A Daring Deception. AMANDA BROWNING

      ‘I’m glad to hear it. Now, if that’s the end of the shopping list, we’d better get on,’ Nathan urged, turning his attention back to Linus’s list of travel plans and thereby missing her grin of delight at having soured his mood. ‘Our flight leaves at midday tomorrow. I’ll swing by your place about ten to pick you up.’

      The suggestion had instant alarm shooting through her. She couldn’t have him turning up at the apartment. If he saw Emma he was bound to recognise her, and that would never do. She wanted her pound of flesh before she hit him with the truth.

      ‘That won’t be necessary,’ she refused politely. ‘My…cousin will drive me,’ she explained, hoping her hesitation would make him assume her ‘cousin’ was male, and no relative at all. It worked like a charm and had his lip curling cynically.

      ‘OK, we’ll meet at the airport. Just make sure your “cousin” lets you get some sleep tonight,’ Nathan responded. Tucking the envelope into his jacket pocket, he took a quick glance at his wristwatch. ‘I have to leave. This business will make a mess of my calendar, and I’ll have some important meetings to rearrange. Heaven alone knows how long this is going to take.’

      ‘Surely a weekend should be long enough?’ Rachel put forward hopefully. She had no wish to prolong the affair either.

      Nathan smiled wryly. ‘If I were Ames, I wouldn’t leave those letters anywhere they could be found too easily. We may have to search the whole damned house. You’d better just hope and pray he doesn’t have some state-of-the-art security system, or we’ll be screwed before we start. We could both end up in jail yet,’ he declared by way of a parting shot, and Rachel was left staring at the empty doorway.

      She knew he wasn’t joking. Getting caught in the act was a distinct possibility, and it was a sobering thought. They were going to have to be very, very careful. Yet no matter the possibility of dire consequences, the thought of backing out never entered her head. She was going to see this through to the end for the sheer pleasure of throwing the truth back in Nathan Wade’s face.