The Secret Heiress (8 page)

Anna held up her hands. “I didn’t know if the dinner would be more proper.”

He pulled out a chair for her. “Dinner is usually a casserole with bread and wine.”

Anna was at a loss. She was overdressed and couldn’t think of a topic for conversation. Alistair was watching her with a curious look.

“Would you like me to change?”

He smiled and she could feel her heart constrict. “No. You look stunning.”

She would need to be careful. She worked for him and had to remember this was all about investing in the company.

The housekeeper had prepared a delicious roast chicken with root vegetables. She served the plates hot and headed inside.

Alistair poured her a glass of wine. “I created this wine. It can’t be sold in the UK because it includes grapes from Costa Rica.”

“I didn’t realize that there is a restriction on imported wine.”

He took a sip of his wine. “It can be given away. I had a thousand bottles produced. So the idea is to introduce it at the event and then send everyone home with a few bottles.”

“How many people do you intend to invite?”

“About two hundred.”

Anna took a bite of the delicious dinner. She swirled the wine for a moment then took a sip. “I like it. The complex flavor enhances the meal.”

“Have you always enjoyed wine?” Alistair continued eating his meal.

“I’ve taken classes in wine tasting. It seemed important to know how to choose an appropriate wine. But in school and even now in the workplace, many men drink lager.”

He nodded. “I enjoy lager as well but slowly I’ve become a connoisseur of wine.”

She watched him across the table. “Yes. You own microbreweries. Were your grandparents resistant to you getting into a separate business?”

He looked relaxed and approachable tonight. “My grandparents knew I hated to be reined in so they never complained. And it panned out, the business has an insane net worth.”

This Alistair was so much more fascinating. She loved seeing a relaxed side of the hugely popular entrepreneur. “How did you know that you would be successful in the brewery business?”

“I didn’t. I took a chance. When I opened the first microbrewery, my grandparents were nervous. But over time, they relaxed and now will even attend events held there.”

Anna thought about his grandparents and how they must be so proud of him.

He took a swallow of his wine and watched her with a hooded gaze. “There is something I can’t quite work out about you. You were a math prodigy, attended Oxford, accepted a position at Blackly Simonson and even had an article about your early success in
Vanity Fair
. But you walked away and threw yourself into a poorly run start-up. It seems counter-intuitive.”

Anna let a moment go by and then decided to disclose the truth. She hated pretense, so even if it made life difficult, she made an effort to be open and forthcoming with information. “I was living the life others expected of me. I probably would have continued, but something happened and I crossed paths with Frances Casey. After seeing her life, I knew I had to change mine.”

“How did you meet her?” His gazed seared into her.

She wasn’t ready for all the questions that would arise, but she also didn’t want to hide from the truth. “I’m not sure it is relevant and I don’t think you would want to hear the truth.”

“The truth is everything, Anna. Try me.”

The housekeeper came and cleared away their dishes.

The darkness of the night had descended slowly and Alistair got up and lit a few candles. Light also spilled out of the house, but the shadows gave her the courage to tell him what happened.

“There was a man hired recently at Blackly Simonson that I had gone to school with but I hadn’t seen in five years. While we were in college, he had tried to blackmail me over an unfortunate incident. Since that time, there have been other incidents he was involved in and charges filed against him. But he was hired in spite of the charges. I saw how he was given so much respect for his ability to sell investments that I decided I didn’t want to be a part of that world any longer.”

His voice was quiet. “What world are you taking about?”

She tried to keep the bitterness out of her voice. “Basically the financial world in London and elsewhere is testosterone driven, competitive, materialistic and all about sexual conquests.”

He looked perplexed. “This person was someone you had dated?”

She probably shouldn’t have set down the path of truth telling. Now he would ask her all sorts of questions.

He watched as she crumbled into a deep cavern. How could he possibly reverse this conversation? He didn’t need to know the intimate details of her life or the mistakes she had made. He had enough of his own to contend with.

“Anna, I was curious as to why you changed careers. You don’t need to share anything that would upset you. But know that in my thirty years, I’ve seen way too much. Nothing you say would shock or upset me. We all make choices, sometimes bad ones, about drugs, sexual adventures, and other pursuits.”

He watched her nod. Something was wrong. This wasn’t about changing careers.

Alistair took a sip of wine. “Why was this man blackmailing you?”

She gripped herself in a tight hold. “I became an easy target when I started using the Bolles name. People think that it opens doors, grants instant respect and such. But there is a dark side. It allows those who want to take advantage and threaten a young woman to have a certain amount of power.”

He wasn’t following her generalizations, but she looked so powerless and fragile that he didn’t want to push her.

Still, he asked, “Did he have a compromising photograph of you or a story?”

