Reform of the Rake

‘Mummy says you live in London now,’ said Emily, beaming up at Lowri. ‘Why aren’t you living with us?’

‘I’ve got a flat,’ said Lowri hastily, and Rupert snorted.

‘Fifth share of one, I hear.’

‘One girl is moving out next week, thank goodness.’ Lowri pulled a face. ‘Which means my rent will rise, but at least I’ll get a room with a wardrobe, and more chance of the bathroom.’ Her eyes narrowed suddenly at the sound of voices in the hall. One of them was vaguely familiar. She threw a questioning look at her cousin.

‘We’ve got two other guests today, love,’ explained Sarah. ‘After I met Adam Hawkridge in your shop the other afternoon he rang up and invited us out to something he calls brunch today. I told him we had company and asked him here instead, which meant including the current girlfriend, as usual.’

As Dominic showed the new guests into the conservatory Lowri got to her feet politely, wishing she’d worn something smarter than jeans and a striped cotton shirt as she shook hands with a leggy, narrow-hipped blonde encased in a ribbed white cashmere dress which drew all eyes to her startlingly prominent breasts. Adam Hawkridge, Lowri was relieved to see, wore jeans older than her own, plus a sweater over an open-necked shirt. He smiled at Lowri in gratifying recognition.

‘Well, well—the little cousin!’ He clasped her hand warmly. ‘This is my friend, Fiona Childe.’

Lowri murmured something suitable, then watched, amused, as the girl gushed over the house to Sarah, cooed at the children briefly then turned the full battery of her charms on Rupert.

‘Miss Thirty-two E, black lace,’ murmured a deep voice in Lowri’s ear, and she stiffened, swallowing a giggle.

‘Not today,’ she couldn’t help whispering. ‘It would show through.’

‘Really?’ Adam grinned down at her as he accepted a drink from Rupert. ‘How very interesting.’

‘What’s interesting?’ demanded Emily.

‘You are,’ said Adam promptly and sat down with Emily on his knee, stretching out a hand to Dominic at the same time. ‘Right then, you two, tell me what you’ve been up to.’

This man is preposterously attractive, thought Lowri as she watched him charm the children. Taken feature by feature, his heavy eyebrows and wide, slightly crooked mouth had no pretensions to good looks, and his forceful nose had suffered a dent at some time, but somehow the sum of it all added up to something irresistible. And quite apart from his looks Adam Hawkridge possessed effortless charm all the more powerful for the hint of steel under it all. Rake he might be, but a potently attractive one in every way, thought Lowri as she listened to the inanities Fiona was burbling about her hairdresser.

‘That’s a frightfully clever cut—where do you have yours done?’ she asked, eyeing Lowri’s boyish crop with interest. ‘Is the colour natural or do you have it tinted?’

‘Sloe-black, crow-black Welsh hair like Sarah’s,’ Rupert informed her.

‘There’s a man in the hair salon where I work,’ explained Lowri. ‘He did it half-price for me.’

‘You’re a hairdresser?’ exclaimed Fiona, flabbergasted.

‘No, I sell underwear.’

‘In the West End, not door to door,’ added Rupert, poker-faced.

‘How fascinating,’ said Fiona blankly, losing all interest in Lowri on the spot.

Adam Hawkridge, however, more than made up for the deficit. During the meal he installed himself next to Lowri, asking her all kinds of questions about herself in between telling Dominic and Emily about his recent trip to Japan.

‘How’s your father?’ asked Rupert later, refilling wineglasses.

‘Retiring soon,’ said Adam, sobering a little.

‘Does that mean you’ll be in charge of the company?’ asked Sarah.

‘Afraid so. All good things come to an end, so no more globe-trotting for yours truly. I’ll be a desk-bound sober citizen at last.’ He grinned challengingly. ‘Did I hear someone say “about time”?’

Fiona tossed back her hair, pouting. ‘Does that mean no more Ascot and Henley and so on?’

‘Afraid so—to the first two, anyway.’ The hazel eyes gleamed suggestively. ‘I might be able to fit in a bit of so-on now and again, perhaps.’

Fiona gave a little scream of laughter. ‘O-o-o-h, Adam!’

Sarah and Lowri sprang up simultaneously to clear away, avoiding each other’s eyes. They refused offers of help from the men, who went out into the garden with the children to play cricket, while Fiona remained firmly where she was, reclining on a wicker chaise with a pile of magazines,

‘What does he see in her?’ said Sarah in disapproval as she loaded the dishwasher.

‘Oh come on, Sal, two reasons hit you in the eye! She’s the black lace thirty-two E I sold him that day. Adam told me.’ Lowri grinned as she stored salad in a plastic container. ‘Mind you he’s got someone else on the go, too. He bought the same things in angel blush, thirty-six C.’

‘Typical! Next week he’ll probably be back for more of the same in two quite different sizes.’

‘Why do men go unfailingly for sexy underwear, I wonder? Does Rupert?’

Sarah nodded. ‘Pretty pointless, really.’

Lowri eyed her cousin curiously. ‘Why?’

‘Because the minute a man sees you decked out in that stuff he wants to take it off, of course!’

Lowri blushed to the roots of her hair.

Sarah eyed her narrowly. ‘Ah! You’ve already discovered that for yourself.’

‘Only once.’

‘Not a happy experience?’

‘No. My social life was pretty uncomplicated up to then, just enjoying dates with blokes I’d been to school with, and one or two men I’d met through my job. Then disaster struck. I got emotionally involved.’

‘What happened?’

‘Not a lot. The object of my affections forgot to mention he was married, the pig. It put me off men for a while. And since I’ve come up to London I haven’t met anyone at all.’ Lowri smiled ruefully. ‘I hoped I would, to be honest. But so far the streets of London aren’t exactly paved with eligible males eager to buy me romantic dinners.’

‘Oh, dear, oh, dear, we’ll have to do something about you,’ said Sarah, the light of battle in her eye. ‘I’ll ask Rupert—’

‘No, you won’t,’ interrupted Lowri promptly, ‘I came up to London to manage my own life, remember. Let me have a go at it for a bit on my own, please, Sal.’

Sarah patted her cheek. ‘Sorry—interfering again. Come on, let’s drag Miss Thirty-two E into the garden for some cricket.’

But Fiona refused to budge, too careful of her hairdo to set foot outside the conservatory. Sarah and Lowri left her to her magazines and went to join in some energetic fielding while the menfolk batted, bowled and kept wicket in turn.

‘How about you, Lowri?’ asked Adam, offering the bat to her. ‘Fancy your chances?’

‘I don’t mind having a try,’ she said demurely, and let him show her how to grip the handle correctly. She winked at Dominic, who grinned from ear to ear as Adam jogged down the lawn ready to deliver a nice, easy ball to the beginner. Rupert, hunkered down behind her to keep wicket, smothered a laugh as Lowri danced down the wicket to the tame delivery, smashing it away into the shrubbery with a perfect forward drive.