A suitable husband

by Steele, Jessica

  'Edwina doesn't have a job—when she's well?' he enquired.

  'Edwina—we—that is...' Lukas silently waited, and Jermaine started to wish she had told him she wasn't hungry and that she didn't require feeding. But too late now to wish, as well, that she had told him to take her back to her flat. 'At—er—one time... That is, my father didn't want either Edwina or me to do anything—er—work-wise, in particular. Um, we used to be quite... Well, we had money and...' She broke off. This was ridiculous! 'No,' she said bluntly, 'Edwina doesn't have a job.' Oh, heck, that didn't sound very good for Edwina. 'She's looking for the right opportunity,' she added, and looked straight into a pair of steady grey eyes... And you're it, she almost told him.

  And could have hit him when he contributed, 'And meanwhile she has time on her hand in which to snaffle your men-friends?'

  'Snaffle?' Jermaine repeated indignantly, not thanking him for referring to something which stung more because of Edwina's utterly disloyal trait than the fact that Ash had defected.

  'Ash was your boyfriend first,' Lukas documented, when Jermaine refused to answer his question. 'Which explains why you were, naturally, reluctant to go down to Highfield to look after your sister.'

  For the pure joy of letting him know just how wrong he'd got it, Jermaine was very much tempted to tell him that the reason she hadn't wanted to go to Highfield was because she had known full well that Edwina didn't need 'looking after'. That in fact there was absolutely nothing wrong with Edwina—other than that she'd got the master of the house in her sights. But, while Edwina had no qualms about being disloyal, Jermaine knew that she couldn't be the same. So she said nothing, but just glared stubbornly at him.

  That was until, quite quietly, but, oh, so seriously, Lukas asked, 'Are you in love with my brother?'

  Jermaine stared at him, and was quite dumbstruck to find an answer to his most unexpected question. 'Is that what this evening is all about?' she questioned tautly when she had her breath back. 'You looking after your brother's interests?'

  It was Lukas's turn to stare at her, but he wasn't giving up on his question, she found, when he replied, 'I think Ash is quite big enough to look after himself. Are you?'

  'Big enough to look after myself?' She had no intention of playing the game his way.

  Lukas kept his gaze steady on her. 'Are you in love with him?' he insisted.

  'He's a very nice person,' she prevaricated.

  'Which means you're not in love with him,' Lukas decided; in Jermaine's view he was much too clever with his summing up. Though he was way off course, she realised, when he further reckoned, 'I've been stupid. Ash didn't prefer your sister over you—you were the one to do the honours.'

  Was Lukas upset that she might have thrown his loved brother over? Jermaine didn't see how he could be. Not since he must have realised it hadn't taken Ash any time at all to turn his affections elsewhere.

  'Strange as it may seem,' Jermaine replied loftily, 'you got it right the first time.'

  'Ash told you on your last date...?'

  She'd had enough. 'I don't want to talk about it,' she butted in bluntly.

  'You're hurt! I'm...'

  Jermaine shaking her head caused him to break off. 'Edwina's welcome,' she said and, determined to end this conversation, she glanced at his newly arrived main course and remarked, 'Your Beef Wellington looks better than my fricassee of chicken,' and had the shock of her life when, without more ado, Lukas swopped plates with her.

  She went to protest, but instead burst out laughing, and, to her surprise, the mood immediately lightened. Lukas laughed too. And—she fell in love with him.

  'Bon appetit'he grinned, and her heart thundered.

  'Likewise,' she said, and concentrated fiercely on her Beef Wellington, that or go to pieces. She couldn't love him, she barely liked him sometimes, but—love him she knew that she did. 'When are you going away again?' she asked, after some seconds of desperately searching for a safe topic.

  'I've only just got back!' he protested

  'I know.' She risked glancing up, her heart raced again. 'But Ash said—' or she'd thought he'd said—her brain seemed to be having an off few minutes '—that you were always jetting off somewhere.'

