‘Oh!’ By this time her heart was in serious overdrive. In a ridiculous high-pitched voice, she heard herself saying again, like a parrot, ‘Wh-why not?’
Patrick shrugged, avoiding her gaze. His dark eyes were absolutely expressionless.
‘It didn’t feel right, I suppose. She didn’t do anything wrong, ‘I just knew we weren’t going anywhere. Claire’s a lovely girl, but in the end ‘I suppose I realised she just isn’t my type.’
Dulcie was glad she was leaning against the wall. She was in serious danger of keeling over.
‘But ... why not?’ She stared up at Patrick, desperately searching his face for clues. He still wasn’t looking at her. He was, Dulcie realised, concentrating on a particularly riveting patch of wallpaper instead.
‘It’s hard to explain.’ He combed his fingers through his hair, pushing it back from his forehead.
Oh God, Dulcie thought helplessly, ‘I love your eyebrows so much.
‘Try.’
‘Well,’ Patrick sounded reluctant, ‘she’s always in a good mood. Always cheerful.’ He sighed and shook his head. ‘Always happy to go along with anything anyone suggests. God, this is ridiculous ... what am I saying?’
Unable to stop herself, Dulcie suggested, ‘That Princess Perfect leaves you cold?’
Heavens, he actually smiled!
‘I suppose so. When someone’s always the same, there are never any surprises.’ Patrick cleared his throat. ‘I suppose what I’m trying to say is, it just felt ... well, predictable.’
Dulcie bit her lip. Oh, hooray for predictable!
‘So how did Claire take it when you told her it was over?’ As if ‘I care! ‘No – hang on, don’t tell me – she took it wonderfully well. Like a trouper, like a real star.’
‘She did, actually.’ Patrick looked as if he was trying not to laugh. As Dulcie turned and began heading in the direction of the entrance hall he called out, ‘Where are you going now?’
‘Follow me and find out.’
Outside the main doors, at the top of the stone steps, he caught up with her. It was an icy night.
The grounds glistened with frost and when Dulcie spoke, clouds of condensation hung in the still night air.
‘Hang on to this.’
‘Hang on to what?’ Patrick wondered why her hands were behind her back. The next moment he heard the hiss of a zip being undone, and Dulcie’s jade-green satin dress landed in a shimmering pool at her feet.
‘Dulcie—’
‘Sshh!’
Patrick stood and stared as she skipped down the flight of steps, made for the fountain in the middle of the circular gravel drive, kicked off her shoes and jumped in.
The fountain was still flowing, but only just. Icicles had formed from the spouting stone statues and a thin film of ice on the surface of the water crackled and broke up as Dulcie danced in the pale moonlight.
By the time Patrick reached her she was soaked and shivering but her eyes were as bright as stars.
‘P-p-predictable enough for you?’ said Dulcie, through teeth that chattered like castanets.
Heavens, she hadn’t expected ice-cold water to be quite this ice-cold. Even her eyelashes were going numb .. .
She almost fainted with relief when Patrick scooped her out of the fountain, threw his suit jacket around her shoulders, lifted her into his arms and began to carry her back up the steps.
‘You are completely mad.’
‘I love it when you’re m-masterful,’ Dulcie murmured. ‘You Tarzan, me Jane.’
‘Mad.’
She grinned. ‘Better than boring. No – sorry, what was the word you used? The polite way of putting it? Ah yes .. . predictable.’
‘Frostbite, that’s what’s predictable.’ Patrick pushed through the doors. ‘Which way’s the sauna?’
Chapter 56
Once they were inside the sauna, Dulcie – still in his arms – watched him turn the dial up to maximum.
‘I s-suppose I ought to get out of these w-wet things.’ Her teeth were still chattering dramatically.
Patrick glanced down at her wet, brown, goose-pimply body and sodden peacock-blue bra and knickers.
‘Don’t they have any towels in here?’
The towels were kept in the linen cupboard next door. Dulcie opened her eyes wide.
‘Can’t remember where they keep them.’
At least the sauna was heating up fast. Patrick put Dulcie down on one of the wooden benches, sat down beside her and loosened his tie.
‘Am ‘I underdressed or are you overdressed?’ she said lightly. If she could persuade him to take his clothes off too, maybe-
‘Dulcie.’ He turned to look at her, his tone neutral. ‘Why did you jump into the fountain?’
Help, thought Dulcie, nitty-gritty time. Here we go.
