Trust in Me (2 page)

He glanced again at the shabby surroundings. “I wouldn’t imagine for a minute it is.” She fixed him with those sea-green eyes. As a man well accustomed to dealing with a hostile boardroom, he was surprised to find himself unnerved. He cleared his throat. “I wonder if I might speak to one of Harry Farnham’s sisters.”

Her eyes narrowed as she glared at him with barely concealed hostility. “I am one of Harry’s sisters.”

Shock surged through Theo. His idiot of a brother had led him to believe both Harry Farnham’s sisters were greatly advanced in years. Rosie couldn’t be much more than mid twenties.

But at least this should make his task a bit easier. He would still extend the offer of the use of one of the smaller properties on the estate, but at least he was longer faced with the prospect of trying to persuade two elderly ladies to move from a home they’d occupied for the best part of a century.

Chapter Two

Rosie should have guessed Harry would have something to do with this. Harry Farnham: Doted on firstborn offspring – and selfish and self-serving older brother, on whose goodwill she and Evie relied for a roof over their heads. Harry had been behind most of the ills that had befallen the estate in recent years.

The very mention of her brother made Rosie boil with rage. She briefly revisited the fantasy where her visitor was from the bank – the scenario was infinitely preferable to the prospect of his having some connection to the eldest of the Farnham siblings. “Mr Bradley, if you could get to the point,” she snapped, her voice shrill even to her own ears.

She had the beginnings of a headache throbbing merrily at the back of her eyes and Theo Bradley made her feel decidedly uneasy. Men in suits were always to be distrusted in her experience and this particular specimen’s mention of her brother made her think he’d be no exception.

Besides, she found his large frame very disconcerting and his fallen angel good looks annoyed her. Completely unreasonable, she shouldn’t blame him for being tall and handsome, she acknowledged grudgingly. But, she could definitely blame him for being so confident of his own charm. There he went again, smiling at her as though she should be grateful for the attention. It made her want to grind her teeth.

“Your brother obviously didn’t pass on the message I’d be calling by this afternoon.”

She eyed him suspiciously. “I might be slow, but I’m not following any of this. What’s this nonsense about wanting to look around? And what have you got to do with Harry?”

“Harry’s sold Farnham Manor and the estate to my company,” Theo imparted crisply, his golden eyes narrowing as Rosie staggered back towards a chair.

As shock statements went, this one had to number among the most shattering. Rosie opened her mouth to reply but only managed to squeak incoherently. Unable to keep looking at him, she focused on a large empty glass vase sitting on a low table next to the chair. When she had time she must cut some fresh flowers from the wilderness they called a garden, she mused absurdly.

She knew she needed to say something, but it was hard to breathe, let alone speak. She must have looked awful because Theo stepped towards her, sat back on his heels and took her hands in his. “You didn’t know?”

She shook her head. No, she hadn’t known. It had been many months, since she’d seen Harry. And his phone calls always concentrated on his need for Rosie to send him more money. Nothing had been mentioned about selling the estate. Nothing at all. She would have remembered if they’d spoken about something like that.

Rosie wanted to snatch her hands away, but she found Theo Bradley’s touch comforting, his strength reassuring. Through the coldness of her fingers, she relished his warmth.

Her lips parted. “I…I…” her feeble attempt at a reply made her feel worse. Under normal circumstances, Rosie always had a ready supply of opinions, but this news had completely thrown her. Of all the possibilities she’d imagined through the countless moments of crisis over the past five years, this one had never featured. She averted her gaze from the pity obvious in Theo’s far-too-close-for-comfort face and shook her head again.

“I’m sorry you had to find out like this.” His warm breath fanned her face as he spoke and she gave an involuntary shiver. He truly did sound sorry, but Rosie’s mood didn’t make her responsive to sympathy or remorse.

She took a shuddering breath – if they had to leave the manor it would break Evie’s heart. Whatever she did, she couldn’t allow that to happen. “It’s just not fair,” she managed at last.

“Life often isn’t.”

