Deceived

Debra was staring at her, her brows drawn together, her teeth gnawing at her bottom lip. Then the music started again and she moved off with Hugh, laughing, chatting with apparent animation, hostess mask back in place.

Jon appeared at Lydie’s side. ‘What an enjoyable evening.’ His speech was slightly slurred. ‘All quiet on the united front.’

‘Oh, shut up.’ Lydie smiled through gritted teeth.

‘Come and dance with me while you can still stand.’

‘Is this permitted in the Th-Thornshaugh book of etiquette?’ he asked plaintively. ‘Brother and sister cavorting?’

‘You’d better start reading survival manuals instead,’ Lydie muttered. ‘We all had.’

‘Depends how badly you want to survive.’ Jon peered round the marquee. ‘I saw yet another old friend earlier putting on a brave face. Remember Nadine Winton?’

‘Vividly,’ Lydie said with a snap. ‘I thought she was married and living in Surrey now.’

‘Divorced, apparently, and back with the spoils of war, if the emeralds she’s wearing are anything to go by.’ He paused. ‘Wasn’t she walking out with Marius once upon a time?’

‘Very much so,’ Lydie agreed levelly.

‘Maybe he can be persuaded to have another crack at her. Take his mind off his work. Give me time to sort out a few things.’

‘Oh, God.’ Lydie’s heart sank. ‘What sort of things?’

Jon shrugged. ‘A few minor cock-ups. Nothing serious.’

‘I hope not.’ She touched the tip of her tongue to her lips. ‘Jon, he’s gunning for you already—’

‘May I cut in?’ enquired the jovial voice of the rural dean, and Lydie forced a smiling acquiescence.

And after that the party developed into a medley of faces and a blur of voices and laughter to which she made herself respond.

At one point, through the throng, she saw Marius dancing with the former Nadine Winton, a lusciously curved brunette.

Dear God, she thought, I used to be so jealous of her.

She watched Nadine smile up at him, sliding her hands up to his shoulders, the matching bracelets on her tanned wrists winking green fire, and realised, as pain stabbed through her, that nothing had changed. That seeing Marius with another woman still had the power to rip her apart.

Oh, dear God, no, it can’t be true, she thought desperately. Then, more forcefully, I won’t allow it to be true.

Hugh found her during the supper interval. ‘I haven’t been able to get near you all night,’ he grumbled good-naturedly.

‘Proves it’s a good party.’ She slid her arm through his, drawing it against her breast. My lifeline, she thought, her emotions churning. My saviour.

‘Can I have your attention, everyone?’ Debra was up on the bandstand, projecting charm. They say all good things come in threes. So far tonight we’ve had my husband’s birthday—and Marius’s homecoming. Now I understand there’s going to be an announcement which will bring me—’ her face was misty ‘—the greatest personal happiness.’ She turned, reaching out both hands, all radiant spontaneity. ‘Hugh, my dear, and Lydie, darling child, would you come up here?’

Lydie seemed to be staring at her mother’s silver-clad figure down the wrong end of a telescope. She blinked, trying to get her into focus, to control her whirling thoughts.

‘You don’t mind, do you, sweetheart?’ Hugh was whispering urgently. ‘This was her idea, actually. I’d planned something a bit more private.’

Lydie found herself being propelled forward towards the bandstand.

Hugh was going to propose to her, she thought, dry-mouthed, in front of all these people. There’d be no going back after this. But why should she want to go back anyway? She’d be safe with Hugh.... And safety—a refuge—was what she wanted—needed above all else.

She saw Jon smiling at her, lifting a wavering glass, his face conveying a blurred irony. And Austin, beside him, clutching a forbidden cigar, his face oddly set.

. Saw Marius, standing as if he’d been chipped out of stone from the nearby moors, his eyes grey ice. Saw, as everyone else seemed to recede into some hazy distance, his lips move. Heard the silent words above the laughter and approving applause.

‘Madonna Lily.’

She tore her hand free from Hugh’s. Her voice was hoarse. ‘I—I can’t, you see.’ She stared up at him wildly, willing him to understand. ‘I thought I could—I wanted to Please—please believe that...’

Her voice cracked, and she turned and ran, the stunned onlookers parting like the Red Sea, back to the uncertain peace of the house.

CHAPTER FOUR

THE party had been over for hours. From the window-seat in her room Lydie had heard the goodnights being called and watched the headlights departing. Now the house was quiet and in darkness.

She couldn’t go to bed. She was too restless—too on edge. She’d started to undress, then abandoned the idea, throwing a robe over her teddy instead.

She’d half expected an irate visit from her mother, but presumably Debra had decided that it was too late for confrontations and was saving herself for a major scene in the morning.

Lydie shivered slightly. She’d brought it on herself. There were no excuses she could proffer, no apologies she could make.