A few minutes later, curled up in a corner of the sofa with Bran at her feet and a fresh mug of tea steaming at her elbow, Kate felt a little better. Jack settled beside her to finish his brandy, long legs stretched out in front of him.
‘I can guess why you cried,’ he said quietly.
She gave him a narrowed, sidelong glance. ‘Can you?’
‘I could have cried myself. This was how it should have been all along, the two of us as a couple, entertaining friends to dinner. And it’s how it would have been if I hadn’t made such a hellish mess of things.’ He turned to her in sudden urgency. ‘But it could be like that in future. I want you back, Kate. I’ve tried to be patient, not rush things, but we’ve wasted so much of our lives already.’
‘No!’ Kate tore her eyes away from the demand in Jack’s, and shook her head. ‘One can’t go back.’
‘But you did come back,’ he said quickly, his eyes triumphant. ‘And you knew from the magazine article that I was still here.’
‘Also still married, as far as I knew,’ she reminded him. ‘But the fact that you’re single again doesn’t change anything. It would be disastrous for us to get back together.’
‘Why?’ he demanded.
‘First and last and most important, I have responsibility for Joanna.’ Kate turned her head and met his eyes. ‘And secondly, Jack, I’m not the girl who was so hopelessly in love with you all those years ago. We’re both responsible adults now, so if you want me as a friend, fine. But I don’t want you as a lover.’
Jack’s eyes turned to steel. ‘I don’t believe that. Last night your body responded to me just the way it used to—until your mind slammed on the brakes.’
‘That was chemistry. It doesn’t mean anything. You could always make me respond, Jack.’ Her mouth tightened. ‘You obviously had the same effect on Dawn.’
‘Which is the real obstacle,’ he said harshly.
‘Only one of the many.’ Kate stood up. ‘Time I went home. Where did you put my boots?’
‘In the kitchen. I’ll fetch them.’
Kate bent to stroke the dog, blinking when she felt tears threaten again. She was tired, that was all. She’d been a fool to finish painting today after a virtually sleepless night. And, though she’d enjoyed the evening in some ways, in others it had been a strain, due partly to Lucy Beresford and her sniping, but not entirely. Jack was right. At the dinner table she had felt regret for what might have been. She sighed, and as though tuned in to her mood, Bran got up to push his head against her thigh in comfort.
When Jack returned he waited in silence while she changed her shoes, then held her raincoat for her and went through the hall to open the main door. He frowned at the sheeting rain, but before he could put up the golf umbrella his phone rang, and he closed the door on the deluge to answer it.
‘No, Ben, she was just leaving.’ He listened intently for a moment, looking at Kate. ‘Sounds bad. I’ll hand you over. You’d better tell her yourself.’
Kate snatched the phone from him. ‘Ben! Is something wrong with Anna?’
‘No, love, nothing like that. She’s worried to death about you. Thank God you haven’t left yet. The roads are flooded pretty much all the way from Mill House in to town. We only just made it home in George’s Range Rover, so you wouldn’t have a hope in your car—’ He broke off. ‘Hang on, Kate, Anna wants a word.’
‘Tell Jack either he must drive you or you stay the night,’ said Anna fiercely. ‘Don’t even think of trying to drive yourself. Lucy had hysterics when we hit the first flood water, so I had to take over.’
‘But you’re pregnant!’
‘There were loads of police about and the men were over the limit, so there was no choice. It was a slow journey, but with Ben as co-driver I was fine. But that was in a four wheel drive, Kate. Let me talk to Jack.’
‘Anna—’
‘No arguing; hand the phone back.’
Kate gave Jack the phone a
nd stood watching his face as he spoke to Anna. At last he said goodnight and snapped the phone shut.
‘I’m sorry, Kate. I can’t drive you as I’m already over the limit.’ He gave a wry shrug. ‘No help for it, I’m afraid. You’ll have to spend the night in my guest room.’
CHAPTER EIGHT
KATE’S first instinct was to refuse point blank. Then common sense kicked in. It was her only option.‘ Thank you,’ she said reluctantly. ‘Sorry to be a nuisance.’
‘Not at all,’ said Jack politely. ‘I’ll show you where to sleep.’ He ordered Bran to his bed, and opened the door into the hall.