A Touch of Notoriety

Just as she was also aware, by the tingling sensation quivering down the length of her spine, that those piercing blue eyes were now levelled intently on the gentle sway of her denim-clad hips and backside as she walked in front of him…

CHAPTER TWO

‘OH BUT—’

‘I think we should let Gab—Beth go back to England if that is what she wishes to do,’ Cesar gently interrupted his mother as she would have voiced her protest to Beth’s reminder that she was due to fly home tomorrow.

He surprised Beth with that support; she had felt sure that the arrogant Cesar would be just as opposed to the idea of her going back to England tomorrow as his parents obviously were. Maybe Grace’s more reasonable attitude was having a beneficial influence on the man, after all!

Beth smiled her gratitude across the luncheon table at him. ‘Thank you, Cesar.’

He nodded. ‘Raphael will accompany you, of course.’ A premature gratitude, obviously! ‘I don’t think so—’

‘And I will arrange for you to fly back in the private jet—’

‘Stop right there, Cesar!’ Beth bristled just at the mention of bodyguards and private jets. An indignation that only deepened as she saw the mocking smile curving Raphael Cordoba’s chiselled mouth as he appeared to be on watchful guard outside in the hallway—while obviously listening to their conversation. ‘I have a perfectly good return ticket booked on the commercial flight back to England tomorrow—’

‘Carlos…!’ A distressed Esther looked at her husband appealingly.

‘Perhaps it might be better if you were to accept Cesar’s offer,’ Carlos Navarro reasoned gently.

‘I’m sorry, but I’m really not comfortable doing that.’ Beth grimaced apologetically. ‘And I certainly don’t want or need Raphael to accompany me anywhere—’

‘Be reasonable, Beth…’ Grace interrupted quietly but firmly even as she touched Beth’s hand cajolingly.

‘I am being reasonable.’ Beth knew that she sounded, and no doubt appeared, childishly mulish rather than reasonable. ‘No one else but the people seated around this table—and Raphael—’ she shot him an impatient glance as she saw that mocking smile had now become a smirk ‘—is even aware that you all think I’m Gabriela—’

‘We know that you are, honey.’ Esther smiled across at her warmly.

Beth swallowed down the emotional lump that had formed in her throat at the unconditional love she saw shining in the older woman’s eyes. ‘Yes. Well. As you know, I still have difficulty accepting that.’ She avoided meeting any of their gazes as she stared down at the dining table, totally unable to deal with the hope she knew was shining in Carlos’s and Esther’s eyes, the censure in Cesar’s, the understanding in Grace’s, let alone the mockery she knew she would see in Raphael’s piercing blue eyes now that he was no longer wearing those dark glasses. ‘Until Cesar can supply me with further proof, I’m still Beth Blake as far as I’m concerned. And Beth Blake has a home and a job in England to go back to,’ she added firmly.

Cesar scowled darkly. ‘I assumed when you said you wished to go back to England that it was only so that you might close up the house there and deal with any other affairs—such as resigning from your place of work—before flying back here.’

‘Why on earth would you have assumed that?’ Beth gave a pained frown. ‘I worked hard to get my degree, and I love my job, so why would I want to give that up?’

‘Possibly because you are Gabriela Navarro, and as such have no reason to work?’ Cesar grated harshly.

‘Even if you do prove beyond a shadow of a doubt that I’m Gabriela—’

‘We already have.’

‘I will still refuse to sit around here like some pampered poodle—’ Beth broke off as she heard a snort of what she was sure was laughter from the direction of the hallway. Nor was she convinced otherwise by the bland expression on Raphael Cordoba’s face when she gave him a long, suspicious glance before turning slowly back to frown at Cesar. ‘I wasn’t brought up to sit around painting my toenails—’

‘Oh, I feel sure a “pampered poodle” would pay someone else to paint their toenails,’ Cesar snapped.

‘You aren’t helping the situation, Cesar,’ Grace cut in with soft reproof.

His expression softened as he smiled down at the woman he loved. But that smile faded as he turned back to Beth. ‘I am sure that Grace would rather you remained here and helped her with the arrangements for the wedding.’

‘Raphael already tried the sister approach,’ Beth told him wearily.

