Darroch's Promise

By Mave Priestley

A nightmare! No! Not a nightmare, this was so real.
Carissa was horrified to learn at the reading of her father's Will that she and her younger sister and brothers could lose everything.
The weeks following the reading of the Will were the darkest of her life, because of the strictures laid upon her by her late, adoptive father. Carissa had two choices: marry a man she hardly knew, and didn't particularly like, or she and her also adoptive siblings would be ejected from the home they loved, leaving them homeless and near-destitute.
Carissa's despair was exacerbated by the fact that shortly before her father's death she had refused a proposal of marriage from the man she truly loved: Raulo Darroch. She'd refused him, believing that his proposal was founded in his aim of controlling her father's business. No words of love had passed his lips: his proposal of marriage had been utterly business like.
Raulo months on did learn of Carissa's plight. He accepted what fate offered and played his hand to his and Carissa's advantage. He could at last carry out the promise he'd made to Carissa's dying father. A promise he would discover to be placed in jeopardy.
Carissa, being an innocent victim.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Mave Priestley
• Release date: Apr 1, 2013
• ISBN: 9781301082957

Mave Priestley

Born and brought up in Lancashire, England, in the North West coastal town, Barrow-in-Furness.Married in my early twenties and lived in various parts of Europe, then returned to the UK to live in Bradford, West Yorkshire. For the next eighteen years raised a family and held down a busy career in Human Rescource writing tin the evening and any free weekends a form of relaxation.After thirty eight years of marriage, our children having families of their own; we having five lovely Grandchildren, we then moved to France.Moving on from the previous sentence we celebrated our fiftieth Wedding Anniversary in 2018. Still have our home in a quiet part of Morbihan, Brittany. I continue to enjoy writing Romantic Novels, while my husband gardens, providing fresh produce all year round. Plenty to keep us busy, visits from family and friends, and an active life within the local French community. (The present Pandemic unfortunately has restricted that contact between friends and family ) At this point I must give thanks to a friend Dr Jenny Sullivan, for her encouragement in editing my earlier novels also her continued support as a friend.When needing to take a break from writing my novels go to my sewing room: creating Clothes, quilting, other items for our home. Exercising is a must, in the absence of the Gym and Aqua Gym being open, also walking, not so much hiking these days. Plenty of housework, cooking, making my own bread and seasonal bottling of fruit and vegetables. All of which keep me active physically and mentally.Back to my writing, I want my readers to enjoy my stories as much as I enjoy creating each one. A happy conclusion is a must. Continuing the theme of romance, I chose the present photo for my profile from snaps when attending the wedding of a niece since that was over ten years ago, I will in the near future update the profile photo when I have the time to look through recent snaps.

Book preview

Darroch’s Promise

By

Mave Priestley

Copyright © Mave Priestley

March 2022

Published by MP Publishers Colpo at Smashwords

Smashwords Edition License Notes

This ebook is licensed for your personal enjoyment only. This ebook may not be re-sold or given away to other people. If you would like to share this book with another person, please purchase an additional copy for each recipient. If you’re reading this book and did not purchase it, or it was not purchased for your enjoyment only, then please return to Smashwords.com or your favorite retailer and purchase your own copy. Thank you for respecting the hard work of this author.

Contents

Chapter 1

Chapter 2

Chapter 3

Chapter 4

Chapter 5

Chapter 6

Chapter 7

Chapter 8

Chapter 9

Chapter 10

Chapter 11

Chapter 12

Chapter 13

Chapter 14

Chapter 15

Chapter 16

Chapter 17

Chapter 18

Chapter 19

Chapter 20

About Mave

Other Books by Mave

Chapter 1

‘That can’t be true!’ Carissa’s voice resonated around the room, with horror and pain that tore at her tender murmured question, for which she knew she would not get an answer. To think her father, whom she’d so loved, adored, would leave her in limbo, for hers and the lives of her siblings to be controlled by Roger Barker, a man, she hardly knew. That he would do so for three years was unthinkable. If she chose not to accept what her father had laid out in his Will, she and her sister and brothers stood to lose everything.

