Her Own Rules/Dangerous to Know by Barbara Taylor Bradford Read Free Book Online Page A

me a mortgage on the inn?” he asked, taking the bait.
    â€œI’m pretty certain, yes. There’s something else I’ll do. I’ll have my real estate lawyer structure a reasonable payment schedule, one that won’t cripple you.”
    Elizabeth Morrison said, “That’s very decent of you.”
    Meredith answered, “I want to make the deal and I don’t want to gouge you. You want to make the deal and I’m sure you don’t want to cheat me.”
    â€œNever! We’re not people like that!” the other woman exclaimed indignantly.
    â€œI must say, you’re making it very tempting,” Morrison muttered, directing his gaze at Meredith. “Making it hard to resist.”
    â€œThen don’t resist, Mr. Morrison,” Meredith said, walking back to the fireplace.
    He got to his feet when she drew to a stop next to his chair.
    Meredith thrust out her hand. “Come on, let’s not haggle. Let’s make the deal. It’s good for us both, beneficial to us both.”
    He hesitated only fractionally. Then he took her hand and shook it. “All right, Mrs. Stratton, you’ve got a deal. Three and a half million dollars it is.”
    Meredith nodded and smiled at him.
    He returned her smile.
    Elizabeth Morrison came over and shook Meredith’s hand.
    Paul Ince, who had been on pins and needles throughout this negotiation, congratulated everyone, then said, “I think this calls for a toast. Let’s go to the bar and I’ll open a bottle of Dom Pérignon.”
    â€œWhat a great idea, Paul,” Meredith said, leading the way out of the library.
    Â 
    On the drive back to New York City Meredith gave only fleeting thought to Hilltops. She had accomplished what she had set out to do; she had sold the inn for the amount she wanted through her shrewdness, and she was well satisfied. Three and a half million dollars would meet her expansion needs more than adequately.
    Before leaving the inn, she had settled everything. Arrangements had been made for the Morrisons to meet with her real estate lawyer, who would draw up the necessary documents next week. She had also set up an appointment for them to see Henry Raphaelson. The banker had sounded amenable during the phone call, had assured her he would endeavor to work things out with the Morrisons.
    And so she turned her thoughts to other matters as Jonas drove back to Manhattan. Mostly she focused her attention on her trip to England, and on the purchase of an inn there. She was confident she would like one of the two Patsy Canton had found. With luck, she would be able to bring that bit of business to a conclusion fairly quickly, so that she could go to Paris to see Agnes D’Auberville.
    Patsy had invited her to lunch on Sunday so that they could go over business matters and map out a plan, and in so doing save time. The general idea was that they would travel to the north of England on Monday, going first to Cumbria. After looking at the inn located in the Lake District, they would drive down to Yorkshire to see the one in the dales.
    When she had asked Patsy which of the two inns she preferred, her partner had been somewhat evasive. “The one in Keswick needs much less done to it,” she had said, and then clammed up.
    When Meredith had pressed her further, Patsy had refused to make any more comments. “I want this to be your decision and yours alone,” Patsy had murmured. “If I give you my opinion now, before you’ve seen either hotel, I’ll be influencing you, setting you up in advance. So don’t press me.”
    It had been Patsy’s suggestion that if she had no reason to return to London, she should fly to Paris from the Leeds-Bradford Airport. “There’re lots of flights to Paris from there and also from Manchester, which is nearby.” Meredith had agreed that this was a great idea, since it would save so much time.
    Leaning back against the