No Mistaking Love

Her mockery caught Kate on the raw. `You didn't really want him then, did you?' she said angrily. `You were just playing with him. Anne told me what you used to say about Luke behind his back. Why do you want him so much now?'

Helen shrugged, unperturbed. `He was a little rough in those days, and I had a better offer in mind. But now, well, he's a very attractive man.'

`And a very rich one?’

'You always did have a sharp tongue for someone so plain, Catherine,' Helen said with dislike.

`At least it was an honest one,' Kate retorted. `I never pretended to be in love with Luke and then sneered at him when he wasn't there.'

Helen gave a harsh laugh. `Love? Luke isn't interested in love! He doesn't give a damn what people think about him.'

`Not now he doesn't, but that's because thoughtless, cruel girls like you taught him that love was worthless. No wonder he's cynical!' Kate's eyes were blazing. `Didn't it ever occur to you that he might be hurt by the way you treated him? But no, you had a better offer, and you couldn't even be bothered to say goodbye!'

`Luke didn't care,' Helen said lightly. `If he did, why would he keep coming back to me?’

'At least he knows what he's dealing with,' Kate said with a contempt that made Helen's green eyes flash.

`Which is more than he does with you, Little Miss Virtue! It's all very well for you to preach about honesty, but how honest is it to keep your identity a secret?’

'It's not a secret. Luke didn't recognise me, and I didn't see any point in reminding him. I'm sure he wouldn't remember me anyway.'

`No, probably not,' Helen said dismissively. `You weren't exactly the memorable type.'

`You remembered me,' Kate pointed out. `And I've changed. I'm not the plain, awkward little girl I was. I'd like Luke to remember me as I am now, not as I was. I think he will-especially after last night,' she added deliberately.

Helen's eyes narrowed. `If you think one night gives you any hold over Luke, you've got another think coming! I give you a week before Luke as you to leave.'

`I wouldn't give you that long if Luke comes back now,' Kate said with a coolness that surprised her. `He won't want a scene in the office and, in view of last night, I think he's likely to take my side in any argument.' She picked up the pile of letters from her desk and began to slit them open. `I suggest you leave now-and don’t come back until there's another secretary sitting here!’

'That won't be long!' Helen said viciously and stormed out of the office, letting the door bang noisily behind her.

Left unexpectedly holding the field, Ka realised that she was shaking. She sat down abruptly in her chair and dropped her head in her hands.

Was she just the latest in a line of over-emotional secretaries? Was that all she was Luke? Kate didn't want to believe Helen, but the story wasn't that unlikely, after all. Luke himself had mentioned her tearful predecessors: was so incredible that they had fallen in love with him? She had; why shouldn't they?

Kate pulled her fingers through her hair. It was soft and gleaming still, just as it had been when Luke had tangled his fingers in it and tilted h head back for his kiss. The memory of the night they had shared tore at her. It was impossible to believe it hadn't meant anything to Luke. She couldn't mistake the look in his eyes or the tenderness of his touch.

No, she wouldn't believe Helen, but she would have to tell Luke about Chittingdene now. If only she had told him last night! She dreaded the confession in the cold light of day. He would want to know why she hadn't told him before, and it would be hard to explain without sounding deceitful or, worse, calculating.

And then the door opened and Luke came in. One look at his face told Kate that her confession would be unnecessary.

`I met Helen on her way out,' he said heavily. His expression was tight and closed. `She said you were Catherine Haddington-Finch from Chittingdene. Is it true?'

Kate lifted her head and met his eyes squarely. `What do you think?'

`Catherine?' he said, as if wanting to disbelieve. He searched her face, and then sighed as he read the truth in her eyes. `Catherine.'

`Kate,' she corrected him quietly.

`Why didn't you tell me?' He turned away, unable to hide the bitterness in his face.

`There never seemed to be an opportunity,' she began, but he interrupted her.

`An opportunity! You never had any trouble talking to me about anything else!'

`This was different. I didn't think you'd remember me anyway. Why should you?’

'I remember you all right. You were the girl who came down to the wood to tell me about Helen.'

Kate nodded miserably. `But you didn't recognise me. I didn't see any point in bringing up the past. You made it pretty clear you'd put it behind you, and I thought it would just be embarrassing for both of us.'

`I suppose you thought I might be embarrassed at having the daughter of the manor at my beck and call? Was that it?’

'No!' Kate's heart sank at the harsh note in his voice. `I was remembering that day in the woods. The last time I saw you you kissed me. It seemed an awkward memory for a boss and a secretary to share, that's all.'

`And all those times I wondered if I'd met you before? Did you have a good snigger then? That Frenchwoman I told you about in the restaurant; she was your mother, wasn't she? That must have had you in stitches!'

`No! Luke, you know I've never laughed at you.'

`The trouble is, I don't know about you any more.' He turned away angrily. `I really thought you were different. When I looked into those clear eyes of yours I thought I saw only honesty. You've made a fool out of me, haven't you? You're just as deceitful as all the others!'

Kate lifted her chin. `I've never lied to you.'

`It doesn't seem that way to me. Keeping something like that secret is just as dishonest.'

`It never seemed to bother you about Helen!' Kate cried. `What about all the things she didn't tell you?’

'Helen's different. I never expected anything from her, but you… you were special, Kate. At least, I thought you were.' He laughed mirthlessly.

Kate was angry now. `What about all those other secretaries you seduced? I suppose they were all special too? It must save you so much effort, using the same line every time!'

`What other secretaries?' Luke demanded, swinging round.

`Helen told me. Apparently I'm just the latest in a long line of secretaries to fall for your line about being the best ever!'

`And you believe what Helen says?’ 'You appear to!'

They were both too angry to hear the door open. One of the junior secretaries stood in the doorway, clutching some files, startled and embarrassed by the scene that met her eyes.

`Get out!' Luke snarled, and she turned and fled.

`I see you're back to being your usual charming self!' snapped Kate.

`When are you going to revert to being Catherine Haddington-Finch? I'm surprised I didn't remember as soon as you started bossing me around! You're just like your father, that pompous old fool, playing squire up at the manor.'

`My father was not pompous!' Kate hissed. `He was kind and generous, which is more than you are! You've just got some stupid chip on your shoulder. What does it matter if I was called Catherine and lived in a big house? We've both grown up since then. Surely it's who we are now that matters?'

Luke was standing by the window, glaring down at the street, a tic jumping in his jaw. 'That's just it. I thought I knew who you were but now I find that you're someone completely different.' He glanced over his shoulder at Kate who was rigid beside her desk, her tawny eyes ablaze. `I was going to ask the girl called Kate1 to marry me tonight. Quite a joke, isn't it?' His face was closed and bitter. `But I don't feel like marrying Catherine. She might have other secrets she doesn't want me to know.'

Kate looked at the back of his head in despair. `I'm not Catherine, I'm Kate. If you can dismiss the Kate you've known after the last few weeks that easily I don't want to marry you! Can you dismiss last night too? Did it seem to you that we had any secrets that mattered then?' Luke stiffened but didn't turn round. `There are lots of things I