John Welling, the family solicitor, had his offices in the nearby City of Exeter, a close friend of Stephen; today he had seated himself behind what had been her father’s desk, leaning across he passed her a sheet of parchment. Carissa forced herself to read every word. It was clear there was no mistake. Her father had purposely laid out an ultimatum for her. Scanning the letter, once more she asked herself, Is, this all it takes to wipe out my memories of a loving family.

The distress evident in John’s voice was itself evidence of his sympathy with her predicament. ‘Carissa, I suggest you study both documents carefully. The details are clear and precise. You need to be fully aware of the contents of these documents before you decide. When you’re ready I’ll be willing to answer any questions, you may have.’

Carissa barely heard him ~ her head whirling with the implications that for her and her three siblings were unthinkable. She took control of her emotions. Anger and tears she would indulge later when she was alone in her bedroom. She nodded forward; her beautiful classic face hidden by the fall of her auburn hair.

In that moment, Stephen Mallard ceased to be her father, because in death, he was threatening her and the children’s future. All the love we gave him, she thought, unconditional love between parent and child, rejected. He would destroy all their lives if she didn’t accede to his instructions.

Carissa murmured, ‘The children mustn’t know about this. I’ll take care of them. I’ll find a way somehow.’ Taking a deep breath, Carissa firmed her lips. Her decision made, she felt calmer. She was about to speak again when she was interrupted by the solicitor.

‘Carissa, I remember the day you arrived at the Manor. Stephen and Susan had both lived all their lives in Cheriton Fitzpaine. They loved it here, but you arriving into their lives, made them so very happy.’ He smiled at her, ‘The circumstances surrounding your arrival were naturally sad for you. But as a babe in arms, you knew no different.’ He shook his head. ‘Stephen didn’t mean to be unkind. He searched for years for a way out of the mess he found himself in, but there was truly little room for manoeuvre. The problem is that although you’re the eldest child, you’re female. He took other legal advice, as well as my own. He was desperate to find a way around that damn clause. But for generations that archaic legal sentence has bound the family home and assets. He was so ill, Carissa: he told me he hoped he’d managed to give you a way out of the mess.’

She shook her head, her mind once more on the children. Her voice was desolate. ‘It can’t be right. There must be a way! Can I appeal? Isn’t there some court that looks into these things?’

John Welling admired the girl’s reasoning, but he had to extinguish her faint hope. ‘No. The clause is generations old, from Stephen’s Great-Great-Grandfather’s time.’ He sat back in his chair, an unhappy man.

She couldn’t think clearly.

Everything seemed to be happening at once. She was still trying to understand that her father had sold the Company that had been in the family for generations. Learning of the sale as she had today, and that the Company had been sold a month before Stephen’s death had come as a shock: he’d never once mentioned the sale.

‘You said the business was sold. Who owns it now?’

John shook his head, ‘I’m sorry, Carissa. I’m unable to divulge that. It’s in good hands, and will remain intact, but that’s all I can tell you.’ He shrugged at his helplessness.

Carissa was aware that this was difficult for him too, but she found it hard to care about his feelings. Something had to be done, and quickly! Another thought occurred to her.

‘Why couldn’t he have left everything to the twins? They are male, young, I know, but surely, he could have put everything in trust for Paul and George? I could have overseen everything on their behalf. Perhaps a judge might see that.’ She smiled, tears glistening. ‘John, couldn’t you ask? The costs met from the family estate. Wouldn’t that be a simple and sensible solution?’

While asking the question Carissa was aware of the man hovering in the background. Roger Barker, who was now the person in charge of hers, her sister and brothers lives. He had not spoken one word, other than to say ‘Hello Carissa’ on arriving for her father’s funeral.

