Both Chris and Gabriella helped her dress. Eve conducted her own experiment and asked herself if the process tired her. It didn’t. She felt exhilarated. After studying the result with the white tube dress and beaded jacket, she decided she looked better than she had before the incident. She was rested, her color was up, her eyes were clear. She drew her hair back with silver combs, added a cloud of scent and felt like a woman again.

“You’re beautiful.” Alexander took both of her hands as he came to lead her downstairs. He was dressed in formal black and carried a small spray of bluebells.

“I wanted you to think so.” With a smile she took the flowers and drew in the scent. Whenever she did so in the future, she knew she would think of him. “This is the first time in days you haven’t looked at me as though I were under a microscope. No, don’t say anything. I feel like a prisoner making good her escape.”

“Then you should make it in style.”

He drew her hand through his arm and led her downstairs. There was a limo waiting outside, its motor already purring. Eve shot Alexander a brilliant smile as she stepped in.

Champagne was chilling. Beethoven was playing softly.

“The perfect getaway car,” she murmured as he released the cork from the bottle.

“I intend for everything to be perfect tonight.”

She touched her glass against his, then her lips against his. “It doesn’t get any better than this.”

“We’ll see.” He reached in a small compartment and drew out a long, slender box. “I wanted to wait until you were recovered to give you this.”

“Alex, I don’t need presents.”

“I need to give you one.” He opened her hand and placed the box in it. “Don’t disappoint me.”

How could she refuse him? Eve opened the lid and stared down at the necklace of diamonds and sapphires. They seemed to hang on threads of silver and dripped down in two layers of teardrops. It was something for a princess, a queen, not an ordinary woman, she thought. Unable to resist, she lifted it up, and the gems glistened in her fingers. Lights from streetlamps rushed over them and caught fire.

“Oh, Alex, it’s wonderful. It takes my breath away.”

“You’ve often had that effect on me. Will you wear it tonight?”

“I—” It almost frightened her, the sheer beauty of it, the elegance. But he’d asked almost as if he’d expected her to refuse. “I’d love to. Help me?”

He unclasped the gold filigree collar she wore and replaced it with his gift. Instinctively Eve brought a hand up to touch the necklace as he draped her neck. It was cool, but already drawing on the warmth of her flesh.