doesn’t excuse what you did!”
“Miss Smith, I took something from you that day that I didn’t expect or ask for, yet it ended up costing me another five hundred dollars.”
“What are you talking about?”
“Your virginity.”
Angela gasped.
“I think you owe me an explanation. What were you doing in a place like that?”
Angela felt trapped now. “I saw you outside and I—thought I recognized you. I didn’t know what kind of place that was. I just wanted to talk to you.”
“Well, we certainly talked, didn’t we?” he said sarcastically. “And here I wasn’t even the man you thought you knew, was I?”
“No, you certainly aren’t the man I thought you were,” Angela replied with a meaning only she understood.
“So why didn’t you make your excuses and leave as soon as you knew you had made a mistake?”
“I—” She couldn’t go on, not without telling him the truth.
“What’s the matter, Miss Smith?” he taunted her. “Are you ashamed to admit you were just looking for some fun and excitement? There are a lot of girls like you who want the best of both worlds, but not many as daring as you.”
Angela blushed hotly. “You’re wrong! I wasn’t looking for fun and excitement.”
“Then enlighten me. If you didn’t just want to get rid of your virginity so you could enjoy a promiscuous life, why did you give yourself to me?”
Angela drew herself up. “I don’t have to answer your question, Mr. Maitland.”
Bradford frowned, then shrugged. “I suppose I can let it go for now. But I promise you, I will get the answers I want before I’m finished with you.”
Before he was finished with her? What did that mean? It sounded like a threat.
She finally became aware of how much time had passed and, looking out the coach window, she recognized open country. “Where are you taking me?” she asked in alarm.
“You are going to be my guest for a while.”
“I certainly am not!”
“Angela, settle down.” Bradford shook his head. “I really should know better than to try to predict a woman’s behavior.”
“What are you talking about?”
“You, my dear. I was so sure that you would be grateful to me for not pressing charges, that you would be happy to comply with my suggestion that you spend the rest of the holidays with me. I even went so far as to procure a house in the country for us. We are going there now.”
“ You can go there, or drop dead, for all I care. I’m going to South Hadley and hope to God I can forget I ever met you,” she said stiffly.
“What has happened to the girl who was so worried she wouldn’t please me?” he asked her pointedly.
Angela blushed and looked out the window, unable to face him. “That girl spent three miserable days in jail and found out what a bastard you are.”
“Let me make it up to you, Angel,” Bradford said quietly.
Angela turned dark violet eyes on him. “Can’t you understand that I despise you? You have noright to kidnap me. And to put me in jail—I hate you!”
“Angela, you don’t know me well enough to hate me.”
“Yes I do,” she replied coldly.
He leaned forward in his seat and reached for her hand, but she quickly snatched it away. “Look, I am sorry for the way I’ve handled things thus far. I don’t want to fight with you. I want you. That’s why I’m here. That’s why I’ve gone to all this trouble.”
Angela didn’t reply. Slowly, Bradford sat back and watched her. They remained silent for the rest of the journey.
Sixteen
Angela showed little interest in her surroundings. The huge bedroom was warm and cozy, with a fire burning in the grate and thick carpeting to sink her bare toes into. It was a luxurious room, but as far as she was concerned, it was just another jail.
It was utterly inconceivable that she was here, but she was. The door was locked from the other side, and the windows were two stories high—and Bradford would be joining her soon.
“You’re going to be mine
“Miss Smith, I took something from you that day that I didn’t expect or ask for, yet it ended up costing me another five hundred dollars.”
“What are you talking about?”
“Your virginity.”
Angela gasped.
“I think you owe me an explanation. What were you doing in a place like that?”
Angela felt trapped now. “I saw you outside and I—thought I recognized you. I didn’t know what kind of place that was. I just wanted to talk to you.”
“Well, we certainly talked, didn’t we?” he said sarcastically. “And here I wasn’t even the man you thought you knew, was I?”
“No, you certainly aren’t the man I thought you were,” Angela replied with a meaning only she understood.
“So why didn’t you make your excuses and leave as soon as you knew you had made a mistake?”
“I—” She couldn’t go on, not without telling him the truth.
“What’s the matter, Miss Smith?” he taunted her. “Are you ashamed to admit you were just looking for some fun and excitement? There are a lot of girls like you who want the best of both worlds, but not many as daring as you.”
Angela blushed hotly. “You’re wrong! I wasn’t looking for fun and excitement.”
“Then enlighten me. If you didn’t just want to get rid of your virginity so you could enjoy a promiscuous life, why did you give yourself to me?”
Angela drew herself up. “I don’t have to answer your question, Mr. Maitland.”
Bradford frowned, then shrugged. “I suppose I can let it go for now. But I promise you, I will get the answers I want before I’m finished with you.”
Before he was finished with her? What did that mean? It sounded like a threat.
She finally became aware of how much time had passed and, looking out the coach window, she recognized open country. “Where are you taking me?” she asked in alarm.
“You are going to be my guest for a while.”
“I certainly am not!”
“Angela, settle down.” Bradford shook his head. “I really should know better than to try to predict a woman’s behavior.”
“What are you talking about?”
“You, my dear. I was so sure that you would be grateful to me for not pressing charges, that you would be happy to comply with my suggestion that you spend the rest of the holidays with me. I even went so far as to procure a house in the country for us. We are going there now.”
“ You can go there, or drop dead, for all I care. I’m going to South Hadley and hope to God I can forget I ever met you,” she said stiffly.
“What has happened to the girl who was so worried she wouldn’t please me?” he asked her pointedly.
Angela blushed and looked out the window, unable to face him. “That girl spent three miserable days in jail and found out what a bastard you are.”
“Let me make it up to you, Angel,” Bradford said quietly.
Angela turned dark violet eyes on him. “Can’t you understand that I despise you? You have noright to kidnap me. And to put me in jail—I hate you!”
“Angela, you don’t know me well enough to hate me.”
“Yes I do,” she replied coldly.
He leaned forward in his seat and reached for her hand, but she quickly snatched it away. “Look, I am sorry for the way I’ve handled things thus far. I don’t want to fight with you. I want you. That’s why I’m here. That’s why I’ve gone to all this trouble.”
Angela didn’t reply. Slowly, Bradford sat back and watched her. They remained silent for the rest of the journey.
Sixteen
Angela showed little interest in her surroundings. The huge bedroom was warm and cozy, with a fire burning in the grate and thick carpeting to sink her bare toes into. It was a luxurious room, but as far as she was concerned, it was just another jail.
It was utterly inconceivable that she was here, but she was. The door was locked from the other side, and the windows were two stories high—and Bradford would be joining her soon.
“You’re going to be mine
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