The Forbidden Mistress. Anne Mather

Читать онлайн.
Название The Forbidden Mistress
Автор произведения Anne Mather
Жанр Контркультура
Серия Mills & Boon Modern
Издательство Контркультура
Год выпуска 0
isbn 9781408939567



Скачать книгу

gaped at him. ‘You can’t be serious, Tom. Oliver has every reason to hate your guts!’

      ‘Why? Because I took that hag away from him?’ Tom snorted. ‘He should be thanking me. He doesn’t know when he’s well off.’

      ‘I don’t think Oliver will see it that way,’ said Grace honestly. Despite his initial interest in her, he’d abandoned her soon enough when his ex-wife had turned up. And it was obvious Sophie had her sights set on rekindling that relationship. The way she’d gushed all over Oliver had made Grace feel physically sick.

      ‘He will,’ said Tom confidently. ‘I know Oliver. This was his father’s business, too, remember? He won’t want it to close. Just think how many people would be out of work.’

      Grace conceded he might have a point. ‘So why don’t you ask your father for help?’ she asked curiously. George Ferreira couldn’t wait to get back to the garden centre when he came home.

      ‘Dad doesn’t have that kind of money,’ Tom protested. ‘Sophie put two hundred thousand into the business. How do you think I was able to buy the smallholding next door?’

      Grace pulled a face. ‘And you think Oliver will cover her investment?’ she exclaimed incredulously. ‘Tom, that’s a pipedream and you know it.’

      His scowl reappeared and he strode restlessly about the office. ‘He’s got to,’ he muttered. ‘It’s a good investment.’

      ‘And did you tell him this?’ asked Grace. ‘Were you up front with him? Is that why he came here today, to check out how we’re doing?’

      ‘No, no and no,’ muttered Tom, hunching his shoulders. ‘I didn’t get around to it. He threatened to throw me out of the building.’

      ‘And this is the man who’s going to help you?’ Grace shook her head. ‘Get real, Tom. It’s not going to happen. You’re going to have to go to the bank again.’

      ‘He came here, didn’t he? I didn’t ask him to.’

      ‘Curiosity,’ said Grace dampeningly. ‘I got the impression he was curious, that’s all.’

      ‘Well, I’ll find out tomorrow,’ said Tom, forcing a note of optimism into his voice. ‘He’s meeting me for lunch at The Crown.’

      ‘Okay.’ Grace turned towards the door. ‘Well, good luck with Sophie. I wouldn’t keep her waiting any longer than you have to, if I was you.’

      ‘So you won’t change your mind?’

      ‘I can’t.’ Grace was definite. ‘I’m sorry.’ She paused and then added encouragingly, ‘Perhaps if you were nice to her, she’d reduce her demands.’

      ‘Not a chance.’ Tom was gloomy. ‘She wants her pound of flesh and she’s determined to have it.’ He hesitated a moment and then rounded his desk again, flinging himself into his chair. ‘Just spare a thought for me when you’re slurping spritzers with your friend.’

      Конец ознакомительного фрагмента.

      Текст предоставлен ООО «ЛитРес».

      Прочитайте эту книгу целиком, купив полную легальную версию на ЛитРес.

      Безопасно оплатить книгу можно банковской картой Visa, MasterCard, Maestro, со счета мобильного телефона, с платежного терминала, в салоне МТС или Связной, через PayPal, WebMoney, Яндекс.Деньги, QIWI Кошелек, бонусными картами или другим удобным Вам способом.

