lucky people.'
'My grandparents didn't think so.' Caroline was back in her own past. 'They refused to have anything to do with my, father from the moment he ran away and married my mother. They had an American heiress lined up for him and they never forgave him for marrying the daughter of a publican.'
Matt chuckled. 'I knew we had something in common.'
'Have we?' She was mystified.
'The brewery business!'
She laughed, and humour helped the hurt of the past to recede so that she could talk about it more easily.
'I never knew my paternal grandparents,' she said. 'They acted as if we never existed. They couldn't prevent my father inheriting the title, but they left all the family money to charity.'
'You're beautiful enough not to need help from anyone,' he said.
'For the moment,' she replied. 'But in this business there's always someone younger and prettier waiting to step into your shoes.'
'Not for years yet,' he assured her.
She smiled, then glanced at her watch.
'How inconsiderate I am,' said Matt. 'I didn't realise how late it was.'
'Not really, but my flatmate is moving tomorrow and I promised to help her.'
He motioned the waiter for the bill and they made their way through the restaurant. It was still fairly full, even at this late hour, and he stopped at several tables to speak to acquaintances. The men looked admiringly at Caroline, and though she could not overhear their remarks, she realised from the glances they gave her she was being discussed. Knowing Matt's reputation with women, she could imagine what they were saying, and because she had enjoyed her evening she found herself hoping he would not spoil it by making the obligatory pass.
During the drive home she was tense, and when the car drew up outside her front door, she quickly fumbled at the lock.
'Aren't you going to ask me in for a nightcap?' he said.
'You shouldn't drink and drive,' she replied sweetly.
'By the time I leave, the effects will have worn off.'
Disappointment washed over her, and angrily she jumped out.
'If you want me to pay for my evening, I'd rather do it with money!' she snapped.
He was halfway round the side of the car and he stopped.
'Ouch,' he said slowly, 'that was a right to the chin.'
'I'm sorry. But if you assume that one date entitles you to spend the night with me, I'm afraid you've wasted your time and money. And I know how precious . both of those things are to you!'
'And that was below the belt!' Anger deepened his voice and his Northern accent was more pronounced. 'I don't need to force myself on any girl.'
'You could have fooled me!'
'Perhaps you're the one who's doing the fooling.' He was beside her, looming tall. 'Are you really as outraged as you profess? You've been around long enough to know the score.'
'And you've been around long enough to know when a girl doesn't want to play!'
'In general, or just with me?'
'In general,' she said icily.
'Saving yourself for the man you marry?' he. asked sarcastically.
'How clever of you to guess.'
She was at the top of the steps and had inserted the key in the lock before he was aware of it.
'Caroline!' he called.
'Goodnight!' she replied, and slammed the door in his face.
So much for her hopes that he would behave differently with her from the way he normally did. He was an arrogant boor and she never wanted to see him again. If it weren't for Tom she'd refuse to do the modelling assignment. Shivering, she let herself into the flat. Even though she had to work for one of Matthew Bishop's companies she had no intention of having anything to do with its owner.
CHAPTER THREE
Jane ran Caroline back to the Berkeley Hotel first thing the next morning to collect her car. Arriving back, they found the removal men waiting for them as well as an enormous basket of pink and white roses. Caroline read the simple message on the card that was nestling among the tightly closed buds.
'Please forgive me. Will you let me make amends at dinner tonight?'
Fuming
'My grandparents didn't think so.' Caroline was back in her own past. 'They refused to have anything to do with my, father from the moment he ran away and married my mother. They had an American heiress lined up for him and they never forgave him for marrying the daughter of a publican.'
Matt chuckled. 'I knew we had something in common.'
'Have we?' She was mystified.
'The brewery business!'
She laughed, and humour helped the hurt of the past to recede so that she could talk about it more easily.
'I never knew my paternal grandparents,' she said. 'They acted as if we never existed. They couldn't prevent my father inheriting the title, but they left all the family money to charity.'
'You're beautiful enough not to need help from anyone,' he said.
'For the moment,' she replied. 'But in this business there's always someone younger and prettier waiting to step into your shoes.'
'Not for years yet,' he assured her.
She smiled, then glanced at her watch.
'How inconsiderate I am,' said Matt. 'I didn't realise how late it was.'
'Not really, but my flatmate is moving tomorrow and I promised to help her.'
He motioned the waiter for the bill and they made their way through the restaurant. It was still fairly full, even at this late hour, and he stopped at several tables to speak to acquaintances. The men looked admiringly at Caroline, and though she could not overhear their remarks, she realised from the glances they gave her she was being discussed. Knowing Matt's reputation with women, she could imagine what they were saying, and because she had enjoyed her evening she found herself hoping he would not spoil it by making the obligatory pass.
During the drive home she was tense, and when the car drew up outside her front door, she quickly fumbled at the lock.
'Aren't you going to ask me in for a nightcap?' he said.
'You shouldn't drink and drive,' she replied sweetly.
'By the time I leave, the effects will have worn off.'
Disappointment washed over her, and angrily she jumped out.
'If you want me to pay for my evening, I'd rather do it with money!' she snapped.
He was halfway round the side of the car and he stopped.
'Ouch,' he said slowly, 'that was a right to the chin.'
'I'm sorry. But if you assume that one date entitles you to spend the night with me, I'm afraid you've wasted your time and money. And I know how precious . both of those things are to you!'
'And that was below the belt!' Anger deepened his voice and his Northern accent was more pronounced. 'I don't need to force myself on any girl.'
'You could have fooled me!'
'Perhaps you're the one who's doing the fooling.' He was beside her, looming tall. 'Are you really as outraged as you profess? You've been around long enough to know the score.'
'And you've been around long enough to know when a girl doesn't want to play!'
'In general, or just with me?'
'In general,' she said icily.
'Saving yourself for the man you marry?' he. asked sarcastically.
'How clever of you to guess.'
She was at the top of the steps and had inserted the key in the lock before he was aware of it.
'Caroline!' he called.
'Goodnight!' she replied, and slammed the door in his face.
So much for her hopes that he would behave differently with her from the way he normally did. He was an arrogant boor and she never wanted to see him again. If it weren't for Tom she'd refuse to do the modelling assignment. Shivering, she let herself into the flat. Even though she had to work for one of Matthew Bishop's companies she had no intention of having anything to do with its owner.
CHAPTER THREE
Jane ran Caroline back to the Berkeley Hotel first thing the next morning to collect her car. Arriving back, they found the removal men waiting for them as well as an enormous basket of pink and white roses. Caroline read the simple message on the card that was nestling among the tightly closed buds.
'Please forgive me. Will you let me make amends at dinner tonight?'
Fuming
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