The Beautiful Widow

by Helen Brooks

  ‘Thanks, Maggie,’ he said lazily, ‘although I doubt I’m in danger of wasting away.’

  ‘Be that as it may, it doesn’t do to skip meals.’ Maggie’s demeanour was one of motherly reproof; Toni had the feeling the daily and her formidable employer got on very well. This was borne out when the little woman poured them both a cup of coffee and cut Steel a massive slice of cake, clucking her tongue at Toni when she refused a piece. ‘You young girls these days.’ She shook her grey head. ‘Don’t eat enough to keep a sparrow alive. How about just a morsel to have with your coffee, eh?’

  Helplessly, Toni agreed. It was simpler.

  Satisfied, the daily gave them both a beaming smile and bustled out of the room, her permed curls bobbing.

  Toni looked down at the plate on her lap and then raised her eyes to find Steel Landry’s gaze on her face. ‘Are you always persuaded so easily?’ he murmured, before adding, ‘You said children. How many do you have?’

  She knew her face was burning with colour when she reached into her briefcase and brought out the CV she hadn’t had time to send before the interview. James had only called her the night before to say he’d mentioned her name to Steel Landry and he’d agreed to see her the next evening after checking out some of her previous work. She’d grabbed the opportunity with both hands.

  ‘M-my personal details are included,’ she mumbled as she held the plastic folder out to him.

  He didn’t take it. ‘I prefer to hear it from you.’

  Great. ‘I have twin girls.’

  ‘How old are they?’

  ‘Nearly four.’ She placed the folder on the coffee table.

  She wasn’t aware how her voice had softened at the thought of Amelia and Daisy, but the silver eyes watching her so intently sharpened. ‘And you’d be happy to work evenings and weekends when necessary?’ he asked quietly. ‘This is no nine-to-five job.’

  Another fair question and one that could lose her any chance of getting the job if she answered honestly. ‘Not happy, no,’ she said stiffly. ‘But I know they’d be well cared for and I have to work. It’s as simple as that.’

  He considered her over the rim of his coffee cup. ‘Another personal question. You said huge debts. That means what exactly? Ballpark figure if you don’t mind.’

  This was worse than she’d imagined. Knowing her hands were shaking, Toni put down the coffee cup and gripped them together in her lap. ‘Eighty thousand pounds,’ she said flatly.

  She raised her head and looked at him. His face was impassive. No doubt eighty thousand was pocket change to him, but to her it was a small fortune. She swallowed hard. He might as well know it all. ‘My husband had taken loans out all over the place,’ she said tightly. ‘Most of them were wiped out with his death but he’d borrowed from friends and family too, even work colleagues. He told so many stories …’ She gulped, determined to get through without breaking down. She’d done enough crying lately to last a lifetime and employers didn’t like hysterical women.

  ‘What did he want the money for?’

  ‘Gambling.’ One word, but as stark and ugly as any profanity as far as Toni was concerned, and her tone reflected this.

  ‘And you didn’t know?’

  He sounded faintly incredulous. Toni didn’t blame him. She found it unbelievable herself. She’d lived with Richard for over four years and she hadn’t known him at all, apparently.

  It had been a textbook whirlwind marriage. They had met at the wedding of one of Toni’s old university friends, and had been wed themselves within three months. He had been charming and carefree and funny and she’d fallen for him like a ton of bricks. By the time doubts had set in she’d found she’d become pregnant with the twins on honeymoon. Fait accompli.

  ‘No, I didn’t know.’ Her eyes were deep pools of pain. ‘But I intend to pay back every penny he borrowed.’

  ‘How many people does that involve?’

  She felt nauseous remembering. ‘A lot,’ she said bleakly.

  ‘And none of them would wipe the slate clean considering you knew nothing about your husband’s addiction?’

  ‘I wouldn’t let them.’ Her chin had a proud tilt to it now. ‘However long it takes, they’ll get their money.’

  He surveyed her for a long moment without speaking and then drank the rest of his coffee. It was only when he replaced the cup on the saucer that he said softly, ‘Even at the cost of your children’s welfare.’

