“Darius, is it?” Ruth gave her a long look.
Patches of red appeared in Olivia’s cheeks. “Why would Mr. Reed go to all that trouble and then turn around and report us to the city?”
“I can think of one reason. Vincent Walcott.”
“But what would his boss gain from another inspection?”
Ruth rose and smoothed her skirt. “Mr. Walcott will go to any length to get what he wants. He likely hopes that the building will fail the exam, and the inspector will force a closure of the home. Mr. Walcott probably imagines that I would then be disheartened enough to sell him my house.” She squared her shoulders. “That will never happen. I’d sell to anyone but him if I had to.”
A throat cleared behind them. “Mrs. Bennington?”
Ruth turned to see the inspector in the doorway, cap in his hand. “Yes, Mr. Cameron. Have you finished?”
“For now. I will have to return tomorrow with a longer ladder to reach the highest point on the roof.”
Ruth gave him her best imperious stare. “The next time you plan a surprise inspection, Mr. Cameron, I suggest you come more prepared.”
The man literally squirmed under her disapproval. “If I’d known what I was getting into, I would have,” he muttered.
Ruth chose to ignore his comment. “What happens when you’re finished?” she asked. “Will I be privy to what you report back to the city?”
“Yes, ma’am. I will discuss my findings with you when I’m done. I’ll let you know any issues I discovered and the steps needed to pass the next inspection.”
Ruth expelled a loud breath. “Very well, Mr. Cameron. I suppose that’s fair, though I don’t appreciate how this all came about. You must know that we just had an inspection before our home opened.”
He shrugged. “That may be true, but if a complaint is made, we have no choice but to follow up.”
“I think I should be allowed to know the person responsible for this. Was it Mr. Simmons across the road?”
The man’s expression became guarded. “Even if I knew, I’m not at liberty to say.”
Olivia appeared at her elbow. “What happens if we fail the inspection, Mr. Cameron?”
He lifted one shoulder. “Unless it’s something insurmountable that necessitates the immediate closure of the house, you’ll be given the opportunity to make the necessary changes in order to pass another inspection.”
“How extensive do you think that might be?” Olivia blinked at him with wide eyes.
The man’s face became flushed under Olivia’s keen attention. “Well, Miss Rosetti, I’m not supposed to divulge anything until the report is complete, but so far the issues I’ve found appear quite minor. As long as the roof is in decent shape, you should have no problem making the repairs.”
Olivia smiled. “That’s a relief. Thank you, Mr. Cameron.” She gave Ruth a subtle wink.
It seemed the old saying was true. You could catch more flies with honey rather than vinegar. Perhaps Ruth could take a lesson from her petite partner.
14
Olivia strained her neck to look up at the skyscraper in front of her. Though she’d seen many tall buildings downtown before, she’d never actually been in one. But today she intended to confront Mr. Reed at his office and find out exactly what he was up to.
Had his interest in learning more about the home and his gallantry helping with the leak all been a ruse? Or had it been his boss’s underhanded tactics to call in a complaint without telling him?
On the way up in the elevator, Olivia gave herself a stern talking-to. No matter how handsome she found Mr. Reed, no matter how kind or sincere he seemed, she knew better than to let herself be swayed. The residents at the home were her priority, and she would make sure that Walcott Industries knew that she and Ruth would not be trifled with.
The elevator doors opened, and she stepped out into a modern-looking reception area.
“Hello,” she greeted a well-groomed receptionist. “I’d like to speak with Mr. Reed, please.”
The woman smiled. “Do you have an appointment?”
“No. But I’m sure if you tell him Miss Rosetti is here, he’ll see me.”
“One moment, miss.” The woman headed down the hall.
Seconds later, she returned. “Mr. Reed says to go on in. Third door up ahead.”
“Thank you.” Olivia pulled herself up tall and headed for the office, heels tapping the tiles as she walked.
As she reached the door, Darius appeared in the opening, buttoning his suit jacket.