  Lukas smiled, his grey eyes did too, and her heart flipped. 'So—I fly off again on Monday,' he said, and asked, 'What will you be doing while I'm away?'

  'Nothing very much, I don't suppose,' she answered, and glanced from him to realise how feeble that sounded. She injected a little stiffening into her enfeebled backbone. Though, of course that depends how long you'll be away?'

  The soonest I can possibly make it back is Christmas Eve,' Lukas replied, and, because she wanted to hear regret in his voice, she actually thought she heard it when he said that he'd be out of the country all that while—with no earthly chance of getting back to take her to another art gallery.

  Get real! 'Ooh, I'll be doing more than nothing very much in all that time,' she laughed.

  'Such as?'

  She looked at him again, looked into his interested eyes, and went momentarily brain-dead again for some seconds. Grief, it sounded pathetic, but the only outing she'd got planned was the firm's dinner.

  'Well, among other things,' she who hadn't wanted to lie to him lied cheerfully, 'there's the company's Christmas dinner next Wednesday...'

  'You're taking a partner?'

  Thank you, Stuart, wonderful Stuart. 'You almost met him,' she replied prettily.

  'Stuart?'

  Good heavens, he'd remembered Stuart's name? Though, on thinking about it, it wasn't that difficult a name to remember, and she had a sort of idea that Lukas forgot very little of anything.

  'The same,' she replied.

  'Are you serious with him?' he wanted to know, and, when Jermaine just sat and looked at him, 'Of course you're not,' he decided.

  'Oh?' she questioned, not sure she cared for his calculations, even if they were accurate.

  'While I can see that you owe Ash no allegiance whatsoever, I just don't see you as someone who'd be serious with one man and be out dining with another.'

  He was right there, but she didn't thank him for it. Or, rather, she said, 'Thanks!' But didn't mean it.

  'Now what have I said?' he teased.

  'Add your last comment to a previous one of ''nice", and it all adds up to "dull"' she answered sniffily—and, even if she did love him, could have thumped him when he laughed.

  'You dull? Never!' he decreed. 'You're beautiful and charming, and far too spirited to ever be anything so mediocre as dull.'

  Her heart fluttered—beautiful and charming? Oh, my word! 'What are you having for pudding?' she asked.

  'I'm not swapping this time,' he threatened, and she laughed. Her world righted itself and the next half an hour just flew by as they talked and smiled, talked and laughed, and generally struck companionable sparks off each other.

  They lingered over coffee and, because of her newly discovered love for him and the need she had just to be with him, Jermaine could have lingered the night away with him. But because of that love, and a pride that said he should never know about it—though the way she was laughing or smiling at his smallest quip he might soon guess—she knew she had to put a stop to the evening.

  'I've had a splendid time tonight,' she hinted.

  She didn't have to say more. All too soon Lukas was guiding her from the building, starting up his car—and pulling up near her door.

  She thanked him. The art gallery was super.'

  'Especially the Boy With A Barrow,' Lukas ribbed her as he escorted her to the outer door of where she lived.

  'It was rather a special picture. Well, I thought so anyway,' she added defensively.

  'And you're quite right,' he agreed, taking her keys from her and inserting one in the door-lock.

  She wanted to invite him up. She didn't want the evening to end. Lord kne
w when, if ever, she would see him again. Surely it wouldn't hurt to invite him up for coffee? Pride, girl, pride. Do you really want him to see, as surely he will if you don't get your act together, exactly how you feel about him?

  'We've just had coffee, so you won't want another,' she said as she turned to face him.

  He laughed. 'You're wonderful,' he said.

  'Now what did I do?'

  'At the risk of sounding immodest, most women can't wait to get me inside to give me a cup of coffee.'

  Oh, she did love him. She laughed too. 'Have a safe trip,' she bade him.

  He took a step back and gazed at her, then, to her astonishment and joy, he asked, 'I don't suppose you'd consider coming up to Highfield tomorrow?'

  He wanted her to go down to his home? Her heart thundered. She could see him again tomorrow. 'Er...' She murmured only slightly, not wanting to miss this quite unexpected but fantastic opportunity.

