To Make a Marriage by Carole Mortimer Read Free Book Online

seconds—and drawn his own conclusions.
    Rome turned to him with blazing blue eyes, the mature handsomeness of his face contorted with anger. ‘I’m sure it hasn’t escaped your notice,’ he replied furiously, ‘but I’m the one with white wine all over me!’
    The situation wasn’t in the least funny, Andie inwardly thought, realising that Audrey must have been severely provoked to have thrown a glass full of wine—the glass included, by the look of it!—all over Rome. But, for some reason, she had the distinct urge to laugh!
    For one thing, Rome looked ridiculous, with wine still dripping from his chin onto his already sodden shirt. And, for another—she simply admired Audrey for having the guts to act on her instincts. Andie could think of a few people she wouldn’t mind throwing wine over herself!
    â€˜I noticed,’ Adam drawled dryly. ‘But I also know Audrey well enough to realise she must have been provoked into such an action,’ he opined hardly. ‘So what did you do to her?’ he repeated.
    â€˜Nothing,’ Rome bit out harshly, dabbing at his wet shirt-front with one of the snowy white napkins now.
    â€˜Daddy!’ Andie gasped reprovingly; she also knew Audrey well enough to realise Rome must have said or done something to elicit this response.
    Her father glared across at her. ‘Whose side are you on?’ he accused angrily. ‘I—’
    â€˜I’m not taking sides,’ Andie cut in. ‘But I think I know the two of you well enough to be sure Audrey would not simply have thrown a glass of wine over you without good reason!’ she added assuredly.
    â€˜Then you are taking sides.’ Rome straightened to his full height of six feet two, throwing the damp napkin down disgustedly on the table-top. ‘I never thought I would see the day when one of my own daughters—’
    â€˜If I still had the violin you forced me to learn to play when I was younger, then I would play it now!’ Andie cut across this attempted emotional pressure on her father’s part. ‘But as I don’t, and as you don’t seem in any hurry to enlighten us as to the reason for Audrey’s outburst, I think I’ll just go upstairs and see if Audrey will be any more forthcoming!’
    â€˜She’s packing,’ Rome muttered as Andie turned to leave.
    Andie came to an abrupt halt, turning slowly back to look at her father disbelievingly. There was certainly nothing in the least funny about this situation now!
    â€˜She isn’t going to work the rest of her notice,’ Rome continued. ‘She intends leaving right now.’
    Andie slowly shook her head as she saw the implacability of her father’s expression. ‘And you aren’t going to do anything to stop her?’
    Rome thrust his chin out arrogantly. ‘There’s nothing I can do.’
    â€˜Adam’s right,’ Andie snapped scornfully. ‘You are a fool!’ She turned on her heel and marched purposefully from the room, hurrying up the stairs and along the hallway that led to the bedroom Audrey had occupied for the last ten years.
    But Andie hesitated outside the door, not sure how to proceed. Her father was in the wrong, she was sure of it, but that didn’t mean Audrey was going to be any more pleased to see her than she would have been had it been Rome himself who came knocking on her door! But she loved Audrey, all the sisters did, and, despite what Adam might have assumed to the contrary, there was no way she was going to just let the other woman walk out of their lives in this way.
    She straightened her shoulders, giving a determined knock on the door.
    â€˜Go away,’ came Audrey’s abrupt response.
    Andie turned the handle on the door, relieved to find it wasn’t locked, entering the room to find herself confronted by Audrey holding a vase of flowers aloft in her hand as she stood poised ready