`You look so absorbed,' he said. `I don't know that I like the way you seem to be able to concentrate on work after what happened last night! Don't say you've forgotten already?'

Kate dropped the letters on to the desk and her clear gaze met his. `I'll never forget,' she said quietly. `You know I won't.'

Luke took her hands and pulled her towards him. `We shouldn't do this,' he muttered.

`I'm not doing anything,' Kate pointed out, but she didn't resist as he kissed her.

`You're standing there, looking the way you do. That's enough.'

`This is very unprofessional.' Kate tried to sound severe, but spoiled the effect by sliding her arms round his neck and kissing him back.

`It is. It is.' Luke disentangled himself reluctantly. `From tomorrow, it's strictly business in the office!'

'Strictly,' Kate agreed with a smile.

`Now I really am going to see Miles.' Luke laid his hand against her cheek for a brief moment. `Then we'll get down to some work, and then we'll go home-together!'

Kate was still standing by her desk, holding a hand to her cheek where he had touched her, when the door opened suddenly.

She had forgotten Helen.

At the sight of her eclipsing beauty, a cold finger of fear touched Kate's heart and clouded her happiness. What chance did she stand next to Helen? No matter how good she looked, she would always look dim and drab next to the glamorous blonde.

Kate pulled herself together. `I'm afraid Luke's not here,' she said courteously. `He's just gone down to have a word with the finance director.' She prayed that Helen wouldn't stay. She didn't think she could bear to see them together.

`Really?' Helen's green eyes were icy. `Judging by the touching farewell I just witnessed, I expected he'd gone away for at least a week!'

'I'm sorry?'

'Don't give me that innocent look! I saw you through that glass panel in the door. I saw Luke kissing you and that silly besotted look on your face,' Helen sneered. Seeing the flush stain Kate cheeks, she pursued her advantage. `And I thought you were supposed to be the ultimate professional secretary! I could have told Luke that you'd turn out like all the others!'

Kate went still. `What others?’

'What others?' Helen mimicked spitefully `Did you really think you were special? Why do you think he's had so many secretaries?’

'He's a difficult man.' Kate had herself well under control now. `They couldn't cope with him.'

`Is that what he told you? And you believe it?' Helen strolled insolently over to the window and lit a cigarette with sinuous grace. `You little fool!' she jeered, blowing out a cloud of smoke. `All his secretaries start off being efficient little madams like you, and they all fall for him in the end. It's just a question of time before they start throwing themselves at him; you must have lasted longer than most.'

She turned round and inspected Kate with contempt. `Luke, as you have no doubt discovered, is not a man to resist a woman offered to him on a plate, but after a while he gets bored and it all gets rather embarrassing. When it comes down to it he only loves this wretched firm, and the last thing he wants is some secretary getting involved and emotional. They always leave in tears, and he comes back to me. We understand each other.'

`Good for you,' Kate said evenly, but her eyes flashed with dislike as she turned deliberately away. Helen's words had hit her like sharp little stones, but she would have died rather than admit how much they hurt.

As she turned her back Helen drew a sudden breath. `Catherine Haddington-Finch,' she said slowly. `That's who you are! I knew I'd seen you somewhere before!'

Kate froze. `I don't know what you're talking about.'

`Oh, yes, you do!' Helen stubbed out her cigarette and came back from the window. `I thought you looked familiar, but as soon as I saw that look of disgust I knew where I'd seen you. You were Anne's ugly little friend at Chittingdene. I always thought it was a joke that you-you!- dared to disapprove of me. You were always so quiet, but you had a special little contemptuous look you kept for me.'

She walked round to face Kate. `Yes, it's obvious now. You've filled out, of course, but get rid of that rather smart hairstyle and put those terrible bottle-bottom glasses back on and you'd look just the same!' Her smile was cold, malicious, as she circled Kate speculatively. `Well, well. Catherine Haddington-Finch! Who would have thought it? Does Luke know?’

'No,' said Kate quietly. It was useless to deny it all now.

`I always thought you had rather a crush on him,' Helen went on. `Anne told me you actually went down to tell him I wasn't coming that day. Rather touching.'

Her mockery caught Kate on the raw. `You didn't really want him then, did you?' she said angrily. `You were just playing with him. Anne told me what you used to say about Luke behind his back. Why do you want him so much now?'

