The Yuletide Engagement & A Yuletide Seduction (10 page)

Ellie gave an emotional laugh. “You are an idiot, Toby,” she told him affectionately. “You've asked her; she's said yes. The next move is to buy her a ring. Then arrange the wedding. I'll be there to dance at it,” she promised. “Am I making myself clear, Toby?” she teased.

He grinned widely. “Very.”

“Good.” She nodded her satisfaction. “I'll just have to learn to cope with having the arrogant Patrick McGrath as some sort of relative.” She frowned.

Toby frowned too. “But I thought you liked him?”

Too much!

She swallowed hard, straightening determinedly; after all, there was such a thing as pride involved here—her own! “He's your boss, Toby; of course I had to be pleasant to him. Now that he's going to be your brother-in-law too, I'll just have to continue being pleasant to him. It shouldn't be that difficult; with any luck I'll see very little of him,” she dismissed scathingly, turning to leave the bedroom—and finding herself face to face with a stricken Teresa McGrath!

Ellie looked at the other woman searchingly, knowing by her unhappy expression that she had heard every word of Ellie's last statement…

“I
KNOW
I said I was going to telephone, but— I did knock on the kitchen door when I arrived, and when no one answered I let myself in,” Teresa explained awkwardly. “I hope you don't mind?” she added with a self-conscious grimace.

Mind? Of course Ellie didn't mind the younger woman letting herself in—it was the remarks that Teresa had overheard her making about her brother that Ellie minded! It was one thing to say those things about Patrick to Toby—completely out of defence for her heart—quite another for a member of the McGrath family to have actually heard her saying them…

“Tess…?” Toby called hopefully from inside the bedroom.

Teresa's face visibly brightened. “He's feeling better?”

“Much,” Ellie assured her warmly. “I'll go down and make some coffee and leave the two of you to have a chat.” And, hopefully, regain some of her lost composure!

What she really wanted to happen was for the ground to open and swallow her up!

Ellie was shaking by the time she reached the sanctuary of the kitchen, sitting down weakly in one of the
kitchen chairs before burying her face in her hands with a groan of self-disgust.

All she had wanted to do with those remarks she'd made to Toby was regain some of her damaged pride—and what she had succeeded in doing was probably alienating her future sister-in-law!

How could she explain that to Teresa without giving away the fact that she had fallen completely in love with Patrick?

Her groan of self-disgust turned to one of pain. She had fallen in love with Patrick, and all he had been doing was keeping her romantically occupied long enough to ensure that Toby announced his engagement to Teresa.

She was sure now that was all Patrick had been doing this last week or so. She was the one who had been stupid enough to take his attention seriously. To fall in love with him!

How to extricate herself without Patrick ever being aware of that fact, without completely losing her self-respect? That was the problem!

Out of the frying pan into the fire, once again sprang to mind.

She had thought her infatuation with the fickle Gareth was the worst thing she had ever done in her life, but falling in love with Patrick had to be so much worse. Because he wasn't fickle. The love she felt for him wouldn't be as easily shrugged off as her feelings for Gareth had been.

It was because she truly loved Patrick that she was now able to see her previous feelings for Gareth for exactly what they were!

But this time she would come out of it with at least
her pride intact, Ellie decided as she straightened determinedly. She had to!

The coffee was fresh in the pot, and cups, cream and sugar placed on the kitchen table by the time Teresa came downstairs ten minutes later. The smile on Ellie's face was warm and friendly.

“He's much better, isn't he?” she told Teresa lightly.

“Much.” The younger woman nodded, her expression slightly reserved.

Was that so surprising, when minutes ago Teresa had walked in on a conversation where Ellie had been totally dismissing any need for her to like this woman's brother?

Ellie drew in a ragged breath, deciding it was probably better to jump in at the deep end. “Look, concerning what you overheard me saying about Patrick earlier—”

“Please,” Teresa cut in with an awkward wave of her hand. “I know how—how Patrick can be sometimes. He really doesn't mean anything by it. He's just—well, he's used to being in charge.” She grimaced. “Not that he's in the least arrogant about it.” She hastened to defend her brother. “Usually he just charms people into submission!”

Ellie knew just how true that was!

She shook her head. “That was still no reason for me to—to—Well, I'm sorry you overheard my remarks,” she concluded heavily.

