A Perfect Proposal (22 page)

Luke’s mouth narrowed a little, and then he looked down at Sophie, who smiled up at him adoringly, feeling genuinely sorry for him.

‘So, tell us,’ repeated the first girl, also a blonde, ‘how long have you known each other?’

Sophie continued to look up at Luke, partly to keep up the adoring fiancée charade and partly because she wondered what he’d say. She suspected this girl was on to their pretence.

‘Not long,’ he said.

‘So did you fall for each other straightaway?’ persisted the blonde.

Luke couldn’t put off answering any longer. ‘She fell for my grandmother, actually. When I first met Sophie she and my grandmother were sitting on the floor together, with their legs stretched out in front of them.’

‘Oh, that doesn’t sound very romantic.’ Lulu seemed encouraged by this.

‘But it was. Sophie looked just like Bambi, all long legs and big eyes.’

‘I never saw
Bambi
,’ said Sophie, wondering if Luke was paying her a compliment by this description or was just colouring in the pretence of their engagement. ‘I made a point of missing it when I heard his mother died.’

Everyone seemed to think she’d made a joke and laughed.

‘You can tell why I fell in love with her, can’t you?’ said Luke.

By now thoroughly unnerved, Sophie said, ‘I expect people are wondering why I fell in love with you.’

‘Oh no, honey, we all know
exactly
why you fell in love with Luke,’ drawled another girl, obviously speaking for them all.

A stab of something inspired Sophie to speak. ‘You mean, because he’s very rich and very good-looking? Well, I can assure you, it wasn’t that that attracted me. At all. In fact it put me off a bit.’

A gasp of surprise whistled through the group. This girl may have looked like Bambi, but she wasn’t dumb.

‘Really?’

Sophie nodded. Luke, who had put his arm round her shoulders, gave her a little squeeze, possibly of approval, but possibly not.

‘So what was it then?’ asked a brunette.

‘Well, it was partly because he is so sweet to his grandmother, who is the nicest person in the world, and partly because in spite of being rather spoilt, he can be very kind.’

There was a gasp of horror from the audience but Luke kissed her cheek. ‘You’re outrageous!’ he said. ‘Now come on, Sophie, there are people I want you to meet.’ He released her shoulder and took her arm.

‘Now do you see why I needed protection?’ he said when
they were out of earshot, making their way to another room full of people. ‘I feel like a piece of meat hanging over a tank full of piranhas.’

‘But I’m sure you’d have no bother getting rid of them.’

‘I don’t, but I hate the thought they’re convinced one of them will eventually marry me. And if I’m too blunt their mothers will complain to my grandmother who will tell me I must be more tactful.’

‘Are you worried that one of them will actually make it through?’

Luke’s expression made her laugh. ‘I think maybe I am.’

Luke could be extremely charming, she discovered, as he introduced her to people. They exclaimed over her ring, obviously feeling it was an unusual choice. The more people looked at it, the more she liked it.

‘If I were engaged to you, Luke,’ said Lulu, who’d caught up with them by the waffle station, ‘I’d have a diamond the size of a pigeon’s egg.’

‘Maybe that’s why I’m engaged to Sophie,’ said Luke. ‘She has more subtle tastes.’

‘And she’s not engaged to you because of the money, the private plane and the cute butt?’

‘Well, I hope not, anyway.’

Sophie felt she should help Luke out. She could really see now how hard it would be for him to know if a girl was really interested in him as a person or if she was just after his money. It made his attitude to her in the beginning much more understandable. ‘Those things aren’t exactly disadvantages – especially the “cute butt” – but really I fell for Luke because he’s a bit mysterious. I do like a bit of mystery.’

‘And one of the reasons I fell for Sophie is that she reminded me a little of my grandmother,’ said Luke, picking up the theme.

‘What?’ Sophie pretended to be offended that she was being likened to a woman who must be eighty.

‘Yes. You’re both very charming and just a bit … unpredictable.’

