AllFreeNovel
Share Us
And he wasn’t a petty sort of man, so obviously wouldn’t be punishing Ben Rider for perceived offences. Such as walking out on him. Or for being the one with the apparent maturity to see exactly what they were furious with each other about.
However, if heweredoing either of those things, he reflected with a small inward smirk, he would have chosen just such an occasion to extend this particular invitation: the house full of the great, the good and the royal for a Michaelmas feast.
That this could be viewed as a defensive tactic on his part, however, had also occurred to Aleksey. A huge gathering such as this gave Ben the perfect excuse not to come, and consequentlyhewould not have to see that refusal as afuck offto him.
As Ben had not replied to his text one way or the other, Aleksey didn’t have to decide whether he was evil or sad, which suited him just fine.
But he couldn’t assess Ben Rider’s thought processes either, which was insupportable. It was hard to assess mood from silence.
Aleksey slid his phone back into his pocket and replied to something someone had asked him which he hadn’t been listening to. His vague comment seemed to be accepted. Sometimes he deliberately mangled his accent to such a degree that he was incomprehensible either way.
He slid his phone out once more and surreptitiously checked again.
Philipa walked over to him from where she’d been greeting a familiar balding man who had just arrived alongside a very striking, tall young woman. “Kiss me.”
Aleksey groaned inwardly, but dutifully gave her a peck on the cheek, and linked arms with her. Ever the loving husband. “Did you invite her?”
“Obviously not.”
“They will probably argue, she will then vomit and leave early.”
“I could set you on her.” Aleksey thought this was quite amusing until she added, “You could annoy the bollocks off a bull when you want to. Anyway, she’s seen us now, so you can go back to sulking and checking your phone.”
He nodded amicably. “And Carter Green is making odd gestures towards you. Perhaps his shoelace needs tying?” It was his nickname for this favourite houseguest. It had been the only sentient vegetable he could think of. She gave him an eye narrowing of disapproval, to which he replied with a sunny smile, and she strode off haughtily to greet some other arrivals.
Aleksey realised he was beginning to sober up, so headed immediately for the drinks’ table.
Suddenly, there was the sound of tyres arriving a little too fast on gravel.
Aleksey stepped back into the flickering shadows at the edge of the vast candlelit room.
Philipa went once more to the door.
And then The Honourable Gustav Arthur Philippe Mountbatten (Gussy to his friends) sauntered in on the arm of another man, and kissed his Godmother. The effete air kiss did not mask the intensity of his gaze searching the room.
This, Aleksey had not expected. He had tracked the man’s movements in Washington for a while, but realised now he should have kept up the monitoring.
He still had the opportunity to slide unseen out of one of the many doors, the large throng of people giving him cover, but just at that moment there was another tyre crunch accompanied by a wild skidding stop he definitely recognised.
This was unfortunate.
He’d had this happen to him once or twice in the past and had previously always enjoyed the chaos that could ensue, but this time, watching the doors for Ben’s appearance, he did not want this complication. Sure, he was quite happy to flaunt Ben Rider in The Honourable’s face, but he didn’t want it the other way around. It was a puzzle which he set aside to ponder later with a cigarette.
However, it was immensely satisfying to think that he had sent a text, and Ben had come—that the prickly and irritating Ben Rider had realised the error of his ways, and would presumably be contrite and a little more amenable than he often was.
The evening might still be salvageable.
After all, Ben never gave him any attention at all, and he totally ignored Ben. Until the lights went out, of course, then they sought each other like heat-seeking missile tracking burning flare.
Ben appeared in the doorway.
Obviously Benjamin spotted him straight away.
Aleksey could not understand why no one in the room had jumped at the spark that had shot from door to shadows.
He visibly felt the steadying breath Ben took before he stepped into the mass of people.
Ben Rider knew how to fake confidence; Aleksey had to give him that.
