A Man To Marry. Carole Mortimer
is accepted here.’
He returned her gaze with those cool grey eyes for several long seconds before replying. ‘I wasn’t worried,’ he finally drawled.
She doubted very much ever worried this man, certainly not being accepted. For one thing, she was sure his obvious wealth usually assured him a smooth—and comfortable!—passage wherever he chose to go. And, for another, it didn’t look as if it would bother him too much if it didn’t!
‘Do you have work in the area?’ Kate asked politely, much more the capable of the two of them when it came to dealing with the parents, which was why Cat usually left the lead to her in interviews like this.
‘Not exactly.’ Once again his answer was designed to tell them as little about himself as possible.
As Cat had guessed all too easily a short time ago, Caleb Reynolds was not a man who liked, or wanted, to talk about himself. She was sure he had only told her what he had earlier because in the circumstances he’d felt he had to.
But he obviously didn’t have too much of an idea about village life, because what Lilley Stewart, at the post office and general store, didn’t know about any of the local residents usually wasn’t worth anything! And, as the newest inhabitant, Caleb Reynolds was sure to be the favourite topic of conversation for several weeks. Whether they were interested or not, anyone who went into the post office for so much as a stamp in the next few weeks would be told what little Lilley already knew about him, and pumped for any information they might have that she didn’t!
With Caleb’s young son in their care five mornings a week, Kate and Cat would definitely be in the line of fire. Village life certainly had its disadvantages as well as its advantages!
‘I’m really of very little interest,’ Caleb drawled as he seemed to half guess her thoughts. ‘Although I believe you’ve had your share of public figures living in the village.’ He smartly turned the conversation away from himself.
A fact that didn’t go unnoticed by Cat. He really didn’t want to talk about himself, did he? Although she couldn’t say she was exactly happy with the direction the conversation had taken now…
‘At least, you did,’ Caleb added drily, when neither she nor Kate made any response to his initial comment.
‘Oh, you must mean Toby Westward,’ Cat dismissed lightly. ‘Our colourful—literally!—local artist. He was just here for lunch, actually.’ She was starting to be defensive now, had been feeling that way since Caleb Reynolds had asked if either of them was married. What was wrong with society today if two women couldn’t live and work together without creating gossip and speculation?
‘Was he?’ Caleb Reynolds acknowledged without interest. ‘Actually, I was referring to Katherine Maitland. In fact, I believe she actually lived in this house at one time.’
If he had tossed a bomb amongst them he couldn’t have sent stronger shock waves through the room, both Kate and Cat staring at him with wide, disbelieving eyes.
‘Where on earth did you hear that?’ Kate was finally the one to gasp, Cat still staring at Caleb as the prey must stare at the snake—just before it strikes the fatal blow.
He shrugged. ‘The woman at the post office mentioned it to me yesterday when I went in to pick up supplies,’ he responded, his mouth twisting into a wry smile. ‘A bit of local colour! I believe she did mention Toby Westward, too,’ he finished.
Obviously Toby held no interest for him whatsoever! But Katherine Maitland did…
‘No doubt you’re on her list of ‘local colour’ too now,’ Cat put in hardly. ‘And I believe you may be right about Katherine Maitland once having owned this house; I seem to recall it being mentioned when we first looked at the place with a view to buying.’ She deliberately didn’t look at Kate as she spoke.
‘Although she can’t have lived here for years. Way before our time.’ She silently congratulated herself on having dealt with the situation so calmly.
‘Very much so,’ Caleb Reynolds accepted. ‘Although you will obviously have heard of her?’ He raised dark brows.
‘Of course.’ Kate was the one to take over their side of the conversation this time. ‘She was one of the most famous opera singers of her day. But surely she must be dead by now?’ she queried flippantly. ‘She must be ancient!’
His mouth twisted again. ‘Early seventies at a guess,’ he said. ‘Hardly ancient. I actually saw her perform once, shortly before she retired,’ he continued huskily. ‘It’s something I’ve never forgotten. She didn’t only have the most amazing voice, she had something else, a charisma that was electric!’
‘But—’ Cat broke off, breathing deeply. ‘You must have been very young?’ She kept her voice light.
‘Not so young,’ he returned. ‘Although it must be about twenty-five years since she retired after a family tragedy. You—’
‘Oh, look,’ Kate cut in softly. ‘We’ve bored poor Adam into falling asleep!’ she said warmly, standing up to cross the room to where the little boy lay back against the cushion behind him, his lashes long and thick as they rested against his cheeks in repose, Kate reaching out to gently smooth the silky hair from his brow.
‘He still takes the occasional nap in the afternoon,’ his father excused, abruptly standing up. ‘I’m quite happy for Adam to start here in the morning, if you are,’ he stated arrogantly. ‘Unless the two of you would like time to discuss it first?’ he questioned, that defensive wall back in place.
Cat glanced across at Kate, knowing they didn’t need to talk about it. The father could be a problem, but she knew they both thought Adam was adorable! ‘If you think Adam will stay with us?’ She looked at him enquiringly.
‘He seems quite comfortable with you.’ He still sounded surprised by this fact. ‘Although we won’t know whether or not he will stay with you until we try it,’ he added harshly.
Cat had a feeling that it would be good for both father and son to have a break from each other for a few hours. Adam would benefit from being with other children, and it couldn’t have been easy for his father to be constantly in demand over the last six months.
‘As you say,’ she nodded. ‘We won’t know until we try.’
Caleb looked at her from beneath dark brows for several long seconds, but said nothing more before gently lifting Adam and carrying him out to his car.
‘Phew!’ Cat muttered once they were back inside the house, collapsing back into one of the armchairs.
‘Ditto!’ Kate dropped down into the chair opposite, absently stroking their cat as it jumped up onto her knee.
‘Adam is adorable,’ Cat acknowledged, head back, eyes closed. ‘But the father!’ She shook her head. ‘Arrogant. Cold. So—’
‘He loves Adam,’ Kate pointed out wearily, obviously having felt the strain of their meeting as much as Cat had.
‘He’s trouble, Kate; I can feel it!’ She grimaced. ‘But Adam…’ She thought back to that tousle-haired little boy, to the trauma he had suffered that had rendered him speechless. They could help him, she felt sure of it, sensed they had already made a breakthrough when Adam had gone off with Kate, something his father had admitted he hadn’t done for the last six months. She relayed to Kate what Caleb had told her in Kate’s absence earlier. ‘I’m willing to overlook the father if we can be of help to Adam,’ she pronounced finally.
‘We can try,’ Kate said slowly. ‘Ignoring the father, I mean. I have a feeling not too many people manage to ignore Caleb Reynolds!’
So did Cat.
Which could, ultimately, be a problem for them. For all of them.
Only time would tell.
Cat stood up decisively. ‘Let’s