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‘I’ve said what I want to say—No, perhaps I haven’t said it all. If you dare to tell anyone about those incidents at the hospital I’ll make sure your brother knows the truth—about myself and Patsy. We can’t both be lying.’
‘God, you’re a hard little bitch!’
‘You get that way when your reputation is in shreds, when even your own family isn’t quite sure you’re telling the truth,’ she recalled bitterly. It had taken some time to convince Brian, although her mother had instantly believed her.
‘For God’s sake,’ Roddy snapped, ‘I’ve said I’m sorry!’
‘No, you haven’t,’ she contradicted. ‘But even if you had it wouldn’t make things any different, only telling the hospital authorities could do that.’
‘Which I’m certainly not going to do,’ Roddy scorned. ‘Rome would be sure to find out, and he would stop my allowance—among other things,’ he grimaced.
‘At your age you should be out at work earning your own money, not sponging on your brother.’
‘God, what a nag you are!’
‘Aren’t you glad I refused to go out with you?’ she taunted. ‘You can take me back to The Towers. I have to see Mrs Reece. The housekeeper,’ she added.
‘I know who she is,’ he said moodily.
The drive back was completed in silence. After droppping Megan off outside the house Roddy accelerated the car back out of the driveway at such speed that some of the small stones flew high into the air.
Megan found Mrs Reece in the kitchen taking her afternoon tea. And if this afternoon had been as hectic as this morning had been then the poor woman was much in need of it. Megan had promised the housekeeper she would pop in to see whether or not Patsy would be in tomorrow. She had offered to come in all day herself if the other girl was to be absent again.
‘She isn’t coming back at all,’ Mrs Reece told her with a sigh. ‘Apparently her Donald has decided he doesn’t want her to work any more.’
Roddy had done a good job of frightening the other girl away. Donald Jones was a possessive boy, and the slightest sign of interest in Patsy from another man would be enough for him to stop her coming here any more.
‘Well, I could come in for a few days full-time,’ Megan offered. ‘Just until you get someone else.’
‘Could you?’ Mrs Reece accepted gratefully. She was a middle-aged woman of perhaps fifty, her hair already snow-white, her figure neat and trim, her energy boundless.
‘Just for a while,’ Megan nodded. ‘I—–’
The door leading to the main part of the house was suddenly thrown open, and the new owner stood looking at them. Megan jumped almost guiltily to her feet, although Mrs Reece and Freda seemed unconcerned.
Velvety brown eyes passed insolently over Megan’s denim-clad figure, over the way the green sweater hugged her breasts and the flatness of her stomach. Megan felt as if he were mentally undressing her—and liking what he saw! She looked sharply at the other two women in the room, but they seemed unaware of her boss’s appraisal.
‘Roddy told me I would find you in here,’ Jerome Towers spoke to her.
So he was back already! ‘I called in to see Mrs Reece,’ she answered resentfully.
‘He told me that too,’ he drawled. ‘I just wanted you to pass on a message to your brother. Tell him I’ll call in this evening. I have some things I want to discuss with him.’
Megan bristled angrily at his autocratic tone. ‘If it’s anything to do with the farm you can discuss it with me.’
His gaze ran over her coldly, contemptuously. ‘Women have their uses,’ he told her insultingly. ‘And being in business isn’t one of them. Tell Brian I’ll be there about eight-thirty.’ He left as abruptly as he had entered.
CHAPTER THREE
SHE relayed the message to her brother, watching the worried frown that marred his brow.
‘I wonder what he wants,’ Brian said thoughtfully.
‘I have no idea,’ Megan told him crossly. ‘He wouldn’t tell me.’
‘Did you ask him?’
‘Yes.’
Brian gri
Megan explained her mistake, although she omitted the fact that Jerome Towers had invited her out to di
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Table of Contents
Cover
Title Page
CHAPTER ONE
CHAPTER TWO
CHAPTER THREE
CHAPTER FOUR
CHAPTER FIVE
CHAPTER SIX
CHAPTER SEVEN
CHAPTER EIGHT
CHAPTER NINE
CHAPTER TEN
Copyright