“He drugged me when I was nineteen and had one of his friends take a video while he sexually assaulted me.”

“He raped you?” He kept his voice neutral but anger surged through his body.

“I have no memory of what actually happened. He sent me short video clips that show him undressing me but not an actual rape.”

He leaned forward. “Did you go to the police?”

She shook her head. “Not at first. I went to a clinic then home to see my mother. He was from a powerful family and she didn’t want to file a report.”

“But you eventually went to the police?”

She touched her wine glass. “I hired a private detective to find out more about him. He wanted a large sum of money, but I didn’t tell my mother because she would have paid it.”

He kept his tone light. “Had he done something similar to Frances Casey?”

A few tears slid down her cheeks and she wiped them away. “A year after my incident, he drugged and assaulted her younger sister. The girl didn’t want to press charges, but around that time the private detective put me in touch with Frances.”

“Nothing happened to him?”

Her voice wavered. “Charges were filed by someone else. Frances and I had approached the girl and explained the history. It went to trial, but he is smart, powerful and his family had money and connections. He was acquitted of the charges and his family had him go through an anger management program.”

He was amazed by her strength. She hadn’t allowed herself to use money to buy her way out of the problem. She had been young to deal with the issue all by herself. “Has he approached you recently?”

She shook her head. “No. I saw him at Blackly Simonson, but he pretended not to know me. He has the video somewhere. I’ve paid private detectives to look for it, but he is too smart for that.”

He reached out and placed his hand over hers. “What do you intend to do?”

She sat back. “Nothing. I spent five years trying to seek revenge, but in the end it was just hurting me.”

A few moments of silence passed between them.

Anna continued, “He has done this a dozen times. It’s how he acquires large sums of money for his other pursuits. The women victimized were all young, from wealthy families, and didn’t want to face an embarrassing scandal.”

“How is Frances Casey’s sister doing?”

She held his gaze. “She joined the Peace Corps and is in India for two years.”

Anna was so much more complicated than he expected. “I’m sorry this happened to you. But you were brave to face it and not pay him.”

She wiped away a few more tears and stood up. “It’s hard to talk about it. It was a very painful time. My father had died and I was completely alone.”

He stood up and stepped forward, gathering her in his arms. She stiffened slightly and he let her go.

“I wish I could offer you words of comfort. It was more than an unfortunate experience, it was hideous. But it is behind you and you are moving forward.”

She nodded. “Goodnight, Alistair.”

He watched her leave the terrace. She was sensitive and strong at the same time. Now he understood why she had chosen a different path. The fighter in him would not let this go. He would destroy the man. Not in an obvious way but would make sure he lost his job and would face a few consequences.

He’d thought she had an easy life being a Bolles prodigy. But she was surprising him at each turn. She hadn’t become bitter or destroyed by the incident; instead it had made her stronger. She had hired a private detective to help find the evidence and he guessed to prevent the man from doing something similar to other young women. She had taken a risk. If the man suspected, he could have come after her.

With every moment Alistair spent with Anna, he was falling further under her spell. He had been tempted by her physically years ago, but now having the opportunity to see how her mind worked, her willingness to fight for fairness and her capacity for depth, and he was so drawn to her that he didn’t want to hold back. He only kept himself in check because he had promised to wait until the decision was made about Gala & More before pursuing a physical relationship. But it was getting more complicated each day. He shouldn’t have pursued an investment into her company, instead he should have pursued her. Now he was stuck waiting for the business to be sorted out before finding any satisfaction.

Alistair craved a connection to her and it scared him. Personal relationships had never been complicated for him. But somehow Anna Bolles had gotten under his skin and now he had to decide whether to walk away or indulge his fantasies.  

The next morning, Alistair met Anna at sunrise in the main foyer. She was wearing slim-fitting jeans and a white T-shirt and didn’t make eye contact with him. She must regret sharing her story last night. He needed a distraction. Spending a few days with Anna Bolles wasn’t working out as he expected.

“I’m impressed you own a pair of work boots.” Physical labor mustn’t be as alien to her as he first suspected.

She moved away from him. “I’ve done a fair amount of gardening but have very limited experience with grape vines.”

She seemed ready to bolt. “Anna, do you regret telling me about your past?”

She looked back at him and nodded. “It may have been better if I had left the past alone.”

He understood her dilemma. As a rule, he didn’t reveal more than was necessary but somehow her admission had sparked something deep inside him. “It didn’t shock me. If anything I have more respect for you and what you have overcome.”

She kept her thoughts to herself.

“Come. I’d like to show you the vineyard before I hand you over to my foreman.”

The housekeeper greeted them on the terrace and handed Alistair two thermal coffee cups.

“Do you want something to eat before we start the day?”

“Coffee is fine.”

He led Anna out into the vineyard. The morning air was cool, but by midday it would be hot in the sun.

