Cryssie suddenly found the ability to speak, but when she did her voice was more of a croak! ‘You’re my boss, Jed,’ she said, trying to add firmness to her voice. ‘Business and…personal…relationships should be kept strictly apart!’
‘Precisely,’ he said smoothly. ‘I’ve always avoided engaging in any relationships with members of staff—’
‘But surely what you’ve just suggested—?’
‘You won’t just be a member of staff, will you, you little fool? You’ll be my wife! You’ll become one of the Hunters!’
Cryssie swallowed, reeling from this latest onslaught on her emotions. ‘I’m sorry, but for me, the only acceptable aspect of our relationship is the formal one.’ She shook her head. ‘Have I got to explain everything to you again? Polly and Milo are utterly dependent on me. They are my life. I can’t afford to think of anything or anyone else!’
‘Oh, no?’ He reached forward in one swift move and pulled her towards him, covering her mouth with his. ‘I think I’m beginning to know more about you than you know about yourself…’ he said softly.
Gathering her strength from somewhere, she pushed him away. ‘No, Jed. You don’t understand. I…’
‘Oh, I understand perfectly,’ he said huskily. ‘You rather enjoy your life of martyrdom, don’t you, Cryssie? There’s a certain safety in what you have, with no emotional interruptions or commitments, no man to share your existence with. Yes, your sister and her son need you—but you need them, don’t you? You enjoy their reliance on you. And what I’m offering you is the best of all possible worlds! You’ll do yourself a big favour—and them too. There’s plenty of room for them at Shepherd’s Keep—they’d have their own part of the house, the run of the gardens—it would be their home! Surely you can see all the advantages? See what a practical, sensible thing it would be—for all of us?’
He released her slightly, waiting for a response. Looking up at him helplessly, Cryssie thought, Well, that was my first proposal of marriage. But what a proposal!
Suddenly her mind cleared, and she said coldly, ‘What you’ve just accused me of—that I’m a martyr to the family cause—is true to some extent, I suppose, Jed. But I do have an even deeper reason for wanting nothing to change.’ She took a deep breath. ‘I was employed by someone once who was almost a carbon copy of you—in fact in some ways you could be blood brothers.’ She looked away, knowing that he was staring at her intently. ‘And do you know what? I believed that man—believed every promise that he made. But when something happened to make me see how close I was to ruining my life I got out. Fast.’ She swallowed. ‘You accused me of being blind just now. I was certainly blind then! And it made me realise that my true happiness will only ever be found with my family. Where I am, where I’m rooted. Where I can trust. And so far nothing has happened to make me change my mind.’
He shrugged then, and his lip curled. ‘You’re misguided, Cryssie. Take my word for it. The years will fly by, and there’ll come a time when Milo won’t need you—he’ll be off living his own life. And you’ll have given up half of yours! You’ll be redundant! And what then? Will you look around for someone else to nurture?’
Cryssie was stung at his words, even though she knew he was right about Milo wanting his independence one day. ‘My sister will always need me—’ she began.
‘Don’t count on it!’ Jed replied quickly. ‘She’s a beautiful, glamorous woman. It’ll only take the right man to come along one day—someone who will understand her needs. Anyway…’ he picked up his mug of tea and drank ‘…you’ll obviously want time to think over what I’ve put to you, but be careful. This could be a turning point in your life that may never come again.’
Cryssie felt like bursting into tears. How could he think that she’d ever accept such a proposal? That she would agree to a marriage of convenience? And it was his own convenience that was uppermost in his mind! The word ‘love’ had been conspicuous by its absence! He clearly saw her as a good business deal, that was all! And although she never really expected to marry, if it ever did happen it would be for love! And to someone who needed her as a loving partner, not a live-in PA!
The last few minutes had almost bowled her over, but she found the strength to pick up her tea and take a sip, even though her hands were shaking. Now it was her turn!