The Villa

the room behind her and started to turn. "Gina?"
    A vicious shove sent her flying back. Her heels skidded, lost purchase on the terrace floor. She caught a blur of movement as she fell. And when her head hit the stone of the rail, she saw nothing but an explosion of light.

CHAPTER TWENTY
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    Tyler decided to finish off his evening by dancing with Tereza. She felt small but reassuringly sturdy in her beaded gown. Her hand was dry and cool in his.
    "Why aren't you exhausted?" he asked her.
    "I will be, when the last guest leaves."
    Over her head, he scanned the room. Too many people still left, he thought, and it was already after midnight. "We could start booting them out."
    "Unfailingly gracious. I like that about you." When he grinned down at her, she studied him carefully. "None of this means anything to you."
    "Of course it does. The vineyards—"
    "Not the vineyards, Tyler." She gestured toward the terrace doors, the lights, the music. "This, the fancy clothes, the inane chatter, the wash of gilt."
    "Not a damn thing."
    "But you come, for your grandfather."
    "For my grandfather, and for you, La Signora. For… the family. If it didn't matter, I'd have taken a hike last year when you reorganized my life."
    "You haven't quite forgiven me for that." She chuckled.
    "Not quite." But he shifted her hand and, in a rare gallant gesture, kissed her knuckles.
    "If you'd walked away, I'd have found a way to bring you back. I'd have made you sorry, but I'd have brought you back. You're needed here. I'm going to tell you something, because your grandfather won't."
    "Is he sick?" Tyler missed a step as he turned his head to seek out Eli in the crowd.
    "Look at me. At me," she said with quiet intensity. "I'd rather he didn't know what we're speaking of."
    "Has he seen a doctor? What's wrong with him?"
    "He is sick—but in his heart. Your father called him."
    "What does he want? Money?"
    "No, he knows he'll get no more money." She would have kept it to herself. She detested passing burdens. But the boy, she'd decided after much thought, had a right to know. A right to defend his own, even against his own. "He's outraged. The recent problems, the scandals are interfering with his social calendar and causing him, he claims, considerable embarrassment. Apparently the police have asked questions about him in the course of their investigation. He blames Eli."
    "He won't call again. I'll take care of it."
    "I know you will. You're a good boy, Tyler."
    He looked down at her again, forced a smile. "Am I?"
    "Yes, good enough. I wouldn't shift this burden to you, but Eli has a soft heart. This has bruised it."
    "I don't… have the soft heart."
    "Soft enough." She lifted her hand from his shoulder to his cheek. "I depend on you." When his face registered surprise she continued. "Does hearing that surprise you or frighten you?"
    "Maybe both."
    "Adjust." It was an order, smoothly given, as she stepped back from him. "Now, you're dismissed. Go find Sophia and lure her away."
    "She's not easily lured."
    "I imagine you can handle her. There aren't many who can. I haven't seen her for some time now. Go find her, take her mind off work for a few hours."
    And that, Tyler mused, was akin to a blessing. He wasn't sure that he wanted it. Didn't know what he planned to do with it. For the moment, he was going to tuck it away and follow the spirit of Tereza's order. Find Sophia, and escape.
    She wasn't in the ballroom or on the terrace. He avoided asking people if they'd seen her as that smacked too close to an eager idiot trying to find his date. Which he supposed was pretty much the case.
    Regardless, he prowled the wing, poking into a reception room where some of the guests had gathered to sit and chat. He found the Moores there, with James puffing on a cigar and Helen sipping tea while he discoursed on some ancient, landmark case. Linc and his date, who he thought had left an hour before, were either held hostage or enthralled on the sofa.
    "Ty, come on in. Have a cigar."
    "No, thanks. I'm just… La Signora asked me to find Sophia."
    "Haven't seen her for a while. Wow, look at the time." Linc surged to his feet, dragging Andrea to hers. "We've really got to go."
    "She might've gone downstairs, Ty," Helen offered. "To freshen up or catch her breath."
    "Yeah, right. I'll check."
    He started down, and ran into Pilar on the steps. "Your mother's wondering where Sophia is."
    "Isn't she upstairs?" Distracted, Pilar shook back her