He smiled. “Olivia. To what do I owe this unexpected pleasure?”
She drew in a breath and braced herself against the lure of those enticing dimples. “I need a word with you in private, if you don’t mind.”
“Of course. Come in.”
She entered an immaculate room dominated by a large desk. Framed artwork decorated the walls, while picture windows overlooked the cityscape below.
She took a seat in one of the guest chairs.
“I hope the plumber was able to fix the leak after I left.” Darius resumed his place behind the desk.
“He was. And he didn’t charge us for his time, seeing that he had failed to secure the pipe correctly in the first place.”
“That’s good news.” He leaned forward on his desk. “So, what brings you by Walcott Industries?”
Steeling herself against his appeal, she gave him a serious stare. “I need to ask you a question, and I’d like an honest answer.”
His dark brows rose, but he nodded. “Go ahead.”
She squeezed her hands around the handle of her purse. “Did you call in a complaint to the city in order to initiate an inspection of our home?”
His features froze. Then a tiny muscle in his jaw ticked. “Yes.” His gaze slid to the desktop, his expression pained.
Her back stiffened against the chair as disappointment shot through her. “Why would you do such a thing? You knew what caused the leak. There was no need to involve the city.” She pressed her lips firmly together to keep them from betraying her. How could he have been so helpful at the time, only to use their misfortune against them?
Yet why was she surprised? Had anyone in her life ever acted in her best interest?
No, they’d all done whatever they wanted, no matter how it affected her. Rory had left for the war, despite her repeated pleas to stay. Then, in her time of greatest need, her father had banished her, and her mother had sided with him. Not one person had ever put her needs first.
Why would Darius Reed be any different?
“I know it’s no excuse,” he said, “but my boss has assigned me the task of getting Mrs. Bennington to sell her house at any cost. I was trying to find the least . . . harmful way to go about that.” He gave a sheepish shrug. “I figured if the home failed an inspection, Mrs. Bennington might accept Mr. Walcott’s generous offer and open a facility somewhere else.”
Olivia drew in a shaky breath. “Did you ever once consider how that would affect the women living at Bennington Place? How upsetting it would be for everyone?”
He hung his head. “No, I didn’t.”
“Not only that, you pretended to be interested in the home when you were actually there as a spy. You lied to me—to all of us.” She rose on unsteady legs, attempting to corral her anger. “Bennington Place might be just a building to you, Mr. Reed, but to the women who live there, it’s their sanctuary. Their place of refuge when they have nowhere else to go. How could you be so cruel?” Despite her best efforts, her chin quivered. She blinked hastily and headed to the door. With her hand on the knob, she turned. “We will pass the inspection, Mr. Reed. And we will stay open.”
She marched out into the hallway, almost crashing into an attractive blond woman coming toward her.
“Olivia, wait.” Darius’s voice sounded behind her. “Please let me make it up to you.”
She rounded on him. “You can do that by leaving us alone.”
He came to an abrupt hal
t. His mouth opened, but no words came out.
Olivia jabbed the elevator button, relieved when the doors opened in front of her. She entered and quickly hit the button for the ground floor. When she looked up, all she saw was the anguish on Darius Reed’s face as the doors slid closed.
Darius punched his fist into the wall beside the elevators, self-loathing seeping through his pores. The hurt on Olivia’s face ripped through his insides like a blade.
She was right. He hadn’t been honest in his intentions, feigning interest in the home in order to find something he could possibly use to achieve his goal. He’d never fully considered the ramifications of shutting down the operation. He was only worried about obtaining the property for Walcott Industries and how that would benefit him.
He rubbed a hand over his face. How utterly selfish could he be?
“Darius? What on earth was that about?”
Meredith? In all the confusion, he hadn’t even noticed her. With supreme effort, he pushed back all the negative emotions and pasted on a neutral expression. “I’m sorry, Meredith. I didn’t see you there.” He walked over to kiss her cheek.
But she scowled at him. “Who was that woman? And why did she tell you to leave her alone?”
