Read Online Guardian to the Heiress by Margaret Way - Free Book Online
Authors: Margaret Way
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inside a book? He thought Carol might like to know.
Carol had noticed the flight of the photograph but had only seen the back. She gave him a quick look. He answered with the slightest movement of his dark head.
* * *
Over coffee and delicious little cupcakes Dallas Chancellor managed a passing semblance to a hostess, if not a close relative. “You haven’t grown tall, Carol,” she said in a fit of bitchiness. She stared at her husband’s niece as if it would take Carol a lifetime to attain a reasonable height.
Not a promising start, but Carol was undismayed. She could have made the comment that Dallas had piled on the kilos but she kept that to herself. She considered herself too well-bred, though most of what she had learned of etiquette was out of books. Roxanne had been anything but a hands-on mother.
Maurice Chancellor, however, showed dismay. He threw up his beautifully manicured hands—obviously no hard physical labour there, beyond opening out the ironed newspaper. “My dear, Carol looks absolutely beautiful. She’s petite, like my mother.”
“Let’s hope she doesn’t take after her,” Dallas sniffed. Dallas had made a point of getting in the last word for many years now.
The housekeeper had returned to collect cups, saucers and plates and was wheeling the trolley away just as Troy turned up. There were no apologies for being late, rather a sneering laugh. “Home is where the family gathers,” he announced, making a beeline for Carol. He was wearing a very expensive business suit, a blinding white shirt with a natty stripped tie. He wasn’t as tall as his father, nor as handsome. His eyes had the granite-grey sheen of his mother’s. He leaned over Carol, virtually trapping her, bending his smooth brown head to kiss her on the cheek.
“ You’re here, Caro, that’s all I care about. You look ravishing, as usual. Hi there, Damon.” He threw a challenging glance at Damon, as though they were both contenders for Carol’s hand. “I see a huge career boost happening for you.”
“It’s long since underway.” Damon hadn’t liked that kiss. He felt so strongly about it, his response were something of a shock. It definitely wasn’t a familial kiss. “Now we’re all here, I’d like to start reading the will,” he said, knowing the contents would cause a sensation. He thought if it was up to her closest relatives Carol might have a very short life span. That cried out for protection. He was in place, if not her knight in shining armour, her guardian angel in his own way.
“We’re certainly not stopping you.” Troy spoke facetiously, looking mightily pleased with himself. He had taken a chair to the other side of Carol, slinging a hand over its arm. Again, not a cousinly gesture. What was he thinking? They were first cousins; their fathers were brothers. Or did he think the rules had changed entirely? He could have been a young man making marriage plans.
“So the old guy finally thought of you,” Troy murmured to Carol, leaning in very close.
“Why don’t you shut up, Troy?” she responded.
Not the most affectionate of answers, Damon thought, well pleased. He moved into lawyer mode, allowing gravitas to enter his voice. “I would ask you all to remain quiet so you can pay attention. When you’re ready, I’ll proceed.”
“Let’s reap the whirlwind!” Troy cried. “There’s a lot at stake. Oh, yeah!” he exclaimed flippantly, giving a long, relaxed yawn. His mother and father, however, were looking extremely tense. His mother was thinking long and hard about whether she’d be in a good position to leave his father, no doubt, Troy thought. Theirs was not a marriage made in heaven. Come to think of it, how many were? Troy couldn’t wait to get the hell out of there. His dad would get the lion’s share; that didn’t bother him. He would get enough for the time being. It would all come to him in the end. He had no special problem with Carol getting a share. She was a
Carol had noticed the flight of the photograph but had only seen the back. She gave him a quick look. He answered with the slightest movement of his dark head.
* * *
Over coffee and delicious little cupcakes Dallas Chancellor managed a passing semblance to a hostess, if not a close relative. “You haven’t grown tall, Carol,” she said in a fit of bitchiness. She stared at her husband’s niece as if it would take Carol a lifetime to attain a reasonable height.
Not a promising start, but Carol was undismayed. She could have made the comment that Dallas had piled on the kilos but she kept that to herself. She considered herself too well-bred, though most of what she had learned of etiquette was out of books. Roxanne had been anything but a hands-on mother.
Maurice Chancellor, however, showed dismay. He threw up his beautifully manicured hands—obviously no hard physical labour there, beyond opening out the ironed newspaper. “My dear, Carol looks absolutely beautiful. She’s petite, like my mother.”
“Let’s hope she doesn’t take after her,” Dallas sniffed. Dallas had made a point of getting in the last word for many years now.
The housekeeper had returned to collect cups, saucers and plates and was wheeling the trolley away just as Troy turned up. There were no apologies for being late, rather a sneering laugh. “Home is where the family gathers,” he announced, making a beeline for Carol. He was wearing a very expensive business suit, a blinding white shirt with a natty stripped tie. He wasn’t as tall as his father, nor as handsome. His eyes had the granite-grey sheen of his mother’s. He leaned over Carol, virtually trapping her, bending his smooth brown head to kiss her on the cheek.
“ You’re here, Caro, that’s all I care about. You look ravishing, as usual. Hi there, Damon.” He threw a challenging glance at Damon, as though they were both contenders for Carol’s hand. “I see a huge career boost happening for you.”
“It’s long since underway.” Damon hadn’t liked that kiss. He felt so strongly about it, his response were something of a shock. It definitely wasn’t a familial kiss. “Now we’re all here, I’d like to start reading the will,” he said, knowing the contents would cause a sensation. He thought if it was up to her closest relatives Carol might have a very short life span. That cried out for protection. He was in place, if not her knight in shining armour, her guardian angel in his own way.
“We’re certainly not stopping you.” Troy spoke facetiously, looking mightily pleased with himself. He had taken a chair to the other side of Carol, slinging a hand over its arm. Again, not a cousinly gesture. What was he thinking? They were first cousins; their fathers were brothers. Or did he think the rules had changed entirely? He could have been a young man making marriage plans.
“So the old guy finally thought of you,” Troy murmured to Carol, leaning in very close.
“Why don’t you shut up, Troy?” she responded.
Not the most affectionate of answers, Damon thought, well pleased. He moved into lawyer mode, allowing gravitas to enter his voice. “I would ask you all to remain quiet so you can pay attention. When you’re ready, I’ll proceed.”
“Let’s reap the whirlwind!” Troy cried. “There’s a lot at stake. Oh, yeah!” he exclaimed flippantly, giving a long, relaxed yawn. His mother and father, however, were looking extremely tense. His mother was thinking long and hard about whether she’d be in a good position to leave his father, no doubt, Troy thought. Theirs was not a marriage made in heaven. Come to think of it, how many were? Troy couldn’t wait to get the hell out of there. His dad would get the lion’s share; that didn’t bother him. He would get enough for the time being. It would all come to him in the end. He had no special problem with Carol getting a share. She was a
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