High-Society Secret Baby - Maxine Sullivan Page 0,45

ran the water with some bubble bath. Soon she took off her clothes and put her hair up with some pins before lowering herself into the warm suds.

Closing her eyes, she leaned her head back against the end of the bath, letting the scented steam rise up to calm her. It was hard trying to unwind when both fear and love were jumbling around in her heart, when she knew she needed money and she needed it this weekend.

Slow down, she told herself as she mentally forced herself to step back and let her brain relax. If she didn’t take it easy, she’d never see the forest for the trees.

Yet she couldn’t help thinking how ironic it was that for someone who had supposedly married for money, she had little of value. The only true thing she had of monetary value was an expensive diamond necklace that Liam had bought her, and it had been taken away to be appraised as part of his estate. But she was never going to part with that. It was for Nicole. A keepsake from her father.

At that thought, her eyelids flew open and she sat up. She did have something else of value, and it hadn’t been taken away for appraisal as it wasn’t part of Liam’s estate! An antique diamond brooch. It had been passed down from her real great-grandmother through the generations to her mother, and on to her on her mother’s death.

Then her shoulders slumped as quickly as the thought came. She’d sworn never to part with it, not just for own sake, but for Nicole’s sake now. The Roths would give her daughter so much, but this was the only thing Nicole would have from her side of the family.

No, she would never sell it. Not for a measly two thousand dollars. Not for anything. It was worth ten thousand, or it had been a few years ago when she’d had it appraised. It would still never be enough.

And she still needed the money for Penny.

And for Joe.

Then a thought came to her and hope rose inside her. Couldn’t she use the brooch as collateral for a loan with one of those pawnbroker people? She could borrow enough for Penny, plus pay the nursing home back some of the money she owed. Then as soon as Liam’s money came through, she’d pay back the loan and get her brooch returned. She wasn’t exactly sure how that all worked, but she was certain they had to hold on to the item for a certain period of time.

Yet was she desperate enough to do this? More to the point, was she desperate enough not to do it? Her sister would lose her house if she didn’t. And surely part-payment would keep Jane Clyde satisfied for now.

First thing tomorrow she would look for a pawnbroker.

At that precise moment the bathroom door opened and Dominic entered the room, startling her, making her jump almost guiltily. She hadn’t expected him to return for hours, had even wondered if he would return tonight at all.

He stood there, his eyes hostile. “You didn’t love him when you married him, did you?”

She gave a soft gasp, glad the bubbles were covering most of her, not sure where this was coming from. “What do you mean?”

“If you’d loved my brother, you would have insisted on putting your stamp on that town house. That’s what women do.” His mouth flattened even more. “You didn’t.”

Her mind cleared. He was referring back to their conversation when he’d admitted the town house was more like Liam than her. And she’d agreed the furnishings had been all chosen by Liam—just like their marriage had all been Liam. Dominic hadn’t wanted to hear that then, and she doubted he wanted to hear the truth now.

She tilted her head. “So you still want me to say I didn’t love Liam when I married him?”

“Yes,” he growled.

“Why, Dominic? Why is it so important I tell you that? You already think I’m about the money. Why do you have to keep challenging me about it?”

“We’re going to be married a long time, Cassandra. I don’t want to forget what type of person you are.”

“Thanks very much,” she muttered, flinching inwardly. The situation was hopeless. He would never believe good of her now. She just had to keep remembering that.

Yet there was someone else they had to remember, as well. “What about Nicole?” she reminded him. “You agreed to keep your hostility to yourself.”

“And so I will.” He