Chapter Two #2
“Oh–ho, Margie! What wonderful news!” He quickly took her hands and them a light squeeze in congratulations.
The sensation sent a shiver across Margaret’s skin, as if he’d just passed a spider into her grasp.
“I’m almost grateful for the mail carrier’s mistake.
This news is far better to hear in person!
Oh, my favorite cousin, soon to be wed! The thought of a man being back in your life brings me much comfort. ”
Margaret offered Nathaniel an approximation of a smile.
“I’m so glad I could bring you comfort with my announcement, Nathaniel.
” She allowed her hand to be held for a moment longer before pulling away, disguising the act as a desire to tuck a strand of invisible hair behind her ear.
“So, as you can see, there is no need for you to inconvenience yourself. Though my signature holds no weight at the moment, plans are already in motion to remedy that.”
“With your marriage,” Nathaniel emphasized.
Margaret’s smile strained.
“With…my marriage.” It was as if he were testing her, probing to see if she had truly meant what she said. Saying it once could have been brushed off as a slip of the tongue, but saying it twice sealed her own fate. She was to be married; there was no going back on her word now.
“Well, I can see now why you’re so eager to get your work done!” Nathaniel laughed. “I admit, I felt as if you were trying to push me out as quickly as possible, but I can’t imagine how much you’ve got on your schedule, what with a wedding to plan.”
Margaret nodded stiffly. “I’m so glad you understand my position.”
“I do, indeed.”
Nathaniel’s smile glimmered with that edge Margaret had seen earlier, just for a second.
His words now came off as an obvious threat.
An insinuation that Nathaniel wasn’t ready to drop the topic just yet.
But, at least for now, societal norms forced his hand, and with a polite nod and wave, Margaret watched her cousin head out of her office.
“Oh!” He paused, standing just beneath the door’s frame with a grin an turned back to Margaret.
“If it’s not too much of an inconvenience, I would love to meet the man who wooed my favorite cousin.
Shall we all meet for dinner tomorrow, at your home?
I admit, the journey here has made me miss the taste of a home-cooked meal quite fiercely. ”
Margaret’s lip twitched, nearly succeeding at pulling into a grimace. “Of course. I eagerly await your visit, Nathaniel.”
“As do I, Margie.”
He closed the door with a loud clatter, causing nearby shelves to wobble slightly. A framed portrait of Margaret’s father nearly fell off its nail, and she practically threw herself over her desk to catch it, grumbling an uncharacteristic swear under her breath.
“That egocentric pig,” Margaret snarled. “Inviting himself to my home, sauntering into my office unannounced? And acting as if he has immediate rights to the details of my life!”
She inhaled slowly, her hands trembling around her father’s painting. Margaret stared at the brushwork intently, tracing the lines of his face before settling her gaze on his eyes. They were just as dark as hers, though the artist had perfectly caught the passion that had burned in them.
“Like coals raked over a fire,” Margaret mumbled to herself.
She carefully hung the portrait back on the wall, then immediately turned on her heel and made her way to her filing cabinet. After pulling out a few files, Margaret spread them out along her desk, pacing slowly as she flipped through various employee records.
“Mmm…William Smith is far too old to reason with.” She set that record down and picked up another.
“Jake Marshall wouldn’t be a terrible choice if he weren’t already married.
” She groaned, skimming through a few more files as her hope began to dwindle.
‘None of the desk workers would have enough spine to stand up to Nathaniel, and I can barely trust half of my surveyors to respect my autonomy.’
Briefly, she shuddered at the thought of being trapped in some wild man’s bedroom.
Then, her hand brushed against one open file in particular, and Margaret found her attention fixed on the familiar photo of Mr. Boone.
She plucked the picture free, scrutinizing the strength of his jaw, the uninterested glare of his eyes.
While certainly not as put-together as a city-born gentleman, there was a rugged charm about him that Margaret had never noticed before.
“Nathaniel would certainly have a difficult time exerting his will over Mr. Boone,” Margaret muttered. “He’s proven time and again to have something of a spine.
And, more importantly, he already respected Margaret as an employer. If she were lucky, that respect would follow over into their arrangement as well.
Even so, she found herself hesitating to fully commit to the idea. Her thumb and forefinger rubbed anxiously across the picture as a familiar irritation rose back up from her chest.
“He’s a ridiculous man, though. He’ll likely fight me every step of the way. And he’s certain to ask for something in return... What if that request is completely unreasonable?”
'And, if it were unreasonable, would he simply turn around and tell everyone in town about my attempt at a false marriage?’
That in itself was worse than any request she could imagine. But her options were far too limited to catastrophize every single step of her plan, so Margaret just shook her head. ‘There’s going to be some risk involved, no matter what I decide to do.’
She gave Mr. Boone’s picture another once-over, letting out a resigned sigh before slipping it back into his file.
“He truly is my only option,” she tried to convince herself out loud, moving toward her office door with notable urgency.
If she was lucky, a secretary could catch him before he left the city limits.
It would be best if they met today. They would need as much time as they could get before tomorrow’s dinner.
Margaret sighed, pinching the bridge of her nose as she mentally prepared for what was to come.
Part of her hoped Mr. Boone had already left, that she had simply dreamed up her encounter with her despicable cousin.
Alas, Margaret knew that she was wide awake, and that she’d better hope Mr. Boone hadn’t left yet if she was to have any chance at thwarting her cousin’s intentions.
“Time stops for no one,” she reminded herself, and with a twist of the door’s knob, Margaret set out to track down one of her secretaries.