think.â
Ella Mae could feel the younger woman trembling. âOf course. But canât I do something for you now?â She thought of the hostile glare Robert Morgan had given his wife as sheâd left the dance floor. âDo you feel threatened?â
âEveryone here faces the same threat,â Eira said grimly. âMy people and yours too. Weâre all in terrible, terrible danger.â
Chapter 3
After uttering this chilling statement, Eira saw her husband beckoning and hurried away to join him.
Ella Mae watched as Robert Morgan took his wifeâs hand in his own and gave her a reptilian smile. His eyes were still dark with fury and Ella Mae could tell that he was squeezing Eiraâs hand too hard. His knuckles had gone white with the effort and her pretty mouth twisted in pain.
âThat bastard.â Ella Mae pushed her way toward the couple, intent on rescuing Eira from another second of abuse, but Opal suddenly appeared in front of Robert, a waiter on her heels.
âI tracked down a platter of Thai shrimp just for you,â she said and shot a quick glance at Eira. âMrs. Morgan, your husband will probably need something to drink. I believe the caterers made these even spicier than the previous batch.â
Releasing Eira, Robert said, âA member of your household generously offered me whiskey from Mr. Gaynorâs personal supply. I was told to help myself from the decanter in his office.â He gave his wife a tight, cold grin. âDo you think you could find it for me, dear?â
Eira nodded rapidly and hurried off.
âAm I taking liberties?â Robert asked Opal, whose hostess smile had slipped at the mention of her husbandâs whiskey.
She recovered quickly, however. âOf course not. Youâre welcome to anything you find within these walls.â
Clearly appeased by her solicitousness, Robert eyes roamed up and down Opalâs formfitting dress. âA man does long for the best.â His gaze lingered on her décolletage. âYour husband is a very lucky man.â
âHe is. And he knows it,â Opal said, an unusual hint of playfulness in her voice.
âTraveling for three weeks,â Robert went on. âQuite a lengthy business trip. He trusts you to look after everything while heâs away?â
Ella Mae saw a flash of annoyance cross Opalâs face. Either Robert Morgan didnât realize that Opal ran the family business or he preferred to pretend that her husband was in charge. âWeâre quite accustomed to being apart,â Opal said airily. âIâve heard it said that a marriage works better when one spends time away from oneâs spouse. For Jarvis and I, thatâs certainly proven to be the case. We have our personal ventures and those activities often prevent us from spending a great deal of time together, but when we do, we have a great deal to talk about.â
Robert raised his brows. âThen you subscribe to the âabsence makes the heart grow fonderâ adage? Perhaps itâs true, but in my experience, distance encourages . . . indiscretion. I like to know where Eira is and what sheâs doing at all times. Who could blame me? Sheâs a beautiful woman. I see the way men look at her. Theyâd kill to be leaving this party with her tonight. But she belongs to me.â He popped a shrimp in his mouth.
Smiling politely, Opal excused herself, saying she had to check on her other guests. Robert Morgan murmured something and continued to gorge on shrimp. He then pivoted his wheelchair to better focus on the dancers, and since Eira had yet to return, Ella Mae decided to resume her search for Suzy.
She found her friend in the dining room, filling a plate with slices of beef tenderloin, roast turkey, smoked salmon, and roasted vegetables.
âYouâve worked up a healthy appetite, I see,â Ella Mae teased.
Suzy paused in the middle of digging into