Last Resort (22 page)

thing. Probably drive everyone mad, what?"

Penny smiled.

"Who's Billy?"

she asked gently.

Esther's eyes darted about the room as a hand went to her throat.

"Billy was my son/ she answered, seeming to sink in on herself.

"Died, ten years ago. Silly thing. Got a tumour in the brain. Would have been thirty-three next week. Still, we won't talk about that. Wally doesn't like it. Says I should be over it by now. Still hurts, though. Miss him a lot. No one young to talk to now. No one except'

She stopped and, as her eyes shot to Penny's, Penny realized that she had been on the point of revealing something she either couldn't, or didn't want to, reveal.

Intrigued as she was Penny decided not to push it, for she could sense how much it would confuse and upset the old lady if she tried. Besides, there was every chance she'd find out what it was sooner or later, if for no other reason than both Esther and Wally, in their own different ways, were absolutely bursting to share their secret with someone. She considered herself a strange choice of confidante, if indeed they did end up choosing her, for as a journalist she would surely be the very person they'd want to steer clear of if they were involved in something crooked - which she more than half-suspected they were. Some kind of art fraud was the most obvious choice and considering the number of celebrities Esther Delaney had managed to get herself photographed with over the past couple of years the story, if indeed there was one, might prove quite a scoop for Nuance.

Tou're going to think this frightfully presumptuous of me,"

Esther said, puffing inexpertly on a cigarette,

"but do you think . .. ? well, do you think you might possibly see your way to gracing one of my little soirees one evening? It would be such a coup for me having someone like you here and everyone's just dying to meet you. Do feel free to say no, of course. I know it won't be much fun for you mixing with all us old codgers ..."

"I'd be delighted to come,"

Penny interrupted.

"And

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maybe I'll bring my boss, David, along too/ If she had to suffer it, then she didn't see why he shouldn't too. And it was high time they both made an effort to mix a little more with the expats.

"Oh, no, no! I couldn't possibly impose on him too/ Esther cried, blanching at the very idea of taking up the time of such an important person as Penny's boss.

"I'm sure he's far too busy to be bothering with people like us."

"We'll see,"

Penny said, getting to her feet.

"I'm afraid I really must be going now, though. It's been a lovely evening and the salmon was absolutely delicious."

Esther glowed.

"I'm sorry your sister couldn't make it,"

she said.

"Maybe next time?"

"I'm sure,"

Penny said, picking up her bag.

"And not a word about the photographs, mm?"

Esther whispered as they walked to the door.

"Not a word,"

Penny promised, feeling like a complete heel when she knew that if there was a scandal involving so many celebrities to be uncovered here she was most definitely going to go for it.

A few nights later, Penny was laughing at the way Sammy was overdoing her ecstasy as she sipped champagne cocktails in such exalted company at the eighteenth-century chateau of Baron von Bergenhausen on the outskirts of Vence. Esther Delaney was right, everyone who was anyone was there: all the resident celebrities, aristocracy, political high-fliers and patrons of the arts were swarming around the chateau's recently renovated ballroom on the occasion of this spectacular vernissage.

The young artist whose works were adorning the newly plastered walls and being admired with the usual intellectual pomposity and claptrap such private views invariably induced, was, in Penny's opinion, exhibiting more awe at finding himself in such celebrated company

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than he was talent in his monumental eyesores. He'd disappeared into the crowd some time ago now, having been introduced to Penny by the baron himself, who, until this evening, had been playing cat-and-mouse with Penny since receiving her request to interview him for Nuance. However, having checked out her credentials with

"unnamed sources in London', he had tonight informed her that he would be happy to throw open the doors of his chateau to a photographer while availing himself of the pleasure of being interviewed by such

"a highly esteemed and attractive young lady'.

Recognizing him for the lech he was, Penny had smiled winsomely, stiffening slightly as he'd patted her bottom, then had excused herself, saying that she would be in touch soon to fix a date. Moving on around the room she began talking to those she knew from her time on Starke and availing herself of the opportunity to be introduced to others who might prove suitable subjects for the future. David should have been with her tonight, but he had backed out at the last minute, saying he had to fly over to London for a few days. Which was how Sammy came to be there with her, all togged out in a skintight, sequinned little number from one of the boutiques on the rue d'Antibes and only just resisting the urge to get out her autograph book.

"I had no idea you knew so many illustrious people,"

she said, holding her glass steady as a waiter refilled it.

"It goes with the job/ Penny answered, blushing slightly as she looked away from the man who had just turned and caught her watching him. She had no idea who he was, but it wasn't the first time this evening that their eyes had met and though neither of them had smiled, or gone any way towards acknowledging the other, Penny felt sure that he was as aware of her presence as she was of his.

Like all the other men there he was dressed in black tie and with his rather unruly dark hair and unshaven chin

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he was, to Penny's mind, extremely attractive. Not handsome, she thought, as her heart tripped on the excitement and anticipation she always felt on these occasions, at least not in the conventional sense of the word; he simply had that indefinable quality about him that made him stand out from the crowd.

"Shame about the rain,"

Sammy was saying, looking out through the tall, old-fashioned french windows on to the beautifully terraced gardens with their view of the valley and, Penny guessed, on a good day to the sea in the distance.

"Mmm,"

Penny murmured, sure that she was still being watched, but not quite daring to look.

"What time did you want to be in Nice, by the way?"

she asked, glancing at her watch.

"Not for ages yet,"

Sammy answered, flicking her hair back over her shoulder.

"But listen, you don't have to drive me there. I can take a taxi or bum a lift from someone who's going that way."

Penny smiled.

"I forgot to ask, what's his name?"

Sammy grinned.

"Stefan."

"And what does Stefan?"

She stopped, frowning, as she spotted a familiar figure over by the bar.

