And his voice was low with warning when he replied, “It would be a good idea, Mr. Dempsey, if we continue our relationship, that you let me concern myself with Belle. If your continued questions means you’re interested in the assignment I have for you, I’ll inform you of what you should concern yourself with.”
Jack watched Dempsey again struggle internally before he ground out, “I’m interested in the assignment.”
Instantly, Jack pushed, “I have your word, everything, all of it, strictly confidential.”
“You have my word.”
“You won’t expose me, you won’t expose Belle, you won’t share what you’re told, what you find, what you see or who you meet,” Jack pressed.
Dempsey’s jaw got hard even as he failed to hide his increasing curiosity. “I won’t.”
“This will not find its way into a newspaper, magazine, book or any other form of the media, either factually or disguised in any manner.”
“It won’t,” Dempsey bit off.
Jack went on, “Our agreement won’t be put in writing until you come to terms with Olive after our meeting. But before that, I’ll explain and in doing so before an agreement has been signed, I’ll be relying on your word as a gentleman. Are you telling me I can do that?”
“You can rely on my word,” Dempsey clipped and Jack saw in the man’s eyes that he could. Therefore, he knew.
“Who was she?” he asked quietly and Dempsey’s head jerked.
“What?”
“The woman you loved who was abused,” Jack explained and watched Dempsey’s body get tight.
But he surprised Jack by sharing, “My Mum.”
Jack held his gaze. Then he nodded.
Then he retraced his steps around the desk and sat down.
He only spoke again when Dempsey and Olive had both settled back in across from him but his eyes were on Dempsey when he did it.
“Prepare, Mr. Dempsey, for what I’m about to tell you will be beyond belief. Unfortunately, it’s also true. And also, I wouldn’t tell you if I didn’t think you could help and I’ll need you to do that without delay. You can discuss your fees with Olive later. Now, I need to know if you have anything else on your schedule that will prevent you from assisting us swiftly in this matter.”
Dempsey shook his head. “I don’t. Or at least nothing that can’t wait.”
Yes, Mickey Dempsey was curious.
And concerned.
Jack nodded, took in a breath, sat back in his chair, held the man’s gaze and shared a story beyond belief.
* * * * *
Belle
Belle sat on her rug on her cliff by The Point, wearing faded jeans, a tight white tee and a warm, chunky oatmeal cardigan, all in order to ward off the chill in the strong wind that was blowing.
Baron and Gretl were nosing the grass and rock around her as the sea smashed against the cliff wall and the wind blew the hair she didn’t bother to put in a ponytail before she came out.
It was after work, the shop closed. Her father was in the kitchen having promised no open flames or anything that might mean Jack would come home to a pile of rubble and not an imposing castle. Rachel was with him having assured Belle she’d “keep an eye on your Daddy, honeypot” which didn’t assure Belle very much since her Mom was almost as crazy as her Dad, including in the kitchen. But at least it was something. Gram was in the loft in the stables painting. Yasmin was on her way over for dinner. Jack was most likely on his way home. And Joy was assisting Cassandra and Angus with something.
And Belle was on her cliff not non-thinking.
Instead, unusually, she let her thoughts drift over her.
Over a year ago, her life turned on its head. Belle “Meek and Mild” Abbot who didn’t take risks and lived cautiously in a cage controlled by her fears had done something crazy, but brave, and since then she’d become a national hero. She’d then been involved in a public love triangle with two of Europe’s most eligible bachelors who happened to be brothers. She’d fallen in love with one of them and he with her. And now she was living in an imposing, haunted castle on a cliff.
Dipping her chin to her knees and wrapping her arms around her faded jeans clad legs, she smiled at the sea.
She didn’t think of Nathan or his loss. Instead, she had decided, whenever Nathan came to her, she was going to beat back the pain by thinking of Jack’s words of earlier that day.
When we’re ready to try again, we’ll plan it.
They’d try again and they’d plan it.
Three times in her life, only three, she’d taken a risk and jumped into cold, shark-infested waters, once literally (though those weren’t shark-infested).
The first time she saved lives. Two were lost but she saved many others.
The other two times she’d done it for the same man. The first time with Jack, she messed it up. The second time, she learned he’d forgiven her and he’d given her her reward.
And boy, what a reward it was.
When we’re ready to try again, we’ll plan it.
They had time, they were starting a life together in a hopefully soon-to-be not haunted but always would be imposing castle on a cliff and when they were ready, they’d start a family.
Still smiling at the sea, Belle sighed.
Maybe, just maybe, Belle “Meek and Mild” Abbot might stop being so darned meek and mild.
She might, instead, take more risks.
She wasn’t certain about this haunting business but the rest of it sure as heck paid off.
On this thought, Gretl, who was in front of her, twisted her neck to look down her body as Baron, behind Belle, gave a small, warning woof.
She’d just lifted her chin from her knees in order to look toward The Point to see what caught the dogs’ attention when she heard, “Belle.”
Her head turned, her eyes moved up and she saw Miles walking to her, the wind tousling his blond hair.
Holy heck.
She shifted her arms from around her legs, putting one hand in the rug to push herself up as the dogs roamed closer to her and she started, “Miles –”
He lifted a hand swiftly and interrupted her, “Please, Belle, don’t get up. What I have to say won’t take long.”
She pulled in a breath and kept her head tipped back to study him. His handsome face seemed thoughtful but she could read nothing else.
To her disquiet, Miles finished his approach and dropped to the grass to sit a few feet away from her. As a response, Gretl settled on her belly at Belle’s feet, her head up, eyes on Miles as Baron circled close.