LITMIR.BIZ

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hummed the silly song as she walked along the bridge to the central building, well pleased to have got in the last word. It would serve Gideon McGrath right if she delivered up some bland invalid dish.

      Probably not a posset, though.

      She didn’t want to risk the cream and eggs giving him a heart attack, although actually, come to think of it…

      ‘Behave yourself, Josie,’ she muttered as she stepped out of the sun and into the cool reception area and got an odd look from a sensibly dressed middle-aged woman who was wearing a wide-brimmed hat and carrying binoculars.

      Although, on consideration, that probably had less to do with the fact that she was talking to herself than the way she looked.

      In London she didn’t seem that out of place. Here…

      ‘Hello, Miss Fowler.’ The receptionist greeted her with a wide smile. ‘Have you settled in?’

      ‘Yes, thanks. You’re Alesia?’

      ‘Yes?’

      ‘Then this is for you,’ she said, handing over the magazine.

      The woman’s eyes lit up as she saw the cover. ‘It’s Crystal Blaize,’ she breathed. ‘She is so beautiful. Thank you so much.’

      ‘Don’t thank me, thank Mr McGrath. He said you would like it.’

      ‘Gideon? He thought of me, even when he is in so much pain? He is always so kind.’

      Gideon? If she was on first name terms with him, he must be a regular visitor, which went some way towards explaining his almost proprietorial attitude to the place. The fact that he seemed almost…well…at home here, despite the lack of any personal touches in his room.

      ‘Have you met her?’ Alesia asked.

      ‘Who? Oh, Crystal. Yes.’ Briefly. She’d insisted on a meeting before she’d left, wanting to be sure that Crystal was happy with the arrangements. Happy with her. ‘She’s very sweet.’

      And so desperately grateful to have someone who didn’t terrify the wits out of her to hold her hand on her big day that Josie had dismissed the gossips’ version of Serafina’s departure as utter nonsense.

      Apparently Marji, with more of a heart than she’d given her credit for, had taken pity on her.

      Or maybe she just wanted to be sure that the bride didn’t turn tail and run.

      ‘Is Mr Kebalakile in his office?’ she asked.

      ‘Yes, Miss Fowler. He said to go straight through.’

      ‘Come in, come in, Miss Fowler,’ David said, rising to his feet as she tapped on the open door. ‘Are you settled in? You’ve had breakfast?’

      ‘It’s Josie,’ she said. ‘And yes, thank you. It was perfect.’ What she’d had of it. But it had gone down well with the monkey. ‘I do, however, have a few problems with the accommodation. Only,’ she hastened to add when his face fell, ‘because I’m here on business rather than attempting to get away from it all.’

      ‘You mean the lack of communications?’

      ‘Since you bring it up, yes. How, for instance, am I expected to ring for service without a telephone?’

      ‘You don’t need a telephone, there’s a bell pull by the bed.’ He mimed the tugging action. ‘It’s all explained in the information folder left in the room.’

      That would be the one she hadn’t got around to reading.

      ‘It’s low-tech, but it’s low maintenance too. It’s just a question of renewing the cords when some creature decides to chew through them. And it works even when it rains.’

      ‘It doesn’t reach to the Celebrity offices, though.’

      He grinned, presumably thinking she was joking.

      ‘David, I’m serious. I understand you have a satellite link for the telephone and Internet?’

      ‘Sorry. I was just imagining how much cord…’ He shook his head. ‘You’re quite right. We have excellent communication links which are reliable for almost one hundred per cent of the time.’

      Almost? She didn’t ask. She had enough to worry about without going to meet trouble halfway.

      ‘They are, of course, yours to command.’

      Of course they were. She wasn’t a guest. She was a collaborator on a wedding that was going to make this the most talked about place in the world by next week. Gideon must have realised that, even if she was too slow-witted to work it out for herself. She’d have to take it slowly today so that her brain could keep up, or she was going to do something really stupid.

      ‘I’ve had a desk brought in here for you,’ he said, indicating the small table in the corner. ‘I’m out and about a lot so you’ll have the office to yourself most of the time but just say if you need some privacy.’ He produced a key. ‘The office is locked when I’m not here, so you’ll need this.’

      She’d have willingly sat on his lap if it gave her access to the Net, but it was clear that this wedding was a very big deal for Leopard Tree Lodge.

      It might be a venue for the seriously rich—who might, like Gideon, disapprove of their retreat being contaminated by mere celebrities—but everyone was feeling the pinch right now.

      ‘Thank you, David. We’ll be working together on this so it makes perfect sense to share an office.’ With that sorted, she moved on. ‘Next problem. Can you tell with what the situation is with Mr McGrath?’

      ‘You’ve met Gideon?’ He seemed surprised.

      ‘Briefly,’ she admitted.

      ‘Well, that’s excellent. I’m sure the company did him good.’

      ‘I sincerely hope so. Since he’s occupying the bridal suite?’ she added.

      ‘Ah. Yes. I was going to—’

      ‘As you know, the photographer will be arriving first thing tomorrow in order to set everything up for a photo shoot and then cover Crystal and Tal’s arrival,’ she continued, firmly cutting off what she suspected would be an attempt to persuade her to switch rooms. Gideon might be a valued guest but, while she was sympathetic, her responsibility was to her client. ‘Presumably you have some way of evacuating casualties?’

      ‘There is a helicopter ambulance,’ he admitted, ‘and Gideon has been offered a bed in the local hospital.’ She let out the metaphorical breath she’d been holding ever since she’d realised she had a problem. ‘However, as his condition requires rest and relaxation rather than medical intervention, he chose to remain where he is.’

      ‘Who wouldn’t? But—’

      ‘Our own doctor consulted with his doctor in London and they both agreed that would be much the best thing.’

      ‘But not essential?’ she pressed.

      ‘Not essential,’ he admitted. ‘But, since Gideon owns Leopard Tree Lodge—’ He raised his hands in a gesture that suggested there wasn’t a thing he could do.

      Josie stared at him.

      He owned Leopard Tree Lodge?

      ‘I didn’t know,’ she said faintly. ‘He didn’t mention it.’

      ‘He probably thought you knew. He owns many hotels and resorts these days, but this was his first and he oversaw every phase of the building.’

      Oh…sugar. Proprietorial was right. But surely…

      ‘If he owns this place,’ she persisted, grasping at the positive in that, ‘he must know that the room is taken. That every room is taken. Why it’s absolutely essential that he moves.’

      Except

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