Page 56 of Sadie's Highlander (Highland Protector 1)

The shorter of the pair of men, older with a spattering of gray at his temples, hopped forward and primly bowed. He scooped up Miss Martha’s hand and patted it with excitement. “Ve owe you quite the debt of gratitude,mein fräulein,for convincing Miss Villiams to hear us out.”

“Oh my.” Miss Martha’s free hand fluttered to her chest. “I do love a man with a German accent. Talk some more. Saywiener schnitzelor something.”

The other man stepped forward, holding up a hand as though to stop a charging bull. “Please—I must beg you—do not get the man started. We’ve much to discuss today, and keeping Frederick on topic is much like herding cats.”

“Ignore them,mio caro.” The slender woman dressed all in black, Ophelia’s polar opposite in the light-versus-dark spectrum, gracefully pushed her way around the two men. “Let Antonia guide you. We’ve much exciting news to share and these men confuse things so easily.”

Both men rolled their eyes and took a step back. It was obvious that Italy had the upper hand over England and Germany when it came to these three international representatives.

“I will lead these proceedings.” Ophelia effortlessly took control, leading Sadie and Miss Martha to two of the chairs angled in front of the desk. “Have a seat, ladies. I’m just going to ring for Rebecca and let her know she can bring in refreshments. I’m sure you’d be much more comfortable discussing all our plans with a bit of coffee or tea.”

Sadie just smiled and nodded as she awkwardly lowered herself into the chair. If she drank anything right now, it would probably come right back up.

Miss Martha settled herself into the chair beside her, squirming in the seat like a child needing to visit the restroom. She leaned over and shielded her mouth with one hand. “I could get used to star treatment like this,” she whispered with a soft chuckle.

Behave,Sadie mouthed, glaring at the animated old woman.

Sitting in the line of chairs angled to one side of them, Frederick snorted, covering his mouth too late to stifle his amusement. Graham rolled his eyes and shook his head, crossing his legs and angling his body away from Frederick in the chair beside him.

“Ignore them,” Antonia advised with a flamboyant flip of both hands. “They know theater, but their social graces are usually saved for parties with potential investors.” She turned to Ophelia, who was perched on the corner of her desk, just hanging up the phone. “Ophelia. Our main investors for this particular project. I understood they were to be with us today?”

Ophelia shook a long, slender finger in the air. “Not yet.” She scooted farther up onto the desk, crossed her legs at the ankles, and began idly swinging her feet back and forth. She fixed Sadie with an expectant smile. “First things first. I’m sure you’ll want your lawyer to review our agreement before signing with the DBS Agency, but I sincerely hope we’ll all leave here today with a tentative understanding that you’re to be our newest client and your work will be ours exclusively to place, both now and in the future.”

Lawyer? Crap. How am I going to hire a lawyer?Sadie mentally reviewed the generous stipend the DBS Agency had given her for the weekend. She’d barely spent five hundred of the five thousand dollars. She could use some of that to retain a lawyer. Thank goodness she hadn’t listened to Miss Martha and blown the whole bankroll. She relaxed a little and smiled at Ophelia. “If you’ve got the papers already drawn up, I could look them over while we’re here. I really hate to commit to even a verbal agreement without seeing anything in writing. I’m sure you understand.”Whew! I actually sound like I do this every day.

“Your stories—” Antonia paused, one hand fisted over her heart while she brought the fingers of her other hand to her lips and kissed them with a loud smacking sound. Eyes closed, she released a satisfied sigh. “Such heart. Such pathos.Bellissimo!Opening night and every night thereafter will sell out. A Tony for this script is a certainty!” She opened her eyes and straightened in her chair. “You must sign with Ophelia. We must have your words. Broadway hungers for plays such as these.”

The door to the office opened and Rebecca hurried in, pushing a cart containing two urns, cups and saucers, and a platter of delectable-looking cookies and pastries. As quiet as a whisper and quick as the wind, she flitted about the room, serving everyone either coffee or tea and a small plate of the delicious morsels. “Shall I place the cart over here in case anyone needs more?” she asked Ophelia.

