When his phone rang he was tempted to ignore it, but it was his personal phone and only the most important people in his life had been given the number. He frowned when he saw Amy’s name on the screen.
He hadn’t had a chance to call her and let her know he was back from his trip to the US. In any case he’d assumed she would be busy at the museum... She hardly ever called him and never out of the blue.
‘Excuse me,’ he murmured to the delegation, stepping away from the group with an apologetic smile. He swiped the screen to answer. ‘Amy?’
‘I’m sorry to disturb you,’ she said, her usual soft tones sounding strangely muffled. ‘I know you’re busy, but I wondered if you’re coming to me tonight.’
Not only did she never call him, she never questioned his movements either. A dark sense of foreboding snaked up his spine. ‘Is something the matter?’
He heard her hesitation.
‘I just need to see you.’
He looked at his watch. ‘Where are you?’
‘In my apartment.’
‘Are you ill?’
‘No. Not really. Not ill, ill.’
He wanted to pump her for information but, aware of the delegation, Talia and all the courtiers eyeing him with curiosity, he resisted.
‘I’ll be with you as soon as I can,’ he said, before hanging up.
He’d be with her as soon as he could politely extricate himself. Something was wrong. The cold dread wedged in the marrow of his bones told him that.
It was half an hour before he was able to extract himself from the group, saying he had some personal business to catch up with and that he would see them at the dinner being held in their honour. He then told Talia that she could leave early. Talia didn’t argue the matter—in fact he would swear she left so quickly she left a trail of dust in her wake. He didn’t blame her. It had been a long few weeks and she must be exhausted.
When he reached his office he cut through to his apartment and slipped through the passageway into Amy’s apartment. She answered his knock quickly, with a startled expression on her face.
‘I didn’t think I would see you until much later,’ she said wanly. ‘I hope I haven’t put you out.’
‘You could never put me out.’ He studied her carefully. Her face was grey, her eyes were bloodshot and her hair looked unkempt. ‘Have you been crying?’
She bit her lip and took a shuddery breath. Closing the door, she rested her hand on the handle. ‘The Princess knows.’
‘Catalina? What does she know?’
‘About us.’ She met his gaze. ‘She came to the museum. She wanted me, personally, to give her a tour of the exhibition.’
‘You’re the exhibition’s curator,’ he pointed out.
She shook her head. ‘It was more than that. She knows, Helios. I think... I think she’s heard rumours about us. Maybe someone saw me walking Benedict... I think she was looking for confirmation. Whatever I did, I don’t know, but I’m sure something confirmed her suspicions.’
He ran a hand through his hair. ‘Even assuming you’re right, there is nothing for you to worry about. Catalina isn’t stupid. She knows there will be other women.’
It was the wrong thing to say. Amy looked as if he’d slapped her.
‘I didn’t mean it like that,’ he added hastily. ‘All I meant was that Catalina has no illusions of fidelity. You know there is no love between us.’
There was nothing between them. Not the smallest twinge.
Shaking her head again, Amy sidestepped past him and went through to her kitchen. ‘You’re a fool if you believe that. She wants it to be a love match.’
‘No...’
‘Yes,’ she said through gritted teeth. ‘She does. Whatever you think you know about her, you’ve got it wrong.’
‘She does not love me.’
‘Not yet.’
Her eyes bored into his as her words hung in the air between them, then she turned sharply and pulled a bottle of white wine out of the fridge.
‘Glass?’ she asked.
‘You’re drinking already?’ A trace of his bemusement cut through the darkening atmosphere.
‘Right now I need it.’
She leant against the work surface and closed her eyes briefly, then poured them both some wine. When she passed his glass to him she snatched her hand away before there was any chance of their fingers brushing.
She went to take a sip from her own, but as she brought it to her mouth her face crumpled.
Stepping quickly to her, Helios took the glass from her shaking hand and placed it with his own on the counter, then wrapped his arms around her.
At first she resisted, but then she gave in to it, almost burying her head in his chest. Within seconds his shirt was wet with her tears.