Defying Drakon

Max was now avoiding her gaze as he took a thick envelope from the breast pocket of his leather jacket and handed it to Drakon, before turning his back on the room to stare out of the window onto the street down below.

Drakon smiled ruefully as he recognised the light of challenge in Gemini’s eyes. ‘I have no intention of telling you that Max was anywhere near Bartholomew House last night.’

She eyed him reprovingly. ‘The wording of that statement isn’t exactly reassuring.’

‘It wasn’t intended to be,’ Drakon said dryly. ‘I believe you should look at this before you say anything else,’ he continued firmly as Gemini would have spoken, and reached into the envelope. He took out what looked to be a legal document of some kind before holding it out to her.

Gemini made no effort to take the document but eyed it as if it were a snake about to uncoil and sink its fangs into her. Her mouth had gone dry. ‘Tell me what it is first…’

Drakon drew in a sharp breath before answering her. ‘It was locked away in the safe at Bartholomew House, and it is the last will and testament of Miles Gifford Bartholomew, signed and witnessed by two members of his household staff two weeks before his death. In it he bequeaths an apartment in Paris and a villa in Spain, plus a yearly sum for the rest of her life, to his wife, Angela Gail Bartholomew, and Bartholomew House, plus the remainder of his estate, to his only daughter—namely Gemini Bartholomew.’

All the colour bleached from her cheeks, and a loud buzzing noise sounded in her head. The room began to dip and sway, before—thankfully—complete darkness descended.

Gemini didn’t believe she had ever fainted in her life before, but as she roused herself groggily, and found herself lying on the sofa in her sitting room, Drakon crouched beside her, a concerned expression on his face, she knew that was exactly what had happened.

Because Drakon had told her of the existence of a more recent will than the one which had previously been presented by her father’s lawyers…

Gemini blinked up at him. ‘Is it really true? There was a newer will all the time?’ She pushed the hair back from her face as he helped her to sit up.

‘There was a newer will,’ Drakon confirmed as he straightened, his hands clasped tightly behind his back in an effort to contain the rage he felt towards Angela Bartholomew. A rage which had been steadily growing

since learning the truth from Max during the other man’s telephone call to him late the previous evening. ‘A legal will which, for obvious reasons, your stepmother decided it was in her best interests to repress,’ he added harshly.

Gemini looked up at him with tear-wet eyes. ‘Daddy kept his promise after all…’

Drakon’s hands tightened painfully. ‘Yes, he did.’

Those tears overflowed to fall softly down the paleness of her cheeks. ‘Bartholomew House is really mine?’

‘Yes.’

‘That’s—I can’t tell you how—Oh!’ She raised startled sea-green eyes. ‘But that must also mean, if Angela is no longer the legal owner of Bartholomew House, that the contract Lyonedes Enterprises has with her to buy the house and land is no longer valid?’

Drakon’s smile was humourless. ‘No, it is not.’

Gemini caught her bottom lip between her teeth. ‘I’m so sorry, Drakon.’

‘You’re sorry?’ he exploded incredulously. ‘That woman attempted to deny you your true heritage, that which is legally and morally yours, taking great delight in doing so, and you are apologising to me? Unbelievable!’

‘Not just a canny lass but a generous-hearted one too,’ Max murmured admiringly from where he still stood beside the window.

‘A woman like no other,’ Drakon acknowledged huskily as he turned to look at the other man. A wealth of understanding passed between them in that single brief glance. ‘This is a time for rejoicing in your good fortune, Gemini.’ Drakon turned back to her. ‘Not a time for you to concern yourself with any legal ramifications for Lyonedes Enterprises.’

A frown appeared on the creaminess of her brow. ‘But how could you possibly have known where the will was?’

‘You can thank Max for that,’ Drakon said. ‘I merely voiced my suspicions. He was the one who made discreet enquiries of some of your father’s present and ex-employees.’

‘I struck gold with a young woman—Jackie—who was your father’s personal assistant and stayed on for several months to assist your stepmother after he died,’ Max said dourly. ‘She doesn’t work for Mrs Bartholomew any longer, but once I explained who I was, and the reason for my interest in the possibility of a newer will, she was only too happy to supply the combination number to the safe in your father’s study. I gather she has her own reasons for disliking your stepmother.’

Gemini grimaced. ‘I believe Angela’s way of thanking Jackie for her assistance was to have an affair with her fiancé only weeks after my father died.’

‘That would do it,’ Max agreed.

‘But is this will still legal if it was…obtained in the way it was?’ she asked.

‘It is most certainly legal.’ Drakon nodded firmly. ‘And I don’t think Angela Bartholomew would care to go to the authorities with accusations of theft when to do so would mean she would have to explain why she did not admit to knowing of the existence of this will months ago.’

‘I wonder why she didn’t simply burn it?’ Gemini mused.