Читать книгу The Bride's Choice - Sara Orwig - Страница 8

“This is Elnora Roseanne Tangney Siever’s last will and testament.”

Caleb Duncan listened as Willard Mason read in an im- passive voice, and again felt shock that Elnora had written a new will with a new attorney. Cal had been the Siever at- torney since he had opened his practice. The Sievers were old family friends of his grandparents’ and Lawrence Siever had referred clients to Cal until Siever’s death. Cal had been El- nora’s lawyer. Why, only last month, he had taken her to lunch. He’d had no idea she’d hired another lawyer.

Cal glanced at the three people seated to his right: gray- haired Stoddard Tamblin, Elnora Siever’s elderly butler and chauffeur; Gladys Wicklund, the woman’s faithful ser- vant; and Juliana Aldrich, former companion and friend to Elnora.

Cal’s gaze raked over the blonde, slowing momentarily over her long, silken legs. Juliana Aldrich was a good- looking woman. Tall and willowy, she had golden hair the rich color of ripe wheat. It was pinned behind her head in a chignon. Distaste curled in Cal’s mouth. The beautiful lit- tle gold digger should not be sitting there. During college, she had worked as a companion for Elnora, probably play- ing on Elnora’s sympathy and winning her everlasting friendship.

Cal recalled several times Elnora had suggested changing her will to include Juliana, and each time Cal had talked her out of the notion. Or he thought he had. Cal’s instincts told him why Elnora had hired Mason and written another will. Memories of what Elnora had suggested made his anger boil. Surely not even Elnora could have been so flighty and whimsical as to have actually written the will she’d pro- posed to him? And surely Willard Mason would have talked her out of it, too.

As Cal looked at Juliana Aldrich, cool blue eyes met his gaze. He stared back, fury and wariness churning in him while he listened to Willard Mason’s deep voice.

“I, Elnora Siever of Colby County, state of Texas, being now in good health and strength of body and mind, desir- ing to make disposition of my property and affairs, do hereby declare this to be my last will and testament.”

Provisions were made for bills to be paid, the standard legal jargon was read, and as she listened, Juliana was still surprised to be one of the heirs. She hadn’t given a thought to inheriting from Elnora. Various token amounts ran through her mind, but she felt certain she would be be- queathed some sentimental remembrance, Elnora’s music box that played “Lara’s Theme,” or some of Elnora’s books.

Yet, perhaps it was something more substantial; what- ever it was, Caleb Duncan must not approve. He’d been curt with her, and every glance he gave her looked angry while he was warm and courteous to Gladys and Stoddard. Yet per- haps his anger was caused by Elnora herself. As Juliana re- called, Caleb Duncan had been Elnora’s attorney. What had caused Elnora to get Willard Mason to write her will? she wondered. Had Cal Duncan displeased the elderly woman?

As if he realized she was thinking about him, Cal sud- denly turned and his dark gaze settled on her. Dressed in a navy pin-striped suit, with a snow-white shirt and maroon tie, he looked the calm, composed picture of the successful businessman. But when she looked closer, she noticed his snapping dark eyes, the firm jaw that was tightly set, the rugged angles and planes of his face; all his features held arrogance and a hint of danger. And another quality. As she stared into thickly lashed eyes, she felt a twist of curiosity about him as a man, a reaction that was purely feminine and physical. And as unwanted as cold germs.

To avoid his probing gaze, she shifted her attention to the leather briefcase beside his chair and the oak-paneled wall behind him, while Mason continued reading the will.

“To my employee, Stoddard Tamblin, he is to continue to draw the same salary as long as he shall live. In addition, he is to be given my Cadillac because he has maintained the car through the years. Also, he is to be given a sum of twenty-five thousand dollars for his years of faithful ser- vice. And he may continue to live in his house at Green Oaks.”

“Good heavens!” Stoddard gasped, fanning himself with his battered cotton cap and running thick fingers through his straight gray hair. “Bless Miss Siever’s heart.”

“My word,” Gladys muttered, pushing her bifocals higher on her round nose and staring at Stoddard.

