Marrying A Millionaire. Laura Martin
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Название: Marrying A Millionaire
Автор: Laura Martin
Издательство: HarperCollins
Жанр: Контркультура
Серия: Mills & Boon Cherish
isbn: 9781474027106
isbn:
‘Er…no.’ Cathy pictured the mess in every room. ‘Come on in!’ She held the door open wide and Sandra walked past her into the gloomy hall. She looked so out of place, dressed as she was in an immaculate navy blue dress and strappy shoes, that Cathy was moved to warn her not to get too close to the walls. ‘I haven’t had a chance to clean everywhere yet,’ she explained. ‘They’re probably not too bad, but your dress looks very expensive and I wouldn’t want you to ruin it on my account.’
Sandra’s smile as she made her way through into the living room changed to one of undisguised horror. It’s not that bad! Cathy thought irritably. She glanced around the kitchen, which she had scrubbed clean. OK, so it was a bit tatty, but even so…
‘How did you get on, after your little escapade this morning?’ Sandra examined a chair carefully before she sat down. ‘No lasting damage, I hope?’
Cathy smiled. ‘None at all! In fact I think Robbie’s rather pleased with himself—he’s turned it into some kind of adventure. Would you like some tea?’
‘Umm…no, thank you. I can’t stay long; I’m on my way somewhere.’
‘You look very nice,’ Cathy remarked sincerely. ‘I love your dress.’
Sandra glanced down at herself. ‘Thanks.’ She hesitated. ‘So…did Daniel stay long this morning, after he’d walked you and Robbie home?’
Ah! Cathy thought. Now they were at the crux of the matter. She glanced across at Sandra’s deliberately indifferent expression and knew it would be cruel to tell her anything other than the truth. ‘No, he didn’t even come inside.’
‘Oh!’ The relief on Sandra’s face was clear for all to see.
‘He’s very handsome, isn’t he?’ Cathy remarked in conversational tones.
‘Yes.’
‘Is he married?’
‘No.’ Sandra shook her head decisively. ‘I don’t think he’s ever come remotely close.’
‘But he must have a girlfriend.’ Cathy smiled. ‘I would have thought he’d be snapped up straight away.’
‘Not at the moment—at least nothing serious. And that’s the main thing, isn’t it?’ Sandra glanced across at Cathy and added, somewhat pointedly. ‘Of course, like all men, he’s more than happy to have a fling with someone, but when it comes to anything long-term he’s incredibly choosy. He wouldn’t get seriously involved with anyone who didn’t match up to his high standards.’
‘Really?’ Cathy didn’t bother to hide her amusement. ‘You seem very knowledgeable on the subject.’ She decided to get straight to the point. ‘Have you and he…?’
‘No.’ Sandra’s voice was undeniably flat. ‘No,’ she repeated, with a little more vigour. ‘Unfortunately not. However, I live in hope.’
‘He’s extremely good with children,’ Cathy commented, more for something to say than anything else. ‘Robbie took to him straight away. I’ve never seen him so chatty with such a comparative stranger.’
‘Yes…well, he’s very…’ Sandra struggled to come up with the right word. ‘Amenable,’ she said finally. ‘Always willing to help those in need.’
Meaning me, Cathy thought.
Sandra glanced at her wristwatch. ‘Well, this was just a flying visit; I really must be going. I’m meeting someone for dinner—not a patch on the delicious Daniel, of course, but I never like to refuse an invitation, especially if it means a free meal into the bargain!’
Cathy made no comment. She began to see that Sandra’s reincarnation from frumpy schoolgirl to glamorous siren had not been the complete success she had first imagined.
At the front door, Sandra paused briefly. ‘Daniel’s a very kind person,’ she reiterated. ‘And of course there’s the rebel element to consider as well.’
Cathy wasn’t quite sure what she was talking about, but she smiled and said cheerfully, ‘Quite a combination, I should think!’
‘Exactly. But it’s just as well to be aware of these things from the beginning. There really is nothing worse than making a fool of yourself over a man, is there?’
And with that rather ironic comment hanging in the air between them, Sandra walked out into the night.
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