Cheryl Holt by Too Tempting to Touch

Author:Too Tempting to Touch
Language: eng
Format: mobi, epub
Published: 0101-01-01T00:00:00+00:00

14

“Explain yourselves.”

Lydia glared from Ellen to Alex, then back to Ellen again, but they stared at the rug, neither able to look at her.

They’d slinked in like a pair of whipped dogs and, with clothes scarcely on, lapels askew, buttons crooked, they resembled the malefactors they were. She rapped a paperweight on the desk.

“Well? I’m waiting.”

She was trying to appear livid, but in reality, she was delighted by her shocking discovery. Ever since Rebecca had moved up her wedding date, Lydia had been furious. Despite Rebecca’s protestations to the contrary, Lydia was positive that Rebecca’s scheme was a wicked ploy to ruin Lydia’s own wedding.

By demanding an immediate ceremony—one that would occur before Lydia’s—Rebecca was diverting attention to herself, rather than letting Lydia enjoy her own wedding preparations. It was typical of the snooty, cosseted girl to behave so selfishly, and Lydia was tickled to return the favor.

With her witnessing Alex’s heinous peccadillo, she had the perfect excuse to thwart the nuptials. After all, how could Lydia—in good conscience—let her baby sister marry such a villain? He was philandering with Rebecca’s friend and companion, while Rebecca slept just down the hall.

His gross misconduct gave Lydia the right to cancel the proceedings. Not only would they be terminated, but Lydia would guarantee that Rebecca was humiliated.

“It was all my doing,” Alex started.

Lydia scoffed. “A likely story.”

“It was!” he maintained.

“I’m sure Ellen was a saint through the entire affair.”

Ellen fidgeted, blushing with disgrace, as she murmured, “I’m sorry.”

“You’re sorry?” Lydia mocked. “You accept my money as wages, you reside under my roof and dine at my table, yet you have the gall to commit this . . . this treachery? Rebecca was kind to you, and you’ve repaid her with deceit!”

“I didn’t mean for it to happen.”

“You didn’t?” Lydia trembled with a convincing wrath. “I never liked you, Ellen. I never should have hired you, but Rebecca insisted. Do you know why I didn’t want to hire you? Have you any idea?”

“No.”

“Because you’re coarse and you’re common, and I anticipated that we’d have naught but trouble from you. You’ve exceeded even my low expectations.”

“Lydia, please,” Alex interjected, “there’s no call for insults.”

“Shut up, Alex.” She pretended to contemplate their fate when she already had it planned. If she’d scripted a melodrama, she couldn’t have plotted a more satisfying revenge. “Your engagement to Rebecca is off.”

“What?” Surprisingly, Ellen was the one to complain. “Rebecca will be crushed. You can’t do such a terrible thing to her. I won’t let you.”

“It’s not up to you, Ellen, and you have an incredible amount of temerity to presume that your opinion holds any sway in this conversation. Be silent.”

Alex piped up. “Ellen’s correct, though, Lydia. Let’s not make hasty decisions that will hurt Rebecca.”

Lydia stifled a smile. The couple’s reluctance to harm Rebecca hardened her resolve. If they were so dead set against halting the betrothal, then Lydia was absolutely determined to press on.

“Alex, you were much too busy copulating to count heads,” Lydia chided, “but there were a half dozen of your employees watching you dishonor yourself.

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