John shook his head. ‘No Carissa. Roger Barker is the person your father placed his trust in, and he is to have full charge of the Manor and the Estate. The clause clearly states that the eldest child inherits, but if the eldest is female, and married, then the responsibility falls to her husband’.

Seeing Carissa’s confusion, he thought to lay out the reasoning behind Stephen having made the decision he had. ‘It was because of that clause that Stephen chose the path he did. His misjudgement was in him thinking that you could well have married before his death. Or that he had time to challenge the clause. He had begun to research into it. When on the death of your mother, Susan, he had still not made much headway. It all came at a tough time. His struggle to keep the Company running during the failing economic climate became his prime concern. I am certain he meant to continue looking at solving the riddle of the clause. Unfortunately, without his instruction my hands were tied.’

Carissa at first puzzled then horrified at what she heard. Married! The only person she wanted to marry was Raulo, but she’d messed that up.

John Welling speaking once again broke into her thoughts, John, becoming more distressed at the situation he found himself in, picked up another sheet of paper. ‘You know that your mother left you and the three children money and the shares she held in the family business, as well as her personal possessions. Those shares are in no way affected by Stephen’s Will. You’ll have control of your shares when you reach twenty-five. The Company has suffered like every other business in the recent poor financial climate.

She asked, while deep in her heart knowing what the answer would be, ‘Stephen left no other instructions for Olivia and the twins?’

John shook his head. ‘You stand to inherit from your birth parents. As do Olivia, George, and Paul. Stephen was the trustee of all four funds. However, as with your mother’s money, you cannot access it until you’re twenty-five. It is a pity that your birth parents hadn’t given the age as twenty-one. Raulo Darroch is the person who will take on those trusts.’

Carissa finally understood that Stephen Mallard’s intentions were that she must follow what he’d wanted for her. If he had not so prematurely died, if he had lasted until she was past twenty-five, she would never have known of the restrictive clause, and by then might have been safely married. Heavens, she could even have accepted Raulo’s hasty proposal of marriage. He’d told her he was patient. Now it was too late for both.

John Welling wondered if Carissa would comply. He had a gut feeling she may have no choice.

‘He was so ill in the end,’ she said, ‘perhaps he didn’t know what he was doing. Is that possible ~ should I seek other advice? Not for myself, you understand,’ careful to reassure, ‘but for the children.’

‘I doubt you would succeed. It would be a legal nightmare, and you haven’t the funds to support an appeal.’ John sighed, ‘I tried to persuade Stephen that you at least should have an income, but he refused. He told me that only recently he’d put a generous amount of his own private funds from the Company into your mother’s trust fund. The funds from the sale of the business go into his estate. He may have been too ill to deal with such a complicated issue, but at the time it didn’t appear that way.’ The moist blankness of the girl’s green eyes in her white face confirmed the degree of her shock.

Carissa was trembling, fast losing control. Everything that John Welling had told her, and what Stephen had had written, fell into place. It dawned on her that she hadn’t really known the man she had loved so dearly; the man she’d called Daddy for as long as she could remember. It was as if he’d never existed. ‘I know Stephen was ill. He never recovered from Mummy dying.’ She drew in a shaky breath. ‘I tried so hard. I even gave up my dream of studying medicine.’ She leaned forward in her chair, as if it would help the man sat behind the desk to understand, ‘The children only have me. How can I support them without an income? You’re saying that Olivia, George, Paul and I will have to leave the Manor if I don’t go along with what my father wanted?’

At that point, she turned to look at Roger Barker and asked ‘Surely there is money available for the school fees? Or will they be forced to leave their schools?’ She shook her head at the blank stare she got in return. She murmured softly, ‘We will lose that if I don’t agree? They’ll have to leave their schools, too. No matter what job I get, I could never hope to earn enough to pay the fees!’

