Im prepared to do anything.
Jonah eyed her steadily. Anything? he questioned. You said anything?
Of course, anything. He had saved her parents from having to move out from Beamhurst Court. Anything, she agreed. But added quickly, Anything legal, that is.
His mouth picked up at the corners, involuntarily, she rather thought. But he sobered, and asked, How old are you?
She was sure he knew how old she was, but answered, Twenty-three. Why?
He shrugged. Just making sure that anything I propose is quite legalamongst consenting adults.
Jessica Steeles latest novel is part of a brand-new miniseries from Harlequin Romance®
Welcome to
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A Paper Marriage
Jessica Steele
www.millsandboon.co.uk
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CONTENTS
CHAPTER ONE
CHAPTER TWO
CHAPTER THREE
CHAPTER FOUR
CHAPTER FIVE
CHAPTER SIX
CHAPTER SEVEN
CHAPTER EIGHT
CHAPTER NINE
CHAPTER ONE
LYDIE was in worried mood as she drove her car in the direction of Buckinghamshire to her family home. Something was wrong, very wrong. She had known it the moment she had heard her mothers voice over the telephone.
Her mother never rang her. It was always she who rang her mother. Lydie had held back from asking what was wrongher mother would tell her soon enough. I want you to come home straight away, Hilary Pearson had said almost before their greeting was over.
Im coming next Tuesday for Olivers wedding on Saturday, Lydie reminded her.
I want you here before then, her mother stated sharply.
You need my help in some way?
Yes, I do!
Oliver Lydie began.
It has nothing to do with your brother or his wedding! her mother snapped sharply. The Ward-Watsons are more than capable of seeing to it that their only daughter gets married in style.
Dad! Lydie cried in alarm. Hes not ill? She thought the world of her father. She occasionally felt that fate had dealt him a raw deal when it had selected her sometimes acid-tongued mother for the mild-mannered man.
Physically hes as fit as he always has been.
Youre saying he has a mental health problem? Lydie asked in alarm.
Good heavens, no! Hes just worried, not sleeping well, hes
Whats he worried about?
There was a moment or two of silence. Ill tell you that when you get here, her mother eventually replied.
Why cant you tell me now? Lydie pressed.
When you get here.
You cant leave it there! Lydie protested.
Im certainly not going to discuss it over the phone.
Oh, for heavens sake! Who did her mother think was listening in? Ill ring Dad at his office, Lydie decided.
Dont you dare! Hes not to know Ive been in touch with you.
But
And anyway, your father no longer has an office.
He What the Dickens was going on?
Come home, her mother demanded crisplyand put down the phone.
Lydies initial reaction was to dial her mother straight back. A second later, though, and she accepted that to ring her would be a waste of time. If her mother had made up her mind to tell her nothing, Lydie knew from experience that she would get nothing more from her until her mother was ready.
Despite her mothers Dont you dare Lydie dialled her fathers business number. She need not tell him anything of her mothers call, just say shed called to say hello prior to seeing him again when she arrived at her lovely old home next week.
A few minutes later and Lydie began to feel seriously worried herself. There was no ringing out tone from her fathers firm; his number was a ceased number. your father no longer has an office her mother had said.
At that point Lydie put down the phone and went in search of the woman whose employ she was due to leave next week. Though Donna was more like the sister she had never had than an employer. She found her in the sitting room with one-year-old Sofia and three-year-old Thomas. They looked such a contented family and Lydie knew she was going to feel quite a pang when she left the family she had been nanny to for the past three years.
Donna looked up. Did I hear the phone? she asked with a smile.
My mother rang.
Everything all right at home?
How would you feel if I left a week earlier than we said?
Today? Donna queried, her smile disappearing. Id hate it.
Youll be fine on your own; I know you will, Lydie assured her bracingly.
That had been some hours ago. Lydie drove into her home village and realised she had been an infrequent visitor just lately to the home she so loved. Beamhurst Court was in her blood, and it had been a dreadful wrench to leave Beamhurst five years ago when at the age of eighteen she had gone to begin her career as a nanny.
Her first job had not worked out when the husband had started to get ideas about his childrens nanny that had not been in her terms of employment. She had left to go and look after Thomas, Donna and Nick Coopers first child, while they followed their careers.
Donna had suffered a quite terrible bout of the baby-blues following the birth of her second child, Sofia. While she was surfacing from that she had started to get very depressed at the thought of returning to work. It had been her husband Nick who had suggested that unless she desperately wanted to keep on with her career, given that they would not be able to afford a nanny and would have to let Lydie go, they could otherwise manage quite adequately without her income.
What do you think? Donna had asked Lydie.
Which would make you happier?
Donna thought, but not for very long. Ive always felt a bit of a pang at missing out on Thomass first couple of years, she answered. That, simply, decided the matter.
Lydie had been due to leave next Tuesday, when she went home for her brothers wedding the following Saturday. She knew it would not be long before she found another job but, having been so happy with the Coopers, and on edge most of the time with her previous employers, she was in no rush to accept the first job offered.