Great, Ellie, she instantly chided herself. That was really apologising for being so rude earlier about Teresa's brother!

“Would you like some coffee?” she offered briskly.

Teresa turned to look at the things laid out on the
kitchen table before glancing back at Ellie. “That would be lovely, thank you.” She smiled before sitting down.

Somehow Ellie very much doubted this young woman was any more used to sitting down in a kitchen drinking coffee than Patrick was; it would most likely be served to them in the drawing room, by staff as efficient as George's had been on Saturday evening.

Which posed the disheartening thought: where did Toby fit into all this?

No doubt he and Teresa were in love—that was only too easy to see after last night!—but how would the two of them fare being married to each other when their backgrounds were so different? Toby, as Patrick's assistant, earned a very good wage, but he certainly couldn't keep Teresa in the life to which she was accustomed…

“I'm an interior designer.”

Ellie looked up from pouring the coffee to find Teresa McGrath smiling at her ruefully.

Had her thoughts been so obvious? Or was it just that Teresa had the same ability as Patrick to be able to read her thoughts in particular? After Ellie's earlier remarks about Patrick, that was a disquieting thought.

Ellie shook her head. “I didn't mean—”

“I know.” The other woman reached out to give Ellie's hand a reassuring squeeze, giving a shake of her head as she chuckled huskily. “It's only that I've already had all those particular conversations with Toby,” she admitted affectionately. “He has this terrible dread that people will think he's only interested in me for my money.”

In the same way that Gareth was interested in Sarah!

“I know that he isn't,” Ellie said firmly.

“Of course he isn't.” Teresa's chuckle deepened. “If
you only knew the trouble I had getting Toby to go out with me in the first place…!” She gave a shake of her head, dark hair silky on her shoulders. “He seemed to think that as Patrick's sister I came under the heading of ‘untouchable.''

Ellie could well imagine that he had. In the same way she thought that Patrick was unobtainable to her…

“But you obviously managed to charm him into submission?” Ellie returned lightly.

“Not exactly.” Teresa smiled wistfully. “I told Patrick how I felt about Toby, and he—well, he arranged for me to be around rather a lot—redesigning the offices he has here, and some new ones he's acquired in York.”

York…? Hadn't Patrick said something the other day about Toby being in York with another of his employees? Employee, indeed; his younger sister hardly came under that heading! And, no matter what Teresa might say to the contrary, the role of matchmaker that Patrick had adopted for himself was arrogance personified!

“I see.” Ellie nodded.

“Ellie—may I call you, Ellie?” Teresa paused politely.

“Of course,” she instantly acknowledged.

“Tess,” the other woman invited lightly. “The family always calls me Teresa, but I prefer friends to call me Tess. And I do hope the two of us are going to be friends, Ellie…?”

For Toby's sake they would have to be. Although Ellie had to admit the McGrath family were very difficult to dislike, having a warm charm that drew like a magnet.

“Of course,” Ellie said again, wondering exactly where this conversation was leading.

Tess nodded, her expression intent now. “I'm really
not some little-rich-girl who saw something she wanted and instantly had her wish granted by an over-indulgent older brother. I love Toby very much, and those differences between us that you were thinking of earlier are totally unimportant.”

“Now,” Ellie felt compelled to point out.

Tess gave a definite shake of her head. “Ever. Yes, my parents are rich. Yes, my brother is successful, and also rich. But we were both brought up with the belief that we had to make our own way in the world, to earn our own living. We were never going to just sit around waiting to inherit. I know how awful that sounds—” Tess grimaced as Ellie gave a surprised choking noise “—but it's exactly the way a lot of children of wealthy parents behave nowadays.”

“I wouldn't know.” Ellie laughed incredulously.

Once again Tess reached out and squeezed her hand. “You don't need to—the closeness you and Toby have makes you so much richer than a wealth of money could ever do. I hope you will allow me to become part of that closeness…?” She gave Ellie a wistful look.

How could she resist this charming young woman? How could Toby have resisted her? Obviously he couldn't!

And if Toby and Tess's marriage meant that she would have to see more of Patrick than was comfortable, then she would have to learn to live with that. Because she had no intention of taking anything away from the love Tess and Toby had found together.

Ellie gave the other woman a warm smile. “I can't wait to dance at your wedding,” she assured her—and instantly wished she hadn't. That was exactly the
remark she had made earlier—before coming out with her insulting remark about Patrick!

