Required To Wear The Tycoon's Ring. Maggie Cox

SAW what he took to be dawning realisation on Imogen’s face. He didn’t know why, but his heart started to pound.

      ‘Do you have the book with you? I’d like to take a look if you have,’ he said.

      The sigh that escaped her was no more than a whisper but he heard it easily. The melting brown eyes before him were fused to his for the longest moment, and he wondered the reason behind it. Then, delving down into her shoulder bag, she produced a compact yellow book without a jacket. Flicking through the pages, she carefully extracted a piece of paper. Not knowing why, he caught his breath.

      Crossing the floor, she handed him the note.

      ‘What’s this?’

      ‘It was inside the book when I bought it.’

      Seth’s insides clenched hard as a painful sense of knowing gripped him. Seconds later his glance fell upon the words he had written all those years ago.

      The realisation that Louisa had kept his message inside the pages of her favourite poetry book was bittersweet. He hardly knew what to think, what to feel.

      He had sent the note to her at the university, to make sure she received it. They hadn’t met since that humiliating meeting with her father.

      She’d been utterly distraught when she had realised there was no hope that he’d consent to them being together—‘not even if World War III is threatened!’ That was how intransigent the man had been.

      As all her hopes had seemingly turned to dust she hadn’t been able to hide her sorrow. Before Seth had been able to reassure her that nothing would break them apart, she’d mouthed a forlorn I’m sorry, then quickly fled upstairs. He’d hardly known what to do.

      After that, things had just gone from bad to worse. Once again he’d tried to get Siddons to relent and see sense but it had been useless. The man had been about as flexible as an iron wall. There had been no ‘give’ in his heart whatsoever.

      Seth had slammed out through the door in a temper, vowing again that no matter what he and Louisa were going to be together. The pompous banker could do his worst, but Seth would find a way.

      The next day he’d left Louisa this note at the university, because before he’d left the house her father had cruelly declared that he was confiscating her phone. To leave her a note had been Seth’s only means of reaching her until he’d figured out something better. One thing was for sure: Siddons would burn the missive if he found it first.

      But a few days later his whole world had shifted on its axis and been demolished, all his hopes and aspirations turned to rubble. A friend of Louisa’s had knocked on his door in the early hours of the morning to inform him tearfully that she’d been killed in a hit-and-run accident. Seth had wanted to die, too. Just how was he going to carry on without her?

      Now, tightly clutching the note, he walked across to the staircase and sank down onto one of the steps. He knew that it should comfort him to know that Louisa had read the message before she died and briefly treasured it, but he had been waiting too long to find that out, and in the meantime the damage had been done.

      All that seeing it had done was reaffirm the fact that he should have tried harder to be with her, much harder... Even if her unrelenting father had come up with some trumped-up reason to prosecute him and had him thrown into jail.

      Feeling enraged, he muttered a furious curse.

      Watching Seth, Imogen felt two things hit her at once. The man was distraught. The repercussions that she had been wary of had come to pass. The muscle that flickered at the side of his lean, carved jaw immediately informed her that he was having significant trouble in containing his emotions. One thing was certain—seeing the note hadn’t given him any pleasure.

      That led to her next realisation. He and his loved one hadn’t stayed together. No matter how much she’d hoped, true love hadn’t sustained them after all. She felt like crying.

      But her deep sense of disappointment was quickly overridden by her concern for the man sitting on the stairs. Leaning towards him, she gently laid her hand on his shoulder. ‘Are you okay?’

      Even as the words left her lips Imogen knew the question was futile.

      Turning his haunted blue eyes towards her, Seth Broden’s mouth twisted grimly. ‘Meaning, am I still breathing and alive despite the fact that I probably should have gone to hell for my part in what happened?’

      Contemptuously jerking his head, he stood up and shook off her hand.

      ‘I need a drink.’

      Imogen turned pale. Outside, the fierce wind battered against the leaded windows as if it would break through the glass. Suddenly she felt as though freezing jagged ice had invaded her veins. What did he mean by such a statement? Had something terrible happened?

      Why hadn’t she really thought about the wisdom or lack of it in contacting the note’s author? Because now that she had found him it seemed to have delivered anything but happiness to him. Not meaning to, she’d blundered in regardless and brought pain to this man. As to what she’d achieved for herself—she’d just smothered another longed-for dream.

      ‘I didn’t know that the note would upset you so much,’ she stated huskily. ‘The message was so heartfelt. I just wanted to find out if—if the people involved had been reunited?’

      ‘And what...? Prove that happy-ever-after really exists?’

      Feeling as though she’d been whipped, Imogen flinched. ‘What’s wrong with that?’

      Seth stared. ‘I don’t mean for you to come crashing back down to earth with a bang, sweetheart...but it’s probably better if you don’t delude yourself.’

      ‘I’m guessing that you wrote the note?’

      ‘Yes, I did.’

      ‘I don’t mean to intrude more than I’ve done already, but will you— Can you tell me what happened?’

      He moved down the stairs to stand in front of her, his expression a mixture of anger and resignation, and she didn’t know why he didn’t demand she leave.

      ‘The lady died...end of story.’

      But Imogen saw that it wasn’t the end of the story. How could it be?

      ‘I’m so sorry.’

      She meant it with all her heart. It was only natural that she’d commiserate with his loss. It honestly grieved her that fate had intervened and stolen the couple’s happiness. God knew it was hard enough to come by.

      Seth Broden wore the scars of that loss as if they were physical ones. They weren’t easy to hide in such a compellingly carved face. Amidst such perfection the smallest irregularity couldn’t fail to show.

      ‘How did it happen?’

      ‘It was a hit and run. The bastard didn’t waste his time waiting to see what he’d done. Just left her lying in the road.’

      ‘Dear God...’ The shock ricocheted right through her.

      Seth’s tormented glance seared hers. ‘No amount of condolence or sympathy is going to bring her back, so don’t get upset on my account. Is your car outside?’ he added sharply.

      ‘I didn’t drive. I walked here.’

      ‘I take it you must live in town, then? That’s about five miles away. Clearly a long walk doesn’t faze you?’

      Imogen shook her head. ‘Not at all... I love it. It helps to keep me fit.’

      ‘Even so, I’ll give you a lift home. It’s getting late as well as becoming dark.’ He briefly glanced down at his watch. ‘I never meant to stay here so long.’

      She wasn’t going to argue. She felt strangely reluctant to leave him. Perhaps on the way he might relent and tell her a little bit more about the woman he’d lost?

      ‘So