  For a moment she wondered if she’d heard right.

  Then, stung beyond measure, she glared at him as she got to her feet. ‘My children will always come first with me. Always. But that doesn’t mean I can’t do what’s right.’

  ‘You’re sure this isn’t your pride having a field day?’

  Hateful man. ‘Richard stole from our friends and family,’ she bit out angrily. ‘Oh, he might have dressed it up differently, but that’s what he did. He lied and cheated and would probably be doing the same now if he hadn’t had a massive heart attack when out jogging one evening. One old aunt lent him her life savings. She’s barely got enough now to feed herself and her cats.’

  ‘They can’t all be elderly and destitute,’ Steel commented mildly, seemingly untouched by her anger.

  ‘No, but they all trusted my husband and were cruelly let down. Betrayed through no fault of their own.’

  ‘As you were.’

  Toni blinked. She had been set to walk out a second ago, now she didn’t know what to do. The way he’d said the last words had brought the traitorous tears close to the surface again.

  ‘Sit down and finish your coffee and cake,’ he said very softly, and when, after a second’s hesitation, she complied he continued to observe her.

  Behind the cool, unruffled exterior Steel’s mind was racing. For once he found himself at something of a loss and he didn’t like that. When he had first walked into the room and seen the young woman in the pistachio-green coat standing by the window his male antenna had responded with appreciation to the womanly shape topped by a mass of dark brown hair.

  Toni George was attractive, very attractive. Not beautiful, he qualified, although many a model would have killed for her cheekbones, but she had something, something indefinable. When he had relieved her of her coat he’d caught the scent of her perfume and it had caused his loins to tighten. Ridiculous, but he’d found himself wishing she wasn’t a married woman …

  Be careful what you wish for because it might just come true. Who’d said that? Whoever, they were dead right, he thought with dark amusement, because any involvement with a widow with two young children—a definitely damaged and troubled widow at that—spelt nothing but disaster.

  Becoming aware where his thoughts had led, he mentally shook his head. What the hell was he playing at? This young woman had come to see him about a job, that was all, and with what she’d been through in the last months she’d no more be looking for anything of a romantic nature than a trip to the moon. And someone in her position—no matter how attractive they were—could never feature on his agenda. She was as different from the kind of woman he dated as chalk from cheese.

  Steel reached for the folder on the table between them, opening it and taking out the neat pages it contained. Swiftly he scanned the facts and figures within. Personal details were at a minimum.

  Her velvet-brown eyes were waiting for him when he looked up and he was aware she was jumpy. It had no relevance to what he’d just been reading but, because he wanted to know, he said, ‘How long have you been widowed?’

  She shifted slightly in the seat. ‘Nearly four months.’

  Four months of hell, if the look on her face was anything to go by. To his amazement, he heard himself say, ‘Were you happy with him? Before he died and you discovered the debts?’

  She stiffened and he waited for her to tell him to mind his own business. He wouldn’t have blamed her.

  Instead, after a long ten seconds had ticked by, she lowered her head so the sleek thick curtain of sho
ulder-length hair swung to conceal her expression. ‘No, I wasn’t happy.’

  There was a red light burning bright and hot in his mind. Obeying it, he turned his concentration to her CV, talking through a couple of points with her. Then he looked at her portfolio. It was impressive, as he’d expected it to be; he wouldn’t have wasted his time granting her an interview otherwise.

  She was confident and enthusiastic when discussing her work, metamorphosing into a different person in front of his fascinated gaze. This is what she would have been like when she met that louse she married, Steel thought with a bolt of quite unreasonably vicious hatred for the dead man. Energised, self-assured, dauntless. And he’d been wrong earlier. She was beautiful. Enchantingly so.

  It was close to half-past six when he asked her if she’d like to see the plans and photographs of the project thus far. When, nearly an hour later, he noticed her glance surreptitiously at her watch he couldn’t believe how the time had flown. ‘I’m sorry, do you need to be somewhere?’ he said as her colour flared, indicating she was aware he’d caught her checking the time.

