Kathryn Taylor - The Scandalous Heiress

A relief that was shortlived once the rest of the Hawthorne clan descended on the dining room.

Mikki nervously twisted the napkin in her lap. A cold supper took on a whole new meaning. The verbal barbs moved around the table faster than the main course. Most were directed at her, coated in syrupy sweetness meant to sound like polite conversation. William and Joseph, flanking her like a pair of granite book ends, launched a subtle attack of patronizing questions apparently trying to trap her into revealing something incriminating.

Through all the carryings on, her glance kept returning to the patriarch at the head of the table. She searched for similarities between them, and she suspected he was doing the same. He hadn’t stopped staring at her since their introduction. His drawn face lifted in a smile from time to time. She wondered how Richard Hawthorne would be affected if this did turn out to be some elaborate hoax perpetrated by her stepfather.

“So, Mikki... May I call you Mikki?” Joseph’s arrogant grin mocked her.

“Sure, Joey. May I call you Joey?”

William snickered. “Charming, Clayton. Wherever did you find her?”

“In New York,” Clayton replied drily.

“The least you could have done is dressed her up a little better before you passed her off on Uncle Richard.”

“That’s enough, William!” Richard’s rigid tone silenced the room.

Conscious of her simple clothing in the presence of all the designer suits surrounding her, Mikki squirmed in her seat.

“Forgive me, Uncle. I just can’t stand to see another hustler building up your hopes. After all this family has given him, I’m surprised that Clayton would be a party to it,” William said.

Mikki shot a sideways glance toward Clayton. Despite an almost surreal control, his gray eyes sparked with fury. The undercurrent of tension was so thick it could be cut with a knife.

“Michelle is our guest,” Richard said. “Show her respect.”

Mikki checked her watch. How much longer would this dinner take? Certainly Clayton didn’t expect her to spend the night in this house. She’d never thought to ask.

The conversation changed to business, giving her a moment of reprieve and putting Clayton on the receiving end for a while. William and Joseph wore their resentment of Clayton like a banner. The only ray of light was Alicia.

Clayton staunchly defended any hint of a nasty comment directed toward his aunt. Despite their bitterness, the brothers seemed to fear their stepcousin. Unfortunately, that left her as the target for their mudslinging once again.

“So, Mikki. I understand you’re a waitress in a diner. That can’t pay very much.” Joseph’s cool politeness masked an accusation.

“It pays the bills.”

“But not on a house like this, I’d wager,” William chimed in.

“I wouldn’t know. Would you?”

Apparently she’d struck a nerve. William’s face darkened. He finished his glass of wine and rose unsteadily. “I’ve had enough of this penniless street urchin.”

“Shut up,” Clayton growled through clenched teeth.

“No. If she’s Meg, I’m the king of England.”

“There is no king of England,” Mikki said.

“And Megan Hawthorne is dead. Why won’t you all just accept that?” William yelled.

Richard, shaking slightly, dropped his fork on his plate. “No. I won’t accept that.”

“If you’re so sure, Uncle, then she shouldn’t object to a blood test.”

Mikki swallowed hard. “Excuse me?”

“A DNA test.” William cocked his eyebrow. “Is there some reason you wouldn’t consent to one?”

Although the request shouldn’t have been unexpected, a wave of anger washed over her. She tossed her napkin on the table and sprung to her feet. “With all due respect to you and your wife, Mr. Hawthorne, I don’t care to know if I am related to this family.”

She turned and walked from the table with all the dignity she could muster. Behind her, the raised voices jumbled together, fading into oblivion as she sprinted out the front door.

Clayton pushed back his chair from the table. “Nice going. Now we’ll have to drag this out even longer.”

“Oh, what’s the difference?” Joseph snapped. “It’s not as if she could actually be Meg.”

“Do you know something the rest of us don’t?”

Joseph looked as if he was about to say something, then shrugged instead. “No.”

“I thought not.” Clayton nodded an apology to his aunt and Richard, then went after Mikki.

By the time he stepped outside, Mikki was halfway to the main road. He thought she had left the table to make a point, but apparently she had no intention of returning. The crazy woman. She didn’t even have her purse. Where did she plan to go?

He started on foot, then decided to take the car. She had removed her shoes to run at a steady pace. His luck with women had been consistent lately, he thought humorlessly. It seemed they couldn’t get away fast enough. Although, Mikki was the first to run out in the middle of dinner.

As he pulled the Lexus onto the road, he saw her turn the corner. Great! Old Mrs. Westbrook was getting the show of her life. He ignored the nosy woman and pulled alongside Mikki.

“Get in,” he called out the window.

“Get lost,” she snapped, and continued to walk at a brisk pace.

“Don’t make me put you in the car by force.”

“You and what army?”

“Please, Mikki. The neighbors are watching.”

She stopped and folded her arms across her chest. “I want my return ticket, and I want to go to the airport.”

“The flight isn’t until tomorrow.”

“I’ll sleep in an airport chair.” She didn’t appear to be open to negotiation.

“All right. Get in.”

She opened the door and flopped into the seat with a deep sigh. He pushed the electronic lock and proceeded down the road. After ten minutes of stony silence, she turned toward him. “This isn’t the way to the airport.”

“I know.”

“Stop this car. Now!”

He clasped his hand around her wrist to keep her from grabbing the wheel. “Just relax.”

Eyes as dark as midnight glared murderously at him. “You lied.”

“I said I would take you to the airport, and I will. Tomorrow.”

“This is kidnapping.”

“There’s a phone in the glove compartment. Call the police.”

“I can’t. You’re holding my hand.”

He released his grip. What was he doing? He had never taken a woman to his house before, let alone lie, threaten and kidnap one to get her there. Was he having his midlife crisis early? She inspired him to do things so out of character, he didn’t recognize himself.

With a moan of displeasure, she settled into the bucket seat and rested her head against the window. Her fingers clenched into tight fists. Could he blame her for being furious?

The Hawthorne brothers had behaved true to form throughout dinner. Only Mikki failed to react as expected. How could he bring up the subject of a blood test now? He would consider himself lucky if she consented to meet with Richard again before returning to New York.

“Are you hungry?” he asked.

Silence.

“You didn’t eat much at dinner.”

Silence and a vicious scowl.

“Was it the food or the company?”

Her answer was a most unladylike gesture and one he probably deserved.

“I’m sorry,” he said.

“You knew that would happen.” Her gaze held his in accusation.

He looked away and shrugged ruefully. “I had an idea it might.”

“But my feelings didn’t matter, did they?”

“That’s not true. I didn’t think you would care.” She recoiled. He was sinking deeper with each word. “I mean...”

“I know what you mean, Clayton.” She uttered his name with distaste. “A penniless street urchin like me would put up with anything to get her hands on a chunk of the Hawthorne fortune.”