Read Online Distracted by her Virtue by Maggie Cox - Free Book Online Page A

didn’t know any of her family. And, before you quiz me about that, don’t you think it’s time you told me a little bit about yourself?’
    ‘Fair enough.’ He leant forward a little, glinting blue eyes watching her with the same deceptively languid curiosity of a cat. ‘What do you want to know?’
    ‘Have you always lived round here?’
    ‘No. I moved to the area about ten years ago, when my sister got married and set up home in the village.Before that I lived in lots of different places … mainly abroad.’
    ‘I take it that you and Beth are close, then?’
    Despite being irked that Beth had suspected him of trying to get close to Sophia in order to persuade her to sell him High Ridge, and hadn’t entertained the idea that he genuinely liked her, Jarrett couldn’t deny that they were indeed close.
    ‘We lost our parents when we were in our teens. That kind of tragedy helps to forge a close-knit bond with a sibling. Beth is a couple of years older than me, and I suppose she took it upon herself to be my guardian. Unfortunately—even though I’m thirty-six and have been independent for a hell of a long time—she occasionally still likes to assume the role. Needless to say I hardly welcome it.’
    ‘ So you came back from your travels to be near her?’
    ‘Perhaps.’ Feeling uncomfortable at admitting as much, Jarrett was wary of Sophia judging him and making the assumption that he wasn’t psychologically strong enough to get on with his life without Beth being close by. ‘I think most people are always looking for a point of reference—a sense of belonging somewhere where they’re unconditionally accepted and known … don’t you?’
    ‘You mean like home?’
    His companion’s voice softened audibly and her small, perfect hands curved round the cheerful yellow mug of tea as if to try and contain her feelings. ‘Yes,’ he answered, intuiting that her mind had wandered back into the past … perhaps back to the series of events that had led her to come to High Ridge andinto a whole new mode of existence where she had to raise her son on her own.
    The pretty green eyes that still glanced cautiously at him from beneath dark brown lashes were full of painful shadows, Jarrett saw. In that instant the compulsion to offer comfort was so strong that he scarcely knew what to do with it. But the last thing he wanted was to scare or overwhelm her. In the end he simply put down his mug of tea and bided his time until she started talking again.
    ‘I’d like to make a home here too,’ she confided at last, her tone wistful, ‘for me and Charlie. But the truth is I don’t know if I’ll be able to. Not in this house anyway.’
    ‘Why?’
    ‘Look at the size of this place … the responsibility is overwhelming. You’ve only glimpsed how much work needs doing—and that’s just the gardens and the downstairs. Upstairs there are eight rooms …
eight
! Thanks to my great-aunt Mary I own the house outright, but that doesn’t mean I can afford to keep it.’
    ‘You don’t earn enough from your photography to maintain it and pay the bills?’
    ‘You must be joking! I’m only starting to build my career after a long period of not being able to pursue it. I’ve managed to secure a couple of potentially lucrative commissions, thanks to some old contacts, but nowhere near enough work to be able to relax and not worry.’
    Jarrett frowned. ‘Didn’t your late husband leave any provision for you and Charlie? At the very least he must have had life insurance?’
    Sophia reddened and lowered her gaze. ‘The answer is no to both those questions.’ When she glancedup again, her expression easily revealed that memories of her husband still had the power to cause her tremendous pain. ‘The only person he ever provided for was himself.’
    ‘I see. I’m sorry.’
    ‘The truth is, as much as I love the idea of spending the rest of my days living in this beautiful old house, maybe I should be a bit more