When the music stopped, applause thundered around them. It was like a spell had broken. Amy placed her hand over Sam’s, which was still lingering at her hip– his arm wound around her so she was pressed close into his side.She wanted to stay there forever, to melt into him completely.
‘Sam,’ she said, ‘I need to talk to you.Please.’
‘I have to go,’ he said, looking as dazed as she felt but twisting away from her.
On the far side of the floor was Tilly, stood among an array of cameras, clapping and cheering.
Chapter 29
Amy felt like the bottom had dropped out of her world. Everything was slipping away– sinking into an abyss– and she found she didn’t care. She wanted to go with it.
She felt like howling.Screaming. But before her misery could find voice, she felt a smart tap on her shoulder. It was Carolyn.
‘I never thought I’d see the day,’ she said. ‘Amy Perry in Regency costume, dancing for an audience.’
‘Carolyn,’ Amy said, recovering some composure, ‘of course you were going to see the day. You literallymademe do this.’
‘That’s a fair point,’ Carolyn nodded. ‘In any case, you were very good.Bothof you were very good. You looked wonderful together.’
Amy flushed, then felt sick at the memory of Sam leaving her side for Tilly’s.
‘I’ll find you once Philippa’s talk is over,’ Carolyn said, reclaiming her attention. ‘I have an update on Torch and H-K that’s pertinent to your decision about whether or not to stay on.’
Amy nodded. No doubt the ‘Hugh is the new CEO’ announcement was imminent. According to him– and out of sheer spite, rather than any sort of business sense– that spelled an end for the imprint this event had so successfully launched.
Up on stage, Amy introduced Philippa. Within seconds the author had her audience sitting in spellbound silence, lapping up insights into her writing process, hints about the content of her new novel and gossip about a possible TV adaptation ofAnd So We Meet Again. Philippa was garrulous and down to earth– the perfect headline speaker on a day that celebrated reading for sheer pleasure.
She took questions, then sincerely thanked her army of fans for coming to see her. As they drifted off to make their final purchases from the few stalls that remained open, Philippa descended from the stage and Carolyn reappeared.
‘Have we got some news for you, bab!’ Philippa gushed.
Carolyn made an exasperated face. ‘Let’s find somewhere to sit down, shall we?’
She led them to one of the temporary picnic tables that had been set up for RomFest visitors to rest, eat and drink at, then said: ‘Right. I won’t beat about the bush.’
When do you ever? Amy thought.
‘It’s no secret that I don’t see eye to eye with H-K’s incoming CEO, and so I’ve parted ways with the firm.’
‘You’ve resigned? Quit?’
‘In a blaze of glory,’ Carolyn smiled. ‘And I’d like you to come with me, if you’re keen.’
‘Come … where?’ Amy asked.
‘Well, I should say withus,’ Carolyn corrected herself. ‘Philippa and I are setting up an independent house. We’re both investing. Taking what began as Torch and expanding it.’
Amy was struggling to take this in.
‘But how can you pick up the authors I’ve signed to H-K, take them with you and get away with it all?’ she asked. ‘Aren’t there contracts in place? Doesn’t H-K own all the manuscripts I bought? There must be legal issues that can’t be got over without a fight … I mean, you’re going to get the arses sued off you, surely?’
‘Oh, I don’t think so,’ Philippa said with satisfaction.
‘No,’ Carolyn confirmed. ‘Let’s just say I’ve been at H-K plenty long enough to know where the bodies are buried– and believe me, there are a lot. The place is steeped in nepotism, which is deeply irritating but also leads to incompetent handling of appointments, financial and HR issues. Hugh’s treatment of you these past few months has beenbeyondunprofessional– and that’s just the tip of the iceberg.’
‘God,’ Amy said, gulping. ‘We’re not talking about abuse, or assaults or anything, are we?’
She thought better of Carolyn than to sit on something like this, but had to ask.