“There’s a dinner tomorrow night we should attend near London, and the Oxford house is closer. If you move quickly, we should be gone from here before the hundreds of photographers you fear track us down.”
She scowled, which looked more adorable in her current attire than it did in her ripped jeans and sweatshirt. “One picture is all it takes, Henry.”
Chapter Ten
After enduring a four-hour drive with Henry that included lunch at the Grey Pig Pub somewhere between nowhere and Oxford, Alex returned to his other home.
The few days in Ripon had been bliss. She wasn’t looking over her shoulder for Luc and his thugs.
In another life, she and Henry would have met at some house party to which her mother had sent her. They would have been attracted to each other before the third course of their first meal together. Two geeky intellectuals who loved children. In this life, however, they were thrown together to chase down stolen paintings and evil demons.
When they walked into the kitchen, Simon greeted her with a catcall and an appreciative leer. She reciprocated the gestures.
“And who is this beauty?” he asked. His smile remained ever present, but it now seemed insincere for some reason. Perhaps he distrusted her because she’d run away.
Henry moved next to him. “The future Countess of Ripon. Show him the ring, Sunshine.”
She displayed the ring in an elegant pose that also showed off her tall black Stuart Weitzman boots, black Dior skirt, and matching black vest over a white silk blouse. She’d never be tall enough to be a model, but for now, she could pretend to be a countess.
Simon raised his eyebrows. “A black diamond. Unconventional, as is the bride.”
“It’s a sapphire.” She sighed. She should just agree with everyone to avoid a lengthy explanation each time she showed the ring.
“Aren’t sapphires blue?” Simon held her hand toward the light to examine the stone.
She rolled her eyes and pulled her hand back. “Depends on the composition of the stone.”
Simon glanced toward Henry. “Don’t even attempt to convince me you know the difference.”
Henry shrugged. He grabbed a soda from the refrigerator, offered it to her, and then took one for himself. “Tonight, I’m taking Gabe to meet the aunt and uncle. It should be a small dinner party and will be good practice for her before we go to any bigger social functions.”
He hugged her close with one arm and brushed his mouth over the top of her head. An intimate gesture that caused a million butterflies to take flight in her stomach.
“Gabe, why don’t you go up and get ready for dinner? I need to speak with Simon.” He kissed her again, this time on the cheek, before letting her go.
She climbed the stairs and shut her bedroom door, but remained in the hall. After taking off her shoes, she tiptoed back downstairs and hid behind the kitchen door. The men were sitting at the island, discussing her.
Simon swigged her neglected can of soda. “Engaged?” He sounded disgusted. “That creates more of a mess than you’re in right now. You have no idea of her actual identity, and yet you’ve decided to marry her?”
“It’s merely a facade, but hides her identity from whomever is pursuing her. Besides, I think she feels safer with me than being alone, and she’s agreed to help me find the painting. With your help, too, of course.”
“What’s to stop her from taking that ring and pawning it off for travel funds?” Simon’s tone full of suspicion.
“She gave me her word she’d help me, and I trust her.”
“You’re going to beggar yourself on some con artist,” Simon said.
Henry’s voice darkened. “You’re wrong. She’s not what she seems. I don’t know who or what she is, but there’s more integrity and grit there than meets the eye.”
She smiled at the compliment. Perhaps she’d found a champion.
…
Henry explained the background of his aunt and uncle during their drive to Mayfair. When he told her some of the basic table manners expected at a dinner party with this circle of people, Gabe shut her eyes. Hopefully, she was still listening, so she wouldn’t feel out of place. His aunt’s pedigree rivaled the queen’s, and she entertained in a similar manner.
He pulled up in front of his uncle’s place on Upper Grosvenor. A valet helped Gabe to the sidewalk.
Henry looked her over once more. He liked what he saw. Her makeup was soft and pretty. One eye peeked out from her new sleek hairstyle, and her posture could not have been more perfect on a debutante. She wore a fitted pale pink dress embellished with a ruffle over one shoulder. Crystal stilettos displayed perfect feet and pink toenails. Her tempting legs were exposed to two inches above her knee. Classy, yet sexy as hell.
Uncle George greeted them at the door to his town house. “Henry, so glad you could come.” He let his gaze swing to Gabe and held her hand with both of his. “You must be the lucky girl. Henry has told me about your engagement. Congratulations.”
“Thank you. He’s told me so much about you. Your work as a member of Parliament is admirable.” Gabe spoke with an almost aristocratic affectation similar to the Kennedys of Boston.
Uncle George beamed.
During the walk from the foyer to the living room, his uncle introduced a poised and polished Gabe to several couples connected to his uncle through Parliament, two Russian socialites new in town, and a few single men to mingle with the single women. Gabe navigated the minefield of aristocrats with practiced grace. She spoke without hesitation, yet without a need to overpower anyone else. She never contradicted or argued with anyone and made no comments on the authenticity of the paintings hanging on the walls.
Uncle George pulled him aside while Gabe discussed the wedding with Aunt Mary. “I like her.” He slapped Henry on the shoulder.
She’d passed the first test.