A Scandal Made At Midnight

‘A tour?’ Ella’s eyes rounded, her lips parting. ‘You want me to go on a tour with you?’

‘Yes, the idea is we would go together and it would be covered publicly by the magazines, et cetera.’

‘Together?’ Ella asked, her eyes dancing. ‘I mean, together together?’

She was teasing him, but Alessandro decided to take her seriously. Best to be clear about what he wanted—and what he definitely didn’t. For a second he had an urge to look at Liane again, but he resisted it. ‘Together for the purposes of publicity only, I assure you. As charming as you may be, Miss Ash, this really is a business proposition and nothing more.’

‘And then I post about it all on social media?’ she surmised, her voice rising in excitement. ‘A whole series—like a story, one post per day? We could follow on from the glass slipper—Prince Charming finds his Princess! What happens next? Where do they go? It would be brilliant.’

‘I had not considered such an angle,’ Alessandro replied, ‘but it might be effective.’ It sounded like an awful, cheap gimmick to him, but it seemed this was what the world had come to. ‘The main thing is that you highlight the hotels, not some ridiculous story.’ He glanced at Liane, who was looking rather severe. ‘Do you disapprove?’ he asked and, startled, she jumped a little, her gaze skating away from his.

‘Why should I disapprove?’

He didn’t know exactly, but he still sensed that she did. There was something distasteful about the whole thing, even especially to him. He didn’t court publicity. He hated attention. This was not the way he operated at all, and yet here he was. For the sake of the hotels. For the sake of Rossi Enterprises. And this time he would be in control.

There’s no other reason you’re doing it, is there?

He banished that sly internal voice as he gave a dismissive shrug. ‘You tell me.’

Liane didn’t meet his eyes as she answered. ‘I don’t disapprove, Mr Rossi, although it’s not for me to disapprove or approve. This is Ella’s decision.’

‘Indeed.’ He turned back to Ella. ‘There are two Rossi hotels in America—one in Los Angeles and the one here in New York, and three in Europe—London, Paris and Rome. The parties are planned over the next week.’ Which was a fair amount of time to be gallivanting around the world with Ella Ash in tow, but he could work remotely and it would also provide him with the opportunity to check in on each hotel, which he’d been planning to do over the next few months anyway. All in all, a worthwhile exercise, or so he hoped. ‘I’ll remunerate you for your time, of course, and provide you with accommodation and travel, as well as the necessary wardrobe accoutrements.’

‘I can provide the wardrobe,’ Ella assured him. ‘This will be an amazing opportunity for some of the designers I work with. Trust me, you won’t be disappointed.’

He gave a brief nod of acceptance. ‘Very well. All I ask is that I see and sign off on every message or photo before you post it.’ He might not be social media savvy, but he knew well enough how things could spiral out of control online and he had no intention of being made a fool of. Ever. Already he feared this project was ill-advised. At least it was only a week.

Ella cocked her head, pursing her lips. ‘Agreed, but you’ve got to trust me. Judging from what I’ve seen so far, what you think works on social media might actually not.’

He inclined his head in terse acknowledgement. ‘Naturally I’m willing to take advice on the matter, but I will have the ultimate say.’ Of that he would not be dissuaded.

‘Okay.’ She smiled at him, a dazzling display of teeth and eyes, all sparkle and shine, making him wonder just how much there actually was underneath.

‘So you agree?’ he asked, raising his eyebrows.

‘Yes, but I have one condition.’

‘Oh?’ His tone cooled. ‘And what is that?’

‘Liane comes with me.’

Liane made some small, startled noise, her hand flying to her mouth. Alessandro glanced at her, noticing the way her eyes widened above her hand, as soft and purple as a bed of pansies; clearly she was as surprised as he was by this suggestion. ‘I am not opposed,’ he stated, realising with a slight jolt just how much he meant it.

‘Good, because I need Liane.’

He raised his eyebrows. ‘Need her?’

‘For moral support and companionship.’ Ella’s tone was staunch. ‘She comes or I don’t.’

‘No need for ultimatums.’ He was not, he realised, opposed to the idea at all. Quite the contrary. He glanced at Liane, who was still looking rather shocked, a blush turning her cheeks a delicate pink. ‘Are you able to take time off work?’ He realised he didn’t even know if she worked, or what she did with her time, her life; he basically knew nothing about her at all.

Slowly she removed her hand from her mouth, still looking shaken. ‘I’m a teacher and we broke for summer vacation last week, so, yes...in theory.’

‘In theory? You are willing to accompany us?’

Liane glanced at Ella. ‘You don’t really need me, do you, Ella?’ she asked quietly.

‘I do,’ Ella insisted. ‘You’re sensible and no-nonsense and I’ll fall to pieces without you. You know I will. I always do.’ She reached for Liane’s hands, squeezing them in her own. ‘Please, Liane. I need you. Truly.’

Liane glanced uncertainly between Ella and Alessandro, clearly torn. Why was she so reluctant? he wondered with a pinch of irritation. At least he thought that was what it was. He was offering an all-expenses-paid trip to some of the world’s top destinations, while staying at a series of luxury hotels. She should be thanking her lucky stars or, really, him.

‘Well?’ he asked, a touch of impatience in his voice.

Liane took a deep breath, and then she nodded as she squeezed Ella’s hands before releasing them. ‘All right,’ she said, her tone making it sound as if she were agreeing to something frightening or dangerous rather than a luxury vacation. ‘I’ll do it. I’ll go.’