Yesterday's Bride Read Online Free PDF Page A

over, let it go." She sighed and lifted a hand as if in supplication. "I wanted to end the marriage officially while I was here in Raleigh. Can't you understand? I won't be coming back."
    When he made no response, she said resignedly. "All right, have your revenge by refusing the annulment. I won't bother you about it anymore."
    Her head flew up as Jason countered softly, "I didn't say I wouldn't agree to an annulment. I said I wouldn't make it easy for you."
    Some of the fight was returning to Leigh. "What are you talking about?" she asked suspiciously.
    It was Jason's turn to prowl the room. After a long silence, he motioned to the wing chairs and told Leigh to sit down.
    "I have a proposition to put to you," he added, a look of speculation on his dark face. "I want a few months of your time."
    Leigh had hunched herself in the chair, but at Jason's words she jerked upright like a puppet on a string. She examined his face for signs of derision but encountered only hard brown eyes staring into her gray ones. He was serious. Immediately Leigh raised her guard higher. Somehow she knew that she wasn't going to like what was coming.
    "Would you please explain?" she asked.
    Jason settled back in his chair and looked her over. "It's not what you're thinking. I don't have any designs on your—ah—virtue. You lost your attraction for me five years ago. At the very least I have to like something about the woman I take to my bed."
    For the first time in years, Leigh blushed.
    Ignoring her discomfiture, Jason continued, "I'd like to make a business arrangement with you, a
quid pro quo
You scratch my back and I'll scratch yours, figuratively speaking, of course." After a slight hesitation he asked, "Do you remember my brother Bob and his wife Clare?"
    As he spoke those names, Leigh stiffened. She gripped her hands together so hard that the nails were piercing her flesh and stared speechlessly back at Jason.
    "They're in Brazil," he said. "Bob was supervising the construction of a building last week when a part of it collapsed and he was trapped by a steel girder. By the time he was extricated his leg was badly mangled. He's in traction in a Rio hospital and can't be moved for at least two months, maybe more."
    "I'm sorry, Jason. I hope that Bob will be all right, but I can't see what his accident has to do with me," Leigh returned uncertainly.
    "You would if you'd let me finish," Jason shot back. "Bob and Clare have a three-year-old daughter, Jody. She and Clare were here, in North Carolina, when the accident happened. They had been with Bob, but since he was working night and day to bring the project in on time, Clare and Jody returned ahead of him. He was due for leave soon. Anyway, when we were notified about Bob's injury, Clare naturally flew to Rio, leaving Jody with me." The brown eyes narrowed. "Do you begin to understand my problem?"
    Leigh had a horrible idea that she did. In a halting voice she asked, "Who's taking care of Jody?"
    "My cousin, but she's also my housekeeper and can't watch Jody and take care of her own job at the same time. Aside from running the house, just now she has extra work because of spring planting. She's been managing so far, but she can't possibly keep it up for two months."
    "And you have me in mind for baby-sitter?"
    "Yes. Will you do it?"
    Leigh's nerves were beginning to shriek. Spend two months near Jason—impossible! And the thought of taking care of Clare's child was repugnant. Maybe Clare had done her a favor by revealing why Jason had married her, but Leigh felt only distaste when she thought of the woman. She forced herself to speak slowly and clearly. "Jason, I'm sorry for your plight, but if you think I could be a substitute mother, you're out of your mind."
    "Why?"
    Trying to remain calm, Leigh enumerated, "First, there's my career. I have commitments. I only came to Raleigh for a few days. I have to get back to New York. A model doesn't just take off for several months at a time. I