‘Jake!’ Lorcan laughed. ‘I’m glad I came to rescue you from this den of iniquity,’ he told Carmen.
Lorcan was disappointed to learn that Will wasn’t making the progress he had initially thought.Poor Will.It must be torture for him having to see Kate with Brian when he was clearly besotted with her. He needed to make more of a play for her. After all, what person in their right mind would choose Brian over Will? Lorcan decided it was a good thing he had come home when he had. He wasn’t around for long but he might be able to push things along a bit, give Will a bit of encouragement, nudge Kate in the right direction.
* * *
Brian returned from the shops to find everyone in the garden guzzling champagne cocktails, with Lorcan holding court – and it was only eleven o’clock in the morning. Really, the sooner he got Kate out of this environment, the better. She was far too influenced by her family. And as for Will! There was no way Brian could let Kate go off to Tuscany with him. He was pissed off that she seemed to want to take the job. But it was nothing compared to the fury he’d felt at seeing her at Will’s bedroom window. He couldn’t quite believe she would be so callous as to carry on with Will right under his nose, yet she looked so guilty whenever he caught her eye – and she’d probably got drunk last night after he’d left the pub…
His mood wasn’t improved when he discovered that Lorcan had popped over from New York for the day because he was missing his girlfriend. That was exactly the sort of extravagantO’Neill gesture of which he most disapproved. The worst of it was, they all thought it wonderfully spontaneous and romantic, fussing over Lorcan as if he was some kind of conquering hero. Brian hoped Kate would never expecthimto do anything as idiotic as dashing across the Atlantic on a whim to see her.
He was somewhat mollified when she took him aside and suggested they go to the workshop. ‘Oh great, we’d better get off then,’ he said, glancing at his watch. ‘Do you think someone could give us a lift?’
‘Oh!’
‘I know it’s nearby,’ he said, mistaking the reason for her surprise, ‘but it starts at eleven thirty.’
‘You know, Brian, that thing with Will – getting into bed with him last night – it was just that I was a bit the worse for wear and he was in my old room…’
‘And him being your childhood sweetheart had nothing to do with it, I suppose?’
‘Brian, I told you, we werenotchildhood sweethearts. I don’t know where Mum got that notion.’
‘Wishful thinking, I imagine.’
‘Look, nothing happened last night. It was just a silly mistake.’
‘Some people would say there’s no such thing as mistakes,’ Brian said. ‘I hope you’re not thinking of taking that job in Tuscany.’
‘Well, yes, of course I am. It’d be really great.’
‘And the idea of being with Will has nothing to do with it?’
‘No! Itoldyou?—’
‘And my feelings don’t come into it? What happened to all that stuff about having to discuss it with me?’
‘Of course your feelings come into it. But there’s nothinggoing on between me and Will, if that’s what you’re worried about. There never has been.’
Brian sighed. ‘Well, we don’t have time to discuss it now. How about that lift?’
‘Oh, um, yes – I’ll ask Conor if he’ll drive us.’
* * *
Kate wandered off, more than a little miffed. It wasn’t fair. She had explained and apologised, and, as far as she was concerned, she had made amends by offering to go to the workshop with Brian. But he should have said he wouldn’t dream of going when her family had laid on this entire weekend for his benefit. He wasn’t supposed to ask someone to drive them there! Sometimes she really despaired of him. Didn’t he knowanything? Still, she reminded herself, Mr Darcy hadn’t known how to behave properly until Elizabeth put manners on him. She would just have to be patient.
Conor had agreed to give them a lift, and Lorcan walked out to the car with them. ‘Carmen and I will be gone by the time you get back,’ he said, putting an arm around Kate’s shoulders. ‘It’s a pity you have to go to this thing – we haven’t had a proper chance to talk.’
‘I know,’ Kate said apologetically, ‘but we chat on the phone all the time.’
Brian and Conor got into the car. Kate kissed Lorcan and was about to join them, when he tugged at her hand. ‘Go easy on Will,’ he whispered urgently. ‘I think he’s got it bad.’ Then he bundled her into the car and slammed the door before she had a chance to ask him what he was talking about.
As they drove away, Kate looked back at her brother, wavingto them. She was tempted to jump out and run back to ask him what he’d meant.
* * *
‘Just let yourself go. Trust your partner to catch you,’ crooned Joe, a stern-faced man in an Indian-style pyjama outfit.
Kate was standing barefoot in a circle of people primed to catch their partners, who formed an inner circle.