She gave him the dirtiest look from her dirty looks repertoire. “That’s not helpful.” She wanted to be sick. She’d worked every hour she could to keep the estate going – and she’d given up the chance of a life of her own in the process. And Harry, who’d never had a worry in his life, always got the best of everything, with minimal effort on his part.

“I just can’t believe it.”

A frown marred his perfect features. “I assure you it’s true.”

Even though she’d always known exactly how selfish Harry could be, she still couldn’t accept he would let her down to this extent – especially with Evie on the scene. Despite Rosie having taken over responsibilities, Evie was still every bit as much Harry’s sister as she was Rosie’s. And he knew exactly why Evie was so desperate to stay here.

“Can I call someone for you?”

Dazed, Rosie shook her head. She’d taken care of herself for so long the idea of Theo calling someone to look after her made her recoil.

She looked down to where her hands still rested in his, hers looking ridiculously small and pale by contrast. His thumbs moved in hypnotic circles on her wrists, making her feel...strange. She looked up and allowed her bemused gaze to linger on his all too perfect face – the haughty cheekbones and strong jaw hinted at male model looks. The hardness of his very male face was softened by his mesmeric gold eyes, fringed with the longest, blackest lashes known to humankind. His hair was thick and dark and her fingertips tingled at the thought of how it would feel to touch. Her eyes settled on his full lips – it would be so easy to tilt forward and brush them with her own. She couldn’t help wondering what it would feel like to kiss him...

“What’s going on here, then?” Evie arrived just in time to stop Rosie embarrassing herself completely in front of this stranger.

Horrified, she forced herself from her daydream, a flush of awareness warming her face. How, in the name of all that was holy, had she let it happen? Rosie had seen at first-hand what happened when people gave into their longings rather than facing up to their responsibilities – she’d no intention of going anywhere near that particular can of worms. And even if she were to be so tempted, the man who had come to evict her and Evie from their home would have to be at the bottom of her list of suitable playmates.

“Well?” Evie demanded.

Rosie was aware of Theo as he glanced across and acknowledged the teenager with a brief nod. “My name’s Theo Bradley, I’m here to discuss a business matter with Rosie. And you are?”

“Evie Farnham, Rosie’s sister.”

Theo gave a short laugh. “The second Farnham sister,” he muttered, almost to himself. “And even younger than the first. Well, that figures.”

With every beat of Rosie’s heart, the numbness flowing through her veins slowly seeped away to be replaced by red-hot anger. Anger because Harry had done this to her. Anger because everyone expected she’d roll over and comply with the situation. Anger because this great big man thought he could waltz into her home and tell her he’d just bought the roof she’d lived under all her life. Most of all, anger that in the midst of her distress this stranger had sought to offer her comfort by holding her hands.

She snatched away from him and stood so abruptly, Theo Bradley very nearly toppled backwards. To her complete annoyance, he regained his balance with the grace of an athlete.

She risked a glance over at Evie – who was watching the scene with great interest. All Rosie needed. Heaven only knew how she was going to explain this to her sister. “I’ll speak to you in a minute,” she muttered before turning her attention on Theo Bradley and glowering up at him with all the fury she could muster. He had to know she wouldn’t be pushed around like this. “I’ve had enough. I think you’d better leave.”

“I’m not going anywhere until we’ve discussed the matter in hand.”

She was aware of Evie listening to every word, watching each action – Rosie couldn’t allow herself to lose control in front of her little sister. “Evie, the computer’s free now – why don’t you go and get started on the research you needed to do?”

Evie hung back, reluctant to leave, obviously knowing there was something happening and keen to find out what, exactly. “It can wait.”

“Evie, please,” the warning tone in Rosie’s voice was unmistakeable. She rarely used it but when did, Evie knew not to argue. Rosie waited until she had left the room before rounding on her unwelcome visitor. “I refuse to discuss anything with you. This is my home. You have no business here. Please leave.”

He gave the most annoying grin in history, showing perfect white teeth in the process. “I don’t think you understand. You can’t order me to leave my own property.”

Arms folded, she cast him a withering glance. “I thought I just had.”

