Chapter 33: Bought By The Billionaire - Chapter Thirty-Three
Later:
“Can I ask you something Master? Richard?”
He looks at me. I only ever call him ‘Richard’ when we are inpany. In private, between us, he is
always ‘Master’.
“One of those questions eh?” he says. “Go on then. But I’m not promising an answer.”
“Why didn’t you marry Adele? She’s so beautiful, and obviously more experienced with life. Why did
you ask me and not her?”
He looks away, clearly taking the time to choose his words. “She is beautiful, yes, and you’re right. In
some ways, she is more obviously ‘wifely’ material for me, but there was something about her that, as I
came to know her well, it…. well, it repelled me. There is a coldness about her. Beautiful; yes, she is,
but beautiful like a statue. You are so much more alive than she. There were other things too.
“Such as?”
“Well, for a start, she was too obviously after the money.”
“What makes you think I’m not interested in the money?”
Heughs. “You’d be foolish to not be at least a bit interested in the money, wouldn’t you? And you are
anything but foolish. Adele, when ites down to it, is not all that bright. She is more worldly than
you, less na?ve, but not nearly so intelligent. Then too, she tried to make herself dependent on me. You
have never done that.”
“I’m living with you.”
“Yes, but it was at my invitation.” He pauses. “Insistence actually, with the danger to you from Mack
Kane until we track him down. Adele tried to simply move in. I arrived one day to find that she’d arrived,
with her clothes and goods, and taken over one of the rooms. I didn’t allow it and she took the huff and
left.”
My Masteres to sit beside me, taking my hand in his. “Besides, you are working on your studies.
Working hard to make yourself independent. You want to be your own woman, not a just satellite to
me.”
I shrug. “You don’t actually know if I am working hard at it.”
Heughs. “Actually, I do, because I checked with your tutors.” I nce at him startled. My Master has
been checking up on me? He continues “I have high confidence that you will do well in your exams.
Now andter. You need to do that.”
Still holding my hand, but looking down, not meeting my eyes. “The fact is Elizabeth that, while having
you here is something of a dream for me, I am older than you. Quite a bit older. When ites down to
it, I can spend the rest of my life with you, but you can’t spend the rest of your life with me. When the
timees, I want you to be alright. Not just because you have a pile of money in the bank, although I
intend that you do have a pile of money in the bank, but I want you also, to have the knowledge, the
experience and training, in how to handle the money. How to look after the business. How to deal with
the people around you. That way, I know that whatever happens to me inter years, you will have a
good life.”
This talk of my Master being so much older than me is beginning to upset me. We should be
celebrating today. My Master suddenly seems to realise that he is sounding gloomy and, almost visibly,
shakes himself out of it. Kissing my fingers, he says “Do you like it? The ring I mean?”
The gold gleams warm at me, the diamond bright. My ring. Given to me by my Master.
“Oh, yes, it’s beautiful. How could I not like it? Can I…. can I wear it in public? I mean, do you want
people to know?”
He beams at me. “Yes, of course I do. I’m proud of you. I want to tell the whole world about us. We’ll
announce it at the dinner tomorrow evening with the Thorntons. How’s that? We’ll all celebrate
together.”
“That would be lovely.”
The following morning, since my Master wants to celebrate, to announce our engagement publicly,
although I have a wardrobe full of beautiful clothes, I want something new, something really special.
How often in a girl’s life does she get to announce her engagement?
Time to go shopping.
“If you’re going,” he says “Take Ross with you.”
“Oh, do I have to?” Iin. Ross, my Master’s driver, has been my shadow ever since Mack Kane
attacked me and escaped. Whenever I go out and about, Ross is with me. I like Ross. He is pleasant
company, but I am beginning to long for a bit of space, just some time to myself.
“Mack hasn’t been found yet.” replies my Master. “It’s not safe for you to be out alone.”
“I’ll be very careful.” I promise. “If I see any sign of him, I’ll call you immediately.”
Content ? N?velDrama.Org.
My Master looks doubtful. I am sure he is going to refuse, so I press my point. “What can he do if I’m in
a public ce? So long as I can call you, I’m perfectly safe.”
“All… right…” My Master is very reluctant. “But I want your promise, that you will have your phone on
you at all times.”
“I promise. At all times. And if there is any sign of Mack, I’ll call you immediately.”
He jabs a finger towards me. “Do that.”
Later, Ross drops me off at the department store. “I’ll be back in three hours, Beth,” he says. “I’ll be by
the main entrance. Please do be on time, even if it’s just to say that you want a bit longer. If I don’t keep
track of you, he’ll have me skinned.”
Iugh. “Of course I will Ross.” Checking my watch. “Three hours. If anything holds me up, I’ll call you.”
“You do that.” He waggles a finger at me, waves and drives away.
Relieved to have some time to call my own, I wander into the store. I will look for a special dress, then
look for shoes, jewellery and a bag to go with it.
The store has so many beautiful clothes, and I enjoy myself browsing along the aisles, trying on
anything that appeals to me. After going through about twenty different outfits, I am hovering between a
sparkly blue number that is a bit over-the-top, but so pretty, and a rather more demure and ssic ‘little
ck dress’ that would suit any asion. Deciding to go and have a coffee, while I mull over which I
prefer, I hand over the two dresses to the assistant and exin that I will be back in half an hour with
my decision.
I turn for the cafe bar, to find myself face to face with Adele. As ever, she is immactely dressed and
perfectly made up, but her beautiful, chiselled features still have that hard edge. Her eyes are cold
above her painted-on smile, and I reflect on my Master’sments about her.
“I thought it was you Elizabeth,” she says sweetly, although with an edge to her voice that I don’t care
for. “I’m so sorry for what happened when west met. We got off to a bad start, didn’t we? I’d love to
have a chat with you, get to know you better. Can I buy you a coffee?”
I hardly like to refuse. Adele is being perfectly polite and, well, perhaps we can be friends….
Despite my misgivings, I reply. “That would be nice. I was just going for a coffee myself.”
“Such lovely dresses,” shements, looking at the clothes I just passed to the assistant. “But you do
have the figure for them don’t you.”
As we stroll to the bar, she keeps up a constant chatter, asking me about my Master, Richard, my life
with him, what we are doing together. At first, I don’t want to talk about him; it is rather personal after
all, but by the time we are sitting and drinking a couple of cappinos, I am beginning to rx. Adele
is just trying to be friendly. Perhaps I have been mistaken about her.
“Yes, he’s a super person isn’t he,” I say. “Such a lovely man.”
Adele looks a little startled at this. “Lovely? I can’t say it’s a word I would have chosen. I always found
him rather domineering, arrogant.”
“Well, he’s a strong man, yes, but he’s so kind, so generous,” I say. “I mean he’s helped me so much
with my training for college and everything.”
Adele’s mood seems to change, her eyes softening. Sitting opposite me, across the table, she stirs her
coffee pensively. “I can see why he likes you. You’re a sweet kid.”
It is so strange. Adele seems suddenly apletely different person to the scheming bitch I have
always taken her for, and which everyone else seems to agree she is. Baffled by her altered temper, I
sip my coffee, hiding behind the cup as I hold it to my lips.
She gazes absently at me for a moment, just looking, seeming reflective, almost regretful, when her
gazends on my ring...