A Sordid Situation (2 page)

Indeed.
He reached into
his satchel and retrieved the documents. “You’ll find everything is in perfect
order and legal.”

“I wouldn’t have thought otherwise. I’m guessing evictions have
to be done by the book. I assume, not being your first, that you know what
you’re doing.”

He detected a certain iciness in her voice. But, considering the
circumstance of their meeting, it was to be expected. This wasn’t a social
call.

“You’ve itemized everything.” He watched her scan over each page,
as she scrutinized every word and number. “Very organized I must say.”

“I figured it was best to itemize everything individually.”

She nodded. “Well, it’s safe to say, sir, you’ve left me
destitute.”

* * * *

Eugenia had seen enough. She handed back the documents. “I’ll
need time to sort my affairs and to make alternate living arrangements. There
are things that need attending to before I leave. I trust you can and will
accommodate my request? Three months would be sufficient.”

“That’s not a problem and if need be, it can be extended. All you
need do is ask.”

Handsome and refined
,
not what she had expected. It was hard to dislike a man so polite. Even if he
was kicking her out of her very own house. House,
past tense
, she reminded herself.

“If I may be sold bold as to ask, why did you marry him?” He
leaned forward, his voice low, just a few octaves above a whisper.

“You, sir, are out of line. But if you must know, it was love.
Why else would two people marry?” Of course, she wasn’t naïve. People married
for many reasons, often, love being the least of them.

“But he was so much older than you. Forgive my boldness. You
could have had your pick of any man.”

Wrong. You don’t know the
full story.

She blushed at his impertinence. “This isn’t proper. I hardly
know you, sir, and you offend me with your words.”

“Then I offer my sincerest apologies. I’m a curious man by
nature. I should have held my tongue.”

“Thank you. But since you asked…I was taken with William, our
ages were irreverent within our relationship.”

“Perhaps we could make an arrangement between the two of us. I’d
hate to see you homeless. It could be very beneficial, under the right terms.”

His hand slid over hers. Frozen, she didn’t dare move an inch.

“I’m a married woman!”

“Widowed,” he corrected. “For a year and some now.”

“I’m still faithful to his memory.”

“I’m not asking you to be otherwise. No decent man would have
left his wife in such a predicament. You’re young, attractive, and have needs.
Needs that I can help take care of.”

Rake!

“I would not have you speaking ill of him,” she snapped, her
temper rising. “Not in his own house.” She felt his hand tighten over hers, yet
she couldn’t muster the strength or nerve to pull away from his grip.

His eyes reminded her of the sky on a cloudy day. Grey with tiny
specks of amber. How unusual. She was entranced in his gaze.

Barring instinct…instinct that told her she should know better,
she reached out with her free hand and caressed his cheek ignoring the urge to
pull her hand away. His dark stubble tickled her fingertips.

“Your house,” she corrected, hating to admit those words.

Cocking his head to the side, he kissed the tip of her index
finger and then slipped it into his mouth, nibbling gently.

Pulling her hand away in surprise, Eugenia abruptly stood, and
Mr. Hawthorne immediately followed.

They faced each other.

“This isn’t right. I don’t know you from Adam. It isn’t proper.”

“To hell with propriety,” he growled, pulling her to him.

His lips descended on hers, demanding her response. And for that
one brief moment, she’d have given him anything. His tongue toyed with hers,
playing, demanding….

She liked it. Maybe too much.

* * * *

He felt her melt under his touch, her lips tender and beguiling.

Cal
pressed one hand against the small of her back, drawing her closer to his
person, while the other came to rest on her right breast.

“We can’t,” she said, gasping. “If someone should walk in—”

“Then he or she will get one hell of an eyeful. It’ll teach them
to never enter a room unannounced.”

“That’s enough.” She pushed him away as he tried to steal another
kiss. “My sensibilities are telling me this isn’t right.”

With a groan,
Cal
readjusted himself. Her effect on him was more than obvious. He smirked when
she glanced down, and in turn, placed a hand over her mouth.