“Rosie, ignoring the issue won’t make it go away. Even if I were to leave now, it wouldn’t change the fact my company owns the Farnham Estate. And it would be impossible for me to write off an asset of this value – however much I might want to.”

He sounded so reasonable. She knew what he said made sense. And yet she couldn’t think further than her need to keep this roof over her sister’s head. “I can’t tolerate a stranger strolling in here and taking over my home.”

“You must realise the place is falling apart. Quite apart from any other consideration, it really isn’t safe for you to live here.”

Her self-control slipped a notch. She could feel it in the quaking of her fingers, as she lightly touched the cold glass of the vase positioned on the low table next to the chair she’d sat in only moments earlier. It would be so easy to pick it up and throw it at him, to watch as the heavy glass fell and splintered on the floor.

As close to the edge as she’d ever been, she knew she had to get him out of here before she lost it completely. She took a deep breath. “It’s my home and you have no right to criticize it.”

***

Theo felt like a total louse. It was obvious the manor meant more to her than just somewhere to live. But, as he’d tried to explain, he couldn’t walk away. It would leave too big a dent in his balance sheet and he’d be left having to explain himself – something he always tried to avoid.

He shrugged helplessly. “I can’t undo what’s been done.”

“My sister and I won’t leave our home. Is that clear?” she enunciated with precision. “We’ll invoke squatters’ rights, if necessary.”

“Then we have a problem.” Theo held her gaze; her green eyes were practically fizzing and he wondered how such a tiny package of womanhood could contain so much intensity.

“I’ll speak to Harry. He’ll give you your money back. That will be an end to it.”

Theo shook his head. He wasn’t going to be the one to tell her – he’d passed on enough bad news for one day – but he happened to know getting the money back from Harry Farnham would be impossible. “I’m afraid that’s not an option. The contracts have been signed.”

She paled visibly. “You might legally own the manor, but we won’t leave. We can’t.” Her eyes were bright with unshed tears.

He ran a careless hand through his hair. “There are some empty properties on the estate. How about you and your sister move into one of those, until you can make other arrangements?”

She shook her head. “That’s not going to happen. Evie would be distraught if we had to leave. We’re staying here, at the manor.”

***

This couldn’t be happening. In a minute she’d wake up in her own bed and find Theo Bradley had been nothing more than a cruel figment of her imagination. She’d been overworking and her tiredness, combined with eating too much cheese, had resulted in her subconscious conjuring up her worst nightmare. In the meantime, until she woke, she’d argue her case.

“How do I know you’re telling me the truth anyway?” She threw the question out, the first thing to pop into her head, and for a moment she thought she might have gone too far. Theo Bradley didn’t look happy she was calling his word into question. But she’d made the accusation now and she pushed the point further. “For all I know you could just be some con-man or madman who’s taken some insane fancy to my home.”

His breath was released in one loud hiss. “I can understand your reaction – you’re in shock. But I’m not the person you should be angry with Rosie. You have to face the fact your brother sold you out.”

“Please go. I really don’t want to have to ask you again.”

“Fine.” He reached into the inside pocket of his tailored grey jacket. “I’ll leave you these papers. When you’ve a mind to read them you’ll see they prove every word I’ve told you is true.” He dropped an envelope onto the table beside the vase. He gave a brief nod and headed for the door. His hand lingered on the handle for a moment and then he turned, his golden eyes meeting hers. “I’ll be back soon.” It sounded like a promise rather than a threat and Rosie was horrified to discover she didn’t mind the prospect of seeing him again. It was only the fact he was trying to evict her she objected to.

***

The sunshine was warm as it hit Theo’s face – a stark contrast to the arctic reception he’d received from the lovely Miss Rosie Farnham. He hadn’t anticipated such a complication – how could he have? No normal person would sell the family home without informing its occupants. It seemed Harry Farnham deserved his reputation as a coward and a lowlife.

But, despite his irritation with the situation in general, he recognised Rosie had been quite magnificent in the way she’d argued her case, even though she must have known it was hopeless. He admired how she’d challenged him, despite the fact Farnham Manor, in its current state, was hardly worth fighting over.