in preference to the belted Earl dangling after her. She married for love and never regretted it.’ March turned to look at Jo. ‘Theirs was the perfect marriage.’
    ‘Even though it caused your father so much grief when your mother died?’
    ‘They had twenty-five years of happiness together first.’
    She shivered. ‘I’d rather settle for a nice, everyday kind of relationship, rather than a consuming passion which leaves you in pieces when it’s gone.’
    ‘Does your parents’ relationship embarrass you, then?’
    ‘Good heavens, no. At school I knew so many girls whose parents were divorced I thought it was romantic to have parents madly in love with each other. Though I’ve probably given you the wrong idea about Kate and Jack. They don’t crawl all over each other in public, or whatever. It’s just that having wasted so much time apart they spend every minute possible together.’
    March eyed her closely. ‘You say you resemble your grandmother, Joanna. Does that mean you look nothing at all like your mother?’
    ‘The hair’s the same, and we’re built on the same lines, but that’s it.’ Jo smiled. ‘Kitty’s the spitting image of Jack, so I hope young Tom takes after his mama to even the balance.’
    ‘You obviously love your little siblings. Would you like to have children of your own?’
    ‘One day, maybe,’ she said evasively.
    March raised an eyebrow. ‘You don’t sound enthusiastic.’
    ‘That awful endless day when Kate was in labour with Tom I got in such a state all my old resentment against Jack was revived and I cursed him for getting Kate pregnant again at her age.’ Jo’s chin lifted. ‘I got over that the minute the baby arrived safely, but the experience rather damped down my personal desire to procreate just yet.’ She smiled at him. ‘And now I’ve embarrassed you quite horribly. I do apologise.’
    March shook his head. ‘Joanna, I’m the one who’s sorry for bringing it up. But thank you for telling me your story. I was intrigued. Certain things about you didn’t add up.’
    ‘I know. That’s why I asked permission to put you in the picture.’ She smiled as they went downstairs. ‘And after all that talking I’m hungry.’
    ‘Good. Mrs Dean, my housekeeper, has left lunch ready for us in the dining room. But first I’ll show you the kitchen.’
    Daunted by the thought of lunch in that huge formal dining room, Jo eyed him in surprise. ‘Surely she doesn’t cook in that great cavern of a place I saw on the tour?’
    ‘God, no. That’s purely for show—to demonstrate the baronial lifestyle in times past. Mother turned the old scullery into a more viable kitchen during her makeover.’ He smiled. ‘I wanted to have this first time here alone with you, so I gave Mrs Dean the weekend off once she’d put everything ready this