"What is it?"

Sammy said, following her eyes.

"It's the old lady from next door,"

Penny said incredulously.

"Now what on earth would she be doing here when she specifically said that she hadn't been invited?"

Sammy shrugged.

"Does it matter?"

she said.

Penny shook her head slowly.

"I don't know,"

she answered. Then, as Esther Delaney's canary-yellow suit and matching pillbox hat disappeared into the crowd, she felt herself being watched again and unable to stop them her eyes moved back to the man who was standing with a group of other men near the centre of the room. But he wasn't watching her at all, and to her surprise the disappointment she felt was almost as profound as the sudden embarrassment that overcame her as he turned, 165

caught her eye and raised an ironic eyebrow.

"Who is that man?"

Sammy asked, seeing Penny's cheeks flood with colour,

"He's been watching you all night. Do you know him?"

"Never seen him before in my life/ Penny answered, trying to sound nonchalant, while failing to stop her eyes moving back to his. He was talking to another man, but though he was no longer looking at her Penny had the distinct impression that he knew she was watching him. Suddenly he laughed and Penny almost groaned aloud as her pulses quickened and other parts of her body started to respond.

"I've got to tell you,"

she murmured to Sammy,

"that if there's such a thing as lust at first sight, then this is it, because what I wouldn't do to that man given half the chance ..."

"Why don't you get someone to introduce you?"

Sammy suggested.

"Some of us aren't quite as forward as others,"

Penny remarked drily.

"Oh God, here comes the baron again. Don't leave me alone with him whatever you do."

Fortunately the baron was on a mission to introduce her to a few livelier and less lecherous people than himself, some of whom were friends of Sylvia's, she discovered. Not surprisingly, for a while the conversation revolved around their mutual acquaintance - who, they were all wholeheartedly agreed, had done a marvellous job since taking over the reins of Starke after the death of her husband.

As they all seemed to know Sylvia quite well, Penny was trying to think of a way of steering the conversation round to Sylvia's godson, when, to her astonishment, she noticed Esther Delaney talking to the man who'd been watching her. In fact, they were both looking in her direction now, and, unless Penny was greatly mistaken, they were talking about her too.

Seeing Penny looking, Esther gave her a jolly little wave, but Penny barely noticed, for the intensity of the

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man's eyes and the half smile hovering around his lips were turning her hot inside and sending such shivers of excitement through her that she knew, come what may, she had to meet him.

"Think you've just found your introduction,"

Sammy whispered in her ear.

"I think I might have found more than that/ Penny responded under her breath, not too clear herself whether she meant she had found an important link in the international art scam she had managed to convince herself the Delaneys were involved in, or whether, considering this irrational heightening of her senses, she had found something of a much more personal nature.

With the continual ebb and flow of people it was half an hour or more before Penny finally managed to corner Esther, by which time the man was over by the door and looking as though he was about to depart.

"How are you, Esther?"

she said, kissing the old lady on both cheeks as Sammy joined them. T wasn't expecting to see you here."

"Oh my! I know. Isn't it a surprise? Such an honour. Came right at the last minute. Wasn't expecting it at all."

"Have you met my sister, Sammy?"

Penny said.

"Briefly,"

Esther answered, taking Sammy warmly by the hand.

"Just briefly. How are you, my dear? You're looking quite splendid. You both are."

"Thank you,"

Sammy smiled.

"So are you."

Then, deciding not to beat about the bush, she went straight to work on Penny's behalf: T've noticed you talking to quite a lot of people here tonight, but, tell me, who's the man over there by the door? I feel I should know him, but I can't quite place him."

Esther's diminutive frame expanded with pride.

"That,"

she said in a whisper,

"is Christian Mureau."

Penny and Sammy exchanged glances, neither any the wiser for knowing his name, though sensing, from the way Esther had pronounced it, that they should be.

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'What does he do?"

Penny asked.

"You mean you don't know Christian Mureau?"

Esther

gasped.

"I don't think so/ Penny answered, experiencing an irrational flutter of nerves.

"Should I?"

"Oh, silly me!"

Esther giggled.

"Of course, he's much better known in America than he is here. Well, that's why he's here, of course. But, shh, we mustn't talk about that."

"About what?"

Sammy said.

"No, no. We mustn't talk about it,"

Esther said, giving her a little slap on the wrist.

"How do you know him?"

Penny asked, watching him as he listened intently to the man who was talking to

him.

"Shh!"

Esther said, putting a finger to her lips.

"He's my

employer."

Penny's eyes narrowed.

"What does he do?"

she

repeated.

Again Esther giggled.

"You really mustn't ask me things like that/ she said.

"I'm not allowed to tell. You see, he's a wanted man."

Both Sammy and Penny blinked.

"You mean wanted as in criminal?"

Penny said, feeling her heart start to race.

"Oh my! I shouldn't have told you that/ Esther cried, clapping her hands to her cheeks, apparently appalled by her indiscretion.

"Don't worry, I won't breathe a word/ Penny reassured her.

"But tell me, what did he do?"

"And how come?"

Sammy stopped as Penny put a hand on her arm. One question at a time was enough for

Esther.

"What did he do?"

Penny prompted.

"I really can't tell you that/ Esther said forlornly.

"Was he the one who introduced you to all those famous people in the photographs?"

Penny asked carefully.

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Tes/ Esther answered, brightening.

"And he said I could come tonight. He knew I wanted to and he really does spoil me, you know. But usually he doesn't like me to mix with the same people he does, not here in France. You see, not many of them know that he is wanted by the Dr"

She stopped; then, wagging a ringer at Penny, she said,

"Naughty, naughty, you almost got it out of me then."

"I'd like very much to meet him/ Penny said.

"Do you think you could introduce me?"

Esther looked doubtful.

"I'd like to,"

she said,