LITMIR.BIZ

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      “Don’t you think so?”

      Darrell shrugged awkwardly. “It’s not for me to say.”

      Mrs. Lawford’s sniff was expressive. “Well, how about you coming over and having a word with her? Perhaps she’ll take to you – you being from the south, like.”

      Darrell wanted to demur, but Mrs. Lawford was already moving away and she had, perforce, to follow her. Celine looked up languidly at their approach, her expression mirroring her boredom at the proceedings.

      “There now, Celine,” exclaimed Mrs. Lawford comfortably. “I’ve brought someone to see you. This is Darrell Anderson, Susan’s friend from the hospital. They’re nurses together.”

      “Isn’t that nice?” Celine drawled sardonically, looking up at Darrell without enthusiasm. Close to, Darrell could see the fine lines of dissipation about Celine’s eyes, and a certain nervous agitation in the way they darted about. “We were introduced earlier, weren’t we?”

      Darrell nodded. “Yes. At the house. Before the wedding.”

      “Ah, yes.” Celine’s lips curled as her mother-in-law moved away. “You don’t come from around here, do you?”

      “No, I’m afraid not. I was born in Essex. In Upminster, actually. Do you know it?”

      “Do I not! Civilised country!” Celine uttered a short laugh. “Don’t be afraid to tell anyone, my dear. Who’d want to come from around here anyway?”

      “I like it,” defended Darrell at once. “I love the north. It’s so much – cleaner, for one thing.”

      “Cleaner! Sedgeley?” Celine shook her head pityingly. “You can’t be serious!”

      “I am. You don’t get the diesel fumes up here that you get in and around London. Besides, there’s more room to breathe – to live!”

      Celine’s mouth twisted cynically. “I can see they’ve got to you all right.”

      “No one’s got to me. I mean it. I really like it here.”

      “Well, sit down,” Celine invited, patting the wooden seat beside hers. “At least we can talk about somewhere else, even if you don’t find Sedgeley a pain in the neck.”

      “I’m afraid I can’t do that.” Darrell had no desire to prolong this tête-à-tête. “I’m leaving now. I want to go home and change. Mrs. Lawford has invited me over to the house this evening.”

      “Oh, lord!” Celine uttered a groan of dismay. “The family get-together! Oh, God, why can’t Matthew take me back to London tonight?”

      There was no answer Darrell could make to this and with a faint smile she began to move away. But Celine got to her feet and halted her with: “Where do you live?”

      Darrell hesitated. “Susan and I used to share a flat near the hospital. I’m keeping it on until I can find someone else to share.”

      “The hospital?” Celine frowned. “Is that near here?”

      “No. It’s on the outskirts of Sedgeley. At the other side of town.”

      “Is it?” Celine sounded interested. “And do you have your own transport?’

      “Well – no,” Darrell answered reluctantly. “I – I came with one of the doctors and his wife.”

      “Very well.” Celine brightened. “I’ll take you home.”

      “Oh, no.” Darrell flushed uncomfortably. She had somehow known this was coming. “That is – it’s not necessary, Mrs. Lawford.”

      “Damn it, I know it’s not.” Celine made an irritated gesture. “I just need an excuse to get away from Matthew’s family for a while, that’s all. You can make me a decent cup of coffee, and then I can bring you back again. How’s that?”

      Darrell sighed, looking round helplessly. What could she say? That she had already refused Celine’s husband’s offer to take her home? That she had no desire to spend time with the wife of a man who she felt could quite easily disrupt the peace and tranquillity of her hitherto organised existence?

      To her intense relief she saw Matthew Lawford coming towards them, accompanied by his elder sister, Evelyn. Darrell had learned that although Matthew was the eldest of the five sons, he had two older sisters. He moved with indolent grace through the thronging groups of friends and relatives, exchanging a word here and there, laughing at some remark passed to him, and making some equally amusing comment in return, judging from the loud guffaws that followed him. Darrell guessed they were the usual lewd jokes made at weddings everywhere, but Celine was looking distinctly out of humour.

      Reaching his wife and Darrell, Matthew glanced at each of them in turn, his brows lifted interrogatively. “Have you two been getting to know one another?”

      “We’re just leaving, actually,” returned Celine, before Darrell could say anything. “I’ve offered to run Susan’s friend home. You have no objections to me taking the car, do you?”

      Matthew’s eyes probed Darrell’s, and she could feel herself going hot all over. “I – I’ve just been explaining to your wife that Doctor Morrison is taking me home,” she defended herself, and Evelyn smiled.

      “There’s no need for you to bother, Celine,” she put in calmly. “Jeff’s been wanting the chance to get Darrell to himself for the past six months. I’m sure he’d jump at the chance of taking her home.”

      “But – “ began Darrell, only to be silenced by Celine stalking off and leaving them all wrapped in a moment’s pregnant silence.

      Matthew seemed the least affected by the embarrassment that followed. “Well,” he mused, “you appear to have lost that opportunity,” and Evelyn’s lips twitched uncontrollably.

      “Oh, Matt!” she exclaimed. Then she looked at Darrell. “Come along, Darrell. If the worst comes to the worst, I can always take you home.”

      Darrell was beginning to feel like an unnecessary encumbrance, but she went with Evelyn, mainly because she wanted to avoid being alone with Matthew Lawford. She was sure his eyes followed their progress across the marquee and consequently she stumbled and would have fallen had not a hand reached out and saved her. She looked up gratefully into Elizabeth Morrison’s smiling face.

      “So there you are, Darrell,” the doctor’s wife exclaimed. “Adrian’s looking for you. We’re leaving now.”

      Evelyn halted and turned. “You are, Mrs. Morrison?” She looked at Darrell. “Well, isn’t that a coincidence?”

      Darrell nodded with relief. A coincidence indeed!

      The flat was cool, and felt abnormally empty, which was ridiculous because it at least had not changed. Two bedrooms, living room, kitchen and bathroom, it sounded spacious; but as the two girls had learned the two bedrooms were in effect one large bedroom converted into two, the kitchen was an alcove off the living area, and the bathroom was scarcely big enough to turn round in. Still, in spite of the indifferent furnishings provided by the owners, it was home, but without Susan’s irritating clutter it was empty.

      Darrell stripped off the long coffee-coloured gown, and examined the hem, determinedly keeping her thoughts on the mundane matters. Apart from several mud stains which would possibly brush off when they were completely dry, it was in reasonable order and she was relieved. Her mother had bought her the dress for her last birthday, and she would have hated to have faced her wrath if the dress had been permanently marked.

      Pulling on a housecoat, she went into the tiny kitchen and switched on the kettle. A cup of tea was what she needed after all that wine. A cup of tea and several quiet minutes to compose herself for the evening’s festivities ahead of her. Perhaps she could ring and excuse herself, she thought doubtfully. She could always invent a headache. But the recollection

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