Libby grinned and tapped her tiny bag. ‘Lipstick and adrenaline. A girl’s best friends.’
Katy knew that, despite the smile, Libby took her allergy seriously. They all did. Libby had had a frighteningly severe reaction to a sting in the past and none of them had ever forgotten it. Particularly Alex, who had been the one who’d kept his sister alive until the ambulance had arrived. Ever since then Katy had always carried adrenaline and she knew that Alex did, too. Just in case.
The bee moved away and Katy’s gaze was caught by Freddie, who was taking a call on his mobile phone.
Libby’s soft mouth tightened. ‘Don’t marry him, Katy.’ Her voice was soft. ‘As Mum says, there are three months to go. Plenty of time to change y
our mind.’
‘I don’t want to change my mind.’
Libby shook her head in disbelief. ‘Katy, life with Lord Frederick is going to be one long round of business entertaining. He’s marrying you because of Daddy.’
‘I know.’ Her sister’s bluntness should have upset her but it didn’t. It was the truth, after all. Freddie was marrying her because of her father’s immense wealth and influence. And she didn’t even care.
Libby looked at her with exasperation. ‘So why are you marrying him, Katy?’
‘Because I want to.’
Because their relationship was safe and predictable.
Libby shook her head. ‘It isn’t right, Katy. Don’t you want to be in love with the man you marry?’
Katy felt her breathing quicken. No. No, she didn’t. Love was terrifying.
Love had almost destroyed her.
‘Well, maybe you can do without love, but what about passion?’ Libby was studying Freddie with narrowed eyes. ‘I mean, that man would never do it for me. I want someone who’s so overwhelmed by lust for me that he thrusts me against the wall, lifts up my dress and takes me there and then.’
‘There’s nothing to lift,’ came a dry male voice from behind them. ‘Your dress barely covers your bottom.’
‘Alex!’ Libby gave a delighted squeal and threw her arms around her brother.
He glanced over her shoulder and down her back. ‘Nice knickers, Lib.’
Libby grinned and tugged her dress down. ‘You’re late. We thought you weren’t coming.’
His handsome face was inscrutable. ‘I was busy.’ He released her and turned to Katy, his customary indifference momentarily suspended as he looked at his other sister. ‘Hi, there, kid. You all right?’
No.
Katy hugged her brother, avoiding his penetrating gaze. ‘Happy birthday, Alex.’
He tucked a finger under her chin and forced her to look at him. ‘All right. What’s going on? Tell your big brother.’
Katy gave a wan smile. Alex had been born first by all of three minutes.
‘She’s being bullied into marrying Freddie,’ Libby muttered darkly, ‘that’s what’s going on. She’s doing it to please Dad. It’s time for the triplets to unite.’
Alex’s blue eyes narrowed sharply. ‘Katy?’
Katy pulled away from her brother. ‘She’s talking nonsense. I’m fine. Really. Just a bit tired. And nervous about the new job, I suppose.’
‘A and E is great,’ Alex said immediately. ‘You’ll love it. I just wish you’d chosen to do it further from home. You could have come and worked in my department. We need good doctors.’
Katy smiled. ‘You never stay in one place for five minutes, Alex, so there’s no point in joining you. I wanted to be in the same hospital as Libby and, with Freddie in the City, I need to be in London.’
‘Well, of course you do,’ Libby drawled. ‘Which brings us back to the point I was making when you arrived, Alex. I just can’t imagine Lord Frederick indulging in spontaneous sex. He probably gets his secretary to book slots in his diary. Is that really what you want, Katy?’