London Dynasty (The Dynasties #1) - Geneva Lee Page 0,20

I lied. I’d never been to France in my life. “But then I found myself just wandering where my heart took me.”

“How bohemian.” To her credit, she managed to make this sound only mildly insulting. I had no doubt she’d muzzled her disdain.

“I think it’s so smart for a woman to take time to get to know herself before she gets married,” Iris interjected. “Life changes so much after saying ‘I do.’ It’s important to know who you are before you make such an important commitment.”

“I suppose that’s how it’s done now. When I married my late husband, I wasn’t even out of university, but that was ages ago. You should listen to your stepmother, she’s been down the aisle more recently than I.” She smiled at Iris, but no hint of the sweetness of her lips reached her eyes. They remained narrowed and wary.

I was starting to understand the game we were playing. Caroline Byrd had positioned herself as the head of the table, a spot she intended to keep by bullying and making casually cruel remarks.

“I will. Thank you.” I turned to Iris. “I really do want to hear all the details of what I missed while I was away. I’m still adjusting to father being married again.”

Caroline snorted into her water goblet. “That man is a serial groom.”

“He believes in love,” Iris said with quiet courage. “As do I. We’re lucky to have found each other.”

I found myself wanting to know the man Iris had fallen in love with. Kerrigan’s father hadn’t struck me as a particularly sympathetic or loving soul, but Iris was one of the sweetest people I’d ever met. If she saw that side to him, might it be there?

Our lunches arrived, saving us from more of Caroline’s passive-aggressive tactics. I breathed a sigh of relief when a simple omelet was put in front of me.

“Would you like some bread?” the waiter asked, and I nodded. He placed a fresh roll on the rim of the china plate and turned to offer one to Evie.

“No, thank you.” She kept her eyes trained on the filet of chicken and roast vegetables that had been placed before her.

I looked over to Caroline who was watching the interaction like a hawk, prepared to swoop down and attack should her daughter make the wrong choice. She relaxed in her seat a little, opening her mouth to refuse the bread before the waiter had even asked.

“Nonsense,” I spoke up, stopping him. “Without bread, how are you going to help me eat this butter?”

“She makes a good point,” Iris said, latching on to what I was doing. “I’ll have two please.”

Across the table, Caroline seethed quietly, shaking her head when the waiter finally asked her. The rest of the meal was fraught with a number of pointed questions and barbed remarks. I managed to dodge the traps she laid for me and began to perfect the art of subtly sticking up for Evie. It helped that Iris was there to back me up.

“Thank you for inviting us to join you,” Iris said graciously as the waiter arrived. She beckoned for the bill.

“Oh no, I insist that you let me pay,” Caroline started.

“Actually,” the waiter turned to his cart and produced a bucket and champagne, “the gentleman over there has already paid and sent this as his compliments along with this note.”

Caroline looked over at the table the waiter indicated and laughed. “It seems your brother is here, but couldn’t be bothered to join us.”

I got my first glimpse of the man I was expected to marry across a crowded room. He’d stood to leave and he paused, his hand reaching to button his suit jacket. I’d seen his picture online, but it hadn’t captured the raw sensuality he possessed. It radiated off him. All around him, eyes turned, but his eyes met mine and an electric current seemed to crackle through the air. Had everyone else felt that? I turned away, my cheeks flushing. I was on edge after the luncheon with his mother and after what I’d heard in the loo. The thought of the loo sent the dizzying sensation in my stomach crashing down. I wanted to believe it was still a coincidence. Then, I remembered that it hardly mattered. His marriage was an arrangement. He owed nothing, especially not to me. I wasn’t even the woman he was destined to marry.

Caroline held her hand out for the note, but the waiter shook his head. Instead, he passed