A Convenient Proposal

'When he went away to university and then veterinary school he broke quite a few hearts,' Mary continued fondly, 'and then his paternal grandfather died and left him all he owned. Do you know about that?'

'No, no, I don't.' This was awful, terrible, but she didn't know how to stop the conversation from progressing unless she was rude, and she couldn't be like that with Quinn's mother.

'It was a considerable amount of money,' Ma

ry said quietly, 'so now of course he had the added allure of wealth besides everything else, which is not particularly good at the tender age of twenty-six. I think he was what the younger generation call a 'hellraiser' for a time, and then…he married Laura four and a half years ago.'

Candy shifted uncomfortably, and Mary suddenly seemed to be aware that she was talking too much. She patted Candy's arm lightly, her voice still confidential as she said, 'Well, anyway, my dear, suffice to say I have never seen him rush out to buy anyone flowers like he did on Christmas Eve when he thought you might be staying.'

Those flowers, the beautiful, exquisitely delicate lilies, had been specially for her? Candy stared into the warm, lovely face of Quinn's mother but she couldn't think of a thing to say.

'But now we really must be going.' Mary seemed un-aware of the slight gape to Candy's mouth as she smiled brightly and called to her husband across the room, 'Bernard? We mustn't leave it too late, dear. The roads still might be difficult in places.'

Candy gave the impression she was carefree and breezy through the goodbye hugs and promises of future meetings, but once they had waved Quinn's parents off she took a couple of deep breaths. She was going to tell him she wanted to go home now, tonight, and she wasn't going to take no for an answer, she told herself resolutely. But then, as the tail-lights disappeared and the noise of the engine faded, Quinn quite took the wind out of her sails.

'Right, get your glad-rags on.'

'What?' They were standing on the top step, Quinn's aim casually round her shoulders, and now she shrugged him away as she said, 'What are you talking about?'

'Monty's party tonight,' Quinn said evenly and then, as though her abrupt tone hadn't registered, he continued conversationally, 'Always seems funny when I speak of Monty Hardingstone. I've a patient, a Great Dane, with the name of Monty, who has the devil of a time with his anal glands, and I can't help connecting the two in my mind.'

'Really.' Candy eyed him coldly, her tone indicating a hundred Montys—complete with anal glands or without them—were of no interest. 'You haven't mentioned this party before.'

'No?' Quinn raised surprised eyebrows in an innocent face.

'No. Which is a shame.' Candy smiled sweetly. 'Because it might have been fun. As it is, I really do have to get home,' she said with grim reasonableness.

'Why?'

'Lots of reasons.' She was not going to let him force her to justify herself!

'Name one.'

Because something had subtly shifted with his parents going, and she didn't want to explore what it was unless there was a good mile or so between her and Quinn! 'I shouldn't have to. I want to go home and that is sufficient,' Candy said with icy dignity.

'Not for me.' And he had the nerve to grin widely.

'Quinn!' Damn! She had promised herself she wouldn't lose control. 'I mean it.'

'Candy, it's gone six o'clock and that lane is as black as pitch at the best of times,' Quinn said mildly. 'I have absolutely no intention of battling down there when I can't even see clearly; that would be stupid.'

No, she was the stupid one—to think that she could trust a word Quinn Ellington said!

'I'll take you home in the morning, if you insist,' he continued steadily, 'but tonight we are going to Monty's party together, as planned.'

'It wasn't planned, not as far as I was concerned at least,' Candy said sulkily.

'Have you really had such a terrible time that you can't wait to leave?' he asked with sudden sad reproach. 'I thought it was a great Christmas.'

'It was. I mean—it was very nice. Your parents are very nice people.' Her voice trailed to a halt and she sighed deeply. Why did he always make her feel so confused she asked herself silently.

'So, Christmas was nice, my parents are nice, and what about me?' he asked with silky softness, his eyes brimming with laughter but his face quite serious. 'How would you describe me?'

'You don't want to know,' she shot back sharply, suddenly hurt in spite of herself. This was just a game to him, it hadn't touched his heart at all, whereas she…

The world stopped spinning and shot off into space as time splintered into a million tiny pieces.

She loved him.