The Tycoon She Shouldn't Crave by Penny Jordan

Author:Penny Jordan [Jordan, Penny]
Language: eng
Format: epub
ISBN: 9781488030796
Publisher: Harlequin
Published: 1985-07-08T16:00:00+00:00

CHAPTER SEVEN

SHADOWS were lengthening in the garden when she woke up. Downstairs a door slammed and her body tensed, her eyes fixed on her closed door, in mute dread. When Slater came in she shrank back under the bedclothes.

“Chris.” His voice was sharp. “Sophie seems to be missing.” The very real anxiety she could detect in his eyes banished any suspicions she might have had that he was making it up.

“Mrs Lancaster gave her tea as usual and she went upstairs to read. When she went to get her ready for bed she couldn’t find her.”

“I’ll help you look.”

She pushed back the bedclothes, avoiding meeting his eyes as she swung her feet to the floor.

“I’ve searched the house and garden already. Now I’ll have to ring the police.” He was out of the door before she had left her bed. She had dreaded coming face to face with him again but now their mutual concern for Sophie over-rode any embarrassment Chris might have felt.

Dressed and downstairs she was just in time to catch the tail end of his telephone conversation.

“Yes I understand how you feel, Sarah,” she heard him saying, “but obviously I can’t take you out to dinner tonight… Yes…yes…” He sounded tersely angry and Chris wondered at the other woman’s lack of concern for Sophie. After all she was Slater’s child and she thought Sarah would have cared about her for his sake if not for the little girl’s own.

Anxious for something to occupy herself with, Chris went out into the garden. It was very large and parts of it were almost overgrown. Sophie could easily be lost in it, but Slater had said he had searched it and knowing him as she did she owned that that search would have been a thorough one.

She wandered down the drive and out on to the road. It made her blood run ice in her veins to contemplate the fates that might have befallen the little girl. She frowned remembering how distressed she had been by John Howard’s visit. She hadn’t even had time to tell Slater about her humming, Chris reflected retracing her steps back to the house. She found Slater in the study, his back was towards her. He was studying a framed photograph he held in his hands. Chris didn’t need to see it to recognise the photograph of her cousin and Sophie which normally stood on his desk. Inwardly she wept bitter tears of pain, but outside she strived to appear calm as she approached the desk.

The naked ache of agony she had discerned in Slater’s expression was wiped clean as he saw her, the photograph restored to its rightful place.

“It might not be important,” she began tersely, “but Sophie seemed very upset this morning while John was here. He explained to me…”

“He did, did he?” Slater laughed with harsh bitterness. “The Chris I remember wouldn’t have… Oh for God’s sake what’s the use… Yes, it is important,” he went on bitterly. “Surely even you can

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