Clinton Priest

Chapter Ten

Anabelle scoffs loudly as she picks up her hand bag and drags me out of the room, her high heeled clad feet clicking on the marble floor.

"We are going out," she tells Diana when she raises her grayed eyebrow in curiosity.

"Don't be late for dinner," she says in amusement, used to Ana's antics.

Her driver opens the door to the white range rover and we get in.

"Take us to the Devil's Manor," she says.

"I find your attitude disconcerting," I tell her.

"You find everything disconcerting," she says, "that's why you spend most of your time hidden in your bedroom unable to take hold of anything."

"I don't hide," I correct her.

Her attention is no longer on me but on the phone in her hand. She's frowning as she reads the message on it. She types a quick message and sends it. A few seconds later, her phone rings and she picks up just as I am able to see the caller ID. Gabriel.

She says nothing for a while before she nods and says, "I'm on my way."

The driver stops in front of the gothic gates of the ancient house and Anabelle looks at me expectantly. I get out as slowly as I can in an attempt to communicate my displeasure.

"I'm sorry. I have to go," she says.

She's not sorry. In fact, I'm certain she would have left me here on my own whether the call had come through or not. Still, I say nothing as I watch the range rover drive out of sight.

I press the button set in the wall and wait for a response.

"Good evening, miss," an unfamiliar disembodied voice says. I'm startled and a little bit frightened.

"I'm here to see Mr. Priest," I say as confidently as I can.

The metal gate swings open and I take small steps in making the long walk to the front door. There is a familiar pink Porsche parked underneath the oak tree at the side of the mansion.

"Good evening, miss," a distinguished old man says after he opens the door. I'm relieved to be able to put a face to the disembodied voice that had greeted me at the main entrance.

"Good evening, sir," I say softly as I look around. It's different from the last time I was here. There are servants walking around, a few dusting the portraits and furniture around, some carrying vases of flowers around and others vacuuming the carpeted floor.

"Mr. Priest is throwing a party in a few days time," he says to me as he leads me to a door.

"Oh. That's great."

"He's waiting for you in the sitting room," he says, pointing to the double door.

"Thank you," I say to him.

"It's no problem at all, Miss. Sinclair," he says, his blue eyes twinkling with amusement, "it's a pleasure to finally meet you."

He walks away pausing to give a few instructions to some servants walking in the hallway.

I push open the door and enter.

He's standing close to a familiar blonde woman, his hand on her porcelain cheek and the other on her tiny waist as he whispers something to her.

It's an intimate scene and my cheeks flush pink in embarrassment.

I'm about to leave when his hazel eyes meet mine and hold me captive as he leans even closer to the woman. I'm unable to look away as his lips meet hers in an all consuming kiss. He kisses her like she's sex on legs. He kisses her like he's showing something off and when her legs buckle, he lets her fall.

"See yourself out, Elizabeth" he says as he steps away from her and wipes his mouth.

I take a step back as he walks to me.

"I didn't think you'd come," he says, perfectly composed. As though I didn't just see him kissing my cousin.