page30 (1/1)

Leaning on her elbow, she looked at hi—but sometimes even he overstepped the h in her face if she told him that her ‘secret’—if that hat you could call it—was that she had schooled herself to forget that he was a prince? That at least in his arms she could pretend that he was the uncomplicated flirty man in deniolden eyes Andway—because he wasn’t that man, was he? Not really

‘Actually, no—I haven’t Those books aren’t really directed at chambermaids,’ she answered, deadpan

‘No I don’t suppose they are’ He surveyed her thoughtfully, and realised he couldn’t keep putting off the inevitable ‘You know, I’ve been thinking…do you wantdifferent to do when…’

Cathy stilled as his words trailed off, the unusual hesitation alerting her to trouble ‘When…what, Xaviero?’

His eyes narrowed as he watched her, sizing up her reaction and preparing for tears, maybe hysteria ‘When all this is over’

The silence grew like a gathering stor of fear which was clutching at her heart Telling herself that she had known this was co it Not now Not yet

‘And…and is it all over?’ she ed at last

Xaviero relaxed a little No tears That was good ‘Not yet But soon,’ heline of her jaw ‘Probably sooner than I thought’

‘Oh’

‘You’ve known all along that I’ve been planning to go to South America for the winter to look at horses?’

‘Yes, of course,’ answered Cathy, ht when inside her heart felt as if it were breaking in two

‘Well, a stallion I’ve hadonto the o out there to look at it within the next few days I co with architects The whole building is going to be re to keep on any existing staff who ain’ He looked into her wary blue eyes ‘I’ht be, in your case’

In the pause which followed, Cathy felt as if solass and speared it hard through her heart She felt faint, dizzy, as his words had sent a chill of fear icing down her spine ‘I’m not sure I understand what you mean,’ she said slowly

Xaviero sighed He had hoped that sheto spell out the gulf of inequality which would make any further liaison i lovers when I return,’ he said softly ‘I’ll be building a settled life here, and it won’t look good—not for either of us’

‘But especially not for you?’

He saw the hurt in her eyes which she was doing her best to disguise, but he knew he had to be honest with her With a sudden sharp pang, he remembered how the doctors and even his own father had prevaricated when he had asked theiven him hope Stupid, misplaced hope So that Xaviero had learnt there was only one solution to misplaced hope—and that was to kill it

‘No,’ he agreed heavily ‘You may find it uncoet around to looking around for a suitable partner,’ he said, and then added, just so that there could be no possibleto have to think about settling down’ He felt her stiffen ‘And I’ht find that, either If you were still employed here in so a woman back here and—’

‘Asking e your dirty sheets?’ she questioned bluntly

‘Cathy!’

‘Well, it’s true, isn’t it?’ Because he had sketched out the possible scenario and noasn’t it up to her to colour in the blanks? To i to her And that way, surely, there would be no space left for illusion or any ht, Xaviero It really would be very aard for both of you if I were still around’