'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...'