Winter at Cray Read Free Page B

might say next. ‘ Are you sure you ’ re not a Kincaid? ’ she insisted, and he shook his head, smiling at her again.
    He shook his head over her persistence. ‘ I ’ m Jonathan James Darrell, Miss Kincaid, ’ he assured her, ‘ and I have been for the past twenty-seven years. ’
    ‘ Hmmm. ’ Charlotte looked her doubt and Louise sighed inwardly, seeking a way to end the conversation.
    ‘ Shall we move on? ’ she suggested anxiously. .
    The rest of the introductions went without further embarrassment, except when the absent members of the family were mentioned and she told them that Stephen Kincaid was staying at Cray but was, at the moment, out walking.
    ‘ Aah, my room-mate, I believe. ’ Jonathan Darrell ’ s dark eyes quizzed her for a second and she felt the warmth of colour in her face at his scrutiny. ‘ He ’ s one of the few younger members of the family still unmarried, isn ’ t he ?’
    She nodded, unwilling to discuss Stephen ’ s unmarried state with him, especially as he looked at her with such obvious inference. He had no right to be so inquisitive about things that did not concern him and she would put him firmly in his place if he questioned her again.
    She made the introduction to Diamond as brief as possible, but noted with surprise and disgust the way his voice took on a deeply seductive tone when he answered her very pointed questions. He so obviously enjoyed the admiration she willingly dispensed that Louise was hard put not to curl her lip scornfully.
    Hector Kincaid rose from his chair as they approached and smiled a welcome, shaking hands with a vigour that belied his seventy-three years. ‘ I left Robert sleeping in his room, ’ he told Louise when introductions were complete, and completely unaware of the curl of embarrassment that engulfed her when she lowered her eyes before the politely enquiring gaze of the two strangers. ‘ I hadn ’ t time to tell you when I came back, ’ the old man went on blithely, ‘ but he was worn out, not surprisingly, seeing he walked me over most of the island. ’
    ‘ You shouldn ’ t let him tire you, Grandpa, ’ she told him gently, knowing he would be completely unaware of her feelings or he would never have mentioned Robert so blandly. He was so proud of him that he could not resist talking about him to anyone.
    ‘ Robert ’ s my great-grandson, ’ he explained proudly. ‘ He ’ s only four, but he ’ s so energetic and such a lively fellow, he ’ s usually too much for me. He ’ s used to the island, you see, I ’ m not. ’
    Now it will start, Louise thought desperately, the curiosity and the questions, the probing and the raised eyebrows.
    ‘ Your son? ’ Enquiring brown eyes pitied and at the same time condemned her reluctance to admit it, so that she raised her head defiantly, a sparkle of anger in her own eyes at his presumption.
    ‘ Yes, ’ she said shortly, ‘ Robert ’ s my son. ’

 
    CHAPTER TWO
    LOUISE lay back against the pillow on her bed, glad of a few moments ’ quiet before the bustle of dinner. Her bed was now pushed into an unfamiliar position close to the window so that there was room to accommodate the extra one put in for Esther Nostrum to use.
    Now she could see more of the sky than usual and disliked the dirty, yellowish grey colour it was, heavy and threatening a snow-storm that would probably mean days of isolation.
    Normally she did not mind the periodic severence with the mainland that the winter brought, but now it was different. She could only thank heaven that there had been less discord amongst the family than she had feared, although Diamond ’ s silly, childish behaviour irritated most of them.
    Colin and Diamond ’ s baby daughter, Poppy, had proved a great ice-breaker and her babyish prettiness and lack of inhibition delighted the aunts who cooed over her for hours.
    Robert, her own son, was much more reserved with strangers, having known so few in his young life, and he had