Jason snapped the lid of his briefcase shut, turning fully to look at her. ‘Oh, it fits. I believe I’ve said this before, Eden, but my private life is private. I won’t attempt to moralise to you if you don’t to me.’
‘Moralise to me?’ she gasped. ‘I have nothing—’
‘Not even Tim?’ He raised dark eyebrows.
‘Certainly not!’
‘I thought it was all settled between you two, but Claire tells me her little brother isn’t feeling too happy with you at the moment.’
‘Thought what was settled?’ Eden demanded. ‘Just because I’ve been dating him for a few weeks it doesn’t mean I have to jump into bed with him. I’m more discriminating than that.’
‘I’m glad to hear it. But that wasn’t what I meant. First of all Claire informs me you’re going to marry her little brother and then she tells me you’ve changed your mind.’
‘I didn’t change my mind, I turned him down.’
‘Why?’
‘What business is that of yours?’ she asked him moodily.
Jason shrugged. ‘I’m interested.’
‘Then channel your interest in another direction. My reasons for not marrying Tim are my own, and I don’t intend discussing them with anyone.’
‘Did the fact that you’ll be David’s heir when he dies influence your decision in any way?’
Eden was pale with anger, with this man’s arrogance, with his—with his—God, she hated him! ‘I pity you, Mr Earle,’ she told him contemptuously. ‘How awful to relate every feeling, every relationship from a monetary angle!’
‘Not every one, Eden,’ he taunted coldly. ‘I was just curious as to why you suddenly changed your mind about marrying Tim.’
‘I just told you I didn’t change my mind, I never intended marrying him. And I don’t want my grandfather’s money,’ her eyes flashed gold. ‘I’m only with you now to satisfy the whim of a dying man, I don’t intend staying any longer than I have to.’
Jason frowned. ‘I don’t think David envisaged this visit as one of short duration.’
‘What does he expect? I don’t know him and I don’t know anyone else in England.’
‘You know me,’ he pointed out huskily.
‘Hardly,’ she scoffed lightly. ‘I only met you a couple of days ago. And I have no idea what Isobel Morton is going to be like.’
Those firm well-shaped lips curved into a smile. ‘She’s the sort of person your grandfather approves of.’
‘I know that!’ She pursed her lips. ‘Is she beautiful?’
‘Very.’
‘I thought she would be.’
‘Because she managed to tempt your father away from your mother?’
‘No, because you’re attracted to her. I can’t imagine you thinking of marrying anyone who wasn’t beautiful and accomplished. Isobel Morton has to be both those things. After all, you’ve waited long enough to get married,’ she added bitchily.
‘Thanks! At thirty-six I presume you consider me to be in my dotage?’
‘Not really.’ A man like him could never be dismissed as being in his dotage, he was far too dangerously attractive for that. ‘How old is Isobel?’
‘Thirty-eight.’
‘Doesn’t it bother you that she’s older than you?’
He shrugged. ‘Why should it?’
‘Of course, you don’t love her, you couldn’t and still see Claire, so I don’t suppose it matters what age she is.’
‘And if I said I do love Isobel?’
Eden gave him a scathing glance. ‘Then I would say you have a lousy idea of love. Doesn’t fidelity mean anything to you?’
‘There’ll be plenty of time for that after I’m married.’
‘So you are going to marry her?’ she pounced.
‘I didn’t say Isobel would be my bride,’ he drawled.
‘But she could be?’
‘She could be,’ he nodded. ‘Look, I thought you wanted to talk,’ he snapped, ‘not give me the third degree. Why don’t you ask Isobel if she wants to marry me, that would be interesting to find out.’
Eden couldn’t see any woman turning him down if once he should decide to marry, and especially not a woman like she considered Isobel Morton to be.
Isobel Morton was beautiful, Eden had to admit that; even through her tears she was beautiful. She was one of those women who looked even more beautiful when ravaged by emotion, her pale complexion like porcelain, her petite figure perfectly proportioned, her delicate features perfect, the shoulder-length hair a wavy flame. She looked much younger than her thirty-eight years, her expression tragic as she launched herself into Jason’s arms.