  'I wouldn't ask, but unfortunately Edwina isn't sufficiently well to make her own bed yet—a back injury can be the very devil—and with you there to help, it would give Mrs Dobson a bit of a break,' Lukas explained.

  Jermaine's heartbeat evened out. Idiot, idiot! You thought he was inviting you, personally. Oh, Jermaine, you fool!

  'What do you say?' he pressed.

  'What can a girl say?' Jermaine returned lightly.

  She saw him smile, and she forgot totally about Edwina when Lukas further invited, 'And you'll stay the weekend?'

  'Oh, I don't know about that,' she hedged, even while everything inside her screamed to accept. But, having hedged, she felt honour-bound to follow through with, 'I need to be back here on Sunday evening.'

  'So you'll stay until after lunch on Sunday? Good,' he said, before she could get the words out to confirm. 'And you'll drive down in the morning?'

  I'll come with you right now, her wayward heart cried. 'I'll come as soon as I can,' she answered soberly, and, grabbing at a moment of sanity, opened the door. 'Goodnight,' she smiled.

  But as she went to move away so Lukas took a step closer, and as her heart began to race, so he took her into his arms. She was barely breathing when his head came down, and while the racing of her heart picked up yet more urgent speed Lukas gathered her closer, and gently, lingeringly, and without hurry, he kissed her.

  'Goodnight, Jermaine,' he murmured softly, and let her go.

  Blindly she turned from him and floated on auto-pilot up to her small apartment. She had been kissed before, and with more passion. But never had she been kissed so wonderfully, so beautifully, so—oh, his sensational mouth—so sensationally, and—by the man she loved.

  CHAPTER SIX

  Jermaine lay awake for hours just thinking of Lukas. She supposed she must have slept at some stage, but she awoke early and he filled her head again, and she was once more enthralled as she remembered his magical kiss

  She was no more certain this morning quite why Lukas had invited her to go with him to the art gallery in the first place—not forgetting he had taken her to dinner afterwards. Yet she smiled as she thought—it hadn't been because he had been let down by any female named Beverley. Her smile became a grin. Lukas had known jolly well that she'd thought Beverley had been a female of the species.

  Jermaine fell to pondering again why Lukas had asked her out. It couldn't have been purely to persuade her to go up to Highfield today to give Mrs Dobson some help. He could have done that when he'd called on Wednesday.

  So why had he asked her out? Could it be— her heart started to beat energetically—that for all they had got off to a 'spikey' start, Lukas had come to like her a little?

  Oh, she did hope so. Liking wasn't love, of course, but... Suddenly her heartbeat slowed down to a dull pattern. Grief, woman, have you forgotten? Edwina is in his home! Why would any man waste time with you when Edwina's around?

  Stop that, do, Jermaine ordered, only then reaHsing more fully how much Ash's defection in favour of her sister's charms had shaken her confidence. Jermaine decided there and then that Lukas had asked her out for no other reason than he did like her. Must do. Edwina was in his home, for goodness' sake! He hadn't been rushing back to her, had he? And, don't forget, he hadn't made a dash to get home as soon as he could after his Swedish trip, had he?

  For a moment or two Jermaine dwelt on the blissful pleasure of realising that, when Lukas had known Edwina before he had known her, it was the younger Hargreaves sister he had chosen to spend time with. Did that signify, or did it not, that Lukas preferred her to Edwina?

  Jermaine's bliss was short-lived when she recalled that for all she knew Lukas might think that Ash was in love with Edwina. While it was said that all was fair in love and war, Jermaine could not help but know that Lukas

  looked out for his younger brother. That being so, wouldn't Lukas perhaps deny his own inclinations and deliberately keep away from Edwina's charms—even if he did desire a closer liaison with her?

  With her thoughts in more of a tangle than ever, Jermaine got out of bed, musing that the only thing she knew for sure was that while she had been strong enough to deny Lukas a cup of coffee last night, she had not been strong enough to deny herself the chance of seeing him, of perhaps spending some time with him today.

