Summer With Love: The Spanish Consultant

Her mother rubbed her hands together nervously. ‘You can’t carry on doing nights and all those horrible hours once you’re married.’

Katy liked the horrible hours. Horrible hours gave her a perfect excuse not to have a social life.

‘I’ve got a new job starting in two weeks,’ Katy reminded her. ‘I’m a casualty officer in the accident and emergency department.’

And she couldn’t wait.

‘Oh, Katherine, what is the matter with you?’ Her mother screwed up her face in horror. ‘All those drunks and rough people—Saturday nights after the rugby. Why would you want to do that when you don’t have to?’

Because she loved medicine. And it was a million miles away from the ruthless world of banking that had been her entire life.

The garden was closing in on her.

‘It’s just such a waste,’ her mother was saying. ‘I still tell everyone that you were a successful model when you were seventeen. You were on so many magazine covers and if you hadn’t thrown it all in to become a doctor you’d be one of those supermodels now.’

‘No, she wouldn’t,’ Libby interrupted cheerfully. ‘Katy’s grown hips and boobs since then and you’re not allowed to have those if you’re a supermodel. Just bones.’

Their mother’s mouth tightened. ‘Just promise me you’ll give up this emergency department rubbish. I know Freddie’s parents are worried about it, too. It’s just not suitable, Katherine.’

Suitable. There was that word again.

Katy felt as though her head was exploding.

What was happening to her?

Normally she’d do anything to keep the peace for her mother’s sake, but today she just wanted to run screaming into the distance.

‘Start the job if you must,’ her mother carried on, ‘but you’ll be marrying Freddie in three months and you’ll have to give it up then. Oh, look, there’s Freddie’s mother. I must talk to her about the arrangements.’ She glared at Libby. ‘Elizabeth, go and change into something that hides your underwear before your father sees you. Please.’

She turned and walked with studied elegance across the lawn, beaming at her guests and reaching for another glass of champagne.

Libby gave an exaggerated sigh. ‘It’s a good job we’re triplets. At least they managed to get the physical contact over in one go.’

‘Libby!’ Katy turned to her, her blue eyes wide with reproach, and Libby shrugged.

‘Well, it’s true. Look at them.’ She tilted her head to one side. ‘They don’t show each other any affection. Their marriage is a business arrangement. It’s no wonder you, Alex and I are so dysfunctional. Look at our role models.’

Katy licked dry lips. ‘We’re not dysfunctional.’

‘Yes, we are. You’ve spent so much of your life trying to please Dad and avoid his wrath that you don’t even know who you are any more. I’m so determined to be the opposite of everything they want me to be that I’ve forgotten who I am, too. And as for Alex …’ Libby turned and scanned the garden, looking for their brother. ‘Alex is so disillusioned about marriage that he sets a three-month rule. After three months with a woman he ends the relationship just to be sure that they don’t start hearing the word “serious”. He’s the original commitment-phobe.’

Katy looked at her. ‘So are you.’

‘And can you blame me?’ Libby looked at her parents and shuddered dramatically. ‘If that’s marriage, then I hope I die single.’

‘Libby, that’s an awful thing to say.’

A bee hovered close to them and Libby took a step backwards.

‘Oops. Killer insects.’

Katy frowned, knowing that her sister was very allergic to bee stings. ‘Are you carrying adrenaline?’

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 your 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.’