“Now? Is he at home?”
Colin Easton nodded.
“Are you sure? I haven’t seen him, and I’ve been here most of the day. Wouldn’t he have to pass me in the Great Hall when he entered?”
He smiled at me indulgently. “He has a self-contained area of the house he likes to use. It has a separate entrance. He doesn’t often work from home. He usually travels to our Providence or Boston offices. Of course, the Easton Company has offices all over the world.”
He tucked my hand under his arm and guided me to the vast staircase.
“Are you sure he won’t mind being disturbed?” For some reason, my voice shook a little as I spoke.
“No. He’ll be delighted with the work you’ve done.”
I returned his smile. “Okay then,” I said and we walked up the winding staircase.
I hadn’t seen much of the house, apart from the Great Hall, the guest restroom and the kitchen, so I stared around me taking it all in. I was like a kid in a candy store with the art work. Portraits of generations of Eastons lined the wall of the upper staircase. The faces stared out at us, their eyes following me. I saw a young man who looked remarkably like Colin Easton. When I pointed it out, he grew quiet for a moment then nodded.
“Yes. My father. If you’re interested, perhaps I could show you our other family portraits. There’s a whole room full of them next to the library. Some are very old.”
“I’d like to see them,” I said. “Thank you.”
I didn’t ask any further questions, and as we climbed higher and walked along the first floor, I soaked up the surroundings. It was without a doubt old-world luxury. The glossy wood, the delicate hand-painted paper on the walls. It all spoke of money. Old money.
My feet sunk into the plush carpet, and I looked down at my scruffy shoes, wincing at how misplaced I look in such a house. I wore ballet pumps, as I did most days. They were comfortable, and a little smarter than sneakers.
Colin Easton paused by a large door, turned to smile at me and then knocked on the door with a flourish.
A moment later, the door was opened by a petite blonde woman, wearing an immaculate skirt suit. It fitted her slim frame perfectly and was clearly expensive. I clasped my hooded cardigan around my waist, feeling very conscious of my appearance.
The blonde woman blinked at me, curiosity obvious in her eyes.
“This,” Colin Easton said, “is the lovely Geraldine. Mr. Easton’s assistant.”
I smiled at her, and she nodded in response.
“And this lovely young lady,” Colin Easton said, putting his hands on my shoulders, “is Miss Katherine Taylor, the talented artist restoring the mural in the Great Hall.”
“Ah,” Geraldine said and stood back to let us through the doorway.
Inside, the décor was a complete contrast to the rest of the house. With its cool, contemporary furnishings, it looked thoroughly modern.
My surprise must have shown on my face, as Geraldine said, “Although Mr. Easton enjoys the period style in Cliff House, he prefers to work in more modern surroundings.”
Geraldine moved across to her chrome and glass desk, tapped a few keys on her computer, and then she sighed.
“You haven’t made an appointment, Colin. You know Mr. Easton likes you to make an appointment.”
I turned to Colin Easton, surprised. As a member of the Easton family, it seemed strange that he needed an appointment.
Colin Easton’s face blushed even redder than usual. “I am quite sure I don’t need to make an appointment to see my own cousin.”
Geraldine gave a tight smile. “Mr. Easton is very busy, Colin. He –”
Colin held up a hand. “You forget yourself, Geraldine. I am also a member of the Easton family. Perhaps in the future you could refer to me as Mr. Easton. First-name terms may have led you to forget my family connection.”
Geraldine blanched and pursed her lips in a tight little line.
After a moment, she said, “Very well, Mr. Easton. I’ll see if Mr. Easton can see you now.”
She picked up a telephone handset and spoke into it in a low voice.
After replacing the handset, she turned to us and said, “Very well. He will see you in a moment.” She gestured to the seating area. “Please make yourselves comfortable while you wait.”
Colin and I sat on plush leather armchairs while we waited.
When Geraldine was otherwise occupied, tapping away on her keyboard, Colin turned to me. “Honestly, Geraldine is getting more above her station by the day. I’m pretty sure she’s set her sights on Benjamin.”
“Benjamin?”
“Yes. Mr. Benjamin Easton – my cousin. The gall of the woman, trying to deny me access to my own cousin. Me, the direct descendant of Albert Easton.”
Colin shook his head in disgust.
I imagined Mr. Benjamin Easton would be considerably older than Geraldine. I couldn’t understand the attraction to wealthy older men myself, but for some women I supposed money and power were a heady aphrodisiac.
“I hope Benjamin sets her straight soon. Silly woman.” Colin huffed and pulled at his trousers so the creases running along each leg were straight. “Can you believe it? Talking to me like that?”
I shook my head and mumbled in agreement. I wished I hadn’t come.
Every now and then, Geraldine glanced over and narrowed her eyes at us in disapproval. I tried to ignore her.
Benjamin Easton kept us waiting for nearly twenty minutes before the phone buzzed on Geraldine’s desk and she stood up and said, “He will see you now.”
Colin stood up and haughtily jerked his head. He walked past Geraldine, ignoring her, and I fell into step behind him.
When we entered Benjamin Easton’s office, he had his back to us, and even though he must have heard our entrance, he didn’t turn around. I felt a flicker of annoyance on Colin’s behalf. Good manners didn’t cost anything.