Caleb Duncan glanced at Juliana, and she gazed into eyes that stabbed like twin stilettos. This time, there was no mis- taking his anger. He wasn’t happy with Elnora Siever’s will. Juliana lifted her chin. Whatever Elnora had left to her, it was what the woman wanted to do and Mr. Caleb Duncan would have to accept it, whether he liked it or not. Sud- denly, she realized she was caught in a staring contest as they continued to look at each other steadily. But she had no intention of being the first to look away. Caleb Duncan arched his eyebrows slightly then narrowed his eyes. Refusing to be intimidated by him, she stared back.

He raised his hand midway, and she glanced down at his fingers.

He dropped his hand, and too late, she realized she had been the first to look away. She wondered if he had moved his hand deliberately to distract her. He arched an eyebrow, and she clamped her lips closed, turning toward Stoddard who was smiling broadly.

“To Gladys Marie Thomas Wicklund…” Mason con- tinued reading, announcing the same bequest for Gladys that had been bestowed on Stoddard, with the exception of the Cadillac. Suddenly, Gladys broke into a huge grin. “My word!” she exclaimed again, patting her hair and smiling.

Juliana wasn’t unduly surprised. Elnora was a loving, generous woman and both servants had worked long and faithfully for her, and Juliana was certain Elnora could af- ford the legacy. Happy for both of them, Juliana smiled at Gladys, who was still smiling and shaking her head as if in disbelief.

Feeling watched, Juliana glanced around and immedi- ately wished she hadn’t. Caleb Duncan’s obvious disap- proval sent an uncomfortable prickle along the nape of her neck. He stared at her solemnly while she returned her at- tention to Willard Mason.

“It is my wish that Juliana Aldrich take care of my pre- cious cat, Snookums,” Mason read. “I know Juliana loves Snookums, and Snookums loves Juliana.”

Remembering the big fluffy white cat, Juliana knew her three rambunctious nephews would love him just as much as she did.

Again she received another look filled with smoldering anger. Why would Caleb Duncan disapprove of her inher- iting Snookums? Curious, Juliana raised her head, then re- turned her attention to Willard Mason.

“To Juliana Lou Aldrich,” the lawyer said, pausing to look intently at her. Juliana locked her fingers together in her lap, wondering what Elnora had done; Willard Mason looked somber, gazing at her and then shifting his atten- tion to the will.

“To Juliana Lou Aldrich,” he repeated, reading slowly and clearly, “who has been like a daughter to me, I wish to make a bequest. Also, I want to make one to Caleb John Duncan, the man who has been like a son to my dear de- parted husband, Lawrence, and to me. If these two people who are so dear to my heart, two people who are relatively alone in this world…”

Juliana felt as if she had not heard correctly. She was anything but alone, with her three orphaned nephews to raise. She pulled her attention back to Willard Mason.

“If these two people find it in their hearts to marry, it is my wish to leave them the bulk of my estate, my home and contents, Green Oaks…”

Marry!…bulk of estate… Stunned, Juliana’s heart pounded, and Mason’s voice receded as a roaring filled her ears.

“Damnation!” burst from the man beside her. She glanced at Caleb Duncan, and his dark eyes shot knives into her. Juliana’s head swam, the room spun and lights flashed before her eyes. For the first time in her life, she fainted.

“She’s coming around,” announced a man’s voice.

“Poor little thing had a shock.” Gladys wiped Juliana’s forehead with a cold cloth. They had moved her to the sofa.

“She ain’t poor now, Gladys,” Stoddard remarked. “Mercy, mercy. Miz Siever’s taken care of all of us good.”

“Only if they marry. Do you two know each other?” Gladys asked, her voice sounding dim and filled with curi- osity.

“Just barely,” came a curt reply.

“My heavens! Miss Siever was a dreamer.”

The voices and words swirled around Juliana as she looked at Gladys, who was leaning over her. Beyond her, standing at the foot of the sofa, was Caleb Duncan with his fists on his hips, his coat pushed open as he stared down at her. His dark eyes gleamed with rage and she remembered the will. Marriage. It was absurd and impossible and ridic- ulous. And for one fleeting moment, she thought about all Elnora’s money—what only a tiny bit of it would do for the boys!

Juliana gave a shake of her head. “I hope Elnora made some provision for her estate in the event that we don’t marry, because there is no way—”

“She did,” Willard Mason said, moving away. “If you feel like continuing, we’ll go ahead.”