Stress beat a pounding refrain through his temple. “It’s a business matter. Nothing to worry about.” He took her by the elbow to guide her back to his office, away from the curious gazes of the receptionist and other staff members who’d come out to see what the commotion was about.
The tight press of her lips told him he would have to work hard to restore her good mood.
“That didn’t sound like a business problem,” she said as he closed his door. She crossed her arms, her forehead pinched. “It seemed personal to me.”
Darius released a breath. “Miss Rosetti is upset because Walcott Industries is trying to buy her property.” Not entirely accurate, but close enough. “Please ignore that unpleasant episode and tell me why you’re here.”
Mistrust still vibrating from her, Meredith perched on the edge of the chair Olivia had just vacated. Her mouth was pressed into a hard line, and her foot tapped an agitated refrain on the tiled floor.
He could almost see her working to tamp down her suspicion.
At last, she gave a stiff smile. “Actually, I came to see if we could take Sofia on an outing tonight. Now that we’re engaged, I thought she should get to know me before the wedding.”
“The wedding?” Darius struggled to focus on the change in topic, his emotions still reeling from his encounter with Olivia.
Meredith’s thin brows rose. “Weddings generally follow engagements, Darius. And I don’t see why we should put it off.”
Surprised, he studied her. He’d thought he’d have to work hard to get her to agree to a quick wedding. “Is this still about beating your sister to the punch? Or is there another reason for your hurry?”
Her lashes fluttered down. “It is about Sissy. Once she has her debut, all my family’s attention will be focused on her. Call me vain, but I’d like to get married before she steals my spotlight.”
Though Darius suspected there might be more to it than that, he couldn’t deny that Meredith’s desire for a short engagement could work well with his plan to be married before the fall. He came around to lean against the desk. “I’m glad you feel that way,” he said. “I was hoping to get married before Sofia starts school in September, so she’ll have a mother and a father like the other children in her class.”
Meredith’s expression turned thoughtful. “Were you thinking the end of August, then?”
“Yes. Could you be ready that soon?”
He couldn’t help but recall his wedding to Selene—her homemade dress, her flowers from the garden, the small reception in the church basement. Meredith would never settle for anything so ordinary. But a big society wedding could take months of preparations.
She tilted her head, the brim of her jaunty red hat dipping over one eye. “What would you say if I wanted to get married sooner?”
“Sooner?” Wow. He hadn’t expected that. “I suppose it could be arranged.”
She entwined her fingers with his. “How about the beginning of August?”
His mouth fell open. “That’s only a few weeks away.”
She laughed and got to her feet, looping her hands around his neck. “I know it sounds crazy, but I’m just so eager to be your wife. I don’t want to wait a moment longer.” Then without warning, she planted her lips on his.
Her passionate embrace overruled any trace of unease that had arisen at her surprising declaration. Could it be as simple as that? She loved him and wanted to start sharing his life as soon as possible?
A door slamming in the outer office brought Darius’s attention crashing back to his surroundings and the fact that this was highly inappropriate behavior for the workplace. He gently set her away from him with a smile. “You have a point. There’s not much difference between the beginning of August or the end. It would give us more time to settle in as a family.”
She clapped her hands. “Thank you, Darius. I can hardly wait to tell Daddy. He’ll be thrilled.”
“I hope so.” He got to his feet, more than a little bemused by the whirlwind events. “Why don’t we take Sofia out for some ice cream tonight?” That way, Meredith wouldn’t have to deal with his mother’s scrutiny just yet. Because once Mamá learned he intended to marry this girl, she’d be all over Meredith like honey on baklava.
“That sounds like fun.” She kissed his cheek. “I’d better let you get back to work.” With a wave, she sashayed out of his office.
Darius raked a hand over his jaw and sank onto his chair, unable to fully comprehend everything that had just happened.
In a matter of weeks, he would be getting married again. Yet, the enormity of that news paled in comparison to his regret over the hurt he’d caused Olivia. With a loud exhale, he picked up his pen and tapped it on his blotter. Somehow he needed to find a way to make it up to her and earn her forgiveness.