She turned to look at Eden from the protection of Jason’s embrace, her face now an angry mask, the limpid brown eyes glaring her dislike. ‘You have to be Eden,’ she said insultingly.
‘Isobel, what’s wrong?’ Jason held her at arm’s length, searching her features.
‘You shouldn’t be asking me that,’ she answered shrilly, her gaze still locked on Eden. ‘You should be asking that money-grasping little bitch!’
‘Isobel!’ he cautioned firmly. ‘What in hell has happened?’
‘David is dead!’ she screetched. ‘And all because of her!’ And she looked accusingly at Eden.
CHAPTER FOUR
‘D-DEAD?’ Eden echoed, her face paling, her legs feeling weak. ‘But he can’t be,’ she said stupidly.
‘But he is,’ Isobel Morton said harshly. ‘I know, because I found him.’
‘Isobel,’ Jason took control of the situation, ‘just explain calmly what happened. We can go into blame and guilt some other time. When did David die?’
‘I found him after breakfast.’ She smoothed away her tears. ‘Let’s go into the lounge,’ she put her hand on his arm. ‘I’m so glad you’re here to take care of everything, Jason.’
Eden followed them into the gracious L-shaped lounge as if in a daze. Her grandfather was dead! And she hadn’t even had the chance to meet him. Only yesterday she had found out that he did care for her after all, and now he had been taken from her. Fate had dealt her a cruel blow, the cruellest of her life.
She sat down without being invited to, the conversation she had had with Isobel Morton so far not pointing to her inviting her to. The woman’s shock and distress were understandable, especially as she had found him, but that she should blame Eden for the death was not. She had wanted to see her grandfather, get to know him if possible, if only to find out if he truly was the ogre she had always imagined him to be.
‘It was too late to let you know, of course,’ Isobel Morton continued. ‘Your plane had already taken off.’
‘I’m sorry I wasn’t here.’ Jason sat beside her on the sofa, his arm still protectively about her shoulders.
‘The doctor hasn’t been gone long. There was nothing he could do,’ her voice broke emotionally. ‘I couldn’t believe it when I found him. He was sitting out in the garden resting and I—Oh God!’ she shuddered against Jason, her face buried in her hands. ‘It’s all her fault. It was too much for him, the fact that she was coming here after all this time of not wanting to know.’
‘Isobel,’ Jason warned softly, ‘I know you’re upset, but the news has come as a shock to Eden too. I don’t think—’
‘Shock!’ Isobel scorned. ‘Relief, more like. Now she won’t have to go through with the charade of acting like the return of the prodigal, now it will all be handed to her with no effort on her part at all. My God, when I think—’
‘That’s enough!’ he ordered sternly.
‘Oh no,’ she shook her head. ‘I’ve hardly started. You know what David’s done, that it’s all going to be hers? I’ve stayed here with him all these years, taken care of him even after Graham died, and now everything is to go to her!’ Her voice had been steadily rising all the way through this tirade until in the end it was at a hysterical pitch. ‘Well, he’s left me this house, and I don’t want her in it. Get out!’ she hissed at Eden. ‘J
ust get out!’
Jason caught hold of her as she flew at Eden, immobilising the hands that had been clenched like talons. He held her struggling body until she became still. ‘Did the doctor leave you any sedatives, Isobel?’ he asked impatiently. ‘I’m sure he didn’t just leave you in this state.’
‘Yes, he left me some sedatives,’ her voice was muffled against his chest, ‘but I told him I wouldn’t take any until I’d seen you.’
‘Well, now you’ve seen me,’ he said soothingly, beginning to lead her out of the room. ‘And I think it’s time you laid down.’
‘Yes, darling,’ her voice broke again and she leant on him heavily. ‘But she isn’t staying here. She isn’t, Jason!’
‘We’ll talk about it later.’
Eden could hear him talking soothingly to the woman all the way up the stairs. He didn’t seem to have any trouble finding the right bedroom, which was perhaps indicative of his role in this household.
Isobel Morton needn’t have told her to get out, she had no intention of staying. There was no need for her to stay now, none at all.
She was still sitting numbly in the chair when Jason Earle returned to the room fifteen minutes later.
