A Suitable Groom

CHAPTER TWO

FERGUS, if he’d ever given the matter any thought, might have concluded that most women would be glad to have all the hard work done for them. But, then again, perhaps not. Who wanted a partner that some well-meaning relative had decided was ‘suitable’? He, more than anyone, had reason to be sympathetic.

‘Is that important?’ he asked. ‘The “Lady” bit?’

‘It is to her. I was once engaged to an earl; she’s never forgiven me for not making it to the altar.’

‘An earl?’

‘An earl with an estate in Gloucestershire, a house in Eaton Square and a castle in Scotland.’ She paused. ‘Of course, it was only a little castle.’

‘Is that why you changed your mind?’ he asked. ‘Because the castle was little?’

‘No. I fortunately discovered in time that I wasn’t countess material. I didn’t want to give up my career, you see. That’s the test, wouldn’t you say? How much you’re prepared to give up for someone.’

‘I believe so. But would you have had to give it up? Your career?’

‘I told you. I wasn’t cut out to be a countess.’

Which didn’t actually answer his question, he noted. ‘You gave up the castle for your career?’

‘Without hesitation,’ she agreed.

Despite her cool manner, she was finding the conversation difficult. But he persevered. ‘Then it’s the idea of marriage that’s repellent, rather than your mother’s choice of suitable grooms?’

‘I’ve no particular objection to marriage as an institution, Mr Kavanagh. I can see that the right wife to organise his domestic life must be a wonderful asset for any man.’ His sisters would undoubtedly agree with her. ‘Unfortunately, I’m far too busy organising my own life to undertake the task for anyone else. I know my own limitations and I’m just not wife material.’ She paused. ‘I just don’t have the necessary qualifications.’

‘I didn’t know you could take a course in it. City and Guilds?’ he asked. ‘Or Royal Society of Arts examinations? Do they run a course for prospective husbands?’

‘Maybe they should.’ Her smile was a touch strained. ‘I do always find myself asking, if all these thirty-something bachelors are so perfect, why hasn’t someone snapped them up long ago?’

‘It’s an interesting question, Miss Grant,’ he replied thoughtfully. ‘Maybe, like the best wines, they need a little extra time to mature.’

The touch of irony was not lost on her, and for just a moment he thought he detected the faintest blush colour her cheeks. ‘Oh, dear. That was tactless of me, wasn’t it?’

‘Probably,’ he agreed easily. ‘But illuminating. Tell me, is your opinion based on personal experience or simple prejudice?’

She allowed herself the smallest of smiles. ‘I refuse to say another word on the grounds that I may incriminate myself.’

‘That’s a pity. I was rather enjoying the conversation.’ And to reassure her, he went on, ‘I have to admit my own pitiful excuse for not coming up to scratch is simply that I’ve been far too busy.’

Her brows shot up. ‘Doing what?’ Then there was that hint of a blush again. ‘Perhaps I shouldn’t ask.’

‘Working, raising my sisters. I was dumped in at the deep end when my parents died a year after I graduated.’

‘I’m so sorry.’ And the quick compassion in her eyes told him that she wasn’t simply being polite. ‘My own father died when I was at university. I still miss him. So does my mother. They were, I think, the most perfectly happy couple—always together.’

‘Mine too. And they died together, too. I don’t think either one of them would have been capable of living without the other.’ It was the kind of love that seemed to strike every member of his family sooner or later. He wasn’t sure whether he welcomed the idea of it happening to him or dreaded it, and in a sudden flash of insight he wondered if maybe, after all, that was why he had so assiduously avoided all the marriage lures thrown in his path during the years. Then he realised that Veronica Grant was waiting for him to continue. ‘Unfortunately my father had no interest in business, or anything very much except my mother. Kavanagh Industries was in comfortable decline, everyone too cosy to institute the painful process of bringing it up to date; the family estate was in much the same situation, and I had two considerably younger sisters to distract me should I ever find myself with five minutes to spare.’ Not that he hadn’t had his moments. But he’d never allowed things to progress to anything deeper, more involving. Never even been tempted.

There was a moment of awkward silence, and then Veronica said, ‘Work can take over.’

‘And teenage angst is not conducive to romance,’ he continued with relief. ‘Either Poppy or Dora always seemed to have some crisis …’ And they had always come first. While he had been talking, he had been toying with his breakfast. Now he straightened and looked at her. ‘Why are you still on the marriage market, Miss Grant?’

Having bared his own soul for her curiosity, he decided it was perfectly reasonable to expect her to do the same for his, and she did not appear to object. Yet she regarded him levelly for a moment, as if wondering whether he was really interested, or simply passing the time. ‘I’m not on the marriage market, Mr Kavanagh. I told you, I’m not wife material.’

