"Please." Wolf didn't return the lovely brunette's smile but Lydia didn't notice; she was trying to absorb and understand the messages her brain was giving her. There was something wrong, something not quite. nice here.
As Wolf seated himself beside her on the beautifully upholstered set tee she glanced round the large room warily. Everything was of the very best. Wolf obviously paid his employees well. She noticed a photograph of two snub-nosed, brown-haired children in a corner of the room, and spoke impulsively as Sue handed Wolf his drink.
"What lovely children. How old are they?"
"Geraldine is seven and Geoffrey is eight. They are Doug's children from his first marriage." The green eyes nicked uninterestedly over" the photograph.
"They live with their mother," she added coldly.
"Oh, I see." Lydia sought for something to say--the brunette's tone had almost been a snub.
"Do you have any children?" she asked politely, trying to stifle her dislike.
"No." Hard green eyes met hers.
"I still work now and again, so it's impractical."
"Sue is a model." Doug had joined them, handing Lydia her drink with a quick glance at his wife.
"She feels being pregnant would put her out of action too long, besides which, she doesn't really like children. Do you, darling?" It was obviously a sore point, and Lydia felt herself flush at her inadvertent gaffe, but Sue seemed quite unaffected, throwing her husband a cold glance of distaste as she agreed with him.
_"No, I don't." She smiled coolly at Lydia.
"Deadly for the figure."
As the evening p
rogressed Lydia felt more and more uncomfortable.
Apart from the first few moments, the social repartee had been light and amusing; Sue was a sparkling hostess and Doug was droll and humorous, but under the surface polish of well-bred refinement she sensed a whole host of different emotions bubbling and simmering with puzzling ferocity.
Wolf was his normal cool, cynical self, adding the odd bite of mordant humour which Sue in particular seemed to appreciate thoroughly, but then she seemed to appreciate thoroughly everything about Wolf, Lydia thought testily as the brunette made yet another outrageous bid for his attention, the third in as many minutes. It was obvious and embarrassing, and yet Doug seemed quite relaxed, jovial, even.
Suddenly the beautiful brunette's attention turned to Lydia, her eyes as hard as glass as she looked into her face.
"Is that a wedding-ring I see?" She glanced pointedly at Lydia's left hand.
"You're married?"
"Separated." Wolf had answered before she could speak, his tone infinitely cold.
"Oh, what a shame..." The narrowed blue eyes flickered a moment. Wolf had made it perfectly plain that further questions would be an intrusion, but his hostess chose to ignore the warning.
"Had you been married long?" she asked silkily.
"I got married when I was twenty-one." This time Lydia forestalled Wolf.
The look on his face indicated that his reply wouldn't have been conducive to harmonious relations.
"Any children?" the smooth voice persisted.
_"Sue..." Doug spoke quickly, with a meaningful glance at Wolf's dark face.
"A little girl." Lydia smiled brightly.
"She's three now and absolutely gorgeous."
"Is she?" It was clear the last thing Sue wanted to talk about was Lydia's child, so for that very reason Lydia detailed Hannah's life from birth to present and the diversion worked as she had thought it would. Immediately