She turned her car in through the gates of Beamhurst Court and love for the place welled up in her. She stopped for a brief while just to sit and look her fill. Beamhurst would one day be handed down to her brother, she had always known that, but that did not stop the feeling of joy she felt each time she came back.
But her mother was waiting for her, and Lydie started up her car again and proceeded slowly up the drive, starting to get anxious again about what it was that worried her father so, and what it was that caused his business telephone line to be unobtainable.
She left her car on the drive, knowing that her father was her first priority. She would not be looking for a new job until she knew what was happening here. Using her house key, she let herself in and went in search of her parents.
She did not have to look far; her mother was in the hall talking to Mrs Ross, their housekeeper. Lydie kissed her mother and passed a few pleasantries with Mrs Ross, whereupon her mother said they would have afternoon tea in the drawing room.
While Mrs Ross went kitchenwards Lydie followed her slim stiff-backed mother into the drawing room. You took your time getting here! her mother complained tartly, turning to close the door behind them.
I had to pack. Since I was leaving anyway there didnt seem much point in going back next week to collect my belongings, Lydie answered, but had more important matters on her mind. Whats going on? I rang Dads office and
I specifically told you not to! her mother interrupted her waspishly.
I wouldnt have mentioned youd phoned me! If Id had the chance! His numbers unobtainable. Wheres Dad now? You said he no longer has an office. But thats impossible. For years
Your father no longer has an office because he no longer has a business! Hilary Pearson cut her off.
Lydies lovely green eyes widened in amazement. He no longer! she gasped, and wanted to protest, to believe that her mother was joking, but the tight-lipped look on her parents face showed that her mother saw no humour in the situation. Hes sold the business? Lydie questioned.
Sold it! It was taken away from him!
Taken! You meanstolen? Lydie asked, reeling.
As good as. The bank wanted their pound of fleshthey took everything. Theyre after this house too!
After Beamhurst! Lydie whispered, horrified.
Oh, we all know youre besotted with the place; you always have been. But unless you can do something about it, theyll force us to sell it to pay them their dues!
Unless I Already Lydies head was starting to spin.
Your father paid out enough for your expensive educationtotally wasted! Its time for you to pay him something back.
Lydie was well aware that she was a big disappointment to her mother. Without bothering to take into account her daughters extremely shy disposition, Hilary Pearson had been exceedingly exasperated that, when Lydies exam results were little short of excellent, she should take on what her mother considered the menial work of a nanny. Lydie still had moments of shyness, and was still a little reserved, but she had overcome that awful shyness to a very large extent.
She stared at her mother incredulously. Pay back! She hadnt asked to be sent to an expensive boarding school. That had been her mothers idea. Theres that few thousand pounds that Grandmother left me. Dad can have that, of course, but
You cant touch that until youre twenty-five. And in any case we need far more than that if were not to be thrown out like paupers. Thrown out! Of Beamhurst! No! Lydie could not believe that. Could not believe that things were as bad as that. Beamhurst Court had been in the Pearson family for generations. It was unthinkable that they should let it go out of the family. But her mother was going angrily on, Ive told your father that if the house has to go, then so shall I!
Mother! Lydie exclaimed, on the instant angry too that when, by the look of it, her father should need his wifes support most, she should threaten to walk out on him. Anything else Lydie might have added, however, remained unsaid when Mrs Ross brought in a tray of tea and set it down.
While Hilary Pearson presided over the delicate tea cups, Lydie made herself calm down. Her last visit home had been four months ago now, she realised with surprise. Though with Donna only then starting to get better, but still feeling down and unable to cope a lot of the time, she had wanted her near at hand should everything became too much for her.
Taking the cup and saucer her mother handed to her, Lydie sat down opposite her, and then quietly asked, What has been happening? Everything was fine the last time I was home.
Six months ago, her mother could not resist, seemingly oblivious that she was out by a couple of months. And everything was far from fine, as you call it.
I didnt see any sign
Because your father didnt want you to. He said there was no need for you to know. That it would only worry you unnecessarily, and that hed think of something.
It had been going on all this while? And she had known nothing about it! She tried to concentrate on the matter in hand. But he hasnt been able to think of anything?
Her mother gave her a sour look. The business is gone. And the bank is baying for its money.
Lydie was having a hard time taking it all in. By the sound of it, things had been falling apart when shed been home four months agobut no one had seen fit to tell her. They had always had money! How could things have become so bad and she not know of it? She could perhaps understand her father keeping quiet; he was a very proud man. Buther mother? She was proud too, but
But where has all our money gone? she asked. And why didnt Oliver?
Well, naturally Olivers business needed a little help. Hilary Pearson bridled, just as if Lydie was laying some blame at her prized sons door. And why shouldnt your father invest heavily in him? You cant start a business from scratch and expect it to succeed in its first years. Besides, Madelines family, the Ward-Watsons, are monied people. We couldnt let Oliver go around looking as though he hadnt a penny to his name!