by Lucy Gordon
‘Hmm?’
‘Somehow I can’t quite see you as nervous. A woman with your looks never has to worry about her reception. What are you professionally? No, let me guess. A model?’
‘What do you think?’ she teased.
He looked at her assessingly.
‘All right. I think you’re undercover, pretending to be an ordinary guest but actually doing something else.’
Her heart nearly stopped. ‘Whatever can you mean by that?’
‘You’re a hotel inspector, checking this place out. Perhaps I ought to warn Marcel about you.’
‘Try it. See how you look when he finds out it’s not true.’
‘All right, I give in. But I’ll get it. Just give me a little time and we’ll see who wins.’
His smile was charming with a glint of steel, and gave her a faint twinge of guilt at the way she’d wriggled out of the situation. She would never have told him an outright lie, but neither could she tell him the truth at this moment. So avoiding the question was her only option.
I’ll tell him later, she promised herself. Then I can explain, make him understand. But not just yet.
To her relief, Jackson was indulging in some foolery, enabling her to laugh and divert Leonid’s attention.
As the meal drew to a close the diners began to rise and drift out to the balcony overlooking the River Seine. Leonid and Travis stood a little apart, deep in conversation.
‘Look at them,’ Charlene said at Perdita’s elbow. ‘So like each other. It comes as a shock to see them together.’
‘He told me people often mistake him for Travis, until they get near enough to see the differences,’ Perdita said.
‘Yes, and those differences aren’t really physical. They come from inside. There’s a bit of Travis that’s a natural clown. He loves laughing at people. He even likes people laughing at him as long as that’s what he meant them to do. But Leonid has a dark, gloomy side that’s mostly the one he lets people see. At least, that’s what Travis has told me. I’ve only just met him but I can see what Travis means.’
Perdita nodded. Even a brief acquaintance with Leonid was enough for her to have sensed his dark side, and know that it was always there, overshadowing even his brief lighter moments.
‘But I dare say you know him better,’ Charlene said.
‘Some people are easier to know than others,’ Perdita hedged. ‘I’m sure you’ve found that out too. As you say, Travis is a laugh a minute, but there must be more to him than that.’
‘Oh yes.’ Charlene nodded. ‘When the press are studying you as closely as they do with him, you have to keep a part of yourself that’s just for you and your friends. Hello, what’s happened?’
A frisson had gone around the table. Heads turned to regard the tall white-haired man standing at the door.
Amos Falcon, Perdita thought, recognising him from pictures she’d seen in the press. Research had told her far more about him than Leonid realised, how he’d been married several times but seemed incapable of being faithful to any woman.
One by one his sons went to greet him. Darius with an extended hand, Jackson with an embrace, Marcel with a thump on the shoulder. Only Travis and Leonid held back, approaching him slowly and greeting him with restraint.
Perdita saw the way Amos surveyed his sons, and the way they surveyed him. There might be some affection in this family, but there was also a lot of suspicion. She had an instinctive feeling that the young men had inherited enough of their father’s nature to be his combatants as well as his sons.
Leonid brought Amos across the room.
‘Father, I want you to meet Erica,’ he said.
There was the same look of surveillance from Amos, studying her, asking himself if she was a threat to what he wanted.
You bet I’m a threat, she thought. Because I like getting my own way too.
Amos brought his wife forward. There were more introductions. Champagne was served. The atmosphere was convivial. Perdita tried to stay modestly in the background, but soon Amos bore down on her.
‘It’s a pleasure to meet you,’ he declared formally. ‘Leonid hasn’t mentioned you before. How do you come to know each other?’
She drew in a swift breath. She and Leonid had prepared their story as far as the wheelchair was concerned, but they hadn’t had time to cover this. Feeling his tension, she thought fast.
‘I took a holiday in Moscow,’ she said. ‘I love the city but I got into a silly muddle, and Leonid rescued me.’
‘How did that happen?’ Amos asked.
‘I really couldn’t tell you,’ she said, improvising fast. ‘I don’t speak the language so I didn’t understand much of what was happening. I remember I lost my way and took the wrong street but—’ She gave Leonid an urgent look.
‘It was a lucky chance I happened to be there,’ he said quickly. ‘After that, I had to keep an eye on her in case she was lost again. And we just…got on well.’
‘So when you heard about this wedding you took the chance to see each other?’ Amos asked.
Luckily Janine intervened, patting her husband’s arm and saying,
‘Don’t interrogate them, darling. This is a party, not a court case.’ She smiled at Perdita. ‘See you later.’
She led her husband firmly away.
CHAPTER THREE
LEONID BLEW OUT his breath in relief. ‘I blame myself for not being ready for that. Luckily you saved us by your quick thinking.’
‘But you’re going to have to dream up the story,’ she said. ‘I know nothing about Moscow.’
‘Then weren’t you taking a risk setting it there?’
‘What else could I do? If I’d said we met in England, or any other part of Europe, your father would have asked when, and whatever I said he might have known that you hadn’t been travelling on that date. Moscow was safer because you’re there all the time. Oh, goodness!’ A terrible thought struck her. ‘You are, aren’t you?’
‘Not quite all the time, but most of it. You’re right. Saying Moscow was more convincing.’ He turned his head slightly to one side, regarding her with admiration and a hint of suspicion. ‘I was wrong about you. You’re really good at this.’
