The Marriage Bed. Helen Bianchin

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СКАЧАТЬ eyes that lanced hers were dark and impossible to fathom so she didn’t even try.

      ‘Benedict,’ Francesca greeted him warmly. ‘It’s been a while.’

      ‘Indeed,’ he agreed urbanely. ‘You’ve met Dominic?’

      ‘We haven’t been formally introduced.’ Francesca’s smile was deliberately warm as she turned her head towards the man at her side.

      ‘Dominic Andrea. Entrepreneur and part-time artist,’ Benedict informed her. ‘Francesca Angeletti.’

      ‘How opportune. The designer luggage won’t require a change of initials.’

      Gabbi registered Dominic’s words and heard Francesca’s almost inaudible gasp one second ahead of Benedict’s husky chuckle.

      ‘You must come to dinner,’ Dominic insisted. ‘Bring Francesca.’

      ‘Gabbi?’ Benedict deferred, and she caught her breath that the decision should be hers.

      ‘Thank you, we’d love to.’

      ‘No,’ the glamorous widow declined.

      ‘I have yet to nominate a night,’ Dominic said in mild remonstrance. ‘And with Benedict and Gabbi present you’ll be quite safe.’ His smile was dangerously soft and filled with latent charm. ‘Aren’t you in the least curious to see if you’re right?’

      Gabbi watched Francesca’s eyes narrow and heard her voice chill to ice. ‘Where you live doesn’t interest me.’

      ‘Tomorrow,’ he insisted gently. ‘Six-thirty.’ He turned and threaded his way to the opposite side of the gallery.

      ‘What a preposterous man,’ Francesca hissed disdainfully the moment he was out of earshot.

      ‘A very rich and successful one,’ Benedict added mildly. ‘Who dabbles in art and donates his work to worthwhile charities.’

      ‘He’s a friend of yours?’

      ‘We occasionally do business together. He spends a lot of time overseas. New York, Athens, Rome,’ Benedict enlightened her.

      ‘Champagne, caviare and camaraderie aren’t my style,’ Francesca dismissed.

      ‘You share something in common,’ Benedict informed her with a degree of cynical amusement.

      ‘Then why the dinner invitation?’

      ‘He admires your charming wit,’ Benedict responded wryly, and his mouth curved to form an amused smile.

      ‘An attempt to charm wasn’t my intention,’ Francesca declared with an expressive lift of one eyebrow.

      ‘Perhaps he is sufficiently intrigued to want to discover why not?’ Benedict ventured in a dry undertone.

      ‘I presume women rarely refuse him.’

      A low chuckle escaped Benedict’s throat. ‘Rarely.’

      Gabbi witnessed the faint sparkle evident in her friend’s eyes, and was unable to repress a winsome smile. ‘So you’ll accept?’

      ‘It’s a long time since I’ve been offered such an interesting evening,’ Francesca conceded. ‘I’ll let you know at lunch tomorrow.’

      Benedict drew their attention to an intricate steel sculpture that was garnering a great deal of notice, and after a few minutes Francesca indicated her intention to leave.

      ‘Do you want to stay for Leon’s party?’ Benedict queried minutes later, and Gabbi cast him a studied glance.

      ‘I imagine you’ve already presented him with a sizeable cheque, sufficient to appease any regret he might express at our absence?’ The words were lightly voiced and brought a faint smile to his lips.

      ‘Exhibits five and thirty-seven, plus the sculpture Annaliese admired.’

      A knife twisted inside her stomach.

      ‘A gift for James,’ he added with gentle mockery.

      She held his gaze with difficulty, unsure what interpretation to place on his words, or if there was any hidden innuendo in them. ‘I’m sure he’ll be most appreciative,’ she said after a measurable silence.

      ‘You didn’t answer my question,’ Benedict reminded her gently.

      ‘James, Monique and Annaliese have yet to leave.’ It was amazing that her voice sounded so calm, equally surprising that she was able to project an outward serenity. But then she’d had plenty of practice at conveying both.

      Humour tugged at the edges of his mouth. ‘I was unaware that their presence, or absence, dictated our own,’ he countered with deceptive mildness.

      It didn’t, but she hadn’t quite forgiven him for being so easily led away by Annaliese or for being caught so long in conversation.

      She effected a slight shrug he could interpret any way he chose. ‘If you want to leave—’

      ‘You’re not going?’ Monique intervened, her voice tinged with mild reproach, and Gabbi wondered if lipreading was one of her stepmother’s acquired skills. ‘Leon will be most upset if you miss his party.’

      ‘A headache,’ Benedict invented smoothly.

      Monique spared Gabbi a penetrating look. ‘Oh darling, really?’ Her eyes sharpened suspiciously.

      Annaliese’s mouth formed a pretty pout. ‘What a shame to end the evening so early.’ She turned sultry eyes towards Benedict ‘Perhaps Gabbi won’t mind if you drop her home and come back for the party?’

      Benedict’s smile didn’t quite reach his eyes. ‘I’m the one who is suffering,’ he informed her, subjecting Gabbi to a deliberate appraisal that left no one in any doubt that his suffering was of a sexual nature.

      Monique’s expression didn’t change and James’s features remained deliberately bland, although Gabbi thought she glimpsed a fleeting humorous twinkle in his eyes. Annaliese, however, shot her a brief, malevolent glare before masking it with a faint smile.

      ‘Have fun,’ Annaliese murmured, pressing her scarlet-tipped fingers to Benedict’s arm in a light caress.

      Gabbi prayed that the soft flood of warmth to her cheeks wasn’t accompanied by a telling tide of pink as Benedict smoothly uttered the few necessary words in farewell, and her fingers clenched against his in silent retaliation as he caught hold of her hand and began threading his way across the room to where Leon was holding court with a captive audience.

      ‘Oh, darlings, you’re leaving?’

      ‘You don’t mind?’

      ‘I’m so pleased you were able to attend.’ Leon’s smile was beatific, courtesy of Benedict’s cheque in his wallet.

      Gabbi waited until Benedict had steered the Jaguar СКАЧАТЬ