Ophelia smiled and nodded, slowly lifting her cup to her lips. “Yes. Thank you, Rebecca.” She took a sip, centered her cup in the saucer, then carefully placed it on the desk beside her. “And would you be good enough to check and see if all the documents are ready for Miss Williams to review?”

Rebecca paused at the office door, holding it partially ajar. “I just checked. He’s just finished them and wanted me to let you know he’d be happy to bring them in whenever you’re ready.” She opened the door wider and stepped partially through. “And the investor we recommended is here also.”

Ophelia paused, her attention momentarily flicking back to Sadie. Her thoughtful look and faint smile made Sadie want to squirm in her seat. Ophelia shifted her gaze back to Rebecca. “I believe we’re ready. Have them both come in, please.”

For some strange reason, Ophelia’s tone had an ominous ring. Sadie did her best to shake free of the feeling, turning away from the office door to slide her untouched tea and cookies to the low table beside her chair. Her cloth napkin slipped off the edge of the table and fell to the floor.Dammit.Sadie stretched over the arm of her chair to retrieve the napkin. The wicked piece of cloth had dropped just out of her reach. She repositioned herself in the chair and finally snagged it between two fingers. Snatching it up, she firmly plopped it on the table, then settled back in her chair, doing a double take at the two individuals who had just walked into the room.

“Oh. My. God.” Sadie gasped with what little wind hadn’t been squeezed out of her lungs.Oh shit.

Dwyn MacKay was walking toward her, flipping through a thick sheaf of papers and nodding at whatever he was reading on the pages. Behind him, his unwavering stare locked on her, was Alec Danann MacDara, dressed in a suit that made him look as though he’d just stepped out of a fashion magazine.

Sadie froze like a deer caught in the headlights of oncoming traffic. She was trapped. There was no way in hell she could get around them and make it out the door. Hopes and dreams came crashing in, shattering like cheap glass and spinning out of control with the remnants of her splintered heart.

This was all a scam. A wickedly calculated, expensive, elaborate scam to get back at her for what she’d done to them back in Brady. She wanted to scream. Wanted to crawl under Ophelia’s desk and hide.

Even as enraged as she’d seen him on that fateful day, how could Alec go to such lengths to hurt her? She knew he’d been irate as hell—and she hadn’t blamed him. But they’d once meant so much to each other—or so she’d thought. How could he be so vindictive, so cruel in his determination to pay her back for what she’d allowed to happen to Castle Danu and the beloved Heartstone?

“How could you do this?” she forced out in a croaking whisper. She knew he had to loathe her for what she’d done, but this much? Do all this just to set up her hopes and make her look like the fool she already knew she was? “I know you hate me, but how could you do this to me?”

Alec stopped directly in front her, his jaw set as he stared down at her for a long moment, as though relishing the pain that had to be rolling off her in waves. He finally moved, as though pulling himself free of a trance. He looked around at Ophelia, Antonia, Graham, and Frederick. “Leave us. Now.”

Ophelia slid off the desk to her feet and gracefully stood. She held out a staying hand when Antonia, Graham, and Frederick moved to rise from their chairs. “No, Mr. MacDara. We were instructed not to leave Sadie under any circumstances.”

“What the hell is that supposed to mean?” Sadie finally found the ability to speak, but her voice still trembled. And she hated that.Get it together. Just leave and let them all have their good laugh. It’s over and done. Time to move on.Just like had always happened when she was a kid.

Sadie pushed back her chair and slowly rose, forcing herself to appear a hell of a lot calmer than she felt. She scooped up her satchel and slung it over one shoulder. She shrugged at Ophelia and narrowed her eyes at the others in the room. “None of you have to worry about staying here on my account. I’m leaving.” She turned toward the door. “I hope you’ve all enjoyed Alec’s show.”

A strong hand hooked her arm, stopped her in her tracks, and pulled her around. “Ye will stay and hear me out. This is no’ a game. None of it. And we’ll no’ go another day with this damned misunderstanding between the two of us, ye ken?”

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