‘You’ve never even come close since the earl?’

‘Have you?’ she demanded.

Fergus sat back. ‘I apologise. It was impertinent of me to ask.’

She seemed to take a moment, gather herself. ‘No, Mr Kavanagh, I’m sorry for snapping. You see, most people don’t dare bring up the subject.’ She took a bite of her toast. ‘I’m considered rather formidable,’ she confided. ‘Except, of course, by my mother, who is formidable with a capital F. She believes that marriage is the only suitable occupation for a lady.’

‘She’s a bit old-fashioned?’

‘Positively prehistoric.’

‘Perhaps you should have just sent your regrets to your cousin, along with your best wishes,’ he suggested. An option not open to him. ‘Attendance isn’t compulsory if you’re not one of the major players.’

‘On the contrary, in my family we expect a full turn-out for dress occasions. Weddings, christenings, special anniversaries—’

‘Funerals?’

‘Those too.

‘And I’m very fond of Fliss. I couldn’t miss her big day. Besides, if I didn’t go, people would think I was sulking.’

‘Because of the biological clock ticking away in your ear?’

There was a pause, brief, barely noticeable, but it was there. ‘I don’t think my biological clock ever got wound up,’ she said.

Fergus regarded her thoughtfully. ‘So why does it matter what people think?’ She didn’t strike him as a woman who lived in awe of either her mother or other’s opinions, but she gave the smallest of sighs.

‘It doesn’t, to me. But to my mother …’ She lifted her shoulders a fraction. ‘And I do love her, even when she’s being absolutely impossible.’

He could understand that. He loved Poppy and Dora, and they were impossible most of the time.

‘You said it: weddings are hell.’ He forked up a little of one of the kippers. ‘Couldn’t you take along an escort as protective colouring?’ he suggested, after a moment. Dora had put ‘and partner’ on invitations to people whose relationships were informal or uncertain. ‘There must be someone you know, work with, perhaps, you could have asked along?’

‘I thought about it, but I couldn’t find anyone who would do.’ She glanced up. ‘Women have to be so careful when they’re in business. It’s so easy for motives to be … misunderstood. Besides, all the nicest men I know are married.’ She concentrated on her egg for a while and he, too, gave his breakfast his undivided attention. Well, almost undivided attention. Veronica Grant was not a presence it would ever be possible to totally ignore. ‘I actually did consider hiring someone,’ she said, after a while.

‘Hiring someone? Are wedding guest agencies listed in the Yellow Pages?’ If so, he might be tempted to use their services himself.

‘No, but escort agencies are.’ She saw his expression and shook her head. ‘Not that kind of escort agency. There’s one which provides well-groomed men who are guaranteed to know which fork to use and not to flirt with your best friend.’

‘Is that important?’

‘The fork or the flirting?’ she enquired.

‘Both.’

‘Absolutely vital if you want to provoke envy. A friend of mine hired an escort when she had been invited to a rather grand party at which she knew her ex-husband would be appearing with his new trophy wife. She said it was worth the fee just to see his jaw drop when she waltzed in with this dishy man who was at least five years her junior. He could dance, too. The escort. A skill her ex had never been able to master. The trophy wife actually flirted with him.’

‘A perfect result, then.’

‘A-plus,’ she agreed. ‘And at the end of the evening it was a quick shake of the hand, a cheque in an envelope and goodnight. No strings. No complications.’

‘It’s an interesting idea.’

‘I have to admit that I was sorely tempted. They have an Italian count on their books whom I thought might be rather fun.’

‘That’s a terrible idea,’ he said, truly hating the thought of her hiring some dreadful gigolo type. Then, because she was looking at him rather oddly, ‘Your mother doesn’t sound like the kind of woman to be impressed by a fake Italian count.’

‘Who said he was fake? Impoverished European aristocrats have to eat too, you know. But you’re right. I’m afraid a good-looking toy boy simply wouldn’t cut the mustard on this occasion. I need someone who would give the appearance of being a serious contender. Someone like you, Mr Kavanagh.’ She picked up her cup, sipped her tea and then replaced her cup carefully on the saucer before looking him straight in the eye. ‘Which is why I bribed Peter to put you at my table.’

Fergus Kavanagh could not remember the last time that anyone had reduced him to silence. ‘You bribed Peter?’ he managed finally.

It was time to come clean, own up, face the music. ‘I’m afraid so,’ Veronica admitted. ‘I saw your dash for the train and I asked him if you ever came into the restaurant car for breakfast. He assured me that you never missed.’

