Valdez's Bartered Bride. Rachael Thomas

telling him she and Daniel were engaged, but that had been no deterrent to the lows her father had stooped to in order to save himself from financial ruin. She’d had no idea his vast property portfolio had been put into her name until her marriage.

      ‘By that you mean you.’ She put down her wine glass and glared at him, everything clear at last. ‘Your father added the marriage clause in his will to trick my father.’

      ‘I consider it more of a shrewd tactic to safeguard the considerable amount of money he had loaned to your father’s business. He must have been sure your father wouldn’t obtain such levels of funding through the usual channels and added the extra condition in his will, should the debt remain unsettled in the event of his death.’

      ‘I hardly think forcing either of us into marriage is shrewd or businesslike. It’s medieval.’ She stumbled over the words as she realised how futile they were and when a smile tugged at the corners of his lips she wished she were bold enough to get up and walk away.

      ‘After our marriage, all the properties will become mine and therefore the debt will be repaid and the board of directors satisfied. The only issue is that we must remain married for two years—living together.’

      ‘Are you actually suggesting we get married, just to clear the debt? I thought you were against any such idea as much as I am.’ Lydia couldn’t take it in. Married. To this man. For two years.

      ‘That depends on how much you want to help your father.’

      Lydia didn’t have to think very hard on that one. She didn’t want to help her father, but she did want to protect his mother, her grandmother. The woman who’d cared for her, loved her as a daughter. She was the only reason she was still here having this discussion.

      ‘Of course I want to help my father, but I will not marry anyone to do that.’ She wasn’t about to enlighten Raul Valdez to the fact that her father had tried several times to push her into a marriage that would financially benefit him. The fact that this man’s father could possibly succeed where hers had failed was not a pleasant prospect.

      ‘In that case you will be interested to hear of my solution.’ Her attention was caught not only by his words, but by the tone of his voice.

      ‘Which is?’

      ‘I suggest we make the marriage and clear the debts. We can lead separate lives whilst living in the same place. After two years, I will not contest a divorce.’ He sat back in his chair, the expression on his handsome face close to being smug.

      ‘Is that the best you can do?’ Irritation surged through her. Had he met her here to put forward a suggestion that was at the moment the only obvious conclusion? She was so angry with her father. He could have warned her of this, months ago. He must have known he couldn’t make the repayments. Now she understood why he’d made it so easy for her to keep up her annoyed silence. He’d gone to ground, hiding like a coward. ‘Why have you left it five months to contact me? You must have been made aware of the will conditions months ago.’

      ‘I had other, more pressing issues to deal with.’

      ‘Such as?’

      He looked at her as if assessing her ability to be trusted and, just as when he’d first swept his gaze over her, the scrutiny did strange things to her. ‘I have been trying to contact a family member whose existence I only discovered upon the reading of the will. If found, that person would offer a very different option for both of us and there is a large financial reward which can be used to clear your debts, but I have as yet been unable to find that person.’

      ‘So, in the meantime, you thought you’d come and force me into a two-year marriage.’ Irritation rushed through her. They weren’t getting anywhere.

      ‘I am still intending to search for that person, but your father has not made any further payments and has managed to evade all attempts at a meeting. I now have no choice. The board is calling for settlement of the debt. They will not wait any longer. Our engagement must be announced.’

      He sat back and sipped the last of his wine, the calm and unruffled exterior unsettling her more than she cared to admit. ‘There are agencies for such things.’ The confusion on his face as she derailed the topic was priceless and for a brief moment she wanted to laugh. ‘Finding missing family members, that is.’

      ‘If you wish to make it public, then yes, there are.’ He clenched his jaw as he finished speaking.

      ‘You want to find someone yet keep it secret?’ That made no sense whatsoever and at the same time intrigued her. Who did this power-hungry man wish to contact and why?

      ‘It is not something I want the press to get hold of.’ The annoyed growl of his voice gave her immense satisfaction but as she took a sip of wine an idea filtered through her mind. Genealogy was something she was very interested in and she’d spent long happy hours helping friends trace their family roots back many generations. Was it possible she could provide what this man wanted? Maybe there was a deal to be made here?

      ‘That sensitive, is it?’ She toyed with him, like a cat who had stumbled upon a mouse, enjoying the sensation, even if only briefly, of power.

      ‘Yes, as a matter of fact it is, but it bears no relevance to our discussion.’ The curt tone of his voice blended with his accent and she wondered what he would sound like if he were whispering words of love. Except a man like him didn’t indulge in love—only lust.

      ‘Supposing I was able to find this family member—discreetly, of course.’

      ‘You?’ The surprise in his deeply accented voice sent a smile of satisfaction spreading across her lips. He obviously thought she was nothing more than an empty-headed socialite, who did nothing but party and shop.

      ‘Yes, me. It could clear the debt and relieve us of the need to get married.’ It was also far more than that for her. She wanted to hold on to all she’d worked for in life and if this man could sweep in and demand the properties her father had put in her name, would he then want all she had? Her business?

      ‘Go on.’

      ‘I happen to have a passion for genealogy.’

      ‘A passion?’ His brows rose and a shiver of awareness spread all over her as he said the word, giving it a totally different connotation from the context she’d meant. ‘Now you have aroused my interest. But how can it help with this matter?’

      Much to her disgust heat rushed to her cheeks and yet again she lifted her chin and fixed him with a piercing glare. She couldn’t let it show just how much he was affecting her, how he was making her stomach flip and her heart pound like a lovesick teenager. Not when she’d sworn she’d never indulge in such nonsense. Hadn’t her time with Daniel been enough to warn her off?

      ‘I’ll make a deal with you, Mr Valdez. If I find this person, all the debts will be cleared without the need for marriage.’

      ‘That’s a massive charge for such a service when I could hire an agency, as you say.’

      ‘But would you have the confidentiality you require?’ She waited, hardly able to breathe, the anticipation immense. Had she actually managed to dig her way out of the mess her father had landed her in?

      ‘It’s still a high price, Miss Carter-Wilson. Are you sure you can deliver?’ He leant forward, his forearms on the table, his long tanned fingers holding the stem of the wine glass.

      ‘Yes.’ She crossed her fingers beneath the table and smiled boldly at him.

      ‘How long?’

      ‘That depends on many things. Months at least.’

      ‘You don’t have months.’ The brittleness of his tone made her blink rapidly.

      ‘Weeks, then.’

      ‘Four at the most.’ He assessed her again and she wondered if he sensed her panic.

      ‘In that case you have yourself a deal—but