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'What else do you call it? You came here this morning to point out to me that if I told Baba what I'd seen I'd lose my job—that's blackmail, in my book.'
'I came here to reason with you,' he denied. 'I agree with you that the fact that you're just going to start working for me is irrelevant, but I still don't like your tone or the accusations you fling around with that expression on your face and that isn't irrelevant. I can't have you talking to me like that in front of people at the office; I'd lose any authority I have. They'd put two and two together and decide you're my latest mistress.'
Judith's mouth opened and stayed open, but nothing came out. He looked at her with grim satisfaction.
'What else do you imagine they'd think? If I let a woman talk to me the way you have been doing there wouldn't be any other explanation—they'd decide in two seconds flat that I was so crazy about you that you could walk all over me.'
Judith still couldn't speak; she was too taken aback, and Luke Doulton watched her flushed face before suddenly laughing.
'Well, at least that shut you up for the moment—I'm glad something can. It could be handy to know that in the future.'
Judith swallowed. 'I thought there wasn't going to be any future for me in your firm.'
That’s something we have to discuss,' he said, and ran his amused eyes over her jeans and old shirt. 'You aren't it to be seen anywhere respectable,' he told her.
'Never mind, there's someone I want you to meet. Have you got a jacket? If so, grab it and come along.'
Judith stood her ground. 'I don't want to meet Caroline Rendell, thank you.'
Especially looking the way she knew she did at that moment; she could imagine the expression in the other woman's eyes as she stared at Judith's old jeans and the paint-stained shirt. Caroline was aware of her own elegance and chic.
'Did I say it was Caroline? It isn't; it's the most important woman in my life, and I want her to take a look at you and decide whether I should take the risk of leaving you in charge of my most confidential business.'
Judith thought, her brow furrowed. 'Your mother?'
'Very clever, Miss Murry. My mother, the most intelligent woman I know; she could run rings round most of the men who work for me—and has, in the past. My father didn't make a move without consulting her.'
'She wasn't at the engagement party,' Judith thought aloud. 'Didn't she approve of your engagement?'
'Very much so, and she liked Baba. I took Baba down to meet her—don't tell me you didn't know that? I thought Baba told you everything.' His eyes mocked and Judith smiled wryly.
'Then why didn't she come to the party? Doesn't she live in London?'
'She's very frail, she can't travel far, it tires her too much. She lives in Kent, it won't take us more than three quarters of an hour to get there and we can have lunch at the house.'
Judith looked down at herself. 'I can't meet your mother looking like this, I'll have to go home and change first.'
Luke looked at his watch. 'How long would that take you? It's eleven now. Can you change quickly?'
'Give me ten minutes,' said Judith, and he grimaced.
'I don't believe in miracles; no woman can be read in ten minutes.'
'Try me.'
He contemplated her with his head on one side, his face amused. 'I've never met a woman like you,' he said. 'I believe you will do it in ten minutes, if only to prove me wrong. Well, come on—don't just stand there!'
It wasn't until they were almost at her grandmother's house that Judith realised she had left her own car parked outside the flats. It was locked and would be safe enough there, but it showed her with disturbing clarity how Luke Doulton could get his own way, because she hadn't stopped to think about her car, she had let him hustle her out of her flat and into his fast red sports car without the faintest hint of an argument. He had taken her by surprise with his de
mand that she should come and meet his mother. She couldn't deny that she wanted to meet Mrs Doulton; she was curious about her. What Luke had said about his mother hadn't been, entirely new to her; she had heard something of Mrs Doulton when she was in New York, she knew that Mrs Doulton was English and had married her husband when he was working for a year in London and that after his death she had returned to live in England for most of the year, only visiting her children at odd intervals. The Doulton legend had involved her; she was supposed to have been the power behind the throne, people said that her husband had always consulted her about his deals, but she had kept out of the limelight and acted in private. Only those who visited the Doulton home on Rhode Island ever met her, and of those people only a few ever got invitations to her other house, the one in very isolated, wooded country in Vermont, with a view of lakes and fields below it, but anyone who did visit the family boasted about it to their friends and acquaintance. Judith had heard her name mentioned with awe; yet nobody had seemed to know much about Mrs Doulton, which only increased her legendary status.
Luke parked outside the house and looked at his watch again. 'Right—you've got ten minutes,' he said. . 'Any chance of a cup of coffee while I wait?'
'Of course, come in.' Judith let herself into the house with him on her heels and Mrs Murry came out of the kitchen with a cucumber in her hand and a surprised expression on her face.
'Oh, hello, he found you, then,' she said, and smiled past Judith at the man with her. 'I'm very pleased to meet you at last, Robert, are you going to have lunch with us? I'm afraid it's only salad, but I'm sure I can find a tin of something to go with it. I've been telling Judith to bring you to lunch for ages, I only wish I'd had more warning, but so long as you don't mind pot luck…'
'He isn't Robert,' explained Judith when she could get a word in edgeways, and Mrs Murry stared at Luke in surprise. 'Grandma, this is Luke Doulton. Mr Doulton, my grandmother, Mrs Murry.'
