Claiming His Wedding Night

But, with all that had happened in the past, none of them would trust Jared an inch.

‘I could never agree to fifty-one per cent,’ she said through stiff lips.

‘So what would you agree to? Forty-five, fifty, if it proved to be really necessary?’

‘Yes,’ she admitted. ‘But certainly not more.’

‘Pity. I could save JB. Make it profitable again. But of course it’s your choice.’

A choice between the rock and the whirlpool. A choice she couldn’t possibly make alone.

Her greeny-blue eyes clouded with worry, she said, ‘I’ll have to talk to my father.’

‘But you don’t think he’d trust me enough to agree to fifty one per cent?’

‘He’d be a fool if he did.’

Jared laughed as though genuinely amused. ‘Well, I’m pleased to see you haven’t lost all your spirit. It’ll make things more interesting.’

She was wondering what he meant by that cryptic remark when he reached over and took her hand. ‘In view of the fact that in the past you and I—’

The shock of his touch made her stomach clench and, pulling her hand free, she cried jerkily, ‘The past’s dead and done with.’

‘Now that’s where you’re wrong. What’s happened in the past makes us what we are today.’

The fact that she knew it to be true only served to make her distrust him even more.

‘But, as I was saying, taking into account that in the past you and I were lovers, I might be prepared to negotiate.’

Just for a split second hope flickered into life, then almost immediately died. Why should he negotiate when he so assuredly held the whip hand?

Showing he never missed a thing, he remarked with a slight smile, ‘You don’t appear to be overjoyed at the prospect.’

‘I don’t believe for a minute that you mean to budge,’ she said flatly.

‘You’ll never know for sure until you try.’

As she began to shake her head, he advised evenly, ‘In view of what the outcome might be if you refuse, perhaps you should take a minute to think about it.’

Reminded of the dread consequences, she bit her lip. Then admitting defeat, she said heavily, ‘I don’t have any option.’

‘Exactly.’

His voice holding the merest hint of triumph, he added, ‘As any negotiations are going to take time, I’ve a suggestion to make…’

Eyes on his face, she waited.

‘And it’s this, that you speak to your father and tell him that, though things are looking hopeful, there’s still a long way to go.

‘However, while the negotiations are under way, as a gesture of goodwill, Salingers will put in place a financial package that will pay wages, hold off your creditors and keep things ticking over.’

Had the offer been made by anyone other than Jared she would have regarded it as a lifeline, but, as it was, she strongly suspected that in reality it was a carefully baited trap.

She was even more convinced when, looking at her from beneath long thick lashes, he added, ‘It might be as well to keep my name out of it and let your father think that you’re dealing with Calhoun.’

‘But that would give him a totally false picture,’ she protested.

Jared lifted broad shoulders in a slight shrug. ‘It’s up to you, of course. If you think he can stand the additional stress and worry, tell him the truth by all means…’

As she reached for her phone, he added casually, ‘There’s just one more thing. Tell him that I have to be in the States for the next ten days or so, and that I’ve invited you to join me there while further discussions take place—’

‘I don’t know what you expect to gain by this,’ she burst out, ‘but if you think for one minute that I’d go anywhere with you, you’re mad!’

He sighed theatrically.

‘Oh, yes, I know,’ she cried, her voice bitter, ‘I don’t have much option.’

‘In view of the fact that we’re already over the Atlantic, you don’t have any option.’

As she bit her lip, he added, ‘Now, as time is flying, your father must be getting anxious to hear from you…’

He would be, she knew, and over the past weeks his hypertension and the amount of stress he was under had proved to be a big concern for his doctors.

But what was she to say to him?

A few seconds’ thought convinced her that it would be far too risky to tell him the truth. He was bound to find out sooner or later, of course. But for the moment at least, she would go along with Jared’s scenario, while she tried to put in place some kind of damage limitation.

Taking a deep breath, she strove to steady herself. Her father knew her well and, as the news she was about to give him would appear to be as good as anyone had dared hope, she mustn’t allow him to pick up any signs of distress.

As she brought up the number of the nursing home, Jared rose to his feet and, showing the kind of supreme confidence that made her grit her teeth, said, ‘I’ll leave you to it,’ and disappeared into the forward cabin.

At the first ring, her father’s voice asked eagerly, ‘Perdita?’

‘Yes.’

‘I was just starting to get worried. How are things going? Any hope of saving the company?’

Trying to sound positive, she said, ‘Yes, I think there might be.’

‘So what does Calhoun want?’

She hesitated, then went along with it. ‘He started off by asking for fifty-one per cent of the shares.’

‘Just as I thought,’ John said grimly.

‘But when I told him you wouldn’t agree to that, he said he might be willing to negotiate.’

‘The trouble is, negotiations like that could take weeks, and we just don’t have the money to keep going in the meantime.’