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‘Kane?’

‘Yes. She sent me to talk to you.’

‘Did she send you to storm my gates? Because I just got a call from my security man who told me some maniac drove through at a hundred miles per hour while he was letting in Miss Calloway.’

Alex was immediately repentant. ‘I’m sorry about that. He was being a bit obtuse, and I didn’t have your private number, and I couldn’t get ahold of your staff. I did something a bit crazy; I know that. But I needed to speak to you. I know how much you care about Isabelle. Things are getting quite heated, and she needs your help.’

‘I see,’ Helen said, somewhat appeased.

Leigh knew that was it, Alex was in. Having a real appointment didn’t count for shit now. It was a straight contest, and they were neck and neck—at best.

Helen looked back and forth between them and raised an eyebrow. ‘So you work for Erin, and you work for Isabelle. This puts me in a difficult position.’

‘You understand what we’re both doing here,’ Alex said, but it wasn’t a question. She was trying to flatter Helen. But Helen was not Brett.

‘Yes. And I don’t like it. I asked Isabelle to keep me out of this,’ Helene barked.

Alex smiled. ‘Ifwecould maybe just chat in private…’

‘I’m not standing on the doorstep all day.Bothof you come in.’ Helen looked over her shoulder at Hugo. ‘Tea.’ She vanished from the doorway.

Leigh couldn’t help but look at Alex, who looked back at her in bemusement. ‘I guess we’re gonna pitch together.’

Hugo stepped back and gestured for them to come in. They stepped into the large reception hall. Hugo pointed to a room with an ornate oak door. ‘She’ll see you in there.’ He walked off.

For a small moment, Leigh and Alex were left alone, and they looked at each other in the dim light of the reception hall. ‘Well, let’s do this, shall we?’ Alex said with a half-smile that made Leigh just about want to strangle her.

Alex strode into the room, Leigh hot on her heels. She found herself in an Art Deco living room. Geometric wallpaper, velvet sofas, and Tiffany wall lights everywhere. Leigh didn’t think she’d ever stood in so much money in her life.

‘Lovely room,’ Leigh breathed.

Helen sat in an emerald tub chair and looked around her as though she’d forgotten what it looked like. ‘I don’t come in here much, actually.’

‘No?’

‘No, a TV breaks the period feel. And I like to watchDeath in Paradisein the afternoons.’

Leigh smiled. ‘Of course. Well—’

‘You know why we’re here,’ Alex interrupted, sitting quickly on a cream-and-walnut sofa.

‘That is an original Jacques Ruhlmann if you could sit a bit more gently. It cost an arm and a leg to get it restored,’ Helen said unpleasantly.

Alex’s confident smile was briefly wiped from her face.

Leigh tried not to grin as she sat down next to her, lowering herself with care. ‘So, I’m here because you took a photo of Erin.’

‘I did. And I’m not going to apologise,’ the woman said.

Leigh shook her head. ‘No, of course not. I wouldn’t ask you to. We just want the opportunity to be able to explain it when it comes out. Which means we need to see it.’

‘Erin hasn’t seen it?’

‘Well, yes, she has,’ Leigh admitted.

‘So what you mean is thatyouhaven’t seen it. And as her PR person, you want it in your grubby little paws so you can start spinning it before anyone can make up their mind.’

Leigh’s stride was thoroughly broken. ‘Umm…’