  ‘No, no, of course not.’ Toni knew she should have left it at that in view of the fact she’d previously assured him the twins wouldn’t be an issue regarding her working late. Instead she found herself continuing, ‘It’s just that it’s the girls’ bedtime and I always ring them if I’m not there to tuck them in.’

  Steel straightened. He didn’t want to think of her as a mother, which in itself indicated a mental step backwards away from this dark-haired woman with the huge eyes and delicious body was called for. He smiled thinly. ‘Go ahead.’ He gestured at the telephone on a glass table next to an enormous bowl of hothouse blooms. ‘I need to call the hospital again anyway.’

  ‘I’ve got my mobile …’

  She was fumbling in one of the huge handbags women seem to favour these days and he was suddenly intensely irritated without knowing why. ‘No need. I’ll use the other line in my study,’ he said coolly, walking to the door as he spoke and shutting it firmly behind him once he was in the hall. He stood there for a moment, collecting his thoughts.

  What was the matter with him, for crying out loud? He breathed deeply, his nostrils flaring. So she was phoning her kids. So what? He knew she wasn’t first and foremost a career-motivated Barbara with her own flat and sports car and intrinsically selfish life that meant she could do what she wanted, when she wanted and how she wanted. And with whom. He hadn’t even known she existed until a day or two ago. She meant nothing to him. Nothing beyond a potential employee, that was. If he should choose to give her the job.

  He walked into his study and reached for the telephone on the massive curving desk in front of the window. It was only then he acknowledged there was no if about it. She’d had the job from the minute he’d laid eyes on her.

  He shook his head at himself. Steady, boy, steady, he cautioned silently. Big step backwards here. He didn’t do impulsive. Every decision he made was logical and thought out, even ruthless at times. It was how he had created a thriving little empire in just under twenty years. Sentiment and emotion were all very well but they had no place in business.

  He was frowning as he rang Jeff’s mobile, but after talking to his brother-in-law for a couple of minutes and finding out Annie was no worse his expression cleared.

  Toni George would be just another employee. Anything else was not acceptable. Decision made, he stood up, flexed his broad shoulders and left the room.

  CHAPTER TWO

  TONI’S MOTHER ANSWERED the telephone. Toni could hear shrieks of laughter and high squeals in the background as she said, ‘Mother? It’s me. I’m not going to be back for a while yet—the interview still hasn’t finished. I was ringing to say goodnight to the girls. Are they ready for bed?’ Their bedtime was seven-thirty but if she wasn’t around to enforce it, it could be any time, which invariably meant two tetchy little girls the next day. Not good for them or anyone around them!

  ‘Oh, yes, love. They’ve had their bath and they’re in their pyjamas,’ Vivienne Otley said fondly.

  Hating to be critical, but knowing how long it took the twins to calm down once they got excited, Toni said carefully, ‘I thought we’d agreed seven was the deadline for reading stories in bed so they can wind down?’

  ‘Well, you know what your father’s like with them. He’s the big bad wolf and they’re the little pigs. I’m a little pig too.’

  Toni stifled a sigh. She adored her parents and would be eternally grateful for the way they’d immediately opened up their home and hearts to her and the twins when the full horror of the mountain of debts came to light, but she was fighting a losing battle against the girls being spoilt rotten.

  Having tried unsuccessfully for a child for years, her parents had long since resigned themselves to being childless when she’d made her appearance on her mother’s forty-second birthday thirty years ago. Her mother’s favourite story was that for the first six months of pregnancy Toni had been dismissed as the onset of the menopause. It had only been when she gave a hefty kick one day that her mother had realised the flutters and discomfort she’d put down to her age and flatulence were, in fact, a baby. A nine-pound baby as it turned out.

  Toni had always known she was her parents’ sun, moon and stars, but in spite of their joy in their beloved daughter they had never spoiled her. Just the contrary in fact. But with the twins … Suppressing another sigh, she said meaningfully, ‘Put them on the line, would you, and I’ll make it clear they’re straight to bed. They’ve got that nursery trip tomorrow to the safari park and they’re going to be exhausted if they’re up late.’

