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He shrugged. ‘A fortnight maybe.’

‘What a pity.’

‘Is it?’

She gave a sighing look of soft exasperation. ‘Don’t act like that.’

‘Like what?’ he asked, innocence his expression.

‘No, you won’t play that game with me. If we’re going to do this, we’re going to agree right here and now that there is to be no guile.’

‘If we’re going to do what?’ he echoed.

‘You’re doing it again. You know very well what I’m talking about.’

‘I want to hear you say it.’

‘We’re discussing marriage, are we not?’

‘We are,’ he agreed, ‘but I’d rather you didn’t make it sound quite as clinical as that.’

‘Actually, I think we’re special that we can be clear-headed about this.’

‘Is it to be entirely a business arrangement to get you out of the difficult corner of being courted by men you plainly don’t wish to be courted by? Do you feel nothing for me?’

Alex shook her head. ‘The contrary, if I’m honest.’ She saw his eyes narrow. ‘The truth is, Matthew, it hasn’t taken you much time at all to get beneath my guard. I find myself growing fonder of you by the minute.’

His eyes widened with surprise now. The music seemed to be coming closer but she couldn’t drop his gaze in this heartbeat; it was an intensely private moment of reveal and she’d surprised herself by how naked her thoughts were. She shook her head. ‘Nothing witty to say?’

‘No.’

She grinned. ‘Good. I like that I can surprise you.’

‘You’re fond of me?’ he repeated as if he couldn’t believe what she’d said and needed it reinforced.

‘I know we don’t know each other terribly well but I know Duncan very well and I don’t wish to be his wife. If I’m honest, I don’t wish to be anyone’s wife right now but my parents are pressing and Duncan will certainly corner me if he’s home on leave. I met you only a few days ago but I have found myself liking you more in that short time than all of the men who consider themselves ideal husband material for me.’

He blushed and she enjoyed his discomfort. ‘Not many people can do that to me,’ he admitted and there was the real Matthew in that moment. Then he covered his bared soul in a blink and was grinning again. ‘Are you saying yes tonight?’

‘I’m certainly considering saying it,’ she said and had to raise her voice because the violin quartet had turned into wandering minstrels, it seemed. She could hear them stealing up on the diners.

‘In that case, my money hasn’t been wasted,’ Matthew said, gesturing to the men who strolled up, all smiling contentedly, as they played the opening to the Peer Gynt suite. ‘For you, darling Alex – please be my wife.’

Her jaw dropped slightly in wonder as the oboeist took over from the flautist and moved into the glorious opening to one of her favourite pieces of music. How did Matthew know this? It sent ripples of pleasure through her that he had taken the trouble to find out and then gone to more trouble to organise this private concert. Not so private, perhaps, as other diners were now looking up from their soups and fish courses to stare at the couple in the midst of beautiful music.

‘Peer Gynt was a bit of a rogue too,’ she quipped, helplessly charmed.

‘A man of many faces, you could say.’

She felt vaguely confounded by that remark but the music was enchanting and the moment was undeniably romantic as Matthew stood, took her hand and kissed it to the sound of much applause. It was obvious to all the other diners what was taking place and she dared not make eye contact with anyone in particular because they surely knew her mother.

She watched, helplessly, as he bent to touch his lips to her hand. She could feel the warmth of his mouth on her and the firm stare from Mrs Trubshaw from below. His gaze flicked to hers and held it. ‘Say yes, Alex.’ It was a command but said so softly it was more like coercion.

‘Yes,’ she uttered, entirely charmed.

His expression of anticipation broke into the widest of smiles and he pulled her gently to her feet and leaned forward to place a fleeting kiss, like the touch of a butterfly wing, on her lips. ‘Thank you,’ he whispered and the restaurant erupted into further applause. The music changed from Peer Gynt to a jig of celebration which was interspersed with Wagner’s ‘Bridal Chorus’ to make everyone around them clap louder.

‘Did I just agree to marry you?’ she whispered, feeling shocked and excited at the same time.