Roses and Champagne. Betty Neels

to lunch tomorrow?’ And when she said ‘Yes’ in a surprised voice: ‘I fancy Virginia will have more to say by then, and Katie, don’t, I beg of you, get embroiled in an argument with her until I get here.’

      ‘That’s all very well! She’s my sister, I’ve always taken care of her…’

      ‘Just so. I wonder when you’ll realise that you’re the one who needs taking care of?’

      He crossed the space between them and threw an arm round her shoulders. ‘Don’t worry about it, and there’s one thing I can promise you; you’re not a starchy spinster and never will be.’ He dropped a kiss on the top of her head. ‘Go to bed.’

      ‘You were joking, weren’t you?’ she asked in a small voice.

      He understood her at once. ‘No. We’ll announce our engagement at the Hunt Ball…no, better still, at Virginia’s wedding. If I know her, she’ll make James get a special licence and expect a slap-up wedding in about ten days’ time.’

      He took her arm and went into the hall. ‘Lock up after me,’ he warned her, and went out of the door to the car.

      Katrina shut the bolts and turned the key, her head a muddle of weddings, engagements and Lucius’s arrogance in taking it for granted that she wanted to marry him. She tumbled into bed presently, all these problems swept away by the enormous one of how to arrange a big wedding in a matter of days. Ten days, Lucius had said, and from experience she knew that he was almost always right.