The Other Brother

by Jessica Steele

  He was frowning when he raised his eyes to hers. 'Well, let's hope you're not too exhausted to put your back into it today,' he said sourly.

  'That's not fair! she flew back at him. 'When have I ever not done my job properly? Even after that. . .' She came to a full stop, biting her lip at what she had been going to say.

  Then she found Nate knew anyway. For, his expression changing, he came up to her. 'Even after that time when you were hurt so badly you spent the night weeping,' he said gently, doing nothing to stiffen her resistance to his tone by bringing up a warm hand to cup the side of her face. 'It was an unfair remark, Kathryn—forgive me. But. . .'

  Suddenly the door opened, and they both turned, her action moving Nate's hand from her as unhurriedly he let it drop to his side.

  'Mr Kingersby!' she exclaimed, and had to forget her

  own feelings, gladness surging up as she saw a tanned and much fitter looking George Kingersby standing there.

  'Can't leave the place alone, can you?' Nate was saying to his uncle, going over and shaking him warmly by the hand. 'When did you get back?'

  'Yesterday,' said George. 'I just thought I'd pop in to see if everything was going all right for the celebrations on Wednesday.' And while Kathryn was wondering how she had ever thought her face would be one that would be missing when the firm celebrated its fifty years of existence on Wednesday, he turned to her and said, 'The new chairman treating you all right, eh?'

  Which left her fumbling to find an answer while wondering if he had seen the way Nate's hand had been against her cheek. 'I—I'm glad to see you,' she said, and left it at that, not looking at Nate as George beamed, then went through to the other room with Nate, the door closing for the first time since George had vacated that office.

  Had she not seen George again, the thoughts she had had of avoiding the celebrations would she was sure have been acted upon: there would be so many people there she wouldn't be missed anyway, her thoughts had gone. But seeing him again, remembering the happy way he had beamed at her, she felt an unwanted weakening; and had to wonder, then, would George of whom she had grown fond, be terribly offended if he did happen to notice her absence?

  Quietly she got on with some work, her watch ticking up that he had been in with Nate for over an hour. Of course they would have a lot to discuss. Business mainly, and George would want to tell Nate all about his holiday.

  She was on the point of wondering if she should have some coffee sent in to them or alternatively would Nate ring through and ask for some if he wanted it, when the door opened and they both came out, Nate courteously escorting his uncle through her office. She looked up as George came

  near to her desk, a warm natural smile for him on her lips.

  But her smile faded when she saw how George was looking at her. She wondered for a moment if Nate had possibly told him she was the worst secretary he had ever had. For George's eyes were so troubled, she just knew something had been said about her.

  Then, 'Kathryn my dear,' the old man said, 'what can I say? What can I do to make it up to you?'

  'Make it up . . .?' She had no idea what he was talking about.

  'Nate has just finished telling me the reason why you broke off your engagement to Rex,' he said sorrowfully.

  'He did what!' she exclaimed, her eyes flying indignantly to Nate. 'How could you?' she asked him, seeing from the unrepentant look of him that he could, easily.

  But George was speaking again, telling her, 'Had Nate bothered to have a word with me on the subject first, although there wasn't time for us to discuss anything but business before I went, I could have told him I'd learned enough about you to know you wouldn't have hurt Rex unless there was some exceptionally good reason.'

  'Oh, Mr Kingersby!' she exclaimed, her heart full that he should think so well of her—and was then flabbergasted to find that that wasn't all Nate had acquainted his uncle with.

  'Nate has also told me of the diabolical way he planned to make you pay for Rex still being in hospital.'

  Scarlet covered every part of her. She could no longer look at George. She wouldn't look at Nate. That he could have told his uncle what had happened between them—! An insurmountable feeling of having been betrayed yet again threatened to have her crumbling.

  'Will you forgive us for what we've done to you?' George asked.