  Amelia came on the phone first, as Toni had expected. The older twin by minutes, Amelia led and Daisy followed. ‘'Lo, Mummy,’ Amelia said brightly. ‘Grandad’s pretending to be the wolf and he’s put those big teeth in we got in a cracker at Christmas. He’s nearly swallowed them once.’ Lowering her voice, she whispered, ‘We’re acting scared but we aren’t really.’

  Toni had to smile. ‘Hallo, honeybee,’ she said softly. ‘I’m not going to be able to get home to put you to bed so I’m sending a big kiss and hug down the phone, OK? And I want you to promise you’ll go straight to bed now and Grandma will read you one story. You’ve got your trip tomorrow, haven’t you? And you don’t want to miss anything because you’re too tired.’

  It worked. ‘All right, Mummy,’ Amelia said at once, handing the phone to her sister before Toni could say goodbye.

  ‘'Lo, Mummy,’ Daisy lisped, her voice softer and more babyish than Amelia’s. ‘When are you coming home?’

  ‘Soon, darling, but Grandma’s going to read your story tonight and tuck you in because Mummy’s trying to get that job I told you and Amelia about. Remember? Be a good girl for Grandma, won’t you? Go straight to sleep, promise me?’

  ‘Yesp.’ A tiny pause. ‘I lub you, Mummy.’

  ‘I love you, sweetpea.’ Swallowing the lump in her throat, she added, ‘I’ll come and kiss you when I get home, but I want you to go straight to sleep after your story.’

  Her mother came on the line. ‘She’s nodding to whatever you just said, bless her. And I’m sorry, love. I forgot about that nursery trip. It’s gone clean out of my mind.’

  Toni felt instantly guilty. Why should her parents have to remember about things like nursery trips at their age? They were in their early seventies; they should be enjoying the grandchildren visiting every so often for a few hours, not being with them full time. Richard hadn’t paid the rent on the flat they’d been living in for a while before he’d died, but even if they’d been up to date there was no way they could have continued to live there on what she could earn. A basic bedsit would be all she could afford and it would mean she wouldn’t be able to save anything towards paying off the mountain of debt Richard had left. Her parents continued to insist they loved having her and the grandchildren and wouldn’t hear of her moving out, but their small two-bedroomed terrace was bursting at the seams with
the children’s paraphernalia. She slept on a sofa bed in the sitting room at night and she knew her parents’ calm, orderly life had been turned upside down. But what was the alternative?

  Wearily she brushed a strand of dark brown hair laced with copper behind her ear. She was tired. Mentally and emotionally worn out, and she couldn’t think beyond this present moment or she’d lose any faint hope she had of landing this job. James had assured her Steel would pay well, exceptionally well if he thought she was the right person for the job. Steel’s employees rarely left the firm, he’d said drily, in spite of his reputation of being an exacting employer. An excellent salary and a generous package of benefits bought loyalty.

  When Steel returned to the room she was sitting primly on the sofa, her manner one of cool composure. This lasted all of one moment due to him saying smoothly, ‘Maggie assures me there is more than enough dinner for two, Mrs George, and, as we haven’t finished the interview yet and I’m hungry, it seems sensible to kill two birds with one stone. Unless you have any objection, of course?’

  Plenty, but she couldn’t very well say so. For a second or two she sat there dry-mouthed, his impossibly light eyes seeming to pin her to the spot. It took some effort to pull herself together but her voice was gratifyingly steady when she said, ‘That’s very kind of you, Mr Landry. Thank you.’

  ‘Maggie will call us when the meal’s ready but in the meantime can I offer you a drink?’ He was walking across to the beautifully made glass cocktail cabinet in a corner or the room as he spoke. ‘I usually have a cocktail about this time of night if I’m not driving, but there’s red, white or rosé wine, along with various spirits and mixers, sherry, martini …’

  ‘A cocktail would be lovely.’ She was glad now she’d eaten the slice of cake Maggie had pressed on her. The day had been hectic and after she had dropped the twins off at their nursery she’d rushed from pillar to post and skipped lunch. Without the cake any alcohol would have gone straight to her head, but she felt Steel Landry would expect a sophisticated career woman to have a pre-dinner aperitif.