  It was a little after eleven o'clock when, endeavouring not to be too eager while at the same time telling herself that the sooner she got to Highfield the sooner she would be able to give Mrs Dobson some assistance, Jermaine drove her car through the gates of Highfield.

  An emotional tide of warm colour rushed to her face when, obviously on his way out for a walk or something of that nature, she saw Lukas step out onto the drive. Memory of his wonderful kiss swamped her.

  He glanced down the drive and saw her and paused, waiting for her to pull up next to him. Jermaine was outwardly under control by the time he was opening the driver's door.

  Tm glad you're here,' he greeted her, and ridiculously, because she was sure he didn't mean anything by it, her heart leapt. He retrieved her overnight bag from the rear of the car. 'You're in the same room as last time,' he informed her pleasantly, and walked with her back inside the house.

  Jermaine found her voice. 'Don't let me stop you from what you were doing.'

  'Come down as soon as you've dropped off your bag. I'll get some coffee sorted,' he answered.

  Was he going to have a cup of coffee with her? She felt all fluttery again at just the thought: the two of them, Lukas and her. 'I'll make it,' she determined. 'I'm not here to be waited on, and Mrs Dobson has enough to...'

  'Mrs Dobson has Tina here to help her this weekend,' Lukas interrupted, stopping her dead, mid-flow.

  'Tina?'

  'Sharon's sister,' Lukas explained.

  'Sharon—who helps Mrs Dobson during the week?' Jermaine remembered.

  'Apart from the other Friday when Sharon's little boy was unwell,' he agreed.

  Jermaine went to go on, but as she quickly realised that Tina's help must have been arranged in his absence, so Jermaine also very quickly realised that if Tina was there to assist Mrs Dobson today and tomorrow there was no reason at all for her being there. She stopped stock-still at the bottom of the staircase.

  'You should have phoned me,' she protested. Oh, no, she was going to have to go back to London—and she didn't want to part from him, not yet.

  'While it's always a delight to hear your voice, Jermaine, why did you want me to phone?' Lukas enquired, and Jermaine stared at him wide eyed.

  'Why, to tell me not to come. With Mrs Dobson having all the help she requires, there's no need for me to be here,' she replied, promptly adding, 'I'll go.'

  Lukas looked astounded. 'No, you won't!' he stated categorically, no ifs or buts about it.

  'I won't? Why won't I?' Embarrassment that she was here at all under the circumstances made her voice short.

  'Because...' he began to answer just as shortly, but
then paused. Paused, and smiled, and said winningly, 'Because you type reports so absolutely accurately.'

  Jermaine blinked, but a moment later was inwardly smiling. 'You rogue,' she admonished him nicely. 'You've a meeting before you fly off on Monday and you want your report on your Swedish trip typed and ready before then.'

  He looked steadily at her, and then, making her tingle all over, he stroked a sensitive finger down her cheek—every bit as if he couldn't resist touching her. 'Say you will,' he coaxed.

  She was seduced by him, seduced by his charm—and that was without the added bonus of being able to spend some time alone with him in his study. What could she do? 'Well, if you put it like that,' she replied sedately, joy just to be with him bursting in her heart.

  'I'll rustle up that coffee,' he said decisively, and Jermaine again floated up a staircase.

  Fearing her mood of high euphoria might be dampened if she saw Edwina, Jermaine sailed straight by her sister's door at the top of the stairs and went straight on to the room she had used that last time she had been at Highfield. She would look in on Edwina later.

  It took Jermaine but a few minutes to unpack her overnight bag. But she took another couple of minutes in which she checked her appearance. Normally she wouldn't have bothered, but if Lukas was going to join her for coffee, and she rather thought he was, she needed the confidence-boost of knowing that she looked all right.

  The mirror confirmed that her pale complexion was flawless, that her platinum-blonde hair needed no attention—she ran a comb through it just the same—and that the small amount of make-up she had used looked all right.