“My colleague and I dissolved our partnership,” she said, choosing her words carefully. Despite the warm welcome she’d received, she was among strangers. How would they receive the news that Jonathan Speirs, the mousy little accountant who was her business associate and who took care of all the bookkeeping, had been arrested for fraud, money laundering and connections to organized crime, and that, because of their business connection, she herself had been thrown under suspicion of conspiracy?
Sebastian, she knew, would have a field day, and with some cause!
The trouble with cases like this, her lawyer had told her, when the magnitude of Jonathan’s criminal activities had first come to light, is that people tend to forget which one’s the guilty party and you both wind up being splattered with dirt. The police are pretty much convinced you’re not involved in Speirs’s activities, but you are a material witness, and I’d prefer you put as much distance between yourself and him as possible. It’s a good time for you to get out of town until the case goes to trial, which won’t be until after the summer.
Cynthia dipped the bowl of her sterling spoon into her chilled watercress soup. “Does that mean you’re working for someone else now, Lily?”
“No. I leased temporary premises from a friend so that I could honor promises I’d already made to do the flowers for several May and June weddings, but now that they’re over, my time’s my own.”
“So there’s no urgent reason for you to rush back to Vancouver?”
“Cynthia,” Hugo interrupted, pouring white wine into fine crystal stemware, “I thought we agreed not to pressure Lily into making any long-term decisions until she’s had a chance to get used to us.”
“Letting her know there’s no time limit on her stay isn’t pressure, Hugo darling,” she said lightly. “It’s telling her she’s family and this is her home. What’s so bad about that? Heaven knows, this house is big enough to accommodate one more!”
“Does Sebastian live here?” Lily asked, jumping at the chance to ask a question she’d had in mind ever since she met him.
“Not quite,” Hugo told her. “He lives in the old groom’s quarters above the stables, which lie quite a distance from the main house. We often don’t see him from one week to the next. The only one left at home is Natalie.”
Well that, at least, was a bonus! The idea of tripping over Sebastian every time she set foot out of her room held no appeal at all.
Noticing that she’d finished her soup, Cynthia passed her a platter of fat prawns. “Try some of these, Lily.”
“They look delicious, but I’ll pass, thanks.”
“You’re not hungry?”
“I thought I was,” she confessed, stifling an unladylike yawn, “but the sun and the wine are making me sleepy.”
“Then you must rest. Don’t blame the weather or the wine, dear. It’s all that traveling, and the dreadful time you had yesterday.” She put aside her napkin and stood up. “Come with me and I’ll show you to your room.”
She led Lily through the house and up the grand staircase. “Just let me know if there’s anything you need,” she said, standing back to allow her entrance to a large corner suite at the end of the upper hall.
“I can’t imagine there will be,” Lily said, taking in the luxury awaiting her. “This room is absolutely lovely, Cynthia.”
Cynthia permitted herself a small smile. “I like to keep things looking nice. If you need anything ironed before you dress for dinner, just let me know.”
So the family dressed for dinner! Grateful for the subtle hint and glad she’d brought along a couple of dressy out-fits, Lily thanked her, closed the door and set about exploring her new surroundings.
The suite was charming, with four tall windows draped in deep rose taffeta on two of the walls. One side offered a view of the gardens and the river. The other overlooked a swimming pool and, showing through the trees some distance away, the gabled roof of another, smaller building.
The walls were covered in pale pink silk, there were roses in a silver bowl on a small pedestal table next to an armchair upholstered in pale pink velvet, and on the Queen Anne desk in the corner. The off-white carpet was deep and luxurious, the bed an antique four-poster flanked by bow-fronted nightstands of similar vintage, the paintings on the walls exquisite flower prints mounted in gold leaf frames.
Double doors led to a large, equally opulent bathroom. “Good grief!” Lily exclaimed, standing on the threshold. “A person could hold a party in here and still have room to spare!”
