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Scarlett took her into her old room, seating her on the bed before rummaging in the closet for something to wear. The clothes purchased in New York had been unpacked, ironed, and hung, and Scarlett made a mental note to thank Trudie, the upstairs maid.
Chrys gnawed on her lip as she watched her sister. “Is it awful?” she burst out. “Does he hold you prisoner? Does he hurt you?”
Laughing Scarlett shook her head, “We’ll talk in a minute,” she promised, going into the bathroom to dress in jeans and a warm sweater. She missed the balmy temperatures of Greece already. When she emerged from the bathroom, Chrys was stretched out on her bed, weeping. “What’s wrong?” she asked gently, sitting beside her sister.
“I can’t believe Father has done this to you. He has sold you to Carter Braxton.”
“It’s not like that,” said Scarlett. “I love Carter, and he loves me.”
“How can you love that monster?” Chrys demanded heatedly. “He’s taking our home, and Father’s business, leaving us destitute.”
“I can’t tell you why, but Carter has good reason to hate our father,” Scarlett whispered.
“Why can’t you tell me?” Chrys asked, her expression hurt. She might be older than Scarlett, but she looked up to her, depended on her. She obviously felt betrayed that Scarlett would keep secrets from her.
“I can’t because I’m not even supposed to know myself,” said Scarlett. “His sister told me in confidence. Even Carter doesn’t know that I know about Father’s...never mind.”
“You truly love him?” Chrys asked, disbelieving. How could anyone, especially her beautiful sister, love that hideously scarred monster?
“Yes.” Scarlett sighed. “He’s...well, I could spend hours telling you about him, but that’s not why you’re here.”
“No.” Chrys shuddered as she imagined Carter’s scarred hands on her sister. The thought was too horrifying to entertain for long.
“Why are you here?” asked Scarlett, her tone suddenly serious. “Have you heard about the meeting?”
“What meeting?” Chrys asked, biting her bottom lip.
“Today is the day Carter is auctioning off the pieces of Terini Electronics,” said Scarlett. For a moment, she’d thought Chrys might have information about some scheme their father was going to attempt, but if she did, she wouldn’t come to warn Carter.
“Father is making me marry,” Chrys cried, her tears renewing.
“What?” Scarlett demanded. “He can’t make you get married, Chrys.”
She nodded, hiccupping, “Yes, he can. He told me that he would disown me if I don’t marry Ralf Lemmings.”
“Ralf?” Scarlett asked, her mouth twisting in disgust. Lemmings Superconducter Technology was a supplier for Terini Electronics, and she’d had the misfortune of meeting Ralf on several occasions. He was an odious little man, less than five-six, and close to three hundred pounds. He oiled his hair and beard, thinking it made him appear suave, but it only made him look greasy. He favored heavy French cologne that smelled like sweaty socks, and he fancied himself a charmer. He was also close to fifty and had been through four young wives in ten years. He also had the nasty habit of trying to paw the Terini girls in the shadows when no one was around. “You can’t marry him. That’s ridiculous.”
“I don’t want to. I hate him, and when he touches me, I want to throw up.” Her gaze dropped away from Scarlett’s and she whispered, “He tried to...last night. I couldn’t stand to have his hands on me, so I ran to my room. Father tried to drag me out, yelling that if I didn’t cooperate we were all ruined. As soon as Father left this morning, I took a car and came to you.”
Scarlett patted her sister’s back, concerned that Chrys would cry until she made herself sick. How could their father do this to Chrys? It was bad enough that he’d loaned her to Carter, who thankfully turned out to be a decent man with morals and convictions. Now he was trying to sell gentle, naïve Chrysanthia to a man who defined disgusting. “How much did Ralf offer?” she asked.
Chrys shrugged as she finally sat up, wiping the runny mascara off her cheeks with the tissue Scarlett handed her. “Father never tells us anything. I heard him say that he would have enough to take buy back the house from Braxton.”
“So, at least two million,” Scarlett mused, knowing there was no way for her to top that offer. Her only hope was Carter, and she couldn’t get very hopeful about that. “You can’t go back to that house.” She wouldn’t allow Chrys to return to Terini Manor when there was even a slight possibility that Father would allow Ralf to lay his hands on her. “You’ll stay here with us, at least until we work something out.”
“Carter won’t mind?” Chrys asked weakly.
“I’ll speak to Carter.” Scarlett ignored the twinge in her stomach at the thought of the coming confrontation. Carter wouldn’t like it at all. “You can have this room.”
“I thought this was your room,” Chrys protested.
“It was, but it isn’t now,” Scarlett said vaguely. “I’ll have my clothes moved so you’ll have some space.” She frowned, realizing that Chrys had no clothes. She would have to ask Carter for some money to get her sister some clothing, unless...”I’m going to call Lecy and see if she’ll bring some clothes up for you.”
“Will Father try to force Lecy to marry Ralf if I don’t go back?” Chrys fretted.
“No,” Scarlett said with absolute certainty. Rocco already knew that Lecy would not be pressured into such a situation, thus he’d chosen to make Chrys his sacrifice. “Lecy will be safe, but she doesn’t have to return to Terini Manor if she doesn’t want to,” she promised rashly.
Lecy answered the phone on the first ring, sounding frantic. “Chrys?”