Helen shrugged, unperturbed. `He was a little rough in those days, and I had a better offer in mind. But now, well, he's a very attractive man.'

`And a very rich one?’

'You always did have a sharp tongue for someone so plain, Catherine,' Helen said with dislike.

`At least it was an honest one,' Kate retorted. `I never pretended to be in love with Luke and then sneered at him when he wasn't there.'

Helen gave a harsh laugh. `Love? Luke isn't interested in love! He doesn't give a damn what people think about him.'

`Not now he doesn't, but that's because thoughtless, cruel girls like you taught him that love was worthless. No wonder he's cynical!' Kate's eyes were blazing. `Didn't it ever occur to you that he might be hurt by the way you treated him? But no, you had a better offer, and you couldn't even be bothered to say goodbye!'

`Luke didn't care,' Helen said lightly. `If he did, why would he keep coming back to me?’

'At least he knows what he's dealing with,' Kate said with a contempt that made Helen's green eyes flash.

`Which is more than he does with you, Little Miss Virtue! It's all very well for you to preach about honesty, but how honest is it to keep your identity a secret?’

'It's not a secret. Luke didn't recognise me, and I didn't see any point in reminding him. I'm sure he wouldn't remember me anyway.'

`No, probably not,' Helen said dismissively. `You weren't exactly the memorable type.'

`You remembered me,' Kate pointed out. `And I've changed. I'm not the plain, awkward little girl I was. I'd like Luke to remember me as I am now, not as I was. I think he will-especially after last night,' she added deliberately.

Helen's eyes narrowed. `If you think one night gives you any hold over Luke, you've got another think coming! I give you a week before Luke as you to leave.'

`I wouldn't give you that long if Luke comes back now,' Kate said with a coolness that surprised her. `He won't want a scene in the office and, in view of last night, I think he's likely to take my side in any argument.' She picked up the pile of letters from her desk and began to slit them open. `I suggest you leave now-and don’t come back until there's another secretary sitting here!’

'That won't be long!' Helen said viciously and stormed out of the office, letting the door bang noisily behind her.

Left unexpectedly holding the field, Ka realised that she was shaking. She sat down abruptly in her chair and dropped her head in her hands.

Was she just the latest in a line of over-emotional secretaries? Was that all she was Luke? Kate didn't want to believe Helen, but the story wasn't that unlikely, after all. Luke himself had mentioned her tearful predecessors: was so incredible that they had fallen in love with him? She had; why shouldn't they?

Kate pulled her fingers through her hair. It was soft and gleaming still, just as it had been when Luke had tangled his fingers in it and tilted h head back for his kiss. The memory of the night they had shared tore at her. It was impossible to believe it hadn't meant anything to Luke. She couldn't mistake the look in his eyes or the tenderness of his touch.

No, she wouldn't believe Helen, but she would have to tell Luke about Chittingdene now. If only she had told him last night! She dreaded the confession in the cold light of day. He would want to know why she hadn't told him before, and it would be hard to explain without sounding deceitful or, worse, calculating.

And then the door opened and Luke came in. One look at his face told Kate that her confession would be unnecessary.

`I met Helen on her way out,' he said heavily. His expression was tight and closed. `She said you were Catherine Haddington-Finch from Chittingdene. Is it true?'

Kate lifted her head and met his eyes squarely. `What do you think?'

`Catherine?' he said, as if wanting to disbelieve. He searched her face, and then sighed as he read the truth in her eyes. `Catherine.'

`Kate,' she corrected him quietly.

`Why didn't you tell me?' He turned away, unable to hide the bitterness in his face.

`There never seemed to be an opportunity,' she began, but he interrupted her.

`An opportunity! You never had any trouble talking to me about anything else!'

`This was different. I didn't think you'd remember me anyway. Why should you?’

'I remember you all right. You were the girl who came down to the wood to tell me about Helen.'

Kate nodded miserably. `But you didn't recognise me. I didn't see any point in bringing up the past. You made it pretty clear you'd put it behind you, and I thought it would just be embarrassing for both of us.'

`I suppose you thought I might be embarrassed at having the daughter of the manor at my beck and call? Was that it?’