Read Online Love Be Mine (The Louisiana Ladies Series, Book 3) by Shirlee Busbee - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: Shirlee Busbee
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street.
The amusement lurking in his gray eyes did nothing to quell her annoyance, but before she could think of a polite way to end this meeting, Hugh said, "But what brings you to the city? I saw your uncle and brother this morning, and they did not mention that you were in the city. I assume that your mother came with you?"
Micaela gave a curt nod and began to edge away from him. "Oui, I accompanied Maman to the city. She was bored at the plantation and wanted to come in for a day or two to visit with some friends. We arrived last night with my uncle and plan to return to the plantation before the end of the week."
To her dismay, Hugh fell in step beside her.
He smiled down at her, seemingly oblivious to the fact that she wished the ground would open up and swallow him whole. Which naturally made him all the more determined to attach himself to her side.
A thread of laughter in his voice, he asked, "And you? Were you bored in the country?"
Glad of the presence of her maid and manservant following discreetly behind them, Micaela replied honestly, "Oh, non!" An impish smile suddenly lit her taking features, that elusive and utterly charming dimple of hers coming into view. "I adore the country. If I had my way, I would stay there year-round."
Hugh's brow flew up. "Indeed?" he said, surprised. "I would have thought you more, er, at ease, in the city."
Reminding herself that she did not like him, Micaela's smile faded, and she said coolly, "But then you do not know me very well, do you, monsieur?"
"You have me there... but that fact can be easily remedied," he replied in a low tone. With rapt interest, he watched the delightful flush which stained her cheeks and the wary look which entered the wide dark eyes. "Perhaps," he went on softly, "if you knew me better, you would not be so willing to let your uncle use your fortune to try to buy a controlling interest in the firm from me, hmm?"
"H-h-he told you?"
Placing her hand on his arm, Hugh smiled down at her. "Yes, he did. Just one of the things he mentioned during his visit to me this morning."
Micaela bit her lip, not certain what to say. It was clear that he was waiting for an answer. But she couldn't very well tell him that the reason she had agreed to let Jean and François use her fortune from her grandfather had been because of a guilty conscience—a fact which had nothing to do with him. Both her uncle and brother were unhappy with her because of her continued determination not to marry Alain Husson. Knowing, too, how Hugh's interference galled them, in desperation, she had offered them her own tidy little fortune to use to buy out the Américain, thinking that if they were able to buy enough shares to give them a majority, they might be happier—and less inclined to berate her for her selfishness in refusing to marry Husson. She hadn't thought that either Jean or François would mention that it was her money which had enabled them to make the offer.
Taking the bold approach, she demanded, "And did you sell him what he wanted?"
"No, and I do not intend to. Unless, he wishes to buy all my shares."
Micaela's eyes opened very wide. "A-a-all your shares? You would do this?"
They stopped walking and inexplicably, oblivious to the servants behind them and the horses and carriages driving by only a few feet away, they stared intently into each other's faces. Hugh was lost in the deep, mysterious pools of her liquid black eyes, and he was aware of his heart thumping wildly in his chest, of his blood quickening, his body suddenly hard and aching. Micaela was conscious of nothing but the tall, dark-haired man looming before her, his icy gray eyes, not icy at all, but gleaming with a sudden heat that made her feel giddy and not at all like herself.
"Yes," he said dazedly, as if an astounding idea had just occurred to him. "Yes, I might be very willing indeed... if the price were right...." Almost against his will, he reached up and caressed her silken cheek. "If
The amusement lurking in his gray eyes did nothing to quell her annoyance, but before she could think of a polite way to end this meeting, Hugh said, "But what brings you to the city? I saw your uncle and brother this morning, and they did not mention that you were in the city. I assume that your mother came with you?"
Micaela gave a curt nod and began to edge away from him. "Oui, I accompanied Maman to the city. She was bored at the plantation and wanted to come in for a day or two to visit with some friends. We arrived last night with my uncle and plan to return to the plantation before the end of the week."
To her dismay, Hugh fell in step beside her.
He smiled down at her, seemingly oblivious to the fact that she wished the ground would open up and swallow him whole. Which naturally made him all the more determined to attach himself to her side.
A thread of laughter in his voice, he asked, "And you? Were you bored in the country?"
Glad of the presence of her maid and manservant following discreetly behind them, Micaela replied honestly, "Oh, non!" An impish smile suddenly lit her taking features, that elusive and utterly charming dimple of hers coming into view. "I adore the country. If I had my way, I would stay there year-round."
Hugh's brow flew up. "Indeed?" he said, surprised. "I would have thought you more, er, at ease, in the city."
Reminding herself that she did not like him, Micaela's smile faded, and she said coolly, "But then you do not know me very well, do you, monsieur?"
"You have me there... but that fact can be easily remedied," he replied in a low tone. With rapt interest, he watched the delightful flush which stained her cheeks and the wary look which entered the wide dark eyes. "Perhaps," he went on softly, "if you knew me better, you would not be so willing to let your uncle use your fortune to try to buy a controlling interest in the firm from me, hmm?"
"H-h-he told you?"
Placing her hand on his arm, Hugh smiled down at her. "Yes, he did. Just one of the things he mentioned during his visit to me this morning."
Micaela bit her lip, not certain what to say. It was clear that he was waiting for an answer. But she couldn't very well tell him that the reason she had agreed to let Jean and François use her fortune from her grandfather had been because of a guilty conscience—a fact which had nothing to do with him. Both her uncle and brother were unhappy with her because of her continued determination not to marry Alain Husson. Knowing, too, how Hugh's interference galled them, in desperation, she had offered them her own tidy little fortune to use to buy out the Américain, thinking that if they were able to buy enough shares to give them a majority, they might be happier—and less inclined to berate her for her selfishness in refusing to marry Husson. She hadn't thought that either Jean or François would mention that it was her money which had enabled them to make the offer.
Taking the bold approach, she demanded, "And did you sell him what he wanted?"
"No, and I do not intend to. Unless, he wishes to buy all my shares."
Micaela's eyes opened very wide. "A-a-all your shares? You would do this?"
They stopped walking and inexplicably, oblivious to the servants behind them and the horses and carriages driving by only a few feet away, they stared intently into each other's faces. Hugh was lost in the deep, mysterious pools of her liquid black eyes, and he was aware of his heart thumping wildly in his chest, of his blood quickening, his body suddenly hard and aching. Micaela was conscious of nothing but the tall, dark-haired man looming before her, his icy gray eyes, not icy at all, but gleaming with a sudden heat that made her feel giddy and not at all like herself.
"Yes," he said dazedly, as if an astounding idea had just occurred to him. "Yes, I might be very willing indeed... if the price were right...." Almost against his will, he reached up and caressed her silken cheek. "If
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