She continued to tell herself the same sort of thing all the time she got ready for dinner, and by the time she popped in to Michael’s room to say goodnight to the little boy the power of positive thinking had done its work. She felt like she could take on a hundred Andreases, especially when Jill’s eyes widened and she breathed a ‘Wow!’ at the sight of her sister.
Michael was almost asleep and, after kissing him goodnight, both women tiptoed from the room. Once on the landing, Jill looked at her twin admiringly. ‘You look absolutely sensational, Sophy. Is that one of the dresses from that collection in Paris you told me about?’ she asked approvingly.
‘Uh-huh.’ Sophy grinned at her sister as she gave a little twirl, the coral gown of Fortuny-style pleats accentuated by Swarovski crystal hugging her slender figure. ‘One of the perks of the job, although it still cost me an absolute fortune. I allow myself one extravagant purchase once in a blue moon, but this was the most expensive yet.’ She rolled her eyes expressively.
Jill was still in her towelling robe, and now Sophy said, ‘What are you going to wear tonight?’
‘I’m not sure.’ Unlike Sophy, Jill had never been the slightest bit interested in clothes, and it was fair to say that anything of any worth Jill possessed had been given her by her twin. ‘Come and help me decide?’ she entreated quickly.
Once in Jill’s quarters, which were furnished exactly the same as her own but with a colour scheme of warm hyacinth blues and purples and sharp bright white, Sophy gazed at the clothes she herself had packed for her sister, Jill being unable to decide what to bring. Only something special would do.
‘This.’ Sophy extracted a pale lavender gown, the bodice of which was complemented by geometric paillette detailing in raw silk. ‘We’re going to knock ’em dead tonight, sis, or die in the attempt. Okay?’ she said encouragingly.
‘I haven’t worn this since you gave me it,’ Jill admitted with a feeble attempt at a smile. ‘Oh, Sophy, I’m so nervous. Now I’ve had time to think, this is all out of our league, isn’t it? I never dreamt Theodore came from such a background.’
‘You got on fine with his parents,’ Sophy reassured her firmly, ‘and they seem to just be grateful you and Michael are here. Just be yourself, sis, and that will be enough, and take it from me—in these dresses we certainly won’t look like the poor relations. The Right Honourable Jill and Sophy, more like!’
‘Oh, Sophy.’ But Jill was smiling now, and once she was dressed sat chatting quite naturally while Sophy put her sister’s hair up in an elegant knot.
Ainka was waiting in the hall when the two women came downstairs, and she led them to the huge ornate dining room where the others were sitting just outside its patio doors enjoying a cocktail in the dying sunlight.
‘How charming you both look.’ Dimitra’s voice was genuinely warm and her husband offered his own compliments, but Sophy was too busy coping with what her first sight of Andreas in evening dress had done to her senses. The scattered ones that remained, that was.
He’s magnificent, she told herself silently. Magnificent and threatening and dangerous. The formal clothes brought a ruthless quality to the brilliant dark good looks that made her shiver deep inside, and wish the evening was over rather than just beginning. She’d been right, so right to be wary of this man.
She heard him murmur something flattering to Jill before Dimitra and Evangelos drew her sister to one side, asking if Michael had settled down for sleep, which left her standing rather awkwardly at Andreas’s side.
Ainka had handed her a large fluted glass of champagne cocktail before leaving, and now Sophy concentrated on the delicious effervescent drink as Andreas turned his piercingly dark and keen gaze on her, saying softly, ‘You are a credit to your profession and quite beautiful.’
‘Thank you.’ She smiled politely and took a sip from the glass.
The words themselves were innocuous enough but there was an edge to his manner Sophy didn’t like, an edge of criticism, although she wasn’t going to give him the satisfaction of knowing she’d recognised it. She
’d rather die.
‘Do I take it you dressed Jill too?’ he asked mildly.
‘What?’ She had turned her gaze away from him but now her eyes flashed to his dark face. She had been right. He was definitely put out about something.
‘Your sister,’ Andreas said smoothly. ‘Clothed by Sophy Fearn? Or am I wrong?’
His accent was slight and his English was perfect, but the faint inflection it lent to the deep husky voice made her stomach muscles curl as she said tightly, ‘No, you are not wrong, Mr Karydis. Do I take it you disapprove of what Jill is wearing?’
‘Not what she’s wearing, no,’ he returned softly, ‘just the motive behind it. Your motive, Sophy. And if you address me as Mr Karydis one more time I shall not be responsible for my actions. The name is Andreas, as you very well know.’
She ignored the latter comment, her chin well up and her voice icy as she said, ‘So you credit yourself with mind-reading ability as well as everything else, is that it? Do explain, Mr Kar—’ She stopped abruptly as the lethal grey gaze turned to shining ebony. ‘Do explain,’ she continued after a slight pause, ‘my obviously base and wicked motives for giving Jill a super dress she could never afford otherwise—a dress, I might add, which was a birthday present six months ago,’ she finished triumphantly.
‘I’m not questioning your initial motivation,’ he returned silkily. ‘I’m sure you only wanted to bless your sister with a delightful gift and give her much pleasure.’
‘Oh, thank you so much,’ she cut in sarcastically. ‘How kind.’
‘But you encouraged her to wear the dress tonight because you look on my family as the enemy, an enemy which needs to be guarded against at all times. The dress was your way of pointing out that Jill has done very nicely without us in her life—as is your attire, I might add.’ He eyed her imperturbably.
‘What a load of nonsense,’ Sophy lied vehemently, her voice low enough for the others not to hear but carrying forced outrage.
‘Do you really think my parents wish to harm Jill or Theodore’s son?’ Andreas asked quietly. ‘Are you really so poor a judge of human nature? They are generous, warm-hearted people who have never knowingly hurt anyone.’
‘Something which I’m sure can’t be said of you,’ Sophy shot back before she had time to consider her words.