‘Let me help you.’ He ignored her furiously shaking head. ‘Come on, darling, it would be a drop in the ocean. I haven’t told you my good news yet. I sold a painting yesterday.’
‘Aiden!’ Despite her own problems, Tabitha’s delighted squeal was genuine and, wrapping her arms around Aiden’s neck, she planted a kiss on his cheek. ‘That’s fantastic news.’
‘Please let me help you, Tabitha. You can always pay me back. We’re on our way, darling.’ Aiden grinned. ‘I can feel it.’
But Tabitha shook her head. ‘You might be, Aiden, but in my case “on my way out” would be a more apt description.’ Her gloom descended again, but she did her best to keep the bitter note from her voice. ‘I’ve been asked to audition for the next production.’#p#分页标题#e#
‘So?’ Aiden shrugged. ‘You’ll walk it.’
‘Maybe, but it’s always been automatic until now—I’ve always had a part. It’s because I’m getting older.’
‘You’re twenty-four years old, for heaven’s sake.’
‘I’m twenty-nine,’ Tabitha corrected, grinning despite herself. ‘And twenty-nine-year-old dancers have a lot to prove. I can’t borrow money from you when I’ve no idea if I’ll be able to pay it back.’
‘Please,’ Aiden insisted, but Tabitha was adamant.
‘No; I mean it, Aiden. I’m going to have to work this one out for myself.’
‘You’re sure?’
She nodded resolutely, and after a brief shrug Aiden let it go. ‘I know it’s abhorrent, seeing all this wealth when your grandmother’s so broke, but money can be a curse, sometimes. The people here are so busy looking over their shoulders, sure everyone’s after their last dollar, they honestly don’t know who their real friends are. For all the highbrow people here you could count the true friends on one hand. If the money disappeared tomorrow so would ninety per cent of the guests, and that’s probably a conservative estimate.’
‘Your brother seems to have the impression that I’d be amongst them.’
Aiden’s eyes narrowed. ‘Tab, I’m sorry if he’s been giving you a hard time, but, though I’m loath to defend him for treating you appallingly, out of everyone here Zavier’s got the most reason to be suspicious of people’s motives, especially where women are concerned. He was let down pretty badly recently.’
‘She must have been mad,’ Tabitha mused.
‘Stay clear, Tab. I mean it. A wonderful warm thing like you wouldn’t last five minutes in his company. I might adore Zavier, but I wouldn’t wish that black heart on my worst enemy. It could only end in tears. Anyway, you’re here with me, remember? Don’t you dare go blowing my cover by making smouldering eyes at my brother.’
Tabitha laughed. ‘I wouldn’t worry, Aiden. He’s already made it abundantly clear what he thinks of me, and I can assure you it wasn’t complimentary.’ She grinned as Aiden winced. ‘Any hot looks passing between us would probably be better described as fuming rather than smouldering. He’s convinced I’m after you for your riches.’
‘God.’ Aiden added a couple more inches to his glass. ‘Zavier couldn’t be further from the mark if he tried; he’d have a fit if he knew the truth.’
Tabitha filled her own glass from the bottle, but unlike Aiden accepted a hefty splash of soda from a passing waiter. ‘He has no idea, then?’
Aiden shrugged. ‘I’m not sure. He tried to talk to me once—a big brother pep-talk would best describe it. You know the type: sort yourself out, grow up, what the hell’s your problem?’ He drained his glass in one gulp. ‘He actually came right out and asked if I was gay.’
‘So why didn’t you tell him then? Would he have given you a hard time?’
Aiden shook his head. ‘Zavier wouldn’t care about something like that. Despite the fact he practically wears a suit and tie to bed he’s pretty laid-back about that sort of thing.’
‘Then why not tell him?’
‘I figured it wouldn’t be fair on him. There’s no way I could tell my father, he’d have a coronary, and it would just be one more thing for Zavier to worry about. He carries the lot of us, you know.’
Tabitha was intrigued and leant closer. ‘In what way?’#p#分页标题#e#
‘Zavier runs the business. Dad’s too sick now. I know he doesn’t look it, but he’s a walking time bomb—he needs heart surgery, but he’s too much of a risk for an anaesthetic. No surgeon would touch him, particularly with the name Chambers.’