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But then, of course, she acknowledged, with part relief and partly a little pang, the closest she got to a beauty treat nail…

But what did she care? she thought fiercely Joey didn’t give a hoot if her hair was just tied back in a utilitarian plait, or if her face was bare of make-up All he wanted was her attention—and her love

And he got both in infinite amounts

Even as she thought of Joey her hand automatically went to her apron pocket Her mobile was on, but there had been no peep from it Vi still found it tricky to use a allant effort to learn, and had faithfully promised to call Clare if Joey surfaced and was distressed at her absence in any way But, with luck, Joey was a good sleeper now, and once he went off he was usually fine until

She handed round the drinks she’d just collected fro to disperse, and kept an eye on thees, like all in this line of work, were hardly brilliant, and tips were important, like it or not Every penny counted, and every penny was going into the Holiday Jar that would, she fervently hoped, take her and Joey and Vi to the seaside in the summer

A shadow formed in her eyes

If fate had dealt her a different card there’d be no such thing as the Holiday Jar…

But it was no use thinking that way She had ht choice, the only choice

This way, though Joey ht only be the fatherless child of yet another i clothes out of charity shops and eking a living, that was still infinitely better than being the alternative—the unwanted bastard of a Greek tycoon and his discarded, despairing mistress…

CHAPTER ONE

XANDER ANAKETOS stifled his impatience with a civil, if brief smile at the man beside him Richard Gardner was of the school of businessmen who considered that every deal should be sealed with a drink and an expensive meal Xander had no tireed in principle to make in Gardner’s company would be mutually profitable, and the details would be hamer to be gone He had plans for the evening which did not includesmall talk with Richard Gardner However, he had no wish to snub the older man, and besides, his ‘other business’ would wait for him

They alaited for him

Sonja de Lisle was no exception

Oh, she ht pout for a fewall over hio to Sonja when he had dinner to get through first

And before that a drink in the cocktail lounge while they perused the menu

As the guest, Xander let Gardner choose where to sit, and took his place accordingly He glanced round, concealing the disparagement in his eyes This was not a hotel he would have chosen to patronise, but he could appreciate that it was convenient for the business park where Gardner’s company was sited near Heathrow But, for hie—usually more antiquity He liked classic, world-faes, the St John

Memory flickered He rarely went to the St John now

Like a stiletto sliding in between his synapses, an i in a smooth swathe over one shoulder, diarey-green eyes

Eyes that were looking at him without emotion A face held very still

A face he had not seen again

He thrust the i it

Abruptly he reached for the menu that had been placed on the low table in front of thereat enthusiasain and looked around impatiently He could do with a drink Did this place not run to waitresses?

There was one a table or so away from them with her back to him He kept his eye on her, ready to beckon He could see her nodding, sliding her notepad into her pocket

She turned towards the bar Xander held up an iesture and altered direction

Then she stopped dead

Clare could feel the blood and all sensation slowly draining out of her body It e down through every vein, every nerve