The Gentlewoman by Lisa Durkin Read Free Book Online Page A

surrounded himself with the right people,
from Cleveland straight to DC.
    “I was there all day. Working on getting the votes for the
appropriation coordinated.”
    “Good. You have your work cut out for you there. I can’t
believe this all comes down to EPA.” He shook his head. “Who are you looking
at?”
    “I need eleven and I’ve settled on the most likely; Brown,
Donnelly, Marshall, Richards, Koepler, Duncan, Moore, Goodhouse, McNeil, Arness
and Dorn. I think those are my best bets, mostly friends in the party.”
    “Except Jackson Dorn,” Landon stated accusingly as he
crossed his legs and looked her square in the eye. “Why is he on the list?”
    “He’s somebody who can help me with the opposing party. I
need to make some friends over there. I’m not going to get this vote based on
just our support. Too many of them might side with Powell. He has a lot of
friends in the House, on both sides. Powell will do whatever it takes to get
this shipyard. Just like me.” She added the last part as she gave Landon her
steely, determined gaze.
    “I heard you were out with Dorn last night.” He tilted his
head.
    “Yes, I was with him. I wouldn’t call it ‘out’ with him. He
gave me a ride to the furniture store and we stopped for a quick bite to eat
along the way. He lives across the hall from me, and I don’t have a car here.”
Damn Landon and his gossipy contacts, just like Cleveland. She took a drink and
looked past him at the football game, hoping to make a nonchalant move away
from the conversation. It didn’t work. Landon knew she hated football.
    “His reputation in the House is good within his own party.
He’s a staunch conservative, and they spend a lot of money on him. He’d be a
good ally. Although I think his reputation with the ladies might taint your
good name.” His leg swayed casually back and forth. It irritated Rory.
    “I think you’d get a kick out of spreading those rumors
yourself. What’s this about?” She was losing patience. Even though Landon was a
mentor and she owed him, she wouldn’t be controlled by him.
    “He’s not with our party, and he’s very popular. He gets
what he wants and he uses who he needs to.”
    “Just like us,” she stated, raising an eyebrow at him.
    “But the difference is, he’s not with us, dear. And that
won’t go unnoticed by the party. Don’t bite the hand that feeds you, Rory.
Don’t forget who put you here. If the party feels you’re not a good
representative of our wants and needs, if they feel your loyalties are not one
hundred percent, it could mean a short stay.”
    She looked him in the eye. “Don’t worry. You can count on me
not to let the good congressman take advantage of me and disgrace the party.
I’m not going to fuck up.”
    He laughed loudly. “I know, dear. I just feel the need to
put it out there, for your own sake. On the other hand, it does make me happy
that you’re making new friends. I know your mother and father would want you to
move on with your life. But not with a political conservative, of course.” He
smiled, trying to restore her good mood and get her back on his side.
    “Where are the boys?” Rory asked as they all sat down in the
dining room. Rory loved being around the kids.
    Nicole passed the main course. “They’ve already eaten.
They’re on a junk-food binge that I can’t compete with. Besides, we want this
to be adult time. How was work today? I heard you say you went in.”
    Rory filled Nicole in on the day’s decisions and they began
to discuss strategy for approaching each of the eleven members of the
Appropriations Committee. Landon helped by filling in information he knew about
the different men.
    “Jim and I have news, Rory,” Nicole stated as the talk of
work ran down. Jim returned Nicole’s smile from the other end of the table.
“We’re pregnant. Two months along.”
    “Oh wow! Nicole, Jim, congratulations!” They all stood and
took turns embracing and congratulating.