She shook her head despairingly, ‘I’m twenty-two for goodness’ sake, what was he thinking? He was happy enough for me to stay at home and look after him and the children.’

Thoughts of her young sister Olivia, now twelve and eight-year-old twins, George, and Paul, filled her mind. Olivia had been six and the twins two, orphaned when their parents had died in a car accident. Frightened and terrified they had been put in an orphanage by social services. Adoption a dim prospect, there was no other family.

‘I won’t let them go to Social Services again. I won’t let that happen,’ she declared.

The solicitor had wondered should Carissa not agree with what Stephen had wanted a solution might be for Stephen’s sister to take the four young people into her home. He could barely countenance Carissa having to comply with what Stephen had written.

Carissa thought how ironic it was, none of them had blood ties with the two people who had taken them into their home and for her they had been the only parents she had ever known, Stephen and Susan Mallard, her Mum and Dad.

Stephen Mallard. No longer ~ my dad. Never again, she told herself, could she think of him as Dad. Not after the wreck, he had made of her future. In the letter he had left, the veiled suggestion had been that she marry. Marry? She thought. The name Roger Barker sprang out at her from the typescript in her hands. He’d been to dinner the last time only about two weeks ago. She looked at the date at the top of the letter, underneath her father’s name. The fourteenth of May. Yes. It had been about then he’d come to dine ~ his third visit in three months. She’d thought it strange then, Stephen had rarely entertained in the last two years. Had that been the reason for his invitation to Roger? So, the man could look her over as a wife. The thought made her feel sick.

‘No!’ Carissa murmured it was obvious to her now. Those dinner evenings she recalled there had been no business discussed, certainly not in her presence. Now I know why, she thought. Her father had been all the while manipulating her and it would seem Roger had been a willing participant.

There had been something about the man ~, she hadn’t felt comfortable in his company. He’d seemed incredibly young to be a Financial Director. She recalled how her father had spoken about him, ‘A bright young man. He has been an enormous help over the three years since he joined the Company. And I like him too.’

While going over in her mind what her father had said, she sneaked a look to where he had been standing. He’d left the study, no doubt satisfied with what he had heard she thought.

He’d gone on to say that he regarded Roger Barker as a true friend and told Carissa that should she ever need someone to talk with, then Roger would be the best person to turn to. She’d thought nothing of it at the time, but now it became clear. Carissa realised that her father had known that he had little time left but had told no one. Glancing up she asked, ‘Has Roger Barker any knowledge of this?’ Praying he hadn’t.

John sighed, saying, ‘That’s my understanding, but you’ll need to raise that with him yourself. Your father has indicated here,’ he said, indicating another document on the desk, ‘Stephen clearly states, "Roger Barker will explain everything to you." I suggest you speak with Roger Barker before you decide your future, Carissa.’

John Welling continued, his voice soft and steady, although anger burned underneath, ‘If you agree with what your father put forward, Roger will oversee the Manor and the Estate, including all monies and holdings. If you do not, you and the children will have to move out of the Manor and all financial support will cease. And in line with your father’s wishes, Roger Barker will oversee the Manor and the Estate. You will be on your own Carissa, with the children. You will need to find a job and somewhere to live. The Manor and family money will eventually pass to another beneficiary.’

Carissa, shaken by the details of her future put into cold words, asked, ‘Beneficiary? Who?’

‘I am sorry, Carissa. I can’t tell you that.’

Yes, you could, was Carissa’s immediate thought. But you won’t.

John Welling gathered his papers together and stuffed them in his briefcase, preparing to leave. It hurt him to see the pain and anguish on Carissa’s face, and it struck him as ironic that if Stephen had not died so suddenly, he could have today been sitting in this study with him. He’d been brief over the phone, mentioning Barker’s name indicating that man was on the agenda for discussion. Stephen had expressed his worry about not being able to contact Raulo Darroch, who was currently in Brazil. The following day Carissa phoned. She had been heart broken, as she relayed the news of Stephen’s death.

