A Scandal Made in London

The adjectives tripping off her tongue so easily were entirely accurate, yet, oddly, her opinion of him stung. ‘Please, don’t hold back.’

‘You did ask.’

And he wouldn’t be making that mistake again. He didn’t know why he had. Her assessment of him didn’t matter. Her attitude, however, well, that did. ‘We’re going to be under scrutiny this weekend, Kate,’ he said deliberately flatly. ‘It’s in everyone’s interest to wrap the deal up as soon as possible, so I suggest you lose the prickliness.’

She levelled him a look and let out a sigh. ‘Okay, fine,’ she said with a shrug that made her silk shirt ripple enticingly over her chest. ‘I can do that. I can play nice. Anything to expedite the goal.’

‘Good.’

‘So what happens when we land?’

‘We drive to the Villa San Michele.’

‘And then?’

‘Tonight we’re having dinner with the Bridgemans. Tomorrow there are meetings, and in the evening is their anniversary party.’ Which he could definitely do without.

‘Ah, yes. Fifty years,’ she said with a trace of wistfulness he’d never understand in a million years. ‘Can you imagine?’

No. He couldn’t. He wouldn’t. ‘Unfortunately it can’t be avoided.’

‘Did you get them a present?’

‘No.’ He saw little to celebrate about marriage however long it lasted, quite frankly.

‘Don’t you think you should?’

‘This whole weekend is purely about business. Gifts are not required.’

She looked at him for a moment, as if debating whether to push, but then, to his relief, said, ‘It’s your show,’ and she was right. It was. Not that he had any intention of explaining himself to her. ‘And on Sunday?’

‘Bridgeman doesn’t believe in working on Sundays.’

‘Extraordinary.’

‘Isn’t it?’ he said, responding to her faint smile with one of his own before he could prevent it. ‘The final meetings will take place on Monday.’

‘After which you’ll know.’

‘Precisely.’

‘What’s so special about this particular company?’

‘It’s up for sale.’

‘But there must be hundreds of companies up for sale.’

‘Not of this size.’

‘What are you going to do with it if you get it?’

‘When I get it,’ he corrected, ‘the majority of it will be absorbed into the Knox Group and the rest will continue to operate independently.’

‘Isn’t your company big enough already?’

‘No,’ he said bluntly. ‘Not nearly.’

‘What can you possibly have left to prove?’