there any messages for me?’ interrupted a harshly cold voice.
Neither she nor Peter, she was sure, had been aware of anyone approaching the desk. But Ellie recognised that voice only too well; hadn’t she listened to him earlier when he’d been talking to ‘Darling’ before making that telephone call to his fiancée? And she was sure, from the faintly disdainful expression on his face as he looked at the two of them, that he had overheard her ill-timed remark about lovers!
She turned to check the box for his suite, studiously hiding any awkwardness she might feel at his having heard her conversation with Peter. ‘No messages, Mr Thackery,’ she told him with a brightly professional smile, noticing the woman standing a short distance away watching the exchange uninterestedly—probably ‘Darling’, of the long, silky legs!
He nodded abruptly, his expression still grimly disapproving as he glanced briefly at Peter. ‘I’ll be in the bar if there are any—’ He broke off abruptly as he was racked by a sudden sneeze. ‘Damn it!’ he muttered furiously, his gaze a fierce blue glare now.
Ellie maintained her smile of cool politeness. ‘You seem to be starting a cold, Mr Thackery. I’m sure we have something you could take for that, if you—’
‘I don’t have a cold,’ he cut in harshly. ‘I’ll be in the bar if there are any calls for me.’ He gave an abrupt nod of dismissal before turning on his heel and striding off across the reception area to join the woman waiting near the entrance to the bar—a tall, blonde woman, her beautiful face animated as she put her hand through the crook of Daniel Thackery’s arm.
If his fiancée called again he would be in the bar, Ellie guessed crossly. Well, she hoped none of them were expected to lie for this man; if Angela telephoned again Ellie had every intention of telling the other woman exactly where he was. Not who he was with, of course, but it would be up to Daniel Thackery to explain away his presence in the bar. She—
‘I seem to know that man,’ Peter said slowly as he gazed after Daniel Thackery with narrowed eyes.
Peter was a hotel employee, so there was no problem in revealing the identity of a guest to him. Besides, after her exploits in Daniel Thackery’s suite earlier, who was she to preach about a guest’s right to privacy?
‘That’s Daniel Thackery,’ she told Peter flatly.
‘The Daniel Thackery?’ Peter said slowly.
Was he ‘the’ Daniel Thackery? He was known worldwide as a very successful businessman, with his restaurants in the capitals of the world frequented by the cream of society, so she supposed that, yes, he was ‘the’!
‘Yes,’ she confirmed abruptly. The man under discussion had entered the bar with the beautiful blonde now, and Ellie turned her full attention back to Peter.
‘I see.’ He whistled softly through his teeth. ‘What does a man like that want in a sleepy little place like this?’
What indeed? It was what Ellie wanted to know too. ‘Anonymity, probably,’ she snapped. ‘If the woman he’s with is anything to go by.’ She grimaced her disapproval of the other woman.
Peter’s brows rose. ‘She looks rather beautiful to me.’
Oh, there was no doubting that the blonde was absolutely gorgeous to look at—tiny in height, with an hourglass figure, long legs and a youthfully beautiful face. But there was also no dismissing the fact that the man she was with was getting married next week—or that ‘Darling’ was well aware of Angela’s existence!
‘The two of them aren’t married,’ was all that Ellie could think of by way of explanation for her own bitchiness; after all, she could hardly admit to hearing of the existence of Daniel Thackery’s fiancée while hiding in his wardrobe!
Peter grinned, leaning conspiratorially over the desk towards her. ‘Signed themselves in as Mr and Mrs Smith, did they?’ He gave her a teasing wink.
Ellie had to smile at that ludicrous wink. ‘Sorry.’ She gave a rueful smile. ‘There’s just something about that man that puts my hackles up.’ That had to be an understatement; just being anywhere near that man seemed to set her teeth on edge!
Peter still smiled, straightening away from the desk. ‘That isn’t—or so we’re led to believe by the newspapers—what women usually have to say about him!’
‘Well, I’m not one of his usual women.’ The tartness returned to her voice, her green eyes flashing. ‘Anyway, he seems to prefer tiny blondes,’ she added scornfully.
‘Whereas I prefer tall redheads.’ Peter looked across at her appreciatively. ‘Sure I can’t tempt you with dinner tomorrow evening?’ he added wistfully, the subject of Daniel Thackery clearly forgotten.
At least, it had been forgotten by Peter. Ellie couldn’t forget about him—because she hoped she and Beth would be dining with him tomorrow evening!
‘I’ll even cook for you,’ Peter added persuasively. ‘If you come to my apartment.’
The temptation of eating a meal Peter had cooked was one not many women would resist. But Ellie had other priorities for tomorrow evening.
‘I’m really sorry, Peter,’ she refused again with a regretful smile. ‘I really am busy tomorrow night.’ She hoped!
‘I know when not to push it,’ he accepted with a dismissive shrug. ‘Another time. I had better be on my way,’ he said with a brief glimpse at his wristwatch. ‘My cat will be wondering if I’ve found myself a woman other than her!’
Ellie chuckled throatily. ‘See you in a couple of days’ time.’
He nodded. ‘Have a good time tomorrow night. Whatever it is you’re doing.’ He gave her another suggestive wink before leaving.
Ellie shook her head, smiling fondly. He really was the most outrageous man, but she liked him anyway, found his light-hearted banter refreshing. It was a pity about tomorrow evening because if it hadn’t been for this thing over Daniel Thackery she might just have accepted Peter’s invitation...
‘Could you arrange for an early-morning call tomorrow, please?’ rasped the harsh voice that was becoming so familiar to Ellie—unfortunately so!
She turned slowly to look at Daniel Thackery as he glared across the desk at her. He had only gone through to the bar a few minutes ago; what—?
‘An early-morning call,’ he repeated impatiently as she blinked up at him uncomprehendingly. ‘Do you think you could manage that?’
Colour darkened her cheeks at his sarcasm, and she bit her lip to stop herself returning an equally sarcastic reply. ‘I’m sure I can,’ she said tautly.
‘At seven-thirty,’ he nodded. ‘And coffee,’ he added tersely before he was racked by another sneeze.
Ellie automatically noted down the time of the early-morning call and the request for coffee.
‘Coffee for one,’ he corrected as he saw what she had written down on the pad in front of her, his mouth twisting with mocking amusement as Ellie looked up at him sharply. ‘My guest has departed for the evening,’ he explained