She eyed the deep marble tub longingly, but decided to postpone the pleasure of bathing until after she’d taken a nap. Sebastian Caine was coming for dinner, and she wanted to be well rested before they squared off again. Shedding her sandals and dress, she climbed onto the bed, nestled against the soft feather pillows and took stock of the morning’s events.
Sebastian found his mother and sister on the terrace when he got to the main house that evening, but there was no sign of Hugo or Lily Talbot.
“Daddy took her off to the library,” Natalie informed him. “They’re probably talking about the past.”
“But you’ve met her?”
“Yes.”
“And?”
“I love her! She’s exactly the way I hoped she’d be—so pretty and nice and friendly. I really feel as if we’re sisters.”
Raising his brows, he glanced at his mother.
“Don’t look at me like that,” she said. “I happen to agree with Natalie. I know you’ve got your doubts, Sebastian, but Lily really does seem genuine. Although…”
“Although what?” Suspicions on full alert, he regarded her closely.
“She did mention, in a roundabout sort of way at lunch, that she’s out of work. But that isn’t necessarily significant.”
“You think not, do you?”
“Honestly, Sebastian!” Natalie scoffed. “You’re always looking for the worst in people!”
“And you’re always looking for the best—even when it’s obvious to everyone else that it isn’t to be found.”
She set her mouth in the stubborn cast he knew so well. “Oh, phooey! Why can’t you be like the rest of us and just take Lily at face value?”
“Because somebody around here has to dig beneath the surface.”
“Why? What’s she ever done to you that you’re so set against her?”
“It’s what she might do to you that worries me, Nat.”
She threw up her hands in disgust. “Such as what? Steal my jewelry when I’m not looking? Poison my food? This isn’t a fairy tale, and I’m not Cinderella at the mercy of a wicked stepsister. Your trouble is, you spend too much time around criminals, Sebastian. You need to get a life.”
“I’m a divorce lawyer,” he said, grinning at her outburst. Natalie had always been a spitfire when it came to defending anyone she perceived to be the underdog. “I don’t come across too many felons in my particular line of work, though there has been the odd one, I must admit. But I pride myself on being a pretty good judge of character.”
She snorted disparagingly. “If you were, you wouldn’t be squiring Penny Stanford around town!”
“Penny’s harmless.”
“That just goes to show how much you know! She’s so busy sinking her hooks into you, I’m surprised you don’t need a weekly blood transfusion!”
Penny might be trying to land him, but she wasn’t even close to succeeding. More to the point, she was no threat to his peace of mind, whereas Lily Talbot…!
The object of his displeasure chose that moment to swan out to the terrace on Hugo’s arm. Although he didn’t profess to be an expert in haute couture, Sebastian knew quality when he saw it, and the flame-red chiffon gown clinging lovingly to Lily’s curves wasn’t something she’d picked up in the bargain basement of the nearest department store. The whole outfit, down to the matching silk pumps, and pearl-and-garnet choker and earrings, was a custom affair designed to make the most of her looks.
&n
bsp; She was laughing at something Hugo had said, and he was clearly besotted with her. The animation faded from her face when she saw Sebastian, though. “Oh, you’re here,” she said, plainly wishing he were anywhere but. “I half expected you’d change your mind about joining us.”
“Wishful thinking on your part, I’m afraid, Ms. Talbot,” he informed her, wondering how she managed such an extravagant wardrobe on a florist’s earnings. Either she’d inherited a bundle when her parents died, or she had some other source of income, and it was the some other that piqued his curiosity!
“Ms. Talbot?” Nat hooted, oblivious to the undercurrents swirling in the atmosphere. “What a lot of pompous nonsense! For heaven’s sake, Sebastian, why don’t you call her ‘Lily’ like the rest of us?”
“Yes,” Lily said, playing the innocent for all she was worth. “Why don’t you, Sebastian? After all, we’re family.”
He’d have wrung her pretty neck if it weren’t that the rest of them would have rushed to her defense. Because we’re not family and I don’t intend to roll over and play dead on your say-so, he thought. “Neither of you has a drink,” he said, smoothly changing the subject. “What’ll you have, Hugo? Your usual?”