With a parting dark look, Caleb Duncan returned to his seat. He crossed the room with the easy stride of a person in peak physical condition. His thick black hair waved slightly from his forehead, and Juliana had to concede he was ap- pealing. Her thoughts shifted to her departed friend El- nora, the hopeless romantic.

Juliana sat up and then finally stood. “I’m all right now,” she announced, hoping her voice sounded cool and in control. “Elnora’s bequest was a shock.” As she re- turned to her chair, she tried to ignore Caleb Duncan’s steady gaze.

Gladys and Stoddard were giving them curious glances as if Juliana and Caleb were strange specimens that had just crawled out of a test tube.

“I’m sorry. I’ve never done that before.” She settled on the forest-green wing chair and crossed her legs, catching Caleb looking at them.

Cal studied her, remembering the picture he’d seen of her in the paper only two months ago, after she had fended off a bank robber at the point of a pistol. She had been shot in the shoulder, but had retained her money. And even though the would-be robber had escaped, he had not gotten any money from anyone, thanks to Juliana Aldrich. She had to love money more than life.

Mason glanced at each of them, pausing when he looked into Juliana’s eyes. “Ready?” he asked. When she nodded, he returned to the will.

“If Caleb and Juliana marry, it is my hope they will live at Green Oaks in order that Snookums may continue to dwell in the only home he knows,” Mason read in an im- passive voice. “This marriage must take place within the next six months from the day of the reading of the will. The marriage of Caleb and Juliana must last one year or every- thing bequeathed to them reverts to my estate. After one year the estate is theirs to do with as they see fit, whether they remain married or they divorce. During the one-year period, Caleb John Duncan will be the trustee in charge of dispensing the money.”

Juliana’s mind stopped following Willard Mason as he continued reading about a trust fund, the stocks, the bonds, the real-estate holdings, the certificates of deposit. She lis- tened, but she was stunned, in shock over Elnora’s stipula- tion that they marry. Of all the ridiculous, unreasonable assumptions, yet Juliana knew all too well how whimsical and romantic Elnora had been. Elnora would have thought such a thing possible and a delightful arrangement for two people she loved. Even if the two people were all but total strangers. And from the looks Caleb Duncan had been giv- ing her, it was clear that he despised her on sight. His anger had to be caused by the will. She raised her chin. She had no desire to marry him, either, not for any amount of money.

Once again came the tiny nagging thought of how she had to scrimp and save for the boys and what she could do for them if she had more money, but she pushed the thought out of mind and tried to pay attention to Mason.

The lawyer was still listing Elnora’s assets and Juliana drew a deep breath, trying not to give one second’s thought to what might have been. But her thoughts quickly drifted again to the marriage provision and for a moment Wil- lard’s voice faded away. The sound of the lawyer’s clearing his throat brought her back to the present.

He smoothed the will and continued, “In the event my beloved friends decide against marriage—after giving this due thought—six months from the reading of this will, Green Oaks and its contents are to become a home for cats. Snookums will abide at Green Oaks and a board of three veterinarians are to oversee the running of the house. It is my wish that Ridley Westview actually oversee the running of Green Oaks as a haven for homeless kitties.”

Cal listened in angry silence. A real cat house. All of El- nora’s money was going to go to that dim-witted ball of fluff, Snookums, and a bunch of stray cats. There was enough money in the Siever estate to build homes for all the cats in Texas. Cal’s stomach knotted as he thought about his need for money and what he could do with a sum like that. Instead it was going to cats. No wonder Elnora had sought out another lawyer!

Willard Mason finally finished reading the will and looked up. “I’ve scheduled our appointment with Judge Dooley in two days at ten o’clock in the morning. If all of you will meet here at my office, we’ll go down to the court- house together. Any questions?”

He answered Gladys’s and Stoddard’s questions, made arrangements for Gladys to continue caring for Snookums temporarily and gave each person a copy of Elnora’s will. Caleb Duncan placed his in his briefcase, snapping the case shut as Willard said, “Also, Elnora asked me to give this envelope to you, Cal. As you can see by the instructions on the front, it is her wish that you do not open the envelope until a year from today.”

