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It was a tantalising thought, one that stayed with her while they drank their coffee and chatted. When they left the coffee bar they took the lift to the ground floor, stopping to one side of the revolving doors to say their goodbyes.
‘Thanks for the coffee, Maggie. I enjoyed it and the chat.’
‘So did I. We must do it again, in fact. Or, better still, make arrangements for you to come and meet my two horrors.’
‘I’d love that, but…’ She tailed off uncertainly. ‘Would it be a good idea though? I mean, what would Matthew have to say about your inviting me round?’
‘I have no idea, and frankly I don’t care! It’s time this was resolved once and for all. Look, Beth, I was planning on asking this anyway, but now seems like the perfect time. Elizabeth is being christened in a couple of weeks’ time and I want you to stand as one of her godmothers.’
‘Me? I don’t know what to say.’ Beth was touched by the request, but how would David react to the idea?
‘Say yes. You’ve said that David wants to start healing this rift so it’s the perfect opportunity.’
There was something in Maggie’s voice, an eagerness which seemed out of all proportion. The quarrel was between David and Matthew. Why was it so important to Maggie also that the feud be ended? However, before Beth could question her, she heard the other woman’s gasp of surprise.
‘David! What are you doing here?’
‘Business. Hello, Maggie…Beth. You never told me that you were coming into town today to meet Maggie.’
There was accusation in his deep voice and Beth flushed almost guiltily.
‘She didn’t tell you because she didn’t know. We met by accident, didn’t we, Beth?’ If Maggie thought her reaction odd she hid it well, but Beth sensed a certain curiosity in the look the other woman gave her. Suddenly, it annoyed her intensely that David should have the temerity to speak to her in such a manner.
She met his eyes defiantly. ‘That’s right, but even if it hadn’t been an accident I don’t see why it should be a problem. I didn’t realise that I had to give you a list of my comings and goings, David.’
His face tightened, his eyes boring into hers for a moment before the smoothly urbane mask slid into place. ‘You’ll have Maggie thinking I’m some sort of a tyrant, Beth, playing the heavy-handed husband.’
‘I shall do no such thing! I’m sure you are just concerned about her. Isn’t that right?’ Maggie appeared blissfully unaware of the tension, but Beth wasn’t. Temper rose inside her, hot and swift, and she glared angrily at him, but he ignored the look in a way that made her long to do something to shake that infuriating composure of his.
‘Of course. I like to know where Beth is just in case there’s a problem and she needs help.’
‘I happen to be pregnant, not mentally deficient! If I need help then I am more than capable of finding it for myself!’
‘I’m sure you are, but occasionally situations can arise when even you are glad to let someone else help you.’ There was little inflexion in his voice, but Beth’s face flamed. Since they had met, David had done nothing but help her, even to the point of marrying her, and suddenly, irrationally, she hated him for reminding her of the fact. She hit back unthinkingly in a way that she knew would shake him.
‘Of course. Still, let’s not quarrel about it now.’ She gave a tinkly little laugh, seeing the way his eyes narrowed suspiciously, but he could never have foreseen what she was going to say in a million years. ‘It doesn’t seem appropriate right now, not when Maggie has just asked me to be Elizabeth’s godmother. We don’t want to give her the wrong impression by arguing, or she might change her mind!’
‘I see. And do I take it that you have agreed?’ There was no mistaking the anger now—she could hear it in his voice, sense it emanating from him, and her heart leapt with alarm, but she refused to back down.
‘I was just about to when you arrived.’ She turned back to Maggie with a strained little smile, surprised to see that the other woman seemed unaware of what had been going on. When had she, Beth, become so sensitive to David’s every mood that she could tell how he was feeling? She had no idea, but it alarmed her that it should be so.
