Читать книгу Beyond Compare - Пенни Джордан, PENNY JORDAN - Страница 8

‘ANDREW! HOW LOVELY… Oh, and Polly, isn’t it?’ Rosamund’s mother said, in a voice far cooler than the one she had welcomed Drew with.

‘Holly, actually, Marsha,’ Drew corrected her calmly.

Somehow or other he had taken told of her hand, Holly discovered, and he was now drawing her forward, and tucking her against his side as though she was as precious and delicate as rare porcelain.

It was a comforting feeling, having the warm bulk of him there next to her; it gave her the confidence to return Marsha Jensen’s critical stare.

‘What a very unusual dress,’ the older woman commented. ‘Of course, we’re rather out of touch with London fashions.’

‘Holly’s wearing it especially for me. She knows I love her in red.’

Holly was stunned. She stared at Drew, wondering if she had heard him correctly. When had he got the sophisticated confidence to pay such compliments, and in such a lazily drawling voice that her arms had come out in a rash of goosebumps… or was that because she could see Howard and Rosamund coming toward them? Yes, of course it was.

‘Drew, darling!’ Rosamund cooed, leaving her new fiancé’s side to wrap thin white arms round Drew’s neck and to pull his head down so that she could kiss his mouth.

It was a very long kiss. A kiss which made Holly feel acutely uncomfortable and burningly angry on Drew’s behalf. How dared Rosamund torment him like that, reminding him of what had once been?

Howard had no such embrace for her. He acknowledged her with a warm smile, though, his eyebrows lifting slightly as he studied her dress.

‘Red, Holly?’ he said teasingly. ‘You know it isn’t your colour.’

‘On the contrary, I think it suits her,’ Drew contradicted him flatly. ‘And since she’s wearing it for me, and not for you…’

‘Good heavens, Drew darling, what on earth are you trying to say?’ Rosamund interrupted with an acid look at Holly, but before Drew could say a word Jane and Guy joined them, Jane hugging Rosamund and congratulating Howard, and then stepping back to say excitedly, ‘Rosamund, you’ve been keeping me in the dark. You wrote to tell me about you and Howard, but you never said a word about Drew and Holly.’

‘Drew and Holly?’

The sharpness in Rosamund’s voice made it carry, and several other people looked over to them, curious to know what was going on. Everyone went silent, and Holly felt as though the whole room was staring at them. Instinctively she nestled closer to Drew’s side, welcoming the protective comfort of his arm around her.

To her relief, Drew broke the expectant silence, saying calmly, ‘We weren’t going to say anything yet. We didn’t want to spoil your thunder, did we, darling?’

Darling? Holly gulped and looked up at him, and for a moment was so dazzled by the look in his eyes that she could hardly even think, never mind articulate any thoughts.

‘I see. So you’ll be up here permanently from now on, will you, Holly?’ Rosamund questioned coldly. ‘Where will you be staying? Your parents’ house still has tenants, doesn’t it?’

‘She’s staying at the farm with me,’ Drew announced quietly.

Now they really did have everyone’s attention. A dark flush of unattractive colour stained Rosamund’s face. Howard was staring at her as though he had never seen her before, Holly recognised, his eyes both accusing and angry.

‘Good heavens, Holly,’ Rosamund exclaimed brittlely, ‘how very brave of you. I’m afraid I’m a little too old-fashioned for that kind of thing, and to be honest Mummy and Daddy would go spare if I even suggested it. Aren’t you afraid that Drew will change his mind and refuse to marry you?’

To her own astonishment, Holly heard herself saying calmly, ‘The days are gone when a woman needed to barter her virginity in exchange for the sometimes doubtful security of marriage, Rosamund. I think both Drew and I know what we’re doing.’

She looked hesitantly at Drew, her eyes unconsciously pleading with him for help. He gave it promptly, dropping an unexpected kiss on her nose and saying, ‘You’re the one who’s insisting on waiting. If I had my way I’d marry you tomorrow.’