Before Michelle could ask what was wrong, she saw it for herself. Wofford Patterson, in a dinner jacket with a white tie and black slacks was escorting a beautiful blonde, in an elegant green velvet gown, down the aisle—directly to the seats beside Sara.

“Mr. Brandon,” Wolf said, nodding. “This is Elise Jorgansen. Elise, Gabriel Brandon. That’s his sister, Sara. And that’s his ward, Michelle.”

“Nice to meet you,” Elise said, and smiled at them all with genuine warmth.

“I believe our seats are right there,” Wolf told the pretty woman. He escorted her past Gabriel and the women with apologies, because it was a tight squeeze. He sat next to Sara, with Elise on his other side.

Sara tensed and glared straight ahead. Wolf grinned.

“I didn’t know that you liked the ballet, Miss Brandon,” Wolf said politely.

“I like this one. It’s The Nutcracker,” she added with a venomous look at the man beside her.

He pursed his lips. “Left the flying monkeys at home, did we?”

“I’d love to drop a house on you, dear man,” she said under her breath.

“Now, now, it’s the ballet,” he pointed out. “We must behave like civilized people.”

“You’d need so much instruction for that, Mr. Patterson,” Sara said, her voice dripping honey.

“Isn’t the music lovely?” Michelle broke in.

The music was the instruments being tuned, but it shattered the tension and everyone laughed.

“Behave,” Gabriel whispered to his sister.

She gave him an irritated look, but she kept her hands in her lap and sat quietly as the ballerinas came onstage one by one and the performance began, to Michelle’s utter fascination and delight. She’d never seen a live performance of the ballet, which was her favorite.

At intermission, Sara excused herself and left the row.

“I’m not getting up,” Wolf said. “I’d never get back in here.”

“Neither am I,” Gabriel mused. “It’s quite a crowd.”

“You seem to be enjoying the music, Miss Godfrey,” Wolf said politely.

“I’ve never been to a ballet before,” she replied, laughing. “It’s so beautiful!”

“You should see it in New York City, at the American Ballet Company,” Gabriel said gently.

“They do an excellent performance,” Wolf agreed. “Have you seen it at the Bolshoi?” he added.

“Yes,” Gabriel agreed. “Theirs is unbelievably beautiful.”

“That’s in Russia, isn’t it?” Michelle asked, wide-eyed.

“Yes,” Gabriel said. He smiled down at her. “One day, Sara and I will have to take you traveling.”

“You should see the world,” Elise agreed, from beside Wolf. “Or at least, some of it. Travel broadens your world.”

“I can’t think of anything I’d love more,” Michelle replied, smiling back at the woman.

“Elise studied ballet when she was still in school,” Wolf said. “She was in line to be a prima ballerina with the company she played with in New York.”

“Don’t,” Elise said gently.