Page 46 of His Wedding Day Revenge

‘I’m here for research purposes and, of course, the champagne,’ Tabitha added, grabbing a fresh glass from a passing waiter. ‘These days you have to go green or go out of business. What about you?’

‘I have a place on the course here.’

‘Yes, but you already know Draco.’

‘What makes you say that?’

The older woman threw back her head and laughed. ‘It’s pretty obvious, my dear. I hear you’re staying in the palazzo? And yes,’ she added in response to Jane’s expression, ‘I am a nosy old biddy, but I’m only saying what other people are thinking after that dance.’

Jane looked at her in dismay. ‘I’m staying at the palazzo because I have my baby with me and Draco kindly put us up there because it’s quieter.’

‘A baby...?’

Jane could see the wheels turning and thought, Beam me up!

‘Mattie, the baby’s parents,’ she said quietly, ‘they died. I’m his guardian.’ There was some relief in fessing up even if it was to the wrong person.

The mockery in the other woman’s eyes faded, to be replaced by compassion that brought tears to Jane’s eyes. ‘Oh, my dear, how tragic.’ She squeezed Jane’s shoulder. ‘I’ve never been a mum, it just didn’t happen, but, you know, I think you will be a really good one. Come on, I have a friend who I know would love to meet you. She is very into vintage as well.’

As Draco did the handshakes and smiles he was aware of Jane in the middle of a diverse gaggle of people who seemed to be having more fun than anyone else in the room.

He felt a swell of admiration, a possessive pride that he knew he didn’t deserve as he watched Jane shine, her natural warmth drawing people to her.

A phenomenon he understood totally.

It seemed bizarre that he’d been concerned she would not feel comfortable today. His concern had been misplaced. Four years ago it wouldn’t have been. If he’d shown a shred of empathy back then, if he had actually picked up on the signs of stress...and had a conversation about it...the wedding might have gone ahead.

He felt a surge of self-disgust because hehadpicked up on the signs, but he had ignored them, filing them under inconvenience, because beautiful, desirable Jane would always be there, smiling at his elbow and fire in his bed.

It was more difficult to slip away than Jane had imagined but she finally managed.

‘You running away from the ball?’

She was good at running, he reminded himself, nursing the old hurt, channelling old anger and resentment as a barrier when he felt himself getting closer to her, when he found himself thinkingfamilywhen he played with Mattie.

Lately the embers of old hurt were harder to kick into life. Logic suggested that it was probably a good thing she would be leaving soon, but he found it hard to summon much enthusiasm because logic was a casualty of the passion that burnt between them, a passion that had not as yet burnt itself out.

Jane’s breath caught at the sound of his deep voice. She ignored her thudding heart as she turned, channelling calm that was not even skin deep.

Being around Draco made her feel more alive somehow. His presence heightened her perceptions. A moment before she hadn’t noticed the romantic twinkle of the thousands of white fairy lights that wound around the trees that lined the path back to the palazzo, or the scent of rosemary and pine in the soft sea breeze or the moon that put blue highlights in Draco’s dark hair and accentuated the perfect angles and planes of his face.

His dark jacket hung open, the white of his shirt was dazzling, and underneath was the silky brown skin and the light dusting of body hair, the directional line that vanished as it met... She inhaled and thought, Pull yourself together woman—focus!

Not on that, she thought as her eyes sank just a little lower.

Cheeks hot, she dragged her eyes to his face. ‘Well, I was not running.’

So no excuse for the breathless delivery.

She lifted her heavy silk hem, exposing her calves, and angled a wry grin at her feet, a really safe place to stare at. ‘Not in these, and this was officially designated a party, not a ball, also no relation at all, as far as I know, of Cinders.’

‘That is a very thorough analysis. I will always come to you for fact-checking. I will rephrase—walking away from the party.’

She tried to smile but it just wouldn’t come. ‘I want to head back to check on Mattie. Yes, I know Val can cope,’ she added quickly, anticipating his response, ‘but he’s not been himself today.’

‘Mother’s instinct?’ He watched her flinch and took a step closer, a concerned frown tugging his brows.

She shook her head. ‘No, just observation,’ she said, ignoring the slug of guilt and changing the subject. ‘Tonight was a success for you. You must be pleased.’

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