by Loretta Hill
He threw a printed version of her work down on her desk. She noticed it was riddled with red marks. There was no greeting, he cut straight to the chase.
‘Work out the difference between “shall”, “must”, “may” and “will”.’
She cleared her throat. ‘I beg your pardon?’
‘As you should,’ he nodded. ‘You use the words interchangeably and they all have completely different legal meanings. This contract is riddled with contradictions as you have drafted it. It needs to be redone.’
‘But it’s due tomorrow.’
‘Then work late.’
A snigger sounded from across the room as he strode off.
She hoped his treatment of her didn’t have anything to do with her treatment of him regarding Tom’s fundraiser, which still had the occasion to plague her with guilt. She hadn’t found a good time to apologise yet. They always seemed to be too busy or there were others in the room to overhear. The last thing she wanted was more gossip circulating about her.
Her fear was realised a few minutes later when she went into the kitchen to make herself a cup of coffee and overheard a conversation that was obviously meant to reach her ears.
‘Oh, Anna,’ said one of the secretaries, leaning against the counter in front of the microwave with all the air of a soap star, ‘what shall I do? Where will I have dinner tonight?’
Anna had clearly caught on immediately by the size and slyness of her grin. She stirred her coffee and tossed her head. ‘Jennifer, you must figure it out soon. Or you may just starve.’
Both girls tittered shamelessly as they walked out of the room, holding their steaming mugs.
Great! Just great. I’m not just the family fraud, I’m also the butt of every joke.
Fifteen minutes before they were due in court, Sebastian turned up at her cubicle again.
‘It’s time to go,’ he said.
She was then caught in the uncomfortable scenario of having him watch her pack her briefcase. Already on the back foot, she couldn’t stop her fingers from trembling slightly as she picked up a couple of slim files and shoved them into a black bag. She hoped he didn’t notice, though she wouldn’t lay bets on it. Sebastian’s eye for detail was one of his many talents.
To her surprise, he broke the silence suddenly to say, ‘I rang the client after I spoke to you his morning and bought you two days.’
He said the words as though they were torn from him against his will, and her body stilled. As much as she appreciated the reprieve the last thing she wanted from Seb was pity or leniency.
She’d rather he hated her guts and think she was a sassy pain in his arse, like the day she’d been hired, than this. She lifted her chin and said, ‘Thanks, but I’ll get it done tonight. It’ll be on your desk tomorrow morning.’
He shrugged. ‘Suit yourself. Got everything?’
She slung the bag over her shoulder. ‘Yep.’
He gave her a long look and then said, ‘Well let’s go.’
Chapter 12
He could tell her that she didn’t have everything – that she was at least a file short – but where was the fun in that? Claudia Franklin had been a thorn in his side from the day they’d met.
What annoyed him the most about her was her vulnerable facade. She looked so soft. So small, petite and fragile, like butter wouldn’t melt in her pretty rosebud mouth.
Ha!
It would vaporise before it touched her tongue. She worked like a bull in Asian rice fields. It didn’t matter what landed on her back, she carried it.
And maybe not as well as he would like just yet, but her legs (pretty as they were) hadn’t buckled under the pressure and he couldn’t be sure they ever would. As fragile as she looked on the surface, her insides were clearly lined with steel.
She was desperate to be a lawyer – a good one. Her determination was so potent he could smell it on her. And, frankly, the aroma was as familiar as his own skin.
So much for proving Claudia Franklin was a flake.
The girl did not give up.
She didn’t cry either, which was damned strange. There was more than one female lawyer he’d brought to tears, and a few clients too, because his expectations were so high.
But not her.
She just kept going like a freight train.
Those blue eyes, that feminine honey-coloured hair that framed her pretty face. It gave him a pain in the chest he didn’t recognise. No woman of her stamina should be so physically perfect. Her fragility was all a hoax. There was nothing he could undermine about Claudia Franklin. And it wasn’t to say he hadn’t tried.
After all, he had his pride.
‘Really putting her through the wringer, aren’t you?’ Juliet had said to him that morning after his run-in with Claudia over the Cornwall contract.
Juliet was the only woman he permitted to walk into his office without announcement or appointment. And the only person, with the exception of Cyril, who was allowed to say anything even remotely disparaging to him. She knew far too many of his secrets for him to hold her to account for anything. The problem with secretaries was they were the person you spent the most time with. They witnessed it all and they knew everything about you. Your achievements, your faults, your failings and … the things you coveted the most.
He looked up. ‘I assume you’re talking about Claudia Franklin.’
‘I’ve never known you to bully the juniors. That’s more Jeffery’s style.’
He winced. Jeffery Langton was a good lawyer, though hardly brilliant. He had been passed over for promotion year after year before finally making partner in the property team. His career struggle had made him merciless to his junior solicitors, paralegals and outside clerks, whom he believed should suffer as much as he had.
‘You think I was too hard on her this morning?’
Juliet shrugged. ‘Not at all. You just didn’t need to do it in public. The other lawyers are having a field day with it.’