‘Did he, by God? Well, I have to say that Peter is a great disappointment to me. I had always assumed that he was thoroughly discreet. Tell me, what did it take?’

Oh, Lord, he was angry. She’d got Peter into trouble and made an utter fool of herself into the bargain. For nothing. ‘I’m sorry?’

Fergus was not fooled by her apparent innocence. ‘What did it take to bribe him?’ he said carefully.

‘Oh, I see.’ She hesitated, then gave a little shrug. ‘I’m not sure that I should tell you.’

After the initial shock, Fergus decided that he was rather enjoying himself. ‘Force yourself,’ he urged.

‘A ticket for the Cup Final?’ she offered.

‘The Cup Final?’ This woman could get tickets for a sporting event at the top of every red-blooded male’s wish list? ‘The FA Cup Final?’ he asked, to be quite certain. She nodded. ‘But that’s only a week away. There can’t be any tickets left,’ he said, rather stupidly.

‘I have two.’ It suddenly occurred to her that he wasn’t so much angry as taken by surprise. ‘Had two,’ she amended.

‘And you thought one of them worth my presence at your breakfast table?’

She put her head to one side and regarded him for a moment. In for a penny, she thought … after all she had nothing to lose … ‘Now that I’ve met you, Mr Kavanagh, I am of the opinion that you would have been worth both tickets.’

She didn’t mince her words. Formidable indeed. And Fergus couldn’t bring himself to blame Peter for accepting her offer. ‘I have the feeling that I should be flattered,’ he said finally.

She spread her fingers in a gesture that left it entirely up to him whether he was flattered, or merely intrigued. Just as long as he was one of them. ‘It was the best I could do at short notice. I had to think quickly, you see.’

He did. And she’d certainly done that. ‘Your best is very good, Miss Grant.’

But was it good enough? ‘Not really. Jefferson Sports are a major sponsor. I’m expected to attend and bring a guest.’

‘Peter?’ His disbelief was understandable.

‘Peter,’ she confirmed. ‘He’ll have a lovely day. Lunch, a chance to meet some former players—’

‘I don’t doubt it,’ he said, cutting her short. ‘But aren’t you supposed to take along one of your major customers?’

‘I’d far rather take someone who really enjoys the game, someone who can tell me what exactly is happening. Peter is a keen follower of Melchester Rovers, you know. And besides, major customers can pull enough strings to get their own tickets.’

‘I hope Nick Jefferson sees it that way.’

‘Nick has his mind on other things at the moment. Anyway, Peter is a customer. He bought a set of our golf clubs a few months back. I got him a discount.’ Veronica Grant smiled at him, inviting him to join in her little joke. Instead, Fergus gave her an old-fashioned look. ‘You know Nick?’ she asked.

‘I’m afraid not.’

‘The man has a highly developed sense of the ridiculous,’ she assured him.

‘With you as his Marketing Director, he must need it.’ Then, ‘Suppose I hadn’t co-operated?’ He indicated the seat at the far end of the carriage that had originally caught his eye. ‘I might have chosen to sit over there.’

She turned and glanced at the empty seat. ‘You did,’ she pointed out, turning back to face him. ‘But Peter stopped you by my table and I waylaid you with my hatbox. Are you interested in football, Mr Kavanagh? I might be able to lay my hands on another ticket, in a good cause.’

‘I have a standing invitation to the Cup Final, Miss Grant.’

‘Of course. Lunch with the directors, a seat in their box. Nothing less will do for Mr Fergus Kavanagh.’ He didn’t deny it. ‘I’m not sure what else I could offer …’ she paused so briefly that he might have imagined it ‘… a gentleman.’

He had thought for a while that she might be having a little joke at his expense. But she wasn’t. ‘You’re serious, aren’t you?’

‘In deadly earnest. You see, you fit the profile perfectly.’

He considered asking just what the ‘profile’ might be. Then thought better of it. ‘But you don’t know anything about me.’

‘That’s not entirely true. I know, for instance, that you are the most eligible of men—that is, you’re wealthy and unmarried, which for the purpose of this little exercise is all that is required—although to be honest I cannot think how you have escaped the clutches of some matchmaking mama for so long.’

‘Just lucky, I guess. Of course, I don’t have a title,’ he said, his tongue firmly in his cheek, beginning to enjoy himself as the germ of an idea began to take hold, grow … ‘Maybe that’s the reason.’

‘Two out of three isn’t bad,’ she pointed out. ‘And you’re bound to turn up in the New Year Honours sooner or later. So, what do you say, Mr Kavanagh, are you free this afternoon at two o’clock?’

Dear God, but the woman was cool. He wondered what it would take to heat her up. And would it be a slow overnight defrost, or was she the kind of woman who would simply explode in a rush of steam like a volcanic geyser?

