Finding Forever(18)

“For some.”

“And others?”

“Why are you pushing this?” he asked, his irritation showing.

“Because I get sick and tired of people thinking they are so much better if they have money, especially if they were born to it and all its advantages. I’m a good person, have worked hard, but then my sister died, and I had to put a pause on schooling. Does that make me any less than anyone else?”

She could tell what Alexandra thought from the woman’s cultured snicker. It was a good thing that Whitney didn’t give a damn. Unfortunately, she did want to know Liam’s opinion.

“I will have to think on this. Let’s just say that you’re helping to open my eyes just a bit,” he said.

She didn’t know whether he was mocking her or not, so she decided this might be a good time to stop this questioning, though she might get in one final barb.

The fool really knew nothing about the way the world worked. She’d had all the drive possible, all the ambition, but she had very little to show for it, except for two wonderful children.

“I’ll just finish by saying that if a determined person is going to make it no matter what, then it really doesn’t matter where Brayden and Ally are raised now, does it?” she told him.

Her words stopped him again, and his eyes narrowed once more. He didn’t like the corner she was backing him into. Whitney couldn’t help but notice the gasp wrung from Alexandra, but she didn’t turn to the woman and acknowledge her. Why bother?

Before anything else was said, a man who was obviously a member of the Felton staff approached her.

“Ms. Steele, a package has arrived for you.”

She rose slowly. “Are you sure it’s for me? No one that I know is aware I’m here.”

“Your name is on the box,” the man said. “It was left at the front door.”

“Um, thank you,” Whitney replied before standing and turning toward Liam. “Please tell your father I will look for him in a little while.”

With that, she followed the staff member from the room. She was more grateful to him than anyone she’d ever met before. That conversation had taken a lot out of her — much as she hated to admit it — and she was almost desperate to get away from both Liam and that awful, awful woman. Whitney prayed that fate would smile on her and she’d never have to meet Alexandra again.

“Would you like me to take this to your room?” the staffer asked once he showed her the package.

“No, I’m sure I can lift it,” she told him, and wondered what it could be. It wasn’t exactly heavy, but it wasn’t light, either.

When she got to the privacy of her room, she opened it and broke out in a smile. Several beautifully wrapped gifts sat inside the cardboard, and it took everything in her power not to tear into the wrapping without delay.

There was no return label, nothing to indicate where the package had come from. The gifts were addressed, variously, to the children and to her.

The holidays couldn’t come soon enough. Whitney wasn’t known for her ability to wait for anything, but for her niece and nephew she would.

Why go back downstairs to those wretched people? A nap seemed so much better. Whitney fell asleep within minutes — that hadn’t happened in a long time — and she immediately began dreaming of a man she didn’t even like, and most assuredly didn’t want to dream about.





Chapter Nine


I’ve only been on horseback a few times, and it wasn’t snowing when I did it. Plus, I think the horses were about twenty years old,” Whitney said. “You promise she won’t buck me off?” She glanced doubtfully at the mare, who was acting all too innocent as she munched on her hay.

“It’s a perfect day for a short ride, Ms. Steele. The winter landscape is pure and clean,” Mr. Smotter told her. “You said you wanted to do this.”

“That was yesterday,” Whitney said. “I was caught up in the excitement of watching Ally’s delight when she got a lesson.”

“I’ll be with you the entire time. You have nothing to worry about,” he assured her. “Besides, Penny is fifteen years old — that’s really not far from twenty — and she’s incredibly gentle. She’s perfect for an inexperienced rider like you.”

“Okay. I’ll do it.” Whitney had decided not to let her fears stop her from living her life. “But I will hold you to your promise, Mr. Smotter. If she throws me, I will remind you every day of the rest of my stay here that you were wrong.” She even winked at him, and her eyes held a wicked gleam.

“And if that were to happen — which it won’t — you would be more than justified in doing what you threatened,” he said with one of his rare and valuable smiles.