He swore inwardly. That hadn’t been intentional. He didn’t mind setting a hard pace for Claudia but he certainly didn’t want anyone else doing it.
‘Oh well,’ Juliet shrugged again. ‘As you’ve said, she’s Cyril’s niece. Her reputation will survive it.’
It was true. He had said that, at one point. Was it yesterday or the day before? He couldn’t remember. His backing up of her story had taken on a life of its own. When he’d encouraged Nelson not to keep quiet about her lie, he’d done it for revenge. He knew word would get out and the speculation would start. He had wanted to make her nervous, see her flounder under the anticipation of discovery.
Yet somewhere between starting the cutting remarks and actually hearing them he’d lost the stomach for it. He had been unable to watch Anna trying to lay siege to Claudia on her third day and, knowing his endorsement would carry some weight, he had given it. Now he found himself constantly confirming her identity to his peers even though he didn’t believe a word of it himself.
What’s the matter with you, Seb?
Just yesterday he’d told Scott Cooper that Claudia had been at Cyril’s daughter’s wedding.
And on Tuesday, he’d told a secretary that Cyril had been so happy his niece was joining the team he’d kissed her.
But why should he!
You’re an accessory to this lie if you don’t shut up!
You’re not only supporting her game, now you’re bloody playing it.
The thought had kept him up late the night before, making him toss and turn in his empty bed. Her angelic smile taunting him as he finally fell into sleep.
Let her boat sink naturally, it’s no responsibility of yours.
Only it was. For some reason, he couldn’t think of Claudia Franklin as anything but his responsibility. So if her little boat on rocky water did sink … God help him, he wanted it to be on his watch.
Was it a perverse need to see her sweat?
Or a desire to shield her from other’s eyes?
He had no i
dea, but it was exactly why he had decided to take her to the Perth District Court with him that morning, because if there was any day in the calendar to call Claudia’s bluff, this was certainly it. Although now he wasn’t too sure if the test he had picked for her wasn’t too much. Perhaps, at the very least, she deserved to be warned.
They took the lift to the lobby and then exited the building to make the short journey on foot. It was only a block away from Hanks and Eddings. He strode with purpose, hands buried deep in his pockets. Her heels clicked on the pavement beside him, two strides for every one of his.
He knew he should slow down but the urge to put Claudia through her paces yet again was undeniable. He had fully intended to complete the journey in silence. But of course she was having none of that.
‘I’m glad we have a minute alone.’ She licked her lips. ‘There’s been something I’ve been meaning to say to you.’
Here we go.
He gave her no opening and continued to remain silent. As predicted she was unintimidated by this tactic that he used to unsettle the most hardened of businessmen.
‘I feel like I owe you an apology.’
That got his attention.
‘How so?’
‘The other day, in the lift. I think I bit your head off without just cause. You’re right, I don’t know anything about you or your past and I completely misconstrued what you said anyway.’
‘Yes,’ he agreed. ‘You did.’
‘So,’ she took a deep breath, ‘I’m really sorry.’
He blinked.
Lawyers were rarely upfront. And female lawyers, never! They always held their cards close to their chest, played the game until the last second. Knocked the ball into someone else’s court and waited. Otherwise, what did they have?
‘In the spirit of honesty …’ she began.
Honesty.
Yes, well, he supposed there was that, but last time he checked it was seriously out of fashion. Women, particularly, loved to keep him guessing. That was exactly why he specialised in flings, not long-term relationships.
‘Cyril told me about your mum.’
Seriously?
‘He shouldn’t have,’ he said bluntly. That man was really starting to get on his nerves.
‘Well, I’m glad he did,’ Claudia said slowly, her soft tones playing havoc with his nervous system. ‘It’s helped me to understand you better.’
The last thing he wanted was Claudia understanding him better. He never let anyone, let alone a woman ten years his junior, that close to him.
‘I hope you feel enlightened.’
‘I feel ashamed,’ she admitted. ‘You of all people would know what it’s like to have your family torn apart and I just rattled off the other day like I know everything –’
He stopped her with a hand in the air. ‘Don’t try to turn my life into a soap opera, Claudia. What happened to me happened a long time ago. I was a child. I’ve moved past it since then.’
‘But it’s clearly left scars.’
He laughed. ‘I wouldn’t go that far.’
‘You’re obviously uncomfortable talking about it.’
‘That’s because,’ he eyeballed her recklessly, ‘I’m talking about it with you.’
It was a mistake to look in her eyes. It took all his willpower to tear his gaze away again.
‘You don’t like me.’ She shrugged. ‘I get that. But I’m hoping that will change … in time. Because despite everything, Seb, I really admire you. I want to do well in this job. I want you to be proud of me.’
The way she said those words, the shortened version of his name on her lips, made the hairs on the back of his neck rise. His heart flipped over in his chest and his fingers clenched tightly in the pockets of his pants. The temptation to let her in was so strong.
He sighed. ‘What do you want from me, Claudia?’
‘Your friendship.’
‘I don’t have female friends.’
‘It shows.’
‘Do you think that because you’re Cyril’s niece you can say anything you want to me and get away with it?’