Carissa, on Stephen’s death, had telephoned Raulo’s stepmother, Stephen’s sister therefore also Carissa’s Aunt Martha, she was currently touring with her husband, Harrison, a history professor in Canada on a lecture tour, so Carissa had had to cope with her father’s death and funeral alone.

John shook his head, thinking, now if it had been Raulo... There were times like today when he disliked being a solicitor. Wills were rarely good to deal with since they inevitably disappointed someone, but this one had to be one of the strangest he had come across.

Carissa, realising John had finished what he had come to do, rising to her feet as he walked towards her. She felt sorry for him, but not as sorry as she felt for herself and the children. It was so strange ~, it all still seemed like a dream ~, though nightmare was a more apt description. She felt weak from shock, but aware she needed to say something, held out her hand to him, saying, ‘Thank you, John. I know today must have been difficult for you. I will be in touch. I presume it is you I need to inform of what I choose to do?’

John shook the trembling hand, smiling faintly. ‘Yes. I will deal with everything once I learn of your decision. Goodbye Carissa.’

Finally, alone, Carissa crossed to the large bay window, and stood for a moment to gaze over the immaculate garden, watching the breeze tossing the branches of the old oak taking centre place in the grounds behind the house. ‘I can’t lose this. The children can’t lose this.’ It was then she vowed to do whatever necessary to keep their home.

She didn’t know how long she stayed there, pondering her choices. Choices! she thought ruefully. I have none. She pulled herself together. One choice she did have ~ make that phone call ~ or not. Decided to leave it until tomorrow, Roger had gone home rather than returning to work. First, she needed to make a list of her priorities. First was to agree an allowance for each of them. Then the school fees, thankfully, for this year she knew were already paid. She made her choice.

The next morning Carissa telephoned John Welling, ‘John, I have no real choice in the matter. I have to be realistic, so I agree to what my father stipulated in his Will.’

The next week brought home to Carissa, how her own responsibilities to do with the Manor were quickly moving out of her control. It worried her, she worried over the impact any changes would have on her in the future, especially the next three years.

Roger is seemed had entered his role with great zealous. John Welling had phoned her only this morning to inform her, ‘Barker has arranged to lease out two pastures. The rent will go toward the cost for the upkeep of the Manor Carissa.’

He had then gone on to tell her the real reason for him calling her, something that shocked her rigid.

‘Your father appears to have entered into other arrangements with Barker.’

‘Arrangement, other than the trusteeship you mean?’

John Welling uncomfortable but not wishing the young woman to get an inkling of his concerns over the contents of a letter, he had received by courier an hour earlier, told her ‘Yes. There is a signed agreement. It is clear from what it written Stephen had been thinking along lines of you marrying sooner rather than later. He had Barker in the frame of husband.’

Carissa was thankful that she had been sitting at the time, if she hadn’t, she was sure her legs would have given way. ‘John are ~ you telling me that my father sought the man out as a husband for me?’ It seemed ludicrous.

‘Yes. Finalised with the signed agreement that Barker do all he can to protect you and the children while under his care. There is a final paragraph, concerns only you. Thus, him agreeing to the marriage.’

Carissa could hardly take in what she was hearing, ‘Goodness. Do you think my father knew how ill he was? How close he was to dying?’

John Welling, thinking, Carissa had hit on the same thought as himself, seeming that Stephen Mallard had sought how best to save his children from worry about their future. So clumsy though. Why not ask me? He’d been shocked on reading out Stephen’s letter to her yesterday. Now he had added to her shock.

John Welling suggested curtly ‘Speak to Barker.’ With that, John concluded the call.

Carissa had for the last horrendous days, in between keeping busy, and having sleepless nights began to wonder what Roger would next interfere with. She had never been aware of worries about money. Her father had always made certain she had more than enough for housekeeping, and for the needs for her, Olivia, George, and Paul.

