Chapter Fifteen

 

 

He leaned over, his hand cupped around his lips as he spoke to Jasper.

Danielle watched Jasper grip the edge of the table, pushing himself to his feet, his head jerking and motioning Brady to the side. She watched the silent communication between the men, amazed that Brady seemed to know immediately what was expected of him.

“Please, Danielle, I want you to remain here,” Jasper said firmly, striding with Brady through the double doors, both of them closing behind them.

“What is going on?” She shoved away from the table and moved to the door, pacing and frowning. She turned and went hurriedly through the kitchen and into the living area, the doors open and the voices clear. She could see the woman standing regally in the hall.

“Amanda, what the hell do you think you’re doing here?” Brady demanded coldly.

“Obviously I thought it was a wonderful idea to surprise you, Brady,” she cooed softly, a palm rising only to fall when she met the glare on his face.

“Just another something we disagree on then,” Brady told her coldly.

“Don’t be like that. I’ve missed you. But I did have a most interesting visit from Elizabeth Stanley at lunch today,” she stopped and smiled at Jasper. “Why do the both of you look so dismal? I’ve been here before. Aren’t you going to offer me a drink? I’m parched,” she said dramatically, striding toward the living area doors only to stop and look around her. Danielle flattened against the wall, holding her breath.

“Amanda…you need to leave, now. We have nothing to discuss and if Elizabeth is involved…”

Danielle knew it was taking a great deal of patience for Brady to keep from saying something extremely off color. She could barely see Jasper next to him, his hand clenched and resting on the bottom of the banister.

She was beautiful. Tall and blond, with long hair hanging straight down her back. She wore a linen suit in chocolate, her blouse a soft white that was open at her throat, the skirt fitting snuggly along her long legs.

“Brady, didn’t you miss me?” Came the pouting little voice.

“Ending our engagement was the smartest thing I did this last year,” Brady answered coldly. “How was Paris? And who was it this last time? The up and coming artist?” He asked sarcastically.

“Ohh, Brady…I always believed we had a more progressive relationship than to declare ownership like that,” she dismissed his anger with a little laugh.

“Why are you here, Amanda?”

“I know the house routines, isn’t it dinner time? You could be polite and ask me to join you,” she asked, wide blue eyes scanning the area with a smile. “Or are the rumors true and someone’s taken my place? How have you been, Jasper? I haven’t seen you in months and months.”

“Our only association was through Brady, Amanda. Jacobs has been apprized that you are no longer to be admitted,” Jasper said coldly. “I do not want your drama or malicious meddling in my household.”

Danielle felt a chill run through her. Granted it had been a short time, but she’d never heard that tone from Jasper before.

“Elizabeth said you didn’t approve of us,” she noted with a sigh. “Do you think that’s why we fell apart, Brady?”

“If Elizabeth is talking to you, she has an agenda,” Brady said thoughtfully. “And if you agreed to it, that just means you believe there’s something in it for you, Amanda. We fell apart because I realized you were a cheating spoiled brat. I don’t know why it took me so long to see it, though. That annoys me.”

“I prefer demanding to spoiled,” she said sweetly. “Or perhaps high maintenance. You’re such a suspicious man. Although, Elizabeth is a little concerned about you both,” pale lashes fluttered as she watched them. “Something about a new addition to your family, Jasper….and a very convenient way for Brady to finally ingratiate himself into your good graces.”

“Amanda, I really believe it’s time for you to leave,” Brady kept his teeth clenched. “Anything that’s happening in this house, in this family, is no concern of yours whatsoever.”

“Are you officially a member of the family now, Brady?” She asked, knowing it grate on his nerves to be reminded he was an outsider to the Greystone family.

“I’ll let you deal with this woman, Brady, but make it clear she is not welcome here,” Jasper declared coldly.

