Feeling claustrophobic in her dim corner and too tormented by her own fears to stay still, Hope wandered off into the next room. Only then did she appreciate that her eyes were awash with tears. Ashamed of her lack of self-control, she hurried on in her exploration of the big, crowded house, afraid that if she lingered anywhere someone would notice that her emotions had got on top of her. A sob was clogging up her throat. She wished she had never come to the party. She felt duly punished for daring to crave what she had naively believed would be an important stepping stone in her relationship with Andreas. Finding herself alone in a quiet branch corridor, she paused, listened outside a solid panelled door and, reassured by the silence within, pressed down the handle.

The door creaked wide on a low-lit room and a startling spectacle. Andreas's sister, Elyssa, was passionately kissing a dark-haired man, who bore no resemblance whatsoever to her husband, Finlay Southwick.

Consternation momentarily froze Hope on the threshold. Shocked eyes veiling, she pulled the door closed again in a nerveless harried movement and sucked in air to steady herself. But before she could even breathe out again and move on, the door flew open again to reveal Elyssa.

'Don't you dare tell Andreas!' the young Greek woman hissed in a tempestuous mix of revealing fear and fury. 'If this gets back to my brother, I'll know who to blame and I'll destroy you!'

Barely able to credit the extent of the other woman's aggression, Hope murmured tightly, 'There's no need to threaten me-'

'There's every need,' Elyssa condemned furiously. 'What were you doing snooping? Did you follow me in here?'

'Of course I didn't!' Hope protested in disbelief. 'I wasn't snooping either. I was just looking for somewhere quiet where I could sit down. I thought the room was empty-'

'Did you really?' Elyssa sneered.