Page 117 of Provocation
'Get the fuck out of here,' I snarl, making some of the other party goers look at us. I hear someone gasp a little.
'It's okay,' Daisy says, putting her hand on mine and giving me a meaningful look. 'Don't make a scene. Don’t make the night be for nothing.'
She pats me gently and nods at Marcus.
'One dance,' she says through clenched teeth, 'if only so that John doesn't have anything to chew me out for later.'
She goes off dancing with the enemy. I hate it. I want to punch him in the face for everything he's done to her.
I watch them with hawk-like eyes, making sure that his hands don't go anywhere, that his hands don't move at all from her waist. He's saying things to her. I can see his lips moving,but she's either actually ignoring him, or it looks as if she is. That pleasant expression is plastered on her face, as it has been all night. No one can fault her politeness, her etiquette, and I know that's what she's counting on to get her through this.
At least I've made sure that the Bandervilles can't take her anywhere I can't follow. At least I should be able to make sure they're not able to hurt her again.
My phone vibrates and I glance down to see a message from Lu Garrett. She says the thing I’ve asked her to get for me is proving more difficult for her to acquire than expected, but she should have it soon. I delete the message immediately.
The dance finishes, but Marcus doesn't bring Daisy back to me. My eyes narrow as I cross the floor. With other party goers fluttering around, I can't see her properly, but when I get to her, Marcus is nowhere to be seen, and Daisy's face is pale. She's clutching something in her hand. An envelope.
'What is it? What did Marcus say?' I snarl.
'Nothing,' she waves a hand. 'Nothing important, the usual stuff. Joe is angry that I was drinking, pissed off that he’s not allowed to be alone with me anymore. Blah. Blah. Blah. But,' she looks down at the envelope, 'someone just gave me this.'
'Who?'
'One of the butlers. He said he found it. It has my name on it.'
I look at the familiar handwriting.
'He's here,' I snarl. 'Probably watching us right now.'
I look around, trying to see if I can see anyone staring at us or looking like they're interested in us. But there's no one.
'Open it.'
She flicks up the seal and takes out a small, folded piece of paper. She reads it silently and then hands it to me.
You're welcome. You better thank me properly when we finally meet.
PS, the jean skirt made you look like the whore you are.
'That’s what I was wearing the other day at the club when the raid happened. He's still watching me,' she says quietly. ‘I mean I guess I knew he wasn’tgone. I just hoped…’
'What does he want your thanks for?' I ask quietly.
'I don't know,' she says.
'I don't see anyone here who it could be, but I'll get a guest list from the Forrests, and we can cross reference everyone who's on it with the image that Blake got.'
She nods.
'We're getting closer,' I say. 'He’s going to make a mistake and we’ll find the son of a bitch.’
I glance at my watch. 'We've been here for enough time. Do you want to speak to anyone else?' I say.
She shakes her head. 'No. I think it’s time to go.'
We go outside, waiting at the front of the house for the car under an outdoor heater. While we’re there, I see a few of the drivers standing in a group, waiting for their passengers to come out of the party.
‘That’s Peters,’ I murmur, noticing a short, balding man standing with the others.
