Page 90 of Wife After Wife

He caught sight of Ana across the room. She was looking svelte and sophisticated, as always. They had recently been dubbed “London’s Most Glamorous Couple” by theEvening Standard. She loved these functions, where she could waft around enjoying the attention, in particular the obsequiousness of those now below her on the social and business scale. Which was usually just about everyone.

As he watched her, he reflected on their time together—it had now been more than half a year. Life was mostly good, if sometimes exhausting. Ana was one demanding woman. She was great company, with her sharp intelligence and keen interest in the business—although he had to rein her in every now and again, remind her she was an art director, not a company director. And that was all he wanted her to be, for now. He was aware Rose staff were having trouble dealing with her queenly ways as it was. When she was more accepted, then he’d think about how he could involve her in the new directions the company was taking. Maybe.

Bored with the two ad execs, he decided to join her, but then realized she was talking to BWG’s Connor Black. The agency spent a reasonable amount of money with Rose publications, but no longer handled Rose Corp.’s own advertising. Once Percy was exiled, Harry had sacked them.

He’d avoid Connor for now; he’d never liked the man.

“Harry?”

He looked down to see Janette beside him.

“Yes, Janette.”

“Someone from theStandardwants a quote from you about the website—that guy over there, if you have a moment.”

“Fine. And... Janette?”

“Yes, Harry?”

“Thanks for all your help today. You’ve been great.” He gave her an affectionate smile and touched her arm.

This time, her flush spread all the way down from her cheeks to her chest. “It’s always a pleasure, Harry. You know that.”

Ana

Bad Harry, leading that secretary on. Ana had clocked him from across the room, throwing a compliment her way like a man chucking a dog a bone. She could see the blush from here.

“Sorry?” She’d missed what Connor Black was saying. In fact, she didn’t really care about his views on whether the move online was going to hurt or benefit news organizations. He was one of those advertising guys who said whatever they thought sounded cool, whether they believed it or not, using words they probably made up. In a fake Cockney accent.

“I said, Percy North’s back in town.”

“Oh!” This was a surprise. “Really? I’m not in touch with him anymore.”

“No, I don’t suppose you would be.” Connor winked.

Ana resisted the temptation to cut him down to size. She was supposed to be nice to advertisers tonight.

“It didn’t work out for him in Dublin. He wants his old job back. I might just give it to him. I think he probably deserves it, don’t you?”

“But isn’t the Celtic Tiger really kicking off?” said Ana. “Didn’t he like Dublin in the end?”

“He was bored. There wasn’t much for him to do—we handle most of it from here. Harry just wanted him out of the way. And now we know why. Naughty Harry.” His eyes traveled down her body.

Harry had fired BWG, so Ana presumed he wasn’t Connor’s favorite person right now. Then she registered his words. “What did you say? Harry—”

“Percy was the only reason we won the Rose account in the first place, love. He gave us the business on the condition we sent Percy away, somewhere as far from you as possible. Poor old Percy.” He kept his eyes on hers, narrowed, waiting for her response.

Ana managed to hide her shock. She didn’t want to give this odious man the satisfaction of witnessing her discomfort.

“That’s Harry for you!” she said briskly. “All’s fair in love and war, and all that. Connor, would you excuse me? I need to powder my nose.”

“Of course, love. Have one for me.”

Jesus.

In the ladies, she sat down in a cubicle, her mind racing. Harry had engineered Percy’s exile to Dublin with Machiavellian cunning. In the process, he’d hired and fired an agency, all because of her.

She hadn’t thought about Percy in months, but now she allowed herself to remember the man she’d loved before her infatuation with Harry had taken hold. Before he’d cast his line and reeled her in.