“No.” She sighed. “I don’t know.” She fumbled with the clasp of her clutch. “Don’t you ever get tired of hiding? Living in the dark?”
He didn’t answer, but the twist in his expression told her yes.
“You don’t have to take me to the premier.” She started for the door, hot, frustrated, not even thinking that her first and last night with Brighton’s royal family ended in a fight. She was more Georgia redneck than southern belle at the moment.
“Corina—” Stephen blocked her passage with a swift sidestep.
“Not bad for a man with his foot in a boot.”
“It’s not my first go.” He loosened his tie. “Let me drive you home.”
“I’ll take a cab.”
He laughed. “There’s not a cab stand outside the palace.”
“Then I’ll walk to one.”
“You don’t have to be so stubborn.”
“Neither do you.”
“Fair enough. What game are you playing?”
“Game? Please. I don’t need to play games.”
“Then why are you here?”
“For the premier.”
“And?”
“The interview.”
“I’m not buying it. Just like you don’t buy there’s not anything ‘more at stake.’ ”
She stopped. “So there is something more.” Her gaze landed on his, and the air between them was palatable. His cologne fragranced every part of her.
He started to answer, then withdrew his words and changed his expression. “No, no, there’s nothing more.”
“Then there’s nothing more to why I’m here. Just a routine assignment from Gigi.” To say she believed she had a divine call to try for their marriage seemed overwhelming to her. How would it sound to him? “And, the trip gave me an advantage to urge you along in finding out about Carlos.”
“Then I have a condition of my own.”
“Signing the annulment isn’t enough?”
“Whynotattend the premier with me? Like you said. Come a bit out of the shadows. Shock the world.”
“What? Stephen, that’s the exact opposite of wanting me to sign the annulment.” She shook her head. “Besides, you told Madeline and Hyacinth I was not your date. Do you really want them digging into us?”
“What will they find? Nothing. No news stories, not even a photograph. The marriage certificate is in Nathaniel’s safe hands. Other than the old and new archbishops and Thomas, who knows? Let’s pull one on Madeline and Hyacinth. It should be good fun.” His smile urged her yes further to the surface.
“I don’t want my parents finding out in the press.”
“They won’t. Promise.” Stephen tipped his head toward the dining hall. “The chef made fried chicken for you tonight. His recipe is one of the best.”
Corina glanced toward the dining hall. “No, I can’t.” She was too embarrassed. “Give them my apologies again. I’ll send flowers tomorrow.”
“Let me get the chauffeur to drive you home. I’ll ride along, check out this mysterious Manor.”
