Two - They Meet

What struck him first were her eyes.

A green so wildly true he thought of fresh heather and Ireland's deep forests.

Heavy kohl surrounded the green, making them seem to flash in their intensity.

Her hair was pulled back in a low chignon and heavy gold hoops were the only jewelry she wore, except for a large gold band on her left hand.

He had worked his way past several rooms in the house, making the rounds through the other party guests.

The aggressive nonchalance of most of those attending caused him to fill glass after glass of the shiraz he was drinking, until finally the wine gave him his own version of detachment.

This seemed one of those nights where every conversation was essentially meaningless. He could have phoned in his attendance for all that it mattered and he wished again that he had declined the invitation. He’d only been in London for 10 days and he wondered how was going to make it through this night, let alone a month here.

If he had to talk to one more “English flower” with more lineage than brains …

He shook his head as he walked deeper into the house, the sounds of music and trilled laughter fading.

The wall of windows he could see through an open door drew him and he strode across the carpet until he was standing in front of them, searching out the night and blessing the quiet.

He heard a low chuckle and then a woman’s voice.

“You are much too young to be so bored.”

Not English. French.

Wincing as he discovered he wasn’t alone, he turned, a fake smile already drawing his cheeks up.

The dim light didn’t allow him to see her fully, but the woman seemed unconcerned to be sitting in the near dark. She was half curled on a couch, her feet drawn up beside her.

His chin raised as he swallowed another sip from his glass.

“I’m not bored.” And yet even he heard the defensiveness in his own voice.

The woman laughed softly again.

“My mistake then. Please, continue on your way.” She raised a hand dismissively and turned her head.

He hesitated. There were no other rooms. It was rejoin the party or stay here, even if he wasn’t alone.

“Okay, so I’m bored.”

Again he heard the intriguing laughter.

“Good. You admit it. Now we can talk.”