 

Danielle straightened up and ran lightly to the dining room, sinking into her chair at the same time she heard the door knob turn. She wrapped two hands around her water goblet, barely feeling the cold moisture on her palms as she twirled the glasses. She didn’t like the look the woman’s comment had put on Brady’s face and felt the warm simmer of anger in her stomach.

“What’s wrong, Jasper?” She asked quietly, watching the tension in him when he resumed his seat, his hand out to drain the wine from his glass.

“An unwanted visitor, Danielle, nothing to concern you. Brady will deal with it,” he said confidently, standing up and shaking his head. “I’m going to my study for awhile. Please, feel free to explore and make yourself at home, my dear,” he leaned down, kissing her brow softly. “Thank you for joining me in my home, Danielle.”

“Thank you for having me, Jasper,” she said softly, watching him go toward the passage along the outside of the house. She stood up, absently stacking plates and cleaning up the table when Maggie came in behind her.

“Miss Danielle, you are taking my job,” she teased lightly, smiling when their eyes met. “Thank you.”

“It’s just natural, I guess,” she carried plates with her when they had collected things and headed to the kitchen. “Maggie, is there a room I can have for my own? Like…like a smaller study sort of thing…” She sighed when Maggie met her eyes. “Jasper wants me to move in and I…I need a place…that isn’t a bedroom.”

“I know the perfect place,” Maggie said softly, nodding and gesturing for her to follow. A long, narrow staircase wound along the back of the kitchen. “This room is actually just down the hall from your bedroom,” she entered the dark room, crossing in the darkness and opening the door that opened into the second floor hall. She tapped the light switch, sending the darkness away for a time.

Danielle had remained by the back stairs, blinking in the light and taking in the large room. She crossed to the window and threw the drapes wide, the sound of metal rings tinkling over the metal rod.

“It opens toward the garden and maze,” Maggie answered the unasked question.

“This was my grandmothers,” Danielle said, not certain how she knew. The walls were covered with an old style wall paper, a soft crème with tiny pink rose buds. Two large chairs covered with sheets and a desk were in the room, along with a large old wooden cradle.

“I can have these things removed…and I’ll get it all cleaned first thing in the morning,” Maggie said, looking around thoughtfully.

“No…I mean, yes, to the cleaned part…but the things…” Danielle went to the large, old fireplace, her fingers up to touch the wide mantle. She tugged one of the chairs at the angle that she wanted and moved to the cradle, pulling and pushing until she had it on the left side of the chair, between the chair and wall. “I can imagine her there…rocking my father while reading during the winter…please, leave everything. I’ll move it how I want it. But I need a table…a small one to put my sewing machine on…”

“We have a room with furniture in it,” Maggie nodded to herself. “I know just what you need, Miss Danielle…I will have it brought up for you. Let me help you with that,” she moved quickly to take the end of the desk Danielle was tugging into place at the end of the large multi paned window.

“And I’ll find a good desk chair…something with wheels to put between them…” she stood in front of the desk, hands on her hips. “Yes…this will be perfect, Maggie…thank you.”

“Your grandfather will be very pleased you are with him,” Maggie told her, meeting the dark eyes with her own smiling ones. “He has been alone for far too long. He needs light and laughter and you and Mr. Brady are good for him. Good for his health. You make him laugh and smile.”

“Can I leave this door open? There’s nothing secret here…” Danielle pulled the hall door wide, looking around the floor and smiling at the small very heavy stone mouse sitting on the floor. “I bet that’s what this was used for…” she blocked the door as wide as it would open, very satisfied with the outcome.

Danielle stood staring at the room. “Nice bookshelves around the fireplace…I haven’t that many books, but they’re lovely shelves. This is just wonderful…when Jacobs and Brady bring things in tomorrow afternoon, have them just stack things in here for me, alright? And I’ll sort through things and put them where I want them. I can open the apartment for Jacobs at noon.”

“I will let him know, miss…perhaps I could have your phone number? In case he needs to speak with you,” Maggie drew a small notepad from one of the pockets on her apron, writing as Danielle told her the number. “Perfect.”

