They arrived at the hospital without having spoken another word and Katie felt her stomach chum at the prospect ahead as Carlton parked the big car and cut the engine. He took her arm as they entered the building and she forced herself not to flinch from his touch although her nerves reacted violently to his closeness as he drew her into his side.
'A smile might help,' he said softly as they came to the door of her father's room. 'If you can't quite manage the dewy-eyed bride approach.'
She flashed him a glance of pure venom and then stitched a smile into place as he opened the door, his mouth twisted with cynical amusement.
She was amazed at how well things went—mainly due, she had to admit, to Carlton's easy mastery of the situation. David was delighted, transparently so, at their news, although there was one nasty moment when Carlton left them alone at the end of the visit.
'Katie?' Her father took her hand in his, the first time she could ever remember him voluntarily touching her. 'This is all very sudden, isn't it?'
'Dad, we're two grown adults, not a couple of teenagers,' she replied carefully. 'There's no need to wait if we're sure, is there?' She looked into the eyes of this man whom she had always loved but had remained steadfastly remote from her since the death of his wife, and forced a smile from somewhere. She hadn't really expected him to question her; she hadn't thought he would care that much.
'And you are? Sure, I mean?' he asked urgently, his pale blue eyes searching her face. 'Don't get me wrong—I like Carlton. In fact he's one of the few men I like as well as respect. When he makes a commitment to anything or anyone it's made and that's rare these days, but…' He paused, his face thoughtful. 'You're young and your heart rules your head. You aren't doing this out of some sort of misguided gratitude because Carlton helped us find a loophole, are you?'
She forced an easy laugh from somewhere even as it registered that he was still holding her hand tight and that the soft light in his eyes was something he hadn't allowed her to see in a long, long time. 'As if I would…'
'Oh, you would, Katie White, you would,' her father said quietly. 'I know you, lass. You're too like your mother in the things that matter. I was always glad I'd met her almost before she was out of pigtails so that I could protect her from herself,' he added with a flat, hard pain that caught at her heartstrings.
'Were you?' Something of her utter amazement must have shown in her face because he shook his head slowly, shutting his eyes as he lay back against the pillows and letting go of her hand as his face flushed a dull red with hot embarrassment.
'I'm tired, Katie.' It was the normal sort of brush-off she had received over the last thirteen years if she ever tried to break through his hard outer shell, but it still hurt. She stared at his lined face for a long moment before rising from her chair and placing a careful kiss on the side of his cheek.
'OK, Dad.' The years of training kept her pain from showing in her voice. 'I'll call in later.'
'No need.' He opened his eyes, his face straight and his eyes veiled now, the softness gone. 'Jennifer is coming this afternoon, so I understand, and no doubt there'll be other visitors. Enjoy the day with Carlton.' The withdrawal was complete.
She smiled but said nothing and left quietly to join Carlton who was waiting in the corridor outside. 'OK?' His eyes were piercing on her face. 'No problems?'
'Not really.' But her mouth was tremulous and the dark grey eyes missed nothing.
'He didn't buy it?' Carlton asked quietly.
'Yes, yes, he did.' They began to walk towards the lift some yards away and she lowered her head in the gesture he was beginning to recognise.
'Katie?' Just before they left the warmth of the centrally heated building he took her arm, turning her to face him, his eyes searching her face. 'He cares very much for you, you know. He just finds it hard to express it.'
'Does he?' She wasn't going to crumble, she told herself tightly as the unexpected sympathy constricted her chest.
'You don't know him like I do, Carlton; you don't understand.'
'Perhaps you know him too well. Sometimes an outsider can see things more clearly,' he said with a gentleness that made her instinctively gather her defences before she crumbled in front of him.
'Sometimes,' she agreed bitterly, forcing the weakness aside.
'But not in this case?' he asked carefully.
'Definitely not in this case.' She shook off his arm wearily and opened the door to the blast of arctic air outside. 'But he likes you, Carlton; he likes you very much indeed,' she said quitely as they walked towards the car. 'You're very like him, you see; he understands you.'
'And that's another black mark against me.' Her eyes snapped up to his face then but she could read nothing from his expression to indicate how he had meant the cool statement.
'No, of course not—'
'You don't lie well, Katie, like I said before, so just stick with the big whopper for now,' he said grimly. 'I'm aware that you disapprove of me and I don't altogether blame you so let's leave it at that for now. Is there anywhere in particular you'd like to eat?' he asked abruptly as he opened the car door for her.
'I—n-no…' The change of conversation had her stammering like a schoolgirl, she thought with a sudden burst of anger that banished the ache in her heart over her father. Why did this man always reduce her to a quivering wreck anyway? It just wasn't fair. She wanted to be cool and calm and in control.
They lunched at an olde-worlde pub that was all horse brasses and copper warming pans but the food was surprisingly good and Carlton proved to be an entertaining companion when he set his mind to it, with a sharp, slightly cruel wit that had her laughing more than once, even though she slightly resented the fact without understanding why. But she did understand that he was dangerous, she thought to herself as she watched him return with their drinks, after they had walked through to the bar from the charming little dining-room. Dangerously attractive, dangerously male, dangerous. And she was going to marry him.
'Have you a date in mind?'