‘And?’

‘And of course I’ll come back for the wedding; I am the chief bridesmaid, after all. But, in the meantime, Grace has Esther to help with those arrangements.’ The latter was an argument she knew Cesar had no answer to. His mother was in her element with the arrangements for his wedding to Grace. ‘Which leaves me free to return to my life and job in England until a few days before the wedding.’

Cesar breathed impatiently down his nose. ‘Perhaps we might…compromise, in that you agree to take a month’s leave of absence from your place of work to come back here—’

‘A month’s leave of absence?’ Beth repeated incredulously as she sat up straighter in her chair. ‘Asking for this week’s holiday just after I had started working there didn’t exactly go down well!’

Cesar’s mouth firmed stubbornly. ‘Then perhaps I should consider buying the company, in which case my first instruction as the new head of that company would be for you to take a month’s leave of absence.’

Beth only wished that he were joking, or at least being sarcastic, but, as she was only too well aware, Cesar was as rich if not richer than several small countries, and so perfectly capable of doing exactly as he said he would.

She turned to give Grace a disbelieving shake of her head. ‘And you’re actually thinking of marrying this megalomaniac!’

Grace gave a husky laugh. ‘I most certainly am. Don’t worry.’ She gave Beth’s hand another conciliatory pat. ‘He improves with acquaintance!’

This time there was no mistaking the sound of Raphael’s throaty chuckle. Beth turned to look at him challengingly. ‘Perhaps you should come in here and join us if you have something to add to this conversation?’

Raphael eyed her mockingly. ‘I am merely an employee…’

This time it was Beth who snorted. ‘I think we both know that, as a long-term friend of Cesar, and head of his security worldwide, you aren’t “merely” an anything! Besides which,’ she continued firmly as Raphael would have spoken, ‘as this conversation has revealed that you’re expected to come to England with me, it would seem to concern you as much as it does me…’ she added with a frown.

‘Yes, come in and join us for coffee, Raphael,’ Cesar invited smoothly before turning to request another cup as Maria brought in the tray of coffee things.

Raphael had found time to speak to the other man before lunch, in regard to Beth’s resentment of having him as her bodyguard, a concern that Cesar had dismissed by assuring him, whether Beth liked it or not, there was no one else to whom Cesar would entrust his sister’s safety. And Cesar knew firsthand just how stubborn the Blake women could be; Grace and Beth might both be adopted, and from completely different parents, but their stubbornness of character was undeniably similar!

‘Please do join us, Raphael.’ Esther turned to smile at him warmly as she poured the coffee for all of them once Maria had returned with the sixth cup. ‘With all that’s happened this last few days I haven’t had chance to ask how your family are,’ she prompted gently as Raphael strode into the dining room.

All that had happened these last few days had included Esther’s own stay in hospital after a car crash in which she had thankfully only received a blow to the head and bruising. She was now fully recovered, but the incident had quickly been followed by the shock of having Gabriela return to them in the guise of Beth Blake. Both were reason enough for her not to have found the opportunity to enquire after the family Raphael usually managed to avoid seeing whenever he was in Argentina!

‘All well, the last time I asked, thank you,’ he dismissed lightly as he folded his length down onto the seat a smiling Carlos had pushed back for him.

‘Does your family live in Buenos Aires?’ Beth’s curiosity obviously got the better of her.

Raphael met her gaze coolly. ‘No.’

‘Then where—?’

‘I believe we were discussing the arrangements for your return to England,’ Cesar cut in decisively.

Beth continued to look at the bland-faced Raphael for several minutes longer, sensing some sort of schism in regard to his own family, a schism the Navarro family seemed well aware of. Not that anyone was going to explain that to her any time soon, if Raphael’s closed expression was any indication. ‘No, you were discussing it.’ She turned back to Cesar. ‘I’ve already stated what my own arrangements are.’

‘Those arrangements are unacceptable,’ the man who would shortly be her brother-in-law—if not her actual brother!—dismissed with his usual arrogance.

‘Not to me.’

‘Beth, try to understand how Cesar and your—His parents feel,’ Grace encouraged softly. ‘They’ve already lost Gabriela once,’ she added.