Everyone laughed, as they were supposed to. Sophie joined in, very glad she wasn’t really engaged to Luke and wouldn’t have to socialise often with skinny blondes the colour of honey with clothes that cost a hundred dollars per square inch.

A tall, slightly older woman, with short dark hair cut in a sophisticated way that was very different from the Bergdorf Blondes, put her hand on her arm. She had dark, arched eyebrows and her large, shapely mouth was painted scarlet. ‘Poor Sophie. We must all seem very strange to you. I’m Ali. My mother was French so we’re geographically close relations. Come over here and tell me all about yourself. But not before you’ve had some of those pancakes. American cuisine might be a little strange to Continental tastes but there are some things they do brilliantly.’

Sophie did as she was told, feeling she’d found a human being in Barbie Land. She took some pancakes and bacon, added maple syrup, and then followed Ali. Luke gave her an encouraging smile as she passed.

‘Ali works with us. I think you and she will like each other. You talk to her while I catch up with some people.’

‘Come with me,’ said Ali. ‘I know somewhere we can be comfortable.’ Ali tucked her arm in Sophie’s and drew her through the crowds. She was aware of people looking at them and felt pleased to be with someone who wasn’t Luke – she wasn’t just his hanger-on.

‘Here’s a table,’ said Ali. ‘We can eat like civilised human beings.’

Sophie ate, hoping it was in a civilised way, given that
Americans did complicated things with their knives and forks.

‘So,’ said Ali when Sophie’s mouth was full, ‘how do you feel about Luke’s first wife?’

Sophie forced herself to carry on chewing. The fact that Luke had been married before was really none of her business, but as he’d asked her to pose as his fiancée, she should have a view on this. It was important to look relaxed.

‘Oh well, you know,’ she said, shrugging. ‘We all make mistakes.’

‘We do, unless we’re very careful. Luke just wasn’t careful enough, in my opinion.’ Ali put her plate down, indicating she’d finished although it was three-quarters full.

‘Did you know her?’ asked Sophie, pleased to have worked out a way to get information without revealing her own ignorance.

‘Not really, she was pretty much off the scene before I came to work for Luke, but I did meet her once, when she came to pick up some papers from the office. Very, very beautiful girl. But young. Far too young to be married.’ Ali regarded Sophie as if she were warning her. ‘I don’t think Luke … I mean … Well, never mind what I think!’ Ali smiled to cover up the fact that she’d started a sentence she couldn’t finish. ‘But it was all very, very expensive, and it’s not a mistake he’s going to make again.’ She paused. ‘He does seem attracted to very young women.’

For a second Sophie felt warned off, as if she really were engaged to Luke. Ali was smiling warmly as if she had been talking about some foolish prank Luke had got up to and wouldn’t do again, but there’d been power behind her words that Sophie couldn’t ignore.

‘As long as he’s learnt his lesson,’ said Sophie, aiming to sound light-hearted but, really, feeling defensive, as she might have done if her engagement to Luke had been genuine.

Ali put her hand on Sophie’s. ‘You’re so funny!’

‘Ali’s a great girl, right?’ said Luke when he came to find her a little later.

‘Yes,’ said Sophie.

‘She’s a refreshing change.’

Sophie instantly interpreted this to mean they’d gone out together. If so, was it for long? Why did they break up? Or had her imagination gone into overdrive? ‘She asked me how I felt about the fact that you’ve been married before.’

‘And what did you say?’

‘I didn’t really know what to say, but I realised I should have thought of an answer beforehand. If we were really engaged I would have feelings about it. Wouldn’t I?’

He shrugged. ‘I guess.’

‘I was worried about being caught out.’

‘Did Ali catch you out?’

‘I don’t know,’ said Sophie after a moment’s thought. ‘I’m not sure.’

‘Well, don’t worry about it. Now let’s find our hosts and say our goodbyes. We’ve done our duty here.’

