Robyn Donald – Iceberg Read Online Free PDF Page B

job and board.'
    'I see. Then I can offer you a position in the office of my firm.'
    Faintly, quite convinced that she had misheard, she asked, 'What did you say?'
    'There's a position in the office of my firm in the city. It's yours if you want it.'
    For some reason she became extremely angry. 'No, thank you,' she told him with a frigid courtesy which
    matched his. 'I've already applied for a post as a librarian. I have no skills which would make me a suitable
    applicant for a job in an office.'
    There was a moment of silence before he said without expression, 'I see. At least you're honest. Where is the
    library job, then?'
    'You really don't need to worry yourself about me,' she replied, smoothly, hating him for his superior attitude. 'I
    don't intend to be an imposition on Bronwyn for any longer than I can help.'
    'You knew that you would be an imposition,' he said with harsh distinctness. 'If you have any finer feelings at
    all you would never have come here to put such a strain on her. Family feeling is something she possesses to a
    foolish degree, but you have none, or it would have prevented you from trying to deprive her of an inheritance
    which is rightfully hers. No doubt your mother "taught you to be greedy, but surely you possess enough finer
    emotions to see what an intolerable position you've put Bronwyn in!"
    If he had not spoken of her mother Linnet would have retained her hold on her temper. But to hear that Jennifer,
    who had had to be so careful and economical all these years, categorised as greedy brought the blood to her
    cheeks and a red mist of fury before her eyes.’
    'You have no right to malign my mother,' she retorted tightly, but with extreme formality. 'You've never met her
    and you know nothing about her. Until you do I suggest that you keep your cynical observations about her to
    yourself. Now if you'll excuse me, I need to get changed. You can be quite sure that as soon as I can, I'll be
    gone. And,' with a look which should have dropped him in his tracks, 'you obviously feel that Bronwyn's
    concerns are of interest to you. Please believe me when I say that my affairs are my own. I'll thank you for no
    interference, even if it's well meant. I can do without your particular brand of arrogance!'
    It was probably the longest speech of her life; it was certainly the most stilted, each platitude delivered with a
    scorching anger which rendered it vibrant with sincerity. If he had insulted her she would hot have cared in the
    least, but to impute such mean motives to .her gentle, laughing mother was more than she could bear.
    Buoyed up by anger she waited for him to go, clenched hands pushed deep into the pockets of the housecoat,
    her gaze molten gold on the darkness of his features.
    He moved so that the light fell on his face. Linnet had thought that she cared nothing for him; she realised, now
    that he had the power to frighten her as well as anger.
    A strange kick in her stomach told of her fear, but she met his icy glare with a brave attempt at composure,
    refused to back down or be intimidated by the implacable hostility she saw in his features, the cruelty of his
    mouth.
    When he spoke his voice was soft, yet there was no hint of weakness there. He was angry, and compared to his
    anger hers had been like a flash fire, searing but soon over. His would be stow to fade, if ever it did; she had
    .made an enemy for life, perhaps.
    ‘'You've been very frank,' he said, almost with indifference. 'I'll be the same. If you upset Bronwyn in any way,
    I'll make you pay for it—ten times over.’
    A cold sweat touched Linnet's temples, but she refused to give way to it. 'Thank you for the warning,' she
    retorted flippantly. 'I doubt if you've the means, but go on thinking that you can, if it gives your ego a boost.
    Now, having worked off your spleen, would you like to go? I've got things to do too. I'll tell Bronwyn you
    called.'
    For a moment she nearly ran, for he came towards her with that