‘Where is this wedding?’ he asked, to take his mind off such disturbing thoughts.

‘St Margaret’s.’

‘St Margaret’s, Westminster?’

‘Fliss’s mother is a Member of Parliament.’

‘Formidable women run in the family, then?’ His eyes creased in amusement.

‘At least one in every generation,’ she confirmed. Then, ‘The reception is in Knightsbridge. We wouldn’t have to stay late. In fact, if we appeared desperately keen to leave early it would be a positive bonus.’ She lifted her shoulders in the most elegant of shrugs. ‘My mother wouldn’t bother me about biological clocks for months.’

Fergus sat back and regarded the lady with interest. Such quick thinking was rare, and he could well understand how she had made it to the boardroom at such an early age. But he wasn’t slow on his feet when it came to taking advantage of unexpected opportunities. He might not want a ticket for the FA Cup Final, but Miss Veronica Grant had just offered him the perfect answer to his own difficulties.

‘You have gone to great lengths to ask me for a favour, Miss Grant,’ he said, ‘and such quick thinking should not go unrewarded.’

‘Is that a yes?’ she enquired hopefully.

‘A qualified yes. My top hat and brand-new morning suit are at your disposal this afternoon …’

Her smile was tinged with uncertainty. ‘But—?’ she added, after a small pause.

He returned her smile. He’d known she would understand. ‘But,’ he confirmed, ‘I shall require a small favour in return.’

‘Well, that’s only fair,’ she agreed, happy to indulge him in whatever sporting fantasy turned him on. ‘What event did you have in mind?’

‘Event?’

‘A day at Lord’s? The Centre Court on Finals Day at Wimbledon?’

‘Could you manage even that?’ he asked.

‘It wouldn’t be easy,’ she admitted. ‘But then, nothing worth the effort is ever easy.’

Fergus decided that Miss Grant was a woman with more than good looks to commend her. ‘On this occasion it will be. That is, if you are free on the seventeenth of this month. It’s a Saturday.’

‘I’ll make sure that I am,’ she said, without hesitation, without even asking what he wanted in return. Gutsy as well as cool. Or maybe just desperate. Her mother must be right out of the boys’ book of dragons.

‘Then all I ask in return for my company this afternoon is that you don your wedding hat again and come to my sister’s wedding as my guest.’ He could see that she was puzzled. ‘We’ll form our own escort agency, you and I. A very exclusive one. I will keep at bay the suitors your mother has lined up for you; your task will be to fend off a gaggle of hopeful spinsters, widows and divorcees that Dora and Poppy have targeted as prospective wives for me.’

‘You’re joking!’ she gasped.

‘I sincerely wish I was,’ he replied.

He’d overheard them quite by chance. He had been about to risk the dining room, which had become the centre of operations for wedding planning, and take the girls a drink to fortify them as they sorted out the final details, when Dora’s voice had brought him up short.

‘Ginnie Metcalfe would be the perfect wife for Gussie, you know. She’s not too old for babies, but not so young that he’d look stupid. I can’t bear old men with young wives, can you?’ Old? Thirty-eight wasn’t old! ‘She’s been brought up to run a big house and she’s got the most wonderful seat on a horse.’

‘Darling, Ginnie Metcalfe looks like a horse,’ Poppy had replied, and the pair of them had dissolved into giggles. Giggles! It was not in the least bit amusing, and he’d been about to march in there and tell them so when Poppy had said, ‘I think Sarah Darcy-Williams is our best bet. If you made her your matron of honour, you could sit her next to him at the reception.’

Sarah Darcy-Williams! Never. Not in a million years. Not if she was the last woman on earth.

‘She’s been married before,’ Dora had said doubtfully. And the poor guy had had to run for his life after two years. The mystery of it was how he had managed to stick it out for so long. ‘Of course, that does mean she’ll have had the romance knocked out of her, and let’s be honest, Poppy, Gussie isn’t one of life’s great romantics. I mean, can you imagine him sending a woman red roses?’

‘Or silk underwear.’

‘Silk underwear?’ Dora had given a little whoop of astonishment. ‘Are you telling me that Richard buys you silk underwear?’

‘Just a little something now and then, to wrap around a pair of earrings or a pendant …’ This had been followed by a deep sigh from Poppy.

Romantic? When the hell had he had time to be romantic? Keeping one step ahead of them had taken every vestige of wit he possessed. Not that he was a total stranger to the florist, or to long-stemmed red roses come to that—but buying a woman silk underwear …? Maybe he was getting old, because he would have thought that was the quickest way to a black eye known to man, even if you were married to her.