Heaven Sent Read Free Page B

household
without a mother or a father, or anyone else to love
her.
    “ I don’t know how you
managed to finagle your way into my daughter’s good graces, Miss
Prophet, but I suppose I’m going to have to give you a
chance.”
    Callie’s heart nearly jumped out of
her chest. Her eyes opened wide.
    Aubrey sneered. “Yes, you might well
stare. However, while I’m willing to hire you on a contingent
basis, I want you to understand absolutely that if you do
anything—anything at all—to upset my daughter, my servants in
general, or me in particular, you’ll be thrown out on your
ear.”
    “ Oh!” She gulped. “Yes. I
understand.”
    “ Good.”
    Swallowing the hot words his attitude
provoked in her, Callie said, “Thank you, Mr. Lockhart.”
    “ When can you
start?”
    She lifted her arms in a gesture of
befuddlement. “Er, well, it doesn’t matter. Any time.”
    “ Good. Bring your things
tomorrow. I’ll have Mrs. Granger prepare a room for
you.”
    “ Thank you.” Callie bobbed a
curtsy, but he didn’t see it because the door had opened again and
he’d turned, scowling.
    Callie imagined he expected to find
Becky, come to see if they were through talking yet. Time went very
slowly for six-year-olds.
    It wasn’t Becky. It was Mrs. Granger,
with a tray holding tea things. Aubrey sent her away. The last
Callie saw of her, Mrs. Granger was glancing back over her shoulder
at the two of them, curiosity writ large on her elderly
features.
    As for Callie herself, she walked home
on a cloud.
     
     
     

Chapter Two
     
    Aubrey left his drawing room feeling
rather as if he’d been run over by the Santa Angelica mail wagon.
He didn’t like it.
    He did, however, manage to smile at
Becky and pick her up when she ran down the hall to him, her face
as eager as if she were anticipating Christmas.
    “ Will Miss Prophet come to
live with us, Papa?”
    The usual reserve Aubrey had come to
expect from his daughter seemed to have vanished under the
influence of Miss Prophet’s anticipated arrival into the Lockhart
home. Aubrey’s heart hitched. He’d been so unfair to Becky these
last couple of years. “Yes, Becky. Miss Prophet will move her
things in tomorrow. Perhaps you can help Mrs. Granger pick out a
bedroom for her to use.”
    He was sorry he’d made the suggestion
as soon as Becky wriggled to get down. It had been a while since he
had held her, and he had forgotten how good it felt. It especially
irked him that all this enthusiasm was for Callida Prophet. He knew
he shouldn’t mind. After all, what had he done lately to win his
child’s affection? Not dashed much.
    “ Oh, thank you, Papa! I know ezackly what room I want
her to have!”
    At least she deposited a quick kiss on
his cheek before she darted off to find the housekeeper. Aubrey
sighed as he stared after her.
    Before Anne got sick, he had been on
top of the world. He’d exuded confidence and competence, and for
good reason. He’d started his own Chinese imports business when he
was barely out of college, and had made a million dollars by the
time he was twenty-five, Miss Prophet’s age. He’d attained his
life’s ultimate goal when he’d married the woman he loved: the
sweet and beautiful Miss Anne Harriott. It was Anne for whom he’d
worked so hard. He’d wanted to be worthy of her, When Anne had
given birth to Becky, he’d thought he’d never want for anything
again.
    Not any longer. Now he faced each day
with dread and loathing. He was still rich—once the wheels of
progress had started, it took a lot to slow them down—but
everything else in his life had gone straight to hell. He entered
his library, which doubled as his office, shut the door, flopped
down in the chair he’d vacated when Callie had arrived to be
interviewed, and stared at nothing. “Why, Anne? Why did you have to
leave us?”
    No answer to the question had occurred
to him by the time Figgins rang the antique Chinese gong for
dinner.
    *****
    Callie bumped along on