The Made Marriage by Henrietta Reid Read Free Book Online Page A

could he get out of such a cruel and heartless deception?’
    ‘Your feelings were the last thing Nicky would take into consideration. His one idea would be to embarrass me. As I am a confirmed bachelor it’s naturally my family’s unrelenting ambition to provide me with a wife. They find it difficult to believe that I find life perfectly satisfactory as it is. Having a completely strange young woman turn up at the home of a misanthrope like myself and announce herself as my intended bride is Nicky’s idea of excruciating humour. By the way, as you seem to like his turn of mind so much, what about paying him back in his own coin by arriving up at Ballyfeeny?’
    Kate glanced at him in horror. ‘You don’t really mean that, do you?’
    ‘Why not? His mother is frightfully prim and proper and extremely conscious of her position in life. It would turn the tables nicely on Master Nicky if he found himself with a ready-made bride.’
    She gazed fixedly at the vase of daffodils, trying to keep the tears back. ‘I think it’s a horrible idea.’
    He appeared surprised. ‘But don’t you long for vengeance on the man who brought you gallivanting over to Ireland in search of non-existent romance?’
    ‘Oh no, in fact I’m lucky not to have met him, that’s my point of view, if his mind was taken up with playing a horrible sort of practical joke on you.’
    ‘Well, I must say that’s very forgiving of you. It’ll make it easier for you to go back again and take up again where you left off.’
    But it wouldn’t, not really, she told herself miserably, and although she realised that Owen was being covertly derisive she was too concerned with thoughts of the future to be resentful. She could well imagine what Kenneth’s attitude would be : his settled disapproval of her would be reinforced by her latest escapade. Life at the red villa would be full of chilling silences and unspoken criticisms. Reluctantly she laid down her cup. Owen glanced at the wag-o’-the-wall, which had been inexorably recording each passing moment in the cosy homely kitchen. ‘It’s time we were heading for the station,’ he said briskly.
    Once he had seen her off on the train with that ridiculous animal, he would return to Laragh and resume his everyday existence and gradually Kate Norbert s arrival and her absurd expectations regarding himself would become nothing more than an amusing memory. But he would definitely have a word with Nicky regarding his latest efforts to create chaos in his life. It was going a bit too far when one found strange females dumped on one’s doorstep—or rather amongst the young cabbage plants.
    In an effort to prolong the moment before she would have to resume her travels, Kate carefully collected a few odd crumbs and formed them into a minute pile.
    ‘Don’t you think you’re carrying tidiness to extremes?’ he remarked impatiently. ‘ Do you realise you may miss your train if you dawdle any longer?’
    Kate nodded wordlessly and, getting to her feet, slowly untied the tiny frilly apron.
    With growing acerbity he waited while she buttoned on her dark blue coat. She was deliberately dawdling, he suspected, and felt unreasoningly angry as he saw how young and bewildered she looked in the small knitted cap she wore over her dark gold hair. Nicky’s letters must have been extraordinarily convincing and persuasive to tempt such a girl to cross the Irish Sea in search of a man she had never even laid eyes on.
    In slow motion Kate picked up the wicker basket and crossed to the little cat, which, having consumed a saucerful of milk, was again lying asleep, a blissful expression on her black face. She looked so peaceful and contented that Kate was loath to wake her, but, like herself, Bedsocks would have to set out on her travels once more.
    It was at this moment there was a loud thumping on the door and a child’s treble was heard to declare, ‘Mr. Lawlor, me mammy’s after falling down and breaking her arm in