Free Anne Mather by Sanja

see,' he remarked slowly. 'Doesn't money appeal to you at all?'
    'Don't be ridiculous, of course it does,' she replied swiftly. 'I'd be a fool to say otherwise. No one wants to be poor. All I'm trying to say is that money alone does not interest me one iota. When I read about girls, teenage girls, marrying men of seventy or more, it appals me. If you imagine I think of you like that you must be mad.' She shivered. 'I could no more let a man like that touch me than. . .' Her voice trailed away.
    Adam looked slightly less disbelieving, but not entirely convinced. 'I do believe you think you're serious,' he murmured, in a half-amused tone.
    'I am serious,' she said angrily. 'But you're probably too biased to understand it.'
    'Maybe I am,' admitted Adam slowly, staring at her. Then with a shrug he said: 'I meant to tell you earlier, I'm afraid I have to go away again on Monday. Something just cropped up.'
    Caroline's legs felt suddenly weak. She didn't want him to go away; perhaps forget all about her!
    'How long are you going to be away?' she asked, in a forcedly calm voice.
    'Well, I'm not precisely sure, but I guess about five days. I'm flying to New York on Monday morning and I hope to be able to go on to Boston on Wednesday. My mother lives in Boston.'
    'Your mother!' Caroline was aghast. She had naturally assumed somehow that his mother was dead. He had never mentioned her before, although actually, apart from today, he had never talked about himself.
    'Sure. Didn't you think I had one?' he asked with a smile.
    'Well, yes. I just assumed she was dead, somehow.'
    'My father died when I was quite a boy,' he remarked, 'but my mother came originally from Ireland and as all her relatives are now living in the States she preferred to be there rather than here, where she never sees me anyway.'
    'I see.' Caroline sighed. She had learned such a lot about him today, and there was so much more she wanted to know!
    'Will you miss me, then?' he asked teasingly.
    'Of course,' she replied, keeping her voice light. 'Who'll help me out when I'm late at the office?'
    Adam smiled. 'Would you like me to leave instructions that you can keep what hours you like?'
    Caroline flushed. 'Oh, no, I was only joking,' she exclaimed. 'How I envy you! I'd love to be able to say, I'm flying to the States, just like that.'
    Adams eyes narrowed. 'Come with me,' he said coolly.
    Caroline's expression mirrored her astonishment. Then with a frown she said: 'Don't make jokes like that, please, Adam.'
    'Who's joking?' he retorted. 'I'll make the arrangements if you want to come with me.'
    'If!' Carolines stomach plunged. How she would adore to do just that. But she knew she couldn't. It wasn't that simple, even if she was prepared to be so daring. After all, there was Aunt Agnes, Amanda. . . It was entirely unrealistic to even consider such a thing.
    'No,' she said at last. 'You knew I'd refuse, didn't you?'
    'I guess so,' he said with a sigh, and then there was a knock on the door.
    Mrs Jones came in at Adam's call.
    'I've just taken supper in to John,' she said, with an apologetic glance, 'and when he asked whether you were back, I had to tell him you hadn't gone. He told me to ask you why you don't join them in the lounge.'
    'That's all right, Mrs Jones,' said Adam easily. 'But you tell John that we're quite happy where we are and that we'll see them both in the morning. Right?'
    'Yes sir,' Mrs Jones nodded. 'And would you both like some supper, sir? I've a Scotch broth bubbling on the stove just waiting for you to try some, with maybe a roll of French bread.'
    'Quite cosmopolitan,' grinned Adam. 'All right, Mrs Jones, you've convinced us. Bring it in.'
    The broth was delicious and afterwards they had creamy coffee made with freshly whipped cream. When they had finished and Mrs Jones came to take the tray, Adam said:
    'Did you make up the rose room as I asked you, Mrs Jones?'
    'Yes, sir. Just as you said. Miss Landon is in the blue suite.'
    'That's right.