Ungentlemanly Behaviour

Abby found her eyes drawn to his mouth, to wide, generous lips that suggested further lethal sensuality. They were the most kissable lips she had ever seen, and as she and Hallam Lane sat there for a second or two weighing each other up she unconsciously touched the tip of her tongue to her own lips—and it was only when she saw his faint frown that she realised what she was doing and that he was putting the wrong interpretation on it.

Shaking off the alien feeling of attraction towards this big man, Abby became all businesswoman, sitting up that little bit straighter, glad she had dressed for the part today. Often, in her office, she wore something casual—young clients were not so intimidated that way—but this morning, in order to impress Greg’s father, she had put on one of her severely cut suits that she normally saved for court appearances.

Her long, deeply waved Titian hair was pinned into a French pleat so that it was tidy and out of the way. She wore no earrings—in fact nothing in the way of jewellery except a garnet ring that had belonged to her mother—and only the very minimum of make-up.

She had thought, when she’d checked in the mirror before leaving the house, that she looked every inch a conservative, responsible young woman. Greg’s father could not possibly take exception to her. Abby unfortunately had no idea that, whatever she wore, it did not hide the fact that she was an extraordinarily sensual person. Nothing she could do would ever hide it.

‘Let’s get to the point, shall we, Mr Lane?’ Her tone was brisk and completely businesslike, and there was a deliberate blankness in her expression. ‘Your son has expressed a wish that you and I meet. He seems to think it necessary to have your approval before I take on his case.’

Hallam Lane nodded slowly, his eyes penetrating hers with an intensity that was unnerving. ‘That is correct. You sound as though you find it strange?’

Abby shrugged, trying to quell the awareness that trickled through her veins. ‘He is of age,’ she pointed out levelly. ‘Parents don’t usually interfere. Although getting to know you will no doubt help me gain a better picture of Greg and his background.’

‘Interfere?’ He picked up on that one word, and thick brows drew together. ‘I am not interfering, Sommers. I merely have my son’s best interests at heart. I want to make sure that he has the best legal representation possible.’

‘Of course.’ Realising the foolishness of getting on this man’s wrong side so early in proceedings, Abby immediately apologised. ‘It was an unfortunate choice of word, Mr Lane. I assure you I meant nothing derogatory whatsoever.’

He gave a wintry smile. ‘I’m pleased to hear it. But the fact of the matter remains that I am not prepared to allow a woman to handle my son’s case. I’m afraid you’ve had a wasted journey.’

‘Why ever not?’ Abby had come up against discrimination like this many times before. With her slender, willowy figure and richly coloured hair no man ever took her seriously. She had a bubbly personality, a vibrant, lively face, and walked with an unconscious sway to her hips. No one ever believed that she was a solicitor.

Now she drew her fine brows together over beautiful, wide green eyes. ‘Don’t you think your son should be the one to make that decision?’ Although Greg had warned her about his father’s prejudice it still came as something of a surprise.

‘Not when it’s my money that will be paying your bill,’ he pointed out crisply.

It was an unnecessarily sharp retort and Abby took it as a personal insult. Her chin lifted and her eyes sparked. ‘Are you under the impression that female solicitors do not do as good a job as a man?’

Unfortunately, as she spoke, Abby felt a pin fall out of the pleat in her hair and she silently cursed. If there was any occasion when she needed to look professional this was it; she needed to prove herself to this man—perhaps more so than with anyone else she had ever met. Before she’d come to the house today she had formed the opinion that he was a hard man to deal with—and already in these first few minutes he was proving her right.

As she quickly raised her hand to check that none of her hair had fallen out of place she was conscious of Hallam Lane’s dark eyes following the movement, openly and insolently appraising the way her grey jacket moulded to her breasts as they were brought into prominence by the action of her arm. It was a typical male reaction and made her blood boil.

She dropped her hand immediately but still his eyes carried on their deliberate scrutiny, moving down the entire length of her body, slow inch by slow inch, missing nothing, not stopping until they reached her narrow feet, clad in black leather court shoes.

It was not the normal, casual glance a man gave a woman—not indeed. She felt as though she had been stripped naked, every article of clothing divested from her body. She drew in a deep, angry breath. ‘If you’ve quite finished, Mr Lane, I’d like an answer to my question.’

Her clear green eyes were brightly indignant, her lashes, darkened by mascara, quivered—as did every inch of her. She was beginning to see why Greg had insisted on getting his father’s approval. He was quite a man, Hallam Lane.

Black eyes connected with hers. ‘As a matter of fact, yes, I have no faith in women solicitors. What’s happened to Neville Sommers? Has he retired?’

A shadow crossed her face. ‘My father died,’ she told him bluntly. It had been a black day in the Sommers household.

‘I’m sorry,’ he said immediately. ‘I didn’t know. He was a good man. The best.’ There was genuine compassion in his voice.

‘And I have taken his place,’ she added proudly, challenge in her green eyes.