He handed her the coffee. “Do you need a hat? The sun will be brutal.”

She met his gaze. “I have a scarf and sunscreen in my bag.”

Just being with her, he wanted to forget about work, but he said, “I’ll give you a quick tour of the vineyard and then I’ll assign you to one of the work groups to do pruning and weeding.”

He had reconsidered asking her to work on the vines after last night, but his instinct told him that she wouldn’t want to be treated differently.

Driving on the dirt roads in an all-terrain vehicle, he pointed out various aspects of the vineyard. She seemed fascinated by the work and asked several questions. After an hour of exploring the grounds, he drove to the work building and introduced her to the staff and assigned her to a crew for the day.

Alistair worked in the fermentation barn most of the day, going over the equipment and making adjustments. He caught sight of Anna midday but was kept busy and didn’t speak with her.

A worker brought her to him at five o’clock. He was checking the vines and his foreman stopped to greet her and thank her for helping out.

The conversation lasted another few minutes until he became concerned that she would collapse at his feet.

Every muscle in her body ached. The day had started out slow and enjoyable, but the further they got into the work, the more she struggled. She had thought her body was in good shape. Normally a ten-mile run didn’t exhaust her, but today, she garnered a new respect for day laborers. Everyone had been friendly and welcoming. The best part of the day had been listening to them discuss their busy lives and their families.

She observed Alistair talking with his foreman and noticed he was covered in dirt and sweat as well. She thought of him as a CEO and not one who would participate in the daily work of the vineyard. But she was wrong about him. He was clearly at ease with the workers and understood the work of running the vineyard.

He turned to her. “Why don’t we head back to the guest house?”

Anna followed him and they walked between the rows of grape vines. After one day, she was already gaining an appreciation for how much work the vines required.

“I’m finding it hard to concentrate on work with you here.”

Anna inwardly cringed. “I shouldn’t have told you everything. I could have just said that I met Frances through a mutual friend. I don’t know why I feel the need to disclose everything. It must have something to do with proving that I’m nothing like my father.”

Alistair stopped walking and she nearly collided with him.

“
I wasn’t referring to last night but your deliberate decision to tell the truth does set you apart from him. You are brave and resilient, love.” He reached out and gently stroked her cheek.

She took a step back. He knew too much about her now. Maybe that was her motivation. Maybe she wanted to scare him off.

“It’s awkward having you know so much about me. I should have left our association on a more professional basis.”

He moved towards the house. “Without knowing the background, your choices didn’t make sense. I was leaning towards not funding Gala & More on the belief that you would go back to your old life. Now I’m more inclined to take a chance.”

Her voice faltered slightly. “I didn’t tell you everything to gain your sympathy or pity.”

He ran a hand through his hair. “I don’t feel sorry for you. You made certain choices. But I do have a deeper understanding of why you made those decisions and why you and Frances have formed a connection.” He continued walking to the house.

She was relieved that he didn’t feel sorry for her, but could they manage to get to a more professional relationship? She was trying to push aside her growing desire for him, but it was getting more problematic.

They climbed the front steps and he turned to her. “What happens when a man comes on to you? Do you go back to that incident in your mind?”

She stopped and looked at him. Her past hadn’t dampened his desire. Instead he wanted to know how it affected her.

She suppressed a smile. “What happens to you when a woman comes on to you, do you go back to some negative experience?”

He shrugged. “I don’t have a negative sexual experience.”

She looked away. “Neither do I, exactly. I don’t remember the actual incident. It was weeks later when Sebastian approached me about the video.”

His voice was low and hurried. “So sex is positive for you?”

She moved away from him. “We need to get back to a more professional rapport. Your questions are rather intrusive and personal.”

Anna walked into the mansion and didn’t glance back. She needed a shower. He was so transparent. He was interested in a sexual encounter. But she had no desire to further complicate their relationship. She may not have any negative feelings about her physical safety around men, but she had a hard time trusting them emotionally.

Her father had let her down throughout her entire childhood and then Sebastian made her question her judgment about men. She hadn’t told Alistair that she had been dating Sebastian when the incident happened. He dated all the women he had taken advantage of. She had begun to trust him in some small way until she had woken up on the football field naked without a stitch of clothing in sight. He had wanted to have sex and she said she wasn’t ready.

She had thought about the incident many times. Deciding to wipe the past from her mind, she called Frances and told her about the vineyard.

Running a hot bath, she stripped out of her clothing, and after getting off the phone, she sank into the luxurious tub.

She would have to face Alistair over dinner. Somehow she needed to figure out how to move their association back to a more professional footing. The desire building between them was not helpful. She needed to figure out how to save Gala & More and not allow herself to be drawn into an affair with him. Nothing good would come of it. Climbing out of the tub after a long soak, she went in search of jeans and a t-shirt.

