Tomorrow's Bride(9)

'We'll just peep at him, but you're sure to see him later because he always wakes up about ten.'

When they were leaning over the cot and Leigh had made all the  appropriately admiring comments she said softly, at the same time  putting out a finger to touch the downy, incredibly soft cheek, 'I'm  glad you're so happy, Holly.'

After a pause her friend agreed. 'So happy. And so lucky, I just can't  believe it. After what happened in Strasbourg...' She referred to a  disastrous affair she had had two years earlier. 'That was all such a  waste of time.'

'Yes, you're lucky to have met a man like Paul, and-----' Leigh glanced  round the beautifully appointed nursery '-to have such a lovely home.'

'Mmm, we were lucky to find it. It's a fairly international  block-several Americans, which suits Paul, and a general mix of  Europeans.' From the hall they heard the doorbell ring, the faint sound  of feet walking on thick carpet, followed by a door opening. 'As a  matter of fact, we've asked one of our neighbours to join us for  supper-that'll be him arriving now. Paul knew him slightly before...  We'll go now. As I said, Pauli will be sure to wake before you go.'  Switching off the light, Holly guided her guest back towards the salon,  to the murmur of voices, the chink of glasses. Then a sudden low laugh  brought Leigh to a halt.

'Come on, love.' Smiling, Holly stood there, hand on the doorknob. 'Don't say you're shy.'

'Of course not.' But she had a shivery sensation down her backbone. Nothing she could identify, but a feeling of apprehension...

'Then come and meet Patrick; I know you'll like each other.'

Somehow, in spite of legs like jelly, Leigh forced herself forward and  through the door, guessing from the expression on his face that the  meeting was as unexpected for Patrick as it was for her. It was  difficult to discern whether it was as unwelcome-he had the lawyer's  habit of impassivity when it suited-but at least he carried it off with a  convincing degree of casual surprise.                       
       
           



       

'Leigh.' There was a fraught second before he raised his glass in her  direction. 'I had no idea we were to meet up again so soon.'

'No.' Her mouth twisted into what she hoped would pass for a smile. 'Nor  I.' The colour which had drained from her face now began to return as  she spoke to Holly. 'We travelled together from Strasbourg yesterday.'

'How amazing.' For some reason their hostess seemed disappointed. 'You actually know each other.'

'Yes. I had to go to Strasbourg last week and we met there.' At least he  was as keen to play down the length of their acquaintance as Leigh was.  'And by chance we found ourselves on the same flight.'

'I've just been inspecting Paul Santorini IV.' It seemed vital to change  the subject, so Leigh smiled at the parents. 'He's a gorgeous child,  and I'm inclined to agree with all those ecstatic descriptions.'

'Well, my wife does tend to go over the top, so you must excuse her.'  Smiling down at her, Paul put an arm about Holly's waist. 'But now dare I  ask when you are going to feed us? I'm starving, and I suspect Leigh  and Patrick are too.' 'It's all ready. So if you'll all come through we  can start to eat.'

Although Leigh was seated opposite Patrick, the very last position she  would have chosen, the two men were having a discussion about cars and  she was able at first to ignore him. But that did not mean she was  unaware. Every nerve in her body, it seemed, was acutely sensitive. As  she spoke to Holly, looked at Holly, it was Patrick she was seeing:  light tweed jacket, which, with his hostess's permission, he had taken  off and slung over the back of his chair, jade silk shirt with a  slightly exotic pink tie, dark trousers. Every inch the off-duty  professional man, she thought with a touch of sourness.

Then he caught her whole attention with that unconscious, heart-melting  gesture she remembered so well: a hand going up to sweep back that  persistently uncontrolled lock of hair and-----She drew a deep,  embarrassed breath when she realised he was looking at her-in fact all  were, obviously waiting for some comment.

'I think Leigh would say she's perfectly happy where she is; at least, I  got that impression when we spoke on the plane.' Patrick was helping  her out, covering up. She supposed she ought to be grateful, not  resentful. 'She has no thoughts of changing jobs for the time being.' An  inclination of his head offered a clue and Leigh turned to Paul with a  smile. 'I think you're being headhunted.'