Hallam Lane looked at her narrowly. ‘Under the circumstances I would have expected your company to suggest one of the older partners.’

More experienced, he meant—not so pretty and feminine! Her nostrils flared, further resentment beginning to feel its way into her mind. ‘And how do you know how good I am until you try me?’ It looked as though Hallam Lane was a real male chauvinist; no wonder his son had feared to make his own decision.

‘They’re too busy,’ she declared bluntly. It had taken her a long time to get where she was today—years of training with no pay, and then, after qualification, a year or two on only a pittance. She absolutely refused to let this man put her down.

An enigmatic gleam entered the velvet dark eyes; his sensual lips gave an odd quirk. ‘How old are you, Miss Sommers?’

‘Old enough,’ she declared coolly, though she knew she did not look her twenty-nine years. She never had looked her age, but no one had ever suggested that she might be too young to do her job. ‘I think that the decision should be your son’s, Mr Lane,’ she added. ‘He is more than happy to let me help him.’

Greg had sat quietly listening, but now his eyes widened and he looked at her anxiously, as if trying to warn her, but it was too late.

‘I hardly think Greg has any say in this,’ his father growled. ‘He is already in enough trouble without some incompetent female making matters worse.’

‘I disagree,’ she said, keeping her tone calm and cool and completely professional, even though she was beginning to seethe inside. ‘Greg needs to build up a rapport with whichever solicitor is chosen to represent him. I am used to teenagers and I actually feel that he and I would be able to—’

‘I don’t think so,’ the older man cut in, his voice cooling considerably.

‘But, Father, I also think that—’ It was the first time the boy had spoken and he was instantly silenced by a withering glance.

‘What you think has nothing to do with it,’ declared Hallam firmly.

‘I like Miss Sommers, though; I am sure that—’

‘Greg, let me deal with this.’

Abby could not understand why this man would not let his son speak for himself on this issue. She felt sorry for Greg, more especially when he gave her a pleading glance behind his parent’s back.

‘I believe,’ she said to Hallam Lane, trying to keep her voice reasonable, ‘that my age is something in my favour as far as your son is concerned. I can relate to young people better than, say, Grypton or Evans—’ both of whom were well into their fifties ‘—and I therefore think that it would be in Greg’s best interests if I represented him. Perhaps I could have a word with your wife? This should be a mutual decision.’

‘There is no Mrs Lane.’ His brow was suddenly as dark as a thundercloud and Abby could see that she had touched a raw nerve. Presumably his marriage had not lasted—and if he was always this chauvinistic where women were concerned then she could see why.

‘I also think it is time you went,’ he added coldly and purposefully. ‘You can tell your partners why they’ve lost my business—and if they have any sense they’ll get rid of you.’

Abby opened her mouth to object, took one look at Greg’s face pleading with her to say no more, and closed it again. If this was Hallam Lane’s decision, and his son was prepared to go along with it, then there was no point in arguing, even though she thought the elder Lane was making a big mistake. She rose to her feet, picked up her handbag and walked out of the room.

Although she did not feel like being polite, although she wanted to tell Hallam Lane exactly what she thought of him for inflicting his personal prejudices on his son, Abby nevertheless held out her hand as she reached the main entrance and smiled graciously. ‘Goodbye, Mr Lane; I’m sorry you feel this way.’

Contact with him felt like fire-water shooting through her veins. Despite his hostility towards her he was still a lethally attractive man, and she could not get her hand free quickly enough.

He gave a quietly confident smile as she snatched it away, almost as though he knew what effect he was having on her, as though she was conforming to some preconceived pattern. Unless it was her imagination.

Abby knew men reacted in many different ways when confronted with a woman solicitor, especially when that woman was attractive as well. Not that she considered herself unduly beautiful; she thought her nose too tiny, her mouth too wide. She was oblivious to the effect she really had on people.

‘Greg should have known how I felt,’ he said gruffly, eyes steady on hers. ‘He shouldn’t have wasted your time. Goodbye, Sommers.’

She looked at the boy, feeling genuinely sorry for him because he had seemed to really like her. ‘Goodbye, Greg,’ she said, and then walked out to her car, conscious of Hallam Lane watching her every inch of the way.

Once inside her metallic-blue Rover she drew in a steadying breath, fired the engine, and moved away so quickly that gravel spurted beneath her tyres. Black and gold wrought-iron gates—set into the high wall surrounding the property—opened automatically as she approached, and Abby could not help wondering uncharitably what this man had got to hide that his place was like a fortress.

Abby was not given to thinking ill of people but Hallam Lane really had struck a wrong chord with her. Apart from her totally unexpected physical response to him—something that she would need to think about later—she had found him a totally unreasonable man.

His disapproval of career women should not have entered into things since it was Greg she had been asked to represent. She felt sorry for his son. He had not been allowed to get a word in. If she hadn’t seen how well they got on together she would have retained her initial impression that he ruled his son with a rod of iron. It was all very puzzling.