her aunt arrived with the coffee she was saved the need of having to parry any further comments from either of them. Conversation became general and it was not noticeable that Ashley played very little part in it. She was content to sit in her chair and drink her coffee and remain silent, absorbed as she was with her own thoughts.
ASHLEY was almost asleep when Karen came noisily into the bedroom and switched on her bedside lamp.
‘Ashley?’ she hissed in a stage whisper. ‘Are you awake?’
Ashley sighed. She had thought that for once Karen would see that her eyes were closed and not disturb her, but she should have known better. Rolling on to her back, shading her eyes with her arm, she said: ‘Do you realise it’s almost half past eleven, Karen? I’m tired. What do you want?’
Karen gave an apologetic smile. ‘Sorry, love. I really thought you were awake.’
‘I was,’ admitted Ashley. ‘What is it?’
‘I just wanted to talk to you,’ exclaimed Karen, beginning to get undressed. ‘Guess what? Frank’s got a new car!’
Ashley raised her eyes towards the bedroom ceiling. ‘Super! Is that all?’
‘Don’t you want to know what it is?’ Karen sounded disappointed.
Ashley gave a resigned gesture. ‘All right. What is it?’
‘It’s a Triumph Spitfire. A gorgeous little sports car, and can it move! We went for a run in it this evening, and it was thrilling—really thrilling!’
Ashley blinked. ‘Great. Have you just got back?’
‘Well, I’ve just got in,’ replied Karen insinuatively. ‘We got back about half an hour ago.’
‘Fine.’ Ashley rolled on to her side again. ‘Can I go to sleep now?’
‘I suppose so.’ Karen plumped down on to the side of her bed to take her tights off. ‘What did you do this evening?’
‘Nothing much.’ Ashley’s voice was muffled.
‘Exciting!’ Karen was sarcastic. ‘Honestly, Ash, don’t you ever get sick of staying in all the time? I mean, I’m sure Frank could fix you up with a blind date——’
‘No, thanks!’ Ashley turned so quickly that she pulled the blankets out of the side of the bed, and mumbled irritably as she pushed them in again. ‘I don’t need Frank Coulter to get dates for me. I’m perfectly capable of choosing my own boy-friends.’
Karen pulled on her pyjamas. ‘So why don’t you have any?’
‘I do have friends,’ protested Ashley.
‘But you don’t go out with them—at least, not alone anyway.’
Ashley sighed again. ‘Look, you live your life and I’ll live mine.’
‘I just want you to have a little fun, that’s all.’ Karen climbed into bed. Propping herself on one elbow, she studied her cousin critically. ‘You should, you know. You’re very attractive.’
‘Thank you.’ Ashley wished she would hurry up and turn out the light.
‘Don’t you want to get married?’
‘Oh, Karen, honestly!’ Ashley had to smile. ‘I don’t want to get married for years yet! I’m not eighteen even. I intend to wait until I’m—oh, I don’t know—perhaps thirty, before I tie myself down with a home and children——’
‘You’re forgetting the most important part.’
‘What’s that?’ Ashley frowned.
‘A husband, of course. Or were you planning to have children and bring them up yourself?’
‘Don’t talk rubbish!’ Ashley wrinkled her nose. ‘You know what I mean. Besides, I may never get married.’
‘No. That’s true.’ Karen flopped back and folded her arms behind her head. ‘But I want to. I’ve never been particularly interested in a career.’
Ashley nodded. ‘And do you think this—association with Frank is serious?’
Karen shrugged. ‘I don’t know. Sometimes I think so, and then he does something or says something and—well, I wonder.’ She drew the covers up to her chin, tipping her head on one side to look at her cousin. ‘Mum said that Mark brought Jake Seton home with him this evening.’
Ashley was glad of the rose-shaded lamp to hide her colouring. ‘Yes, that’s right, he did.’
Karen rolled on to her side, facing her. ‘What did you think of him?’
‘Who? Jake Seton?’
‘Who else?’ Karen’s tone was dry.
‘I—er—he seemed very nice——’
‘Nice!’ Karen gasped. ‘Love, a man like Jake Seton could never be described as—nice!’
‘Why? Isn’t he?’
Karen gave an exasperated snort. ‘Ashley! If you mean is he charming—intelligent, friendly, even, then—yes. I suppose in those terms, he is—nice. But that wasn’t what I meant. Didn’t you think he was attractive? Oh, I know he’s a lot older than you, but even so …’
Ashley hunched her shoulders under the bedcovers. ‘Yes, I suppose he is,’ she admitted reluctantly. A slight smile touched her lips. ‘Why don’t you marry him if you find him so devastating?’
Karen grimaced. ‘Chance would be a fine thing! Heavens, you don’t suppose I’d be bothering with someone like Frank if I seriously thought I stood any chance with Jake Seton, do you?’
‘You can’t love Frank, then,’ declared Ashley forcefully. ‘Or you wouldn’t be interested in anyone else.’
‘Yes, but the Setons are something else,’ exclaimed Karen defensively. ‘I mean, they really are different. It’s only that Jake and Mark have known one another since they were at school together, and Jake is always so friendly to Mum and Dad that makes him seem approachable somehow. The rest of the family aren’t like him. Oh, they’re friendly enough, I suppose, but in a different way—a less personal way, if you know what I mean. They’re sort of—oh, you know—aloof—lords of the manor—that sort of thing. They know everyone, of course. They speak to everyone. But you’re always conscious of the gulf between them and us—it’s a social barrier somehow.’
Ashley was intrigued now in spite of her tiredness. ‘And you say—Jake Seton went to the same school as Mark?’
‘Only for a short time,’ answered Karen, rubbing her nose thoughtfully. ‘Jake’s a couple of years older than Mark, but he did attend the County Infants for three years before going on to prep school. I don’t know how they became friends, but they did—and it’s stuck—which says a lot for Jake, actually. I don’t think his family approve. So far as they’re concerned, this is one of the local pubs, and if Jake comes here they put it down to the alcohol on the premises, not the company.’
‘And—and Jake is a son of Mark’s employer, is that right?’
‘Not a son, love, the son! He has two sisters, but no brothers. Sir James Seton is his father. I suppose Jake will inherit the title one day. His name is James, really, but he’s always been called Jake to avoid confusion.’
‘I see.’ Ashley digested this. ‘I’m surprised he’s not married.’
‘He will be soon.’ Karen’s mouth turned down at the corners. ‘The social occasion of the year is planned for the last week in June.’
Ashley