Lark.â He hurried off into the crowd.
Amaryllis glanced at Lucas. âRye. Wasnât that the name of your partner?â
âJackson Rye. He was Calvin and Beatriceâs oldest son. Dillon is their youngest.â
Amaryllis frowned. âJackson Rye was killed at the start of the Western Islands Action, wasnât he? The news accounts called him a hero.â
âYes.â
âDid the family inherit their sonâs share of Lodestar Exploration?â
âThe Ryes are no longer involved with the company,â Lucas said bluntly. âI bought them out eight months after Jackson was killed.â
âI see.â
The Ryes had wanted nothing from Lodestar except money after Jackson was killed, Lucas reflected. They certainly hadnât wanted their quasi-adopted relative. Lucas had politely unadopted himself.
Two more people emerged from the crowd. They homed in on Lucas with the skill of experts. Several heads turned to follow the handsome, sleekly coiffed man. The extremely thin blonde at his side carried a camera.
Amaryllis made a tiny, excited sound. âIs that Nelson Burlton?â
âYeah. Try to contain yourself.â
âTrent.â Nelson came to a halt. âKnew youâd be around here somewhere. Hell of a crowd, huh?â He waved a manicured hand at his companion. âElaine Crew. Friend of mine. Photographer with the
New Seattle Times
. Here on assignment. Me, Iâm not working tonight.â
âAmaryllis Lark, friend of mine,â Lucas said.
Nelson Burlton turned the full power of his famous smile on Amaryllis. He held out his hand. âMiss Lark. A pleasure.â
âItâs wonderful to meet you in person. I feel as if I already know you.â Amaryllis blushed furiously. âI suppose everyone tells you that, donât they?â
Nelson winked. âHey, comes with the territory.â He turned back to Lucas. âI told Elaine here that Iâd talk you into letting her get a shot of you standing next to the display case. What dâye say?â
Elaine smiled. âIâd really appreciate it, Mr. Trent. My editor at the
Times
will be grateful.â
Finding himself cornered by reporters and photographers did not usually fill Lucas with delight, but tonight he was almost relieved by the interruption. He needed something to force his thoughts back to the business of the evening.
âWhy not?â Lucas said. He set the glass of watery punch down on a nearby table and waited with stoic patience while Elaine unsheathed her camera.
Just as she was about to snap the picture, Amaryllis slipped gracefully out of range.
âNo, wait, I want you in the shot, too, Miss Lark.â Elainelowered her camera and motioned Amaryllis back to stand beside Lucas. âPlease.â
Amaryllis shook her head politely but firmly. âI donât think that would be right. Mr. Trent is the one who found these wonderful relics. I had nothing to do with it.â
âBut youâre with Trent, arenât you?â Nelson gave Lucas a speculative glance. âSomeone said that you had recently registered with a marriage agency. I assumed that Miss Lark was a date.â
âShe is,â Lucas said.
âBut this is just an initial, get-acquainted date,â Amaryllis interjected hastily. âLucas and I hardly know each other.â She gave Lucas a meaningful look. âIsnât that right?â
Her determination not to be photographed standing next to him exacerbated Lucasâs simmering irritation. She was happy to gush over Madison Sheffield and Nelson Burlton, he thought, but she didnât want to appear in the newspapers with the man who had brought her to the party.
He gave her a deliberate smile. âIâm sure weâll be much better acquainted before the evening is over. After all, our agency claims to hit a perfect match on the first date ninety-four point six percent of the time.
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