Page 18 of Marry Me…Maybe?
‘My surname is Applegate.’
His mother stared at her for a few beats, her eyes still narrowed. ‘It doesn’t ring a bell, but your mannerisms are so familiar. I just can’t place you. I’ve got a sneaking suspicion it might have been someone from my school days. Where did your mother go to school?’
Hot fear gripped her. ‘She went to a school in France. Beauville or something like that, I think.’ She plucked the name wildly out of the air. ‘But I was educated at a boarding school here in England. There are some wonderful schools here, aren’t there?’ she said, determined to take control of the conversation.
The countess gave a curt nod of agreement.
‘Sadly, my mother passed away a few years ago,’ Emily added, hoping to appeal to the woman’s nurturing side and divert the conversation away from the specifics of her family’s background.
‘Hmm…’ Lady Berkeley was still looking at her as if trying to figure something out.
There was a chance that she had known her mother, and if she worked out why – taking into consideration how judgemental the woman appeared to be – they could be in trouble.
Thankfully, Theo’s housekeeper came back in then, to announce that lunch was ready, and they all got up and trooped through to the grand dining room.
The long table in the centre of the room was only set for threepeople, and Theo first pulled out a chair for his mother at the head of it so she could sit down, then one for Emily.
‘Thank you, darling,’ Emily said, giving him a wink and leaning forward to give him a friendly peck on the lips, like any loving girlfriend would – which he avoided by turning his face at the last second so she got his cheek instead.
She got another lungful of his fresh citrusy scent as she pressed her mouth against his freshly shaved skin and her whole body flared with lust. Through her haze of need she felt him put both hands on her upper arms and guide her down into her chair, then he walked round to his own seat opposite her.
His determination not to let her kiss him only made her want to do it more. She was going to make sure she got a kiss from him by the end of today or she’d explode with frustration.
The countess rose again with a frustrated sigh, muttering something about not having the correct cutlery, and strode over to the wall to ring the bell for the housekeeper, giving Emily the opportunity to lean across the table and mutter, ‘Your mother is going to think something’s not right if you won’t kiss me back.’
He fixed her with a hard stare. ‘I’m not kissing you, Emily, so stop trying to get me to.’
‘I’m telling you, she’s going to get suspicious. You need to get past your boorish pride and into the role of loving boyfriend if we’re going to pull this off.’
The countess returned a moment later, and Theo stood until she’d settled herself back into her chair with a loud sigh of dissatisfaction.
Theo set about pouring water for them all, and the poor harangued housekeeper appeared a minute later and replaced the cutlery with the set the countess wanted, then hurried off to fetch the first course.
Emily noticed with surprise that Theo made sure to thank hishousekeeper thoroughly after she’d served them, and even managed to swap a sympathetic eye-roll with her without his mother seeing.
Something tightened in her chest as she watched the exchange and she realised it was because she wanted him to act that way with her too. Ever since they’d walked into the house it had felt as if he’d put up a wall of ice between them.
Slipping off one of her shoes, Emily stretched out her leg under the table and slid her foot up his shin to his knee. He glanced up at her, his pupils large and dark with warning. She let her foot rest on his knee for a moment, feeling him reverberate with tension, and gave him a wide smile, daring him to do something about it.
He moved back in his chair, just out of touching distance of her foot, and raised a faintly mocking eyebrow at her.
The rekindled connection made her grin with satisfaction.
But as much fun as it was, torturing Theo, she was acutely aware that she needed to keep her eye on the prize here. Her main priority was to win Theo’s mother over so she could gain permission to hold Lula’s wedding reception in the house, so as soon as everyone had started eating, she launched her charm offensive.
‘You must be so proud to have raised such an honourable man as Theo, Lady Berkeley. I think it’s wonderful that the livelihood he’s chosen makes such a difference to other people’s lives.’
The countess arched a perfectly plucked eyebrow. ‘My son has made some interesting choices. I’m sure if it had been left up to him, he would have given all our family’s money away by now. He doesn’t seem to be able to recognise a sob story for what it is, or turn down a damsel in distress.’ She gave Emily a pointed look.
Out of the corner of her eye she noticed Theo stiffen, as if he was steeling himself not to retaliate.
‘Some people would count those as admirable qualities,’ Emily replied, straightening her leg again and rubbing her foot againsthis calf in sympathy, only to feel a sting of hurt when he shifted away from her touch. Not that she should be taking it so personally. It wasn’t surprising he was on edge. His mother was something else, having digs at him like this in front of his girlfriend.
‘Hmm, as long as you know when and where to draw the line,’ his mother stated coldly, seemingly oblivious to the game of defensive footsie under the table.
Despite his rejection of her support, Emily still had the strongest urge to stick up for him. ‘Theo tells me he used to make some wonderful inventions for your older son. I’m sorry, by the way, for your loss.’
It was the first time she’d seen a flicker of genuine emotion on the woman’s face.
