Victoria’s heart lurched.
“Dead? You mean when my father is dead? You think I can’t handle the store myself. Well, I can.” Her heartbeat accelerated and she couldn’t seem to get enough air into her lungs.
“It isn’t a question of whether you can run the store. It is the simple matter of you being a woman. Women are not taken seriously in the business world and you know it.”
She stiffened under the staggering unfairness in his simple truth. “Well, I don’t have to worry about that at the moment.”
She was more able than any man to run a store and would have argued the point but she desperately needed to change the direction of their conversation.
“If you could have anything in the world, Victoria, what would it be?” William lured. Victoria’s eyes flew to his and for an instant she submerged herself into their tantalizing silvery depths. His provocative question was tempting but what was he really asking her?
“Would it be diamonds? Fine clothes? To travel?” He provided the questions in her silence beckoning like the beautiful fallen angel, Lucifer himself.
She could not allow him to put her off balance with his shocking and tempting words. “I have already told you what I want, to live my own life independent.”
William smiled and leaned back in his chair. “You are too easy to please. I thought all women wanted frivolous and expensive things.”
Victoria felt like she had walked out on a thin sheet of ice only to discover it was cracking under her feet.
“Perhaps that is what the women you know want, and I will not pretend to dislike pretty things, I just do not require them for happiness.”
“But you want financial independence,” he pressed.
“Well . . . I guess when you put it that way . . . yes, but I don’t understand what any of this has to do with anything. I didn’t come here to discuss what I desire out of life . . . .” She broke off as the waiter approached the table with their desserts.
The plates were set in front of them and the delicious smell of chocolate cake drifted up to her. It was Mandy’s favorite.
Thankfully, William ceased his questions as they settled into their desserts.
While they ate the cake and drank coffee, William retreated abruptly from his offense to be extremely charming while entertaining her with colorful stories about the city. Apparently, his family had been responsible for building much of the city and it had a fascinating, if controversial, past.
Victoria was immediately riveted to his stories laughing easily and hanging on his words. She was lured into telling him a little of her own childhood and life at the store.
“Mr. Worthington. I must have completely bored you with my stories” Victoria commented, breaking off from her story about the day Mandy and she got into a batch of hornets when they were distracted from their walk from school.
William smiled warmly, his eyes sparkling into hers. “I can assure you Miss Riley, I find you completely and utterly fascinating.”
Victoria smiled shyly, sliding her gaze from his.
Over a second cup of coffee they became embroiled in one of Victoria’s favorite topics…politics.
After candid and fascinating debates, William leaned closer to her, his eyes twinkling. “Come, Victoria, I wish to talk to you about something other than politics on the way back to your hotel. You are far too beautiful to worry about such things.”
Victoria blushed to her roots of her hair.
As William stood up and came around to Victoria’s chair to hold it out for her, he brushed her arm in a caress that sent a hot shiver up her spine.
Victoria gazed up at William’s profile as he led her from the restaurant, nodding his head at people he knew, suddenly realizing he had distracted her from a discussion or a decision about the store.
“We didn’t talk about the store,” she said. Outside the restaurant they were caught in the stream of people who flooded the sidewalk.
He stopped and turned to her, his silver eyes burning.
“Why don’t we continue our conversation over dinner . . . at my home?”
“Your house?” The pedestrian rivulet moved around them.
“You are aware that an unmarried woman meeting a man for lunch in public is stretching the limits, even in these modern times. However, going to a man’s home alone in the evening was simply out of the question.”
“Well, I thought since you wanted to be an independent woman of the world you wouldn’t be concerned with such things.” There was a challenge in his voice that both irritated and excited Victoria.
“It isn’t that, it’s just that . . .” She hesitated over her words, searching in vain to find an appropriate response.
“If you can’t have a business meeting in a man’s home, how will you survive in the big world of business?” She longed to knock the devilish grin off of his face.
“There is no reason why we can’t just finish our business here and now so I can go home.” Involuntarily and inexplicably at that precise moment, her eyes were drawn to his smiling sensual lips.
“I certainly think we need to have a meeting, and I am not against having dinner, but I will not go to your house.” Victoria said, her voice husky.
“I understand,” he said in a low voice, as they resumed walking again.
They were almost to the hotel. “Then how about if I meet you in the hotel dining room at about eight?” William consulted his gold engraved pocket watch. Closing the pocket watch, he escorted her up the steps and to the doors of the hotel.
“That sounds just fine,” Victoria eagerly agreed, relieved that he had not forced her to meet him at his house.
“Until tonight then.” He was so close now that Victoria could smell his intoxicating masculine scent.
He leaned down and for an instant time suspended. He was going to kiss her, she thought with giddy anticipation. And she wasn’t going to stop him, even though she should. Heart pounding, she closed her eyes and waited.
And waited.
She could feel his breath against her hair and his warm lips brushed her temple instead of her lips. She felt him move away from her and her eyes flew open.