“Not tonight. In honor of the occasion, I’ll join Cynthia and Natalie and have champagne.” He turned to Lily. “What about you, my dear?”
“I never turn down champagne,” she said, practically simpering at him.
Grinding his teeth, Sebastian grabbed the neck of the bottle of Montrachet, hoisted it from the ice bucket and filled two flutes. Under cover of handing one to Lily, he cupped her elbow in his hand and steered her out of hearing range of the others. “What were you and Hugo talking about in the library while my mother and sister were left out here cooling their heels?”
“My mother. The first Mrs. Preston,” she said defiantly, shrugging him off. “In other words, none of your business, Sebastian.”
“As long as you’re a guest under the roof of the present and last Mrs. Preston, I’m making it my business. And I won’t tolerate your challenging my mother’s right to be in this house.”
“If your mother were one-tenth as boorish as you, I’d be staying in a hotel. As it is, I find her an utterly charming hostess and I wouldn’t dream of insulting her. Or of hurting her feelings by telling her what I think of her son!”
He’d made her angry. Her cheeks were delicately flushed. Her parted lips were the same color as the flame-red begonias growing on the shaded north side of the stables. Without warning, he found himself wondering if they’d feel as silky smooth as they looked, and what she’d do if he suddenly bent down and kissed her.
Before he could act on such an insane notion, Cynthia joined them. “What are you two whispering about?”
“I was admiring your lovely home,” Lily said. “You have exquisite taste. Have you always lived here?”
“Only since I married Hugo. Before that, Sebastian and I lived in Hamilton, in an apartment. Rather a nice one, to be sure, but it didn’t compare to this.”
“Not many places would, I suspect.” Lily smiled, and Sebastian could practically hear the calculator clicking into gear behind those big, guileless brown eyes.
“I’ll take you on a tour after dinner, if you like,” his mother offered, completely drawn in. “Hugo grew up here, but he gave me a free hand redecorating the place when we married and I’m rather proud of the job I did.”
“So it’s been in the Preston family a long time?”
“Yes,” his mother replied, blithely ignoring the warning glance Sebastian shot her way. “His great-great-grandfather had the house built in the late 1840s and every generation of Prestons since was born here.”
Lily sipped her champagne reflectively, then said, “It’s odd to think they were all my ancestors and I didn’t even know they existed until recently.”
“I know your father would love to tell you what he knows of them, but it’ll have to wait until another time. Sebastian, will you take Lily in to dinner? I believe we’re ready to be served.”
Given little other choice, he tucked her hand under his elbow and led her into the house. Her perfume teased him faintly, an alluring, exotic scent reminiscent of tropical flowers; plumeria or tuberose, he thought. Even though she was wearing heels, his height advantage allowed him a covert glimpse of her cleavage.
A flash of heat caught him off guard, riding over him to settle low in his belly. Furious, he transferred his gaze elsewhere and wished he could as easily divert other, less biddable sections of his anatomy. But the unpalatable truth was, although he mistrusted her, he mistrusted himself more. The more he saw of her, the more desirable he found her.
Well, there was one sure way to put an end to that nonsense. First thing tomorrow, he’d make some calls to the West Coast and initiate an investigation into her background. Hugo wouldn’t like it; had openly forbidden any such move, in fact. But in this case, what Hugo might learn could well end up hurting him a lot less than what he didn’t know.
“I’ve put Lily on her father’s right, and Natalie on his left next to you,” his mother said, taking her customary place.
At least, he’d be spared having to sit next to the woman throughout the meal, he thought, depositing her with relief at her chair and taking his place on the other side of the long table. But sitting opposite her brought its own share of hazards. Try though he might to find diversion elsewhere, he couldn’t help watching her.
She had a habit of pressing her lips together after she’d taken a sip of wine. He found himself waiting for that mannerism with absurd anticipation. He had seldom seen a more delectable mouth. It could ruin a man, if he let it.
