The Hundred Year Wait Read Free

realised, she'd just
found him.
    Myron Holmes
evidently didn't think much of her. He'd sneered at her on more
than one occasion but that only made the challenge of getting him
to like her more appealing. Sebastian spent time with her and
appeared to enjoy helping her despite his initial coldness. Myron
would be another difficulty level above, but not impossible.
    As she travelled
through London she thought through everything she knew about Myron.
If she wanted to win him over before he shut her off completely she
needed to figure him, and his dislikes, out quickly.
    He'd been
impeccably dressed in a grey suit and waistcoat with the shiniest
shoes she'd ever seen, so being well kept would be a priority. Her
best clothes would be needed just to get close to his level.
Thankfully she'd been smart and sophisticated in her choice of
attire while in London, and, just in case she bumped into him
again, she was equally groomed today.
    Intelligence would
also be a key factor. His level of brilliance would feel so much
higher than hers so she would need to be careful not to say
anything that he'd find annoyingly stupid. She suspected being
silent and learning would be a safer way to handle him than
speaking when unsure.
    With his arrogance
and commanding presence she imagined some flattery would help her
case as well as a slight subservient attitude. Both would need to
be subtle or she might come across as desperate or perhaps even
manipulative, but she could think on her feet. On top of that she
would need to show some sense of humour or wit, or she would blend
into the background like a secretary or doorman at a hotel. Someone
who was only meant to be ignored or talked at.
    She'd spent hours
already, replaying their first meeting through her head and
analysing every word and gesture. So far she thought she'd probably
been too keen to help and forward with what she thought the answers
were, which may have annoyed him, although, Sebastian hadn't seemed
to care. Before she could satisfy the obsessive desire in her to go
through it all again, the taxi pulled up outside Sebastian's
flat.
    As usual, Mrs
Wintern answered her knock on the door and ushered her inside.
    “He's up and
about. I've heard the floorboards creaking as he paces back and
forth.” She waved Amelia up the stairs, making her grin. Sebastian
had only been in bed once when Amelia had arrived and only because
he'd had no clients for a few weeks and hadn't been expecting
her.
    “You're early,” he
said as soon as she opened the door. He stood in front of the case
board. The overlay with her characters was back in place over the
one she'd written the strange email on, giving her no indication of
whether he'd finished solving it or not.
    “I'm always
early,” she pointed out and took her jacket off.
    “You're even
earlier than normal,” He switched his attention to her, running his
eyes over her, as he did every time they met, “and you barely
slept. What's wrong?”
    “Nothing's wrong.”
She went to stand beside him and stare at her characters, hoping he
wouldn't pick up on anything else.
    “You've done your
hair differently. The French braid is very elegant, and the choker,
that's new. You're making an effort, but the perfume is less
obvious and you're still wearing your wedding ring so you don't
want it to be too noticeable.” He grinned and waited for her to
react to him, as he always did when he'd figured out something she
didn't want him to.
    “Evidently it was not subtle enough.” She shook her
head in mock annoyance, all the while smiling.
    “Well, he's a
lucky fellow, either way.”
    “Hmmmphhh, you're
assuming he'll appreciate it.”
    “Ah, so it is
brother of mine.”
    She bit her lip
and stamped her foot, annoyed at being so easy to read.
    “It is not an
obvious deduction. You mentioned you liked intelligent men and I
doubt you met anyone at the book signing yesterday who you expect
to see today.” She nodded at his assumptions. The book signing