It wasn’t exactly a chaste kiss, but certainly it was not the kiss Victoria had anticipated. Worse, she had made a ninny head out of herself by waiting for him like some breathless idiot. Victoria couldn’t meet his eyes. He must think her as wanton as the women that worked in saloons.
He cupped her chin forcing her to meet his glowing eyes. Amusement touched the corners of his mouth. “I will look forward to seeing you again.” He traced his fingers from her chin over her cheek.
Victoria jumped away from him in utter shame and flew up the marble steps. William’s wicked laughter traced her ankles at each step.
CHAPTER 7
Escaping the very disturbing and vexing Mr. Worthington sent Victoria flying through the hotel to her room. This situation had gone from bad to completely out of hand over lunch and was now on a path to spinning completely out of control.
Victoria simply had to pull herself together, and when she saw Worthington again she would insist they discuss the problems at the store so she could end her stay here and immediately return home.
She was being distracted by his comely profile and magnanimous charm. But she was not going to let him divert her from her purpose again, even if he was the master of distraction cloaked in the devil’s charm. Tonight Victoria would be ready to deflect his lure.
Inside of her room, Victoria removed her dress and hung it in the carved cherry-wood armoire. Clad only in her shift, she sat in the Belter Rococo velvet encased chair that made her feel decadent by the simple act of sitting, and tried to sort out her thoughts. At least her first meeting with Worthington was finished and had not gone completely awry.
Rubbing her stiff neck, Victoria sighed and stared up at the ceiling.
Over lunch, they had barely spoken about the store at all. Why? Because she was a twit, and a fool being swept aw
ay by the devil cloaked in a gentleman’s dashing garments. Worse she had recklessly agreed to eat dinner with him and she had nothing suitable to wear.
The remaining two calico dresses she brought with her, made by her mother and Mandy were not appropriate for dinner out in a highbrow city. The thought conjured up an image of her sitting among elegantly clad men and women wearing her provincial pink flower sprig calico. Charming as it was, she would be laughed out of the place.
Frustrated and nervous, Victoria stood and began pacing the room, racking her brain for a solution. Good heavens, it shouldn’t matter to her what Worthington or anyone else thought about her wearing the same outdated gown twice, but it did matter to her so very much.
This was the first time in her life she actually longed for a beautiful gown. Mandy would laugh at her if she knew. She had never cared for such things, never had missed the lace and frills and scoffed at Mandy when she agonized over what to wear to meet Johnny. Now, she was even more shallow to want those frivolous things more than anything to impress a man she despised.
Her fretting was interrupted by a soft knock at the door.
“Just a minute!” she called. Hastening to the wardrobe Victoria drew out one of her calicos and hastily pulled it over her head.
She swiftly opened the door without buttoning the back of her dress.
“A package for you, Miss Riley,” said the young, brass-button uniformed, bellboy with golden hair. He smiled a bright toothy smile while presenting her with a large white box tied with a large elegant, yellow ribbon.
Astonished, Victoria stared at the elaborate package that the young bellboy thrust toward her.
“Thank you,” she said, belatedly finding her voice and remembering to smile. Latching the door shut, Victoria dashed to the bed and sat the box down.
Resisting the urge to tear off the big beautiful, yellow bow, Victoria carefully untied the ribbon. When she opened the lid, Victoria’s breath caught in her throat.
It was a gown.
No, it was not just a gown – it was a vision of loveliness.
Awestruck, Victoria slowly removed the gown from the box. Made of fine ivory satin under delicate lace, the gown was garnished with tiny pearls and delicate lace trim adorning the fitted bodice; secured with an elegant army of pearl buttons down the back and concluded with a small embellished train that was the current vogue with the fashion plates.
Never had Victoria seen such an exquisite elegant or utterly romantic gown. With tender hands, Victoria reverently laid the gown onto the bed spreading the skirt that gently flowed from the fitted bodice. Then, she bent and picked up the card that had fallen from the top of the box.
Dear Victoria,
I know you didn’t plan to stay for more than a day in San Francisco, and as such, didn’t bring an extensive wardrobe. Please accept this gown as a gift in return for your inconvenience.
Sincere Regards,
Will
Victoria’s heart fluttered and a soft smile gently curled her lips. Incredible warmth spread through her.
She discovered ribbons, lacy undergarments, silk hose, garters and a delicate pair of satin shoes all wrapped separately in tissue and tucked into the box. Victoria let the flimsy garments drop from her hands back into the box, her face hot as she contemplated with mortification William ordering those intimate things for her.
She couldn’t believe he had done this.
He shouldn’t have done this.
She shouldn’t be feeling excited about this gift, it wasn’t right to feel so thrilled. For the amount this dress cost, she could have repaired the store.
Certainly she must return the garments. All of them. It was completely improper for her to accept such benefactions from any man and especially a man who was her nemesis. On the other hand, should she return them? After all, it was terribly gracious and thoughtful of William to be concerned about her having something to wear.
He was correct in his assumption that she had never expected to be delayed. And certainly her delay in leaving was completely his fault. They could have concluded business today. Certainly, going out to dinner with him had not been in her plans. Was it that obvious that she didn’t have anything else to wear? Such a notion was too embarrassing to consider.
