The Marriage Proposition. Sara Craven
good fortune had played little part in their dealings with each other so far, she was forced to admit.
It had been barely a month after their first disastrous encounter in the wine bar when she’d received a call from Toby to say the family equivalent of a three-line whip had been issued for the coming weekend.
‘It’s not awfully convenient,’ she objected, frowning. ‘I was thinking of going over to Paris. The magazine’s doing a series on the problems of single travellers and—’
‘It’s not only single travellers who have problems,’ Toby interrupted. ‘We have a finance guy to entertain, all stops pulled out.’ He paused for dramatic emphasis. ‘And it’s really important that we make a good impression.’
‘Is it?’ Paige pulled a face at the telephone. ‘I don’t think I like the sound of this. What’s been going on?’
‘Nothing for you to worry about,’ Toby told her. ‘We need some extra financial backup in the short term, and it’s not been as easy to raise as we thought. Hence the charm offensive. We want to assure this chap that we’re a united family firm, solidly established and totally reliable. Come on, Sis,’ he added in a wheedling tone. ‘It’s not often we ask you to get involved, and you’re a member of the board, too.’
‘Nominally, yes.’ Paige made the concession without pleasure.
She knew what was behind this, of course. Denise had clearly gone into panic mode at the thought of acting as sole hostess, but she would still resent her sister-in-law being brought in to help. Paige would have to perform miracles of tact and diplomacy to ensure the weekend ran smoothly, and prevent Denise retiring in sulky dudgeon to her room with a convenient migraine attack.
I really don’t need this, she told herself.
‘Paige?’ Toby’s voice was urgent. ‘Dad’s relying on you, you know. We all are.’
The emotional blackmail card, Paige recalled bitterly. It had never failed. But if she’d had the remotest idea what form this reliance was going to take she’d have gone to Paris and never returned.
Instead, she’d left work early on Friday and driven down to Priors Hampton. Like a lamb to the slaughter.
Denise, on the other hand, had been behaving like a headless chicken, roaming around the house, giving the staff orders which she rescinded in the next breath.
‘So there you are,’ she greeted her sister-in-law fretfully. ‘He hasn’t arrived yet, thank God, but it’s all turning into a disaster. I’ve given him the Blue Room, but Toby says it should have been the South Suite, and I don’t know if I’ve got time to change everything over.’ Her mouth went into its habitual pout. ‘And Mrs Nixon’s been sulking ever since the catering firm arrived. I’m terrified that she’s going to give notice.’
‘Very unlikely,’ Paige said briskly, putting down her bag. ‘She’s always hated cooking for formal dinner parties. And the Blue Room is fine,’ she added firmly. ‘He’s a money man, not visiting royalty.’
Denise tossed her blonde head. ‘You wouldn’t think so to hear Toby and your father. Everything has to be just so. I asked Toby if I should put flowers in his room, and he nearly bit my head off. Told me I wasn’t to bother him with trivia. But how can I know what to do if he won’t tell me?’
‘It must be very difficult for you,’ Paige said soothingly. ‘And I’d go ahead with the flowers. If he doesn’t like them, his wife probably will.’
‘I don’t think he’s got a wife.’ Denise frowned with the effort of remembering. ‘He’s certainly not bringing her.’ A look of horror dawned. ‘At least I don’t think so. Should I ask Toby? Put extra towels in his bathroom?’
‘I think I’d leave things just as they are.’ Paige patted her arm. ‘I’m sure it will all be perfect.’
‘That’s easy for you to say,’ Denise tossed over her shoulder as she moved off again. ‘All you’ve had to do is show up.’
Paige, who’d crammed an entire day’s work into a morning in order to arrive punctually, bit her lip hard. She told herself resolutely that it was not all Denise’s fault. She hadn’t been trained to run a large house and cope with difficult guests. Yet on her marriage she’d found she was expected to step straight into the shoes of her late mother-in-law, who’d been a charming and competent hostess and who would have sailed serenely through the current situation.
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