cab.”
Dylan held her hand and smothered her with his alluring gaze. “Please stay for a little longer. Tell your boss something came up.”
“I am the boss. I need to be there.”
“Please, Sarah. Just stay for a little while.” He lowered his face to her ear and whispered. “We need to get our story straight in case Orlov asks questions.”
She wanted to say no. She opened her mouth to say no. But she actually heard herself huffily say, “Oh alright .”
Sarah quickly called the deputy manager to tell him he was in charge until she got back. Then they all went through to the living room, which was as impressive as the rest of the house. It was a large room, cluttered with heavy furniture and Persian rugs. The ornate mirror above the granite fireplace made the room look big, but the low ceiling made Sarah feel squashed. She sank down into the creaking leather couch next to Dylan, pretending to be his wife for the benefit of Natalia. He shot her an affectionate glance – just like the old days – then he reached out and held her hand. She had a flashback to the day she’d met his parents for the first time. She’d loved him then, too, and it had terrified her.
The small talk was strained in front of Natalia, but they managed to chat about Amy and Adam’s wedding plans as well as Orlov’s soccer club. Natalia seemed distracted anyway – she spent most of the hour typing messages on her phone and staring into space.
Eventually, she stood up. “I will go home now. It has been enough time.”
“Oh, but you’re still dressed as a maid,” Sarah said. “Your husband will be suspicious if you go home looking like that.”
“You can change in my room,” Amy said. “I assume your clothes are somewhere?”
“In the suitcase in the hall,” Dylan said.
Natalia’s face remained blank. Sarah realised she hadn’t seen her smile yet.
“Thank you, Amy,” Natalia said. “Then I will call the cab and leave. Goodbye, Dylan. I need to meet with you one more time after this.”
Dylan frowned. “Why? I thought we’d straightened this whole thing out. Me and my wife are getting back together.”
“Yes, I know. But I need to tell you something. We should meet in a public place. Tomorrow at noon, in Leicester Square. Please. It’s important.”
“Well, I’d love to, but I’m having lunch with my little brother tomorrow. Can’t we make it the day after?”
“No. it must be tomorrow. I have some information I need to give you.”
“What kind of information?”
“Something you will want to know.”
“Can’t you just tell me now?”
“No. I do not know it yet – I will find it out tomorrow. Bring your brother. My message will only take five minutes to tell. Noon at Leicester Square. Do you accept?”
Dylan shrugged. “Sure, I guess.”
“Good. Thank you for your hospitality.”
“Er… no problem.”
Natalia nodded professionally, then she followed Amy out of the room, to change her clothes.
“That was weird,” Adam said.
Dylan’s brow furrowed. “I wonder what she wants…”
“I guess you’ll find out tomorrow at noon,” Adam said. “Perhaps it’s something to do with the soccer club?”
“Strange that you’re involved with Fenchurch United,” Sarah said nostalgically. “That was my dad’s team.”
Dylan remained supercool. “Yeah, I remembered that. It was weird – it made me think of you.”
Adam winked playfully. “Maybe you conjured up Sarah with the power of your mind, Dylan.”
Dylan didn’t look at her. “Whatever. But, listen when we meet with Orlov tomorrow, we need to make sure we stay in control at all times.”
Adam and Dylan launched into a discussion about their strategies, and Sarah felt as if she was caught up in a 1960s spy novel. She opened her mouth to ask exactly what sort of a deal they were planning to do with the infamous young Russian tycoon, but she heard the front door slam as Natalia left.
Amy reappeared. “Well, she was nice…