Cal accepted the envelope, opened his briefcase once more while Willard Mason told the two servants goodbye. At the door, he turned to shake hands with Caleb, glancing from him to Juliana. “You two will have some decisions to make, but you have several months in which to decide what you want to do.”

Cal looked at him, his expression tight. “I think we know—”

“Wait,” Mason cautioned, interrupting him. “You’re to give this thought. Elnora made me promise that I would not take an answer from either of you right away. She wanted both of you to give her bequest thought. This is a sizable estate, and she felt you could both do a great deal of good with the money.”

Juliana saw Caleb Duncan’s eyebrows arch and a glacial look come to his eyes. When his gaze shifted to her, she felt physically buffeted by his silent smoldering anger.

“Give it thought,” Mason repeated. “I’ll see you here Wednesday morning.”

He held open his office door and Juliana went ahead. They crossed the anteroom, passing the receptionist’s desk, and then stepped into a hallway.

Caleb closed the door behind them and faced her. She stared back at him, feeling as if she were going into battle. She could feel tension spark the air between them. “You tried to talk Elnora out of this, didn’t you?”

“Of course I did,” he admitted tersely. “We never got down to exact details—like leaving all of it to cats.”

“At least you’re honest. But I don’t know why you’re so angry with me. I knew nothing about her intentions.”

His eyes narrowed only the slightest fraction and a mus- cle worked in his jaw, otherwise she wouldn’t have known he had any reaction to her question.

“I think Elnora used poor judgment,” he snapped, pushing open his coat and resting his hands on his hips.

The air seemed to crackle around them, and his dark eyes tugged at Juliana’s senses. She wanted to shake him, and realized no man had ever stirred that kind of reaction in her before. “What you think isn’t what’s important,” she re- minded him.

“No, unfortunately.”

“I’m a total stranger to you, so don’t take your anger out on me.”

“First of all, I think she should have left that money to medical research, to children who need help, to the chil- dren’s hospital, to all sorts of worthy causes,” he answered in a clipped tone as if he was fighting to control himself. “There’s enough money in her estate to establish houses for stray animals all over the Southwest. To pour all of that into one home here in Colby for stray cats is absurd.”

Juliana was inclined to agree with him, but she wasn’t about to tell him.

“That doesn’t have anything to do with why your fury is directed at me,” she said scathingly. There had to be more, she thought. There had to be something more personal that made him look as if he would like to send her into perma- nent orbit in outer space.

His dark eyes bored into hers as he spoke. “I wonder when you worked for her if you didn’t play on her vulner- ability just so she would do something like this. She’s been trying to get me to ask you out since—”

“What!” Juliana interrupted. She took a step closer to him. “Listen, you, I didn’t work on Elnora to try to in- herit. Besides, I’d always assumed she and Lawrence had had their wills drawn up years earlier. I’ve just seen her on brief visits the last few years.”

“Oh, come on. Any woman who would fight a bank robber at gunpoint for a few dollars at the risk of her life, wants money damned badly,” he remarked tersely. Juliana suspected he was getting down to his real reasons for dislik- ing her.

“Listen, you legal harpy, I worked hard for the money that jerk wanted to take from me, and he hadn’t done any- thing but point a gun at people and take what he wanted.”

Caleb Duncan’s lips suddenly pursed and his eyes nar- rowed, but his reaction only dimly registered with her as she shook with fury. She moved a step closer to him. “I earned every dime in the bag I was holding. I wasn’t about to turn it over to that creep and I didn’t stop to think about it. You, sir, may have been raised in affluence and don’t understand having to work hard for a living. You’re a lawyer, so obvi- ously you make more money than I do. If I’d had an easier time of it all my life, perhaps I could have tossed away the money without a care.”

She was breathing hard, wanting to punch his arrogant jaw.

He moved a step closer and placed his finger beneath her chin, tilting up her face. “Legal harpy?” he asked in a voice laced with curiosity. He studied her. “Maybe I’ve jumped to conclusions here.”

Her heart missed some beats, and she tried to ignore it as well as the awareness of his finger beneath her jaw, his brown eyes watching her so intently and the change in his attitude. She yanked her chin away from his finger. “The bequest is absurd. We’ll see each other Wednesday and that should be the last time. Goodbye, Mr. Duncan.” She turned to walk away, feeling her back prickle, wondering if he was watching her.

