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Authors: Thief of My Heart
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water offered no proof against his brazen stare.
“What you are is an unexpected complication,” he murmured so quietly that she hardly heard his words.
“A—a what?”
Abruptly he straightened, and his smile, which had almost seemed warm, quickly became cold and ruthless. “What you are is a very clever little gold digger. Frederick was not a man who was likely to marry, but you saw a chance to make a quick bundle when he became ill. I doubt that you actually married him at all. But even if you did, I’ve no doubt the deed was done while he was not in complete possession of his senses. Tell me”—his eyes glittered menacingly—“which scenario is closer to the truth?”
Lacie’s jaw slackened at his brutal assessment of the situation. How could he have hit so close to the truth? Still, he had no way of really knowing anything and no way to prove it either. She shivered as she faced his icy stare, so sure and triumphant already. It was hard to feel confident when faced with such a daunting foe. She had to remind herself that although she was indeed guilty as accused, her motivations were nonetheless pure. Frederick had wanted Sparrow Hill to survive. His last words had been of his school. But if this arrogant man inherited it there would be no way to prevent him from closing it and selling everything off. That thought gave her courage, and she lifted her chin in a brave gesture.
“If there’s anyone who might be termed a gold digger, it’s most certainly you. Poor Frederick is hardly dead and you’re already here to pick his bones, trying to glean whatever you can from what he left behind.”
To this he only snorted. “I should not be surprised that you turn the attack on me since you have no defense of your own to fall back on. But I caution you, Lacie, I have no patience with liars or thieves. And you, despite the innocence you work so hard at projecting, you, I’m afraid, are both a liar and a thief.”
“I am not! ” she shouted, sending a wave of bath water sloshing at the rim of the tub. “You are so greedy for everything Frederick had that you project your own wicked thoughts onto good and honest folks! You would not even want this school if you knew how meager its earnings are. Even the value of the house and lands are much reduced since the war!”
She struggled with the wet clinging towel that now hugged her breasts. “But you don’t care about that, do you? You’d sell everything for ten cents on the dollar just to squeeze any penny you could get out of it. You’d sell Sparrow Hill and destroy a southern tradition—”
“I don’t give a damn about southern tradition!” he thundered. “I don’t give a damn about this charm school, and I don’t give a damn about this town or any of the people in it!”
“You don’t care about anything at all but your own greedy motives,” she hissed. “Some of us try to rise above such vulgar emotions, but you would destroy everything for the few dollars you would gain by closing Sparrow Hill.”
“My motives are none of your concern, and it is not my relationship to Frederick that is in question. You’re the one trying to steal my rightful inheritance. You might as well admit it now, while I’m still willing to forget your crime,” he added with an arch to one raven-black brow.
“I’m guilty of no crime,” she vowed between clenched teeth. “You have no right to accuse me—”
“No? Let’s examine the information I’ve gathered so far.” He held up the fingers of one large hand as he ticked off the list. “Your marriage to Frederick came as a complete surprise to Judge Landry and to the rest of the people of Kimbell. Second, Frederick never so much as mentioned your name to me in any of his correspondence. Third”—he paused and gave her a chilling smile—“you clearly do not need glasses. The ones you wore today were strictly for show. What are you hiding? Why would a young woman of your obvious attributes disguise
“What you are is an unexpected complication,” he murmured so quietly that she hardly heard his words.
“A—a what?”
Abruptly he straightened, and his smile, which had almost seemed warm, quickly became cold and ruthless. “What you are is a very clever little gold digger. Frederick was not a man who was likely to marry, but you saw a chance to make a quick bundle when he became ill. I doubt that you actually married him at all. But even if you did, I’ve no doubt the deed was done while he was not in complete possession of his senses. Tell me”—his eyes glittered menacingly—“which scenario is closer to the truth?”
Lacie’s jaw slackened at his brutal assessment of the situation. How could he have hit so close to the truth? Still, he had no way of really knowing anything and no way to prove it either. She shivered as she faced his icy stare, so sure and triumphant already. It was hard to feel confident when faced with such a daunting foe. She had to remind herself that although she was indeed guilty as accused, her motivations were nonetheless pure. Frederick had wanted Sparrow Hill to survive. His last words had been of his school. But if this arrogant man inherited it there would be no way to prevent him from closing it and selling everything off. That thought gave her courage, and she lifted her chin in a brave gesture.
“If there’s anyone who might be termed a gold digger, it’s most certainly you. Poor Frederick is hardly dead and you’re already here to pick his bones, trying to glean whatever you can from what he left behind.”
To this he only snorted. “I should not be surprised that you turn the attack on me since you have no defense of your own to fall back on. But I caution you, Lacie, I have no patience with liars or thieves. And you, despite the innocence you work so hard at projecting, you, I’m afraid, are both a liar and a thief.”
“I am not! ” she shouted, sending a wave of bath water sloshing at the rim of the tub. “You are so greedy for everything Frederick had that you project your own wicked thoughts onto good and honest folks! You would not even want this school if you knew how meager its earnings are. Even the value of the house and lands are much reduced since the war!”
She struggled with the wet clinging towel that now hugged her breasts. “But you don’t care about that, do you? You’d sell everything for ten cents on the dollar just to squeeze any penny you could get out of it. You’d sell Sparrow Hill and destroy a southern tradition—”
“I don’t give a damn about southern tradition!” he thundered. “I don’t give a damn about this charm school, and I don’t give a damn about this town or any of the people in it!”
“You don’t care about anything at all but your own greedy motives,” she hissed. “Some of us try to rise above such vulgar emotions, but you would destroy everything for the few dollars you would gain by closing Sparrow Hill.”
“My motives are none of your concern, and it is not my relationship to Frederick that is in question. You’re the one trying to steal my rightful inheritance. You might as well admit it now, while I’m still willing to forget your crime,” he added with an arch to one raven-black brow.
“I’m guilty of no crime,” she vowed between clenched teeth. “You have no right to accuse me—”
“No? Let’s examine the information I’ve gathered so far.” He held up the fingers of one large hand as he ticked off the list. “Your marriage to Frederick came as a complete surprise to Judge Landry and to the rest of the people of Kimbell. Second, Frederick never so much as mentioned your name to me in any of his correspondence. Third”—he paused and gave her a chilling smile—“you clearly do not need glasses. The ones you wore today were strictly for show. What are you hiding? Why would a young woman of your obvious attributes disguise
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