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quite an achievement, you know.’
    Insta ntly she regretted the sarcasm – the touch of bitterness. To be jealous of Cassie was somehow degrading. So she forced herself to smile and added more casually, ‘It will be nice for you. And Mama will be pleased, I know she will. Only I just wish you’d said something to me before about meeting Jon. You must have been seeing him: I often wondered.’
    She was staring very directly into the other girl ’s face.
    Cas sandra looked away. ‘Only once – twice with this last time. There was nothing secret about it. Not really. We just happened to like the same sort of things and places. It’s a kind of ruin near Feyland. I’ve been sketching it. I’ll show you, if you like.’
    Kate ’s irritation returned. ‘Oh, don’t bother. It’s not important. You’ve done so many. If Jon appreciates your creations, that’s all that matters, isn’t it?’
    C assie’s luminous eyes widened. Her soft voice had a cool condemning quality when she said, ‘I believe you’re annoyed.’
    ‘ Don’t be stupid.’ Kate turned away. ‘I’m going for a canter on Beth. You’d better get Mama to suggest what you wear for your assignment at the Wentworths. Tell her I’ve given you the pick of my wardrobe – all except the jade. That’s not worn yet.’
    It was in such a mood of defiant bravado that five minutes later Kate, riding towards Woodgate, met Rick Ferris cantering leisurely round a bend of woodland fringing the village.
    He drew up, reined, and she did the same, smiling.
    ‘ Good morning, Kate. Nice day, isn’t it?’ His teeth were a flash of white in the sunlight. He wore no hat and with the soft wind ruffling his dark hair looked younger than she remembered in formal attire.
    ‘ Yes, lovely,’ she agreed.
    ‘ Looking for me, were you?’ The teasing quality of his voice, the hint of mischief, brought a flash of embarrassment to her cheeks.
    ‘ Of course not. I don’t go looking for men, Mr Ferris.’
    He laughed. ‘Forgive me. Of course you don’t. You don’t need to. You’re far too beautiful.’
    ‘ This is a stupid conversation. I must be going. I only—’ She was about to kick Beth to a canter when he halted her.
    ‘ No, please. Allow me to accompany you, or let us get things fixed.’
    She stared. ‘What do you mean?’
    ‘ Our next rendezvous.’
    ‘ But, Mr Ferris—’
    ‘ Rick. Remember?’
    Suddenly she realized there was no point in fencing. She wanted to see him again, not casually, or in a crowd, but at a properly arranged date which could restore her lost self-confidence and vanity that had been so wounded by Jon’s conduct.
    So it was arranged for her to visit the manor farm on an afternoon of the following week, when he would show her round the stud, before escorting her to Woodgate for a light evening meal.
    ‘No frills or fuss,’ he said, ‘and you need have no fear of offending the proprieties. All will be perfectly respectable. My housekeeper will be in charge. I shall have a word first with your papa, of course. So you can assure your mama I’m no wolf in sheep’s clothing.’
    In this way Kate Barrington ’s association with Rick Ferris continued towards a course of deepening intimacy.
    During the weeks following, she told herself repeatedly she certainly did not love him, nor ever could. Always she ’d long for Jon. But Rick was an exciting man to be with. And when he was not immersed in business matters he was fun, and he’d the capacity to make her laugh and enjoy life.
    In late October when Cassie, who was still at Beechlands, stunned the Barringtons with the information that the Hon. Jon Wentworth had asked her to marry him and she ’d agreed. Kate, inwardly outraged and shocked almost beyond belief, determined desperately to steal what social publicity she could from Cassandra’s forthcoming union in being the first to wed.
    By then she knew Ferris wanted her, and was aware that he could have her only by making her his