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There was only place I felt safe, and this time I was wearing better shoes. Dangerous or not, I was heading back to Pinnacle Point to think about this bizarre turn. Shoving my mane of curls behind my ears, I took off.
It took me longer than I expected to reach the cleft in the rock that delineated the secret path. I’d seen Ian’s tall, lean form in the distance, so I knew he wouldn’t disturb me, and I thought I recognized the bulk of the man who’d been watching me, far enough away that he’d be no danger to me. There was absolutely no one to disturb me as I followed the winding path through the scattered stones to reach the clearing at the top. No one to ask me pointed questions. I was safe...
“What took you so damn long?” a strident voice demanded when I reached the top of the outcropping. “I’ve been waiting here forever.”
Bella.
Chapter Eighteen
I froze in disbelief. She looked magnificent, of course. White silk pants and jacket, a brilliant flash of color for a top. There was a smudge of dirt along her arm, and a disgruntled expression on her beautiful face, but I still couldn’t imagine how I’d managed to fool anyone into thinking I was this dazzling creature.
“What are you doing here?” I demanded.
She ignored the question. “Tell me about the will—I know they were reading it this morning. How did I make out?”
I didn’t bother to ask how she knew. “Penniless,” I said briefly.
She stared at me in shock, and she no longer looked so stunning. “Don’t be ridiculous—Granda adored me. He never would have cut me out of his will!”
“He cut everyone out. He left Mariposa and everything else to Katherine Whitehead.”
I’d seen Bella look sunny and charming, I’d seen her frustrated and angry, but I never once suspected that I’d see her looking murderous. “You bitch!” she spat.
The change in her was unnerving, and I shook myself. “I had nothing to do with it. He thought I was you. Believe it or not, I’ve managed to fool everyone.” And then I suddenly realized what her reappearance meant. “What are you going to tell everyone?”
She was still looking at me with hatred in her eyes. “I’m not going to tell anyone anything. Do you think I can just waltz back in after you’ve been passing yourself off as me? The resemblance is surface—side by side, anyone would know the difference. And it looks like I have no reason to come back, now does it? You’re engaged to my boyfriend, you’ve taken all the money...”
“I’m not engaged to anyone!” I shot back. “I agreed to a fake engagement to make Granda happy, that’s all. And as far as Granda knew, he was leaving his money to someone he hadn’t seen in over twelve years.”
“I’d like to believe you, Podge, but I’m not as gullible as everyone else.” She ran her eyes up and down my rumpled appearance. “I don’t know that you fooled anyone. You don’t really look that much like me.”
Facing her, I had to agree. Even in one of her rages, she looked angelic, and she was right, I was just poor old Podge, a little thinner, a little older, but always a pale copy.
“What I want to know,” she said in a biting tone, “is what you intend to do about this debacle. You’ll refuse the money, of course.”
“Of course.” There had never been any question of it. I wasn’t going to take Mariposa from Ian, and I certainly wasn’t going to take a fortune based on a lie. I’d long ago given up the idea that Granda was going to leave me anything—I wouldn’t be any worse off than I had been when I’d started this mess.
“And just how are you going to do that?” Bella’s tone was icy.
I looked at her, at beautiful, charming Bella who was eying me like a skunk, and something finally snapped. “I’ll manage,” I said in an equally cold voice. “In the meantime, you’d better make up your mind. Someone’s going to see you and then you’ll have no choice but to explain yourself. You’re right—side by side we’re not that much alike. But no one’s going to believe I came up with such a ridiculous idea in the first place.”
“I don’t think you’d want me coming clean, Podge. After all, that would out you as the heiress, and then no one would have your back. I believe you when you say you didn’t manipulate Granda, but the others might not be so kind.”
“Then go away,” I said wearily. “I’ll figure out a way to get us out of this mess.” This mess she had instigated, but I wasn’t going to deny my responsibility. I’d been fool enough to say yes.
It was odd how such perfect features could look almost ugly. Her eyes were narrowed, her full mouth twisted in distrust. “You should go back home.”
“I’ve been trying to, ever since I’ve arrived!”
“Try harder,” she said coldly.
I’d never been the object of Bella’s rage and scorn before, and it was deeply unnerving. I’d been an even bigger idiot than I’d realized, letting myself be manipulated by her sugary sweetness. The sense of betrayal overruled everything, and I wanted to scream at her. Instead, I bit my lip.
“Granda left a letter for you,” I said, abruptly remembering. “You’re the only one he did.” I dug in my pocket and handed it to her, and she snatched it, ripping it open.
It was long, two pages worth in Granda’s spidery script, and she glanced through it before folding it back up and pushing it into the white Hermès handbag she’d brought with her. For some reason, the sight of that priceless accessory was the final straw, the last veil falling from my eyes as I looked at my selfish, venal cousin.
“What did he say?” I asked, knowing full well she wasn’t going to tell me.