He couldn’t bear to be another reason for the pain he always saw in her eyes.
15
Olivia twirled a pencil in her hand as she watched Ruth pore over the ledger.
Seated behind the desk, her reading glasses perched on her nose, Ruth shook her head. “This doesn’t look good, does it?”
“I’m afraid not. And now with Mr. Cameron’s report saying we need major repairs to the roof, I don’t see how we’ll be able to come up with that large sum on top of all our other expenses.” Olivia gave Ruth a searching look, praying that maybe the widow had another bank account with a large balance, enough to tide them over until this bad spell had passed. She still couldn’t figure out how the problem with the roof had been missed on the first inspection, unless Mr. Cameron had been more thorough than the initial inspector.
Ruth removed her glasses and rubbed the bridge of her nose. “I suppose I could go back to the bank, but I doubt that will help. When I got the funds to cover the renovations, the manager was already apprehensive about loaning me the money. I hate to have to approach him again so soon.”
Olivia’s lungs deflated. She hadn’t realized that Ruth had already borrowed money for the remodeling. What were they going to do now?
“This is all my fault.” Olivia got up to pace the room. “If I hadn’t dragged you into this, you wouldn’t be in this mess.” Not only was the home at risk of closing, which would put the residents out on the streets, but Ruth could potentially be forced to sell the house that had been in the Bennington family for years. Would Walcott succeed in gaining the property after all?
“Olivia, please don’t despair. As a famous American general once said, ‘I have only begun to fight.’” Ruth gave a tight smile. “We need to collect some of the money promised by our donors and perhaps target a few new ones.” She tapped a pencil to her lips. “Let me make some phone calls and see what I can come up with.”
Olivia nodded. “All right. I’ll work
on more ways to reduce our expenses.” Thankfully they’d already purchased the supplies for the nursery, including several bassinets, baby clothing, and diapers. “Do you think we should tell the residents about this?”
“Not just yet. We don’t want them to worry unnecessarily.”
“What about the midwife? When will she need to be paid?”
Ruth had managed to secure a local woman named Mrs. Dinglemire, who had many years of experience. They had paid a retainer to engage her services, but she had yet to meet with the residents individually, and some were getting fairly close to their due dates.
“We have a few more weeks until then,” Ruth said. “And even so, we should be able to pay her salary. It’s the bigger outlay of cash for the roof that concerns me.”
The doorbell rang.
Please, no more bad news. Olivia didn’t think she could take one more setback. “I’ll get it.”
Still consumed by their financial woes, Olivia opened the door. Her mood deteriorated even more at the sight of the man on the doorstep.
“What do you want, Mr. Reed?” she said in her iciest tone.
He pulled off his hat and held it to his chest, a pleading expression in his eyes. “I want to apologize again, Miss Rosetti. Won’t you allow me to explain?”
She hesitated, hating that even after everything he’d done, she still had a hard time saying no to the man. “Very well. You have five minutes.”
“Thank you. You’re more than gracious.” He stepped inside and, without waiting for an invitation, moved straight into the parlor.
She ground her molars together and followed him. “I don’t see what more there is to discuss. You want this house, and we aren’t selling. No matter what manner of tricks you come up with.”
He had the grace to look ashamed. “I do feel terrible about what I did. And about how it must seem like I was deceiving you.”
“Seem like?” Olivia swept across the carpet. “You were spying on us, Mr. Reed, for your own selfish purposes, trying to find something to use against us.”
“I guess in the back of my mind I hoped I might discover something that would aid my cause. But I honestly did want to learn more about your facility, and the more I learned, the more I came to admire what you’re doing here.” He shook his head. “What you said yesterday made me see how horribly selfish I’ve been not even considering the women who live here. I assumed Mrs. Bennington would sell this house and buy another, not taking into account the huge disruption to everyone’s lives.”
A Haven for Her Heart Page 12