Read Online The Man in Possession by Hilda Pressley - Free Book Online Page B

I can hardly wait to hear .’
    He took a sip of his wine. ‘ Let me see now. One thing is certain. You ’ d need a man whose mind matched your own—lively and intelligent. But his brain would have to be slightly superior to yours. You wouldn ’ t want it other. And he would have to be firm with you at times. ’
    ‘Really ?’ she mocked.
    ‘Yes, really. You need taking in hand .’
    ‘ By some man? ’
    ‘By some man, ’ he reiterated. ‘And for your own good. ’
    ‘The dominant, masterful male !’
    He eyed her without smiling. ‘ Call it what you will. You need protecting from men like that— ’ again his glance went in Max ’ s direction ‘ —who would break that sensitive heart of yours, leave you mentally unsatisfied and be quite incapable of shouldering the responsibilities of married life. ’
    Julia eyed him rather uncertainly. He was either paying her some very great compliments or simply heartily disliked Max.
    She gave him an amused smile. She felt it would never do to take him too seriously.
    ‘When—or if ever—you meet a man willing to take on the job, perhaps you ’ ll let me know. Meanwhile, I ’ ll have to get along the best way I can ,’ she said lightly.
    There was a short silence, then he asked unexpectedly: ‘ What sort of man was David Hargreaves? ’
    She felt as though she ’ d been dealt a blow on the heart. She drew in a painful breath and felt the blood drain from her face.
    ‘I—I ’ d rather not answer that, ’ she said stiffly. Then a feeling of exquisite tenderness took possession of her. Dear David. Why shouldn ’ t she talk about him ?’ It ’ s—difficult to say just what kind of man he was ,’ she said softly. ‘ He was one who could both excite me and give me a sense of peace, whom I could admire as well as—love, a man of gentleness and of strength, a man without whom— ’
    She broke off, suddenly aware of the scrutiny of the man across the table. For a few moments she had forgotten the existence of anyone else. A man without whom I never thought I could exist , she had been about to say, until she had felt the magnetism of the man sitting opposite her. It occurred to her now that this evening was the very first time she had felt natural since that ghastly day when David had met with his accident.
    ‘ I ’ m—sorry ,’ she said swiftly. ‘I—got carried away .’
    ‘So I noticed ,’ he answered, his face set in an expression she could not read. Then he added, ‘He was evidently quite a man, and almost impossible to compete with, I imagine .’
    ‘ As far as I ’ m concerned, yes, but whether he was my “ type ” or not as outlined by you— ’
    Her thoughts took over. David had been intelligent enough to run a boat-hire business. Whether superior to her own intelligence she would find it impossible to say. But firm—and by that she supposed Roger Leighton had meant masterful—he had not shown any evidence that she could recall. He had had no need to. But one did not love a man for mind or capabilities so much as what he did to you. She and David had liked each other immediately. Some might have called it love at first sight. Of one thing she was certain. From their first meeting until his fatal accident a few months later they had been absolutely everything to each other.
    ‘ I think it ’ s time to change the subject ,’ came Roger ’ s voice brusquely.
    She started. But she agreed. The conversation had become much too personal.
    ‘ Tell me about the oil business ,’ she said. ‘ Is it really anything like that well-known television series? ’
    He nodded. ‘It is, as a matter of fact. At least, in some respects. ’
    ‘ And were you on the engineering side or— ’
    ‘No, sales. But I don ’ t really want to talk about oil, if you don ’ t mind. I came to Norfolk to get away from it. I ’ d much rather talk about the Broads. The very sound of the name has long held a fascination for me. Why are they called that, by the