‘Sara?’
She looked up to find her father looking at her enquiringly. ‘Sorry?’ she blinked her puzzlement.
He laughed. ‘It’s all right, it wasn’t anything important anyway. Did I remember to tell you how beautiful you look this evening? I like the dress.’
She laughed. ‘You should—you paid for it!’
He looked startled. ‘I did?’
‘It’s one of mine, Daddy,’ Marie grinned. ‘Although it never looked that good on me, it must be all that training to be a model.’
Sara blushed at the compliment, studiously avoiding Dominic’s piercing blue eyes. He was watching her, she knew he was; he always seemed to be watching her. She just wished she knew why.
‘I—er—I think I should be going now,’ she suggested brightly.
‘I’ll drive you,’ Dominic offered instantly, almost as if he had been waiting for just such a suggestion.
‘No,’ she refused sharply, not trusting herself to be alone with this man. ‘What I mean,’ she added hastily, ‘is that I can get a cab—taxi. There’s no need to take Dom—Dominic away from Marie this early.’
‘You won’t be taking me away early,’ he drawled. ‘I can easily come back.’
‘Yes…’ Sara bit her lip. If he came back he would no doubt spend time giving Marie a prolonged goodbye. Jealousy ripped through her as a physical pain. And then she cursed herself for being a fool. Marie and Dominic could even be sleeping together for all she knew, it was very common in this day and age, and the idea of that was even more unpalatable to her. She couldn’t let Dominic drive her home knowing he would be coming back to Marie. ‘But I really would rather get a taxi, there’s no point in breaking up everyone’s evening.’
‘You won’t be doing that,’ Dominic assured her smoothly, standing up to look down at her expectantly.
‘Aren’t you coming with us, Marie?’ she asked her sister almost desperately. ‘For the ride?’
‘I don’t think so.’ Marie shook her head regretfully. ‘You see, when I’ve had one of my migraines I usually go to bed early for a few nights.’ She grimaced. ‘Doctor’s orders. I wouldn’t do it otherwise.’
‘We know that,’ her father teased. ‘Actually, it’s after ten now, so perhaps you ought to go to bed as soon as Sara and Dominic leave.’
Sara and Dominic. Sara repressed the shiver of pleasure that she felt at hearing her name coupled with Dominic’s. ‘I’d really rather get a taxi, especially as Dominic wouldn’t be coming back here.’
Dominic shrugged. ‘I have to leave now anyway, so if you want a lift I have an empty car.’
‘Of course she’d like a lift,’ her father smiled. ‘Sara was just being tactful, wanted to leave you two alone.’
‘Oh, you don’t need to do that,’ Marie dismissed. ‘I’ll just take Dominic outside now and then you won’t need to feel in the least guilty. Come along, darling,’ and she took her fiancée’s hand and led him out of the room.
‘You mustn’t mind Marie,’ her father excused as the door closed after them. ‘She’s very forthright.’
‘Yes.’ Sara’s cheeks were fiery red as her imagination played overtime. ‘I—I like that. My mother—–’ she broke off, biting her lip.
‘Yes?’ he prompted. ‘Don’t stop talking about her because it’s me,’ he said huskily. ‘It’s been so long since I heard news of Rachel that I would love to hear about your life with her.’
‘I’m sorry,’ she said with genuine compassion, realising Dominic had been right about her father’s love for her mother. ‘My mother brought me up to be completely honest too,’ she finished her previous statement.
‘We always did have similar views on bringing up children,’ he nodded. ‘I don’t think either of us did a bad job of it.’
At that moment Marie and Dominic rejoined them, Marie’s mouth pointedly bare of lipstick. Sara winced, turning away, making her expression blank as she sensed Dominic’s gaze on her once again. Marie looked thoroughly, glowingly kissed, and Dominic was looking at her.