“I wonder what got his breeches in a twist?”
“Katrina dear,” her mother snapped. “Watch your language.”
She threw her mother a confused stare. “What are you talking about? Iwaswatching my language.”
From the office door, a man cleared his throat. Katrina whipped her attention to the rotund older man with thinning white hair. She quickly stood, as did her mother.
“Good day. You must be Mrs. Lucy Landon and Miss Katrina Landon?”
His smile appeared forced as his gaze moved over both of them. Obviously, he was assessing them to see if they fit the description Katrina’s father had probably given. Still, she truly didn’t care what her father—or his solicitor—thought of them. She was afraid that if she didn’t approve of the lawyer’s words, her temper would snap and then her mother could indeed scold her for notwatching her language.
The man inhaled sharply, and slowly blew it out between his thinned lips. His tailored clothes and haughty demeanor confirmed his wealthy upbringing. His degrading holier-than-thou attitude greatly offended her. Being raised in the slums of London, she was used to this treatment, but for some reason this man made her feel lower than usual.
The foul names Katrina wanted to call him hung on the tip of her mind, and she tried desperately not to say them—even to the point of clamping her teeth on her tongue. Apparently, this man knew about their dire situation and what type of women they were, thanks to Henry Landon’s neglect.
“Indeed we are.” Her mother stepped forward first, trying her best to look like a proper, educated, and sophisticated woman.
“Mrs. Landon,” he nodded, “I am Mr. Jamison. Would you please come into my office so we can discuss Mr. Landon’s wishes?”
Katrina didn’t like the sound of that.Hiswishes? Did nobody care aboutherwishes, which right now were to find the nearest body of water, strip off her clothes, and jump into it for a quick cooling down of not only the rising temperature of her body, but her quickly accelerating temper?
I must act like a lady...Starting her performance, she stood tall, inhaled a deep breath, and gave him her best smile.
As soon as they walked inside his office, he closed the door behind them. “Please have a seat.” After Katrina and her mother sat, the man waddled around his wooden desk and sat in his large chair. He looked directly at Katrina. “I’m sure you’re wondering why you’re here.”
“Indeed, I am,” Katrina bit out the words. “It isn’t every day I’m asked to travel to a different country just to see what my father wants of me and my mother.” She really hated using that title forthat mansince he didn’t deserved to be called father.
Mr. Jamison removed a letter from a thick envelope. It surprised Katrina how many pages he had.
“Miss Landon, your father is getting his affairs in order and has written a will. He would like to meet you before he dies.”
“How advantageous of him.” Katrina’s lady-like tone failed, because the sarcastic words that shot out of her mouth were burning through her. “Why does he suddenly want to meet me after twenty-four years? Unless, of course, it is because he feels he won’t make it to Heaven unless he makes amends for his sins.”
“Katrina!” her mother gasped. “That tone of voice is not acceptable.”
Katrina growled silently. It was hard not to continue her tirade, but for her mother’s sake, she would refrain. Well, she wouldtryto refrain.
She took a cleansing breath before saying anymore. “Mr. Jamison, I would appreciate it if you skip the formalities and get right to the point. It is too blasted hot in this place to sit and listen to nonsense.”
Oh, dear. I did it again.Maybe one of these days she would learn to control her temper.
Her mother bumped her elbow against Katrina’s. Another warning, obviously.
“Fine, then.” He gave a curt nod. “I shall forgo any more chit-chat and get to the point. It comes down to this. In order to obtain the funds your father wishes to give you in addition to your inheritance, he wants you to travel through the Amazon jungle to his rubber tree plantation and personally meet him.”
Shock washed over Katrina. She heard the man loud and clear, but her mind took a little longer to absorb the full impact of what he had said. Was that the very reason she had the strange sight of him with the dart in his neck, and with a house burning?
Silence stretched between them as she stared at the man drumming his fingers on the polished oak desk. Confusing thoughts swam in her head. If not for her mother sitting next to her to give her comfort, Katrina’s mind would be in ashes. A small breeze floated through the open window, but it wasn’t enough to cool her disposition. The disturbing news from Mr. Jamison only served to grate on her already fried nerves.
She kept her shoulders rigid and chin lifted as she cleared her voice to reply. “Mr. Jamison, it’s hard for me to grasp the concept of having a father, let alone, one who cares.” Wounded emotions mixed with anger surged through her as a glimpse of her past flashed through her mind once again. Because of his absence, she’d gone without so much as a child. Even as a young woman, she still experienced the sting of his neglect. “Up until I received his letter, I wasn’t aware my father was even alive.”
Irritation over everything that had happened lately brought her to her feet, and indecision about her new status as a would-be heiress mystified her. “All of this has happened so fast, and I don’t understand any of it.” She wrung her hands against her middle. “One day I’m serving ale in a low-life pub, and then suddenly, the man who doesn’t deserve the title offatheris sending me money to dress myself like a lady. He also expects me to travel to places I’ve never heard of just so he can settle his conscience regarding his past mistakes. And, to top it off, I have a strange feeling that there might be danger lurking in the jungle.”
Her mother grasped Katrina’s hand as sharp fingernails dug into Katrina’s skin. Anger kindled in her mother’s gaze as her lips pulled tight.
“Katrina, we don’t need to talk about our past in front of a complete stranger.”
Katrina shook her head and scoffed, not believing her mother would actually defend the man. “Mother,that manleft you before I was even born to enjoy a life of wealth while we lived in squalor. Do you honestly believe we should just go along with his wishes?”
