between us while he cleared his head. ‘Wait for me,’ he’d said. And I had.
For all the good it’s done me.
I’ve always known that Mark and Dominic worked for the same man, and I knew one day Mark would have dealings with Dubrovski. If I’m honest, it’s part of the reason I took the job as Mark’s assistant. Now it’s happened, and he wants to take me right to Dubrovski. I’ll finally get a look at this mysterious person who’s had such an influence on my life. Perhaps I’ll even get to understand a little more about Dominic himself.
‘Beth? Are you all right?’ Mark is leaning forward, concerned. ‘You look a little pale.’
‘I... I’m fine,’ I say, taking a deep breath. I’m feeling that odd mixture of pleasure and pain I’ve become so accustomed to since I first met Dominic. Just thinking of him gives me that delicious ripple of desire and excitement, but always accompanied by a bitter stab of unhappiness. God, I miss you. Then, sure as night follows day, I feel the bubbling anger. How dare you leave me like this, after everything we went through together? ‘Yes, of course I’ve heard of Andrei Dubrovski. Who hasn’t?’
‘Then if you’re sure you’d like to come...’
‘Yes, I am.’ I sound like myself again, I’m sure of that. And I’m also sure that I want to go to the South of France with Mark. For one thing, it’s a connection with Dominic, and I can’t resist that.
‘Good.’ Mark looks satisfied that I’m on side. ‘When men like Dubrovski summon us, we go as quickly as possible. He keeps our bread well buttered after all. So we’ll be leaving tomorrow, and we’ll be gone a couple of days at least. Will that be all right?’
I nod. ‘Fine. You know me. My schedule is very flexible.’
‘Excellent. Don’t forget that passport. Now, shall we think about heading over to Bond Street? Oliver tells me that a real treasure has just come in that I really ought to see.’
‘Of course,’ I say, getting up. ‘I’ll just get my things.’
Chapter Two
I don’t have time to think about my forthcoming trip to France during the morning, and it’s only when Mark and his colleague Oliver decide to have a quick lunch together at Mark’s club that I have some time to myself. I head for the café in Sotheby’s, a place I’ve become quite familiar with in the weeks that I’ve been working for Mark. While I’m standing at the entrance, looking for a likely table, I hear a familiar voice.
‘Beth, over here!’
Looking across the crowded room, I see James sitting at one of the tables, a newspaper on the table in front of him. I feel a rush of affection for him; he took a chance on me and gave me my first job in the art world. When he heard that Mark, an old business associate of his, was looking for an assistant, he recommended me for the position and Mark took me on just when I needed a job. I owe him a lot. He waves, a big smile on his face, beckoning me over. ‘What brings you here, darling?’ he asks, putting big kisses on my cheeks as I bend down to greet him.
‘Mark came to see Oliver. Do you know him? He’s head of nineteenth-century art here.’ I sit down in the empty seat on the other side of the table. ‘Now they’ve gone off for lunch. What about you?’
‘I came in to inspect some bits and pieces that are coming up for sale soon.’ James folds up his newspaper and looks at me over the top of his gold-rimmed spectacles in that certain way he has, as though he wants to examine me properly and understand what I’m really thinking. ‘How is life?’
‘Fine, fine...’
‘Come on, Beth. You look nervous. What’s up?’ His expression softens. ‘Any news from Dominic?’
James is one of the few people who know almost the whole story of what happened between Dominic and me. There is no one else I can imagine telling – not Laura, not my mother, not Celia, my wise old friend and my father’s godmother. It’s strange that the only person I