A Wish and a Wedding by Margaret Way Read Free Book Online

Tori,” he said shortly. “And it’s Shona who is now his wife.”
    â€œShona, then. Pardon me. Of course you don’t want to talk about your dad. You’d rather talk about me, and how totally immature I am.”
    â€œAre you trying to tell me you’re adult?” he asked scathingly.
    It was like a very hard slap. She swallowed hard. “I’ll never be adult enough for you, Haddo.” Wasn’t that the stark truth?
    He flicked a glance over her small, mutinous face. “The reason I’m in Sydney, Tori, is because your grandmother asked me to come. We’ve had a long discussion, and the upshot is I’m going to take you back to Mallarinka with me. Once there, I intend to put you to work.”
    That piece of news positively galvanised her. She swung her head, aghast. “I’m an heiress,” she protested strongly. “I don’t need to work.”
    â€œWe’re all supposed to work,” he said, in a bracing type of voice. “Work won’t kill you.”
    â€œAnd you’ll be my boss?” The very thought sent jolts of rebellion through her.
    â€œDon’t sound so shocked. Who else?”
    She clenched her long, beautifully manicured fingers in her lap. “I’d be a lot happier working for some other dictator. So what have you got in mind for me?” she asked grimly. “Even supposing I’ll go.”
    â€œOh, you’ll go, all right.” His tone deepened.
    â€œWhere does it say I have to obey you?”
    He shot her a brief glance, one black eyebrow up. “Actually, there’s a file about a hundred pages long. “
    â€œYou just wait until I’m twenty-five,” she said, gritting her small teeth.
    â€œI can’t wait, actually. Until then I’m not quitting on you. I’m the boss. You’ll do what I say.”
    â€œBeast.”
    His handsome mouth was amused. “I don’t have to be. Just do what I tell you and everything will be okay.”
    â€œSo what do you have in mind?” she asked, her voice dripping sarcasm. “Housework? General maintenance? Camp cook? I can’t make a damper, and I’m rarely invited into a kitchen. Or do you intend to take me on as a jillaroo? I’d need to polish up my skills for that.”
    He sighed. It sounded quite genuine. “Don’t you feel you really should have finished your education? There’s still plenty of time. Anyway, I have decided on a job for you.” Smoothly he overtook a slow-moving car. The young driver saluted them, obviously in fun.
    â€œTo hell with that!” she growled. “This is silly. I’m not going anywhere with you. Damned if I am.”
    â€œOh, yes, you are.” His striking face in the light of the dash indicated he didn’t expect nor would he tolerate disobedience. “Or I’ll definitely cut your allowance. Big-time.”
    She shook her head, infuriated, blinking back hot tears. “And you’re just miserable enough to do it. It’s all for my own good, of course.”
    He glanced at her. His jacket all but swallowed her up. “Your well-being is very important to me, Tori.”
    She snorted in disgust. “You really expect me to believe that?” At the very least he should feel guilty he had broken her heart.
    â€œWell, it’s true,” he answered quietly. “And you want to believe it, I think, deep down.”
    â€œNo way,” she scoffed. “So, what is this little job? And just how long am I supposed to endure detention?”
    He flashed her just a glimpse of his marvellous smile. “For as long as it takes, Victoria.”
    â€œBut that’s blackmail!” she gasped. “It’s a violation of my human rights. Listen to me, Haddo.” She twisted her body in the seat, staring at his chiselled profile. “I need a time-frame here. A month, two, six months, and you’ll pay me to go away. Put