It was as she sat mulling over how she could best arrange hers and the three others lives, to her satisfaction, that an idea struck her. So bizarre but it just might work, she thought. The letter Stephen had written, John had read out to her after the reading of Stephen’s Will. That very same letter she had later shoved into the right-hand desk drawer. Now taking out the letter, she read it through slowly, something I should have done then, she told herself, but she had been to upset to do more than glance over it, at the time.

Reading again what her father had written in a shaky, but clear scrawl, that he thought the man would make her a good husband. He had made no stipulation as to their marrying, but Carissa now reading between the lines and begun to understand what he had meant by his so careful wording.

Her heart fought against the marriage, but her head told her differently. The children must be secure, that was the most important thing. Was this loveless marriage the only answer? she was left wondering.

She reached for the phone, her thoughts turning to Raulo. Had Aunt Martha managed to get in touch, to tell him about Daddy? she wondered

She’d spoken to her aunt the day Stephen had died. It had been close to midnight when she’d phoned Canada. Uncle Harrison would have been happy for Martha to fly back for her brother’s funeral, but Carissa had been adamant that she shouldn’t. ‘No,’ she’d said, ‘don’t think of coming back for the funeral. None of us could have expected this. He had a stroke yesterday, and a second stroke early this morning finished him. I went up to wish him goodnight as usual ~ I’d been over at Sally’s for the evening. When I walked into his bedroom, he seemed to be trying to reach the phone. He turned to look at me, and said, Raulo! Then he collapsed. I phoned for an ambulance, and we got him to hospital. Daddy died at three this morning.’

‘Oh darling! I’m so sorry; it must have been terrible for you.’ Martha’s distress had shown in her voice. ‘What about the children? Can you cope?’

Carissa had blinked back tears. ‘Olivia’s best friend’s Mum came and took the children back to her house for the rest of the week.’

Talking to her aunt had helped. She knew how awful it would be for her aunt, she and Stephen had been close, despite ten years difference in age.

Martha had concluded the call by saying, ‘I’ll call Raulo ~ he’s in Brazil on business. He said he’d not be contactable for two months at least, and that we shouldn’t worry, but Harrison will try to get in touch somehow, Carissa, to tell him about Stephen. I’m sure he’ll phone when he has a moment. Take care darling, love to the children. I know they will be terribly upset. Harrison sends his love too.’

So ~, Carissa thought, Raulo had kept his word and set off for Brazil! Unless he phoned while he was out there, she had no way of telling him of her plight. Anyway, would he care? It could have been you, Raulo. That thought too painful for her to hold onto. She had loved him for so very long. If she hadn’t acted in such an immature manner two weeks ago, things might have been different. If she’d known then what she knew now, she was certain she would have snatched up what Raulo had offered her.

Would he phone? He had told her that last night they had dinner together, when she’d refused his proposal, ‘I have to go out to Brazil ~ I may be there for three months. I won’t call or write Carissa. I’d hoped you would come with me as my wife, but that is not to be.’

She’d interrupted him at that point, feeling terrible that he needed to get away. It led her to almost, but not quite, to change, her mind. Her reason for refusing Raulo’s proposal of marriage hadn’t changed, ‘I’m sorry Raulo.’ Though she doubted he was hurting, for on his side love had not been involved. He’d never mentioned the word. Not once. And he went to Brazil anyway.

She wondered what might have happened if she’d accepted Raulo’s proposal. Surely, her father would not have felt the need to write the letter he had. Coating his request in words that had served to encourage her earlier thinking. Raulo would never have allowed that to happen. He would have given Raulo the full trusteeship role, rather than only her mother’s and her birth parents Trusts to oversee. He would have taken full control; would she have been happier with that? she wondered. But she must put all that behind her. Raulo was un-contactable and that was that. Anyway, she’d turned him down.