  And Kathryn was so taken aback that he should take his

  family's guilt on his shoulders, that she just had to try and get a grip on herself. Especially when she recalled that George was the only one of them—remembering the way Tim and Jeremy had both cut her; not counting Nate's treachery—who had any sort of faith that she wouldn't have hurt Rex without cause.

  'There's nothing to forgive you for,' she said, raising her eyes to look at him, 'honesdy.'

  He smiled as though he wanted to believe it. 'You will come to the celebrations on Wednesday, won't you?' he asked, seeming to know her better than she had thought.

  'Wouldn't miss it,' she said, knowing now that she couldn't and trying to sound cheerful.

  George didn't stay long after he had her confirmation, and Kathryn waited only until Nate had come away from the door after seeing his uncle through it and closing it, before she was rounding on him:

  'How could you! How could you tell him about—about us?' she raged.

  'If you're referring to the fact that we spent a night together,' Nate lost no time in bringing out into the open what was mortifying her, 'then stop worrying . . .'

  'Stop worrying?' she burst in. 'Don't you have the least idea . . .'

  'For God's sake,' Nate interrupted her, angry himself as he said, 'what the hell do you think I am.'

  'You mean you don't know? she fired oitterly, and saw he had taken a hold of his anger when, his voice calmer, he said:

  'I told him about Rex purelybecause I wanted everyone in my family to know how entirely blameless you are. I told him what I'd planned for you because I don't consider I should be painted white either . . .'

  'Well, I hope it makes you feel better, because . . .' she tried to get in.

  'But I did not tell him about that night we shared because .. .'

  'Because grey you didn't mind being painted, but black in your family's eyes was too . . .'

  'Dammit, Kathryn,' he blazed, his hold on his temper gone, 'I don't care who the hell knows what a swine I was! But I respect your feelings too much to have everyone knowing . . .'

  'How easily seduceable I am?' she jumped in.

  She saw then that he had had enough, that he looked ready to explode. She saw from the way his jaw was working that he was striving for control. Then as if he knew that in the same office with her he didn't stand a chance of retrieving his short temper, he wheeled about and marched to his own office, banging the door tight shut before she could draw another breath.

  A mood of hostility hung in the air for the rest of that day and all the following day, lingering over into Wednesday. But since Kathryn was now familiar with the way he worked, she had little reason to go in to see him. And from what she could make out he didn't want to see her more than he had to. For he no longer called her in to help him with anything, preferring to get through anything that needed checking on his own. So that apart from sitting in his office to take dictation it was about the only time she ventured in there. But it was on that Wednesday just as she was getting ready to go home that Nate came up to her.

  'How are you getting to the hotel tonight?' he asked abruptly.

  'I'm going in my car.'

  'You've had it fixed?'

  'The garage can't take it until Monday—it's having a new dynamo . . .'

  'I'll take you,' he stated, just as though it was settled. 'No, you won't,' she came back promptly.

  'It will be dark when you drive home. If your dynamo's on the blink it could let you down any time.'

  'In that case I'll take a taxi,' she snapped, and didn't wait for him to blast her eardrums with some 'Dammit, woman, how are you goi
ng to get a taxi at that time of night?' remark.

  She was rather pleased with her appearance, as thoughts she couldn't do anything about had her having a second look in her mirror before she left. Would Nate think she looked good in her wine-coloured silk with its snug fit? she couldn't stop from thinking—then felt suddenly angry with herself. What did she care what he thought?

  There were many people at the hotel where the celebrations were being held whom she did not know, but also a good many whom, if not exactly knowing their names, she had a nodding acquaintance with. She entered the large ballroom, buffet tables laid all down one side, and stood in the doorway for a moment deciding where she would go.

  But to her great surprise, and before she could make any movement to go to her left, Tim Kingersby, who only last week would have cut her dead had he had the chance, had appeared from nowhere and was blocking her path.

  'We're all mixing in tonight after the speeches,' he said. 'But I would be more than pleased, Kathryn, if you would come and sit with us at the Kingersby table until we all start circulating.'