Realizing she had either work boots or heels, she vowed to pack more options next time. She slipped on the heels and headed downstairs.

Walking down the staircase, she caught sight of Alistair in a pressed formal shirt and dress pants. He looked clean-shaven and polished.

“I thought you insisted on casual dress for dinner.”

He smiled at her. “I thought you liked to dress for dinner.”

She bit her lip. “Not if I know you’ll be dressed casually.”

He gestured towards the upstairs. “Do you want to change?”

She shook her head. “No, I’m exhausted and starving.”

He led her onto the terrace. She was enjoying her stay at the vineyard. The guesthouse was large and ornate, but it reminded her of a traditional home.

Alistair opened a bottle of cabernet from a special reserve and she asked, “Will I be able to meet your grandparents while I’m here?”

“Possibly.”

Alistair poured a glass of wine for her and then for himself.

“Staying in this house and being on the vineyard, I’m getting a sense of their life and would like to meet them.” She took a sip of wine and wondered why she was so curious about them. Maybe she wanted to see another side of Alistair.

The housekeeper served a salad, then a beef stew, along with fresh baked bread.

They ate in silence for several minutes until she said, “I enjoyed today. Thank you for bringing me here.”

She thought about the vineyard and the employees. It reminded her of a large family. They all took great care with the vines and seemed to enjoy their work.

“You are a surprisingly good worker.”

She looked up at him. Had he just given her a compliment? “Hard work is not a problem for me. I’ve always enjoyed gardening and get a deep satisfaction from it.”

“How are your hands?” He held out his, palm up.

She turned over her hand and placed it in his for him to inspect. “Not amazing.” Earlier in the bath she had noticed numerous scrapes and a few blisters forming.

He lightly traced her fingers with his and she could feel a heat spreading over her. She removed her hand and took a sip of wine. His light touch had caused her body to heat.

The housekeeper cleared their plates and asked about coffee.

Anna shook her head and then Alistair thanked the woman and wished her goodnight.

Alistair poured them both more wine. “I’ll show you the how the grapes are processed tomorrow and then we can have tea with my grandparents at three or four o’clock and head back to London. Do you have an event you need to be back for?”

The night was creating a more intimate atmosphere between them. “There is an event, but Elyse and Katie are handling it.”

He took a sip of his wine. “Did today give you any ideas for the launch?”

She chose her words carefully. “Being out in the actual vineyard is powerful and intriguing. I’ve been thinking a lot about an outside venue for the celebration and I keep coming back to using a public garden. For those who have a passion for wine, it will be perfect.”

“I’ll leave it to you to suggest a suitable place.”

Alistair watched her with a hooded gaze. He drew her in easily and she wanted to throw caution to the wind and let herself be seduced by him. But she couldn’t take that chance. Only heartbreak would come of it.

Standing up, she said, “I have a few emails to send so I’ll say goodnight.”

He stood up. “Sleep well.”

Walking away from him wasn’t easy. She wanted to stay and encourage his interest, but it was better this way.

Anna woke up early and got dressed in jeans and a T-shirt. Instead of pruning the vines today, she was supposed to spend time with Alistair in the production area. The grapes weren’t ready to harvest yet, but the workers were getting the equipment ready and accepting deliveries of the supplies.

The house was quiet, so she ventured outside and took a few photographs with her phone. The morning sun coming over the vineyard created a spectacular image of the vines and gently sloping hills. How did Alistair leave this place? If she managed the vineyard, she doubted that she would spend any time in London.

He joined her on the terrace and brought her a cup of coffee.

He said, “You are an early riser.”

Alistair was wearing worn jeans and a black T-shirt with work boots. He seemed relaxed and ready for the day.

She looked out over the vineyard. “I like to be awake when everything is quiet.”

“Is that a habit you started when working for Blackly Simonson?”

She could see a mist rising off the vines as the sun started to warm the earth.

Anna shook her head. “No. I’ve always woken up early. My mother used to insist that I needed fewer hours of sleep than most.”

Alistair looked at her with an intensity that made her body ache to be touched. “A good trait for a managing partner to have.”

The day passed in a blur. She accompanied Alistair on his morning rounds but then ventured out on her own. The crew he had working at the vineyard had been together a long time and everyone was welcoming and ready to show her different aspects of the business.

She was helping to reload labels into a machine when Alistair caught her attention.

“It’s nearly four o’clock, and my grandparents are expecting us.”

She nodded and thanked the worker she was helping. Walking out of the production facility, she waved to different people she had met.

Anna had packed her overnight bag that morning and placed it in the foyer.

Alistair carried their bags to the car and she reluctantly followed. She had enjoyed the trip immensely.