do they call you?’
‘Perdita. It’s been my nickname since my father said he’d go to perdition when he heard my mother was pregnant again. It’s a family joke that I’m a bit wicked, so Perdita it had to be.’
His eyes gleamed. ‘And just how wicked are you?’
She shook her head. ‘That’s another thing you’ll have to learn by experience.’
‘Am I a likely victim?’
She appeared to consider this seriously. ‘Not really. I don’t think you’d be easy to take for a ride.’
‘Why’s that?’
‘Because you’re even more cunning and conniving than I am. You as good as told me so yourself.’
‘Very astute of you. All right, we’ve warned each other. Cards on the table.’
‘Oh!’ she exclaimed. ‘On the table? You mean you won’t even keep one little ace up your sleeve? How disappointing!’
‘I take that as a warning that you’ll keep a concealed ace yourself.’
‘Naturally. Without aces, the world would be no fun.’
‘Fun?’ For a moment he looked puzzled, as though he’d never heard the word before.
‘You do know what fun is, don’t you?’ she challenged him.
‘I think I heard of it once, somewhere,’ he said, playing up to her.
‘But you don’t know how desperately important it can be. How it can light up life so that you have something to hold onto in the dark times.’
‘There are many things I’ve never discovered,’ Leonid said seriously. ‘Who knows? Perhaps I shall learn them from Perdita. Or do I mean Erica?’
‘They come and they go,’ she said lightly. ‘Sometimes even I can’t keep track. But it makes life interesting.’
‘Yes, I should imagine that life with you is very interesting.’
She was about to give him a teasing answer when something caught her attention.
‘Look,’ she said.
‘What?’
‘Over there. The way your father is staring at us.’
‘He’s suspicious. He thinks this is a con. I guess our performance didn’t fool him.’ He smiled at her. ‘We’ll have to do better.’
‘How dare he suspect us of deception!’ she said with comic indignation. ‘That’s insulting.’
He laughed. ‘Of course. How could anyone think we’d stoop so low?’
‘Go on laughing,’ she said quickly. ‘It looks convincing.’
Far too convincing, warned her inner voice. Despite the fact that one side of him was grim and nearly ferocious, or perhaps because of it, Leonid’s smile had an intensity that was almost shocking.
‘Look into my eyes,’ he murmured, ‘and try to forgive me for what I’m about to do.’
Sighing theatrically, she aimed a yearning glance up at his face. He took her hand, raising it gently to his mouth and brushing his lips against the back. Then, as if acting on a sudden impulse, he turned it over and buried his mouth in her palm, sending heated impulses along her nerves, so that she had to struggle not to gasp.
‘Sorry,’ he murmured, returning her hand, though he didn’t sound sorry at all.
‘No need to be sorry,’ she whispered back, meaning it.
Lucky I’m not naïve, she thought. Or I could get carried away.
‘How long are you here for?’ he asked, straightening up and trying to appear normal again.
‘I’m … not sure.’
‘You don’t have to be home by a certain date?’
‘I choose the date,’ she said lightly. ‘I like to keep my choices open.’
‘So you’re free to take a holiday whenever you choose? Don’t tell me, let me guess. You’ve got a rich indulgent father who sends you anywhere you want.’
‘Do I look like a spoiled brat?’ she demanded with mock indignation. ‘I can afford to pay my own bills, thank you.’
‘In this place?’ he said, looking around at the luxurious surroundings.
‘In any place,’ she assured him.
He gave a knowing glance at her expensive clothes.
‘You certainly know how to dress for effect. I think—’
Suddenly his smile died. He was looking at the far side of the room, where Janine was absorbed in a conversation with Marcel. Amos was now standing alone.
‘Excuse me a moment,’ he said. ‘I need to have a private word with my father. I’ll be back.’
‘Don’t worry, I can manage alone.’
He hurried over and drew Amos aside, speaking in a low, urgent voice. ‘We need to talk, Father. It’s important. I’m glad you managed to get here.’
‘Frankly, I don’t think this marriage is a good idea, but Marcel won’t listen to me.’
‘He’s in love with Cassie,’ Leonid reminded him. ‘Doesn’t that make it a good idea? I’m sure you can appreciate love. You’ve enjoyed it often enough.’
‘Yes, well, never mind that. How is your mother? In the best of health, I trust?’
‘She hasn’t been in the best of health for a long time, as I’m sure I’ve told you before.’
‘Sorry to hear that. But she’s not a young woman. We’re none of us as young as we were.’
‘That’s very true. And it’s why I hope to persuade you to pay us a visit. It would mean the world to her to see you again.’
‘Or it might upset her. I wouldn’t want to do that.’
‘Wait until you see her letter that I’ve brought you.’
‘Not now. Tomorrow will do.’
‘I’ll deliver it to your room later tonight, so you’ll have time to write your reply and give it to me tomorrow.’
‘No need for that. I can put it in the post.’
‘I promised her I’d take it back with me. She’s very lonely, Father. I’d rather keep my word.’