She decided then if Raulo should phone, she wouldn’t tell him what had happened

‘Can I possibly consider marrying a man I hardly know, and certainly don’t love?’ She asked, knowing that was more than likely what she would need to do. That Roger had already rented out farmland opened her eyes to the fact that he was now the person in charge of the everyday running of the estate.

If she should marry another man, and that man was Roger, Raulo would hate her. He’d offered her much the same, marriage with no love on his side. Only in Raulo’s case, she loved him so very much. There was no way that she would involve Raulo and Aunt Martha in this mess. She certainly didn’t intend telling her Aunt Martha until she was married to a husband, she would never have chosen for herself. Divorce hovering on the horizon, would be the only way she’d agree to such a marriage. For that was how it seemed all this would end.

Turning to leave the study, she halted, as a sudden thought emerged. Had Raulo known something could go so horribly wrong? Knowing how sick Daddy was, had Raulo proposed marriage as a last resort to help her and the children? The thought made her turn even colder. ‘Daddy called for Raulo before he collapsed. Why Raulo?’ Had Raulo told Daddy she had refused his proposal? Carissa realised in that second that she couldn’t disengage her mind from the fact that Stephen had been the father she had loved. Even now, he had left her with, she knew he had wanted her and the children to remain a family.

She realised she was getting herself into a terrible muddle. She must concentrate on the here and now. But what if Raulo did phone today, or even tomorrow? Would she be brave enough to ask him if he still wanted to marry her?

She needed firstly to speak to Roger, summoning up her courage, tapped out the Company phone number. When the receptionist answered, she forced herself to ask, ‘Roger Barker, please.’

It only took seconds, ‘Barker.’ Hearing his voice gave her little comfort.

Swallowing, she took a deep breath. Taking the first hurdle: she began, ‘Roger ~ it’s Carissa.’

She forced back tears, suddenly embarrassed at the thought of what she was about to commit herself to doing. Who wouldn’t be? I’ve no choice. I’m considering doing what Daddy wanted. She concentrated her mind on her reason for calling, moved on. ‘Are you free for dinner this evening? I’ve been speaking with my father’s solicitor this morning. I understand that my father has made an arrangement concerning the both of us. Um ~ us ~ marrying,’ she paused; embarrassment flowed over her once more.

‘Is this a proposal, Carissa?’ Roger’s jauntiness cut her to the quick.

Carissa firmed her lips. ‘We really need to discuss this. It would be so helpful if you could make dinner this evening.’

He replied, ‘Right.’ She unaware of Roger’s thoughts, Got you! He was aware that Carissa was apprehensive, he could hear it in her voice, but he couldn’t care less. He was there, had almost achieved what he’d worked towards for the last year. Control! That fool Mallard had trusted him completely. He’d confided that he’d got the Company into financial difficulties through his own foolishness and Roger seeing an opportunity, had willingly agreed to clear up whatever Stephen needed to have sorted.

Leaning forward, Roger smiled, giving Carissa his answer. ‘I’ll be there at eight, Carissa. I’m looking forward to it.’

Carissa put the phone down, feeling physically sick. She wished Raulo would phone, then, the next minute, hoped he wouldn’t.

It was eight o’clock and Carissa, standing in the hallway, heard Roger’s car coming along the drive. It was like a nightmare: her stomach twisted; her mind similarly affected. She needed to compartmentalise her thoughts, take control of the discussion. It was unbelievable that he appeared untroubled by what to her seemed so ludicrous.

Greeting him, she allowed a small smile to touch her lips, before turning and leading him through into the dining room. ‘I thought we would eat in here, at the small table by the window as it’s just the two of us.’

He smiled, saying with what seemed a little too much praise, ‘Looks lovely I’m certainly hungry.’

She watched as he looked around the room, before turning to face her again. ‘This is a beautiful room, and naturally you only enhance it. It’s a fitting setting for someone as lovely as you, Carissa.’ For a second Carissa was lost for words, having never heard him