Page 2 of The Fortunes of Ashmore Castle

There was a brief, surprised silence.

‘Don’t you mind?’ Alice asked, but with an innocent frankness that did not offend.

‘Never been a great one for church,’ Fergus said. ‘One religion’s as good as another to me, so if it makes Giulia happy . . . More important, makes her parents happy. Same God, as I understand it, different words, that’s all.’

‘But that’s not— It’s more than— Oh, my God!’ Linda’s intervention ended in a choking sound and she fled from the room.

The champagne had been distributed, and Giles now proposed a toast – ‘To Fergus and Giulia!’ – which was drunk.

Alice asked, ‘So we won’t get to see you married, Uncle?’

‘Weddings are overrated,’ Richard said, to comfort her. ‘Too much crying.’

‘People enjoy the crying,’ Alice said. ‘And it’s not obligatory.’

‘Just coming to that.’ Fergus made himself heard. ‘Wedding itself will be small and quiet, in Florence, but then we’ll come to London and have a slap-up celebration, and you’ll all come to that.’

‘When will that be?’ Kitty asked.

‘March,’ Fergus said. ‘Wedding in February. A few weeks in Paris so she can buy clothes. Then London. Some legal things to tie up. Then I’ll show her round my estates, lie of the land and so forth, then back to London for the Season. She’s looking forward to that. Culture, you know,’ he added vaguely.

‘Well, that’s something to put into the diary,’ Sebastian said. ‘A grand party in March.’ He raised his glass again. ‘Wishing you every happiness.’

‘Hear, hear,’ said Richard. ‘You’re an inspiration to us all, Uncle.’

At that Alice gave him a questioning look, but didn’t follow it up.

When Kitty was dressed she sent Hatto away, crossed the dressing-room to Giles’s bedroom, and found him in his shirt-sleeves. She thought how handsome he was, even when screwing up his face in the mirror as he wrestled with his tie.

‘Shall I do it?’ she said.

He turned, dropped his hands, raised his chin, and she stepped close, feeling the warmth of his body radiate through the dress shirt, his breath stir her hair. Since the birth of her second son, he had rarely visited her at night. It was possible he never would again, and it was a melancholy thought, because she was still in love with him. Suppose, she thought, I were just to slip my finger in between two of the buttons . . . how hot and smooth the skin of his chest would feel . . .

She gave the bow a final tweak and stepped back, and he inspected the result in the mirror. ‘Have you come to quarrel with me?’ he asked. She didn’t answer and he turned to her. ‘I saw you look at me, when her name was mentioned. I knew you would.’

‘I saw that you didn’t like it,’ Kitty replied.

‘No, I didn’t like it, but not for the reason you seem to suspect.’ On their honeymoon in Italy, Kitty had been jealous of his closeness to Giulia, and had let him know it. ‘I have always felt like a big brother to her. And since she wouldn’t have met him if I hadn’t invited her to the ball, I feel responsible.’

‘She’s a grown woman. She can choose for herself.’

‘He’s too old for her.’

‘He can’t be more than forty.’

‘Forty-one,’ Giles said. ‘She can’t possibly love him.’

She gave a small, wry smile. ‘Of course, you are such an advocate for marrying for love,’ she said.

‘Oh, Kitty!’

She waved away the protest. ‘It’s a prudent match, and he’s a kind man. What’s your real objection?’

He could have refused to answer. But he suspected she still thought he had romantic feelings about Giulia, and he owed it to her to dispel any misapprehension.

‘I want her to be happy, just as I would Rachel or Alice. I hate to think she would tie herself in a loveless match purely for money.’

‘Because that would make you think less of her? But women have to make these decisions. I don’t despise Nina for marrying Mr Cowling. What else was she to do?’