Absent in the Spring (The Shakespeare Sisters 3)

A photograph of Lachlan loaded up. He was wearing a dark business suit, a striped tie cutting through his white shirt. He was leaning on his desk – well, she assumed it was his desk – looking as relaxed as ever. Did nothing faze him? She scrolled down to the article, her eyes quickly scanning the words, looking for something – anything – that gave her some insight.

Thirty-four-year-old Lachlan MacLeish may come from good stock – his father owned the Fiesta Cruise Line, after all – but this up-and-coming entrepreneur is fast becoming a businessman to be reckoned with, and all in his own right. His company, MacLeish Hold

ings, was set up in 2007, possibly the worst time to start a business in recent economic history. But rather than let the subprime collapse slow him down, MacLeish saw an opportunity, and threw himself right in.

‘I learned from my father that the best time to start anything is right now. If you wait for the stars to align, and for everything to be just perfect, you’ll be waiting for ever.’

A self-confessed workaholic, MacLeish has built his business up from nothing to a company employing over 2000 people in the space of ten years. But it’s not the size of his staff that’s impressive, it’s his portfolio that covers everything from hotels in Miami to steel mines in the Midwest. If it’s profitable, MacLeish wants in on it.

Growing up in a poorer part of Miami was, says MacLeish, the best sort of education he could have hoped for. ‘It was on the streets that I learned how to fight for what I wanted. I also learned that winning isn’t the same as not losing. You have to keep going until there’s no contender left.’

A small quote aside, MacLeish is less forthcoming about his relationship with his father. Duncan MacLeish Snr. was a notorious figure in the Miami business scene. Known locally as the Scottish Onassis, he built his own business up from scratch, creating a fleet of cruise ships from one broken-down boat.

His son was remarkably quiet on the subject of his relationship with this side of the family. ‘It’s a private matter,’ was all he said when asked about whether he attended his father’s funeral, and if they were on good terms when he died. Nevertheless, this is one businessman you should look out for. With fingers in a whole lot of American – and international – pies, Lachlan MacLeish isn’t going anywhere, apart from right on up our highest earner list.

She moved the mouse, fully intending to click on the next article, but then stopped herself.

Enough was enough.

She closed the browser, and pushed on the lid to close down her laptop. She felt dirty, as though she’d been browsing through porn rather than reading what turned out to be a fairly innocuous article.

She was better than this. She was a professional through and through. She might have made an idiot of herself this morning, but she would make damn sure she didn’t do it again.

She was Lucy Millicent Shakespeare. She ate American businessmen for breakfast.

12

The first thing we do, let’s kill all the lawyers

– Henry VI part II

It was as if her admission yesterday morning hadn’t happened at all. As though she hadn’t shown him a tiny chink in her armour, revealing her soft skin beneath. He looked at her from the corner of his eye as they were waiting in the reception area, taking in the black fitted skirt and jacket, the high-necked blouse, and those shoes that should have looked sensible, yet made her legs look amazing. Not that he was looking.

She looked calm, collected and completely unaffected. Not to mention as attractive as hell. Even more attractive now he knew she didn’t have a boyfriend after all.

She was still his attorney, though. He should remember that.

‘Mr MacLeish, Miss Shakespeare? They’re ready for you now. Please take the lift to the top floor, and you’ll be escorted to the meeting room.’ The receptionist smiled up at them.

Without waiting for him, Lucy walked over to the lifts and pushed the button. By the time Lachlan arrived the doors were opening.

‘Are you all right?’ he asked her.

‘I’m fine, why wouldn’t I be?’ She looked serene. ‘I’m used to meetings like this. They’re nothing to be afraid of.’

The lift started moving, and Lucy reached out for the handrail that circled the inside of the cabin. Automatically he reached out to steady her, his hand brushing against her waist. She looked up, surprised.

And he immediately pulled it back again.

‘Are you ready for this?’ she asked him. ‘It’s a lot more personal to you than it is to me.’

‘I’m fine, Lucy. In fact, I’m great.’

‘So I’ll do most of the talking, as we agreed,’ she said, as the floor numbers ticked over. ‘Feel free to add detail when you need to, but I want you to remain in the background as much as you can.’

‘I’m good with that.’

‘Let’s not leave them in any doubt we’re going to fight this. Show no weakness.’ This time she smiled.