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CHAPTER ONE
‘MERIDA! THANKGOODNESSyou’re here!’
Reece was clearly relieved as Merida stepped into the smart Fifth Avenue gallery.
A spring shower had chased her from the subway and, having dashed out of her apartment at short notice to get there, Merida hadn’t brought an umbrella. Her long red curls were looking particularly wild, but there should be time to sort them beforehearrived, she thought.
Merida Cartwright’s smile was so bright and engaging no one would guess that stepping in at the last moment to give some VIP a private tour of the gallery was the very last thing she wanted to be doing this evening.
While she might be a gallery assistant by day, Merida was an actress by night—and also by heart. From England, she had come to New York with Broadway in mind and had given herself a year to make it.
Now, ten months in, her time and her savings were fast running out.
She needed money, and although she had an important audition tomorrow, and would prefer to be in her tiny apartment preparing for it, she smiled. ‘It’s honestly not a problem, Reece.’
‘I had just started to lock up when Helene called.’
‘Helene?’
‘Ethan Devereux’s PA. I can’tbelievethat he’s coming to visit the gallery and I shan’t be here to show him around.’
‘It will be fine.’ Reece was highly strung and Merida did her best to calm him. ‘What time is your flight?’
‘At nine. If I’m going to make it then I have to leave soon.’
Reece made no move to go, though. Instead he fussed over details.
‘You’ve read through the manual I sent you on the amulets?’
‘Of course I have.’ Merida nodded as she undid the belt of her trench coat. In fact, she had been the one who had set up the amulet display.
‘Thishasto go well, Merida. I tried to suggest to Helene that he visit the gallery once I’m back from Egypt, but she was adamant that he wanted to see the display tonight. It would be madness to turn down a Devereux. One bad word from him and we’re sunk.’
‘Really?’ Merida frowned. ‘Just who is he?’
Reece let out a disbelieving laugh, but then righted himself. ‘Of course—at times I forget you’re from England and won’t have grown up being fed every detail of the Devereux family’s lives. Basically, the Devereux family are our landlords, darling.’
‘They own the building?’
‘They own half of the East Side and more besides. They’re NYC royalty. There’s the father—Jobe—and his two sons, Ethan and Abe. And all are utter bastards...’
‘That’s not nice.’
‘They’renot nice,’ Reece countered. ‘Oh, poor Elizabeth...’
‘Who?’
‘Elizabeth Devereux—Jobe’s wife. Well, second wife, and mother to his sons. She was an absolute angel, and for a while they were almost a happy family.’ Reece needlessly checked the door to make sure they were alone. ‘Apparently she found out Jobe was having another affair.’ He lowered his voice. ‘Usually Elizabeth turned a blind eye, but rumour has it that this particular time it was with the nanny.’
‘They broke up?’
‘No, she fled to the Caribbean to heal, the poor thing, and died in a water-skiing accident. Since then the Devereux men have reeled from one scandal to the next. Don’t let Ethan’s unquestionable good looks dazzle you—he’d happily crush you in the palm of his hand.’
Merida winced.
‘Now, there’s champagne on ice. Pop the cork as soon as you see his car. I’ve had hors d’oeuvres from Barnaby’s sent over...’
‘How many guests is he bringing?’ Merida checked.
