Marion Lennox: A Millionaire For Molly

‘Good grief. Where do you find this stuff?’

‘I don’t know.’ Her friend gave a theatrical sigh. ‘But the two of you-it all seemed so gorgeous.’

‘Yeah. Me and a millionaire. And now it’s me and a frog.’

That produced a reluctant chuckle. ‘Have you tried kissing Lionel?’

‘Oh, right. Now, if you don’t mind… Go back to Guy, Angie. I do not need this.’

‘Francis.’ Jackson’s voice was clipped and incisive. The only way to deal with his lawyer was clipped and incisive, he thought. Maybe he should find someone else to represent him in Australia-but at least Roger Francis was good at what he did.

‘Mr Baird. How can I help you?’

‘I was wondering whether you’ve been in contact yet with Molly Farr about the money she’s owed.’

‘I have that in hand.’

‘You do?’

‘I think it may work out very well.’ The lawyer sounded sleek and self-satisfied, but then he always sounded sleek and self-satisfied. ‘I found her ex-fiancé was having all sorts of conscience pangs about what he’s done. In fact, he’s preparing to fold his country legal practice and move to Sydney.’

‘Why will that help Molly?’

‘He’s interested in a reconciliation.’

‘You’re kidding!’ Jackson sounded stunned.

‘He’s finding that he’s tired of country practice. He’d like a base in Sydney to start afresh, and if he reconciled with Miss Farr then he’d kill two birds with one stone.’

‘Molly would never buy it.’

‘It might be in Miss Farr’s long-term interests to do just that. After all, the man is a well-qualified lawyer with the potential to earn a great deal more than she could.’

‘You mean you’re advising her to reconcile for…for money?’

‘I’m advising her to do what she thinks best. But the prospect of getting money out of the man by legal means is slim. Married to him-’

‘No!’

‘It is sensible.’

‘No!’

Silence. Then a cautious, ‘What would you like me to tell Miss Farr?’

Jackson was silenced. ‘Nothing,’ he conceded at last. ‘It’s none of my business.’

Another silence. Then, ‘Do what you think best.’ And Jackson slammed down the phone. Hard.

‘Molly?’

‘Michael! I have nothing to say to you.’

‘No, don’t hang up. We need to talk.’

‘What on earth would we have to talk about?’

‘About us.’

‘There’s no us.’

‘There might be. Hell, Molly, I’ve been a fool.’

‘Criminal, more like it. Anything you need to say to me can be said through Roger Francis.’

‘But that’s just it. He suggested we meet.’

‘He did?’

‘Yes. So I thought we could do lunch tomorrow, Molly. I’m paying. No strings attached. Just come and listen to what I have to say.’

‘Give me one reason why I should.’

And he had the answer pat. ‘Because Sam needs a family.’

‘Oh, right.’

‘Honestly, Molly, Roger Francis has spelled out just how much trouble you’re in financially and I’m feeling dreadful about it. I never meant… Well, I never thought it through. And I didn’t realise just how damnably I’d miss you. So I thought-’

‘Hey, it was you who put me in trouble financially.’

‘So I should help you out. And in the meantime…’

‘In the meantime what?’

‘Just come to lunch. Hear me out.’

‘Fine, then. One lunch. And that’s it,’ Molly stated finally.

‘Mr Baird, I’m ringing to let you know everything’s running smoothly. The contract is ready for you to sign next week. Miss Copeland will be at the farm next Saturday, as will Miss Farr, and Miss Farr has the contract in hand.’

‘That’s fine, Francis. And will Sam be there?’

‘Sam?’

‘Molly’s little nephew. Sam. If she’s coming I’d like her to bring him as well.’

‘Oh, right.’ Roger sounded taken aback but amenable. ‘You want me to tell her she’s welcome to bring her nephew?’

‘Yes. I want you to tell her she’s welcome to bring her nephew.’

‘Maybe she could bring her partner as well.’

‘Her partner ?’

‘I believe things are going remarkably well between Miss Farr and her ex-fiancé. I saw him yesterday and he’s very pleased. I suspect there’s no need for legal action down that road at all.’

Jackson thought that through and he didn’t like it. ‘The man cheated her.’

‘He’s more than willing to reimburse her,’ the lawyer said stiffly. ‘I did think that your main aim was to get Miss Farr out of financial trouble.’

‘Yes.’

‘Then I believe I’ve succeeded. Her ex is a sharp-as-nails lawyer and he’ll make a killing in the city. All he needs is a base and a trustworthy background. She’ll provide that.’

‘It’s a sure thing?’

‘She’d be a fool not to accept. And…’ He hesitated. ‘I believe there’s a degree of fondness still there. Your intercession on her behalf may well have given the three of them the chance to form a family.’

‘Fine.’ Just great. So why did he suddenly feel ill? ‘Was there something else?’

‘No, sir. I’ll see you next week, then. Down at the farm.’

‘I wish I could say I was looking forward to it,’ Jackson replied bitterly.

‘Cara?’

‘Jackson?’

‘Cara, this love thing…’

‘Mmm?’

‘Cara, if your Raoul was engaged to be married to another woman-if you thought that engagement might be a disaster-would you just walk away?’

‘Jackson…’

‘What would you do, Cara?’

‘We’re not talking about Diane, here, I hope?’

‘No. We’re not talking about Diane.’

‘Then who are we talking about?’

‘Someone called Molly.’

‘Is she special?’

‘So special I won’t stand in her way-if she’s engaged to someone else and that’s what she wants.’

‘Are you sure she’s engaged to someone else?’

‘Maybe.’

‘But you’ll find out?’

‘Yes.’ He thought it through. ‘I’ll find out. And then I guess it’s up to her.’

‘Oh, Jackson…’

‘Don’t get your hopes up,’ he said bleakly. ‘Because I haven’t.’

‘Angela?’

‘Molly?’

‘Yeah. It’s me. And I’m sorry it’s so late…’

‘Heck, it’s one in the morning, Moll. What’s wrong?’

‘I think you need to come around. And I think you need to bring some more of that ice cream. And Tim Tams. A truckload of Tim Tams.’

‘Um…any particular reason?’

‘Yes. Because I don’t know what the heck is going on and I don’t know what on earth I’m going to do.’

THE farm looked even more splendid than it had three weeks ago. Jackson’s helicopter circled the boundaries to allow him to check every inch of his prospective purchase before landing. It really was the loveliest place on earth. All he had to do was talk Hannah around, sign a contract and it was his.

But why was he buying it?

Because it’s paradise, he thought. But that wasn’t a good enough reason. Not now. Could he use it?

I will, he told himself. I can work from here. With telecommuting and teleconferencing I can spend most of my time here.

Yeah, with Mr and Mrs Gray-and a thousand frogs.

And maybe with Molly.

And that was the crux of the deal, he thought. That was the half-formed desire. He just needed to see…

Hell, he should have more sense.

Isolation was what he did best, he told himself over and over. Had he learned nothing? Nannies and boarding school and distant parents were tools for survival. If he hadn’t distanced himself from emotion-from any emotion-he would have gone under as a kid. His parents’ love had come close to suffocating him and he hadn’t been able to escape.