Destiny blushed. Because she didn’t want any of them to know how easily he rattled her with his casual hints about the future, she reached for her teacup, only to have it tremble in her hand, splashing tea over the side.
“Are you okay?” Beth asked worriedly.
“Fine,” Destiny said. “Just a bit clumsy.”
“Perhaps I should be going,” William said. He gave her nieces a warm smile. “I hope we can get together again before you go home. Would you like to go to the theater one night? Perhaps tomorrow? I’m sure I can get tickets and we’ll find someplace wonderful to have supper after.”
The three women looked to Destiny for some sort of signal. Though she wasn’t anxious for another repeat of this nerve-racking evening, she smiled brightly. “The theater would be lovely, William. I know Melanie, Beth and Kathleen were looking forward to seeing a show while they were here. In fact, I haven’t been myself since my return.”
“Then I’ll arrange it and call you,” he said. “Ladies, I’ll see all of you tomorrow.”
Destiny walked him to the door.
“I think that went rather well, don’t you?” he asked, clearly pleased.
“I suppose it depends on what they’re after,” Destiny said, thinking that he’d revealed precious few business secrets.
“Surely you don’t think I gave them any evidence to take home that I’m a cad and a bounder, who should be banished forever from your life.”
She smiled. “Hardly that. You were charming, the perfect gentleman.”
He frowned at the description. “Is there some flaw in that that I’m missing?”
“Only that they may spin this into some sort of love affair,” she said. “They’re romantics at heart.”
His gaze narrowed. “Would they be getting it entirely wrong, Destiny?”
“Of course they would,” she snapped. “We agreed—”
“You insisted,” he corrected. “There was no such agreement, Destiny. I think my intentions have been clear from the beginning.”
“Were they really?” she inquired tartly. “Would that be the intention to steal Carlton Industries’ business? That’s the one I seem to recall.”
He frowned at her. “There’s no need to keep reminding me of that. It’s over. You put a stop to it.”
She laughed, despite her annoyance. “Only because it was a ploy in the first place. It’s not as if I launched some sort of retaliation that scared you into submission.”
“Oh, really? You did launch a rather effective campaign against H&S Books. Destiny, you have a clever business mind. Please don’t think otherwise, just because I never meant to be a serious competitor. Don’t diminish your accomplishments since coming here. You’ve taken a firm grip on things. In fact, I’ve heard quite a bit of talk in the business community about how well you’re getting things in hand.”
She regarded him with surprise. “People are really saying that. And you believe it?”
“Yes, I do. If running this operation is something you really want to do, then don’t let anyone tell you you’re not up to the task, not even that nephew whose opinion you respect so much.”
Impulsively, she stood on tiptoe and kissed him.
“Thank you. You have no idea how badly I needed to hear that. Richard’s constant skepticism is draining.”
He touched her cheek. “Admiration for you comes easily, my dear. Now, I’d better get going if I’m to snag five excellent seats for tomorrow night. I want your young friends to be impressed.”
“I suspect you’ve already accomplished that,” she told him.
When he was gone, she leaned against the door for a moment and closed her eyes. The truth was, he’d impressed her, too, and that scared her to death.
She gathered her composure at last and went back into the living room. All three women immediately fell silent.
Destiny regarded them impatiently. “Oh, go ahead with whatever you were saying. I can take it.”
“I like him,” Kathleen said, her tone gentle.
“So do I,” Beth said.
Melanie was uncharacteristically quiet. Destiny studied her. “And you? What did you think of William?”
Melanie’s torn expression gave her away.
“Are you afraid that admitting you liked him will be disloyal to Richard?” Destiny asked.
“It’s not that entirely,” Melanie said, looking dreadfully unhappy. “He’s so smooth and polished and charming. What if it’s an act, meant to take us all in?”
“That’s Richard talking,” Destiny said impatiently.
“Then you trust him?” Melanie asked. “Deep down, you really trust him?”
Did she? Destiny couldn’t help wondering if she was as vulnerable and gullible as her nephew feared she was. “I want to,” she finally admitted with candor. “I want to more than anything.”
“Then do it,” Beth advised. “Isn’t that what you told each of us at one time or another, to trust our hearts? What’s the worst that can happen?”
“I’ll discover I’m a silly old woman?” Destiny suggested.
“Never that,” Melanie said fiercely. “Whatever you do, even if it turns out to have been a mistake, it won’t be because you’re a silly old woman. You’re the most intelligent woman we know. It won’t be about you at all. It will be about William not being the man you believe him to be. The fault will be his.”
“That will be small comfort, if he hurts the company,” Destiny pointed out. “Richard would never forgive me if I put the family business in jeopardy, which is precisely what he thinks I’ll be doing if I get involved with William again.”
“Then you’ll go forward cautiously,” Beth said. “You didn’t make mistakes when it came to us. Your instincts about us being the perfect matches for your nephews were right on track. Trust them now.”
“Maybe it’s easier to see clearly when it’s not your own heart that’s involved,” Destiny said.
