LITMIR.BIZ

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      Caleb just shook his head and watched her leave. That something was niggling him again. Like a constant barely-there buzzing in his head, he couldn’t put his finger on it, it was so elusive. And he had to acknowledge the dark part of him that didn’t want to investigate what it was.

      By the time they reached the house he’d put it from his mind. Maggie turned around to face him in the car when they pulled in, something urgent in her movements.

      ‘My mother thinks I’m working for you as an assistant, so please don’t disabuse her of that, and Caleb…’

      He faced her properly, momentarily stunned by the serious expression on her face, the unmistakable protective light in her eyes. He’d seen it before, in Monte Carlo.

      ‘If you do or say anything to upset her…the deal will be off—we’ll cope somehow, but I will walk away and you can have the house.’

      ‘How on earth could I upset your mother, Maggie?’

      ‘She had nothing to do with anything, Caleb, nothing. Just remember it’s me you’re punishing, not her.’

      And she got out of the car.

      For a second Caleb sat there. Punishing her? As he watched her walk to the door, the soft folds of the dress she wore flowing round her hips and legs, as he felt the familiar surge of desire that wasn’t abating one tiny bit, the thought that she felt he was punishing her was not a comfortable one. And he didn’t know why. Because that was what he’d set out to do all along, wasn’t it?

      He stepped out, meeting Maggie at the door just as it opened. He almost didn’t recognise the woman who stood there. She certainly looked different from how he remembered her—as almost grey, fading into the background. This woman looked…vibrant. Although he could see something in her eyes, some light that had been diminished, and there was a distinct wariness, a jumpiness there. He could see traces of the beauty she’d once been. A different beauty from Maggie’s, but there all the same. Maggie was hugging her and re-introducing them, as they’d met in London. He could feel the waves of warning emanate from her tightly held body and suddenly wanted to reassure her. He fought down the urge, telling himself he must be getting soft.

      Maggie’s mother showed them into the front room, the same one that he’d been in before, where he’d seen Maggie again for the first time since they met in London. When they had drinks in their hands, she sat nervously on the edge of a chair.

      ‘Mr Cameron—’

      He smiled urbanely. ‘Caleb, please.’

      She smiled. ‘Very well, Caleb. I just wanted to say…thank you so much for being so generous. I don’t know how we can ever repay you. You have no idea how much this house meant, means to us…me and Maggie.’ She took Maggie’s hand beside her. ‘After my beloved Brendan died, it was all I had to remind me of him…’

      ‘Mrs Holland, I had no intention of making you suffer. Once Maggie explained the situation to me, I couldn’t have taken your house too…’

      ‘But…I know what this house is worth, Mr Cameron—’

      Caleb could see tears come into her eyes. Then, he just knew. Maggie had told him the truth. This woman had had nothing to do with Tom’s plans.

      ‘Mrs Holland, I’m making full use of Maggie while I’m here in Dublin. When I leave, I’ll be more than satisfied to leave the house to you. Believe me, it’s enough.’

      He looked at Maggie. She was burning up and he could see the pulse thumping erratically against her neck. She finally managed to get out a strangled, ‘Mum…shouldn’t we check the lunch?’

       CHAPTER NINE

      BY THE time they were eating their desserts, Maggie was relatively relaxed. Caleb had been charm personified, her mother suitably impressed and Maggie had kept quiet. She had just made coffee and was bringing it on a tray into the dining room.

      ‘And how on earth did you manage to persuade her to get rid of that car? Believe me, I’ve been trying for years; you would have thought it was like some kind of family pet. The only reason she didn’t drive it over to London was because she knew it’d never survive the journey…’

      Maggie stood, stunned into immobility by her mother’s chatter, and then spoke quickly, putting down the tray, giving out the cups, trying not to slop the coffee everywhere with her shaking hands.

      ‘Mum…I’m sure Mr Cameron doesn’t want to hear about my banger. He did me a favour. I grew out of that long ago.’

      ‘But Maggie, only a few weeks ago you told me—’

      ‘More dessert, Mum? More coffee?’

      ‘We haven’t drunk it yet, Maggie,’ Caleb said dryly, an assessing gleam in his eyes as he took in Maggie’s all too obvious discomfiture.

      She managed to distract her mother with something else and prayed that Caleb wouldn’t have taken too much notice. A short while later they stood up.

      ‘Mr—I mean, Caleb…’ Maggie’s mother laughed almost girlishly—the effect of a couple of glasses of wine. Maggie cringed; she was practically flirting with the man. And while she loved nothing more than seeing this more relaxed, peaceful side to her mother, she wished it could have been with anyone else. Not the all too dangerous Caleb, who would be sizing up every word.

      ‘I’ll give you the guided tour…’

      ‘Mum, we should really be going.’

      Caleb smiled dangerously, confirming her fears. ‘Nonsense, Maggie, there’s nothing pressing and I’d love to see the house.’

      He extended a gallant arm to Mrs Holland, who looked at Maggie triumphantly.

      ‘See? Now, why don’t you get started on the washing-up and let me show Caleb around?’

      They were gone for what felt like ages. Maggie’s brain was working overtime when she thought of her bedroom, which hadn’t been redecorated since her teens, with all her teen idol posters still up and the flowery bedspread. With the move to London for college and only intermittent visits since, she hadn’t had the time. Or inclination, after returning from London.

      Then Caleb walked into her line of vision in the garden. Alone. He stood there with hands in his pockets, surveying the view. Spectacular in a black sweater and dark trousers that hugged every bit of his tall, lean length. She sighed. And jumped when her mother appeared.

      ‘Well, love. Now there’s a man.’

      I’ll say…

      She joined Maggie at the sink and started to help dry the dishes. Caleb disappeared from view and Maggie felt scared suddenly, imagining when he’d be gone for good.

      Her mother put an arm around her shoulders and Maggie leant into her, taking refuge for a moment.

      ‘We’re okay, love. Thanks to that man, we’re going to be fine.’

      Maggie nodded and leant her head on her mother’s shoulder so she wouldn’t see the bright glitter of her tears. Her mother would be fine and that was all that mattered, but she…she knew she wouldn’t be fine at all. And it was thanks to that man.

      Caleb came back through the house, his footsteps muffled on the carpet, and halted in his stride when he saw through the open kitchen door. Maggie had her head on her mother’s shoulder, their arms were around each other. There was something in the scene that was so primal and private that he couldn’t intrude. He walked away and waited for a few minutes before coming back, coughing as he did so to make them aware of his presence. He could have sworn he hadn’t just seen what he had when Maggie turned around to face him with a bright smile on her face.

      ‘We’d

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