Betty Neels - Roses and Champagne

They went back to the drawing room for their coffee and presently Katrina said reluctantly: ‘I must go—it’s getting late, and Lovelace will stay up for me even though I’ve a key.’

Lucius made no effort to stop her. She put on her jacket and got into the car beside him and he drove her the short distance back home. He got out when she did and she asked: ‘Do you want to come in?’ with a lack of enthusiasm which made him chuckle. ‘No,’ he told her, ‘only to see you safely indoors.’

He waited after he had opened the door for her until Lovelace came into the hall and until he heard Katrina ask if Virginia was back. Only when Lovelace shook his head did he say goodnight, adding as he went through the door: ‘Remember to wear the new outfit tomorrow, Katie.’

She hadn’t thought anything about that until just before tea on the next day; there had been several things to do, indoors and out, and she felt untidy. Once in her room, showered and peering into her cupboard for something to wear, she saw the brown velvet hanging. Lucius had suggested that she should put it on—a silly idea, since she wasn’t expecting anyone. Virginia hadn’t phoned; she would be staying another night, probably. All the same, it would give her rather dull day a bit of life.

She put it on and studied herself in the pier glass. There was no denying the fact that it did something for her; the blouse was exactly right and the straight little jacket with its braid trimming was elegant, as was the pencil-slim skirt. She put on a pair of brown shoes she hardly ever wore because she had decided that they were too frivolous. Now they looked exactly right too. She went downstairs feeling rather pleased with herself, had her tea before the fire in the sitting room and sat down at her desk to do her accounts. She had spent far too much money yesterday and she still owed Lucius for the two dresses, and heaven knew how much they would be. There was her cheque to come, of course, and the new commission, and the dividends from various shares. All the same, she would have to be careful; the lodge roof needed repairs, and there was a broken fence to be mended. The winter months were always expensive too with the house to keep warm, and people in for drinks around Christmas. Katrina chewed the top of her pen and did her careful sums, and didn’t hear the car coming up the drive.

The sudden brilliance of light as the wall lights were switched on from the door made her turn round. Virginia was home.

Katrina got up unhurriedly. ‘Hullo,’ she said. ‘I wasn’t sure when you’d be back.’

Her sister was staring at her and didn’t answer, but after a moment she said: ‘That’s new, and it must have cost a bomb—you look positively elegant!’

Lucius had been quite right. The suit had wrapped Katrina in a pleasant aura of knowing that she looked her best, and consequently sure of herself. She said lightly: ‘I thought it was high time that I lived up to the image you’ve given me.’

Virginia looked guilty and at the same time defiant. ‘Well, I didn’t see why everyone should go around saying Poor Virginia.’ She added sharply: ‘I said I’d get even with Lucius.’

‘So you did,’ agreed Katrina calmly, ‘but did you have to get even with me too?—I can’t remember trespassing on your preserves.’

Virginia tossed her head. ‘You’re not exactly what I’d call a serious rival. Were you thinking of having a go?’

‘At what?’

‘Why, Lucius, of course. After all, he’ll have to marry some time, though I should think you’d be bored stiff with each other—after all you’ve known each other for years and years.’

‘I can’t say the idea had crossed my mind,’ said Katrina in a cold little voice, ‘and I’m sure Lucius…’

She stopped herself just in time; it had crossed his mind, hadn’t it? but only because it suited his own ends.

‘What’s all this about me?’ Lucius’s voice was casually placid. Katrina wondered how long he’d been standing by the open door listening to them. He strolled into the room and went to stand by the fire.

‘So you’re back, you silly girl,’ he observed to Virginia. ‘You’ve made a fine fool of yourself, haven’t you? I hope it teaches you a lesson—that not every man who dates you wants to be saddled with you for the rest of his life.’

Virginia’s pretty face flushed scarlet. ‘You beast! Katrina, listen to him—say something!’

‘Don’t hide behind your sister,’ advised Lucius pleasantly. ‘You’re quite able to stand up for yourself.’ He glanced at his watch. ‘Katrina, if we’re going out to dinner we must go now—I’ve booked the table for half past seven.’

Katrina stared at him. He was smiling a little, but the look he gave her was sufficient for her to say hastily: ‘I’m ready—I must just get my bag, and I suppose I’d better bring a coat.’

She saw Virginia’s puzzled look as she went past her and up to her room. It was a pity that Lucius had come when he had, because they had merely postponed the unpleasant half hour she and Virginia were going to have. And where in heaven’s name were they going? She flung a few things into a clutch bag, got a coat from the cupboard and went downstairs again.

Lucius was standing exactly where she had left him, Virginia sitting on the arm of a chair. Katrina heard her voice very clearly as she went across the hall. ‘And don’t think I’m coming to your stuffy dinner party for the Hunt Ball! James is taking me out first, and we’ll come on to the ball later.’

‘Afraid to face them?’ asked Lucius softly, and went to meet Katrina, who paused in the doorway to say: ‘I told Mrs Beecham dinner at half past seven, I shan’t be late back.’

She didn’t wait to hear Virginia’s muttered reply, but went out to where the Jaguar was parked and got in beside Lucius. As he drove off she said: ‘Now you can explain, Lucius.’

‘I thought we might have a meal at La Sorbonne—we haven’t been there for quite a time. Virginia didn’t care for Oxford, we nearly always went up to town or to Bath.’

Katrina said, ‘Oh,’ and searched for a suitable reply, but she couldn’t think of one, so instead she said: ‘Why?’

They were on the main road, the Jaguar making light of the twenty odd miles they had to drive. ‘I thought it might be nice to give that new suit an airing.’

‘You didn’t know that Virginia was coming home this evening?’ she persisted.

‘My dear girl, how suspicious you are! How should I know that, and how could I have booked a table on the spur of the moment without you knowing?’

Which made sense. She wasn’t going to know that he had seen the lights of Virginia’s car going up the lane, shouted to Cobb to phone La Sorbonne and followed her as quickly as he could, Virginia had a nasty temper and Katrina was no match for her, even in the new outfit.

They didn’t talk much, but since over the years they had attained an easy relationship which didn’t need constant conversation to keep it alive, Katrina accepted Lucius’s silence and sat quietly, lulled into a peaceful state where she didn’t even bother to think. They reached Oxford presently and Lucius turned off the High Street, parked the car and walked her down the little alley close by. The restaurant was on the first floor of a seventeenth-century house and was noted for its excellent food. Katrina wrinkled her small nose at the scent of the flowers on the table and said: ‘This is nice!’

Lucius smiled at her. ‘Good. That brown thing is very becoming, Katie.’ His glance was as careless as a brother’s. ‘What would you like to drink?’

They dined at leisure; wild duck, cooked as only it could be cooked at La Sorbonne, preceded by globe artichokes and followed by a lemon sorbet. They sat over their coffee, talking like the old friends they were, but not mentioning Virginia. It wasn’t until they were back again and Katrina was saying goodbye that Lucius asked: ‘Aren’t you going to ask me in for a drink?’