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“This is my girlfriend, Sam,” said Sebastian, unable to mask his pride.
“You could have done better,” Giles said, smiling at her.
“I know,” said Sam, “but a poor immigrant girl can’t be too fussy.”
“You’re American,” said Giles.
“Yes. I think you know my father, Patrick Sullivan.”
“I do indeed know Pat, and I hold him in the highest regard. In fact, I’ve always thought that London is nothing more than a stepping stone in his already glittering career.”
“That’s exactly how I feel about Sebastian,” said Sam, taking his hand. Giles laughed as Emma and Harry walked into the grill room.
“What’s the joke?” asked Emma.
“Sam has just put your son properly in his place. I could marry this wench for this device,” said Giles, giving Sam a bow.
“Oh, I don’t think Sebastian is at all like Sir Toby Belch,” said Sam. “Come to think of it, he’s like Sebastian.”
“So too could I,” said Emma.
“No,” said Harry. “So could I too. And ask no other dowry with her, but such another jest.”
“I’m lost,” said Sebastian.
“As I said, Sam, you could have done better. But I’m sure you’ll explain it to Seb later. By the way, Emma,” said Giles, “knockout dress. Red suits you.”
“Thank you, Giles. I’ll be wearing blue tomorrow, when you’ll have to think of another line.”
“Can I get you a drink, chairman?” te
ased Harry, who was desperate for a gin and tonic.
“No, thank you, darling. I’m famished, so why don’t we go and sit down.”
Giles winked at Harry. “I did warn you when we were twelve to avoid the women, but you chose to ignore my advice.”
As they made their way to a table in the center of the room, Emma stopped to chat to Ross and Jean Buchanan. “I see you got your wife back, Ross, but what about your car?”
“By the time I went back to Edinburgh a few days later,” said Ross, rising from his place, “it was locked up in a police pound. It cost me a fortune to retrieve it.”
“Not as much as these,” said Jean, touching a string of pearls.
“A get-me-off-the-hook present,” explained Ross.
“And you got the company off the hook at the same time,” said Emma, “for which we’ll always be grateful.”
“Don’t thank me,” said Ross, “thank Cedric.”
“I wish he’d felt able to come on the voyage,” said Emma.
* * *
“Were you hoping for a boy or a girl?” asked Sam as the head waiter pulled back a chair for her.
“I didn’t give Gwyneth a choice,” said Giles. “Told her it had to be a boy.”
“Why?”
