The Nightingale Girls - By Donna Douglas Page 0,101

her all about growing up in the vicarage with his gentle, henpecked father and fearsome mother.

‘She watches us all like hawks,’ he told her. ‘No one dares put a foot wrong.’

‘Even you?’ Millie smiled teasingly at him.

‘It’s true, I get away with a lot,’ William admitted, shame-faced. ‘But only because I’ve learnt to tell her what she wants to hear. And Helen covers for me too. Poor Helen,’ he sighed. ‘She gets far worse treatment than me. My mother seems to set particularly high standards for her daughter. Helen works so hard to please her yet she’s barely allowed to breathe without Mother’s say-so. I’m sure she thinks Helen’s going to run wild.’

‘Perhaps your mother worries Helen will meet someone like you?’ Millie suggested.

William smiled. ‘I see my reputation precedes me. I’m surprised you allowed yourself to be alone with me?’

‘I never listen to gossip,’ Millie said firmly. ‘I prefer to make up my own mind about people.’

‘And have you made up your mind about me?’

She gazed at him for a long time, her blue eyes searching his face. Then she pushed her glass towards him.

‘Buy me another drink and I’ll tell you.’

Two drinks later, they were still talking. It came as a shock when the bell for last orders rang.

‘I didn’t realise it was that late. You do have a late pass, don’t you?’ William asked. Millie shook her head.

‘I never do. But I’ll find a way back in, don’t worry.’

They left the pub. William knew he was slightly drunk, but Millie was worse. She wobbled like a baby gazelle, stumbling against him. He put his arm around her, and kept it there as they walked back along the river. The Thames snaked like an oily black ribbon ahead of them, its cranes, docks and factories shadowy shapes looming through the darkness around them.

‘I think Blanche would have enjoyed this evening,’ Millie declared.

‘So do I. I bet she’s looking down at the two of us now and laughing.’

‘Why?’

‘Because she always thought we should get together.’

He waited for Millie to pull away from him, but she didn’t. ‘I know,’ she sighed. ‘She kept telling me I should give you a chance.’

‘And what do you think?’

‘I’m still considering it.’ William felt the yielding warmth of her body against his, and longing hit him like a punch in the stomach.

Any other girl and he would have taken her in his arms, but not Millie. He felt protective of her in a way he couldn’t have imagined possible. And he’d made that promise to Helen, too. Although out here, walking together under the stars with his arm around her, he wasn’t sure he would be able to keep it.

‘You’re quite right to be cautious,’ he said. ‘In fact, you should probably stay well away from me.’

‘Because of your reputation? I told you, I don’t listen to gossip.’

‘But it’s true in my case. I’m nothing but trouble. Just ask my sister.’

Millie laughed. William wished he could have laughed with her. But for once he wasn’t joking.

He usually enjoyed this part of the game, the teasing to and fro before he moved in to claim his prize. But not this time. Millie deserved more than a few days of flirtation.

And that was all he could offer. William wasn’t the type to lose his heart to anyone. Most girls understood it was just a game and were happy to play along. But then there were girls like Peggy Gibson, who didn’t understand the rules. They were the ones who got badly hurt.

The memory of what had happened to Peggy still weighed heavy on him. He didn’t want to put anyone through that again. Especially not someone as sweet and adorable as Millie.

‘I mean it,’ he said. ‘You’re far too good for me.’

‘I’ll make my own mind up, thank you very much.’ Millie stopped and turned to face him. She was so close he could smell her flowery perfume. ‘Kiss me,’ she said.

William looked down at her upturned face, her innocent eyes, and felt a jolt of desire so powerful he could barely control it.

‘I can’t,’ he said.

Her face fell. ‘Don’t you want to kiss me?’

‘Of course I do. More than anything. But we’re both extremely drunk, we’re on a lonely stretch of river on a dark night, and it’s all a bit too compromising.’

‘I don’t care.’

‘No, but I do.’ Any other girl and he might have taken advantage. No, he knew he would. He’d done it before. But Millie Benedict was too special. ‘Besides, I made