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my point of view, but there's the other side of it, too. I'm sick of being a
prime ^target for all the gossip columnists, not to mention a few well-known
ladies who wouldn't give me the time of day a few years ago when I was
grafting away in the theatre. I yearn for a proper home. The lease on my
apartment in town is up next month and I don't particularly want to renew it.
I'd need to keep some sort of pied-a-terre in London, of course, but what I
want is a house in the country as a base, with a wife and a family. It's time I
settled down I'm thirty-seven. I don't want to marry someone in the
profession too fraught with difficulties to my mind, but I'd like to have a
wife with at least some interest in the theatre. So, I'm asking you if you'd
care to have a shot at it.'
Victoria stared at him blankly. 'A shot at what?'
'Marrying me,' he said impatiently. 'You'd be perfect. You even have the
right qualifications, which is more than I have and there's Rory and the
boys, a ready-made family without all the traumas of babies and nappies and
disturbed nights. And you have the house. I could take over the expenses
completely until Adam and Giles are old enough for you to decide whether
you want to sell it, and some of this load of responsibility would be taken off
those narrow shoulders of yours. God, I'm dry. Could I have more coffee?
That's the longest speech I've ever made, on stage or off.'
Victoria was pleased her hand remained so steady as she refilled his cup. She
was numb with shock, hardly able to believe her ears. Marry Gavin? A
preposterous idea.
'I thought you wanted me to set about finding a suitable wife for you for a
moment there,' she said, stalling for time. 'I really don't think I'm suitable
myself at all, Gavin. I know I've got a slight theatrical background, with
Mother and college and all that, but otherwise I'm a non-starter, really. I
don't want to be married. I'll admit I wouldn't mind some easing of my
financial worries, but otherwise I don't think you've thought this through
properly. You can't be serious about taking on three boys as well as a wife!'
Gavin gave her a wry, rather bleak smile. 'I didn't expect you to fall on my
neck with gratitude, but at least don't dismiss the idea out of hand. You don't
find me physically repugnant, do you?'
'No.' Victoria moved away a little. 'Does that mean you'd expect to to sleep
with me and all that?'
His eyebrows shot up into his hair and he stared at her in surprise. 'It had
crossed my mind, yes. What gave you the idea I didn't?'
Colour rose in her brown cheeks and she looked away, embarrassed. 'Well,
you you don't seem to want babies, so . . .'
'Victoria,' he said rather unsteadily, 'people needn't have babies these days if
they sleep together and all that.'
'I'm not a complete idiot,' she snapped. 'But the way you put it I thought you
just fancied moving into the Coach House for a base, and at the same time
relieve your quite unnecessary conscience by being legally responsible for
my bills.'
He sighed. 'I must have put it badly. Look I think getting married would
solve a lot of problems for both of us. I'm very fond of you, and I think
you're fond of me, or could be again if I persevere; one or two ladies of my
acquaintance would finally get the message, and Rory would have
something more in the way of a family background than he has now And,' he
added slyly, 'Aunt Celia could vamoose to her metropolitan Mecca once
more, for good.'
'Be careful, that last item almost tipped the balance.' Victoria gave him a
flippant smile, then grew serious and shook her head. 'No, Gavin, sensible
though I am of the honour you do me, or whatever it is one should say under
these circumstances, I cope very well, really. I enjoy my job at the nursery
school, and when Rory's old enough to board perhaps I can try for something
more in line with my original intentions.'
Gavin turned and seized her by the shoulders. 'Look, don't say no
now sleep on it, think about it overnight. Think of the pros rather than the
cons. I'd be gaining an enormous advantage from it I know, compared to
you--'
'How on earth do you make that out? You propose footing the bills,
maintaining the house, taking responsibility for three lads--' she interrupted,
but he broke in before she could finish.
'And in return I'd have a delectable little wife, who, apart from being the
perfect protection against over- enthusiastic fans and persistent lady
columnists, wouldn't kick up at my long absences, irregular hours and even,
if I'm lucky, keep the home fires burning while I do a stint on Broadway,
which has been hinted is not all that unlikely in the near future.' Gavin took
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