“Very funny, William. That was your foot I just stepped on.”

“Nonsense. It was my toe. You’re getting much better!”

They laughed and talked and danced until two o’clock in the morning, and as he drove her home she yawned and smiled sleepily at him, then she leaned her head against his shoulder.

“I had such a good time tonight, William. Really, thank you.”

“I had an awful time,” he said, sounding convincing, but only for a moment. “I had no idea I would be out with a fallen woman. Here I thought you were a nice young girl from New York, and what do lend up with? Used goods. My God, what a blow!” He shook his head mournfully as she swatted him with her handbag.

“Used goods! How dare you call me that!” She was half outraged, half amused, but they were both laughing and smiling.

“All right, then an ‘old divorcée,’ if you prefer. Not at all what I thought, in any case …” He continued to shake his head, and occasionally grin mischievously at her, and suddenly she began to worry that her status might mean to him that she would be easy prey, and he could use her casually for a few weeks until she left London. The very thought made her grow stiff, and move away from him as he drove her back to Claridge’s. Her movement was so abrupt that he was instantly aware that something had happened, and he looked at her, puzzled, as they drew into Brook Street. “What’s wrong?”

“Nothing. I had a kink in my back.”

“You did not.”

“I did.” She looked insistent, but he still didn’t believe her.

“I don’t think you did. I think something crossed your mind again that upset you.”

“How could you say a thing like that?” How could he know her so well, after so little time? It still amazed her. “That’s absolutely not true.”

“Good. Because you worry more than anyone I’ve ever met, and it’s all stuff and nonsense. If you spent more time thinking about the good things happening now, and less time about the bad things that might, or could, come later, and probably never will, you’ll live a much longer, happier life.” He spoke to her almost like a father, and she shook her head as she listened.

“Thank you, Your Grace.”

“You’re welcome, Miss Thompson.”

They had reached the hotel by then, and he hopped out of the car and opened the door for her and helped her out, as she wondered what he was going to do next, and if he was going to try to come upstairs. She had already long since decided that she wouldn’t let him.

“Do you suppose your parents would let us do this again sometime?” he asked respectfully. “Perhaps tomorrow night, if I explain to your father that you need some more work on your tango?” She looked at him tenderly. He was much more decent than she gave him credit for, and they had covered so much ground tonight. If nothing else, she knew that they would be friends after this, and she hoped, forever.

“They might. Would you like to come to Westminster Abbey with us tomorrow morning?”

“No”—he grinned honestly-—“but I will, with the greatest pleasure.” He wanted to see her, not the church. But seeing the Abbey was a small price to pay for being with her “And perhaps this weekend, we could take a drive out into the country.”

“I’d like that.” She smiled, and as she did, he looked down at her, and moved his lips very close to hers, and slowly kissed her. His arms went around her with surprising strength and he held her close to him, but not so close that she felt threatened in any way, or even frightened. And when he moved away from her at last, they were both breathless.

“I think there’s a distinct possibility,” he whispered to her, “that we’re both too old for this … but I love it.” He loved the tenderness of it, the promise of what might come later.

He took her to the elevator then, and longed to kiss her again, but thought better of it. He didn’t want to draw the desk clerks’ attention. “I’ll see you in the morning,” he whispered to her, and she nodded as he leaned slowly toward her. She turned her eyes up to his, wondering what he would say to her, and her heart stopped as she heard the words. They were barely more than a whisper, and it was so soon. But he couldn’t stop them. “I love you, Sarah.”

She wanted to tell him that she loved him, too, but he had already stepped back again, and the elevator doors closed quickly between them.






Chapter 7





HEY went to Westminster Abbey, as planned, the next day, and the elder Thompsons sensed that something had passed between the two young people. Sarah seemed more subdued than she had been before, and William looked at her differently, in a more possessive way. Victoria Thompson whispered anxiously to her husband as they strolled briefly away.