[ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]
.“I guess I’ll just have to stick to François!”He most certainly would!Not that she didn’t realise he had meant the remark to be a teasing one; it just wasn’t a subject she could joke about.And certainly not with Gabriel Vaughan.Of all people, never with him…!CHAPTER TEN“TELL me,” Jane prompted derisively as they lingered over their second cup of coffee, “what would you have done if I hadn’t turned up for a run in the park this morning?” She looked mockingly across at Gabe.He shrugged.“I have faith in your determination, Jane, no matter what I may have said to the contrary the other evening!”She put her cup down slowly, her expression wary.“My determination…?”“You don’t look in the least like a fair-weather runner to me.” He looked admiringly at her slender figure.And Jane didn’t in the least care for that look.“After that wonderful meal we had last night, I thought I ought to join you this morning,” he added ruefully.“I just wasn’t sure of your starting time, although I didn’t think it would be too late, not with your work schedule,” he added teasingly.“You’re certainly a persistent man,” she said distractedly.Gabe looked unperturbed.“Something I inherited from my father—”“The politician,” Jane recalled dryly.“Retired,” Gabe acknowledged ruefully, although he looked pleased that she had remembered.“So he claims.” Jane remembered that conversation only too well.In fact, she remembered all of her conversations with Gabe.“I usually take a break from running at the weekends,” she explained, still distracted by his persistence.“It tends to be my busiest time anyway.Although, as it happens, I do usually run later in the morning than this; today I’m up and about early because I’m catering for a lunch.”“To my good.” He huskily acknowledged the breakfast they had just shared together.“It would have been even more pleasurable if we hadn’t parted at all last night—but I realise I can’t have everything!” He looked across at her with teasing eyes.“You certainly can’t where I’m concerned!” Jane dismissed laughingly as she stood up; she had virtually given up trying to stop Gabe coming out with such intimate remarks about the two of them—he took little or no notice of her protests, anyway! “Time I was going,” she told him briskly.“I have work to do,” she added pointedly.“So do I, madam, so do I,” he drawled in rebuke as he followed her back to the counter.“Let me—”“My treat,” she insisted firmly, handing over the correct money to François.“Gabe thinks you should go to the States and make your fortune, François,” she told the other man lightly.“And deprive myself of the pleasure of paying all these English taxes every year?” François returned with a Gallic shrug.“Besides, I have an English mother-in-law,” he confided to Gabe with a pointed roll of warm brown eyes.“And an English mother-in-law has to be the most formidable in the world!” he added heavily.“All the more reason to leave the country, I would have thought,” Gabe returned sympathetically, his eyes twinkling with his enjoyment of the conversation.“There is no way she would let me take her two grandchildren with me, let alone her daughter!” François shook his head with certainty.“Not that my wife would be agreeable to such an idea, either,” he added frowningly.“You know, ten years ago, when I first met her, she was very sweet and very beautiful, always agreeable.But with the passing of time she grows very like her mother…!” He gave another expressive Gallic shrug.“Did no one ever warn you to look at the mother before marrying the daughter?” Gabe drawled mockingly.“Er—excuse me?” Jane cut in pointedly on this man-to-man exchange.Did Gabe get on with everybody? It seemed that he was able to put most people at their ease, was able to adapt to any situation.Strange; three years ago she had had an impression of him being a much more rigid individual… “When the two of you have quite finished…?” she added ruefully.Gabe looked down at her with mocking eyes.“Perhaps it would be a good idea for me to meet your mother…!” he murmured tauntingly.But he had already done so! And, from the comments he had made to her after that meeting with the Smythe-Robertses, he had obviously liked both her parents
[ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]