Free Truly I do by Katherine West

whirl. She had always felt herself to be pretty privileged,
what with her parents lovely home in Surrey and her own good
education and trained appreciation of the fine arts. But, she had
never in her life dreamed about the kind of fabulous wealth that
Russell was now implying. He'd said he'd inherited - but why hadn't
he hinted at the magnitude of his inheritance before? Why had he
kept her in the dark over the real reason for his trip? As her
thoughts cleared it dawned on Julie-Anne that Russell didn't just
want her around to amuse a few of his old historian friends with
idle chit-chat at the dinner table, he must be hoping that she
would give him professional information about some real fine arts?
Maybe he was expecting her to advise him on art-works for his new
property? He might even expect her to appraise items that were
already fixtures of his new place? What a nerve!
    Indignance
rose up to close Julie-Anne's throat, making it hard for her to
breath. Her hand flew up to clasp over her mouth as she stared
wildly at Russell. 'What a damned cheek!', she thought, expecting
me to be lulled into giving him a free advisory service in exchange
for nothing more than a kiss and a bit of emotional teasing.
    She wanted to
jump up and run away from this emotional blackmailer, but a
sensible upbringing forced Julie-Anne to avoid making a scene in
the public restaurant so she just sat there, shaking, staring at
Russell, waiting to see what he would say next.
    "I can see
I've shocked you Julie-Anne." His voice was deep and quiet,
resonating from the depths of his muscular chest. He leaned forward
toward her. "I wanted to get a few more of the legalities of the
purchase settled and then introduce you to the place. Y'know? I
wanted to take you around the place as soon as I know for certain
that the deal is sealed. That's why I didn't mention it before,
silly I guess." He looked humble and sheepish.
    Julie-Anne
swallowed hard, "So tell me - why do you want to introduce me to
the place at all?" She challenged harshly.
    Confusion
washed over Russell's expression, "I'm sorry, I'm not sure why you
seem so angry? Julie-Anne I just wanted to share this with you, I
thought it would . . . well, would cheer you up. I also thought . .
. " his voice trailed off, he looked down solemnly at his plate of
congealing food, avoiding her eyes.
    This time
Julie-Anne leaned forward to make sure she held his attention as
she hissed across the table. "If you think you can take advantage
of me to get a free appraisal service on fine arts and good taste
while you splash you new millions around you've got another think
coming!" Her voice was rasping and harsh. She continued to express
her thoughts through clenched teeth, "I don't know what your mean
little game is mister, but I simply cannot allow you to use me in
this way. If you want some expert to come and add to the fabulous
value of your new acquisitions then I'm afraid you'll just have
hire one." Slowly she had stood up and was leaning over him with
her hands on the table to steady herself. "My fee", she snarled,
"is much more than a kiss and a bunch of flowers. I've just lost my
husband - all right! I confessed to you that he and I weren't
really in love - but my vulnerable state is no excuse for a user
like you to come and prey on me in this fashion. I won't be hanging
around to be dumped like an unwanted pet at Christmas after you've
just used me for your personal gain at your convenience."
    Shaking, she
dropped her serviette on the table beside her plate of half eaten
food and back away. "I'll be calling a taxi and catching the train
home in the morning." For a moment she could not help but see the
pleading expression in Russell's startled face, but she was
determined to get away before he did or said anything that would
prey on her to resign herself to just satisfying his whims and
wishes as she had always done for other people in the past.
    Julie-Anne
crept up the stairs to her little bedroom. Here, a