Lucy Gordon - A Mistletoe Proposal

‘I never meant it to happen the way it did,’ he pleaded.

‘Understand me once and for all,’ Roscoe replied in a hard voice. ‘I care nothing for what you meant. I care only for what you did. And what you did was this. You ignored my specific instructions. You lied. You spread unsubstantiated rumours and caused a false rise in prices that cost a lot of people a lot of money-’

‘Including you.’ Despite his pathos, Franton couldn’t resist a spiteful sneer.

‘Yes, including me, but it’s not the money that counts. It’s my reputation that you’ve damaged and I don’t want to see you on these premises ever again. You’re out, and that’s final.’

‘But I need a job,’ Franton screamed, collapsing again. ‘I’ve got a family to support, debts-look!’

He ran to the window, pointing out to where the snow could now clearly been seen cascading down.

‘Snow,’ he cried. ‘Christmas is coming. What do I tell my children when they don’t get any presents?’

‘Don’t try playing the pathetic card with me,’ Roscoe said coldly. ‘You nearly caused a disaster throughout the financial world, and you did it by dishonesty. If you’ve brought a tragedy on yourself the responsibility is yours.’

‘You heartless swine!’

Roscoe’s face was as stony as his voice. ‘Get out,’ he said, softly threatening. ‘Get out and stay out. You’re finished.’

His last card played, Franton seemed to collapse. Slowly, he backed out, casting one last beseeching look. Roscoe didn’t even see it.

‘Now, perhaps we can finally get on,’ he said, seating himself. ‘Miss Jenson, I have some papers here-’

‘Wait a minute,’ Charlie said. ‘You’re not just going to let him go like that?’

‘He can think himself lucky I’m not doing worse.’

‘But this is Bill Franton-he’s been here for years and he’s a family friend-’

‘Not any more.’

‘Wait,’ Charlie said, dashing out in pursuit.

‘I’m afraid Charlie is too soft for his own good,’ Roscoe said. ‘One day I hope he’ll learn a sense of reality.’

‘Of course insider trading is dishonest and can’t be defended,’ Pippa agreed, ‘but that poor man-’

‘Why do you call him a “poor man”-because you saw his distress? You didn’t see the distress he caused other people, and the much worse distress that was narrowly averted.’

‘I suppose you’re right,’ she sighed.

‘But you don’t really think so, do you? I guess I’ll just have to endure the burden of your disapproval.’

‘It certainly doesn’t bother you.’

‘I’ve met it before and it’s based on sentimentality.’

‘Is it sentimental to say you can attach too much importance to money?’ she demanded indignantly.

There was an ironic humour in his eyes, as though he was enjoying a grim joke at her expense.

‘Not money, Miss Jenson,’ he said. ‘Honesty. That’s where I attach importance. Nowhere else.’

And he was right, she thought furiously. He was beyond criticism, totally honest, upright, honourable, incorruptible. And merciless.

‘Ah, Charlie, there you are.’ Roscoe sounded coolly collected at the sight of his brother. The last few minutes might never have been.

‘Roscoe-’

‘Come and sit down.’

‘But Franton-’

‘The subject is closed.’ Roscoe’s voice was final and Pippa shivered.

She made a mental note not to get on his wrong side, but reckoned that was probably easier said than done.

Then she pushed all other thoughts aside to concentrate on the case, but now that was hard because something was causing Charlie to become uncommunicative, as though protecting a secret. When his secretary looked in, saying, ‘That call has come,’ he vanished at once.

‘How do you think it’s going?’ Roscoe asked her.

‘I think there are problems. He’s holding something back.’

‘You amaze me. Last night he didn’t seem to be holding anything back. You’re doing brilliantly, as I expected.’

‘That’s why you came along, to keep watch, is it? To make sure I didn’t lead Charlie along the wrong path?’

‘Are you angry with me?’

‘I suppose I might be. I can’t think why.’

She spoke ironically, but there was truth as well. Beneath the polite surface, this meeting seethed with undercurrents of mistrust. The visit to Roscoe’s home had left her feeling more kindly to him, but last night had reversed that. Now she remembered the awkwardness on which their relationship was based and she couldn’t wait to get away from him.

‘Maybe I’m not managing this very successfully,’ he said, ‘but it’s a new situation for me too.’

‘You mean you don’t hire women for romantic relationships every day? You amaze me. I thought you were an old hand.’

‘All right, attack me if you wish. You’re angry about last night, and perhaps you have reason, but I only wanted to…to study the situation.’

‘You wanted to find out if you were getting what you paid for. Or if Charlie was getting what you paid for.’

‘Stop it!’ Roscoe snapped, suddenly finding his nerves fraying. ‘Don’t talk like that.’

