The clientele was distinctly younger than in the hotel and a couple of well-heeled young families were already eating.

‘It’s so beautiful here,’ Matty breathed, her eyes shining as her chair was held out for her.

‘It’s very special,’ Julian agreed. ‘We may be out in the mountains, but we do not have to be savages, I hope.’

Matty laughed readily. Clover forced a smile. Kit didn’t bother with either. He was glancing around the room as if making a mental note of everyone who was staring at him, rounding up his enemies. He flicked his napkin open, somehow managing to infuse a note of aggression into the gesture.

‘Kit, would you like to look at the wine list?’ Julian asked him graciously as the menus were handed out.

Kit looked up. He seemed in no hurry to speak. ‘No,’ he said evenly. ‘I’m sure you’ve got a much more nuanced opinion on that than me.’ His gaze flickered over Clover, who had been forced to sit opposite him. Matty had once again bagged prime position opposite Julian. All the better for gazing into one another’s eyes . . .

Clover wondered if Kit knew what was happening between his sponsor and her researcher; he’d not seen them together yet.

They listened in polite, stiff silence as Linz ran through the specials. Clover caught almost none of it. She didn’t want rich, fancy food served over four courses. A bowl of chilli, eaten in the bath, would have been her idea of heaven this evening.

Julian ordered the wines as Clover looked down and smoothed the fabric of the deep cranberry-red silky viscose dress Matty had lent her – again. It was a constant wonder to her that what had seemed like such a wildly unrealistic wardrobe for a working trip in the mountains was actually on the money. Aside from her ski kit, Clover had brought leggings and a single pair of jeans.

‘You look really good in that colour, Clo,’ Matty said, seeing her evident discomfort and still trying to win back her good favour.

Clover frowned. ‘. . . Thanks.’

‘Yes, it really sets off your hair,’ Julian agreed. ‘You should wear it often.’

‘. . . Okay.’ She wasn’t quite sure how to respond to that.

‘You are going to go more easy on me tonight, I hope,’ he smiled, before looking over at Kit. ‘Has she begun with interviewing you yet? Don’t be fooled. She’s a smiling assassin.’

Kit’s frown became an outright scowl.

On Clover, too. How exactly did it help their cause to have the one man who wielded any power – and therefore control – over this renegade, tell Kit Foley that his interviewer was a smiling assassin?! ‘I hardly think—’ she began.

‘Dear god, just don’t go on camera about that night in Monaco!’ Julian laughed.

Clover caught sight of the profound change in Kit’s expression.

‘What happened in Monaco?’ she asked, looking between the two men.