The next time—and she figured the last time—she had to deal with him was Wednesday in court. As they finished and said goodbye to Willard Mason, Gladys and Stoddard, Ju- liana nodded curtly to Caleb Duncan. She hurried down the courthouse steps and along the sunny walk toward her car.

“Miss Aldrich,” Cal said in a deep, quiet voice that car- ried an iron command. She paused and turned around as he closed the distance between them. Wind tumbled locks of his dark hair across his forehead.

“Is please in your vocabulary?” she asked as coldly as possible, wishing she didn’t feel so breathless. His whole attitude was infuriating and her disquieting reaction to him fueled her rage.

“Not this morning,” Cal replied. She annoyed the hell out of him. At the same time, he was beginning to wonder about her. “Juliana—”

“Miss Aldrich,” she stated frostily.

“Juliana,” he drawled with emphasis. Her name rolled off his tongue, said in his bass voice, sending a tingle through her. Why did it sound far more personal when he said it?

“Do you have any idea how much is in Elnora’s estate?”

“Not exactly,” Juliana admitted, watching as he set down his briefcase and reached beneath his jacket to withdraw a small leather date book. “I know she was well-fixed. It’s all in the will, but since it’s a moot point, I didn’t study it. I won’t inherit it.”

While Juliana watched, he flipped open the date book and handed it to her. His fingers were long, well shaped and blunt. With curiosity she accepted the date book, and looked at neat printing that read, Siever Assets. Below the words was a list of assets and figures. Shock at the size of the estate made her weak in the knees. “Elnora was worth this much?”

“You’re on the first page,” he answered dryly. “Keep reading.”

Stunned, Juliana turned the page and gazed at figures that leaped at her. There must be a million dollars in assets, she thought. If she were to marry Caleb Duncan—she looked up to find him steadily watching her and thoughts of marriage made her heart thud. Feeling her cheeks heat, she looked down again at the figures. Marriage to a stranger would be absurd. To a hostile stranger, it would be disaster.

Numbers danced in her mind, along with knowledge of her small bank balance, and how she scrimped to make ends meet and keep her preschool running and take care of the boys. She ran her hand across her forehead. This fortune would go for one home for the stray cats of Colby.

Cal watched her, seeing her face pale when she first glanced down the page. A slight frown creased her wide forehead. His gaze raked over her. She was a good-looking woman. There must not be any man in her life or Elnora wouldn’t have been so persistent in wanting him to take Ju- liana Aldrich out. And Willard Mason was a thorough enough lawyer that he would have checked out Juliana’s el- igibility before he let Elnora draw up a will with a clause about marriage.

Cal rubbed his jaw, his thoughts swirling and visions of bank accounts and money dancing in his mind. He had had forty-eight hours to think about Elnora’s will.

Idly, he wondered how Juliana Aldrich would look if her hair weren’t pinned up behind her head. There was a smat- tering of freckles across the tip of her straight nose that made her seem less the cool, unruffled blonde. With the patience of a lawyer, he waited in silence until she finished reading. She lowered the date book and stared at him.

“Elnora was worth all this?” Juliana repeated softly, her gaze going beyond him as if she was lost in thought.

“Willard Mason went over her assets, that day in his of- fice, so you heard the figures.”

“I was in shock.”

“I think we should give some serious discussion to El- nora’s will,” Cal said quietly. “How about dinner tomor- row night?”

Juliana brought her gaze back to him. Shock took her breath at his suggestion. Caleb Duncan wanted to discuss Elnora’s will. That had to mean he wanted to discuss mar- riage. She stared at him in disbelief. The bequest had nagged at her constantly since Willard Mason had read the will two days ago, but never, not for one tiny second, had she given any thought to the possibility of inheriting. And never, not once, had she thought Caleb Duncan would give a second’s consideration to Elnora’s stipulation.

Cal watched her, seeing her surprise, feeling mildly amazed by her reaction. He had expected her to contact him, yet surprisingly, she was staring at him as if he had just sprouted fangs. Finally, she nodded, and he felt a mixture of relief and apprehension. How easy it would have been if she had just refused on the spot.

“Good,” he said. “About seven. We should make some decisions about this will. I know you have to think about your nephews.”

