Family Matters by Margaret P.
(A big thanks to my betas, Terri Derr and Cristy Wyndham-Shaw) (2017—Words: 2,021)
Chapter Two
"Will you excuse us?" Scott bestowed a Boston smile on Olivia McIntyre and Jamie Eliot as he took hold of Katie's elbow. He ushered her across the Persian rugs towards the French doors. "We need to talk."
"What's the matter?" Katie's eyes widened as Scott hurried her past her mother and grandparents and out into the garden. The smell of lilac and jasmine hung in the air, and moonlight reflected off the small white flowers climbing the back wall. "Don't tell me Papa was horrible? I'll never forgive him if he was. Mamma said after you went into the study he just wanted to make you squirm a little."
"Well, he certainly did that, but I want to talk about something else. Why on earth didn't you tell me?"
"Tell you what?"
"Katie, you must know what I'm talking about. You're worth a small fortune!"
"Oh, that." Katie turned and followed the carpet of light crossing the lawn from the French doors.
"Yes, that."
"I didn't realize Papa was planning to discuss finances so soon." Her eyes fixed on a birdfeeder hanging from the branch of a tree. There were no birds. Scott could tell by the way she twisted the ring on her right hand that she didn't want to look him in the eye.
"Well, he did, and I understand why he felt it important." He pulled her gently around by the shoulder so she was forced to face him.
"But you knew I had money of my own. I don't see it really matters how much."
"Katie!"
She bowed her head and worried her ring again. "I'm sorry. You're right. I should have warned you, but I'm still getting used to it myself. I didn't really have that much until Aunt Sarah died last year."
"Aunt Sarah? I didn't know you had an Aunt Sarah." She wouldn't be the only relative he hadn't heard of. Since Katie had begun educating him on the subject, he was beginning to think half of New England had Eliot or McIntyre connections.
"She was one of my godmothers. She was childless so she left everything to me."
A bequest made sense, but not many women had large amounts to leave. Scott couldn't remember any lady of his acquaintance worth anything like as much in her own right. "Who was she?"
"Her name was Sarah Duval."
Scott frowned. Bells were ringing; there was a property tycoon in New York called Duval. He'd died during the war. "The widow of Stephen Duval?"
Katie shrugged.
Dear God. "So where it listed a number of properties at the bottom of the page as 'valuation pending' we're talking apartments and commercial buildings, not just vacant lots?"
"Possibly." Katie cast her eyes down as she fingered her chatelaine now instead of her ring. "I'm sorry, Scott. I should have said something before." She blinked rapidly as her voice hitched. "There never seemed to be a good time to bring the subject up. I didn't want to do it in a letter and...I'm sorry."
Scott lifted her chin with his finger. "I'm not angry. It was just a shock." He wrapped his arms around her, and she snuggled into him, wiping a single tear away on the front of his jacket. "I don't suppose it really matters." Resting his chin on the top of her head, he felt her chest heave against him. "Ssh."
He stroked her hair and listened to her breathing. Every time he thought it was settling to a steady rhythm, she sighed or stifled a sob. Why was she still upset? She was clinging to him like a bush to a cliff, not cuddling into him as she would normally like they were part of each other.
She undid the buttons on his jacket one by one, slipping her hand beneath the lining and placing it warm against his heart. "Please don't let money come between us, Scott."
"I'm not. I said it doesn't matter." He swallowed and closed his eyes. Damn it, how did she…Katie wasn't the problem here; he was. Her embrace felt wooden, because he had tensed up like a rock.
He gritted his teeth and tried to free his mind and his heart of a resentment that had caught him by surprise. He wasn't being entirely truthful, and Katie knew him well enough to know it.
She stepped back with hands clasped in front of her and raised her eyes to his. "I'm rich, Scott. Far richer than anyone has a right to be, and I didn't do one thing to deserve it, but I'm not going to throw it away. I'm not going to apologize. There are things I want to do with the money, but as far as everyday life is concerned, you will be my husband. I don't need anything more than you can provide."
"You wouldn't mind living only on my income?" He held her gaze, but reached for her hands. Why did being the breadwinner mean so much to him? This was crazy. He'd never even thought about it before. He'd just assumed he would be.
"It's what I've always wanted." Her smile was loving and her voice firm—she wasn't just saying what he wanted to hear.
He hugged her close again. But things still didn't sit right with him. What had her father said? A marriage should be a partnership not a dictatorship. Well, in any partnership the partners brought different strengths and weaknesses to the table. One partner didn't deny the other the right to what they already possessed; and how much those things were used in the new venture was a matter for negotiation. Johnny and Murdoch didn't insist Scott give up income and interests he had in Boston. During the drought when times were tough, they'd talked it over and put equal amounts from their individual savings back into the ranch to keep things afloat. What Scott had leftover compared to the others was never discussed. What he did with his money had never been questioned. Why shouldn't Katie still enjoy what she currently had after they got married? It was only his stupid pride that said otherwise. If their marriage was to be a true partnership—"Hmm, I think as punishment for not telling me earlier I won't give you any pin money. How do you feel about using your own funds for that?"
