Free A Wicked Persuasion by Catherine George

brightly, and downed the rest of her wine. James was
married
? Couldn’t he have at least mentioned it—but then, why should he? It was nothing to do with her. Though whywasn’t the woman here tonight? And why the devil was James messing about with Claudia? Harriet shot a look at the girl who was laughing for once with Lily and her boyfriend as she played up to admiring glances coming her way from several of the younger male guests. ‘Where is his wife now?’ she asked casually, and won a strange glance from both Graveneys.
    ‘In Australia, dear. They’re based in Sydney for a couple of years,’ said Moira. ‘The baby’s too young to travel, so I haven’t met him yet, alas.’
    ‘You will soon,’ said Marcus, smiling at Harriet. ‘I’ve promised my wife a trip to Australia in place of the honeymoon we didn’t have time to take earlier on. Once I’m fully established in Broad Street I’ll start sorting out holiday arrangements.’
    ‘Dan says the baby’s the image of him, but Kate swears he looks just like her,’ said Moira, and took a photograph from her beaded clutch. ‘I know it’s boring to pass round baby snaps, but he’s so sweet.’
    Harriet’s fingers shook as she took the photograph, which showed two proud parents smiling over the bundle held in his mother’s arms. Dan, she thought, dazed. James’s brother. ‘How absolutely lovely,’ she said with fervour as David Walker came up the steps to the terrace to announce that dinner was served. Aubrey Wilde held out his arm to Moira.
    ‘Shall we, Mrs Graveney?’
    ‘Moira, please,’ she said, smiling. James came back to accompany his party down to the lawn and into the greenery-lined walkway towards the sound of soft piano music coming from the marquee, which looked magical with flower-filled tables, glittering chandeliers and a galaxy of twinkling stars in the midnight blue ceiling.
    ‘Wait here for a moment, please,’ said David. ‘I’ll go in first and announce you.’
    ‘Hell, no,’ said James. ‘We’ll follow on like everyone else.’
    ‘Right.’ But David still managed to get a signal to the pianist. The moment James appeared there was a dramatic arpeggio down the keys to announce his arrival and everyone began applauding.
    ‘Your brother’s a popular man,’ said Aubrey, impressed.
    Moira nodded in misty-eyed agreement, and Harriet felt a pang of jealousy as sharp as a physical pain as Claudia gazed up at James with avid possession in her heavily painted eyes. She had to remember that he was nothing to do with her any more, married or not. She was shown to a chair between James and Marcus at the table of honour with Moira between her brother and Aubrey Wilde, and a pouting Claudia placed opposite, next to a young man James introduced to everyone as Tom Bradfield, his young development wizard. The girl would be obliged to talk to him, noted Harriet, hoping she would have the grace to do so. Dominic Hall on her other side was too absorbed in Lily to pay attention to her sister.
    ‘Pray silence for Mr James Crawford,’ David Walker announced, and Harriet tensed as James got to his feet to a barrage of flash photography. Her heart beat a frantic tattoo under the satin as she wondered if this was the moment he’d chosen to enlighten her father as to who, exactly, had paid to take over his home for the night. Instead, James took the opportunity to congratulate his original employees on their hard work, and at the same time welcome the new additions to the Live Wires Group workforce in celebration of a merger which would lead to even better and bigger things for the company in the future. Finally, with a bow to Harriet and her father, he raised his glass to toastMr Aubrey Wilde and Miss Harriet Wilde for allowing him to use their beautiful home to make the occasion doubly special.
    James resumed his seat to tumultuous applause and, limp with relief, her fears set at rest, at least for now, and with Claudia half hidden by the