Free Mystique by Ann Cristy

chin. "Don't be afraid."
    Gradually, feeling warm in Luc's embrace,
she grew calm. She turned her head to study the dog, who was lying on the
floor, his head between his paws, whining softly. Misty gave a weak laugh.
"He thinks I'm crazy, doesn't he?"
    "I think he's worried about you. I
found him on a country road when he was just a pup. He's been with me ever
since. He's gentle and very intelligent."
    "Yes," Misty agreed, though she
still wasn't sure of the animal.
    "I'll send him into the
kitchen."
    "Should I introduce myself?"
She gasped at her own boldness, afraid yet wanting to rid herself of the fear.
    "It might help," Luc agreed.
"I'll hold you. Don't worry. Bruno, come." The Doberman rose in one
fluid motion and stepped toward them, stopping inches away from Misty. She
closed her eyes. Fear turned her legs to jelly. "Open your eyes, darling,
and say hello," Luc whispered.
    She opened one eye. "Hello,
Bruno."
    The dog wagged his stub of a tail.
    "That's enough for the first lesson,
I think." Luc ordered the dog to the kitchen and led her into a huge room
with a fireplace and walls paneled in hand-carved oak. "Sit here."
Luc gestured toward a couch that matched the green in the Persian carpet. He
sank down near her feet and put a lit match to the kindling in the fireplace,
then turned and handed her the papers he'd shown her in the garage.
"Here's what I want you to read."
    Misty tried to smile. "Why don't you
just tell me what they say."
    He rose from the floor to sit close
beside her. "All right." He put the papers in his lap, lifting the
first one. "This is my bank statement certified by my board of directors
and accountants. With it is a list of my tangible assets and liabilities. I'm a
rich man, Mystique."
    "That has nothing to do with
me," she said in a faint voice, staring from the papers to his face and
back again.
    "Shhh. You mustn't interrupt me.
There, you can peruse my financial statements at your leisure, and of course
you are free to ask further questions and get any additional proof you might
want."
    "Proof?" she repeated.
    He lifted the second paper. "This is
a statement from my personal physician with a copy of all tests that I've had
in the last three years. I'm very healthy and, as you specified, free of disease."
    "Lord..." Misty groaned.
    "Shhh. You can look at all the
X-rays and tests I've had, and of course you can question my doctor."
    She shook her head, unable to say
anything. A terrible dread had settled over her. She could almost guess what
was coming next.
    "This last paper is our marriage
license, which is valid as of today. Since I see no reason to wait, I've
arranged for us to be married tomorrow afternoon, upstate in the town of Hudson. I managed to get your blood test waived, so we're all set."
    Misty sagged against the back of the
couch, staring in shocked speechlessness at the man beside her.
     
    CHAPTER FOUR
    Misty surged to her feet.
"I have to go home." If need be, she'd run to Alaska to get away from
Luc Harrison.
    "You're tired, darling. Why don't you
sleep here tonight? Then we'll have a leisurely drive up to Hudson
tomorrow." He stood up, clasping her lightly to his side.
    "I can't marry you," Misty said
with a gasp.
    From Luc's expression she could tell he
felt affronted. "I won't accept that," he said firmly. "I
fulfilled all your specifications. There is no insanity in the family—well, no
overt insanity. I have a few strange relatives, but what family doesn't?"
    "You don't know me," Misty
protested.
    "I do know you. The day I first saw
you playing the piano in the Edwardian Room I hired a private investigator to
learn all about you."
    "You what!" She was shocked.
"Checking to see if I was a social pariah, I suppose," she said with
deadly sarcasm.
    "No. Checking to see if you had a
husband I would have to take care of."
    "What would you have done? Bought
him off? Killed him?"
     
    "Yes," Luc said promptly.
    Misty stared at him. Her mouth had gone
dry. "I won't marry anybody