AllFreeNovel
Share Us
Lara gave a half-smile, the sight of the butterflies and the flowers softening her mood.
‘Is there anyone you don’t know?’
Olivia pretended to think about it and gave a mischievous shrug. ‘No, no one worth knowing anyway.’
Lara raised her eyebrows as a sudden thought occurred to her.
‘So you know Victoria Sachs?’
‘Victoria,’ said Olivia, wrinkling her nose slightly. ‘Of course.’
‘Was she at the party?’
‘No. She was invited: I received an invitation to her fundraiser, so I had ask her. Thankfully she was in New York. The numbers were getting out of hand.’
‘What fundraiser was this?’
Olivia waved a hand.
‘She’s hosting a benefit lunch at Claridge’s for her charity ImpactAid. It’s tomorrow actually. Victoria’s a little too pleased with herself, but it should be fun nevertheless. The auction is always hard-fought.’
A thought started to gain traction.
‘Can I come?’
Olivia turned to look at her.
‘Really?’ said Olivia, surprised. ‘I didn’t think you were interested in that sort of thing.’
‘Not usually, but after the month I’ve had, I could do with a bit of fun.’
Olivia nodded in agreement. ‘I won’t argue with you there. As it happens, I think Lavinia Dawson has dropped out, so there will be a place at our table.’
‘Do you mind?’
Olivia smiled – a real one this time, or perhaps as real as Olivia could manage.
‘Mind? I’d be delighted. Just two girls together, hmm?’
‘My thoughts exactly,’ said Lara. But that wasn’t all she was thinking. She was planning something much more interesting.
Chapter 32
Alex rapped on the door of the little office.
‘Harry, do you have a minute?’
Harry Grant jumped in his seat, looking up with a guilty start. ‘Sorry,’ he said, wrapping up the sandwich he was eating and pushing it into a drawer. ‘Just, you know, taking a break and I’ll get right onto the…’
Alex held up a hand to stop the stream of nervous babble from the business editor. The Chronicle’s business section was run from an office at the far end of the floor and Alex could understand how his unannounced appearance might make Harry anxious: he rarely came down this way especially for a one-to-one.
‘Relax, Harry, you’re fine,’ said Alex, sitting in the chair opposite the man. ‘I just need some information about a finance guy. Michael Sachs.’
‘You too, huh?’ he said, wiping some crumbs off his lip.
‘What do you mean?’
‘Lara called me on Friday asking the same thing. Are you two working on something together again?’
