Dishonourable Intent. Anne Mather
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have to worry about any intruders. And the only things that are likely to follow you are the dogs.’
‘I know.’ Francesca managed a faint smile. ‘Thanks.’ She added cream to her coffee without accident and gave him a rueful look. ‘And thanks for listening to me last night. I guess I just needed someone to talk to. I know it was a liberty coming here, but I think it’s worked.’
‘What’s worked?’ he enquired, his brows drawing together above eyes that were so dark, in some lights they looked black. He frowned. ‘I haven’t done anything except give you a bed for the night. You’re not telling me that’s made any conceivable difference to the situation?’
Francesca drew a breath. He was regarding her closely now, and she thought how much less intimidating he seemed this morning without his formal clothes. Tightfitting jeans and a baggy sweater might not detract from his innate air of good breeding, but they did make him seem more approachable, she thought.
‘I feel better because I’ve talked it out,’ she explained firmly. ‘I don’t feel half so tense this morning, and I’m even prepared to admit that perhaps the situation isn’t really as bad as I thought.’
Will’s eyes narrowed. ‘But your window was broken, wasn’t it? He did make that call?’
‘Oh, yes.’ She flushed defensively. ‘But he was probably only guessing about me finding the window. I mean—it could have been kids who broke it. He could have been using the fact that he’d seen it was broken to his own advantage.’
‘Do you believe that?’
She moved her shoulders. ‘It’s an idea.’ She hesitated. ‘We do get some vandalism, too. Everybody does.’
‘We?’
Once again, he questioned her use of the pronoun, and she gave him an indignant look. ‘I meant as a general problem,’ she declared, taking refuge in her coffee. But she sensed he was still suspicious of the situation. Perhaps he thought she was running away from an unhappy affair.
‘I believe you said you’d reported the broken window to your landlady,’ Will remarked now, and she nodded.
‘Yes. She said she’d inform the police, and get her son-in-law to replace it.’ She coloured. ‘I didn’t tell her about the phone call. It’s not something I like to talk about.’
Will lay back in his chair, regarding her with a disturbing intensity, and she knew a desperate need to defend herself. ‘I’m not lying,’ she said. ‘If you don’t believe me, ring Mrs Bernstein. She’ll confirm that the window was broken, and she’ll be thrilled if you tell her who you are.’
Will’s mouth flattened. ‘I haven’t said I don’t believe you,’ he responded, lifting his shoulders. ‘On the contrary, I’m wondering what the hell I can do. There has to be some way to stop this bastard. Breaking and entering is still a crime, isn’t it? It was the last time I checked.’
Francesca sighed, but before she could make any reply the elderly butler came into the room, carrying a tray. ‘Good morning, madam,’ he said, with rather more confidence than he’d shown the night before. ‘I trust you slept well?’
‘Very well, thank you, Watkins,’ said Francesca, giving him a smile. It was good to know that Will’s staff didn’t hold their separation against her, and she flashed Watkins a diffident look as he placed a rack of toast, a fresh dish of butter and a new pot of coffee beside her plate.
The butler departed, and although she wasn’t particularly hungry Francesca helped herself to a piece of toast. Despite what she had told Will, she was not looking forward to going back to London, and her mouth dried at the thought of sleeping at the flat tonight.
‘Well, isn’t it?’ Will prompted now, and she realised he was still waiting for a reply. ‘Breaking and entering, I mean. You have to tell them what happened, Fran. It’s something concrete they can work on.’
‘Who? The police?’ Francesca buttered the toast and then reached for the marmalade. Anything to buy herself a bit of time. ‘You don’t understand, Will. I can’t prove who tried to get into the flat, can I? There are dozens—probably hundreds—of robberies every day. And as far as I could see nothing was stolen. So...’
Will’s nostrils flared. ‘But in the circumstances—’ Francesca shook her head. ‘I’m not the only woman who’s being harassed, Will. Like I said before, I probably overreacted. I just need to get myself together.’
He made a frustrated sound. ‘I could kill him!’
‘Yes, so could I,’ she responded lightly, firmly lifting the toast to her lips. But her throat dried as she tried to swallow the tiny corner she’d nibbled, and she had to take a mouthful of coffee to enable her to get it down.
Will regarded her consideringly. ‘So what are you going to do? When you get back, I mean. Would it help if you moved house?’
‘And go and live with people I don’t even know?’ protested Francesca, putting the toast down again. ‘Will, I’ve got to handle this. I can’t go running scared every time he makes a move.’
Will’s lips compressed. ‘Okay,’ he said. ‘Okay, I can appreciate your feelings, but you’ve got to appreciate mine. Dammit, last night you were in a state of almost mental collapse. Forgive me if I find this sudden appearance of confidence hard to take.’
‘I’m not confident.’ Francesca couldn’t let him think that. ‘But I can’t let him—let him beat me. After all, I can’t prove he’s committed any crime.’
‘Apart from attempting to break into your apartment, and threatening you, you mean?’ pointed out Will sardonically, and Francesca gave him a troubled look.
‘I don’t know if that was him,’ she insisted, taking another mouthful of her coffee. And at his snort of disbelief she added, ‘He’s never broken a window before.’
‘That’s what worries me,’ declared Will shortly. ‘How do you know what the bastard will do next?’
Francesca sucked in a breath. ‘Well, it’s not your problem, is it?’ she said, with determined brightness. ‘And I am grateful to you for letting me stay here last night. I guess I just let the whole thing get on top of me. Which reminds me, would you mind if I rang my boss at Teniko, to explain that I might not make it into the office today?’
Will came forward in his chair. ‘You can tell him you won’t make it into the office today, if you like,’ he asserted flatly. ‘For God’s sake, Fran, you don’t think I’m going to let you drive back today? It’s Friday, for pity’s sake. I suggest you leave any heroics until Monday. Spend the weekend here at the Abbey. Don’t worry; no one’s going to touch you here, and at least it will give you a break.’
Francesca swallowed. ‘You’d let me spend the weekend at the Abbey?’ she exclaimed, and Will gave her an impatient look.
‘Why not?’ he asked. ‘You look as if you could use the rest. At the least, it win give you time to think.’
‘Maybe...’ Francesca moistened her lips. ‘But what will—what will Lady Rosemary have to say? It’s the middle of the summer, so I assume she’s staying at Mulberry Court. I don’t think she’d approve of you offering to let me stay here.’
A frown brought his brows together at her words, and, judging by his expression, she suspected he hadn’t given his grandmother’s feelings a thought until then. But the old lady had always been a force to be reckoned with, and years ago Francesca had been left in no doubt that . she was not the wife Lady Rosemary would have chosen for her grandson.
‘This is my home,’ he said, after a moment’s consideration, but she had the feeling he was not as casual as he’d have her believe. Still, what the hell? she thought. There was no reason why she should meet the old lady. She’d just as soon that Will didn’t tell her that she was here.
But,