Dark Obsession Read Free

lunch, did at least grasp that Marina was willing to spend some of her own money and he forced himself to smile at her.
    ‘In that case I’m sure we could find a way,’ he assured her.
    ‘I’ve also managed to secure the services of David Crosbie,’ his wife said, with what seemed to James to be a deceptively sweet inflection.
    ‘Good God! How much money are you planning to throw away?’ exploded James. ‘You must be mad. He’s the most expensive man in the country.’
    ‘He is also the best. However, it isn’t quite as bad as it seems. His assistant will be coming in his place. He assured me over the telephone this morning that she was highly qualified and extremely gifted. She will arrive on Friday morning and stay in the guest rooms for however long it proves necessary.’
    ‘A female! How old?’ asked Crispian.
    Marina glanced at her stepson with distaste. ‘It never crossed my mind to ask.’
    Crispian grinned. ‘I don’t suppose she’ll be young. Never mind, more fodder for you, Pa!’
    ‘Your father’s taste runs to young women,’ his stepmother responded in a crisp manner. ‘In any case, the lady in question is here to work on the house, not provide the gentlemen with entertainment.’
    ‘Talking of entertainment,’ her husband said swiftly, grateful for the lead-in, ‘I’ve invited our new neighbour over to dinner on Friday. He’s Sir Matthew Stevens, the one whose wife died a few months ago. I think he was knighted for services to industry or something like that. Anyway, now that he’s living at the Old Mill I thought we should have him over. You can manage that, dear, can’t you?’
    ‘Of course. Do you want him to be the only guest, or had you intended inviting others to keep him company?’
    James shrugged. ‘Hadn’t really considered it. Tell you what, invite this designer woman to join us and that will make the numbers equal. He probably isn’t up to large dinner parties yet, still in mourning most likely.’
    ‘I thought mourning had gone out of fashion,’ remarked Marina, turning to leave the room. ‘I can’t imagine you’d be grieving for very long if I were to die.’
    Crispian snorted with laughter. ‘She’s got a point,’ he remarked as soon as his stepmother had left the room. ‘Why should Sir Matthew be in mourning?’
    ‘Don’t suppose he is, but I couldn’t be bothered to think of any other people to invite. As for your stepmother, I might mourn her more if she were a proper wife to me.’
    ‘Lucky for you we keep a full stable,’ retorted Crispian. ‘No shortage of nubile girls around!’
    ‘I wish you’d take more interest in nubile girls, in the plural, rather than one extremely nubile but totally unsuitable girl!’ commented his father.
    ‘You live your life and I’ll live mine,’ said Crispian, flushing with annoyance. ‘After all, Tania’s mother was good enough for you.’
    ‘When Marina dies, most of her money goes to that son of hers. Since he’s married with children of his own that won’t leave very much for young Tania. You need to marry money, Crispian. Screw the girl as much as you like, but for God’s sake find yourself a wife. You heard Robert today. We need an injection of money into the place.’
    ‘Perhaps you can open the place up to visitors once Step-mama’s had it decorated,’ suggested Crispian. ‘Got to go now. Urgent appointment, if you know what I mean.’
    His father made a sound of irritation and watched his son hurry away. He knew only too well what he meant.
    Crispian tapped on his stepsister’s door and felt a rush of relief when she called out for him to enter. She would know it was him, he thought with a wry smile. No one else in the house ever tried to go into Tania’s room. She regarded it as her very own, a private retreat from the world, only shared with those closest to her, and even then only by invitation.
    As usual the room was in chaos. Her riding boots had been pulled off and thrown carelessly