Nathan threw his fist against the door with a loud thud. ‘Better let them know we’re here,’ he said, giving the dooranother thump when there was no response. ‘The last thing either of us want to do is walk in unannounced.’ After a third heavy knock he gave a shrug and shouldered the door open. The last time they were here, Cat remembered, was for the meal to celebrate Étienne’s visit last summer. Now, as she took in all three standing around the table, there were no smiles. Instead, they were in the middle of an intense argument, one which had quickly worked its way up to a shouting match. All three turned as the door closed. Conversation halted, aggressive stances quietened. It felt as if the bell had sounded at the end of a round in a boxing match.
It was Ruan who stepped forward first. ‘Cat.’ His smile was gentle and she knew he felt protective as he drew her into this hostile meeting.
Gareth immediately turned on her. ‘Why did you do it? Why didn’t you keep your nose out of things?’
‘I’m not sure what you mean.’
‘You and Raphael, poking about in Étienne’s room.’
‘Enough.’ Étienne raised a hand but Gareth ignored him.
‘You mean the painting?’
‘You know damn well what I mean.’
‘For your information, I wasn’t poking about, as you put it. I couldn’t find Étienne’s dog, Bianca. It turned out she was sound asleep under his bed. I don’t normally go in there, I respect his privacy, but on this occasion the door was slightly ajar and she wasn’t anywhere else. I was about to bring her out when Raphael arrived. He told me all the portraits there were of Étienne’s ancestors. As soon as I saw Stefano’s portrait I could see the resemblance to Luke. I haven’t said a word, though. It wasn’t my place to.’
‘You didn’t have to. Raphael did it for you,’ Gareth said bitterly. ‘Well, you’ve blown the whole thing wide open now. Ihope you’re both satisfied. I hate to think what this will do to my poor nephew; he’s been through so much already.’
‘What?’ Cat’s eyebrows shot up. ‘How dare you take that holier than thou attitude after the way you abandoned him when he was arrested.’
‘I don’t know what you mean.’ Gareth shrugged off her accusation, his eyes travelling the room, looking for support and finding only curious gazes.
‘You left him in Truro jail to fend for himself,’ Cat continued. ‘He had a lousy brief and if it hadn’t been for Aunt Em organising her godson to represent him I hate to think what would have happened.’
‘What?’ Étienne rounded on Gareth. ‘But I thought you paid for Richardson-Clarke?’
‘I … well …’
‘You didn’t, did you?’
‘Well … no.’
‘So where is the money I sent you to pay for Luke’s legal fees?’
‘Money?’ Cat stared at Étienne. ‘You sent money?’
‘I did,’ Étienne said as he fixed Gareth with a hard stare. ‘What have you done with it?’
‘I wanted to help him, I really did,’ Gareth whined, ‘but Evie—’
‘Dispense with the excuses,’ Ruan said, cutting into the conversation. ‘Where’s the money?’
Cat could see the panic in Gareth’s face as he scrambled to put together a response. ‘It’s …’ he said, his words expelled in a tired hiss. ‘I still have it.’
‘What?’ Étienne lunged at Gareth, grabbing him by his jacket lapels.
‘I didn’t know what else to do with it,’ Gareth said, trying hard to pull away from the Italian’s firm grasp. ‘I—’
Whatever he was about to say was lost as Étienne’s punch, swift and unexpected, knocked him backside first onto the carpet. Gareth rolled over, shook his head and sat up, his hand going to his mouth and coming away bloody. Cat glanced across at Nathan. Blue eyes met brown in mutual surprise. This was so out of character; Étienne was the calmest person she knew, he never lost his temper.
Ruan stepped forward and grabbed Étienne’s arm. ‘Enough,’ he said as his friend stepped back and rubbed his knuckles. ‘He’s not worth it.’
‘No, you’re right, he isn’t,’ came the unexpected reply from the doorway. ‘But at least I know what he is, which is more than I can say for the rest of you.’
Everyone turned. Cat had no idea how long Luke had been standing there listening to the conversation. Long enough, she gathered from the expression on his face, to have worked out what was going on. This was awful and she knew Étienne would be furious with Gareth for putting him in this position. Noticing movement behind Luke, she realised Em was there, too.
‘Raphael told us there was trouble and we came to find you, Cat,’ Em said as she eased past Luke into the room. ‘I’m so sorry.’
