“I’m not lying.”
He scoffed out a laugh, his emotionless gray eyes sending a chill through her damp body. “Now, where have I heard that before?”
She closed the space between them. “You have to listen to me,” she said.
“No,
A cold rush of fear snaked through Julia at the thought of that jail cell, and she gave an involuntary shiver.
“You have to take a blood sample,” she told him. “Before they cremate Millions to Spare’s body.”
He shrugged out of his jacket. “You’re not in a position to demand anything.”
“I’m not demanding,” she assured him.
He draped the jacket around her shoulders and paused.
“I’m asking,” she whispered. “I lost the saliva sample, and then I took some hair from his mane, but I’m not sure…” She took a deep breath. “It would mean a lot to the Prestons.”
“You know,” said Harrison, something close to compassion flickering in his eyes. “This is the very first time your actions have actually matched your words.”
She didn’t know what to say to that.
He straightened the lapels of the jacket, and the backs of his knuckles briefly grazed her breasts. She was suddenly and sharply aware that they were alone, and she was barely dressed, and his word was law here.
“Finally,” he said, voice husky.
“Finally what?” she asked nervously as an undeniable sizzle of attraction filled the air.
“Finally, you’re being honest with me.”
A moment of taut silence stretched between them. He shifted almost imperceptibly toward her, his eyes clearly telegraphing his intent.
“Don’t get the idea that I’m easy,” she quickly warned him.
“Because you wear a thong?”
“A gentleman would forget about that.”
He shifted closer still, tugging ever so slightly on the lapels of his jacket. But, surprisingly, she wasn’t afraid. There was no anger in his expression, more curiosity than anything.
“Whatever gave you the idea I was a gentleman?”
“You’re the Right Honorable Lord Harrison William Arthur Beaumont-Rochester.”
His gaze fixed on her lips, eyes darkening with obvious desire. “That only means I’m from a long line of reprobates and libertines.”
“Nothing good can come of you kissing me,” she pointed out, even though it was starting to seem like a very interesting idea.
“So far, nothing good has come from me meeting you.”
“So cut your losses.”
She could almost see the debate going on inside his head. It lasted several minutes. And by the time he eased back, her pulse was racing and her skin was prickling.
He dropped his hands and nodded to his jacket. “There’s a phone inside the pocket.”
Seconds after that, he’d walked out, leaving Julia alone, sunlight streaming through the open door.
Harrison quietly entered the palace through a side door, heading directly into a small study and sitting down at the computer. He brought up an article on Leopold’s Legacy and quickly scanned it through. By the end, his worry over Julia and the secretary-general’s reception was replaced by a new fear for Cadair Racing.
Leopold’s Legacy’s sire had originally been listed as Apollo’s Ice. Apollo’s Ice was also Millions to Spare’s sire.
The odds were overwhelming that Millions to Spare’s death was linked to the Leopold’s Legacy mystery. Which meant it was somehow linked to Julia. Which meant he needed to talk to the Prestons, and he needed to talk to them as soon as possible.
He asked the first staff member he came across to have the vet meet him in his study, to please invite Julia to dry off and meet them there, too, and to bring him all the information available on the Prestons and Leopold’s Legacy.
Finally, he forced a relaxed, cheerful expression onto his face and veered into the great hall, where Alex would have taken Brittany.
“Grandmother,” he greeted, crossing to where she sat on a French provincial chair overlooking the east garden. He held out both hands to Lady Hannah Beaumont-Rochester.
As always, his grandmother was perfectly groomed, every blond hair in place, tasteful earrings at her ears. She was wearing a shimmering, brown-and-gold-leaf-patterned blouse paired with a plain, brown skirt.
She smiled warmly, reaching out to touch him. “Harrison. So good to see you, dear.”
He leaned forward for a quick hug and cheek kiss.
“How was your flight?” he asked her.
“Very nice. But, my, it is hot here today.”
“Shall I have the air-conditioning adjusted?”
“It’s fine inside.” Her gaze shifted to Brittany, who had stood up from her chair.
“Brittany,” Harrison greeted, holding out both hands to her, and drawing her in for a slightly more personal hug.
Then he drew back to look into her smiling face. Like his grandmother, everything about Brittany was perfect. From her pale pink-and-white outfit to her jewelry, her hair. She was stunningly beautiful, always had been.
Harrison was ten years her senior, and he could remember every stage of her growing up. No awkward teenage years for Brittany; she’d always been poised and attractive.
“I explained about the accident,” Alex put in.
Harrison shifted his attention to Alex, looking for clues on the story he’d come up with.
“That poor girl,” said Grandmother.
“A close call,” said Alex, and Harrison waited to understand.
“Harrison had to haul her out of the pool,” Alex continued. “At first, we thought mouth-to-mouth might be necessary. But a few firm backslaps did the trick.”
“Right.” Harrison nodded. It was lame as stories went, but he supposed it was better than admitting he’d been about to strangle Julia.
He looked at Brittany, and he couldn’t help but contrast her crisp appearance to Julia’s disheveled state. Brittany inspired respect. Julia, well, Julia had inspired something completely different.
He gave his head a quick shake to banish the image. “Please, may I offer you lunch?” He gestured to the hallway that would take them to several informal dining areas.
His grandmother came slowly to her feet.
Alex moved to help her, but Harrison gave him a quick shake of the head. Lady Beaumont-Rochester did not yet take kindly to assistance.
“Please,” she said. “Not outside in the heat.”
“We have a lovely dining room overlooking the fountains,” said Harrison. He gallantly held out an arm to his grandmother.
Alex stepped in next to Brittany.
“I’m afraid I can’t join you for lunch,” Harrison said in a voice loud enough that they could all hear it. “Some last-minute preparations for the party tomorrow night, and a few other business details. I hope you don’t mind.”
“You men and your business,” said Grandmother. But Harrison knew it would take a whole lot more than an inconvenient business meeting to upset her today. She’d be thrilled by his invitation to Brittany. He could probably do no wrong in her eyes for quite a while to come.
“Of course we don’t mind,” Brittany put in.
“I’m sure Alex would be happy to join you,” Harrison offered.
“My pleasure,” said Alex in a carefully neutral voice.
Harrison was sure he was the only one who realized Alex was ticked off. Alex didn’t want to entertain the ladies over lunch. He wanted to find out what the hell was going on with Millions to Spare and Julia.
