Seduced By The Enemy

Her father’s study was a room Helena had always felt comfortable in. The walls were lined with books and Lawrence’s huge desk looked out over splendid gardens which were ablaze with tropical colour. She perched on the edge of the desk, but her eyes were barely taking in the view outside—all her thoughts were centred on Paul at the other end of the line.

‘Sorry I didn’t make the airport. Vivian rang me this morning and said that Pop wanted Tate to pick you up.’ His voice was low, and he sounded utterly depressed.

‘What’s going on, Paul?’ Helena asked gently. ‘Pop seems to be very angry with you…more than I ever could have imagined.’

‘Well, I told you.’ Paul’s voice was aggrieved now. ‘It’s that Ainsley fellow, poisoning his mind. I suppose he’s still there?’

‘Drinking some champagne that he brought over,’ Helena informed him wryly.

‘Hell, the man has nerve. Over a million down the drain, and he’s got Pop—’

‘A million what…dollars?’ Helena’s heart missed a beat. ‘I don’t follow this at all, Paul.’

‘If you want it bluntly, Tate has talked Pop into investing all that money into buying shares in an emerald mine.’

‘An emerald mine?’ Helena wondered if her brother was kidding for a second. It was like some kind of joke.

‘Ridiculous, isn’t it?’ Paul grated heavily. ‘The biggest laugh is that Pop invested the money ages ago and he hasn’t had a bean—or should I say a gem?— in return for it yet. But still he refuses to believe he’s being duped…the man is totally convinced that it’s a great business opportunity.’

‘But where did he get all that money to invest?’ Helena asked, totally bemused. She knew for a fact that her father hadn’t got that kind of cash to play with.

‘He’s sold nearly everything—all his other business investments, and that prime piece of land by Bounty Bay.’

Helena felt suddenly heartsick. That land had belonged to her mother’s family…it had been in the family for generations and was of great sentimental value.

‘Who did he sell to?’ Almost before she asked the question she knew the answer.

‘Who do you think?’ Paul spat out venomously. ‘Tate Ainsley, of course. He’s wanted that land for years, and he got it for a song compared to what it was worth. I could have got twice as much money from another buyer who told me he was very interested.’

Through the open window Helena could see Tate and Vivian walking towards his car. Tate was laughing at something the other woman was saying. He looked tremendously handsome—the sun was glinting off his jet-black hair and he had a laid-back, devil-may-care look about him.

So, well he might laugh, Helena thought contemptuously. Obviously he thought he had the Beaumont household exactly where he wanted it.

Her mouth set in a firmly determined line. No wonder Tate was working so hard to keep in her father’s good books—no wonder he was bringing over champagne and acting as if he cared about Lawrence’s health. He was probably hoping that if he hung on a little longer he would acquire Beaumont House for a knock-down price, the way he had acquired everything else.

‘He hasn’t been turning his particular brand of charm on you, has he, Helena?’ her brother asked anxiously. ‘You aren’t fooled by him, are you?’

‘Of course not,’ she told him in a strong voice. ‘I’ve got Tate’s measure now, and I can assure you that he’s not going to get away with fooling anyone for very much longer.’

CHAPTER TWO (#ulink_846a6f4a-a169-548f-92ba-b2e8b284a078)

HELENA couldn’t sleep that night. Thoughts of Tate Ainsley and worries about her father whirled incessantly in her mind. As soon as the first rays of sunlight slanted through her bedroom window she got up and went downstairs to make herself an early-morning cup of tea.

She was moving silently across the hallway when a sound from her father’s study stopped her in midtrack. Surely her father wasn’t working at this hour? With a frown she went to investigate.

Lawrence Beaumont was seated behind his desk, wading his way through a pile of paperwork.

‘Pop, you’re supposed to be taking things easy!’ she said with dismay.

‘Good morning.’ He looked up and smiled at her, completely undeterred. ‘I am taking things easy. You know the old adage—“early to bed, early to rise”…?’

Lawrence had retired to his study soon after dinner last night, and it had been midnight when she had heard him coming up to bed. However, she refrained from saying so. Instead she erred on the side of diplomacy and said, ‘You’re working too hard.’

‘And you’ve been talking to Vivian.’

She had been talking to Vivian last night. Her stepmother was extremely concerned that Lawrence wouldn’t slow down.

‘Who has been talking to your doctor.’

‘Lot of nonsense.’ Lawrence waved his hand scornfully.

Helena came further into the room, closing the door behind her. She was wearing a tennis skirt and a short white T-shirt. ‘You and Viv having a game this morning?’ Lawrence asked conversationally. Helena knew it was his attempt to change the subject.

She nodded. ‘In about half an hour—before the sun gets too hot.’ She looked at him more pointedly. ‘It was going to be an early-morning ride, but Vivian tells me you’ve sold the horses.’

Lawrence looked a little uncomfortable. ‘Yes, well…Tate made me a good offer.’

Helena very much doubted that. She sighed and sank down in the chair opposite to him. ‘Why didn’t you tell me, Pop? All the times I have phoned, and you’ve never said a word.’

Lawrence looked at her blankly.

‘Your financial problems.’ Helena’s voice was gentle now. ‘You should have told me. I can help.’

‘Everything is under control,’ Lawrence muttered quickly ‘No need for you to worry. No need at all.’

‘But, Pop, Paul says—’

‘Has Paul been filling your head with nonsense?’ Lawrence’s tone grew suddenly angry, and his face started to redden.

Conscious of his health, Helena tried to defuse the situation and calm him down. ‘He just suggested that you had a few problems, that’s all.’

‘Knowing Paul, I’m sure he didn’t stop there.’ Her father leaned across the desk. ‘I hope you haven’t repeated anything he has said? It would break Vivian’s heart to hear the scurrilous comments that boy has made.’

‘No, of course not.’ Helena shook her head. She had no intention of upsetting Vivian—she knew how much the woman loved her brother. She had, however, tried to ask her stepmother about the financial difficulties they were in, but it had soon become clear that Vivian didn’t know anything about the business.

‘Look, Pop.’ She dropped her voice to a reasonable tone. ‘Paul just said you were having a few difficulties, and I thought that I could go through your books and help you out. After all, I am—’

‘Thanks for the offer, Helena, but everything is under control.’

‘But I can—’

‘Helena, I don’t want to hear another word.’ Lawrence’s tone was ominous. He leaned back in his chair and glanced at his watch. ‘Tate is sending his secretary over this morning anyway. So I’ve got all the help I need.’

Apprehension darted through her at those words. Why was Tate going to that trouble? Was his secretary his spy in the camp? ‘I suppose Tate will be coming over as well?’ she asked carefully, then couldn’t help adding, ‘You never used to trust him.’

‘That was before I really knew him.’ Lawrence met her eyes firmly. ‘Tate Ainsley is a fine man.’

Unless she could prove otherwise, there was nothing more to be said. Helena stared at her father, feeling helpless and frustrated. There were a million things she would have liked to say at that juncture, but she didn’t dare for fear of raising his blood pressure. It was obvious that he wasn’t going to let her help him. He was just so damned stubborn.