‘I’m sorry about that,’ he sounded preoccupied. ‘David’s death has come as a shock to us all.’
‘Yes,’ she acknowledged dully, feeling strangely cold in the heat of the day.
‘Isobel isn’t normally as rude as that.’
‘No.’
‘I’m sure you understand that there are a lot of things to be done. I’ve asked Mrs Young to show you to your room,’ he told her. ‘I’ll be back later.’
Eden stood up, her hands clenched at her sides. ‘Jason?’
‘Mm?’ he turned at the door.
‘Jason, you aren’t leaving me here?’ She was unwittingly a forlorn figure in her creased denims and deep pink sun-top, her golden eyes suddenly seeming too huge for her pale face.
He looked impatient. ‘I’ve just apologised for Isobel’s behaviour,’ he said coldly. ‘She’s in shock. It can’t have been pleasant for her finding him like that.’
‘I realise that, I’m not stupid. But in shock or not, she doesn’t want me here—and I can’t blame her.’ Eden flinched as if in pain. ‘Was I really responsible for his death?’
‘Don’t be ridiculous! It’s bad enough that Isobel should have said it, but that you should start to believe it….’ He shook his head. ‘He was looking forward to seeing you, was very excited about it.’
‘Exactly.’ She twisted her hands together. ‘Was it too much for him?’
‘I would doubt that very much.’ He looked at his wrist watch. ‘I really do have to go now. Mrs Young will take care of you.’
‘I’m not staying here,’ Eden told him stubbornly.
‘Please don’t be difficult, Eden. Your grandfather would have wanted you to stay here.’
‘And Isobel Morton doesn’t want me to, I don’t want to,’ she added desperately. She ran to his side, her hand resting pleadingly on his arm. ‘Take me with you, Jason. Don’t leave me here!’
He sighed. ‘I can’t take you with me. Surely you realise—I have the funeral to arrange!’
‘Oh. Oh, I see.’ She bit her bottom lip. ‘Well, I’m still not staying here. If you insist on leaving me I shall call a taxi and go to a hotel.’
‘Do you have to be difficult now?’ he snapped.
Eden flushed. ‘I’m not being difficult. I just—’
‘Not being difficult!’ Jason was starting to look strained now. ‘I’ve already had one hysterical female on my hands, I can do without another.’
‘I’m not hysterical, Mr Earle,’ she said coldly.
‘Aren’t you?’ He quirked one dark eyebrow. ‘Then you’re giving a damned good impression of it.’
Tears suddenly filled her golden eyes, a sense of loneliness washing over her. ‘Please, Jason, you’re the only person I know here. The grandfather I never knew just died and I—I’m feeling lost.’
‘Of course you are!’ He pulled her into his arms, her head resting on his shoulder. ‘I’m sorry. Put my churlishness down to my own sense of loss. David has been a friend of mine for some time now and his death has taken me by surprise.’
‘I—’
‘Well, well, now isn’t this cosy!’ Isobel Morton was watching them from halfway up the stairs. ‘Not content with killing your own grandfather, you’re now trying to take Jason away from me!’
‘Oh God!’ Jason groaned softly, turning to push Eden back into the lounge. ‘Wait for me there,’ he ordered. ‘I won’t be long.’
‘But—’
‘Wait for me, Eden!’ He shut the door in her face.
He was back within minutes, looking no less the assured man she had become accustomed to in the last two days, a man completely in control of any situation, including this one.
‘Okay,’ he sighed. ‘Get your case and we’ll go.’
‘Oh, thank you!’ she gave him a tremulous smile. ‘I’m very grateful.’
‘The state Isobel is in at the moment she can only get more insulting. It wouldn’t be wise to leave you here.’ He gave her a searching look. ‘What’s wrong now?’
She nibbled the inside of her mouth. ‘I’ll have to let my mother know.’
‘So?’ he frowned.
‘So—Never mind, you wouldn’t understand.’
‘Try me.’
‘She—No, you really wouldn’t understand. Sufficient to say telling her isn’t going to be easy,’ she grimaced.
‘Death is never pleasant.’
