Page 9 of Bryson

"Mother."

"Darling." Forcing a smile to her lips, she gestured for the maid to leave them alone. "I've been calling you."

"I had no idea my phone was turned off." His green eyes studied her face and, making a decision, he took her arm and led her into the salon. "I have something to tell you, and it might as well be now." Gesturing for her to take a seat, he went to pour himself a cup of coffee.

"What is it?" Sitting on the beautiful chaise lounge, she folded her hands in her lap and waited patiently.

"You know that Julianne is back."

"I'm aware. I was the one who informed you of the unfortunate news."

Ignoring that, he plodded on. "She's back because she has news."

"I can't see what news she could possibly have that would be of interest to you."

Taking the cup with him, he went to sit on a chair across from her. "She's pregnant."

Barbara went absolutely still, her spine straightening, her heart beating painfully against her ribs.

"Surely she's not suggesting that you had something to do with it. She..."

"It's mine," he interrupted grimly. "I have no doubt where that is concerned."

"Darling, you're not thinking straight." Barbara had to keep from shouting at him. The woman had blinded him again and this time it was far worse than before. "She left..."

"Two months ago and hasn't been with anyone else." He raked a hand through the side of his hair and stood up. "Look, I know you don't like her for whatever reason..."

"She's not right for you."

His brows lifted at that. "And Sara-Lee is?"

"Speaking of the poor girl, she has been calling all over the place looking for you."

"I will speak to her. I just came back to shower and change and attend to some business on the ranch. She doesn't want to stay. She said she'll be here for a week and then she would be leaving." Tossing back the coffee, he strode over to the table to put the cup down. "I'm hoping to persuade her otherwise." He looked at her. "This time, I'm going to ask you to put aside your hostility and try and get along with her. She's carrying my child, your grandchild, and we're both going to do our bloody best to be accommodating."

Barbara lifted her chin and met his eyes with her frosty ones. "And Sara-Lee? What about her?"

He lifted his shoulders in a shrug. "I'll figure things out."

"This woman is playing you for a fool. She did it before and she's no doubt doing it again. She's trying to get money..."

"Enough!" His eyes glittered impatiently. "Julianne is the most independent woman I know. She never asked for anything and is in fact uncomfortable whenever I try to give her anything." He shook his head. "I think I might have made a mistake letting her go before and I don't intend to make that mistake again. You'regoing to have to deal with it." Without another word, he strode from the room, closing the door behind him.

Barbara sat there in the chair, her hands clasped so tightly together that her knuckles showed white. A wave of helpless rage washed over her, making her feel impotent and shaken. She had thought she had succeeded in ridding her son of the parasite that had followed him back home after setting her sights on him. Men had a way of being blinded by a beautiful face and a nubile body in bed. She had been plagued by that fact her entire life. Her husband had taken lovers indiscriminately and had finally fallen for a woman of color, a low-born woman who had beguiled him as soon as she arrived. He had given her everything, put her up in one of the townhouses and lavished her with attention, money and expensive gifts.

He had been with her when he died. They had both been on their way home from a Broadway play in New York when tragedy hit and the plane went down, killing them instantly. The humiliation had been complete, and everyone had read about her disgrace. Now it was happening all over again. Her son had been taken in by a colored woman, but this time, she was not going to stand helplessly by and do nothing. She was going to act.

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Julianne stretched languidly, her eyes flickering open. As soon as they did, the memories came flooding back and had hersitting up. He was gone. Of course he was. Bryson had a ranch to run, and she had not expected him to stay in the first place. The tray was gone from the bedside table and in its place, there was a note.

Reaching over, she picked up the piece of folded paper and opened it. His precise handwriting had her smiling slightly. He had told her the story behind it, and it was not a pretty one. Biting her lip, she scanned the three lines. It was terse and to the point.

"I will be back later. Have some things to sort out first thing this morning. Kindly allow us to have a conversation. You owe me that. Bryson."

Reading it again, she folded the paper and put it in the drawer. Yes, they were going to have a conversation alright. And nothing he said or did was going to change her mind. She would be leaving at the end of the week. Brian had called as soon as she settled, and she had told him just that.

"I just feel in my bones that you will not be returning right now," he had predicted.