'You're not offering me a job, Paul?'

'No, I wouldn't dare, in view of what Holly has said about your  relationship with your boss, ; but I simply wondered... Most people  enjoy a change of scene from time to time, especially people who are  free to move around without family commitments.'

'Well-----' this was too good a chance to miss '-at one time I did have  problems, and had to stay in the UK, but now things are easier. I can  please myself but, even so, I'm not thinking of a move in the near  future. I can't imagine any job being more attractive than the one I  have at present, hopping back and forward between Paris and Strasbourg.  And it's so easy to go to other countries-the centre of Europe, you  might say.'

'Talking about exciting jobs...' Holly paused as she served pudding '..  .1 don't suppose you know-or maybe you do!' She gave a tiny laugh.  'After all, I had no idea that you and Patrick knew each other...  Anyway, did you hear that at one time Patrick worked for one of the  major relief agencies? Where was it again, Patrick?! India somewhere?'

'Mmm. At least, in Bangladesh. A place called Ashala.' As he spoke he  looked directly across at Leigh, doubtless noticing the increased colour  in her cheeks, the determined way she was avoiding j his gaze. 'I don't  suppose you'll have heard of it, Leigh.'

'Mmm. I certainly haven't.' Holly luckily didn't notice the look of  irritation which passed from one of her guests to the other, but then  she asked, 'Have you, Leigh?'

'What?' Startled, she turned her eyes on her hostess. 'Sorry, Holly...?'

'Have you heard of this place Patrick mentioned? Ashala? In Bangladesh?' she added helpfully.

'It sounds... a bit familiar.' Defiantly she held his gaze. 'But do tell  us about it,' she encouraged with a synthetic smile. 'I'm sure we're  all... very interested.'

'As a matter of fact-----' and now Holly and Paul had ceased to exist;  there was just the two of them, each challenging the other in turn  '-it's got to have been the most worthwhile experience of my life. You  know how it is-you regret so much that seemed important for a little  while. And it's not simply for the little you're able to put in  yourself, it's seeing how people cope every day, and in circumstances  impossible to imagine unless you've had the experience-how they deal  with everyday hazards-----' He broke off, picked up his spoon and ate  some chocolate mousse.                       
       
           



       

'I'd been there just a few weeks when there are tremendous storms; a  flash-flood washed all their pathetic possessions away, but the next day  the waters had gone down and they began getting things together again.  No complaining, no whingeing because there was no time, and anyway, life  for them is a constant battle with nature.'

For just a moment Leigh was seeing him stripped to the waist, thigh-deep  in swirling muddy water, trying to hold the roof on a rickety attap  hut... Then, sensing his attention, she came out of her reverie, turning  in relief as Holly spoke again.

'It's the land of thing I wish I had done when I first left college.  It's too late once you're married and have children, but how I wish I'd  had the opportunity. I do admire you, Patrick, for having had the drive  to do it.' She had no idea how much pain she was inflicting.

All Patrick's charm was directed towards his hostess as he touched his  mouth with a napkin. 'Now don't start polishing my halo. That's the last  thing I want or deserve. In fact all of us who were there agree on one  thing-that we were the ones who gained.'

'All of you...' Leigh's voice was a little shrill, all to do with her  confused feelings-first that vision of him, elemental and arousing, then  the cold douche as he repeated the words she had spent years  regretting. She swallowed, began again. 'How many of you were on that  particular project?'

'Including the medical staff-----' again his attention was on her face  '-about a dozen. Plus a few who turned up from time to time to spend a  few weeks with us, usually students in the long vacations.'

'I see...' She was playing for time, trying to find a casual way of  introducing Gillian Place's name. It would be so satisfying to let him  know that she had heard... But her voice took on a waspish tone as she  switched tack. 'I would have thought there might be difficulties in  putting in such a large number...'