Read Online Maggie and the Master by Sarah Fisher - Free Book Online

ridiculous.
    â€˜You have to understand, Maggie,’ he went on as she dressed, ‘that you will never win and you will never escape.’
    She wondered what he meant, and then realised with a growing sense of unease that it was some kind of a threat - except that the threat was from inside her, not from Max Jordan.
    â€˜Thank you for lunch,’ she said, as casually as she could manage.
    He smiled confidently. ‘Guido, show the young lady to the bathroom.’
    When Maggie re-emerged not more than half an hour later, showered and dressed, the suite was empty, all evidence of lunch and of Max Jordan’s presence gone. All that remained was Guido - standing by the door waiting to drive her home, his peaked cap resting lazily between his fingers.
    â€˜Well, well, well,’ he said with a sly grin. ‘Here we are again, Miss Howard. How does it feel now you know what Max Jordan has to offer you?’
    Maggie tried to smile with conviction. ‘It feels just fine, thank you. I don’t want what Mr Jordan has to offer, though. I’ve seen enough, and I don’t want any part of it.’
    Guido shook his head, and Maggie wondered if the lie was as obvious to him as it was to her.
    â€˜But I am interested in what makes a man like him tick,’ she continued; after all, she reasoned, if there really was an article in it, she could do with a bit more background material.
    â€˜You should have asked him, then,’ said Guido, standing to one side to allow her to pass. ‘I’m sure Max would have told you anything you wanted to know.’ He paused as Maggie drew level with him. ‘And so would I. For a price, of course.’
    â€˜What does that mean, exactly?’ she demanded.
    â€˜Oh, come on, Maggie, don’t be so naïve,’ he said with mock disappointment, tutting loudly. ‘I tell you something and then you pay for it in kind.’
    Maggie stared at him indignantly, and without thinking swung her arm to slap his face. But he was too quick for her and caught her wrist in a vicelike grip that made her wince with pain.
    â€˜He told me you could be fiery,’ Guido mused, chuckling throatily, his smile never faltering. ‘A good judge of character, is Max Jordan.’
    â€˜Which is more than can be said for you,’ snapped Maggie, angrily jerking her hand away from him.
    Guido smiled. ‘If you would like to wait outside I’ll bring the car to the front of the hotel,’ he said with infuriating assuredness.

Chapter Four
    â€˜Where are we now?’ Maggie asked, leaning forward in the back seat of the car and looking out at the passing countryside, trying hard to spot a familiar landmark. To her complete surprise, after the events of the afternoon, she had drifted off to sleep on the drive home. Feeling slightly foolish she repeated her question. ‘Where are we, Guido?’
    She caught the driver’s eye in the rear-view mirror. He smiled lazily. ‘Don’t worry, it’s not far now,’ he said. ‘Why don’t you just sit back and enjoy the ride. I’ll let you know when we get there.’
    Something about his tone made her uneasy. ‘But I don’t recognise this road,’ she said, trying to keep the anxiety out of her voice. ‘How far are we from Richwell?’
    He laughed. ‘I’ve already told you, relax. This is the scenic route. There’s no rush, is there?’
    Making an effort not to look or sound flustered, Maggie turned her attention back to the view outside the car. It was a beautiful evening. The early summer sun was slowly sinking in the west, daubing the undulating landscape with a mellow golden light. Ahead of them the road unfolded like a ribbon, and Maggie looked for some clue as to where they might be, the tension in her stomach building. She had no idea where they were or where they were heading, and just as she was about to ask again the car slowed and they