While Mr. Stewart was now introducing Eve to some nearby guests, Graham had moved to stand by a younger couple who’d just arrived.
“Thank you.” Eve kissed her grandfather’s cheek, and the color returned to his face.
One of the doors opened and a servant announced that dinner was ready. Darius had hoped to sit by Eve, but she placed her hand on her grandfather’s where it rested on the walker. Graham took up position on the old man’s other side, and the three entered together. The guests took their time, chatting among themselves as they made their way into the dining room.
By the time Darius and Joe had entered, she was already at the head of the table where Alan was holding a tray. The three Stewarts each picked up a full glass. As the valet moved out of the way, Graham stepped forward, lifting his glass in a toast.
“For decades, our two branches of the family have been separated. Here’s to mending the breach, because family is the most important thing.”
The three of them each took a deep swallow. Eve made a face but tried to cover it, though she put down her glass.
“Did that taste right to you?” she asked.
“Nothing tastes right since the stroke,” her grandfather said.
“I’m so sorry.” Graham picked up the bottle and smelled it. “This one must have gone bad. I’ll have another bottle brought—”
“No, it’s fine.” Eve put a hand on his arm to stop him from signaling a servant. “It’s the sentiment behind the toast that counts anyway. Thank you for that.” She kissed his cheek, and he flushed.
Darius wondered if the cousin had had a change of heart after that meeting today. Darius glanced at Joe to ask his opinion, but the bodyguard wasn’t beside him anymore. He’d slipped past the guests and was at the other end of the table, not far from Eve.
With a sigh, Darius took the only remaining seat at the opposite end of the table from her. A middle-aged woman sat across from him and had such a thick Scottish brogue he could only make out a couple of the words she said. Rather than asking her to repeat herself, Darius just nodded. She seemed satisfied with the silent audience and carried on a one-way conversation.
He kept going over things in his mind that he could say to explain to Eve about his wedding fiasco without having to tell her too much. Everything sounded like a pathetic excuse. Only the truth would work, but he had to talk to Melanie first, assuming he could get hold of her number.
By the time they had served the dessert, Darius was starting to feel antsy. He needed to call Bill and see if the head of security could run down Melanie’s phone number. Since her husband was a senator now, there ought to be a way to contact her through him. As long as the guy didn’t throw up roadblocks since his reputation would be at stake.
The pitch of voices around Darius shifted, pulling him from his thoughts. He glanced up to see what he’d missed and found everyone looking at the other end of the table. He stretched in an attempt to see over their heads but couldn’t, so he stood. Eve was leaning back in her chair, her upper lip damp with perspiration as she pressed her hands to her chest, looking like she was in pain. Without thinking, Darius was out of his chair and rushing to her.
“Are you ill?” her grandfather asked, his face pale with concern.
“What’s wrong?” Darius took her wrist to feel her pulse as he’d so often seen her do. It was racing. She looked up and met his gaze, her eyes full of fear.
“I can’t breathe. I need aspirin,” Eve whispered and then her face convulsed in pain and she doubled over.
Aspirin? Was she having a heart attack?
“Someone, get some aspirin,” he shouted as he lifted her from the chair.
“Och, I have some in my purse,” the woman who’d sat across the table from him said.
“Bring it and a glass of water.” Darius carried Eve into the parlor and gently laid her on the couch. “Do you have 911 here?”
“It’s 999 here,” Joe said, holding his phone to his ear, his other hand wrapped firmly around Graham’s skinny arm.
“Let me go.” Graham tried unsuccessfully to pull himself free.
“Eve, my love,” Darius said, kneeling beside her. “You’re going to be all right.”
“Here’s the aspirin and water.” The woman handed them to him. She then turned to the other guests who were crowding around and started pushing them back. “Give the lass some room to breathe.”
“Here’s some aspirin,” Darius said.
Eve tried to straighten, her eyes closed, but gave a little gasp of pain and fell back. He looked at the woman.
“Help her sit up.”
“Aye.” She moved to Eve’s back and gently pushed her forward.