  Finding she was made of sterner stuff than to take delight in cutting him in return, which she had to admit was tempting, Kathryn found herself replying, 'Thank you, Tim,' and refusing politely, 'But I've arranged to sit with one of the other secretaries.'

  She knew then as Tim departed, and before she could move two steps Jeremy Kingersby came up to her with the same request, that word had got round the family about the way she had come upon Rex with Maxine Vernon.

  She gave Jeremy the same answer she had given Tim. And it was not because she was piqued with the whole lot of them that she did so, but simply because she knew that wherever he was now, probably behind the scenes somewhere with George and his wife Dora, that very shortly Nate would be joining the Kingersby table. She looked round for any of the secretaries she knew and saw an empty chair by one of them.

  Her sights in that direction, she was half way there, then felt a hand on her arm halting her. She had no need to look to see who it was; instinct had told her it was Nate before she looked up and met the grimness of his blue eyes.

  'I've just received a deputation in the shape of two cousins who tell me you've disdained to sit with us,' he told her, not wasting his time on being agreeable, the only pleasantness about him being the curve of his mouth, purely she knew for the sake of anyone watching.

  She allowed her own lips to curve, her eyes as cold as his. 'So,' she said, determined to show him she didn't care a hoot, that his hand on her arm didn't affect her in the slightest, 'what else is new?'

  The curve left his mouth briefly as his eyes glinted. Then he was in control again, remembering they were standing where they could be observed. 'This,' he said, his voice arctic now for all the curve was back. 'I'm not asking you to join us, Kathryn, I'm telling you . . .'

  'You're telling me . . .?' she started to retort, but found that this wasn't an occasion when Nate was going to let her have her say in any argument.

  'I'm telling you,' he gritted quietly, 'that unless you want to upset my uncle by keeping up this unforgiving attitude, unless you want to put a blight on this evening he's looked forward to for a very long while, then if you're anything at all like the sensitive person I know you to be, you'll come with me now.'

  He knew how to get to her, didn't he? she thought, the smell of defeat already being breathed in. Nate knew full well that by suggesting that his uncle would be upset he had pulled the rug of choice from under her feet.

  'Your uncle might not want me to . . .' she tried futilely.

  'He'll be very hurt if you don't.'

  Quietly she gave in. 'Very well,' she said—and soon saw, the second he had got his way, how the hard look left Nate, and how that pretence of a smile changed into a genuine one.

  But she couldn't deny the thrill she felt at crossing the room with his hand firmly clasping her elbow, nor the pleasure that went through her when, as if one, all the Kingersby men, Adrian on a flying visit with his pretty wife, still pleasantly plump after having her baby, Paul over from France, Jeremy and Tim, all stood up as they neared.

  'Sit by me,' said Paul at once, he of them all having the most blatant roving eye, and pulling out a chair for her when Nate let go of her arm.

  Never having expected to enjoy the evening, as everyone assembled, drinks passed round and the speeches began, Kathryn began to unwind and realise that if she let herself she could have a very agreeable time in the hours before she drove herself home.

  Tim, Paul, Jeremy and Adrian all got up to make a short speech, and then it was Nate's turn. And she thought he looked so wonderful standing there, making his audience laugh with some witticism pertaining to their industry, that she had frequentiy to look away just in case of the remote possibility that someone was looking at her, not at him, and would see the love she had for him in her face.

  The reference she expected him to make regarding the one member of the board who was not present came in the shape of Nate saying how well his brother was doing, and how before the year was out he would be back with them

  as fit as he had been before his accident.

  She was truly glad Rex was getting on so well, that he would be back at work by the end of the year, but was saddened for a moment as she wondered where she would he by that time. Then she had to lift herself, for Nate had handed over to George, who looked across at their table and smiled as he spotted her, his eyes travelling on to his wife, before he started.