/9j/4AAQSkZJRgABAgEBLAEsAAD/4RluRXhpZgAATU0AKgAAAAgABwESAAMAAAABAAEAAAEaAAUA AAABAAAAYgEbAAUAAAABAAAAagEoAAMAAAABAAIAAAExAAIAAAAcAAAAcgEyAAIAAAAUAAAAjodp AAQAAAABAAAApAAAANAALcbAAAAnEAAtxsAAACcQQWRvYmUgUGhvdG9zaG9wIENTMiBXaW5kb3dz ADIwMTQ6MDY6MDUgMDc6Mzg6MTEAAAAAA6ABAAMAAAABAAEAAKACAAQAAAABAAAGS6ADAAQAAAAB AAAKAAAAAAAAAAAGAQMAAwAAAAEABgAAARoABQAAAAEAAAEeARsABQAAAAEAAAEmASgAAwAAAAEA AgAAAgEABAAAAAEAAAEuAgIABAAAAAEAABg4AAAAAAAAAEgAAAABAAAASAAAAAH/2P/gABBKRklG AAECAABIAEgAAP/tAAxBZG9iZV9DTQAB/+4ADkFkb2JlAGSAAAAAAf/bAIQADAgICAkIDAkJDBEL CgsRFQ8MDA8VGBMTFRMTGBEMDAwMDAwRDAwMDAwMDAwMDAwMDAwMDAwMDAwMDAwMDAwMDAENCwsN Dg0QDg4QFA4ODhQUDg4ODhQRDAwMDAwREQwMDAwMDBEMDAwMDAwMDAwMDAwMDAwMDAwMDAwMDAwM DAwM/8AAEQgAoABlAwEiAAIRAQMRAf/dAAQAB//EAT8AAAEFAQEBAQEBAAAAAAAAAAMAAQIEBQYH CAkKCwEAAQUBAQEBAQEAAAAAAAAAAQACAwQFBgcICQoLEAABBAEDAgQCBQcGCAUDDDMBAAIRAwQh EjEFQVFhEyJxgTIGFJGhsUIjJBVSwWIzNHKC0UMHJZJT8OHxY3M1FqKygyZEk1RkRcKjdDYX0lXi ZfKzhMPTdePzRieUpIW0lcTU5PSltcXV5fVWZnaGlqa2xtbm9jdHV2d3h5ent8fX5/cRAAICAQIE BAMEBQYHBwYFNQEAAhEDITESBEFRYXEiEwUygZEUobFCI8FS0fAzJGLhcoKSQ1MVY3M08SUGFqKy gwcmNcLSRJNUoxdkRVU2dGXi8rOEw9N14/NGlKSFtJXE1OT0pbXF1eX1VmZ2hpamtsbW5vYnN0dX Z3eHl6e3x//aAAwDAQACEQMRAD8AyTAaSToASSewVcZGN/pq/wDPb/ep3umjIaf9G/8A6ly5fFrp e4l4G1oBdHgP+/Kf4jjE5QN1Qk2vhnPS5aOSIgJ8ZidTw/K9KL8cmG21k+Ae0/xTttpe7ayxjncb WuBP+aCs51+FR05tdVbWWOG5zfzyCf5y138r6DK/3FU6e4Nz2FgkamY8f/Mln+wO7o/6anYHtR/x v/QXpG4eY76GNc7+rW8/kapfs/qP/cPJ/wC2bP8AyC6ToPUnhjZeZEAawutxcx1jdXHQeKAwg9Uy +MTH+SH+N/6C+WnBzxziZA+NVg/74kcHPEE4t4B4mp//AJBdz9ZfrHj9LtZXl+qQ+o2sZU0vc4bt h4/c2+9V/wDnl0PJODjVZJOTfGyv3GCfo79PZ+4j7I7/AIK/0xk/zI/xv/QXj/2f1H/uHkf9s2f+ QUX4ebWC6zGuY0CS59T2gAdyXNXrAsc1oO4jx1XL/XTq/odFzPcYNT2N15Lx6cf9JL2B3QPjMz/k o/43/oLw3r48T61ccTvb/enbZU8kMe15GpDXA6f2Vyz2fpHN02iQB5fSWn0AAW3+bGk/HchPCIxJ vZl5X4rLNmhiOMR4714r2jxOwkkkoXWf/9DDyBOPcPGt4/6JXMY4aGWzoYaPHky7/qV1Fkmi0GAS x4k8cHlcywml9jXgbLGhri3trLHt+j+crfPbw8iswdUYsrsvY15LWvID3DXb4f1mtWp0tuI7rN1V P806X1k92/mwsWxj6HjX6DpHyKO/P9PqFeTVo5gAcBx8lTrRmBoh9IwcG6uH1GQeV02Dl1Y1DrMh 7aq2CXvsIa0Dxc5y5P6vdbpyKGiZIXT49m8EtG6RBEToo6ospNhhk/W3oTmQ8nIx5E2em51cnQHd scqmF1L6kuua7Erx67GuD5cG7g8H22bfpex35yuBn1gqdtwaW5NLhp6jxWW/yXOc23/qFTvxOo