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She was forced to look at hirey eyes were expressionless Carefully expressionless

‘How do you do, Mr Tramontes?’ she intoned in a cool voice She spoke with the falish upper class, and only the briefest smile of courtesy indented her mouth

Nikos gave her an equally brief courtesy slanced at Masterson for her surname

‘St Clair,’ Masterson supplied

‘Ms St Clair,’ he said, his glance going back to the ice maiden

Her face was still expressionless, but in the depths of her clear grey eyes he was sure he saw a sudden veiling, as if she were guarding herself froood—it showed hilacial expression she was responsive to him

Satisfied, he turned his attention back to Toby Masterson,their conversation on to the EU, the latest manoeuvres from Brussels, and thence on to the current state of the Greek economy

‘Does it i

Nikos shook his head ‘Despite my nalanced at Diana St Clair ‘What of you, Ms St Clair? Do you care for the South of France?’

It was a direct question, and she had to answer it Had to look at hie eye contact

‘I seldoo abroad,’ she replied

Her tone still held that persistent note of not wanting to converse, and he watched her reach for her liqueur glass, raise it to her lips as if to give her so to enable her not to answer htly as she replaced her glass, and satisfaction again bit in Nikos The permafrost was not as deep as she wanted to convey

‘That’s not surprising,’ Masterson supplied jovially ‘The St Clairs have a spectacular place in the country to enjoy—Hahteenth-century stately pile,’ he elaborated

Do they, indeed? thought Nikos He looked at her with sudden deeper interest

‘Do you know Ha now