Page 35 of Weeping Roses
“I could have sworn it was in here.”
She takes the contents of the drawer out and mumbles, “Now, where is it?”
Her maid returns and Samantha says irritably, “Justine, did you move Veronica’s key from the desk?”
I study the maid and note a flicker of alarm pass across her features and then she closes her eyes and whispers, “No, ma’am.”
I sense Polly staring at the maid with a thoughtful expression, and Samantha sighs with exasperation.
“I’m sorry. Perhaps I can drop it around later. It appears to have been misplaced.”
Polly turns to her but I fix my hardened gaze on the maid who blushes under the ferocity of it, which gives me my answer and I say abruptly, “Of course. I’m sorry, we have urgent business to attend to. Polly.”
I stand and stare at her with impatience and she gazes between us, obviously embarrassed by my fast exit, and Samantha sighs.
“I’ll keep on looking. Anyway, Polly. Please don’t be a stranger. Your aunt was a dear friend to me, and I will miss her immeasurably. If you ever want to chat, I’m nearly always here.”
She flutters her false eyelashes in my direction and smiles coquettishly. “You are just like your father, Valentin. He cut a dashing figure, too. Veronica was very lucky.”
I say nothing because my nerves are already at breaking point and as I storm out of the house, I know exactly what I must do.
CHAPTER 19
POLLY
Istruggle to keep up with him and as soon as we are clear of the property, I say angrily, “That was so rude. The poor woman was only trying to help.”
“There is nothing poor about that woman, Polly. I’ve met several like her and trust me, every word she speaks is attached to an agenda. Her own.”
“What do you think happened to the keys?”
I am running to keep up with him and he says over his shoulder, “I don’t think she had anything to do with the break in but her maid may know something.”
“I agree.” I pant as my mind races as fast as my feet right now.
“Do you think she broke in?”
“No.” Valentin carries on walking and I note his phone in his hand as he makes a call and speaks in a steady stream of Russian, and I don’t miss the urgency in his tone.
We reach the edge of Thorn House and I slow down. I’m not sure why I’m running after him at all. If he wants to sprint walk, that’s up to him, but I am getting weary and the fact there’s a sticky mess in my panties hasn’t escaped me and all I want is a nice hot shower and a fresh set of clothes.
He disappears off into the distance, still talking on his phone, and I take the opportunity to dodge out of his sight to gather my thoughts. So much is happening at a breakneck speed and I need some time to deal with information overload.
As I wander through the trees, I head deeper into them, desperate to get some time on my own for once. Since the Russians took over my life, so much has happened and I can’t think straight. I am an heiress. That still hasn’t sunk in and my excitement stirs with fear as I contemplate what that means for me.
I drop down onto a fallen tree trunk and sigh, staring around at the fresh spring growth that always signified new life beginning. Is this my spring? Out of the depths of winter and decay, new life is blossoming. My new life. Here at Thorn House and with it, more responsibilities than I’ve ever had before.
It’s a lot to take in and then there’s Valentin Romanov. The surly, arrogant Russian whose mood swings gives me whiplash. He will leave soon. I am preparing for that and it strikes me that things have changed since yesterday when I wanted him to leave more than anything. Now I want him to stay more than anything and part of me mentioned Marsha Steele as a carrot to tempt him. I could have kept quiet and he would never know. The minute I discovered I wanted him to stay was the moment I mentioned it. Just for one more day. One more night in his company and one more chance to experience something so immeasurable I will never experience it again.
I remain sitting for another hour before heading back to the house and a long hot bath, if I’m lucky. Part of me is excited to see where this adventure takes me, but the other part of me is hoping it won’t end because then I’ll no longer be needed. The Russians will return to whatever they do and I will be left to face my future that now involves a property empire. I can’t complain, the money is a dream come true, but it’s hard having so much when there is no one to share it with. The last twenty-four hours have been the most exciting ones of my life, and I am already figuring out ways to prolong the excitement.
As I head inside, I’m taken aback by the commotion. I notice several of Valentin’s men heaving boxes and shouting to one another in Russian.
“What’s going on?” I ask the one nearest to me, but he ignores me and moves past with an apologetic smile.
They appear to be loading the boxes into one of the cars outside, and I stare with growing dismay at my belongings being stolen from me in broad daylight. Excitement is now giving way to fury and I ball my hands into fists and set about finding the orchestrator of the entire thing.
I find him in the coach house ordering his men around and as I stand in the doorway, he casts a dismissive gaze over me, which hurts a lot.