A Scandal Made At Midnight

‘I know what you said, and in truth I’m inclined to believe you.’ She paused, pursing her lips, a little wrinkle appearing in the creamy smoothness of her forehead. ‘But she can be quite—impetuous sometimes about things. And to leave the ball that way...’ She let out a soft gasp of realisation, biting the soft fullness of her lower lip, and Alessandro’s gaze narrowed. ‘Of course,’ she whispered, and then she let out a little laugh, a sound that reminded Alessandro, bizarrely, of the bubbles in champagne. He wanted to hear it again, even as he recognised he’d been right. Something had been going on, and Liane knew what it was.

‘What?’ he demanded. ‘What do you know? What’s so funny?’

‘It’s not funny really, but it’s classic Ella.’ She sighed as she leaned back against the leather cushions of her seat, her body relaxing so for once she didn’t look so uptight, so anxious. ‘Ella might have told you; she’s something of a social media influencer, although she’s just getting started. The glass shoes were given to her by some up-and-coming designer—she must have left one on purpose. The clock strikes midnight, Cinderella at the ball, et cetera.’ She sighed, shaking her head. ‘And she’s gone off wearing one shoe, and is now probably going to vlog the whole thing as some modern take on the fairy tale.’

He frowned, feeling not much more the wiser. ‘Vlog?’

She wrinkled her nose, letting out another one of those tinkly little laughs. ‘A video blog. I’m a social media dinosaur, but even I know what a vlog is, although I suppose that’s because of Ella.’

‘So this is nothing more than a publicity stunt,’ he surmised slowly, hating the thought, and Liane nodded.

‘Yes. Something like that. At least I think so. That would be Ella’s style.’

He wasn’t surprised, based on what he already knew of Ella, and yet he still felt distrustful. Irritated too, because he did not want to be used in her little ploys and games. And yet, he told himself with the cold logic he prided himself on, he’d basically been using Ella for publicity, making sure they were snapped together to promote the hotel and make it seem so fun. If all the while she’d been using him, well, there was a fitting sort of rightness to it, or there could be, even if it went against every instinct he’d ever had. He never allowed himself to be used, not since he’d been a helpless child.

No, if anything, he was the one who would do the using and, considering all he had learned, Ella Ash would suit his purposes admirably. Their association would not end here, for both of their benefits. And if this intriguing woman came as part of the bargain...

‘Very good,’ he told Liane, and tossed back the rest of his whisky, levelling his iron gaze on her own startled one. ‘Then you can help me find her.’