Read Online A Pretend Engagement by Jessica Steele - Free Book Online
Authors: Jessica Steele
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in actual fact she realised that she was living with him-if not in the way Antonia King implied.
Suddenly Varnie remembered how, only that morning, she had vowed that if ever she had the chance to do Beaumont one in the eye she would grab it with both hands. He would just love it, wouldn't he, this man who was off women-in spades-if she told this woman that she and he-they-were a cosy twosome?
Varnie looked at her and saw no softness in her, this woman who had a husband and yet was after Leon Beaumont-and his wallet. `Well, actually, yes, we do live together,' she told her. `But Leon prefers us to keep it-er private um-quiet.' Quiet? He'd bellow and hit the roof when she relayed this conversation back to him.
`You're his mistress?' Antonia King asked, thoroughly taken aback.
`I like to think of myself more as his partner. Mistress is such an old hat word these days, wouldn't you agree?' And, not waiting for her to agree or not, `I really shouldn't be discussing on the doorstep what is so very personal to my darling-' she nearly choked on the word `-and me. Leon is truly busy. If you-'
`You're lovers? That's what you're saying? You and Leon...?"
'I'm sorry. I don't even know your name, and I really can't-'
`I want to see him,' Antonia King insisted.
Good grief, this woman was a leech! Anybody else would have slunk off long ago. 'I'll tell him you called. What name-'
`How long have you and he been together?' the other woman wanted to know-and Varnie was beginning to find her tedious.
`Long enough to know that we care deeply for each other.'
'Leon's in love with you?'
Desperately-he'll probably slit my throat when I go back and tell him this little lot. `Not that it's any business of yours. But, yes-and it surprised me too,' Varnie inserted when the other woman gave her a hard stare. `Leon is in love with me-quite madly in love with me, so he says.' And, feeling she was going to gag if she said any more in the same vein, `Now, if you'd like to tell me your name and give me a message for Leon...'
The message she received was Antonia King giving her a venomous look of seething dislike before, without another word, she turned about and went back to her car.
Oh, heavens! Varnie watched as the woman started her car and went speeding to the end of the drive. She departed the property without bothering to stop and close the gates behind her.
Varnie fancied a breath of fresh air and took a walk to the end of the drive. She closed the gates and, reviewing what she had done, felt very much like carrying on walking. Somehow it didn't seem as amusing now as it had at the time.
Reluctantly she realised that she had better go back and face the music. Leon Beaumont was going to be as mad as blazes when she told him that she had got rid of his 'stalker'-and just how she had done it.
The door to the study was still shut. Varnie debated whether to leave telling him exactly how she had got rid of the woman whom he was convinced had more interest in his money than him. Perhaps she would go and prepare the evening meal first.
Oh, don't be such a coward. He can't kill you! Still the same, Varnie ignored the study and went into the drawing room. She pondered if what she had done constituted a good reason for him to dismiss Johnny from his employ, but decided it did not. In all fairness there was no way, just because she had claimed to be Leon Beaumont's live-in lover, that he could fire Johnny. She was still, after all, doing the job Johnny had supposedly hired her to do.
Better go and get it over with. She spotted the sandwiches she had prepared. Luckily she had covered them with a napkin or by now they would have been curling at the edges.
Deciding to make fresh coffee later, she picked up the sandwich tray and left the drawing room. She considered giving a courteous tap on the study door, as she always had before, but an instant later rebellion struck. This was her house, for goodness' sake. He was the
Suddenly Varnie remembered how, only that morning, she had vowed that if ever she had the chance to do Beaumont one in the eye she would grab it with both hands. He would just love it, wouldn't he, this man who was off women-in spades-if she told this woman that she and he-they-were a cosy twosome?
Varnie looked at her and saw no softness in her, this woman who had a husband and yet was after Leon Beaumont-and his wallet. `Well, actually, yes, we do live together,' she told her. `But Leon prefers us to keep it-er private um-quiet.' Quiet? He'd bellow and hit the roof when she relayed this conversation back to him.
`You're his mistress?' Antonia King asked, thoroughly taken aback.
`I like to think of myself more as his partner. Mistress is such an old hat word these days, wouldn't you agree?' And, not waiting for her to agree or not, `I really shouldn't be discussing on the doorstep what is so very personal to my darling-' she nearly choked on the word `-and me. Leon is truly busy. If you-'
`You're lovers? That's what you're saying? You and Leon...?"
'I'm sorry. I don't even know your name, and I really can't-'
`I want to see him,' Antonia King insisted.
Good grief, this woman was a leech! Anybody else would have slunk off long ago. 'I'll tell him you called. What name-'
`How long have you and he been together?' the other woman wanted to know-and Varnie was beginning to find her tedious.
`Long enough to know that we care deeply for each other.'
'Leon's in love with you?'
Desperately-he'll probably slit my throat when I go back and tell him this little lot. `Not that it's any business of yours. But, yes-and it surprised me too,' Varnie inserted when the other woman gave her a hard stare. `Leon is in love with me-quite madly in love with me, so he says.' And, feeling she was going to gag if she said any more in the same vein, `Now, if you'd like to tell me your name and give me a message for Leon...'
The message she received was Antonia King giving her a venomous look of seething dislike before, without another word, she turned about and went back to her car.
Oh, heavens! Varnie watched as the woman started her car and went speeding to the end of the drive. She departed the property without bothering to stop and close the gates behind her.
Varnie fancied a breath of fresh air and took a walk to the end of the drive. She closed the gates and, reviewing what she had done, felt very much like carrying on walking. Somehow it didn't seem as amusing now as it had at the time.
Reluctantly she realised that she had better go back and face the music. Leon Beaumont was going to be as mad as blazes when she told him that she had got rid of his 'stalker'-and just how she had done it.
The door to the study was still shut. Varnie debated whether to leave telling him exactly how she had got rid of the woman whom he was convinced had more interest in his money than him. Perhaps she would go and prepare the evening meal first.
Oh, don't be such a coward. He can't kill you! Still the same, Varnie ignored the study and went into the drawing room. She pondered if what she had done constituted a good reason for him to dismiss Johnny from his employ, but decided it did not. In all fairness there was no way, just because she had claimed to be Leon Beaumont's live-in lover, that he could fire Johnny. She was still, after all, doing the job Johnny had supposedly hired her to do.
Better go and get it over with. She spotted the sandwiches she had prepared. Luckily she had covered them with a napkin or by now they would have been curling at the edges.
Deciding to make fresh coffee later, she picked up the sandwich tray and left the drawing room. She considered giving a courteous tap on the study door, as she always had before, but an instant later rebellion struck. This was her house, for goodness' sake. He was the
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