Sweet Surrender by Catherine George Read Free Book Online

protested.
    ‘Not for me, thanks,’ she said with finality.
    ‘Is your aversion to alcohol in general, my dear?’ asked Jeremy gently after Alasdair left them.
    ‘Not at all. Just champagne—or any kind of wine, really.’ Kate smiled at him, then beckoned to Charlie Hawkins. ‘We hand over the presents after the cake iscut, Charlie. Not that mine will be a surprise. Adam found it for me.’
    ‘Do tell,’ said Jeremy promptly.
    ‘Crystal claret jug—silver-mounted, but empty.’ Kate grinned at Charlie. ‘I’ll come to you for the claret when Hal’s eighteen.’
    ‘I’ll keep you to that, my lovely,’ he promised, and thrust a hand through his red hair. ‘I was over the moon when Adam asked me to be godfather, I can tell you. Never expected it in the circumstances.’
    ‘A more tactful person wouldn’t ask, but I’m famed for my lack of finesse,’ said Jeremy, eyes gleaming. ‘What circumstances, dear boy?’
    ‘Adam and I fell out over a woman a while back—before he met Gabriel,’ confessed Charlie. ‘Stupid mistake on my part. All over now, thankfully. Gabriel persuaded him to let bygones be bygones.’
    ‘Adam didn’t take much persuading—he was only too glad to mend the rift,’ said Kate, and looked up with a smile as Alasdair returned with her glass. ‘Thank you.’
    ‘Unadulterated, I swear,’ he promised her.
    ‘Good,’ Kate got up in response to Leonie’s beckoning hand. ‘If you’ll excuse me, gentlemen, duty calls.’
    ‘Gabriel and Adam are about to cut the cake while Dad and Jonah top up the champagne glasses,’ said Leonie when Kate joined her. She gave her sister a keen look. ‘So. How are things with Alasdair?’
    Kate thought it over. ‘Friendly, I suppose.’
    ‘On your part maybe!’ Leonie’s dark eyes lit with a triumphant gleam. ‘But unless I’m mistaken—which I never am—now you’ve met up again Alasdair feels a whole lot more than friendly towards you , little sister.’

CHAPTER FOUR
    A DAM made a speech, toasts were drunk to Henry Thomas Dysart, and once the champagne had gone round again, accompanied by slices of the frosted christening cake made by Laura Brett, the baby was put down to kick on a blanket and receive his tributes.
    Kate smiled as everyone gathered round to look on. ‘Adam found the jug for me, so it’s no surprise, but at least I know I’ve got the genuine article.’
    Her father patted her shoulder. ‘Good choice, darling.’
    Charlie Hawkins sighed regretfully. ‘I did not buy these through Dysart’s; it seemed too much of a cheek. But I wish I had now, in case they’re not up to scratch.’
    Adam assured his friend that the set of antique silver wine labels was of impeccable quality. ‘But I bet you paid over the odds for them.’
    ‘No matter,’ said Charlie with dignity, and gave way to Jeremy Blyth, who kissed Gabriel’s hand as he presented her with a large box.
    ‘Such a trial, dear heart,’ he said, ‘buying a present for a Dysart child. I toyed with the idea of a modest little painting, but in the face of his parents’ combined expertise I hadn’t the courage. So I played safe.’ He touched a manicured finger to the sleeping baby’s face. ‘Have fun with it, Henry Thomas Dysart. And may you grow up to be as handsome as your mother.’
    Gabriel’s eyes widened as she took a battered teddy bear from the box. Some of the guests looked takenaback, but Adam shot Jeremy a respectful look as he felt for the button embedded in the bear’s ear.
    ‘A Steiff, no less, and a pretty old one, too.’
    ‘But not frightfully valuable,’ Jeremy assured him. ‘I lusted after one of the limited-edition black bears manufactured when the Titanic went down, but the funds wouldn’t stretch. And if they had you couldn’t have allowed him to play with it.’
    ‘He’ll certainly play with this one,’ Gabriel assured him, and kissed Jeremy’s cheek with affection. ‘Thank you.’
    Alasdair waited until the other