Kane by Jennifer Blake Page A

it?”
    â€œBeautiful, so peaceful,” she answered. “I’ve never seen anything quite like it. But what I wanted to talk to you about was—”
    â€œYou met Luke, too, I hear. You really ought to go to his open house, my dear. Nobody throws a party quite like Luke. Why, that boy has more life in him than a one-legged, one-man band. You’d have a grand time.”
    â€œI’m sure you’re right. About the jewelry, Mr. Crompton?”
    The man across the table waved the silver knife he held in a dismissive gesture before using it to slit a biscuit. He tucked a slice of ham inside, then put it on a bread plate and slid it toward Regina. “Vivian said she spoke to you about it. She was right taken with you, I could tell. Mentioned you had the nicest smile, raved about your hair, of course.”
    Regina pushed the small plate with the biscuit back toward him. In exasperation, she said, “Mr. Crompton, if you don’t want to sell your wife’s jewelry collection, you have only to say so.”
    He studied her a long moment, a judicious expression on his fine old face. Then he put down his knife and heaved a sigh. “That’s just it, my dear. I don’t know whether I do or not.”
    â€œBecause you’ve decided to marry again?”
    He sat back in his chair in surprise before his expression turned drolly accepting. “Now who could’ve told you that? Not Kane, I’d imagine. Must have been Vivian.”
    â€œAre you sure the woman you’re interested inwould care for it?” Regina asked, sidestepping his question. “Some people prefer to have no reminder of a former spouse.”
    â€œTrue, true.” He sighed. “But Miss Elise isn’t the problem. It’s Kane.”
    â€œKane,” she repeated in resignation.
    â€œI never dreamed he might object. Now he has, I really feel I should make certain it’s not just his pride talking. I mean—suppose he has some female in mind who he’d like to marry? He deserves the opportunity to give her his grandmother’s trinkets if he’s so minded.”
    Trinkets. That was an inadequate description if she’d ever heard one. “I see what you’re saying,” she said as patiently as she was able, “but do you think it’s a real possibility?”
    â€œI just don’t know, which is the point. Now I realize it’s an imposition to ask you to hold off. You must have other things to do besides hang around, waiting for an old man to come to a decision. But I’d take it as a favor if you’d give me the time to discover what’s on Kane’s mind.”
    His suggestion was perfect, exactly what she needed. It was so perfect, in fact, that suspicion rose immediately in her mind. She searched his lined and craggy face, looking for craftiness, deceit, or at least some idea of why he might be so accommodating. There was nothing in it except warm courtesy. Which might indicate that he was absolutely aboveboard, but could also mean that he was a certified master at guile and manipulation.
    Either way, she couldn’t afford to refuse. She even felt a little spurt of gladness that she had an excuse tostay. That was only because it made things easier from her point of view. Naturally.
    She lowered her gaze to her coffee cup. “I suppose I can do that.”
    â€œGood,” he said with satisfaction. “I’m glad we got that settled.”
    â€œOn the other hand,” she went on with some hesitation as she watched the steam curl across the surface of her coffee, “as I’m already here and have nothing better to do, I could look at the pieces and give you a written estimate that you could hold until you’re ready. You could call me in New York with your decision, and we could take it from there.”
    Even as she made the suggestion, she wondered what she was doing. If Gervis knew she was throwing away the chance