“Thank you, Maggie…very much…I think I’ll go to bed now,” Danielle walked along the hall to her bedroom, sighing softly as she passed Brady’s door, chewing thoughtfully on her lip. She went to her room and prepared for bed, sitting in the dark staring out the window. Lights from outside mixed with the rain drops splattering on the windows, bursting into tiny crystals when they struck the glass. She sat quietly for an hour before swallowing hard and padding on bare feet from her room and along the hall. She tapped lightly on his door, waiting with a knot in her stomach.

“Hi,” she said softly when the door was pulled inward. He stood there with no shirt, his belt open and feet bare. There was tension etched on the grim features.

“Hi,” he responded in what was becoming their greeting.

“May I come inside?”

“Dani…I’m afraid I won’t be very good company,” Brady told her honestly, a big part of him still wanting to strike out at something.

“I can be good enough company for both of us,” she promised with a hopeful smile, her hand immediately in his when he raised it from his side. She pushed the door quietly closed behind her. He had the lights down low, his room very different than the one she had been given. She knew immediately that he had been using this room for a long time, personalized things all over. While she had two large armoires, he had a large, lighted walk in closet. A heavy, old desk sat at one end with his lap top sitting open, papers around the surface and his brief case on the floor.

She gripped his fingers, leading him to the wide chest at the end of the bed and pushed until he sat. She climbed onto the bed and leaned him back against her, her fingers gently massaging.

“You’re very tense…I don’t know why…Jasper won’t talk, either, and that’s alright,” she said casually, thumbs stroking along the tense column of his neck. “There are tons of topics out there to talk about. I asked Maggie for a room that was empty that I could use…a place for my computer unit and sewing machine…”

“You sew?”

“I sew and cook, too,” she said with a smile, relaxing when she saw his lips twitch a little. “I’m working on a couple baby quilts for friends having babies in the spring. They’re very colorful and bright. Maggie said she can get me a table like I need. They’re both very sweet and helpful…” A tiny yelp broke free when he took one of her palms and tilted himself to the side, pulling her over and onto his lap.

“You, Miss Greystone, are incredibly easy to be sweet and helpful to,” he told her, his mouth down softly on hers. A sigh broke from them both several minutes later, their kiss broken for the barest of seconds before each sought the other with a need that hadn’t been labeled. “Dani…” his groan was low, vibrating against her throat. Her hands were busy stroking over his head, onto his shoulders and chest.

“Shhh…” She slipped her feet to the floor and pulled him to his feet, her hands opening the belt at his waist before popping a button free. Dani let her mouth move against his throat and over his chest, lower until she touched his stomach with her kiss. She felt the hard outline of his erection against her cheek, hands shoving the trousers out of her way and letting them pool at his feet.

A wild sense of power coursed through her when his body shuddered as she explored him, kissed him; tasted and aroused and learned the hard shape of him. Surprise followed the sense of power when she heard the words inside her mind: he’s mine! And I won’t let her near him!

They lay facing one another, each waiting for the pounding of their heart to settle into a normal rhythm. Danielle had her arm up and cushioning her head, her other palm resting against his chest, feeling the passion slowly recede. His eyes were closed but she knew he was awake, her fingers up and trailing along his jaw, her smile soft.

“Are you going to send me off to my own room?”

“No…no, I don’t think I have the strength for that…” He told her, his eyes opening lazily. “Or the resolve…I like you with me…where ever we end up.”

“Good…good…I like me with you, too,” Danielle sighed deeply and snuggled down, letting sleep sweep over her in the contented glow around them.

 

 

It was Thursday and neither of them had said a word about the mysterious and sultry looking Amanda that had showed up on the doorstep. Danielle was frowning on the way the cafeteria. She’d called in help, settling with her tray at the table with Samantha and her mother, Elizabeth Elliott.

“I really appreciate your having lunch with us, Elizabeth,” Danielle said, biting hungrily into the spicy chicken sandwich.

