Page 59 of Finding Love

Edith pouted and shoved the papers at her. “Fine,” she said, then she bent down and started gathering her things.

“Why?” she asked her once all her makeup items were back in her purse. “Why would you want these?” She waved the papers and the ring. “I’m sure you have plenty of jewelry that costs more than this.”

“I do, but it was given to me. It should have been mine,” Edith said with a huff. “My father made me return it to James when he called the wedding off.”

“It was his grandmother’s,” Brook said.

Edith just shrugged. “He gave it to me.”

Rolling her eyes, she looked down at the bundle of papers, then gasped. “Were you seriously trying to steal the deed to this place?”

“It would have been mine when we married.” Edith threw her purse over her shoulder.

“You know that you can’t just steal the deed and get the property, right?” she asked, a little befuddled.

Edith’s chin rose again, but Brook could see the confusion behind her eyes.

Brook took a deep breath. “Ryder’s name is on this.” She waved the papers. “He’d have to sign them over to you. There would have to be lawyers and notaries to switch ownership to you. This paper is pretty much worthless.” She tucked it into her back pocket. “Besides, I’m pretty sure this is just Ryder’s copy. His lawyers probably have others.”

She remembered getting her own copy of the cottage’s deed. At first, she’d wanted her parents to hold onto the legal form, worried she’d misplace it. Her father had explained that the county clerk had copies if she did misplace it.

“What were you going to do? Forge his signature?” she joked. She gasped when Edith glared at her. “Maybe I should call the police!”

“It’s supposed to be mine,” Edith said in a high-pitched voice.

Neither of them had heard Ryder come in through the garage as they had talked.

“Thank goodness I called the wedding off then,” Ryder said, gaining both of their attention.

“You’ve ruined everything,” Edith screeched. To Brook’s surprise, Edith lunged at her.

Before Ryder could pull the smaller woman off her, Edith pulled Brook’s hair and her very long manicured nails scraped down her right arm, leaving behind a nasty red mark.

“Enough!” Ryder barked, pulling Edith back a few feet from Brook. “Call security,” he said, handing her his cell phone.

She dialed the number and waited, then quickly relayed that they needed help before hanging up.

“Shouldn’t we call the police?” she asked. Edith’s face went pale.

“No, I think having security escort her off the property is humiliation enough. They’ll also bar her from returning to the neighborhood,” Ryder answered.

“She got these out of your safe.” Brook held up the papers and the ring. “If I hadn’t dumped out her purse, she would have left with them.”

Ryder turned slowly to Edith. “Why?”

Edith’s eyes narrowed. “You’re the one who broke things off. I should have had them,” she said in a low tone. “Just because you changed your mind doesn’t mean I’m not due what I was promised.”

“Promised?” Ryder shook his head.

“Why do you think I agreed to the marriage?” Edith laughed, then looked around. “This place, the ring, and half of your dear daddy’s business. Only, he died before we could walk down the aisle and seal the deal. You dragged out the engagement too long. Then you backed out and my parents grew a conscience and made me return the ring.” She jerked her arm free from Ryder’s and then straightened her clothes just as security knocked on the door.

The same two guards that she’d seen plenty of times stood just outside the front door.

“Miss Montague was just leaving. Please make sure to mark her off the guest list,” Ryder said to the men. “She’s no longer welcome on Hunt’s Point,” he said as one of the guards took Edith’s arm and started walking her out the front door.

Edith jerked her arm free and marched out the door without saying a word, probably not wanting to make a scene in front of the two newcomers.

Ryder shut the front door and turned back towards Brook.