“Don’t you agree, Sebastian?”
“Huh?” Jerking his attention back to safer channels, he realized he hadn’t the first idea what had prompted his mother’s question.
“Hel…lo!” Natalie chanted. “We’re talking about Daddy’s birthday, big brother, and you get to cast the deciding vote. What’s it to be?”
“I’ll go along with whatever Hugo wants.”
“Then it’s settled.” Cynthia looked pleased. “We’ll throw a joint party here a week from Saturday, to celebrate Hugo’s turning seventy and to welcome Lily to Stentonbridge, then go up to the cottage later in the month. I’ll get on to the caterer tomorrow.”
“I’d love to take care of the flowers,” Lily said. “If you don’t mind letting me loose in the garden, that is.”
“Not in the least,” Hugo assured her. “You’re welcome to whatever you fancy, my dear, including the greenhouse stock.”
“And we need to think of someone to be Lily’s escort,” Cynthia said. “I’d ask you, Sebastian, but I don’t think Penny would be too happy about lending you out for the evening.”
Ignoring Nat’s unladylike titter, he said, “Probably not.”
“Never mind. I’m sure there are plenty of eligible bachelors in town who’d be only too delighted to take on the job.”
He had no doubt about it, either. And the idea was enough to put him off his food, steamed lobster and raspberry tart notwithstanding.
CHAPTER FOUR
IT DIDN’T sit too well with Lily, either. “Heavens, this is the twenty-first century! I don’t need a blind date to see me through the evening. I’m quite well able to look after myself.” She dabbed her perfect mouth with her napkin and purposefully changed the subject. “You mentioned a cottage, Cynthia?”
“Yes. We have a summer place on the lake, about an hour’s drive from here. Unfortunately we don’t use it nearly as much as we did when the children were young, but it’s a lovely peaceful spot and I think you’ll enjoy seeing it.”
“I don’t know why you don’t sell the place,” Sebastian said. “The upkeep’s more trouble than it’s worth.”
“I guess for the same reason you don’t sell your town house,” his mother said. “When was the last time you spent any time there?”
“I stopped by yesterday, as a matter of
fact.”
He should have thought before he spoke. Lily immediately picked up on the information he’d let slip and said, “I didn’t realize that was your house.”
“You mean to say he took you there?” Natalie exclaimed. “Well, aren’t you the lucky one! He’s never let me set foot inside the front door.”
“Lily didn’t, either,” he said hurriedly. “I was in and out so fast, it wasn’t worth giving her the grand tour. Anyhow, to get back to Hugo’s birthday bash, what can I do to help?”
“Show up without Penny Stanford, for a start,” his sister replied, dissolving into giggles.
Cynthia smacked her playfully on the wrist with her napkin. “Behave yourself, you wicked child! Lily, how’s your lobster?”
She rolled her eyes. “It’s wonderful, a real treat. I’m enjoying it thoroughly.”
Too thoroughly, he thought, watching her. A minute smudge of melted butter smeared her chin and he itched to reach across the table and wipe it away with his finger.
She caught him staring and laughed. “What’s the matter, Sebastian? Do I have dirt on my face?”
“As a matter of fact, you do,” he said, irritated with himself, with her, and the whole damned setup. He prided himself on being a take-charge kind of guy and it irked him that she so easily set him off balance. “You’ve dribbled butter down your chin.”
“Sebastian!” His mother looked shocked.
“Well, better she knows and does something about it before it drips on her dress.”
“That’s the trouble with lobster,” Hugo said, ever the peacemaker. “I’ve always contended the only way to eat it is sitting around a picnic table wearing a bathing suit. That way, a person can be hosed off afterward. Here, Lily, allow me.” He blotted her chin with his own napkin. “There you are, good as new.”
The rest of the meal progressed without incident. Sebastian kept his eyes to himself, left the others to carry the bulk of the conversation and, when he couldn’t avoid responding, confined himself to neutral replies.
Mistress on His Terms Page 5