We were heading for the exit when one of the enthusiastic members of staff stopped us. “There’s a tea room upstairs if you’d like a cup of tea and a piece of cake,” she said.
It would delay seeing Charlie again. I raised my eyebrows at Alex, who shrugged and agreed. “I’m not in any particular hurry to getback to that house,” he confided as we climbed the stairs to the tea room. “Also, I’mstarving.”
We settled at a table, and he attacked his slab of coffee-and-walnut cake like a man who hadn’t seen food for three days. “This book of yours,” he said between mouthfuls. “How the hell did you come up with sexy Jane Austen?”
“I needed an excuse to be in Bath. A book’s perfect as I can leave again at any time, saying I’ve finished my research. When I thought about what Bath was famous for, it was either Romans or Austen.”
“You’re not actually writing a book, then?”
A spurt of laughter escaped me, loud in the empty room. “No,” I said with feeling. “That’s a cover story.”
“And you thought the Fortescues would believe it?”
“I couldn’t think of another excuse, and I was certain they’d question whatever reason I gave them for being in Bath. As it is, I don’t think Bim truly expects me to find anything. He sent me here just in case I could.”
“Fair enough.” Alex grinned suddenly. “And now you’re stuck researching Jane Austen and Regency theatre to ensure your cover isn’t blown.”
“Shit.” I hadn’t realised the full implications of my pretext.
“I don’t mind helping with the research if it gets me out of the house.”
“Aren’t you here to do the matchmaking meet and greets?” I asked him.
It was his turn to laugh. “Thank God, no. Margaret brought me because I’m in line to be head of the family, and she wants me to learn some negotiation skills and meet some of the other players. So far, all I’ve got from their conversations is that they’re a couple of wily old birds who won’t commit to a damn thing.” He paused, swiping his finger around his plate to scoop up some left-overicing. “That’s probably the lesson she wanted me to learn,” he realised.
“So you’re not here looking for a partner?” I instantly wanted to hurl myself out of the window for such a pointed-sounding question.
A slow smile tugged at his lips, and he looked me up and down, very deliberately. “Well, Iwasn’t.”
“We’re closing in ten minutes, gentlemen.” I could have kissed the woman who poked her head out of the kitchen and broke the tension between us.
“Is there anything I need to know about the Fortescues?” Alex asked, his mind evidently back on business.
“I assume you’ve already read into their bank and companies. James runs everything, though he’s grooming Charlie to take over. Ella and Steven might as well not exist so far as James is concerned.”
“Steven?”
“Charlie’s younger brother. Consider yourself fortunate if you haven’t met him. He’s a prick. Worse, he’s a homophobic prick.”
Alex’s eyebrows rose. Homophobia’s rare among dragons, probably because we’re so in tune with our instincts.
“Though I wonder,” I continued, thinking out loud, “if perhaps he’s not actually homophobic and is just searching for something he can use to attack his brother. Charlie’s the golden child. He was born with looks, charm, brains—Steven has none of those.” And Charlie, secure in the multitude of ways he’d been blessed, hadn’t always been kind to Steven. “As the oldest child, Charlie inherits the majority of everything because no one wants to see the business split up or shareholders at war with one another. It must be difficult for Steven,” I realised for the first time. “For Ella, too.”
“A minor inheritance in that family is more than most will see in their lifetime, so I wouldn’t feel too badfor them,” Alex said.
He wasn’t wrong. But that wouldn’t take away the sting of injustice for Steven and Ella.
*
As Taylor took our jackets, I wondered what he, as a human, made of these extended visits by large family groups. There were also the adult children still living at home, despite being able to afford their own places. He’d probably concluded we all belonged to some sort of cult. One that talked about dragons a lot.
A considerable number of dragons, both Teagues and Fortescues, were gathered in the spacious drawing room. My heart stopped for an instant when I saw Charlie in an armchair, drinking a cup of tea and ignoring everyone. I had to become accustomed to seeing him again. I couldn’t afford to be perpetually off-balance.
“Nate fucking Mortimer. What the hell are you doing, slinking back here?” The words were edged with real dislike.
I turned to see Charlie’s brother. Always big, he’d bulked up further since I’d last seen him.
“Steven.” I had nothing further to say to him.