“I don’t believe that for a minute,” Kathleen said. “Not where you’re concerned. Besides, I’d say the three of us have good instincts and we see what you see.”
“Which is?” Destiny asked.
“A man who’s been totally and thoroughly besotted by you for years,” Kathleen said at once. “Right, girls?”
“Right,” Beth said at once. She patted her heart in a dramatic gesture. “The way he looks at you…oh, my!”
Melanie was slower to answer, but eventually she nodded, as well. “That’s the way it seemed to me. And he does appear to be trying to be candid about his intentions where Fortnum Travel is concerned. He’s not hiding that or sneaking behind your back. Just don’t rush into anything,” she pleaded. “Take your time. Be sure, not only of his feelings, but your own.”
If only she had all the time in the world to do that, Destiny thought. Leave it to the young to imagine that life went on forever. She’d already wasted more than twenty years of hers. If William was still the man she thought he was, if he still loved her as deeply as he once had, how could she waste another minute of whatever time they had left?
Still, Melanie was right. She needed to proceed cautiously. Now was not the time for soul-searching, though. She forced herself to beam at her guests.
“What would you like to do tonight?” she asked them. “It’s your first night in London. We can’t spend it sitting around here like a bunch of old fogies. Would you like dinner? A club? Shall I call for a driver and have him take us on a moonlight tour of the major sights?”
“A tour, definitely,” Kathleen said eagerly. “Buckingham Palace, Parliament, Big Ben. I want to see all of it.” She looked at Melanie and Beth. “Is that okay?”
“Well, I certainly can’t eat another bite,” Beth said. “We probably should make it a walking tour.”
“Then that’s what we’ll do,” Destiny said decisively. “Let me put on my walking shoes and get a warm coat and I’ll show you everything.”
She was halfway across the room when she was met by
Melanie, who suddenly threw her arms around her. “We love you. I hope you know that. We honestly didn’t come here just to make trouble for you.”
Tears pricked Destiny’s eyes. “I know, darlings. And I couldn’t love the three of you more if you were my own. I’m delighted you’re here.”
“Even if we came as spies?” Melanie asked.
“Even more because you cared enough to spy,” she reassured her. “Now, stop worrying. Let’s have ourselves a night out and forget all about the frustrating men in our lives.”
“Deal,” Melanie said eagerly.
She stood watching as the three women, suddenly chattering like magpies, cleared away the debris from their tea. Her family, she thought happily. All because of a choice she’d made years ago to be a mother to the men who’d eventually become their husbands. Her life was rich. She shouldn’t let herself forget that. Not for a minute.
William thought he’d passed muster. There hadn’t been a single second, though, when he’d been unaware that he was being assessed. He was actually relieved that Richard Carlton had sent the three women to see how he measured up. They were far more likely to give him a fair chance and more likely yet to be on Destiny’s side when it came to a matter of the heart. He’d predict smooth sailing if it weren’t for the Fortnum matter. That was going to stick in Richard’s craw no matter how William handled it.
In fact, Richard was going to find it all but impossible to forget the whole business rivalry and move past it. In retrospect that had probably been a bad tactic to use, but it was the only one William had been able to come up with that could accomplish what he’d hoped for.
Sitting in his office the morning after tea with the four impressive Carlton women, he buzzed for Malcolm.
“I need you to do me a favor,” he said when his assistant arrived. “I need five of the best seats in the house for the theater tonight. Cost is no object, so find me the hardest-to-get tickets to the hottest, most critically acclaimed play. I’m out to impress some people.”
“Who would that be, if you don’t mind me asking?”
“Destiny and her nephews’ wives.”
Malcolm regarded him with dismay. “Is that wise, sir? You know how paparazzi love to hang around outside the theaters. A picture of all of you together would be bound to make it into the tabloids.”
William groaned. He’d forgotten all about that. Well, it was unfortunate, but he wasn’t going to back out now. He’d made a promise and he intended to keep it. “Get the tickets,” he said succinctly.
“As you wish,” Malcolm said, his disapproval plain. “By the way, you might want to take a look at the final December sales figures for H&S Books. Shall I bring you the report? It’s on my desk.”
William nodded. “How are they? The preliminary figures looked promising.”
“Actually they’re excellent,” Malcolm said. “Apparently stirring up a bit of a rivalry brought enough people into the stores to counteract the discounts you were offering.”
“I’ll have to thank Destiny again when I see her. Something tells me that having her around will keep us on our toes.”
“It could at that, sir.” His dour expression returned. “A word of caution, though. There’s a rumor circulating that a woolen mill that’s been a favorite of ours is about to be purchased.”
William stilled. “Carlton?”
“It would seem so, sir.”
“Get me every bit of information you can find on that,” William said tightly. He didn’t believe for an instant that Destiny had gone back on her word and set out to do something so underhanded. Not after they’d discussed this very thing. “Something tells me the offer didn’t come from Destiny. I’ll wager it came from Virginia.”
“Entirely likely, sir.”
William stared after his assistant, his temper stewing. Damn Richard! He could handle the man if it came down to a fight. Whatever the manufacturer, the owner was likely someone William had known for years. It wouldn’t take much to counter whatever offer Richard had put on the table. That wasn’t the problem.
