So why did he feel dissatisfied, frustrated, gutted because she thought that what he’d put out tonight was only good sex? He found himself savagely wishing she’d said something else.
But what?
What more did he want from her?
He was being unreasonable. He’d achieved what he’d set out to achieve. Tess had forgotten about his mother’s rotten suppositions and they’d ended the day on a good note.
Together.
As they should be.
CHAPTER THIRTEEN
TESS was in the dining-room, watching the apple-green silk curtains being put up, feeling a warm, tingly excitement in her choice. This house was slowly turning into their home—not a showcase of intimidating possessions but a place which would soon become pleasing and harmonious and comfortable.
She was not expecting any visitors. It was Saturday morning, not a time for people to call, especially not without an appointment. It surprised her when their newly acquired housekeeper, Betty Parker, came into the dining-room to hand her a business card and announce, ‘I’ve put the gentleman in the sitting-room, Mrs Ramirez.’
The gentleman. The rather old-fashioned term and the respectful tone in the housekeeper’s voice instantly piqued Tess’s curiosity. The extremely efficient Betty Parker was only in her late forties with a very modern outlook on life. Clearly she was highly impressed by the visitor.
Tess glanced at the card for identification. Shock punched her heart and chilled her skin.
Javier Estes…an attorney…a Rio de Janeiro address.
There could be only one connection—the Ramirez estate in Brazil. And why would a lawyer fly all the way to Sydney if there wasn’t an inheritance to administer?
It had to be about money.
And if there was money…Nick had lied to her!
‘Mr Estes asked to see Mr Ramirez,’ Betty informed her, ‘but since he’s down at the pool terrace with the baby…’
Teaching Zack to swim in the heated spa pool and Zack was taking to the water like a little tadpole…their son…with his father…who loved him. Did it matter so much that Nick didn’t love her? That he’d married her for…
For what?
Tess’s teeth clenched.
She didn’t know yet but she was going to find out!
‘You were right to come and tell me before fetching Nick, Betty,’ she quickly assured the housekeeper, handing back the card. ‘Take this down to him now while I go and greet Mr Estes and keep him company.’
Betty smiled and nodded, confiding, ‘I thought he had to be a very important gentleman, not to be kept waiting too long, and with Mr Ramirez in the pool…’
‘Absolutely right. Thank you.’
It would be fifteen minutes, at least, before Nick could appear respectably dressed, as he’d undoubtedly want to be for this visitor. Tess had no qualms whatsoever about greeting the Brazilian as she was, her fawn slacks and the striped shirt in fawn, sky-blue and white, being definitely in the class of smart casual at home.
The sitting-room was one of the few rooms Tess had finished furnishing to her satisfaction. Amazingly she had picked up all the pieces at auction and she loved how right the arrangement looked to her eyes; the three chesterfields upholstered in shades of cream and peach and a very pastel apple-green, the marble coffee tables with their subtle swirls of peach, the complementary pattern in the main floor rug…but the lawyer from Brazil was not admiring any of this. He was not seated, either. He stood by the full-length windows, gazing out at the view of Sydney Harbour.
‘Mr Estes…’
He swung around and Tess had an instant appreciation of the impact he’d had on the housekeeper. He was tall and the fine head of perfectly groomed white hair framing the dark olive-skinned patrician face gave him a look of commanding authority. His shoulders did not have the stoop of age yet Tess judged the man to be in his seventies from the deeply carved lines in his cheeks and the sag of what had once been a formidable jawline.
He was beautifully dressed in a grey silk suit—accessorised to sartorial perfection. He looked like big money and he most certainly represented big money, and if she hadn’t been around big money all her life, Tess might well have felt intimidated by Javier Estes. As it was, the sight of him sickened her and she found herself bristling with aggression, wanting to fight whatever he was bringing into her home.
For several moments it appeared he stared sharply at her, the set of faintly tinted rimless glasses he wore making her unsure of his expression. But then his mouth curved into a disarming smile and he spoke her name as though he found it charming to attach it to her.
‘Tessa Steele…’
‘Tessa Steele Ramirez,’ she clipped out, establishing her marital status to Nick as she moved forward to offer her hand.
‘Of course.’ His hands formed a quick, graceful gesture, appealing for sympathetic understanding. ‘A curiosity for me that Enrique’s son chose his wife from the Steele family since there had been…shall we say…a scandalous connection?’
‘That wasn’t of Nick’s making. Nor of mine,’ she stated dismissively, relieved to hear confirmation that she had been Nick’s choice.. a surprising one to this man.
‘Which makes you both strongly individual people,’ he remarked, his gaze roving over her hair before he added admiringly, ‘And you are strikingly beautiful.’ He enfolded her hand in both of his, pressing lightly as his eyes definitely glinted with male appreciation, despite his age. ‘I can see why many things might be overlooked, given a woman such as yourself.’
‘Likewise, many things might be overlooked because Nick is the man he is, Mr Estes,’ Tess dryly retorted. ‘But let’s move on from surface judgements and get to whatever purpose has brought you all the way from Brazil.’ She extracted her hand and waved towards the sofa grouping. ‘Shall we sit down?’
‘I was waiting for your husband.’
‘He will be here shortly. In the meantime…’
She moved to seat herself, expecting him to follow but he didn’t. He remained standing by the windows, watching her settle herself. Tess had the feeling he was keenly observing everything about her, fitting answers to questions he had in his mind. It seemed to validate Nadia Condor’s contention that Nick’s marrying her was linked to an inheritance from his father, which put Tess even more on edge about Nick’s lying to her about it.
‘Being a lawyer and coming from Rio de Janeiro, I assume you have something to do with executing the will of Enrique Ramirez, Mr Estes,’ she put forward, probing for information.