‘No,’ she agreed quietly, bowing her head. ‘I—I think I’ll call Drew and let him break the news to her.’
‘I can’t believe your mother would care one way or the other,’ he dismissed. ‘After all, once she married your stepfather she took on a new father-in-law.’
‘Like I said, you wouldn’t understand.’ She stared rigidly ahead as he drove through the London traffic. ‘Where are you taking me?’
He shrugged. ‘To my home, where else?’
‘Your home?’ She looked at him with startled eyes.
Jason nodded. ‘I have a house not far from here.’
‘But I thought—’
‘Yes?’ he prompted.
Eden looked slightly guilty. ‘I thought you lived there—with her.’
He gave a grim smile. ‘Well, now you know I don’t,’ he said tersely.
‘Sorry,’ she mumbled. ‘I didn’t mean—I’m sorry.’
‘Forget it. We’re all a bit strained. I’m sorry you didn’t get to meet your grandfather, I think you would have liked him, for all his domineering ways.’
‘Maybe,’ she agreed gruffly. ‘Jason, what do I do now?’ It was amazing how easily she had slipped into this first-name basis with him, but in the crisis they found themselves formality seemed pointless.
‘Right now, or long-term?’
‘Both, I suppose.’
‘Right now you stay with me. I have a housekeeper who will be an adequate chaperone.’ He grimaced as he saw her expression. ‘The fact that your grandfather just died wouldn’t mean a thing to most people.’
‘Then perhaps I should go to a hotel as I intended to do.’
‘No,’ he said sharply. ‘You stay with me, it’s more convenient that way. In the long term… well, you’ll just have to wait and see. Isobel was right, David has left you everything but the house and a nominal yearly sum for her. You’ll have to stay in England to sort all that out.’
Eden frowned. ‘But I know nothing about high finance,’ she protested. ‘Left to me everything he worked for would be lost within a few weeks.’
‘He left provision for that.’
‘He did?’
‘Mm.’ Jason swung the car in down a long gravel driveway. The huge house that he called home on a main road but far enough back and shielded by the trees to afford it great privacy. ‘We’ll talk about that some other time,’ he handed her ou
t of the car. ‘Mrs Gifford will take care of you now. I have some calls to make.’
Mrs Gifford turned out to be a plump homely woman who instantly took Eden under her wing when informed by Jason of the situation. Eden felt grateful for her gentle firmness as she showed her into a bedroom, only leaving her long enough to warm her some soup. After that she insisted Eden went to bed, tucking her in and staying with her until she fell asleep, almost as if she were her mother—except that her real mother had never done such maternal things.
The soup had thawed her numb feelings somewhat, and she realised what a coward she was being. She had more or less begged Jason Earle to bring her here! She should have insisted he take her to a hotel as she originally intended. She certainly couldn’t stay here as his guest, not of a man she hated….
***
It was dark when she woke up, a side-lamp being left on so that she wasn’t in complete darkness. The house seemed very quiet, almost as if she were completely alone. But she couldn’t be—could she?
She sat up in panic, swinging her legs to the floor before running down the stairs and into the lounge. It was in darkness, the whole house was in darkness! A sob caught in her throat and she sank down on to the carpeted floor. How could Jason be this cruel—how could he!
‘What the hell—!’ Strong arms reached down and pulled her to her feet, familiar arms that had held her once before today. ‘What were you doing down there?’ Jason demanded to know.
Her eyes showed her relief as she gazed desperately into his concerned face. ‘Oh, Jason,’ she sobbed, holding on to him tightly. ‘I thought you’d left me here. I thought I was alone.’
‘You stupid child,’ he said harshly. ‘I’ve been in my study for the last two hours. Mrs Gifford has retired for the night.’
Her head rested on his shoulder, her short golden cap of hair splayed out on the dark brown shirt he wore. She drew a ragged breath. ‘I just thought—’
‘You thought I was swine enough to leave you completely alone at a time like this,’ he finished grimly.
‘No! I—I just thought you’d gone to Isobel, who needs you more.’
‘I’m not so sure she does. She’s sleeping through the worst of her shock, you’re very much awake.’
Ice In His Veins Page 6