A remark Tess remembered all too well if her teasing smile was anything to go by. “So you said.” She nodded.

Ellie felt the colour warm her cheeks. “I really wish you hadn't overheard those remarks.” She grimaced.

Tess chuckled, grey eyes warm with humour. “I wouldn't worry about it, Ellie; I'm sure Patrick has had much worse said to his face!”

“But not from his future—I'm not quite sure what the relationship is between the brother and sister of the bride and groom!” Ellie frowned.

“Neither am I.” Tess grinned. “But, as I said, don't worry about it; if need be, Patrick is perfectly capable of standing up for himself.”

“And
do
I need to?”

Ellie swung round guiltily at the sound of Patrick's voice behind her, the colour in her cheeks fiery-red now as she saw the narrow-eyed way he was looking at her.

“I heard the two of you talking and decided not to disturb you by knocking on the door.” He shrugged, coming fully into the kitchen to close the door behind him.

Not to disturb her! Patrick disturbed Ellie every time she so much as looked at him! Did no one in this family ever knock?

She stood up abruptly. “We were just having a cup of coffee. Would you like one?” she invited awkwardly.

“No, thanks,” he dismissed. “What I would really like—”

“Toby is much better today,” Tess cut in brightly. “He was asleep earlier, but I'm sure he will want to see you.”
She stood up, a slight figure in fitted denims and a thick black sweater.

Patrick's gaze hadn't wavered from Ellie's stricken face. “You go up; I'll join you in a moment,” he told his sister slowly.

“Oh, but—”

“I'll come upstairs once I've spoken to Ellie,” Patrick told Tess firmly.

Tess gave Ellie a sympathetic glance before leaving the kitchen, both women knowing that when Patrick spoke in that tone of voice there was no point in arguing with him.

The very air seemed to crackle with tension once Ellie and Patrick had been left alone in the kitchen. Ellie busied herself clearing the used cups from the table to put them in the dishwasher. At least that way she didn't have to look at Patrick!

But she was very aware of him standing behind her, of every magnetic inch of him, his dark hair, that aristocratic face, the business suit, white shirt and grey tie that in no way detracted from the powerful body beneath.

Was it always going to be like this? Ellie wondered in dismay. Would she still feel this complete awareness of him, this love for him, in all the years to come? Years when he would probably marry and have children of his own? She hoped not!

“What's going on, Ellie?”

She drew in a controlling breath before turning to face him, a brightly meaningless smile curving her lips. “I have no idea what you mean.” She kept her tone deliberately light. “I like Tess, by the way,” she added—before he could tell her exactly what he had meant by
that earlier remark! “I'm sure she and Toby are going to be very happy together.”

“No doubt.” He nodded uninterestedly, eyes still narrowed as he looked at her searchingly. “Look, I'm sorry you had to find out about the two of them in the way that you did—”

“Don't be silly, Patrick,” she said derisively. “In fact, I have no idea what the big secret was in the first place,” she continued hardly, her head back challengingly. “Toby is twenty-six and I'm twenty-seven; it's well past time one of us moved on.”

She couldn't pretend—to herself, at least—that it wouldn't be a little strange, no longer having Toby's less than peaceful presence around the house—that she wouldn't miss the way he never shut a door behind him, left the bathroom in a shocking mess every morning and more often than not forgot to put his washing in the wash-basket, but she had never been under any illusion that the status quo would continue indefinitely. Her brother was a handsome young man, for goodness' sake; Ellie had never doubted that he would eventually find someone he loved and wanted to marry.

The fact that the woman Toby loved was the sister of the man Ellie had been stupid enough to fall in love with herself was just something she would have to learn to live with!

“Ellie—”

“Patrick,” she cut in firmly, blue eyes flashing a warning now. “I'm aware that you've been acting as—as some sort of ambassador for Toby and Tess this last ten days or so, but there really was no need!”

Patrick's mouth tightened now, a nerve pulsing in his
jaw. “Is that really what you think has been happening this last week?”

“Of course,” she dismissed scathingly, desperately hoping that none of the aching love she felt for him showed in her face or eyes. “Not that I don't appreciate the fact that you came to the company dinner with me. It's nice to finally know that it was actually an attempt on your part to further family relations.”