“Yes my dear, you caused that. Are you shocked? Horrified? Surely
you’re not that innocent having been married to a man much older than yourself.”

She blushed. “We must forget this ever happened. It was a
mistake. Chalk it up to a high state of emotions on both our behalves. In three
months, I shall vacate Collingwood. That will be the last time you’ll hear from
me. I won’t cause you any further trouble.”

Was this trouble?

“And what if I refuse? What if I choose to see you again?” he
questioned. “Will you refute me?”

“It can’t and won’t happen, not under any circumstances. Tongues
would wag. I can only imagine the stories that would fly, if it were discovered
that you and I were linked in any way, other than business. They already think
I drove William to his death…that it was me who caused him to….” She turned
towards the fireplace and braced one hand against the mantle. “If only they
knew.”

“Then tell them. To hell with his memory!” Unrepentant anger rose
inside of him, anger for a man he barely knew. How could any man do this to his
wife? William Wareham knew what he was doing. He had chosen to gamble away his
entire fortune and like a coward in the end, he took his own life to avoid the
consequences. And he left this lovely young woman behind to heft the weight of
his indiscretions, alone.

“There wouldn’t be any point. They’d simply find another way to
blame me. And I don’t need that additional drama, not at this time.”

He bowed slightly. “Then for now, I shall bid you adieu.”

She turned away from him, now facing the flickering flames in the
fireplace. “You know the way out.”

* * * *

Left in an utter state of confusion and arousal, Eugenia, at any
moment expected to be overcome with the vapors.

He’d mentioned an agreement. And while the very idea was
insulting, she was intrigued. Especially since there was an undeniable
chemistry between them.

When the maid appeared with her afternoon tea, Eugenia nodded
briefly to thank her. But once again, her thoughts drifted back to him, the
dashing Mr. Hawthorne.

Rid him from your mind. No
good can possibly come from it.
She had much to think about. Yet, a vision
of his handsome face lingered at the forefront of her mind. The feel of his
lips remained branded on hers, and the sound of his voice reminded her of
smooth, rich brandy.

Good lord, what was she to do if she saw him again?

Chapter Two

Eugenia wasn’t without disappointment. Two days passed and she
didn’t hear from Mr. Hawthorne.

The needlepoint she concentrated on did little to hold her
interest, or to distract her mind from the images of him. His lips, strong
hands, and his masculine scent—spice and musk intermingled with something she
couldn’t quite put her finger on.

“Darling…. Darling, where are you?” called a high pitched voice,
just outside the parlor doors.

Eugenia smiled. It could only be one person. Only one woman would
be so bold as to waltz into a house unannounced.

“In here, Jordanna,” she called in return. She waited but a
moment before the raven haired bon vivant, not much older than herself, entered
the room in an explosion of overt smiles and gestures.

“I know it’s been forever, but today, when I stepped out of bed,
I thought…it’s a gorgeous autumn day and I should pay a visit to my best friend
in the whole wide world. I was literally aching to see you. It’s been forever
and a day, since my last visit.”

Eugenia laughed, tossing her needlepoint aside. “You, my dear,
should have opted for a career onstage.”

“I haven’t the temperament for it. All those ups and downs, can
you just imagine? And that’s behind the scenes, if you get my drift. I’d be
washed up and dead within a year.”

“You are scandalous.” Eugenia giggled. “Oh, the things you say.”
She clasped both hands against her chest, laughing harder.

“I’m a delight to be around, admit it.” Jordanna swirled around
the middle of the parlor to accentuate her point, before taking her place
across from Eugenia.

“All right, all right, I admit it. You, my dear, are a much
needed breath of fresh air.”

Jordanna closed her eyes and raised her hands outwards. “My
psychic intuition tells me…wait, I almost have it. You have something to share…something…you’re
just dying to tell me.” She opened her eyes and grinned. “So out with it!”

“I met a man,” announced Eugenia. A wry smile crept across her
lips. “And I’m not sure it’s entirely good.”

