Read Online The Velvet Glove by Mary Williams - Free Book Online

into a mere representation of any ordinary girl dressed up for the occasion – colourless, and rather dull; the Cassie Kate had known through the years.
    Rick, however, thought differently. In the bedroom after their return home following the reception, he said, ‘Cassandra came up to scratch, didn’t she? No fumbling for words or unintelligible “I do”. An attractive little thing too, in her way.’
    ‘ You think so?’ Kate said shortly. ‘Oh, I suppose so. I don’t think the white suited her though. If I’d been Cassie I’d have chosen peach, it would have given her more colour.’
    ‘ Ah, but you’re not Cassie,’ Rick said lightly, giving her an overt glance. ‘Thank God.’
    The last remark revived Kate ’s spirits like magic. She sighed. ‘No,’ and added retrospectively, ‘we did have a good honeymoon, didn’t we? It was exciting. I can’t somehow imagine Cass and—’ She broke off as Rick interposed quickly, ‘Cassie and Jon rolling off a bed on top of each other—’
    Kate flushed, recalling what a comical yet wildly passionate interlude that had been.
    ‘I wasn’t thinking of that,’ she said stiffly, wishing that just for once her husband could concentrate on the romantic rather than the amusing episodes of their first night together.
    ‘ I know you weren’t. I know what you were thinking. A touch of envy. Yes?’
    ‘ Envy . Good heavens what do you mean?’
    Rick ’s eyebrows arched; his voice had an ironic touch as he said, ‘Don’t try and fool me, darling. Let’s always be honest with each other, shall we? Believe me, I perfectly understand your wishing I was the Hon. Jon, instead of just plain Rick Ferris.’
    ‘ That’s not true.’
    ‘ It won’t be in time,’ he asserted. ‘And the sooner you speed up the forgetting business the better – for both of us.’
    ‘ I wish you wouldn’t talk that way. Almost threatening. It’s mean of you.’
    He laughed. ‘Threatening? My dear sweet girl, I never threaten. I can act when I have to, but only under extreme provocation.’
    Not knowing whether he was serious or not, she asked, ‘Such as—?’
    ‘ Putting a naughty girl over my knee if I suspected she was up to anything I didn’t approve of – such as planning any secret intrigue with another woman’s husband. But don’t worry love, I’m sure you’re not that stupid.’
    She sighed. ‘I don’t know what’s got into you. You insisted on me going to the wedding, so I went. I didn’t want to – I find it all rather boring. It was just to please you, and all the thanks I get is being talked to as though I was a child. Why ?’
    The ironic smile died from his face suddenly. He took a step forward and took her face between his hands, forcing her eyes to stare up into the burning glow of his own.
    ‘Perhaps because I love thee too much, Kate,’ he said thickly.
    ‘ Oh, Rick.’
    His lips travelled from her neck to the firm white curve of her shoulder above the lavender silk of her dress.
    ‘ Try to love me, Kate,’ he said. ‘Be faithful. That’s all I ask.’
    The seed of longing in her suddenly erupted to wild desire.
    He carried her to the bed. And that night a child was conceived.
    *
    On the same evening at Charnbrook the newly married couple were facing complications in their relationship that neither had visualized. They were to travel to the Continent the following day and motivated by eager desire on Jon’s side, went to bed early. The room was tastefully decorated in pink and cream, with antique walnut furnishings, rose brocade curtains and hangings, thickly piled carpet, and roses arranged in a crystal bowl on a Louis Quatorze side-table. The air was thick with a perfume that momentarily was too heady for Cassandra’s already overwrought nerves. Just inside the door she stiffened for some moments, until Jon gently took her arm and urged her in.
    ‘ Come along, darling,’ he said. ‘What’s the matter? Frightened?’ He laughed softly.