  Once the speeches were out of the way hilarity broke out, as George wanted. The dance band hired for the evening began to play, and George and his wife did one circuit before coming off the floor and going over to talk to people. A few brave souls sauntered to the buffet first and soon everyone appeared to be all arms and elbows going for the food. But no one else seemed to want to take the floor until someone else got up to dance.

  'Can I get you something, Kathryn?'

  Nate's voice had her looking to see that somehow, when only a minute before Paul had been seated next to her, it was Nate who now occupied that chair.

  'Not for the moment,' she replied, conscious how his eyes were on her face, on her dress.

  'In that case, shall we dance?' And as if suspecting she was about to refuse, 'Someone has to show the way.'

  She didn't want to be in his arms; she knew herself too vulnerable to his touch. But hearing it put like that, Nate including her in the duties the Kingersbys had to perform to make the evening a success, she got to her feet.

  It was heaven, as she knew it would be. Nate was a good dancer, but it would have been the same had he not been. For moments neither of them spoke. Kathryn was trying all she could to concentrate on the beat of the music, trying not to lose herself in this short time of having Nate's arm around her, his hand holding hers.

  Other couples began to come on to the floor and she felt

  Nate's arm tighten, draw her that little bit closer, and assumed he was guiding her away from a collision. But glancing about she saw that no one else was near, there was still plenty of room on the floor. She looked up then, and met a warm look head-on.

  'How beautiful you are,' he murmured.

  Her throat felt choked. His words seemed as sincere as his look. 'Thank you,' she said, and felt breathless. Then she had to force herself to remember that there had been other times when he had looked and sounded sincere.

  'Can you, just for tonight, forget your low opinion of me?' Nate asked, executing a neat corner, his hold on her slackening not at all as he looked into her eyes.

  Her heart pounding, Kathryn felt she should say, 'Why should I?' but just then she was having difficulty in remembering why it was she had a low opinion of him, or indeed, if her opinion of him was low.

  'I—wouldn't want to do anything that would upset your uncle, tonight of all nights,' she compromised—and hoped, since she could no longer be sure of the effect Nate was having on her, that she wouldn't involuntarily be sending a smile winging his w
ay at some unguarded moment during the evening, that if that happened he would believe she was doing her best not to let hostility show purely for George's sake.

  Her remark seemed to be enough to satisfy Nate, although he was unsmiling as he drew her that fraction closer, causing her to hope he wouldn't ask her to dance, again. Though she wondered how she could wish to deny herself when the music drew to a close and his head came forward to the cap of her hair, a moment when his arm gripped before he released his hold and stood back to thank her before escorting her back to their table.

  She met up with him again in a Paul Jones, and couldn't help but laugh up at him when he outsmarted another man

  when it looked as though he would claim her when the music stopped, the other man being the nearer of the two.

  'Enjoying yourself?' he enquired, looking as though he was.

  'I'm having a lovely time,' she said, because just then she couldn't be anything other than truthful.

  Her answer had pleased him, she saw that in the smile that lit his eyes, warmed his mouth. And then the music had changed and they were separated again.

  Kathryn continued to have a good time. She danced with all the Kingersby men in turn, even George got up with her to execute a version of the tango she was sure he had invented on the spot.

  But it was as the band leader announced the last waltz that she caught Nate looking at her as though he was going to claim this dance as his, and panic set in. He would hold her close again, the lights would dim, and—and her resistance to him weakened and she had the most dreadful feeling she would again be making a fool of herself.

  Nate stood up. And so did she. 'There's bound to be a fearful rush for coats,' she said to anyone who might be interested. 'I think I'll go now before the queue starts.' And without waiting for anyone to reply, she picked up her evening purse and was making for the cloakroom.

  The queue had already started she discovered when she got there. So that by the time she had claimed her wrap, exchanged a remark here and there with some of her colleagues, it wasto find the Kingersbys en masse in the foyer saying goodnight to people as they left.