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Still, Sylvia seemed happy browsing through the fabrics, so Faith let her attention wander, imagining what the evening ahead might be like if she did let herself be talked into some glamorous, fabulous dress that showcased all her best assets.
Would Dominic notice? Would he look her over in that way of his and take in her figure, rather than her inappropriate clothes? Would he sit beside her in the theatre, transfixed by the plunging neckline of her dress?
Probably not.
The bell over the shop door chimed and Faith looked up absently, then froze. Lady Ginny Gale. Her mother’s best friend.
Her head felt fuzzy, as if every thought she’d ever had was buzzing in there, all at the same time. She couldn’t let Ginny see her, recognise her. This was just what she’d been afraid would happen at the theatre that night.
Getting to her feet as casually as she could—jerky movements would only draw attention to her—Faith turned her body away from the door, where Ginny was talking to the assistant. Then, grabbing the first dress she came to, she murmured to Sylvia, ‘I’m just going to try this on.’
Sylvia’s eyebrows rose in surprise, probably because the dress was everything Faith had said she didn’t want—full length, black and decorated with crystals in a fan pattern on the skirt—but Faith ignored her, moving serenely towards the safety of the fitting room.
Of course, once safely behind the heavy locked door, she collapsed onto the velvet padded seat and buried her head in her hands.
This was why she couldn’t stay in London. This was why she couldn’t consider trying to seduce Dominic that night. As if she needed the reminder. She wanted out of his world, not back in. She’d been crazy to even take the job, once she’d figured out who he was.
Still, she’d see it through now, of course. Which meant finding something utterly un-Faith-like to wear that night. She needed to be so unrecognisable even her own mother would walk past her in the lobby if she showed up. And she wasn’t going to find that in any of the shops Sylvia was dragging her to.
‘Faith? Are you okay?’ Sylvia’s voice rang through the fitting room, and Faith winced. Why hadn’t she lied about her first name, too? Would have made things much easier. Except she’d always been Faith, and she hadn’t wanted to lose that too, when she was letting go of everything else.
She’d probably forget to answer to another name, anyway.
‘Fine,’ she called back, her voice low. ‘I don’t think this is the one for me.’
‘Well, I think we could have predicted that before you came in here,’ Sylvia said drily. ‘Lady Gale has left, by the way. She was just placing an order for a new jacket.’
Was she that obvious? ‘Who?’ Faith tried innocently but, as she unlocked the door to the changing room, Sylvia was standing on the other side, arms folded and eyebrows raised.
‘Want to explain to me what just happened?’ she asked.
Faith shook her head. ‘Not really. It’s old news now, anyway.’ Which didn’t mean anyone had forgotten about it. Certainly not the Internet.
‘Former employer?’ Sylvia guessed.
‘Something like that.’
‘I won’t tell Dominic, you know. Not if you don’t want me to.’
‘There’s nothing to tell,’ Faith lied. Then, leaving the hideous black dress hanging on the rail, she headed back out into the shop and straight for the door. ‘Come on; I think I’ve got a better idea of what I’m looking for now.’
* * *
Dominic was a busy man. He’d had important meetings all day, emails and calls to deal with, not to mention some valuable forward planning with Marie and Henry that afternoon. They’d made some real headway on the expansion plans, and Dominic could almost see his dreams coming to life.
Which was why it was particularly embarrassing to admit, even to himself, that he’d spent most of the day wondering what sort of a dress Sylvia would persuade Faith to buy for the theatre that evening.
He hadn’t had a chance to see Faith all day, despite his attempt to catch her at breakfast. He had, however, seen Jerry, which had been entertaining enough in itself. The man had turned white, then slightly green, then run in the opposite direction down the corridor away from him. Okay, maybe it was more of a power walk than a run, but when Dominic told the story to Faith he expected to make it more of a sprint.
When he finally saw Faith, of course.
Maybe he’d pushed her too far last night, letting on that he knew she was lying to him. Faith was like a small frightened animal at times, behind her confident exterior. Whatever she was hiding, it scared her, which in turn worried Dominic even more.
