Judi Lind - Veil Of Fear

www.millsandboon.co.uk

With love and affection for the Thursday Group who always challenge me while bolstering my confidence.

Te adoro.

Mary Wilder—Could she save herself from her stalker—without falling prey to her own emotions?

Trace Armstrong—He was Mary’s bodyguard. But who was going to protect Mary from Trace?

Jonathan Regent—Mary’s rich, powerful fiancé. He wanted Mary all to himself.

Bob Newland—He thought the upcoming nuptials were a bad idea. A very bad idea.

Camille Castnor—Camille was determined to stop the marriage of her former lover to his young fiancée. At any cost.

Senator Brad Castnor—His wife’s obsession with Jonathan Regent threatened his political career. Would he destroy Mary to save his career and his wife?

Mark Lester—A deeply disturbed man, he would go to any extreme to avenge his wounded pride.

Madame Guillarge—The flamboyant woman’s French accent was an obvious fraud. What else was she hiding?

The Man in the Purple Cap—A shadowy figure who was always around when trouble started.

Prologue Prologue It was only by chance that the reader even picked up the D.C. Diplomat newspaper. But there, on the society page, the boldfaced caption read: HOTEL MAGNATE JONATHAN REGENT ANNOUNCES ENGAGEMENT . The reader sank into a chair and pored over the small print. Little was said about the bride-to-be, only that prior to her engagement she’d been a clerk at a rare-books store in Georgetown. There was no shortage of information, however, on the prospective groom. Jonathan Regent was well known in Washington society. A self-made multimillionaire who’d gone from manager of a small inn to CEO of the huge conglomerate Regent Hotels International in just under twenty years. Jonathan, apparently bored with adding more money to his already burgeoning coffers, had recently taken to dabbling in local politics. The newspaper article hinted that Jonathan was expected to enter the congressional race for the small northern Virginia suburb where he resided. The insinuation was that every budding politician needed a wife. Hence the engagement. But was it a politically correct decision to ally himself to a nobody little shop clerk? The person reading the article held it up, scanning the accompanying photograph of the smiling couple. Mary Wilder, the bride-to-be, appeared considerably younger than her fiancé. She had shoulder-length blondish hair, wide dark eyes, and a disarming smile. Not a classically beautiful woman, but she was imbued with a sweet expression evident even in the fuzzy newspaper photo. Yes, the reader thought, Mary Wilder had a vulnerable prettiness that would appeal to any man. But the image of the woman’s guileless eyes staring into the camera like those of a frightened doe suddenly made one thing clear: she wasn’t the right wife for Jonathan Regent. He needed a woman with a boldness of character who could withstand even the most strident opponent. A society matron beyond reproach. A social hostess who could dine with sharks and not sustain a nibble. Mary Wilder was too innocent, too naive. She would be eaten alive by those power-hungry congressional wives. The reader took a pair of large shears from the desk drawer and neatly cut out the photograph. No, Miss Mary Wilder wouldn’t do at all. She was a mistake, but one that could be eliminated.

Chapter One

Chapter Two

Chapter Three

Chapter Four

Chapter Five

Chapter Six

Chapter Seven

Chapter Eight

Chapter Nine

Chapter Ten

Chapter Eleven

Chapter Twelve

Chapter Thirteen

Chapter Fourteen

Chapter Fifteen

Chapter Sixteen

It was only by chance that the reader even picked up the D.C. Diplomat newspaper. But there, on the society page, the boldfaced caption read: HOTEL MAGNATE JONATHAN REGENT ANNOUNCES ENGAGEMENT .

The reader sank into a chair and pored over the small print. Little was said about the bride-to-be, only that prior to her engagement she’d been a clerk at a rare-books store in Georgetown. There was no shortage of information, however, on the prospective groom. Jonathan Regent was well known in Washington society. A self-made multimillionaire who’d gone from manager of a small inn to CEO of the huge conglomerate Regent Hotels International in just under twenty years.

Jonathan, apparently bored with adding more money to his already burgeoning coffers, had recently taken to dabbling in local politics. The newspaper article hinted that Jonathan was expected to enter the congressional race for the small northern Virginia suburb where he resided.

The insinuation was that every budding politician needed a wife. Hence the engagement.

But was it a politically correct decision to ally himself to a nobody little shop clerk?

The person reading the article held it up, scanning the accompanying photograph of the smiling couple.

Mary Wilder, the bride-to-be, appeared considerably younger than her fiancé. She had shoulder-length blondish hair, wide dark eyes, and a disarming smile. Not a classically beautiful woman, but she was imbued with a sweet expression evident even in the fuzzy newspaper photo.

Yes, the reader thought, Mary Wilder had a vulnerable prettiness that would appeal to any man.

But the image of the woman’s guileless eyes staring into the camera like those of a frightened doe suddenly made one thing clear: she wasn’t the right wife for Jonathan Regent.

He needed a woman with a boldness of character who could withstand even the most strident opponent. A society matron beyond reproach. A social hostess who could dine with sharks and not sustain a nibble. Mary Wilder was too innocent, too naive. She would be eaten alive by those power-hungry congressional wives.

The reader took a pair of large shears from the desk drawer and neatly cut out the photograph.

No, Miss Mary Wilder wouldn’t do at all. She was a mistake, but one that could be eliminated.

Mary Wilder tapped her fingers on the desk top, barely able to contain her excitement. At last, the somber voice on the other end of the telephone line droned his usual greeting, “Good morning. Mr. Jonathan Regent’s office. Robert Newland at your service. How may I—”

She cut off his practiced patter. “Hi! This is Mary. Is Jonathan available?”

“I’m afraid he’s quite busy at the moment, but I’m sure if it’s important he won’t mind being interrupted.”

“Oh, it’s not that important, Bob.”

“Robert.”

“Sorry. Robert. Anyway, I know Jonathan is used to this kind of publicity, but have you seen the cover of—”

“Of practically every magazine and newspaper in the country, Ms. Wilder? Yes, I have.”

Mary frowned, her enthusiasm deflating with every second she spent talking to Bob— Robert —Newland. Jonathan called him a perfect assistant, but Robert Newland was so...so stuffy he made her want to say something outrageous just to shock him out of his pomposity.

Giving in to that devilish urge, she continued, “Gee, Robert, since Jonathan’s tied up, I’ll chat with you. How many magazines do you suppose—”

“Oh, Ms. Wilder, I see Mr. Regent’s off the phone now. One moment and I’ll connect you.”

A moment later, the deep stentorian tones of Mary’s fiancé boomed over the line. “Mary, darling! You haven’t forgotten about our luncheon date, have you?”