“But-”
Ryan began to tug his gloves on. He lifted an arrogant brow in Arthur’s direction. “As you will see from the paperwork, we have purchased only half the shares but at more than the market rate. It should be enough to get you out of your current financial circumstances. However, if you continue to try to push for a union with Cedrick, I shall have no choice but to force the purchase of your remaining shares but at less than the market rate. The last thing my family wants is to be linked to people of his ilk, Arthur. Cedrick is clearly a scoundrel. You may want to let him into your family, but I can assure you that he shall never have any connection to mine, not even through business. I shall ensure that all connections between our families are severed immediately.”
“But you cannot do that,” Arthur objected, half launching out of his seat. “Your father and I have been friends for years.”
“My father is in full agreement. I received word from him in that regard only yesterday. He will not tolerate Cedrick being connected in any way to our business, and that is the end of the matter,” Ryan reported briskly. “Meantime, Arthur, I suggest you put your daughters’ welfare before your sister’s for once. Oh, and do something about Wilhelmina, Arthur. If there is one thing that I find more contemptable than Cedrick, it is your sister’s appalling behaviour. We are in business with you, not her. I should hate to think you are incapable of making decisions of your own without running to womenfolk like her for approval.”
Arthur’s mouth fell open, but Ryan had already yanked the door open and turned to leave. H
e was so fast that he almost walked straight into Mabel, who hovered in the hallway just outside the door, and had clearly been listening to what was said at the keyhole again. Ryan nodded briskly at her but didn’t take her to task for her nosiness. Not least when she looked about to cry with happiness. What did capture Ryan’s attention was the woman who hovered uncertainly half-way down the main flight of stairs.
The force that hit Ryan in his stomach when his gaze landed on her stole his breath. So many words hovered on his lips, but he was so disappointed that she hadn’t met him that he couldn’t speak. Consequently, he didn’t even nod at her before he stalked out of the house.
Sian watched him leave and sank onto the step behind her. Whatever had happened with her father had made Ryan coldly furious, of that there could be no doubt. She threw an accusing look at her father, but he was too busy glaring at his wife to notice.
“How many times have I told you not to listen at doors?” he scolded.
“How many times have I told you to stop closing us out? Whatever has gone wrong with the business and finances involves us,” Mabel snapped. “How many times do you have to be told?”
“What are you going to do about the problems, eh? What experience do you have to resolve them better than me?”
“We might be able to help in some way. We might be able to come up with some ideas that you might not have considered before,” Mabel countered.
“Like you would know how to run a business, would you?” Arthur snapped dismissively.
“Well, you have done no better or else we wouldn’t be in this mess,” Mabel retorted coldly.
Sian listened with only half an ear as her parents countered a war of words that left nobody who heard them in any doubt that their marriage lay in ruins. It was doubtful that anybody could repair any relationship as bad as the one her parents had now. Watching them just reinforced Sian’s belief that she had no choice but to make plans to leave the first chance she got.
As if Wilhelmina had heard her sentiments, the woman appeared in the hallway.
“What is all this shouting about?” she demanded, as if she hadn’t already heard every word that had been said.
“We shall discuss this later,” Arthur hissed at his wife.
“No. As usual you are going to hide in your study and pretend you know what you are doing while you drive this family to ruin,” Mabel shouted after him but her words were silenced by the resounding bang of the study door being slammed shut.
“Where do you think you are going?” Wilhelmina asked of Sian when she hurried down the stairs and tugged on her shawl.
“Out.”
“After that fop, I suppose. You are chasing after him like a common harlot,” Wilhelmina snorted indignantly.
“I am doing no such thing,” Sian protested. “How dare you call my morals into question?”
“So where are you going?”
“It is none of your business,” Sian snapped. “You are my father’s guest in this house, not mine. I am under no obligation to tell you anything about where I am going or intend to do.”
While Sian spoke, she was aware of her mother disappearing into the back of the house, obviously keen to get away from having to face Wilhelmina’s domineering attitude.
“It is about time someone took your scandalous attitude in hand and made you mind your manners, girl,” Wilhelmina snarled. Now that both of her parents weren’t there, Wilhelmina clearly saw no reason why she should not release the full force of her scorn and made no attempt to hide her utter contempt. “You need a firm husband to take you in hand before you ruin this entire family.”
“As if you haven’t already done that yourself,” Sian retorted. “Why, you turn up here in the early hours of the morning, unannounced, and rudely turn this entire house into chaos. You then have the audacity to demand money for doing nothing except make everyone’s lives insufferable. Well, I am not under any obligation to mind my manners in the presence of such overbearing, offensive arrogance, and I shall thank you to keep your nose out of my business.”
With that, Sian slammed out of the house. She was shaking so much she was physically trembling as she stormed down the driveway.
“Sian!” Her father shouted. “Sian! Get back here at once!”