What William couldn’t believe, what he found so blasted infuriating, was that the man was sneaking around behind his aunt’s back. If William found that to be the case, there was going to be hell to pay. And once Destiny found out about it, he had a hunch he wouldn’t be the first in line to get a crack at the man.
Destiny cast a concerned frown in William’s direction. He’d been worried about something from the moment they’d all met outside the theater. When she’d asked about it earlier, he’d forced a smile and lied through his teeth that she was imagining things. Well, she’d just see about that, she resolved, sitting back to wait for intermission.
The instant the curtains closed to thunderous applause after act one, she grabbed his hand. “I’d like to speak to you,” she said. “Now!”
He gave her a startled look. “What’s wrong?”
“In the lobby,” she said, determinedly tugging him past her curious nieces. “Excuse us, girls.”
The instant they were out of earshot, she folded her arms across her chest and scowled at him. “Tell me,” she said.
He regarded her blankly. “Tell you what?”
“Oh, stop it. You’re not very good at dissembling, William. Something’s on your mind and I have a hunch it has to do with me.”
He sighed. “You see too blasted much,” he grumbled.
She frowned and waited.
“Oh, all right. I’d hoped not to get into this tonight. I learned something today, something I suspect you know nothing about.”
“Which is?”
“Carlton Industries has made an offer to buy my primary woolen manufacturer in Scotland.”
Destiny felt faint. “That can’t be. Nothing like that could happen without my knowing about it, and I can assure you I don’t. We’ve already canceled the misguided purchase of the haberdashers, so what would we need with a woolen manufacturer?”
“I suspect it’s being done merely to annoy me.” He regarded her with something akin to pity.
“But I’m not behind it,” she repeated. “No one else could authorize such a thing.”
“No one except Richard,” he said quietly.
She gasped. “He didn’t,” she said, then realized it made total sense. It was exactly the kind of thing Richard might do to send a message to a business rival. That he had done it without consulting her was proof of just how little respect he had for her or her position in the company. Didn’t he see that it would be impossible for her to continue running the European division if he was going behind her back in such a way? Or was that precisely what he intended?
Barely containing her temper, she met William’s gaze. “You’re sure?”
“I spoke to the owner. He’s been dealing directly with Richard. I’m sorry, but there’s no question about this.”
“And the outcome? Did Richard get his way?”
“Of course not. I discovered his plan in the nick of time and formed a lucrative partnership with the firm myself. Richard won’t get his hands on it now.”
“Good. Do you have your cell phone with you?”
He nodded.
“I need it, if you don’t mind. I need to make a call to Carlton Industries. I suspect Richard will be expecting it.”
William took his cell phone out of his pocket, but he held it out of reach. “What are you going to do?”
“I’m going to quit, of course.”
“Destiny, you can’t do that,” he protested. “I know how much you want to prove yourself in this job.”
“How can I, if my nephew is going to go behind my back and sabotage me? I made a commitment to you, and if you didn’t trust me, you could easily have assumed I was behind this and launched an all-out assault against the company.”
“But I do trust you and the matter is handled,” he said. “Think about this. Wait and call him in the morning, when cooler heads will prevail.”
“I don’t want a cooler head wh
en I talk to him,” she insisted fiercely. “I want to tear him limb from limb. How could he do this? I’ve never been so furious and disappointed in my entire life.”
“He’s worried about you,” William said quietly. “He wants you to quit and come home. I think that message is plain. Whatever he’s heard from Melanie and the others since their arrival has obviously only fueled his concerns.”
Destiny stared at him. He was absolutely right. That was Richard’s intention. He knew she would find his actions intolerable, and he expected her to call and quit or at the very least to bolt home to confront him in person. There was a third alternative, though, one she doubted he’d considered.
“Give me the phone,” she said quietly.
“Destiny, please, are you really sure about this?”
“Just watch and listen,” she said grimly, punching in the numbers for Richard’s private line. It was no surprise that he answered on the very first ring. He’d probably been sitting there on pins and needles all day long waiting for her call.
“Hello,” he said, sounding a little too cheerful.
Destiny couldn’t wait to spoil his mood. “Hello, darling,” she said just as cheerfully. “Make any big deals today?”
“You heard about Scotland, I imagine,” he said, still sounding surprisingly upbeat for a man whose deal had been foiled by William. “Sorry, but I did what I had to do.”
“Too bad it didn’t work out.”
“Obviously William got word of it,” he said.
“Even without me knowing a thing about it,” she pointed out. “I assume you thought I was the one you couldn’t trust with the information.”
“Not under the circumstances, no,” he admitted, though he was beginning to sound slightly less confident. “I know you’re upset—”
“I was at first,” she conceded. “In fact, I was mad enough to quit, which was precisely what I intended, until I thought it through.”
“Oh?”
“William made me realize that quitting would be the worst decision I could possibly make.”
“Oh,” he said, his voice filled with resignation.
Destiny Unleashed Page 22
