His Reputation Precedes Him

Not that she thought Jonathan would be in the least unwelcoming—he was far too charming for that to happen, and Markos was his guest after all. Eva was the one who felt distinctly uncomfortable about attending a party at her ex-father-in-law’s in the company of a man as powerful and charismatic as Markos Lyonedes. In the company of any man who wasn’t Jonathan’s own son!

‘Eva…?’

She turned to give Markos a reassuring smile. ‘I’ll be fine now, Markos. Really.’ She picked up her black clutch bag before turning to get out of the car.

Eva looked far from fine to him. Her face was still pale, and her eyes still that deep amber and wide with apprehension. But other than making a scene—something Markos was pretty sure Eva would not appreciate—he had no choice but to join her outside on the driveway before handing his car keys over to the obviously relieved young man waiting to park his car.

Markos took a firm hold of Eva’s elbow as they walked towards the mansion house ablaze with lights, the rooms visible to them obviously already filled to capacity with other guests. ‘Is there anything you want to tell me before we go in?’ he prompted softly.

There was a faint sparkle of humour in Eva’s eyes now as she gave him a sideways glance. ‘Such as?’

Markos had absolutely no idea.

Their host for the evening had been a widower for some years, and was a man in his sixties—surely not someone Eva had ever been personally involved with.

‘Don’t let your imagination run away with you, Markos,’ Eva drawled derisively as she gave him another teasing glance.

‘Ah, Markos—so pleased you could make it!’

The smoothly charming voice of their host interrupted them.

Markos instantly felt Eva’s tension, and he maintained a proprietorial hold on her elbow even as he turned to face the older man. ‘Jonathan.’ He nodded stiffly. ‘Can I—?’

‘Evangeline!’ The older man appeared momentarily stunned as he instantly recognised Eva, but that surprise was quickly masked as he once again turned on a politely charming smile. ‘How lovely to see you again, my dear.’

‘Jonathan,’ she returned softly, and the two of them kissed each other lightly on the cheek. ‘You’re keeping well, obviously.’

‘Very much so, thank you,’ Jonathan said smoothly, his eyes narrowed shrewdly as he assimilated the fact that Eva was here with Markos Lyonedes. ‘Evangeline, I feel I should warn you that the party this evening is— We’ll talk again shortly, if that’s okay?’ he added distractedly as yet more guests arrived noisily behind them. ‘Please, go through to the drawing room for champagne and canapés.’

Eva turned instinctively towards the blue and cream drawing room—a room which she had designed for Jonathan four years ago, before her marriage to his only son had come to such an acrimonious end—all the time aware of Markos’s brooding preoccupation as he walked beside her, his hand still lightly on her elbow.

He was deservedly preoccupied. Despite Eva’s advice to the contrary a few minutes ago, she knew that Markos’s thoughts must be running riot as he considered all the possible scenarios for her being acquainted with a man like Jonathan Cabot Grey.

Jonathan Cabot Grey Senior.

Because Jack, Eva’s ex-husband, was Jonathan Cabot Grey Junior…

‘Are you going to tell me what’s going on?’ Markos prompted softly once he and Eva were standing beside the unlit Adams fireplace a minute or so later, the two of them having been supplied with glasses of champagne by one of the many attentive waiters circulating the crowded and noisy room. ‘Why didn’t you want to come in? And exactly what is—or was—Jonathan Cabot Grey to you?’ he added harshly.

‘Jonathan Cabot Grey was my father-in-law.’ Eva was still too distracted by Jonathan’s unfinished warning even to attempt to prevaricate, wondering what it was Jonathan had wanted to warn her about. He hadn’t sounded in the least threatening, so it obviously had nothing to do with the fact that she was here with Markos. So what—?

‘Your father-in-law?’ Markos repeated incredulously, totally stunned by this unexpected revelation.

She nodded abruptly. ‘Cabot Grey was my married name.’

‘Of course. Evangeline Grey—Jonathan Cabot Grey…’ Markos realised with a pained wince, inwardly kicking himself for not having added two and two together before now.

She shrugged bare shoulders. ‘I established my business under the name Cabot Grey Interiors, but dropped the Cabot part after my divorce.’

‘So you were married to Grey’s son?’

‘The one and only,’ Eva confirmed, aware that several of the other guests had seen and recognised her now. Their gazes were speculative as they also saw the identity of the dark and handsome man standing beside her. Even in a roomful of other men dressed in evening clothes, Markos stood head and shoulders above them all, in both looks and autocratic bearing.

Eva realised she was grateful for his presence; if she was to be forced to meet any of Jonathan and Jack’s friends again then she was glad it was in the company of a man as impressively handsome and wealthily powerful as Markos Lyonedes!

She turned to smile at him regretfully. ‘I really am sorry about this, Markos.’ She placed her hand lightly on his arm. ‘I would never have put you in this embarrassing position if I had known it was Jonathan’s party you were inviting me to.’

Markos was still coming to terms with the fact that Eva had been married and divorced. Not that he had anything against divorce; he was of the opinion that it was far better to end something that wasn’t right than spend a lifetime of unhappiness with the wrong person. No, it was the thought of Eva having been married at all that disturbed Markos. That left him with so many questions unanswered…