long—and so, she learned, could Nick’s lover.
But the atmosphere was not conducive to small talk, and she was glad to get out. “Thanks so much,” she said firmly, hoping Nick would take the hint. “Goodnight.”
However, he escorted her to the hotel door. “What are you doing after your parents leave?” he asked.
“I’m sightseeing tomorrow, and the next day I’ll take the train to Cornwall to stay with an old schoolfriend for a few days,” she said, oddly discomposed.
“When did you become engaged?”
The abrupt change of subject startled her into looking up. “Several months ago.”
His brows met above the arrogant blade of his nose. “No one told me.”
Siena blinked. It sounded like an accusation, but before she could respond, he went on, “Is this Adrian anyone I know?”
“Adrian Worth. His family have a station in the South Island high country.” Old money, and a lovely set of relatives. And a very nice, honourable man.
“The name sounds familiar,” he said, and left it at that. With a cool smile he nodded and bent his head. Surely he wasn’t going to kiss her?
He did, a swift peck on her cheek, dropped in place only to be immediately forgotten, she thought, her heart thudding unevenly in her ears when he straightened. “Sleep well,” he said.
Siena couldn’t control a startled blink. Nick’s narrow smile was something. Somehow it roused an excitement she didn’t even want to think about. She felt as though she’d been dipped in champagne.
No, she thought cynically, not champagne. The very best brandy—dangerous, delicious and far too potent …
“Goodnight,” she managed, and crossed the lobby, feeling the impact of his gaze between her shoulder-blades.
Through the closing lift doors she saw him turn and go back to the big car and the woman who waited for him.
Presumably they’d end the evening in bed together.
Stop being so prying and intrusive, she thought bleakly while the lift eased to a stop. She had no right whatever to speculate about Nick’s love affairs.
His private life was just that—private.
Or as private as he could make it with paparazzi following him around.
She spent a restless night, tossing in an unfamiliar bed, listening to traffic, wondering why she wasn’t more excited at being in London. Perhaps because at night it was impossible to distinguish between traffic in London and Auckland—a lonely sound in both places.
Eventually she managed to drop off to sleep, only to wake later than she’d planned. A day’s sightseeing lay ahead, so she scurried around and left the hotel, intending to grab breakfast and coffee somewhere on her way.
It was a busy day, one she enjoyed. It was only on her way home that she realised she hadn’t checked her email. Sitting on the top of the double-decker tourist bus, she flicked her phone open and scrolled through, feeling guilty when she saw one from Adrian.
It took her only a moment to read it, a moment in which the noisy buzz of traffic faded into the sound of her heart drumming in her ears.
I’m so sorry. I’m a complete coward for doing this by email, but I don’t know how to tell you I’ve fallen in love with someone else. It’s not your fault, and I feel awful about it, but I can’t help it. Please forgive me. You can’t think any worse of me than I do myself. I wish you every happiness.
And he was hers sincerely, Adrian.
Siena sat in numb, incredulous disbelief, her gaze locked on the screen as Adrian’s words danced crazily on it.
An aching emptiness brought a swift, cold spurt of tears. Shivering, she fought them back, trying to tell herself that it was just as well he’d found out now instead of waiting until after they’d married.
Despite the shock, in her innermost heart she knew she’d been waiting for this day. Somehow she’d sensed this—even though she’d refused to face it—long before she’d left New Zealand. For weeks Adrian had seemed distant and on edge, brushing off her enquiries with reassurances that now rang hollow and false.
Nick had called her bossy, and she probably was, but she’d learned to fight for what she wanted. Her parents had always been meticulously fair, but it hadn’t been exactly easy growing up in the shadow of a twin who’d been a beautiful baby, progressed to become an enchanting child and then a stunning teenager, before finally maturing into a woman so beautiful she’d dazzled every boyfriend Siena had brought home.
Swallowing hard, Siena fought back nausea. She didn’t—refused to—want a man who loved another woman.
So she had to get over this horrible anguish. But first she needed privacy, a few hours alone to deal with her grief. Tomorrow she was heading to Cornwall to stay with her best friend from school, and she would not depress her by moping around.
She clicked off the phone and put it back in her bag, staring resolutely out of the window until she could once more see and hear.
Back at the hotel she fled to her room, eyed the mini-bar, but decided bleakly that a stiff drink was the last thing she needed right now. Opting instead for the familiar solace of a cup of tea, she sat in the uncomfortable chair and forced herself to drink it, trying to achieve some serenity.
None came. Before she’d taken more than a couple of sips she leapt to her feet and, setting her mouth, wrenched off her engagement ring.
No, no longer her ring. The diamond winked and glittered in the palm of her hand, and without volition her fingers closed around the lovely thing. She fought back another sob and thrust it into a zipped pocket in her handbag with a sharp, final movement.
Tomorrow it would be on its way back to Adrian.
The hotel telephone rang, making her jump.
Startled, she stared at it, her heart bumping in her chest. It had to be Louise. Pick it up, Siena!
But it was Nick’s voice that answered her cautious greeting. “Did your parents get off all right?” he said.
“I got a text from Heathrow just before they boarded.” Her voice sounded odd.
“What are your plans for tonight?” Nick asked.
“I haven’t got any,” she said unevenly.
“So you can come out to dinner with me.”
She didn’t know what to say. “No, that’s not possible,” she said, obeying the instinct that warned her to hide away for a few hours.
“Why?” he asked.
She stuttered a few words, then stopped.
Into the silence Nick said with a cool decisiveness she found rather intimidating, “There will be just you and me, Siena. I don’t
