Free Untrue Colors (Entangled Select Suspense) by Veronica Forand Page A

victims of domestic violence and their families. Right now, we have an after-school program and a small house in Ripon proper that houses only three families. In fact, there’s no room for you to stay right now, but you can remain here in the manor until you have a plan to move on. Ultimately, I’d like to use the ten bedrooms in the east wing to create a temporary place for the most needy women to raise their children in a safe and pleasant location.”
    “Battered women and their children?” she repeated.
    “Exactly.”
    The fear he’d seen reflected in her eyes since the moment he saw her at his party faded, as though she’d always worn a bright countenance.
    “It’s a wonderful idea. Imagine how a child who wears hand-me-down clothes year after year will feel being served in that gorgeous dining room and running through the hedge maze.” She glowed with a radiance that drew him like a moth to a bug zapper. “You’ll need a zip line.”
    “A zip line?”
    “Absolutely. And a climbing wall. Maybe some horses. That’s the kind of home I’d have wanted to be raised in.”
    A hint into her past? Raised by a single mother or maybe in a foster family? Whatever her past circumstances, she’d obtained a top-notch education. Despite her penchant for tattoos and unnatural hair color, she carried herself well.
    Henry frowned. “Back to the original problem. It remains a dream unless I find the painting.”
    Her expression darkened. “Henry, you have no idea what you’re getting into. You could end up losing your life. No painting is worth that.”
    “I’ll never find it if I don’t try. I’d give everything I own to help these families.”
    “If people find out what you’re doing, they’ll kill you.”
    He thought about her comment for a minute. “What if I stay in disguise? I’ll be an art buyer looking for a large portrait.” It was brilliant. He could remain safe and help the Ripon Women’s Group.
    “ You? ” She seemed indignant.
    Obviously, she didn’t understand the depth of his learning. “I’m not a novice. I’ve studied art history and have purchased antiques for both houses.” Rising to his full height, a good foot above her, he looked down at the pint-sized genius with his most professorial stare.
    “Here’s a simple question, then. What is the main difference between two of the most popular artists from the Impressionist period, Manet and Monet?” She crossed her arms and held his gaze without a flicker of nerves.
    “Simple. Monet painted mostly landscapes, while Manet created many war scenes.”
    She shook her head. “Monet painted primarily outdoors and the lighting in his work reflects this, while most of Manet’s paintings were created in a studio.”
    “Who the bloody hell will be asking me that sort of thing?”
    “Someone like me.”

    They enjoyed the rest of the afternoon together. When they returned to the house, Henry removed himself to his study, and Gabe ventured off to explore more of the gardens. Before he had a chance to sit at his desk, Simon called looking for more information on her. Henry refused to interrogate her. She was beginning to trust him, and he’d already assured her she’d be safe with him.
    After putting off Simon, he pulled up a spreadsheet on his laptop, showing the finances of the Ripon Women’s Group. They needed him, and he needed the painting. The painting, through some strange yet miraculous maneuvering by his mother’s solicitor, belonged to him and not the family trust. The rest of his assets were tied up for the benefit of future Chiltons.
    A multimillionaire on paper, he couldn’t fix a broken water heater at the castle without begging Mr. Martin Baum, the trustee of the Chilton Family Trust, for the funds. Even then, Martin took sadistic pleasure in dangling the carrot just out of reach ever since Henry’s refusal to marry Martin’s vexatious sister Hazel. With the family trust money more fiercely guarded than the Crown Jewels,