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The office door opened and Leo looked out, perhaps having heard her voice He gave her an urgent beckoning of the head, his hand winding her forward at the same moment Aloud, he said, 'Ah, there you are, Sian!' with a horrible enthusiasm meant for the consumption of whoever was in his office, rather than for Sian herself 'Coht of his visitor

' "Will you walk into my parlour? said the spider to the fly," ' Sian led

'What did you say?' scowled Leo, and she walked past hi

Her eyes fled across the room to find the other occupant, and stopped dead as she saw the wo was obvious This wasn't Cass's ex-wife She was far too old, her hair white, even though it was still copious and very long She wore it piled high upon her head, pinned there with an ornate Spanish conified air which ant and discreet, with a touch of white lace at collar and cuffs She wore diah; in her ears and on her hands They flashed blue fire as she held out one hand to Sian

'You must be Sian I'm so pleased to meet you'

'Sian, this is Mrs Cassidy,' Leo said, bustling over

The older woly blue eyes on him and smiled 'Would you mind if we had a few moments alone? Would it inconvenience you if we borrowed your office for a few moments?'

'No, of course not,' Leo said fulso

like so his way to the door 'Be uest… excuse me…'

Sian watched hio, then looked curiously at the white-haired wo her hand She was either someone very important and powerful, or she had the personality to knock Leo off his feet Sian had never seen him so humble and awed The door closed behind him and Mrs Cassidy smiled at her

'Noe can talk,' she said, and Sian warily smiled back

'What are we going to talk about?' she politely enquired, her green eyes reserved

'Cass' The older woman's voice was half amused

Sian knew that, of course; there could be no other reason for her to be there, but Sian knew his parents were dead

'I'm not quite clear who…'