She cocked her head to one side like a puppy. "Tell me, Mr Lancer, do you normally ask a wrongdoer to approve the penalty?"
"Only when I'm about to marry her." He tried not to laugh, but the corners of his mouth twitched.
Katie's did too. "Indeed? Well, it sounds a fair arrangement. I'll find out what Emily gets as an allowance so we can have the same."
"I don't think you need to go that far." It was a thoughtful offer, but Katie had the right to spend her money as and when she liked. Now he'd come around to the idea, he didn't want her imposing limitations for his sake or anyone else's. "But it's agreed we tell no one how much you're worth?"
"Definitely." She bobbed up and kissed him on the lips, her eyes shining. "But I can't pretend to be poor. Your family knows I have some money of my own."
"Yes, they do, but they don't need to know the details—and for goodness sake, never mention it to my grandfather." The mere thought of Grandfather finding out was enough to make the muscles in his jaw tighten up again.
For a second, Katie frowned. Then she started playing with his tie. Once upon a time she hated string ties, but on his last visit to San Francisco she'd declared they'd grown on her. No tie at all was her preference, but if he had to wear one...
He placed his hand over hers before she got the knot fully undone. "We're still talking."
Giving a small huff, she stopped pulling. "I won't say a word to your grandfather, but all things being equal he may already know."
She could be right, but Scott didn't think so. Grandfather was pleased about their engagement, but he'd pretty much left them to find their own way during their courtship. If he'd had any inkling of Katie's personal fortune…well, Scott didn't think even Harlan Garrett was that good an actor.
"I was thinking we could use my money to pay for our children's education if they go to college; and maybe for the occasional trip abroad when you can be spared from the ranch. It could be an emergency fund." She looked up at him, owlishly solemn. "I plan to give some of it away each year in the name of the Duval Trust. I'd like you to help me, if you don't mind?"
Scott smiled. "A trust could do a lot of good without anyone knowing we're involved. I like that."
"Exactly, and the rest can stay where it is." She skittered out of reach and raised the back of her hand to her forehead like an actress all forlorn. "Until we're dead and gone, and our children inherit."
"I don't want our sons and daughters being spoiled, even as adults." He pointed a finger at her and fought to keep his face looking serious. "Wealth is better than poverty, but it can deny a man a sense of purpose." He'd nearly gone down that road, and he didn't want any of his children doing the same.
"And what about a woman?" Trust Katie to pick him up on semantics.
"You know what I mean. And according to your father, it can attract some very undesirable suitors."
"Well, then we'd better have a large family and make each share as small as possible." Taking hold of his half-lowered finger, she redirected his arm around her waist.
"Now there's an idea." He chuckled and accepted the invitation in her eyes. Drawing her close, he kissed her gently. They nipped and nuzzled, and then he let his cheek slide across hers so his tongue could tease a gold-studded ear lobe. "I think I could handle the task."
He began to kiss his way down her beautiful, slim neck—a hint of bergamot and lemon scenting her skin—as she ran fingers through his hair. She purred and gasped. His hands began to wander and every part of him hardened.
They swayed together in a slow dance as she gazed up at him, stroking the back of his neck. "Mmm, I'm looking forward to you handling the task."
"That's it. I'm out of here." A dark shape barged past them from behind a lilac bush. "I think I'm going to be sick."
"Freddy!" Katie broke free of Scott's arms.
"Why didn't you tell us you were there?" Scott glared at his future brother-in-law. If this was the way the youngest Eliot behaved, he'd give him short shrift at the ranch.
"Where's the fun in that?" The fifteen year old stamped out a cigar butt on the top step and kicked it into the shrubbery. "You best come inside, dear sister. I couldn't in all conscience leave you out here unchaperoned after what I've just witnessed. I'll have to say something to Pa." Laughing, he dodged through the door before Katie could get to him.
"Oof, I'll kill him." Katie spun around, fists by her side. "I swear he's even more impossible than I remember."
"He'll keep. Come here." Scott pulled her back towards him and into the shadows near the lilac bush so they couldn't be seen from the parlour. Slipping his arm around her waist, he resumed where they'd left off, breathing in her fragrance as she looked up through long lashes. God help him. They were due to talk with her parents about their wedding after the current festivities were over. Boston or California? Wherever the ceremony took place, he hoped it would be soon. Releasing her for a moment, he redid his tie. Then he held her close again and kissed her long and slow. "Now, Miss Eliot, we will go inside."