'Til Death Do Us Part by Amanda Quick Page A

Trent knew each other from childhood. They fell in love when Althea was eighteen and Trent was twenty-one. But Trent wanted to see the world before they got engaged. Althea promised to wait for him and she did. But shortly after he returned the incident occurred. She could no longer abide the sight of his face.
    â€œAll these years Harry and I have worried because Trent seemed unable to love again. But now I find myself in a dreadful panic because he has taken a keen interest in you.”
    â€œFor heaven’s sake, your brother and I shared a cab,” Calista said. “There is no great love affair blossoming here, Miss Hastings.”
    â€œI know my brother. He would not have paid another call on you today, let alone gone out driving with you, if he were not very interested—not when he has another chapter in his latest novel due at the publisher’s.” Eudora’s eyes narrowed. “Are you telling me that you cannot return his interest?”
    â€œThere are no affections to be returned.”
    â€œHe would never have met you if it hadn’t been for me. I cannot bear the thought of being once again responsible for Trent enduring another doomed love affair.”
    It was time to take command of the situation, Calista thought. Exasperated, she went back behind her desk but she did not sit down.
    â€œFor heaven’s sake, Miss Hastings, calm yourself,” she said. “Youhave allowed your imagination to run riot in this matter. I assure you, there is nothing of a romantic nature about my relationship with your brother. He has kindly offered to lend me the benefit of his expertise and advice regarding a certain situation in which I find myself. That is all there is to it.”
    Eudora stared at her. “You require the expertise and advice of an author of detective fiction?”
    â€œIt is not his writing skills that I need. It is his investigative talents.”
    â€œBut he doesn’t have any. Trent is not a real detective. He only writes stories that feature one.”
    â€œI understand, but he has volunteered his services and, to be frank, it is not as if I have a great many alternatives. None, actually. I am attempting to identify a person who seems to have focused his attentions on me. I do not want those attentions and I have done nothing to encourage them. He sends nasty little gifts and notes that have lately become quite threatening.”
    â€œHow horrible.” Eudora paused to absorb that information. “It must be very unnerving.”
    â€œI will be the first to admit that the situation has started to affect my nerves.”
    â€œYou have no idea who is doing this?”
    â€œNone.” Calista glanced at the folders on her desk. “Although I have a theory that he may be one of the men I rejected as a client.”
    â€œSomeone who wishes to exact revenge, perhaps?”
    â€œThat would seem to be a distinct possibility.”
    â€œYou say my brother is investigating this matter for you?”
    â€œWe are investigating it
together
,” Calista said. She wanted to get that point quite clear. “Mr. Hastings believes he can be of some assistance to me. In fact he more or less insisted on giving me the benefit of his expertise. Rest assured you can attribute any improvement inhis mood to the simple fact that he is intrigued by the prospect of conducting a real investigation.”
    Eudora considered that briefly and then she visibly brightened. “Yes, I see what you mean. Perhaps he views it as an opportunity to conduct research for his next novel. He is very keen on that sort of thing.”
    â€œPrecisely. In fact, I believe he employed that very word when we discussed the subject.
Research
.”
    â€œWell, in that case, perhaps I ought to take an entirely different view of the situation. It is clear from Trent’s improved mood that this research project is doing him a world of good. At the very least it will get