She reddened and he knew he’d struck home. Could it be possible that Claudia was more ashamed of Cyril’s mistake than happy about it?
Unlikely.
So he decided to remind her about why she should be. ‘I wonder what would happen if Cyril discovered, just for the sake of argument, that his cousin Adriana never had a daughter called Claudia Franklin. What then?’
‘What happened next would be up to Cyril,’ she said quietly, unable to meet his eyes, as well she should.
‘Friendship, Claudia, requires trust. And I don’t trust you as far as I could throw you.’
Her head snapped up like a mouse trap. ‘If that’s what you believe, then why did you tell Anna that I was telling the truth, or Julie for that matter, or Scott Cooper? Why did you tell Helen in payroll if she wanted advice for her wedding she should ask me because I’d been to all the Eddingses’ fancy do’s?’
His jaw dropped at her sudden undercut that had squarely hit its mark. The smart-arsed little –
You walked straight into that one, my friend.
Her sucker punch had not only left him winded but strangely aroused. Her face was flushed with indignity, her eyes so startlingly bright in her delicate face that he just wanted to grab it between his palms and kiss her senseless. That would shut her up if nothing else. He shook the sensation away. The last thing he needed to feel for Claudia on top of everything else was attraction, particularly on a crowded street in the middle of Perth’s central business district.
Come on man, get a grip.
‘What’s the matter, Seb?’ she demanded silkily. ‘Nothing to add?’
‘You are playing a very dangerous game, Claudia,’ he warned.
‘That’s why,’ she patted his arm, ‘I’m so happy to be playing it with you.’
He ignored the way her touch electrified his skin. It was time to teach this brass-faced fool a little lesson.
Game on.
The misgivings he’d had earlier that morning about today’s session in court evaporated. In fact, he was going to take it up a notch.
‘I think you should handle this next case on your own.’
‘Really, you’d let me do that?’
His mouth hardened. ‘I think you’ve proven that you’re ready for it.’
‘Thank you.’
By now they had reached the district court and he stepped ahead of her again to pull open one of the double glass doors. ‘It’s all yours.’
She walked in first, taking in the ambience of the slick modern decor, her nerves pricking slightly at the commitment she’d just made.
You just can’t help yourself, can you, Claudia?
You shouldn’t have spoken to him like that.
Throwing down the gauntlet had been a bad move, especially when all she’d really wanted to do was clear the air. After all, it had never been her intention to work for anyone under false pretences. She thought that if she’d just told him how much the job meant to her, he might have a little more understanding.
But no, of course not. He was as stubborn as a bull and even less forgiving. She had faults, but so did he! That’s why she’d lost her temper. Yes, in a moment of weakness she’d let Cyril’s mistake slide, but only because Sebastian had incensed her so much with his complete and utter dismissal of her skills as a lawyer. She’d wanted to put him in his place. It had been so nice to have someone on her side – someone who completely outranked him. She had never expected it to blow up to these epic proportions.
What are you going to do, Claudia?
Everybody was talking about it. Was she or wasn’t she an Eddings? It seemed unclear how she was supposed to move on from here. She needed this job, for herself but also to help Bronwyn. Her best friend had organised crime after her, and she was counting on Claudia to find a way to bring a dog-fighting ring to justice before they found out where she was.
Geez, Cla
udia, you don’t set yourself hard enough tasks, do you?
She could not see any suitable course of action. It was lose–lose no matter what angle she looked at it from.
Tell the truth: people gossip, lose reputation, job in jeopardy.
Uphold lie: people gossip, lose reputation, job in jeopardy.
Maybe it was only a matter of time.
He’s not going to let what you said to him go, you know.
You wounded his pride.
Nobody made a fool out of Sebastian Rowlands and this was the third time she’d done it. She didn’t think she could trust his sudden desire for her to handle the next case alone. However, as usual, her enthusiasm got the better of her. Maybe she could allay his suspicions by doing well on this case.
They walked across a wide foyer, heading for the designated meeting room. Their client, Bill McCarthy of McCarthy and Sons, was waiting outside for them. He smiled in greeting, rubbing his hands together.
‘I have a good feeling about today,’ he said. Claudia hoped his optimism was a positive omen.
Of all the cases Sebastian had given her, it definitely seemed the least complicated. They were representing an accounting firm who were suing Perth Domestics. This was a cleaning company who had damaged their office in Claremont by accidentally setting off the smoke alarm on the third floor. This, in turn, had activated the emergency sprinkler system, causing a burst pipe, fatal damage to their computer server and many work hours lost. The pre-trial conference was to discuss damages owing and perhaps settle the matter without going to trial, given the fault was so clear.
To Claudia it was a cut-and-dry case. It was obvious the cleaners had done the damage. It had occurred on their shift and security footage showed that they were the only ones in the building at the time. They were also the ones who had called McCarthy and Sons in the wake of the disaster, and their workers’ cigarette butts had been found in an ashtray in the boardroom the next day. Further investigation showed that the particular cleaners who had been on the job that night were migrants, unable to speak English and unused to practices outside their own country – such as not smoking in an office building.