Read Online Her Own Rules by Barbara Taylor Bradford - Free Book Online Page B

London.”
    “No, I didn’t.”
    “Oh Meredith, how can you say such a thing! I practically proposed to you, and I told you it was hard for me to go on like this any longer, that we couldn’t continue our affair if we were separated by the Atlantic Ocean. I made it quite clear I wanted you here with me. Very much so. And you certainly acquiesced.”
    “Reed, that’s not true, I didn’t!”
    “You did!”
    “You imagined it, Reed. Never in a million years would I lead you to believe such a thing.”
    He stared at her incredulously, sudden anger flaring in his dark eyes. “I distinctly remember telling you that I needed you here with me in London. And you agreed to come.”
    Meredith had no recollection of this at all and was about to say so when he came and sat down next to her on the sofa.
    “What’s wrong with you, darling? Why are you behaving like this?” he asked, moving closer, draping his arm along the back of the sofa. “Don’t be difficult, my dear, you know how I feel about you. I need you, Meredith, and I need you here . Not in Her Own Rules / 77
    New York, but living with me in London. I told you this when I was in the States, and I assumed you would get rid of the business and move as soon as you could.
    Settle here permanently with me.”
    “Reed, you’ve truly misunderstood. I don’t know how that happened…but it did, somehow. And I’ve no intention of giving up my business.”
    “Then don’t, darling. If you want to work, you can, although it’s really not necessary. I can support us extremely well, you know that. Forget the gallery, that’s not important, merely my hobby. Just remember that I do have a very large private income from my trust.
    Monty might be inheriting the old man’s title when he dies, after all he is the eldest son, but I’ve got Mummy’s money.”
    Meredith sat gazing at him mutely. She was at a complete loss for words and filled with acute dismay.
    Suddenly, unexpectedly, Reed pulled her into his arms. He was a tall man, well built and strong, and he caught hold of her hard, held her in a viselike grip, pressing his mouth on hers.
    She struggled, managed to partially push him away, and pulled herself up on the sofa, straining to extricate herself from his arms.
    Unexpectedly, Reed let go of her as abruptly as he had grabbed her. Giving her an odd look, he said in a quiet, icy voice, “Why did you pull away from me in such a violent manner as if I’m suddenly a leper?
    What’s wrong?”
    Meredith bit her lip, said nothing. Then she 78 / Barbara Taylor Bradford
    sprang to her feet, hurried over to the window, and stood looking out.
    A cold silence filled the room.
    Meredith was shaking inside. She wanted to get this over. Be done with him. End the whole thing as gracefully as she could. But he was being difficult, and worse, imagining things that hadn’t happened.
    After a moment or two, when she was calmer, she turned to face him and said slowly, in her kindest voice,
    “Reed, listen to me…things are…well, not right between us anymore. They haven’t been for weeks.”
    “How on earth can you say that! We had a wonderful time in New York. Only a month ago, unless I’m sadly mistaken.”
    Meredith shook her head, her dismay intensifying.
    She wanted to be considerate, to let him down lightly, yet she knew within herself that she must make her feelings absolutely clear to him. “It wasn’t wonderful, Reed, at least not for me. I realized you and I were completely incompatible, and not suited to each other at all. I began to feel ill at ease with you, and I certainly knew our relationship was on the skids, that it couldn’t possibly work.”
    “That’s not so, and you know it. If you lived here and we weren’t conducting our relationship long distance, everything would be entirely different. Please move to London to be with me, Meredith.”
    “Reed, I’ve just told you, as far as I’m concerned we don’t have a future together. And anyway, I have