Chapter Five: On the Beach

"All right, Miss Catherine. Suppose you tell me what you were doing at the vicar's cottage all morning." Thomas Culpepper was looking right at her in a way that let loose butterflies in her insides. But the rich young heiress was far too clever to let her gorgeous guardian discover how she really felt!

"Hadn't you better keep your eyes on the road?" Catherine smiled sweetly, putting on a little pout for good measure. "I wouldn't want to die in a motor car crash before I can solve the mystery of Bessie Blount's baby. I'm determined to learn who the father is!"

"Leave Bessie alone," Mr. Culpepper growled, reaching over and putting Catherine's seat belt into place. "She was totally innocent when she first came to your uncle's castle as a maid."

"But someone took her innocence." Catherine couldn't keep from shivering when the seatbelt snapped into place. It was entirely accidental, she was sure. But somehow the back of Mr. Culpepper's arm had just lightly brushed the tips of her breasts. "Someone took advantage of that poor girl under my uncle's roof."

"You sound a little out of breath." Culpepper's firm hands gripped the steering wheel tightly as he stared straight ahead. But his tone was light and casual. "Of course you're determined to discover the truth. If I'm the father then I'm clearly unfit to be your guardian. And then you can claim your uncle's vast fortune right away."

"I don't care about the money," Catherine huffed, still breathless. She kept picturing Mr. Culpepper holding sweet and beautiful Bessie in his arms. But that wasn't what made her feel so out of breath. She kept picturing herself in Bessie's place.

"That's why you need a guardian." Thomas gave her a glance, his gray eyes glinting. "Let me show you something, Miss Catherine."

The long, shiny motor car swerved off the main highway and onto a narrow, winding road that led down to the rocky beach.

"Where are we going?" Catherine felt the wind blowing through her long silky hair and she tried to pin it in place with her hand.

"Never mind your hair." Culpepper took her hand and led her up along the high sand dunes, amidst the tall grass. The long walk made her feel breathless and out of shape. But it was the wind and the pounding waves and the isolated spot that made Catherine's heart start to pound, harder than ever before. If Thomas Culpepper threw her down on the sand and made love to her right here she would melt, just like Bessie Blount.

"Look." Thomas Culpepper pointed to a black, burned out hulk.

"I don't understand." Catherine shivered in the sea air. She took a drink from the small silver flask that her guardian carried with him at all times. The strong liquor burned her throat as it went down.

"That fishing boat belonged to Bessie Blount's family. They were able to raise the money to start their own business. Several other families were thinking about joining them. That made your uncle very angry. There was a fire, and the Blount family lost their boat. That's why Bessie became a maid at your uncle's castle."

"So that's how my uncle made his fortune, by squeezing out the competition!" Catherine turned to her guardian. "We have to help the local fishing families. Did you know about this at the time?"

"I'm the one who set the fire."

"I don't believe you. My uncle was cruel, and he took advantage of people. But you're not like that. You're nothing like that!"

"I'm exactly like that." Culpepper's eyes were as gray as the sea.

"Well . . . I think you're a liar!" Catherine was so angry that she slapped her guardian's face. Then she turned to walk away. But before she had gone three steps he seized her slim shoulders in an iron grip and spun her around to face him.

"Let go of me!"

"No." Thomas Culpepper was a wicked man. Catherine was certain he had ruined poor Bessie. He had ruined dozens of girls. Could anyone change a man like that? Catherine moaned like a tormented soul as he pulled her into his arms and kissed her.