She regarded him satirically. ‘You mean you don’t really think I’m an innocent after all?’
‘It means I think there’s more than one kind of innocent,’ he said, returning her look and speaking carefully.
She burst out laughing. ‘Well, you said it.’
‘How am I supposed to take that?’
‘I couldn’t tell you. Only you can decide.’
‘Perhaps I should be wary of you.’
‘Certainly you should. Behind the mask of innocence I’m just a natural schemer. Don’t trust me for a moment. People who know me really well don’t even call me Erica.’
‘What 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.’
‘Very well. Arrange things however you wish, but tomorrow. Not tonight.’
Watching from the far side of the room, Perdita couldn’t hear the words, but she had a clear view of Leonid’s face. At the start he’d appeared fairly amiable, yet she had a sense of tension held in check, as though he could never truly relax with his father. Then she saw his manner change, his lips tighten, his eyes grow darker. As the two men turned away from each other she saw in his face something that boded ill for anyone who crossed him.
Then he caught her looking at him. His expression cleared and his smile returned.
That was only part of their performance, she told herself. But as he neared her she could have sworn she saw warmth again in his eyes.
Marcel and Cassie came close.
‘We’re having an early night,’ he said. ‘It’s a busy day tomorrow.’
‘Good idea!’ Travis said.
Soon everyone was drifting away towards the elevators. Upstairs they headed for the corridor where they were all staying. Leonid wheeled Perdita towards her room and, mindful of Amos’s watchful eye, leaned down so that his head was on a level with hers.
‘We’re nearly at your door,’ he murmured. ‘They’re looking to see if I come inside with you. We mustn’t disappoint them.’
‘Mustn’t we? Perhaps I have something to say about that.’ She gave a gasp of theatrical horror. ‘What kind of girl do you think I am? The kind who invites a man to her room just because he showed her around Moscow?’
He grinned. ‘I guess I’ve been meeting the wrong kind of girls.’
‘I’m sure you have,’ she teased. ‘And I’ll bet you’ve enjoyed every minute of it.’
‘Are you suggesting that I’m a man who plays around with every female he can lay his hands on?’
‘Are you suggesting that you’re not?’
Their eyes met in perfect amused understanding.
‘I’ll answer that tomorrow,’ he murmured. ‘Right now I think any answer I gave would be the wrong one.’
‘Probably. Some men have an infallible gift for getting it wrong.’
His voice dropped to a low whisper. ‘I could make you pay for that.’
‘You could try.’
‘Think I can’t?’
She chuckled softly. ‘Surely you wouldn’t take revenge on a poor frail creature in a wheelchair?’
‘Certainly not. I promised to take care of you, so now I’m coming in to undress you and put you to bed.’
Her eyes gleamed in appreciation of these tactics. This was an experienced foe, up to every trick, and challenging him was fun.
‘Very kind,’ she said. ‘But I haven’t asked you to do that.’
‘A gentleman doesn’t wait for a lady to request his help. He volunteers his services.’
‘And if she says she doesn’t require them?’
He looked surprised. ‘Did I ask your opinion?’
‘No, I can’t imagine you asking anyone else what they thought.’
‘I’m glad you understand me so well. Now, we’re nearly there, and they’re all finding excuses to linger in the corridor and observe us.’
‘So they’ll see you come in.’
‘More than that. I’m going to kiss you. And no power on earth can stop me.’
‘Then I won’t waste time trying,’ she assured him.
This time his hand was on her shoulder. As he lowered his head she almost thought he would indulge in a passionate embrace, but he was too clever for that. In full view of his family he drew her close for a brief touch of the lips, lingering just long enough for a soft caress, then drawing modestly back.
As he wheeled her inside she caught a last glimpse of the family observing them, and knew by their expressions that Leonid had been right.
‘Your father’s really cross with you,’ she said.
‘Good. That’s the idea.’
Yes, that was what this was really all about, she thought. Leonid was doing this to gain something for himself, and a sensible woman wouldn’t let herself forget that.
But was she a sensible woman?
She’d been sensible enough when she’d arrived here, thinking only of professional success, sure that she was armoured against anything else that could happen.
Which just showed how little she knew. Life was more complicated than she’d thought, and she was struggling to catch up.
Leonid seemed untroubled by such thoughts. He was getting to work, kneeling down before her to remove her shoes.
‘Now lean forward,’ he said.
She did so and he began to undo the buttons at the back of the dress.
‘Where’s your nightie?’
She pointed to a drawer. ‘Over there.’
He fetched it and tossed it onto the bed. ‘Now stand. Mind your foot.’
Clutching him, she managed to get up, wondering how far he intended to take this. He drew up her dress, pulling it over her head.
‘I guess you can manage from here,’ he said.
‘Yes, I can sit down on the bed to deal with everything else. Thank you.’
He took out a small card and scribbled something on the back.
‘That’s my room number. Call me if you need help. Any time.’
‘I’m sure I’ll be all right.’
‘Give me your word.’
‘All right. I promise.’
‘I’m just down the corridor if you need me. Don’t forget.’
‘I won’t,’ she said gratefully.
He opened the door gingerly and looked out into the corridor. After a moment he looked back at her, nodded and left.
When he’d gone the silence seemed to thunder. Perdita sat taking deep breaths, trying to come to terms with the altered universe in which she was living.
