they didn’t. The tensions tightened a notch, even though an attraction between them was tacitly admitted.
The main dining room was opulent, softly lit, with beautiful paintings and tapestries on the wall, the tables glowing with candles and posies of flowers.
“It’s lovely here,” Toni murmured appreciatively, watching the light glance off his dark copper skin.
He glanced around, used to grand surroundings from infancy. “The main dining room has recently been refurbished, I understand. If it’s all right with you I’d like to get away fairly early in the morning, Toni.”
“Have no fear. I won’t put you out.”
He looked at her keenly, almost laughed. “Well, I’d like to be at the. airport by eight-thirty, at the latest. I suppose it’s reasonable to conclude you’ve brought a fair bit of luggage?”
She grimaced at the implication. “I’m not Mommy Dearest, Byrne. I’m here for the month, then I’ll go back to Paris.”
There was a sudden flare in his eyes, like diamonds exposed to bright light. “It sounds like you have someone waiting for you.”
“There is someone.” She took a deep breath, pretending to go starry eyed.
“There always is.” He stared at her for a minute before picking up his menu.
“His name is Akbar,” she confided. “We have crazy times together.”
His handsome mouth tightened. “I’m not sure I’m ready to hear about your little jaunts around Morocco. In many respects I lead a conservative life.”
She opened her eyes wide. “Don’t be ashamed of it, Byrne. You’re a gorgeous man, really,”
Her power to discomfort him was impressive. “Why, thank you, Antoinette. Just so long as you remember I don’t party with youngsters.”
“Which I might say without fear of contradiction lets me out. I’m twenty-two.”
“A considerable age.” His voice was half mocking, half gentle.
“I’m not going to let you patronise me, Byrne.”
“Good for you. I’m enjoying your efforts.” He looked at her.
“Oh? I thought you were trying to make me suffer.”
That put a brake on him.
“Forgive me, Toni, that wasn’t my intention.”
“Of course, I forgive you,” she lied, anxious to defuse the simmering tension. “As long as you remember something.”
“Please don’t stop yourself from telling me.” He poured them both another glass of champagne.
“I’m not stupid.”
He looked at her, light leaping from his silver-gray eyes. “That makes you doubly dangerous.”
Toni waited until they were airborne before she allowed herself to speak. “I’ve got to say I love the new plane.” She tapped one beautifully manicured nail against the arm of her chair. “What happened to the Beech Baron?”
“I sold it to Winaroo Downs. It was just what they wanted.”
“And this is the Super King Air?”
“Yes. Turbo prop. Averages about two hundred and eighty knots. A jet would have been fairly useless to me, what with trying to find suitable landing strips. This can get in just about anywhere the Baron could, which is what I need. I find I’m doing more flying around the country, checking on other properties, attending meetings, whatever.”
“It must have been hellishly expensive,” Toni said. Millions. Probably five or six.
“It’s not a luxury, Toni, not a rich man’s toy. It’s a necessity. A way of life. It comfortably seats ten passengers, as well as your seat beside me. A lot of the time I have a full complement on board. Especially when I’m carrying fellow cattlemen. They like to cadge a lift on the most comfortable plane.”
“Don’t I know.” She glanced at the earth. “I never grow tired of flying,” she said. “It’s a miracle.”
“You know Kerry had to part with the Cessna?” He shot her a keen look.
“Of course.” She bit her lip. “No matter how hardworking Dad and Kerry were, there were so many reversals.”
“And Zoe wanted a big slice of the pie.” The old bitterness slipped out.
“I don’t know anything about that, Byrne.”
“You had to know. Why lie?”
“Dad didn’t discuss the settlement with either of us. I was thirteen when Zoe left, remember? Kerry had only just finished school. Dad tried to protect us.”
“Then I’m sorry. He wasn’t happy about you going off to join your mother, either.”
“He agonised, then, loving me, gave in.”
“Did she never marry the man she went off with?” Byrne asked after a long pause, “or wasn’t he sufficiently well-heeled?”
She looked out the window. Brilliant blue sky and a streaming wedding veil of clouds. “Something like that.”
“How long were you with your mother before Von Dantzig disappeared?”
“It was all very distressing, Byrne.”
“I bet it was.” He felt a sudden wave of protectiveness. “In fact it must have been a nightmare for a beautiful young girl.”
“I had nothing to fear. I cried a little when Zoe and Rolf split up. Zoe had already met Claude. He decided to convert her to a grand lady. She liked that.”
“Dear, dear.” He clicked his tongue. “How did you keep up with these dreadful affairs?”
“I’m infinitely older than my mother,” she said simply.
“Is that why you stayed? To protect her?” His eyes were shrewd.
“And all the time you thought I was raging back and forth. Into guys. Into parties. Into drugs.” She shot a mocking glance at the hard, handsome profile, which he caught.
“I saw your pals at the hotel.”
“What pals?” She blinked in confusion.
“The two who were anxious to get your address.”
Her shoulders slumped. “Oh, them! You get pleasure seeing me as an air head, don’t you?”
“I know perfectly well you’re not.” She had wit, intelligence, her own apparent strengths.
“Actually
