'Til Death Do Us Part by Amanda Quick Read Free Book Online

however—”
    â€œThat bastard. Do you have his address? Never mind. I’ll find him.”
    â€œAndrew, please, listen to what I’m saying. It was all a mistake.” She summoned up a reassuring smile. “I was just somewhat taken aback at the time, that’s all.”
    â€œHe owes you an apology.”
    â€œI think he will come to understand that in time.” Not much chance of that happening, she thought, but she kept the opinion to herself. “Meanwhile, I don’t want to do anything that might put Eudora Hastings in a position that forces her to choose sides, as it were. If she were to sever our business connection it would only give rise to unfortunate rumors.”
    â€œHuh.”
    Andrew was still angry but common sense was winning out.
    â€œIt’s all right,” she said quietly. “I promise you, Mr. Hastings will not be a problem. His sister is a very strong-willed lady and she enjoys my salons. She told me that she had a delightful time at last week’s event and she accepted the invitation to the next one. I doubt very much that her brother will be able to keep her away.”
    Andrew did not appear to be entirely convinced but curiosity got the better of him.
    â€œWhat’s he like?”
    â€œMr. Hastings? He is quite—” Calista paused, trying to find the right word. “Formidable.”
    â€œI meant what does he look like?”
    â€œOh.” She summoned up a mental image of Trent. “Well, as to that, he is endowed with a very manly build. Dark hair. Arresting eyes.”
    Andrew frowned. “A
manly
build?”
    â€œMmm, yes, I think that is how one would describe it.”
    Andrew watched her with a speculative expression. “Would you say that he was the sort of man women would describe as handsome?”
    â€œNot exactly. But quite gratifying to look upon, if you know what I mean.”
    â€œNo, I don’t know what you mean.”
    Calista ignored the interruption. “He seems to think the scars will be a problem if he were to come to me as a client but I assured him that he was wrong.”
    â€œScars?”
    â€œOn the left side of his jaw. Rather dramatic, I’m afraid. There are some on one of his hands, too. He must have been the victim of an accident at some point in the past.”
    â€œBut the scars didn’t frighten you?”
    â€œNot at all,” Calista said. “He was rather annoying, to be sure, but I did not feel threatened.”
    Andrew went very still. “Do you think it’s possible he might be the person who is responsible for the memento mori objects?”
    â€œ
What?
Good heavens, no. Whatever gave you that idea? I’m sure Mr. Hastings is not the one who gave me those horrid objects.”
    â€œWhy are you so positive of his innocence?”
    She thought about that for a few seconds, trying to put her intuitive certainty into words.
    â€œFrom what I observed today, Mr. Hastings is nothing if not direct,” she said. “He would not torment a woman from the shadows.”
    â€œHow can you be sure?”
    She considered the question for a moment and then waved it aside. “I don’t know. Something about the way he looks at one, I suppose.”
    â€œNot much to go on.”
    â€œNo. But you know very well that my intuition has generally been quite accurate when it comes to judging people.”
    â€œNot when it came to that bastard who left you standing at the altar.”
    It was a very good thing that she hadn’t mentioned Nestor’s visit today, she decided.
    â€œMr. Kettering and I were about to become engaged,” she said patiently. “I wasn’t quite at the altar.”
    â€œVery little difference.”
    Some of the old anger that she had experienced because she had allowed herself to be deceived by Nestor resurfaced. She had been such a naïve fool. She strove to keep her voice lowered to a level that