Pamela was a little awkward at first, but only at first. Guided by an inner-something that could only have been instinct, she was soon making silly noises and coaxing delighted squeals from the little tyrant. Abruptly, her own laughter froze when she chanced to look up and catch Theo watching her. He was smiling! The instant he registered her gaze, however, it was as though a blind had been pulled down over his feelings. He turned away and was himself again, speaking with the other men.
At that moment, the little girl, as though guided by fate, struggled down from Pamela's lap and stumped over to Theo, who smiled wryly at her entreaty. Pamela couldn't hear a word he said, but the child acted completely differently with him, sitting quietly in his lap and staring up at him, her angelic features utterly rapt. He glanced in Pamela's direction a couple of times, not to look right at her, but she felt that he was surreptitiously ascertaining whether or not she was watching him. He couldn't disguise his very real affection for the child, however, and Pamela found herself wishing that she was sitting next to him, that-
Oh, no! He had got to his feet and was walking straight towards her!
'I see you've met little Jennie,' he said, passing her the child and sitting down, speaking with the familiar ironic drawl in his voice that so intimidated and intrigued her. 'I didn't realise you liked children so much.'
For some reason, Pamela practically choked on a sudden, inexplicable attack of nerves and shyness. 'I'm not- I mean, I've never even h- held one before- I mmp . . . '
Without warning, he reached across, put his arm around her, leaned over her so that she had no choice but to cling to him, and kissed her. She didn't dare pull away, or do anything that might endanger the safety of the child. After a moment she discovered that she didn't want to pull away, and couldn't have cared less that everyone was probably watching. And yet . . . and yet . . .
They parted, and he watched her, frowning. 'What's wrong? What is it you're so afraid of?'
She took a shuddering breath. 'I'm afraid of you. I'm sorry, Theo, but you scare me.' She got up and took the child back to its mother, who watched her speculatively. Her ears burning, feeling utterly conspicuous now, as though anybody and everybody was staring at her, Pamela began walking away from the gathering in search of a little privacy. At the same time some inner little voice began shouting at her.