The other problem was that she would appear boorish if she returned the gift. She wanted to convince him to put more money back into the store, and being rude about his gift would not be to her advantage. She would accept the dress, but only as a loan.
Victoria sat down at the desk to write a proper response to his note.
Mr. Worthington,
Thank you for the beautiful gown. You were correct in your assumption that I had not anticipated staying for more than a day and was not prepared for the change in plans.
The gift is most gracious, but I will return it when I leave San Francisco. I cannot accept such a present, so I will instead consider it a kind loan.
Best Regards,
Victoria Riley
There! She thought with satisfaction as she folded the note and slid it into an envelope to be delivered. That should put William Worthington and his extravagant gifts in their suitable places.
***
When William received Victoria’s note less than an hour later, he threw his head back and roared with laughter.
“The little, blushing fireball had the last word on me again!”
Ernest Pike, who had delivered the note to Worthington’s office, stood there with his mouth gaping open in surprise by William’s rare and uncharacteristically robust laughter.
“That will be all, Ernest.” Worthington’s words were punctuated with a chuckle.
Dismissed, Ernest left the office. William knew Pike must be shocked by his behavior and indeed William had always considered himself a mature man, having certainly experienced his share of women. But it had been a hell of a long time since William had felt like this.
Victoria was a challenge unlike any other he had experienced. She was so intriguing ... bold and shy, worldly, innocent a vision of feminine pulchritude ... honest, yet a liar all the same, and a bad liar at that. She was a rare jewel ... a ruby ... he longed to possess.
And red would be her color because it was so alive and vibrant, just like her. Someday very soon he would have a fine gown of red created for her.
But the red gown was for when she became his and possessed her.
Outside of her hotel, he had come dangerously close to ravishing Victoria's tempting, full red lips. Those sumptuous lips had parted for him, like a ripened fruit. But kissing her would have been a terrible mistake.
He was supposed to be laying a trap for her. He was supposed to be baiting her for his trap. Instead of thinking of his scheme, he was tenderly thinking of her in the fashion of peach-faced youth riding out his first crush.
The shares were the most important and pressing consideration. If Victoria were not aware of them, then the time would run out for her to claim them. Very soon and if he had his way Victoria would never know the shares ever existed.
However, to pull this campaign off, when dealing with the lovely Miss Riley, his emotions must be vigilantly managed. For him to get all that he wanted from her, he was going to have to remain detached. Desire was a powerful force that he could not allow to direct his actions.
He was a Worthington after all.
Worthington always got what he wanted. And Miss Riley would be no exception.
CHAPTER 8
The stunning beauty gaping back at Victoria in the cheval glass couldn’t possibly be her. Victoria Riley had never looked like this. The dress and a few alterations to her hair had done the impossible. Indeed, the very unremarkable Victoria Riley had transformed into some refined, yes, and perhaps even pretty…woman!
The lace over satin Princess sheath gown with its cuirasse bodice gently moved over her curves, hugging her waist before tapering gracefully to the ground. The delicate ornate train streamed down and trailed just a few inches behi
nd her. The long, snugly fit lace sleeves were consummated by a matching set of ivory gloves.
She felt utterly exquisite in the new silk undergarments that arrived with the dress, but the speculation of William buying her such intimate things sent another hot blush to her already pink cheeks.
The clock on the dresser chimed her into movement.
It was time to meet Worthington.
With anticipation rushing through her like warm wine, Victoria collected her handbag and quit the room. Her heart fluttered as she took the winding steps down to the last level of the hotel to find William was standing at the bottom of the steps. He devoured her with his gaze, sending a delicious jolt through her.
Without taking her eyes from his, Victoria slowly descended the final steps gripping the polished wooden rail more firmly to prevent her feet from failing to carry her.
William was utterly devastating in his dark evening tailcoat and black silk high hat. His silver eyes caressed her causing her heart to swell and ache within her.
“You look utterly stunning, Victoria.” He looked down at her with a sizzle of heat.
“You look very nice, too,” Victoria tempered her response against his, certain she had never met a more handsome or potent man.
“Thank you.”
William led her to the dining room. The copiousness of the dining room and the debonair dress of the other guests made Victoria truly thankful her pride had not driven her to wear her mother’s beloved trunk dress for a second time.
The urbanely dressed gentlemen stared in open admiration while the woman gawked enviously at Victoria when she walked into the restaurant on William’s arm. Self-conscious, Victoria swept her hand over her gown in an attempt to ignore the many eyes that followed their progress to a private dining salon.
William dismissed the host with a polite nod and immediately turned to her with a warm smile.
Victoria avoided his attention by perusing the private dining salon, attempting to look as unimpressed as possible. Lavishly appointed, it was a combined sitting room and dining room complete with original oil paintings, potted plants, and a chandelier shimmering suspended above the opulently set table. The opened glass doors gave the occupants a view of the entire restaurant while retaining discreet privacy.
The Letter Page 5
