The reference was to his Turkish wife, the woman who had supplanted Ginny, and no doubt been responsible for the attempt upon her life as well. Living in a harem had its drawbacks, it seemed.

“Why are you telling me all this, Tynedale? You didn’t arrange for me to come here just to find out how I feel about my wife.”

“Perhaps not.” A faint smile pressed at the corners of his mouth as Tynedale watched him. “I felt we should meet privately before we meet publicly. Tomorrow evening you are to attend a soiree given by the Prince of Wales. So will I. It is inevitable that we meet, so I leave it up to you to prepare Ginny for my presence there.”

Ginny was surprised and a little shaken when Steve told her that Richard Avery would be attending the same soiree.

“He’s here? Oh, I knew he was supposed to be in London, but I wasn’t sure…didn’t know if he would even think of me or would prefer not to see me again.”

“I think he’d like it too much.”

Sprawled in a chair, one leg thrown carelessly over the arm, Steve watched her through lazily narrowed eyes, a faint smile on his mouth. Ginny knew that look. He was waiting for her to react.

She arched a brow as she reached for the cup of hot, sweet tea she favored. Delicate china rattled with a light, tinkling sound, tiny roses vivid against the creamy white background. It was a habit lately to drink tea in the afternoon, a practice that was growing in popularity in London. She sipped the hot brew slowly, taking her time before she responded to Steve’s news of Richard.

“It will be delightful to see him again. He was very good to me, and I cared a great deal for him.”

It was true. She had cared for Richard. But he’d never supplanted Steve in her heart, and he’d been intelligent enough to know that.

She looked up in time to catch the skepticism in Steve’s gaze, and was startled. It was gone so quickly, she wondered if she had imagined it, for he gave another careless shrug, his smile revealing nothing.

“You can renew your acquaintance tomorrow night at this damn soiree we’re committed to attending. I’ll be glad to leave London. It’s become nothing but a round of social events.”

“Yes, my only regret is having to leave the children here for a while. Oh, Steve, what if they feel abandoned?”

“Your aunt has been with them so long, they won’t feel abandoned. And it’s only for a few months, until I’m sure the danger in Mexico is over. We can live at Hacienda de la Nostalgia, if you like, or investigate my new holdings in Chihuahua, then decide where to live with Laura and Franco.”