“Oh, I will always accept an invitation to lunch with you girls,” she told them honestly, admiring the Mediterranean décor of the large cafeteria. “I know several restaurants in town who would delight in stealing Mia away from here.”

“Not a chance, mother,” Sam assured her, savoring the chunky tomato and vegetable soup in her bowl. “Between Mia, Fleur and Gwen, we’re establishing ourselves with amazing speed. Their food is delicious.”

“So what was your question, Danielle?”

“Do you know anything about the woman Brady was engaged to?” She asked after taking a long breath in, chewing her sandwich and waiting. “Other than the fact that she’s beautiful.”

“Hah!” Elizabeth said with a little laugh. “You girls have far more beauty than she will ever have. You will never see her until after two make-up artists have managed to pull her together, I assure you,” she said dryly. “She’s a model, my dears…European, granted, but fairly well sought after. That’s where they met, in Europe. I think the news story said something about Brady being over there talking to some people about a program for his machine shop,” she paused thoughtfully, biting into the well seasoned salad mix she had selected for herself with crunchy bread crisps sprinkled over top.

“Neither Brady or Jasper seemed very happy to see her the other night,” Danielle said slowly.

“The gossip…” Elizabeth began with a dramatic lean closer that had both girls laughing. “Is she was having affairs with a tennis player and an artist…and he caught them at a hotel shortly after they announced the engagement. The official line was because of career demands, it simply wasn’t the right time for an engagement. That was a little over eight months ago.”

“She came to your house?” Sam asked curiously.

“She came to Jasper’s…” Danielle caught herself with a deep breath. “I guess it’s my house now, too. They moved my things completely yesterday. I have this giant room with things to sort now…but Jasper seems extremely happy and keeps peeking in my sitting room, just smiling and nodding before he wanders off again. Anyway,” she said regaining her thoughts. “She came to the house…Tuesday night? Yes, I think so…and both Jasper and Brady were very angry about it. Jasper told me to stay in the dining room, but I…kind of went into the living area and listened…”

“I’m not sure about this protecting us thing they tend to have…I’m thinking it’s some special gene only some males possess,” Sam said with a crooked frown.

“It’s called love, you goose of a daughter of mine,” Elizabeth told her with a scowl. “Some males…good males…not only love deeply, but protect even when you don’t think it’s necessary. It’s part of their quirky charm.”

“They don’t know you listened?” Sam asked.

“No…no…at one point, Jasper told Brady to deal with her and I had to run back to the dining room because Jasper was returning,” Danielle sighed. “He was…tense…and went right to his study. Brady was the same…very tense and almost grim with anger. From what I heard, Elizabeth Stanley got in touch with her. Brady seemed to think there was some conspiracy being formed…”

“Never underestimate either of them, my dear,” Elizabeth nodded thoughtfully, her fork tapping her lip. “Elizabeth is protecting her source of extra income for a life style beyond her means. As for Amanda Kelso….I don’t know her well enough to get a feel for why she would let herself be drawn into a plot by Elizabeth. Other than causing trouble and getting herself on the pages of magazines…I couldn’t begin to guess why she would go out of her way like that.”

“Revenge for Brady dumping her?” Sam suggested with a half shrug.

“Perhaps…” Elizabeth agreed with a nod. “Women have certainly caused trouble for far less…I’d be wary, Danielle. Both of them come from a world where ethics and well mannered behaviors are only used when it’s to their advantage. If she is intent on driving a wedge between you and Brady…do not believe a thing you see or hear from her,” the older woman advised her firmly, smiling at the nod she received.

“I’ll be careful, I promise…I don’t like…I don’t like seeing Jasper or Brady so upset about this,” Danielle finished her sandwich and drained her water.

“And they don’t want to see you in a cat fight with her,” Elizabeth said.

Danielle had to laugh. “I haven’t been in a girl fight in ages and ages…”

“I’ll put my money on you,” Sam said with a bright grin.