The Mistress Bride

'They certainly won't miss the fact that you're here,' Julian observed. Her brother was no fool; he knew what she was trying to do here.

'The wicked lady in red,' she grinned. 'I can't fight them so I have no choice but to join them in condemning myself.'

'Will he mind you taking them on in public like this?' he asked curiously.

Evie's slender shoulders lifted and fell in a gesture of indifference. 'He may be my lover but he is not my keeper.'

'Ah. I scent trouble in the air,' Julian sighed. 'Is this his punishment for refusing to stay away?'

She didn't answer, her hand sliding away from his arm so she could go back to the dressing table and finish getting ready. There was a moment's silence, the kind taut with words she didn't want him to utter.

'Evie-'

'No,' she cut in. 'Don't start, Julian. Not today of all days; I'm just not up to it.'

'But-'

'But nothing,' she inserted firmly. 'What goes on between Raschid and myself is our business. Keep out of it.'

'Well, that's telling me,' he drawled after a moment. 'Makes me wonder what you told our dear mother.'

'Is that why you're here, Julian?' she sighed. 'To find out if it was me who put her in a temper?'

'Was it?' he asked.

'I haven't even seen her since she drove me down here this morning.'

'And she didn't have a go at you then?' 'We had guests with us,' Evie explained.

'That's it, then.' Julian nodded sagely. 'Poor old thing is feeling frustrated because she's not had a chance to deliver the big lecture.'

'You mean the one about nicely brought up young ladies not sleeping with wicked Arabs?' Evie enquired innocently while applying a touch of mascara to her lashes.

'She's such a social snob,' Julian sighed.

'Not a social snob, Julian. A cultural snob,' Evie amended. 'If she were just a social snob she would be pulling out all the stops possible to get the dreadful Arab to marry me-a genuine prince with more money than sense being better than an impoverished marquis-socially speaking.'

'Actually-' Julian grimaced '-I wasn't referring to that lecture. I was referring to the one about the two of you not showing the family up by openly fawning all over each other today.'

Surprisingly Evie let out a laugh, her eyes suddenly alight with sardonic merriment as she looked at her brother via the mirror. 'The day hasn't arrived when you'll see Raschid fawning over anyone-in public or out of it!' she said. 'He's too damned arrogant. Too aware of his own worth to stoop that low. Odd really,' she added thoughtfully, 'that Mother can't stand the sight of him, because they're two of a kind in that respect.'

'You make it sound as if you dislike the man,' Julian murmured dryly.

Dislike him? She adored him, Evie admitted silently. It was herself she didn't like very much. 'He's great in bed,' she offered as a light diversion from where this conversation was threatening to lead her.

Another knock sounded on her bedroom door then, and both brother and sister turned to watch the door swing open-and their mother step gracefully inside. Tall like themselves, slender and fair like themselves, she looked the most stylish mother-of-the-groom that had ever been presented, in a pale blue and cream suit that shrieked classical Channel.

'I thought I would find you here, Julian,' she said. 'Your guests are beginning to arrive. And it's time for you to be taking your place.'

In other words, she wanted to be alone with Evie so she could deliver the expected lecture. Julian opened his mouth to warn her off the idea, felt Evie's hand give his arm a warning pinch-and reluctantly smothered the urge.

He knew as well as Evie did that to upset their mother today of all days was just asking for trouble. So with a shrug and a kiss dropped fondly on Evie's cheek he took his leave, though he was unable to do it without issuing a warning of his own as he passed by his mother. Not with words, but the cool look in his eyes had his mother's lashes fluttering downwards and her mouth staying shut as he left, closing the door behind him.

The air in the room suddenly felt very frosty. 'Is that what you're wearing?' Lucinda Delahaye enquired.

Evie sucked in a deep breath of air then let it out again carefully before replying. 'Yes.'

Disapproval was rife in the kind of expression her mother had perfected beautifully. 'It isn't quite what I would call appropriate, Evie. Couldn't you have come up with something less--eye catching?'