Marriage On The Agenda. Lee Wilkinson

      ‘He rang up about twenty minutes ago to apologise for his absence and say he was sorry not to have come down as planned.’

      ‘Does Dad know?’

      Isobel shook her head. ‘Your father went straight out after breakfast. He’s with Reynolds, checking on reported storm damage to some of the cottages on the estate.’

      ‘When you talked to Mark, did he tell you what had happened last night?’ Loris asked cautiously.

      ‘Apparently Alan Gresham’s daughter suddenly felt unwell, and because no taxi was immediately available, he offered to drive her home…’

      Catching Jonathan’s eye, Loris saw a kind of amused contempt there.

      ‘As your father and I had already left, it’s just as well that Mark was on hand to do duty as a host.’

      Judging by Isobel’s insouciance, she hadn’t the faintest idea that Alan Gresham’s daughter and ‘that blonde creature’ were one and the same.

      ‘He said he’d get hold of you and, if conditions allowed, possibly bring you down in time for lunch. He seemed very surprised when I told him you were already here…’

      I bet he did, Loris thought cynically.

      ‘The whole thing, it seems, was a misunderstanding. He couldn’t find you to tell you what was happening, and then when he got back to the hotel you were nowhere to be seen and almost everyone had gone. He thought that, because of the weather, you must have made up your mind to go straight home instead of coming down here.’

      Obviously wondering if they’d had a quarrel, her mother asked, ‘What made you decide to come without him?’

      ‘My flat was occupied.’

      ‘Occupied?’

      ‘I’ve lent it to Judy and Paul for last night and tonight.’

      ‘Even so—’

      ‘They’re on their honeymoon.’

      ‘Oh. Still, it’s worked out quite well. Or rather will have done when Mark gets here.’

      ‘I thought you said he might not be coming?’

      ‘He seemed doubtful at first, but as soon as he knew you were here he said he was definitely going to try to get down.’

      Loris found herself hoping fervently that he wouldn’t succeed. The situation would be quite bad enough when her father discovered what had happened, without Mark’s presence adding to the problems.

      ‘Though I don’t know what his chances are…’

      ‘If he stays on the main road as far as Harefield, and then takes Dewy Lane, which runs along higher ground, he might manage to get through,’ Jonathan said with a cheerful optimism that grated on Loris’s frayed nerves.

      Vexedly, she wondered why he sounded so laid-back, so unconcerned at the prospect of the other man arriving?

      Probably he imagined she would keep quiet about what had happened the previous night. And if things had been different, unwilling to broadcast her shame, she no doubt would have done. But what he didn’t know, so had failed to take into account, was the unfortunate meeting with her father.

      Once Mark and her father had talked, the fat would be in the fire. As well as being furious with her, both men would be out for Jonathan’s blood, and there was bound to be trouble.

      Plainly surprised, Isobel was saying, ‘It sounds as if you know this part of the world well?’

      ‘I do.’

      ‘Then you haven’t always lived in the States?’