“A man? Is he handsome? Is he rich? Well, come on! Don’t you dare
hold anything back.”

Peppered with questions, Eugenia took a deep breath and let it
out.

* * * *

Never in his entire life had
Cal
encountered a woman who had enchanted
him so. Enchanting being the perfect word to describe how he had become immediately
taken with her. She had him held fast, under her spell.

He paced his office, glanced out one of two windows overlooking
the street. And again, his thoughts fell to her, instantly arousing him.

She had ordered him away, yet had he detected some hesitation on
her behalf? His pulse quickened at the thought of her wanting him. He closed
his eyes and imagined her lips tracing his. Her taste, sweet. Her scent, intoxicating—a
delicate mix of lavender and strawberries….

Cal
poured a glass of whiskey, and then placed the crystal decanter back into his
cabinet, pondering the whole situation.

She was first and foremost a lady. He respected that, even if he
lusted after her in unspeakable ways.

The idea came to him after his second glass. He sat behind the desk
and started to draft a letter. He grinned as the words flowed and when he
finished, he sealed it within an envelope. He’d drop it into her mail slot
personally to ensure delivery. If she responded, the possibilities could be
endless.

He pictured her reading the words, and then in horror, tossing
everything into the fireplace. Yet there was no harm in trying, and if she said
yes, the arrangement he proposed could benefit them both in ways beyond words.

* * * *

When telling any story, it was always best to start at the
beginning.

“I’m destitute,” blurted Eugenia, not knowing any other way to
put it. She paused, waiting for Jordanna’s reaction.

“You can’t be serious? I can’t fathom…. How did this happen?”
Jordanna sat back in her chair, in an obvious state of shock and disbelief.

“William apparently had a penchant for gambling. I mean, I knew
he liked the cards and that he frequented the halls, but I never thought he’d
be so irresponsible to lose everything. And now the collector has come calling
on the debts. He was here yesterday and presented me with the proper documents.
Legally, I don’t have a leg to stand on. I no longer own anything, nor do I
have any money.”

Jordanna listened in obvious awe, yet Eugenia knew by the look on
her dear friend’s face that none of it was sinking in. “This isn’t right. It
has to be some mistake. You must do something.”

“What can I do? Don’t you think I’ve went over that many times
already? It’s a done deal. Mr. Hawthorne has the right to collect what’s owed
to him.”

“How could William do this to you? And to think, to add further
insult to injury he then went and—”

“Killed himself,” Eugenia finished. Her heart still ached for
William at times. It was hard to say those two horrible words aloud.

“I’m sorry. I should never have brought that up. It was never my
intention to upset you further. I can’t even imagine going through something so
terrible.”

“If only you knew. The whispers, the looks. They pretend it never
happened, but it did. And nothing can ever change that. It was a selfish act
and at one time I hated him for it. There, I said it. I admit to hating him for
a short period.” But unfortunately her anger only provided a minor release. “I
do forgive him, and in time I will forgive him for this too. It will take time,
but it will come. Everything happens for a reason and I just need to believe
that. Never question the divine, for what will be will be.”

“Oh dear, this is so depressing. We need to get out, have some
fun, and attend a ball or two or even three. A year has passed. Your mourning
is over.”

Eugenia sighed. “Fun’s the last thing on my mind. I can’t fathom
doing such things right now.”

“So this man, this Mr. Hawthorne, what’s he like? After hearing
this, he seems to be a downright dastardly rake. But that’s just my opinion,”
stated Jordanna.

“He’s handsome and I know I shouldn’t notice such things, but
it’s hard not to when it’s presented right in front of one’s face.” She
blushed, remembering what he did.

“Do go on,” encouraged Jordanna, her eyes popping with curiosity.
“Did he make any advances towards you?”

“It was more than that. He kissed me and, well…”

“Scandalous, I love it,” squealed Jordanna. “If I had a glass of
champagne, I’d make a toast. It’s about time you loosened your strings. You’re
far too uptight. So what else?”