Rachel Lindsay - Mask of Gold by Rachel Lindsay

Author:Rachel Lindsay [Lindsay, Rachel]
Language: eng
Format: epub, mobi
Published: 2010-11-02T02:09:36.446000+00:00

CHAPTER NINE

Carolyn did not come down until late the next morning. When Derek had brought her home she had been too exhausted to think, but she awoke at dawn and, able to review the position more logically, had known she could not allow her dislike of Alvin to propel her into an engagement with a man she did not love.

'I must go to the cottage and tell him,' she decided, and waited impatiently for the sky to change from the pale light of dawn to the clear lemon light of morning.

Hurriedly she dressed, gulped down a cup of coffee and set off down the drive.

She had rounded the first bend when a car chugged towards her, and with a throb of nervousness she recognised Derek at the wheel.

'I was coming to see you,' she said as he got out of the car.

'I beat you to it.' The smile left his face as he saw her expression. 'What's wrong, Carolyn?'

She drew a deep breath. 'I can't go on with the engagement. It's only a pretence, and it isn't fair to you.'

'Let me be the judge of that. I want Jeffrey and his mother to know you've got someone to take care of you.'

'But it isn't fair, you'll be hurt.'

'Don't worry about me. I meant what I said last night, Carolyn. I love you and I believe you need protecting.'

'From what? You must have some idea.'

'I tell you I don't know. It's just a feeling.'

'The whole thing's fantastic,' she whispered. 'When Peter asked me to marry him I'd no idea things would turn out like this.'

'Perhaps he knew. Perhaps that's why he asked you to look after his son. He might have been afraid that if Piotr came here alone they'd try to——- ' He stopped speaking and she looked at him with horror.

'They'd try and what?'

'Get rid of him, perhaps.'

'No, I don't believe it. They couldn't harm a child.'

'They don't need to now. If they were his guardians instead of you, they'd still have control of the money.'

'No,' she said again. 'No.'

Yet though she denied what Derek said, his words only reechoed her own fears, and she caught hold of his arm. 'What should I do?'

'Just rely on me.' He caught her by the shoulders. 'Let our engagement stand, Carolyn.'

'Very well,' she said. 'But only because—- '

'Don't say any more,' he interrupted. 'I know the reason.' He straightened. 'Now the first thing is to make sure there's someone here with you the whole time.'

'That's impossible.'

'No, it isn't. Margaret's agreed to come here.'

'Margaret?'

'Yes. She's much better now and it will do her good to take care of Piotr. That means you needn't stay here the whole time.'

'I've nowhere else to go.'

'You must get away from the house. Stay in London for a few days, perhaps take a flat.'

'You talk as if I'm in danger here.'

Silence was his only answer, but it was more frightening than words. 'Can all this be real?' she wondered. Would Jeffrey and Mrs. Nichols harm her in order to get charge of Piotr? But surely that wasn't necessary now that Jeffrey was going to marry Ella.

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