“Do you need a taxi, love?”
Inez glanced around at the question, and then sighed at the sight of the same smiling cabby who’d brought her to the airport. The man had burbled happily on about this and that and nothing at all the entire ride out from the core of London where she lived. Now she would no doubt get to enjoy the same happy burble all the way to the Dorchester hotel where Thomas was staying.
“What I need is a tea,” she muttered, then sighed and nodded and moved to where the man held the taxi door open. Inez didn’t see the dark-haired, thin-faced man approaching the cab until they were both nearly to the door. She hesitated in surprise. He didn’t. However, before he could slip into the open door, the taxi driver stepped in front of it.
“I’m taking the lady,” the cabby announced firmly. “I brought her out, and I agreed to take her back.”
The man didn’t even glance her way, his attention focused on the driver. Inez had no idea what he said, but suspected he must have promised extra money, because the driver suddenly stepped out of the way for him to get in, closed the door, and got in the driver’s seat without another word, or even a glance in her direction.
Once again, Inez was left gaping after a departing taxi.
“Diya need a taxi, lady?”
Inez glanced around with a start as a younger driver hailed her. Mouth tightening, she rushed forward, not willing to allow another ride to be stolen from her. Reaching the car unimpeded this time, Inez slipped onto the backseat, forced a smile, and muttered thanks as the driver closed the door behind her. She then sagged wearily on the seat, thinking she really needed that tea now. Unfortunately, it would have to wait until after she got to the Dorchester and made sure Thomas Argeneau had everything he needed. That had been Bastien’s order. “Collect Thomas, take him to the hotel, and see that he has everything he needs.”
And that was what she would do. She would make sure Thomas Argeneau had every single thing he needed…right after she gave him a piece of her mind for riding off without her. Then she could have her tea.
“Thanks, just set it there on the table,” Thomas said as the bellhop followed him into the suite’s sitting room. When the man did and then turned, mouth opening to inform him of all the amenities on offer, he waved him to silence.
“I’m good, thanks,” Thomas assured him. Offering the man a tip for seeing him to his suite and carrying the knapsack, Thomas urged him toward the door.
“Thank you, sir.” The bellhop’s lips spread into a grin that he quickly softened into a more businesslike smile. “Just ring the desk if you need anything. Ask for Jimmy and I’ll get you whatever you need.”
“I will. Thanks again,” Thomas murmured.
Closing the door behind the bellhop, he then turned and stepped back into the sitting room of his suite. Classy, luxurious, tasteful…Nothing less than he’d expect. Aunt Marguerite always had shown good taste.
Moving forward, Thomas collected his knapsack and headed for the door leading into the rest of the suite, intending to place it in the bedroom. The ring of his cell phone made him pause, however.
Dropping the knapsack back on the table, he pulled the phone from his back pocket and flipped it open as he dropped onto one of the love seats.
“Yo?” he said lightly, already knowing who it would be.
“You arrived all right, then?” Bastien asked.
“Of course, dude. The flight was smooth sailing.”
“And Inez had no problem finding you at the airport?”
Thomas’s eyebrows rose. “Inez?”
“Inez Urso. I called her to meet your plane and take you into the city.”
Thomas could hear the frown in Bastien’s voice, but ignored it, his mind on his arrival in Heathrow as he suddenly recalled a little, dark-haired woman running through the airport waving. Thomas had noticed her, but Etienne hadn’t mentioned there being anyone to meet him so he’d just assumed she was there to collect someone behind him and kept walking. Now that Bastien mentioned Inez, however, he recalled the pristine and tucked-up little miss he’d met some months ago in his cousin’s office. But the woman who had been waving so frantically at the airport that morning had been less than pristine and tucked up. She’d looked like she’d just rolled out of bed.
“Thomas?” Bastien said impatiently. “Did she not show up?”
“Yes. She was there,” he answered truthfully, a knock drawing his gaze to the door of the suite. Standing, he moved to answer it.
“Good,” Bastien was saying as Thomas opened the door. “She’s very efficient as a rule, but I did wake her up at five in the morning to collect you and I worried that she hadn’t made it there in time.”