Not even to Bill and Marilyn, her best and closest friends, had she been able to reveal the deep hurt she felt over the misinterpretation of Jeff and her mother’s love for each other. That was somehow too personal to reveal to anyone.
Donald proved to be quite pleasant company later that evening, acting more naturally now that he didn’t have the pretence of having to fall madly in love with her. Callie surprisingly enjoyed her evening with him, and found him to be very shy for his age, ridiculously eager to please, and quite lighthearted away from the dominating influence of his parents.
‘My parents would like you to come to the family New Year party,’ he told her on the drive back to her home.
She instantly stiffened. ‘Will Logan be there?’
‘He could be.’
She drew in a ragged breath. ‘Then I think I’d rather not.’
‘Oh, do come, Caroline,’ he encouraged. ‘Logan rarely comes to family parties, he doesn’t really enjoy them. In fact, when I got back on Christmas Day he was rolling drunk. My mother was deeply shocked!’
She could imagine Lady Spencer had been. And the reason for Logan’s drunken state was easily explained; his carefully laid plans had gone completely awry.
‘My father thought you could have your little chat then,’ Donald added, as if she couldn’t possibly go against a suggestion his father had made.
‘All right, Donald,’ she smiled, wondering how anyone could remain so naïve with parents like his.
He turned and saw that look. ‘I know what you’re thinking,’ he sighed. ‘And so far I’ve done anything for a quiet life. But one of these days I’m going to turn around and surprise the lot of you.’
If he did Callie would lay odds on it being the first time he ever had!
* * *
The New Year party was well under way by the time Callie and Donald arrived at nine-thirty, although it wasn’t the sort of party she was used to, with none of the boisterous music and loud chatter. Everyone stood around making intelligent conversation, diamonds dripping off the women, most of the men looking as if they had already had two coronaries and they were just waiting for their third.
‘I’ll get you a drink,’ Donald suggested, back within seconds with two brimming glassfuls. ‘Champagne,’ he said boyishly.
What else? Callie thought cynically, glancing around the room with studied casualness. No sign of Logan, although that didn’t mean he wasn’t going to come. After all, it was a welcome in the New Year party, so it would go on for hours yet.
‘My dear Caroline!’ Lady Spencer suddenly appeared at her side, a tall distinguished man at her side. ‘Judge McCorley, I’d like you to meet my son’s very dear friend Caroline Day,’ she gushed.
‘Glad to meet you, my dear,’ the elderly man shook her hand warmly. ‘Does this mean there will soon be wedding bells in the family?’
Lady Spencer’s smile didn’t waver by an inch. ‘You never know, Malcolm, you just never know. Do you, Donald?’ she gave her son a conspiratorial smile.
His smile wasn’t so genuine. ‘No, Mother.’
Lady Spencer put her hand through the crook of the Judge’s arm. ‘I’ll take you round and introduce you to everyone else now, Malcolm. It’s just that Caroline is—well, I thought it would be nice if you met her,’ she gave a coy smile.
The Judge’s look was openly speculative now, and Callie’s smile was so fixed her face ached by the time the other couple left to circulate. She would have credited Lady Spencer with a little more subtlety than that!
‘Mother is—Well, she—’ Donald seemed at a loss for words. ‘She has high hopes for me, maritally.’
Callie gave him a cool stare. ‘And does the woman you love meet up to these—hopes?’
He flushed, his blue eyes guarded. ‘I—You know you do.’
She put her hand comfortingly on his arm. ‘Not me, Donald, the woman you love.’
‘I—’
‘And that isn’t me. Is it?’ she prompted.
He looked sheepish. ‘No.’
She could almost have shouted with the triumph, the effort it had cost Donald to make that admission. ‘You want my advice, Donald?’