‘I’ll talk as I like. It’s been “like that” ever since you hired me. Well, I don’t sleep with the men I date. None of them. Sorry to disappoint you.’

‘How dare you say that?’ he raged.

Far from disappointing him, Pippa’s words gave him a surge of joy so intense it was almost frightening. Until now, he hadn’t known how much it mattered. But the discovery left him more confused, even more angry. He wanted to roar up to the heavens.

‘Don’t ever say anything like that,’ he commanded, breathing hard. ‘It wasn’t our bargain, and you have no right to imply that it was.’

‘Maybe not in words, but it’s what you were thinking.’

‘Don’t dare tell me what I’m thinking. You know nothing. Nothing!’

‘Perhaps I know more than you realise.’

‘Pippa, I’m warning you-’

‘Then don’t. What right do you have to warn me? You’re so arrogant, you think you can give orders left, right and centre, but not to me.’

‘I’m arrogant?’ Roscoe snapped. ‘What about you? You assume all men are slavering for you and you despise them accordingly. I only hope one day you’ll meet a man who’s totally indifferent to your charms. It would teach you a lesson.’

‘But surely,’ she said with poisonous sweetness, ‘I’ve met him already-in you. Haven’t I?’

If she’d been easily scared she might have quailed at the look he threw her.

‘You are indifferent to my charms, aren’t you, Roscoe?’

‘Totally!’ he said in a voice of ice.

‘And, since I’m equally indifferent to yours, neither of us has a problem. Just the same, I think it’s time this arrangement came to an end. Another lawyer will suit you better.’

She rose and made for the door, but he was there before her.

‘Don’t be absurd. You can’t just go like this.’

‘So anyone who disagrees with you is absurd? No, I was absurd the day I let myself get embroiled in this. I should have had more sense of self-preservation. Now, please stand aside.’

‘No,’ he said stubbornly. ‘I’m not letting you leave here.’

‘Roscoe, stand aside. I won’t be treated like this.’

Pippa thought he would defy her again, but then his shoulders sagged.

‘All right, I’ll stand aside,’ he said. ‘But I’m going to say something first.’

‘Then get on with it.’

‘Don’t go. Hate me as much as you like, but don’t abandon Charlie, please.’

‘Roscoe-’

‘I’m begging you, do you understand that? Begging.’

His eyes left no doubt that he meant it. They were brilliant, feverish, amazing her so that she couldn’t speak.

‘Well?’ he asked. ‘Do you want me to go down on one knee?’

‘Oh, don’t be ridiculous,’ she said, backing away. ‘Suppose someone came in.’

‘Then they’d see me as never before, and they’d think it was a good laugh. Is that your price? You want me to make a fool of myself, and then you’ll do as I ask? Is that it?’

‘Suppose I said yes?’ she asked. ‘Would you pay the price?’

‘Yes,’ he said simply. ‘Shall I? Go on, you’ve been wanting to take me down a peg since we met. Now’s your chance.’

‘No!’ she exploded. ‘That’s the last thing I’d want. I’m not that kind of harpy.’

‘Then what is your answer? Will you stay?’

‘Yes! Now get back behind your desk and stop talking nonsense.’

He gave her a wry look, but moved away behind the desk.

Suddenly the door came flying open and Charlie stood there. ‘I won!’ he carolled.

‘You don’t mean that three-legged hack came home?’ Roscoe asked ironically, and only Pippa noticed the strain in his voice.

‘Ten to one!’ Charlie yipped joyfully. ‘I made a packet. Hey, I’ll be able to pay you back the money I owe you-well, some of it, anyway.’ He gave Pippa a bear hug. ‘And it’s all due to you. Since you came into my life, everything has gone well. The sun shines, the world is beautiful. Isn’t that so, Roscoe?’

‘Miss Jenson is certainly having a beneficial effect,’ he replied loftily. ‘In fact I was explaining how pleased we are with her efforts when you came in. Now, if you’ll kindly sit down, Charlie, we can return to work.’

Pippa had to give him ten out of ten for a sense of wicked irony. She tried to meet his eyes, perhaps even encourage him to share the joke. But he wasn’t looking at her. The paperwork seemed to absorb him.

The rest of the meeting was conducted with strict propriety, with as few words as possible. Pippa asked questions, made notes and finally rose briskly, declaring, ‘I’ll be in touch when I’ve investigated some more.’

‘Tonight,’ Charlie said eagerly.

‘Tonight I’ve got some boring reception to go to. Don’t be in a rush. I’ll see myself out.’

She escaped.

PIPPA had spoken the truth about the coming evening. A client was giving a lavish reception to celebrate acquiring sole rights to a piece of valuable computer software and had offered several invitations to Farley & Son, whose work had been crucial in securing the contract in a bidding war. A little group of them were going, including David and herself.