A Wicked Persuasion. Catherine George

the others. ‘You weren’t long.’

      ‘Mission accomplished,’ said Harriet, and returned the smile warmly. ‘It’s been such a pleasure to meet you. Thank you again for the delicious dinner.’

      Moira’s face fell. ‘Surely you’re not leaving already, dear? It’s early, and I’ve had no chance to talk to you!’

      Marcus came to stand by his wife. ‘They obviously work you too hard at your firm, Harriet.’

      From the look on Claudia’s face, this plainly meant she looked like a hag. Harriet smiled brightly. ‘It’s a busy time right now.’

      ‘It’s been lovely to meet you. Please come again,’ said Lily eagerly. ‘We don’t know anyone here.’

      ‘And never likely to out in the wilds like this,’ complained her sister, and pouted at Marcus. ‘All right for you newly-weds, but not much fun for us.’

      He gave her a quelling look and put an arm round his wife. ‘Since you city girls only come here on flying visits it’s hardly a problem.’

      Time to go, thought Harriet. I get enough angst with my own family. ‘I really must be off. Thank you again. Goodnight.’

      ‘I’ll see you out,’ said James.

      Claudia scrambled to her feet. ‘I’ll come with you.’

      James shook his head. ‘I need to finalise arrangements with Harriet.’

      She sat down again abruptly, hiding her flush of mortification behind the fall of pale hair.

      ‘Do come and see us again soon,’ said Moira, as Harriet left.

      ‘But you obviously don’t want to come here again, do you?’ demanded James as he saw Harriet to her car.

      ‘No, I don’t,’ she said frankly. ‘I like your sister and her husband very much, Lily too. Claudia obviously resents me due to this “fling” you mentioned, but the main reason is you, James. You still bear me a grudge.’

      His face hardened in the bright security lights. ‘Do you blame me?’

      ‘Not in the least.’ Harriet slid into the car, switched on the ignition and opened the window. ‘Saturday then.’

      ‘Saturday it is.’ He gave her an unsettling smile. ‘I’ll be there on the stroke of ten. I’m really looking forward to meeting your father.’

      His parting words sent chills down Harriet’s spine as she drove home. Did he intend coming to River House on Saturday for a showdown with her father before cancelling the party? Harriet shivered at the prospect, though she knew exactly why James had asked her to the Old Rectory. He could easily have obtained the information he wanted during a phone call, but instead he had wanted, maybe needed, to demonstrate that he now had a family background like hers. And that he was the object of the sexy Claudia’s passion. He needn’t have bothered about the last. Harriet had no doubt that he’d been the object of several women’s passion over the years. In his twenties he’d been attractive enough, but now he was ten years older he took her breath away.