No More Lonely Nights

'Yes, I see; typical. He's horribly intelligent—it can be quite annoying.'

'That's true,' said Sian, struck by the observation.

'So he wants the press to think there's a romance between you?' Mrs Cassidy thought aloud, smiling. 'Well, then, let's put some more fuel on the flames, shall we?'

Sian stared, bewildered.

'Will you spend the weekend at my home, Sian?' asked Mrs Cassidy. 'Of course, William will be there. I'm giving a garden party on Saturday in aid of charity, and you and William will have a much bigger audience than usual for your little soap opera. That you're staying with his aunt should be a very convincing twist, and they'll soon forget Annette and the wedding that never happened.'

Stunned, Sian didn't know what to say. She got a friendly smile as Mrs Cassidy rose.

'I… it's very kind of you… but…'

'Talk it over with William,' his aunt said, on her way to the door.

Leo was hovering outside, no doubt trying to eavesdrop. Sian didn't think he had heard much, though, because he had a frustrated look as Mrs Cassidy swept past, giving him a gracious nod.

'Please come, Sian,' she said over her shoulder as she went. 'It should be an eventful weekend.'

When she had vanished into the lift, Leo grabbed Sian and hustled her back into his office. 'What was all that about? Weekend? What did she mean?'

Sian detached herself and rubbed her arm where he had held it. 'You don't know your own strength! I shall want danger money if you do that again.'

He glowered. 'Oh, sorry, sorry—what did she want?'

'She invited me to stay for the weekend, as it happens,' Sian told him in a lofty tone, secretly amused by his excitement.

'Well,' he said, rubbing his hands together. 'This is one scoop the others don't get. Now, listen, I don't want it getting out. Don't tell a living soul.' He sat down behind his desk, frowning. 'I'll let Paul cover it, of course—the gossip column should have it. Could you get him into the house?'

'Are you out of your mind? I only just met the woman, why should she let me bring gossip columnists into her home? And anyway, this has gone far enough—who cares if I stay with William Cassidy's family or not? Nobody's interested.'

'Oh, yes, they are!' Leo protested loudly, red in the face. 'That drama at the wedding made him big news, and you helped do it. A romance between the two of you makes great reading. His publicity people have worked like slaves for years to get his name into the papers on one pretext or another— he can't complain now just because it doesn't suit him. You can't pick and choose your publicity. If you've made yourself a public figure, you have to take what is thrown at you.'

Sian had said all that herself on many previous occasions, about other people. She had never expected to be on the receiving end, or to see it from this less comfortable angle.

Leo calmed down a little when she was silent. Leaning back, he openly assessed her from head to foot. 'Mind you, I can't quite see…'

'What?' she asked, bristling.

'Oh, nothing,' he said hastily, confused by her belligerence.

'What he sees in me?' accused Sian, and he made horrified noises, shaking his head.

'Good heavens, no, of course not—I mean, why shouldn't he fancy you? A lot of men like blondes, and you aren't too bad. I mean, you're very pretty, of course, I'm sure a lot of men… well, some in the office have said… that is…' He broke off, breathing heavily, red about the neck. 'I don't know what I mean! You've got me in a state now.'

Sian laughed and told him, 'Serves you right! And I am not smuggling Paul into Mrs Cassidy's house, nor am I writing a story about my weekend with the Cassidy family.' She made for the door and Leo bellowed behind her.

'You'll do as you're told or find another job…'

Sian slammed the door without replying.

CHAPTER SEVEN

Sian expected to hear from Cass again before too long, and sure enough he rang her that evening. Sian had been on tenterhooks ever since she'd got back to her flat, waiting for a ring at the doorbell, but it was almost nine in the evening when the phone made her jump out of her chair, and she was so startled that she stared at it numbly for a while before running to snatch it up.

'Hello?'

'Sian?'