“Elnora told you about the boys?”

“No, she didn’t. I ran some checks on you.”

“And how did I check out, Mr. Duncan?” she snapped.

He bit back a smile. As angry as he was with her and with Elnora, he had to admit that Juliana Aldrich had spunk. He was beginning to feel he had misjudged Juliana. “You passed. No criminal record. No bad debts. You took your sister’s boys when she died, which is very commendable.”

“So I can’t be all bad,” she retorted dryly.

“Look, since we have to give this bequest some thought, we better declare a truce.”

“I’m not the one with the problem.”

He shrugged. “I suppose you’re not. I don’t like El- nora’s will, but it was her money to do with as she saw fit. When you attacked the bank robber, did you give any thought to leaving three little boys without anyone to take care of them?”

“They would have my grandmother,” Juliana replied, feeling a flush creep up her face, because he had struck a nerve. She hadn’t stopped to think about anything except protecting her money.

She closed the date book and handed it back to him. His fingers brushed hers and small shocks ran through her sys- tem from the slight touch. Why was everything so volatile between them?

“With three boys to raise, you need to give some consid- eration to Elnora’s will.”

“I have my own business and my own savings. But I sup- pose you know all that already, down to the penny.” As if slightly embarrassed, he lowered his gaze, and she realized he did. “I don’t know how Elnora could have set this up,” Juliana declared. “She knew us both well, she knew we wouldn’t want this. Why did she go on with it?”

He raised his head, his dark eyes intent, and Juliana drew a deep breath. When he looked at her that way, her heart- beat became a drumroll drowning out other noises. And she didn’t want to have an intense physical reaction to Caleb Duncan. She didn’t understand how she could react that way to a man she actively disliked.

“Do you faint often?”

The question added more kindling to her fiery anger. “Maybe you should run a check on that, too. It wasn’t a performance for your benefit, I can promise you that. I don’t care what you think!”

“You better start caring,” he remarked quietly, “be- cause there’s a fortune at stake.”

“Elnora’s will is absurd!”

“Calm down.” Caleb touched her collar and shifted one inch closer. She felt as if the sun had dropped closer to earth, her temperature rising. It was hot, difficult to breathe, damnable to gaze into dark brown eyes with black pupils that seemed to pull on her senses. “How come there’s no boyfriend in the picture?”

His fingers touched her collarbone and he stood far too close and he asked personal questions. She felt her pulse race. She wasn’t accustomed to this kind of reaction around men. But then, she wasn’t accustomed to men like Caleb Duncan.

“There isn’t anyone because I have three boys, and that scares men away. And I lead a busy life. I own Child’s World Preschool. I work with little children all day and the only men I see are mostly married fathers. The ones who aren’t married don’t want to go out with a woman who already has three boys that aren’t her own. They get a funny look when I tell them.” Why was she rattling on and on as if he had dropped a nickel in a slot in her brain?

“That wouldn’t scare me away.”

“I’m sure it wouldn’t. I can’t imagine anything that would scare you, Mr. Duncan. Will you step back!”

He arched his eyebrows and looked amused. “I’m dis- turbing you? Here I was all set to dislike you, Juliana Al- drich,” he remarked, rolling her name across his tongue, again sending little warm currents dancing through her, “and now I’m curious. We’re going to get to know each other well.”

“But not that well,” she stated, taking his hand and re- moving it from her collar, feeling another mild jolt the mo- ment she made contact with him. His skin was warm, his hand large in hers, and tingles continued in an alarming manner. “I’ll see you tomorrow night.” She turned and walked away from him, rushing to climb into her battered ten-year-old van.

It felt three hundred degrees inside the vehicle, but part of it was her temper. If Caleb Duncan was considering marriage, he wanted money desperately. She knew he was already well-fixed. He had accused her of thinking only of money, yet he had to be incredibly greedy to give Elnora’s bequest a second’s thought.

Caleb Duncan was no harpy. He couldn’t be—he was the wrong gender. A sexy hunk with no heart was more accu- rate. Hard-hearted bastard would fit better. And she had a dinner date with him tomorrow night. He couldn’t seri- ously be thinking about marriage. But why else would he want to discuss Elnora’s will?