In Petrakis's Power

‘I just need a single,’ she told the arresting stranger, who didn’t seem remotely perturbed that she’d taken so long to make up her mind about whether to accept his offer or not. ‘And it doesn’t have to be in first class. My dad sent me the ticket, but I’m quite happy to travel as I usually do in second.’

She couldn’t disguise her awkwardness and embarrassment as she watched the man hand his credit card over to the guard. She felt even more awkward when he deliberately ignored her assertion and went ahead and requested a first-class ticket. Natalie hoped to God he believed her explanation about her dad sending her the ticket. After all, she was sure she didn’t resemble a typical first-class passenger.

Trust her dad to unwittingly add to her discomfort by making such a needlessly overblown gesture. He always travelled first class himself, which was why he’d automatically paid for his daughter to do the same. Now she really wished he hadn’t.

When the satisfied train guard had sorted out the necessary ticket, then wished them both an enjoyable journey, the impeccably dressed stranger handed it over to her and smiled. Natalie was very glad that the compartment was occupied by just the two of them right then, because if anyone else had witnessed the man’s astonishing act of chivalry she would have wanted the floor to open up and swallow her.

Accepting the ticket as her face flooded with heat, she prayed her see-sawing emotions would very soon calm down. ‘This is so kind of you … thank you … thank you so much.’

‘It is my pleasure.’

‘Will you write down your name and address for me so that I can send you what I owe you?’ She was already rummaging in her voluminous red leather tote for a pen and notepad.

‘We will have plenty of time for that. Why don’t we sort it out when we get to London?’

Lost for words, and somewhat exhausted by her growing tension, Natalie lowered her bag onto the seat next to her by the window and exhaled a heavy sigh.

With a disarming smile, her companion suggested, ‘Why don’t we help ease any awkwardness between us by introducing ourselves?’

‘All right, then. My name is Natalie.’

It was a mystery to her why she didn’t give him her full name. The thought that it was because she was momentarily dazzled by his good looks hardly pleased her. What did she think she was playing at? How often had she groaned at a friend who seemed to lose every ounce of common sense whenever a fit, handsome man engaged her in conversation and became convinced he must think her the most beautiful girl in the world? Such embarrassing silliness was not for her. She’d rather stay single for the rest of her natural life than delude herself that she was something that she wasn’t …

‘And I am Ludovic … but my family and friends call me Ludo.’

She frowned, ‘Ludovic? How unusual.’

‘It’s a family name.’ Beneath his immaculate tailoring the fair-haired Adonis’s broad shoulders lifted and fell as if the matter was of little concern. ‘And Natalie? Is that a name you inherited?’

‘No. Actually, it was the name of my mum’s best friend at school. She sadly died when she was a teenager and my mum called me Natalie as a tribute to her.’

‘That was a nice gesture. If you don’t mind my saying, there’s something about you that suggests you are not wholly English … am I right?’

‘I’m half-Greek. My mother was born and raised in Crete, although when she was seventeen she came to the UK to work.’

‘What about your father?’

‘He’s English … from London.’

The enigmatic Ludo raised an amused sandy-coloured eyebrow. ‘So you have the heat of the Mediterranean in your blood, along with the icy temperatures of the Thames? How intriguing.’

‘That’s certainly a novel way of putting it.’ Struggling hard not to display her pique at the comment, and wondering at the same time how she could convey without offending him that she really craved some quiet time to herself before reaching London, Natalie frowned.

‘I see I have offended you,’ her enigmatic fellow passenger murmured, low-voiced. ‘Forgive me. That was definitely not my intention.’

‘Not at all. I just—I just have a lot of thinking to do before my meeting.’

‘This meeting in London is work-related?’

Her lips briefly curved in a smile. ‘I told you that my dad sent me the train ticket? Well, I’m going to meet him. I haven’t seen him for about three months, and when we last spoke I sensed he was extremely worried about something … I just hope it’s not his health. He’s already suffered one heart attack as it is.’ She shivered at the memory.

‘I’m sorry. Does he live in the city?’

‘Yes … he does.’

‘But you live in Hampshire?’

‘Yes … in a small village called Stillwater with my mum. Do you know it?’

‘Indeed I do. I have a house that’s about five miles from there in a place called Winter Lake.’

‘Oh!’ Winter Lake was known to be one of the most exclusive little enclaves in Hampshire. The locals referred to it as ‘Billionaire’s Row’. Natalie’s initial assessment that Ludovic was a man of means had been spot-on, and she didn’t know why but it made her feel strangely uneasy.

Leaning forward a little, he rested his hand on the arm of his seat and she briefly noticed the thick gold ring with an onyx setting he wore on his little finger. It might be some kind of family heirloom. But she was quickly distracted from the observation by his stunning sapphire gaze.

‘I presume your parents must be divorced if you live with your mother?’ he deduced.

‘Yes, they are. In any case, tonight I’ll be staying at my dad’s place … we have a lot of catching up to do.’

‘You are close … you and your father?’

The unexpected question took her aback. Staring into the fathomless, long-lashed blue eyes, for a long moment Natalie didn’t know how to answer him. Or how much she might safely tell him.

‘We definitely were when I was younger. After my parents divorced it was … well, it was very difficult for a while. It’s got much better in the last couple of years, though. Anyway, he’s the only dad I have, and I do care about him—which is why I’m anxious to get to London and find out what’s been troubling him.’

‘I can tell that you are a devoted and kind daughter. Your father is a very fortunate man indeed to have you worry about him.’

‘I endeavour to be kind and devoted. Though, to be frank, there are times when it isn’t easy. He can be rather unpredictable and not always easy to understand.’ She couldn’t help reddening at the confession. What on earth was she doing, admitting such a personal thing to a total stranger? To divert her anxiety she asked, ‘Are you a father? I mean, do you have children?’

When she saw the wry quirk of his beautifully sculpted mouth she immediately regretted it, surmising that she’d transgressed some unspoken boundary.

‘No. It is my view that children need a steady and stable environment, and right now my life is far too demanding and busy to provide that.’

‘Presumably you’d have to be in a steady relationship too?’

Ludo’s magnetically blue eyes flashed a little, as though he was amused, but Natalie guessed he was in no hurry to enlighten her as to his romantic status. Why should he be? After all, she was just some nondescript girl he had spontaneously assisted because she’d stupidly left her train ticket in the ladies’ room before boarding the train.

‘Indeed.’

His short reply was intriguingly enigmatic. Feeling suddenly awkward at the thought of engaging in further conversation, Natalie stifled a helpless yawn and immediately seized on it as the escape route she was subconsciously searching for.

‘I think I’ll close my eyes for a while, if you don’t mind. I went out to dinner last night with a friend, to help celebrate her birthday, and didn’t get in until late. The lack of sleep has suddenly caught up with me.’

‘Go ahead. Try and get some rest. In any case I have some work to catch up on.’ Ludo gestured towards the slim silver laptop that was open on the table in front of him. ‘We will talk later.’

It sounded strangely like a promise.

With the memory of his smoky, arresting voice drifting tantalisingly through her mind like the most delicious warm breeze, Natalie leaned back in her luxurious seat, shut her eyes and promptly fell asleep …