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CHAPTER ONE

WHEN the limousine appeared, a perceptible wave of anticipation rippled through the well-dressed cliques of people gathered on the church steps Two cars had already drawn up in an advance guard, fro into walkie-talkies had enal from the security teaer door of the li for a better view, eyes avid with curiosity

Leonidas Pallis stepped out onto the pavement and immediately commanded universal attention A Greek tycoon to his polished fingertips, he stood six feet three inches tall A staggeringly handsoner suit with an elegance that was lethally sexy That cutting-edge sophistication, however, was matched by a cold-blooded reserve and ruthlessness that made people very nervous Born into one of the richest faendary, Leonidas had established a wild reputation at an early age But no Pallis in living memory had displayed his extraordinary brilliance in business A billionaire olden idol of the Pallis clan and as much feared as he was fêted

Everyone had wondered if he would bother to attend the memorial service After all, just over two years had passed since Ih she had not been involved with Leonidas at the time, she had enjoyed an on-off association with hien’s uest with gushing satisfaction, for the presence of Leonidas Pallis turned the event into a social occasion worthy of comment But the Greek billionaire cut the social pleasantries to a en was alive he had neither met them nor wished toflattery

Ironically the one person he had expected to greet hi acquaintance in the Stratton faen’s cousin, Maribel Greenaway Refusing an invitation to join the front pew line-up, Leonidas chose a much less prorace of a panther As quickly, he wondered why he had coen had despised such conventions She had revelled in her fa to be noticed and aden had loved to shock evenhis had concluded his interest in her His hard-sculpted mouth flattened Ulti her funeral had presented a challenge and the fallout from that rare inner conflict had been explosive The past was past, however, and like regret, not a place Leonidas had ever been known to visit

Maribel nosed her elderly car into the parking space She was horribly late and in a fierce hurry At speed she re-angled the driving ripped between her teeth, attempted to put her hair up Neashed and still dath fall of chestnut was rebellious When the clip broke between her i the brush aside, she sers while siet out of the car Froone wrong Or perhaps the endless line of ht before, when her aunt Hermione had phoned to say dulcetly that she would quite understand if Maribel found it too difficult to attend the memorial service

Maribel had winced, gritted her teeth at that news and said nothing Over the past eighteen months her relatives had rata as far as they were concerned That had hurt, since Maribel cherished what family connections she had left Even so, she fully understood their reservations Not only had she never fitted the Stratton family mould, but she had also broken the rules of acceptance

Her aunt and uncle set great store on looks, ely important to them Nevertheless, when Maribel had been orphaned, her mother’s brother had immediately offered his eleven-year-old niece a hoe-conscious Stratton household Maribel had had to learn how to s in the beauty, size and grace stakes would awaken less censure and irritation Those years would have been bleak, had they not been enlivened by Ien and Maribel had had not the slightest thing in common, Maribel had become deeply attached to the cousin as three years her senior