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Authors: Barbara Taylor Bradford
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helping the driver unload the trunk of the car.
Suddenly Cappi and the two local young women who worked with her on weekends were greeting him. One of them grabbed his suitcases despite his protestations that he could manage perfectly well; she paid no attention, simply departed with the luggage.
Miles shrugged to himself and went on down the last few remaining steps, close on the heels of Cappi and her other helper.
But when he heard Chloe calling his name, he paused, swung around, and a second later his sister was hurtling into his arms.
“Hi, Pumpkin,” he exclaimed, and gave her a big bear hug.
“I’ve been waiting all morning for you, Miles; you’re late.”
He grinned at her. “I think I’m early actually, kid.
We weren’t due until noon, and it was just Power of a Woman / 73
eleven thirty as we turned into the gates. Anyway, how’re things at Romany Hall?”
“Okay,” she answered laconically. There was a slight pause, then she added softly, “But I want to—”
She broke off abruptly, as if she had changed her mind.
“Come on, Pumpkin, what were you going to tell me?”
“Oh, nothing…it was nothing important, honestly.”
Miles thought otherwise, but he made no comment, as always discreet. “Come on, then, let’s help Cappi and Lola with all that stuff. When the Rayners travel, it’s like old-style royalty on the move. And God only knows what they bring with them.”
“The kitchen sink,” Chloe chortled. “That’s what Mom says anyway. She told me earlier that they’d arrive with two dozen suitcases plus the kitchen sink.”
“Not quite, but almost,” Miles agreed, laughing with his sister.
They went down to the driveway holding hands.
Chloe glanced at him out of the corner of her eye.
“So you didn’t bring Allison.”
Miles threw her an odd look. “Now, why would I bring her? ”
“Bring who?” Derek asked as he braced himself for Chloe’s enthusiastic hugs and kisses.
Stevie stared at her son, waiting to hear his response to her stepfather’s question.
74 / Barbara Taylor Bradford
Glancing at Derek, Miles said, “Nobody. Nobody important, that is.”
Well, at least that’s to the point, Stevie thought.
And leaves nothing to our imagination.
“Hello, darling,” Blair murmured, accepting Chloe’s kisses, which were, to her relief, more restrained than those just bestowed on Derek. “And who is Allison?” she asked, casting her glance on them all.
“Don’t look at me; I’ve no idea, my darling,”
Derek intoned in his mellifluous actor’s voice and, hoisting two of the valises, went up the steps. Stevie and Blair followed, carrying some of the smaller bags.
After Miles had thanked the driver and tipped him, he too made his way to the front door with Chloe in tow. He said in a pointed voice, “Little pigs not only have big ears, but apparently loose tongues as well.”
Chloe giggled.
“Why did you mention Allison of all people, and in front of our mother? You know she’s longing for me to get married and have kids, so she can have more grandchildren. It was wrong of you, Chloe.”
“Well, you have been seeing a lot of Allison, and I thought it was…” Her voice trailed off lamely; she looked chagrined. And she felt suddenly uncomfortable under his fixed scrutiny.
“That’s my business, kid, not yours.”
“I thought it was getting serious between you two.”
Power of a Woman / 75
“No. And even if I did have serious intentions, that has nothing to do with you or Mother or anyone else. It’s a private matter and it’s certainly not open for discussion within the family.”
“Oh.” There was a momentary pause, and she looked at him through worried eyes. “Are you mad at me?”
“No, but let’s not discuss my personal business in front of the rest of the family. Okay?”
“Yes, Miles, and I’m sorry.”
“That’s all right. Just remember what I said though. You’ve got to learn some discretion. You’re not a little
Suddenly Cappi and the two local young women who worked with her on weekends were greeting him. One of them grabbed his suitcases despite his protestations that he could manage perfectly well; she paid no attention, simply departed with the luggage.
Miles shrugged to himself and went on down the last few remaining steps, close on the heels of Cappi and her other helper.
But when he heard Chloe calling his name, he paused, swung around, and a second later his sister was hurtling into his arms.
“Hi, Pumpkin,” he exclaimed, and gave her a big bear hug.
“I’ve been waiting all morning for you, Miles; you’re late.”
He grinned at her. “I think I’m early actually, kid.
We weren’t due until noon, and it was just Power of a Woman / 73
eleven thirty as we turned into the gates. Anyway, how’re things at Romany Hall?”
“Okay,” she answered laconically. There was a slight pause, then she added softly, “But I want to—”
She broke off abruptly, as if she had changed her mind.
“Come on, Pumpkin, what were you going to tell me?”
“Oh, nothing…it was nothing important, honestly.”
Miles thought otherwise, but he made no comment, as always discreet. “Come on, then, let’s help Cappi and Lola with all that stuff. When the Rayners travel, it’s like old-style royalty on the move. And God only knows what they bring with them.”
“The kitchen sink,” Chloe chortled. “That’s what Mom says anyway. She told me earlier that they’d arrive with two dozen suitcases plus the kitchen sink.”
“Not quite, but almost,” Miles agreed, laughing with his sister.
They went down to the driveway holding hands.
Chloe glanced at him out of the corner of her eye.
“So you didn’t bring Allison.”
Miles threw her an odd look. “Now, why would I bring her? ”
“Bring who?” Derek asked as he braced himself for Chloe’s enthusiastic hugs and kisses.
Stevie stared at her son, waiting to hear his response to her stepfather’s question.
74 / Barbara Taylor Bradford
Glancing at Derek, Miles said, “Nobody. Nobody important, that is.”
Well, at least that’s to the point, Stevie thought.
And leaves nothing to our imagination.
“Hello, darling,” Blair murmured, accepting Chloe’s kisses, which were, to her relief, more restrained than those just bestowed on Derek. “And who is Allison?” she asked, casting her glance on them all.
“Don’t look at me; I’ve no idea, my darling,”
Derek intoned in his mellifluous actor’s voice and, hoisting two of the valises, went up the steps. Stevie and Blair followed, carrying some of the smaller bags.
After Miles had thanked the driver and tipped him, he too made his way to the front door with Chloe in tow. He said in a pointed voice, “Little pigs not only have big ears, but apparently loose tongues as well.”
Chloe giggled.
“Why did you mention Allison of all people, and in front of our mother? You know she’s longing for me to get married and have kids, so she can have more grandchildren. It was wrong of you, Chloe.”
“Well, you have been seeing a lot of Allison, and I thought it was…” Her voice trailed off lamely; she looked chagrined. And she felt suddenly uncomfortable under his fixed scrutiny.
“That’s my business, kid, not yours.”
“I thought it was getting serious between you two.”
Power of a Woman / 75
“No. And even if I did have serious intentions, that has nothing to do with you or Mother or anyone else. It’s a private matter and it’s certainly not open for discussion within the family.”
“Oh.” There was a momentary pause, and she looked at him through worried eyes. “Are you mad at me?”
“No, but let’s not discuss my personal business in front of the rest of the family. Okay?”
“Yes, Miles, and I’m sorry.”
“That’s all right. Just remember what I said though. You’ve got to learn some discretion. You’re not a little
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