He's My Husband! - Lindsay Armstrong [22]
But, before she’d got to that stage, she’d welcomed their guests warmly, and Sasha and Chris had come out to be introduced, and to reacquaint themselves with the Masons and Richard Holloway. Nicola had discovered she was holding her breath in case Sasha let out any more household secrets, but she and Chris had behaved beautifully, looking so angelic in their pyjamas and dressing gowns it was hard to equate them with the secreting of mashed potato in shoes, for example.
Then Ellen had come to take them to bed and Nicola had breathed a sigh of relief, at the same time catching a wicked little glint of amusement in Brett’s eye.
It was Tara Wells who’d said whimsically, ‘How adorable—but then I’m told that’s the best time to view children, just before they go to bed.’
Everyone had laughed, and as Brett handed out champagne cocktails Nicola had taken a moment to study this guest about whom she had such grave doubts.
Tara Wells was about thirty, tall, slender and dark, with pale, perfect skin and beautiful green eyes. She wore a dove-grey silk suit with short sleeves, and no jewellery other than a large gold wristwatch on a black alligator band—there were no rings on either hand. And she undoubtedly had a presence. You could easily see her being a quiet force to be reckoned with in a court of litigation.
You could also see appreciation of another kind in the eyes of both Richard Holloway and Rod Mason, and a little spurt of annoyance in Kim Mason’s eyes as she observed her husband being courtly and deferential towards Tara Wells. Oh, no, Nicola thought, not another cause for dispute between the District Court Judge and his wife?
But it was towards Nicola herself that Tara displayed the most interest. She said, just before dinner was served, ‘Brett’s told me all about you, Nicola, but even he didn’t do you justice.’
‘Why, thank you,’ Nicola heard herself respond with caution—due, she discovered a moment later, to a feeling of discomfort to think of Brett discussing her with anyone. Why should they be discussing her anyway? ‘I’m afraid he hasn’t told me anything about you,’ she added, not quite truthfully, and smiled charmingly.
A fleeting look of surprise lit those lovely green eyes, then Tara looked rueful. ‘I’ve only been with the firm a few weeks. I moved up from Brisbane to take the position—Hinton, Harcourt & Associates has a fine reputation, even for a smallish town like Cairns.’
‘My father would have been delighted to hear you say so,’ Nicola said regally, further insulted by the small-town epithet. ‘He was the Hinton.’
‘So I believe. Brett has told me just how much he admired and respected your father.’
Oh, has he? What else—? Nicola bit off the thought and rose. ‘Dinner is ready,’ she said graciously, and moved towards the table.
The calamari and Beef Wellington were pronounced excellent, and the conversation was lively. Kim had apparently got over her annoyance—possibly because Tara took the trouble to draw her out and show a keen interest in the charity work she did.
A very skilful operator, Nicola mused once, then grimaced inwardly. Why don’t I like her? Well, I know that... But did I imagine that she managed to turn a compliment into a subtle put-down, the way she implied that she and Brett had discussed me as if there was a closeness between them that has no right to be there? Or was it simply an accident of words on her part and a touch of paranoia on my part?
But, although they kept it to the minimum, there was no doubt Tara could hold her own—with no ‘accident of words’—in the brief discussion of legal matters that was probably inevitable with three lawyers amongst them. She had definite views on the make-up of the High Court, and on the intricacies of Native Tide legislation. Definite, concise and intelligent views that caused Rod Mason to view her with admiration again and even Brett to look impressed.
The perfect wife for a lawyer,