Sophie couldn’t decide if they left comparatively early for her sake or for Luke’s. Perhaps he didn’t like having her as a fiancée after all.

‘Oh, by the way,’ he said when they were nearly back at Matilda’s, ‘I put some people on to researching your relative. They should have news soon.’

‘Thank you! That’s so kind.’

Sophie was confused. One minute she thought Luke was really nice and the next he seemed to stiffen up; she couldn’t read him. It was probably because she just wasn’t used to men born with silver spoons in their mouths, or whatever the American equivalent was. However, she realised Matilda wasn’t the only person she was going to miss when she went
back to England. Despite Luke’s chameleon-like behaviour he had been good company and she’d enjoyed spending time with him. And it was a treat to be properly looked after by a man for a change, even if it was only out of politeness. The old-fashioned part of her appreciated it.

Luke had to go back to the city the day after the brunch, as did most of the house party. At Matilda’s insistence, and also because she wanted to, Sophie stayed on for a couple of days. Matilda was going to New York and would take Sophie with her. More importantly, she would send her driver to pick her up from Milly’s and take her to the airport a couple of days after that.

The big house felt very different when it was only Matilda and Sophie there. They had cosy meals in a little conservatory instead of in the big dining room. They spent their time together walking in the garden if it was fine, chatting about England in the old days and playing cards. Sophie was allowed to look through Matilda’s wardrobe and managed to alter a few outfits for her that Matilda loved but hadn’t thought worth bothering with.

Sophie privately considered that there were disadvantages to having so much money you could just buy new clothes; your favourite items didn’t get used to their full potential.

And all the time Matilda reminisced about the house.

Eventually Sophie said, ‘Have you got any old photos? If you want me to track it down, it would help if I had a picture.’

‘Well, that would be fun! It’s always fun getting out the photos. But I’ll have the painting photocopied and sent to you too.’

The family shots took a very long time to go through, by the time Sophie had asked questions and Matilda explained who everyone was and what they were doing. Among them
there was indeed one of the house, tiny and very faded sepia. It showed a big house covered in some sort of plant, but gave no hints as to its whereabouts.

‘I thought there might have been a name on the back or something,’ said Sophie.

‘I had hoped there would be too.’ Matilda paused. ‘It would be easier if I’d gone back there after I grew up, but the people died and there was no reason to visit.’

‘Was it near the seaside?’

‘Yes! Not far. We used to have picnics on the beach.’

‘I’ve always wanted to live by the sea!’ said Sophie wistfully and then realised she’d told Matilda that before.

Matilda went on, ‘I used to sleep in an attic bedroom. I loved it. I remember sitting on the window seat, staring out the window for hours.’

‘I would have liked doing that too,’ said Sophie.

‘I know,’ said Matilda. ‘We have a lot in common.’

Sophie smiled. ‘I feel that too. And now, Matilda, you must let me give you back the ring. I know I tried to before and you stopped me but now I’m going home, I feel I must.’

‘And I say you mustn’t. Really. I have more rings than I’ll ever have time to wear and it looks so pretty on your young hands. I spoke to Luke about it and he said you should keep it too, if you liked it and I wanted you to have it.’

‘Well, I do like it! Obviously! It’s gorgeous.’

‘And I do want you to have it. You were very good to go to that brunch with Luke. I know it wasn’t easy for you and you did such a good job.’

‘But Luke bought me those wonderful clothes …’

‘And I’d like to give you the ring.’

Eventually Sophie felt she couldn’t argue any more and Matilda patted her hand, pleased to have got her own way in the end.

*

When they finally said goodbye, Sophie felt she was saying goodbye to a favourite relation, not a recent acquaintance. They were both a little tearful.

‘But now we know each other,’ said Sophie, ‘we can keep in touch.’

‘Certainly,’ said Matilda. ‘I’ll email you the picture and tell you what Luke is up to.’

‘It isn’t really any of my business what he gets up to. We’re not really engaged.’

Matilda sighed. ‘I know.’