Intolerable Civility

Chapter Twenty-One: Corrupting Influence

Cate dreamed of David that night, so vividly that when she woke she could have sworn she felt the imprint of his hands against her flesh. She bundled herself into her dressing gown and padded next door to his room, just in case, but he was fast asleep, his broad chest bare above the sheets trammelled down over his waist.

"David," she whispered. "David, dear."

His eyes flickered. "Cate?"

Then she fled, and hoped that later he would think it a dream.

Perhaps he did, or perhaps he did not remember at all. Later that day, when she was drinking her morning tea before getting dressed, he came to her room in his dressing gown.

"How long did Sophia stay last night?" he asked.

"Three hours. She nearly fell asleep in my bed."

"You must have missed her a lot."

"More than I thought. I never had a chance to say goodbye to any of them. After I told my father about..." Her cheeks heated. "I'm sorry. I shouldn't speak about that time to you, should I?"

"If you have something you feel you must say, then I will listen, otherwise, I would rather we not talk about it."

She shook her head. "It's enough to say I missed her."

"Your parents won't let you speak with your siblings? If I tried to persuade them...?"

"It is impossible, I'm afraid. I'm a corrupting influence. He won't let me near them."

Luke was pulling himself up on the bars of his cot to watch them. "Baba. Guyah."

"Is that so?" David said politely. "I can't say I disagree."

Cate smiled. "I wish I knew what he was saying."

David went to the cot and picked Luke up. "He's saying you couldn't possibly corrupt anyone. Aren't you?"

Luke giggled, and Cate's heart ached with a heady mixture of sorrow and joy.

"Your father wants to take me to London today," David said, tossing Luke lightly up and down. "There's a lot of business to deal with to do with his investment. We won't be able to finish it in one day. I think it might be best if I stay on here, and you and Luke start the journey back to Wales today."

Cate's heart sank. "But are you coming back to Wales when your business is finished?"

Luke's giddy laughter threatened to become tears and David jostled him to a stop on his shoulder. "Of course. With the investment settled, I'll have to see to the beginnings of the works."

It might take months to dig a mine, Cate thought.

"At this moment though, I doubt your presence here could help me further, and after last night, I certainly wouldn't blame you if you wanted to leave."

"I hate it here," Cate said. "I always did."

David gave her a wry smile. "I had hoped that in coming here, and bringing the baby too, there might be some reconciliation between you and your parents, but I see now that they are not the only ones who have been wronged. I'm sorry I did not understand before."

"They'll never forgive me anyway. And in their eyes, Luke is only evidence of my wrongdoing."

"But he is still their grandson. If they cannot publicly declare pride in that fact, they might at least, to you, confess furtive joy." David hugged him gently and then passed him to Cate. "Well, what's it to be? Should I order my man to prepare the horses and coach?"