page34 (1/2)

He kissed Marie-Isabelle’s powdery cheek and dipped his head respectfully ‘If you’ll excuse h to the terrace I shouldn’t be long’

He turned just as Augusto’s shrill voice cut in ‘Please invite your lady-friend to join us The lovely young lady in red Isn’t she the dancer you were photographed with in London last hted to meet her Wouldn’t you, my dear?’

Marie-Isabelle sraciously

‘What a lovely idea,’ said Matteo, and with a slight nod he took two paces across the carpet, past the curious faces, and lifted Ruby’s hand into his

He didn’t pause to look at her or at anyone else as they ether, as if to the music of some practised pas de deux

Away froh so roo other than heavy antique furniture and vast s that lent no privacy

‘Whatever you’ve co briskly through the hallway, scanning the area for signs of listening ears or probing cameras

‘That depends,’ she said

Her fingers were snug in his hand He felt a certain satisfaction frouard

‘How did you knoas here?’ he said as they breezed through the house and up the wide staircase

Staff bustled about everywhere Roo used to interview the various stars ere due to arrive

‘You’re not exactly hard to find,’ she said, and he tried to hear in her voice the ee, a steely forceful tone through her words that put every nerve in his body on guard

‘Of course,’ he said, thinking that she, too, would have seen the photographs of them at the benefit

He wondered if she’d felt any of the yearning he’d felt as he’d scanned the press coverage of that night Discretion hadn’t been top of their list, he’d realised

‘You’ll have seen, then, that this is the biggest Regatta we’ve ever attempted And my gest A-list donors we could find’

As well as the start of talks with Arturo Did she know she was exposing hi here?

The stress horher as he hurried theed corridor flooded with light froht above the terrace where—please, God—David was keeping Augusto and his wife quietly entertained

‘In here’