Page 29 of The Heiress Masquerade (Dollar Princess #2)

Harrison’s boots clipped loudly on the footpath as he walked through the back gardens of Wilheimer’s estate, heading toward the greenhouse where the afternoon tea was being held. Aimee was walking silently by his side, still not having said a word since they’d left his room.

Why had she spoken of love when he’d already told her it wasn’t something he could give her? But she had, and now they were at odds because of it. He didn’t like it at all.

Already this engagement business was proving complicated, but, hopefully, she’d realize they could have a perfectly amicable marriage filled with mutual respect and attraction, rather than anything so fickle as love added to the mix. Love led to heartbreak and loss, and it was something he never wanted to experience again. Part of him knew if he let himself fall for her, he’d never want to let her go, and with life having a bad habit of taking away those Harrison loved, the odds were it would take Aimee away from him, too.

He glanced over to her as the greenhouse came into view. Her eyes were affixed firmly ahead and she had a determined tilt to her chin that suggested she wasn’t going to budge an inch. “Are you going to speak to me at all this afternoon?”

She pressed her lips briefly together, her eyes remaining forward as they arrived at the greenhouse entrance and a footman opened the door for them. “That depends entirely on how much you further annoy me.”

He felt like sighing in exasperation. Women could be so confusing and frustrating at times. His fiancée most especially of all.

They headed to the adjacent garden terrace just off the greenhouse, where Wilheimer’s guests were mingling, and where the man himself was holding court at the far end of the terrace.

Aimee came to an abrupt halt. “Why didn’t you tell me Lady Whitley would be here?”

Harrison followed her gaze and caught sight of Jane, who had begun weaving her way over to where they stood. “I didn’t know she would be.”

“Harrison,” Jane said a moment later, looking the picture of elegance dressed in a light green day dress and matching bonnet. “How lovely to see you again.”

“What are you doing here, Jane?” he replied bluntly, taking her gloved hand in his and giving her knuckles a perfunctory kiss.

“Always straight to the point, aren’t you?” She laughed lightly, her hand coming up to tap him on the arm, resting there briefly. “Franz and my late husband used to do business together, and I still get invited to his weekend house parties, though I rarely attend them given most of the guests only speak German.” The lady shrugged. “However, I decided to attend this weekend.”

“After you found out Harrison was attending, I imagine,” Aimee said, her face a picture of innocence and her English accent firmly back in place.

The woman was good at accents and languages, he’d give her that.

Jane’s smile slipped as she turned to face Aimee. “Ah, Miss Jenkins, how wonderful to see you here, too,” she replied, sounding anything but happy about it. “And being so bold and direct, as I thought only Americans could be.”

“You’re forgetting I am half American,” Aimee replied with a smile of her own. “Clearly, such traits are in my blood.”

Lady Whitley returned her smile, though there was nothing friendly in the tight twisting of her lips. “That and many other things I imagine, seeing as you’re so liberal with your favors…”

“Jane, that’s enough,” Harrison warned, knowing she was referring to when she caught Aimee and him in an embrace.

“No, Harrison, let her say whatever she wants,” Aimee said. “I’m capable of defending myself.”

“No, he’s quite right,” Jane said. “That was rude of me and I do apologize.”

She seemed sincere, which was so at odds to her demeanor from a moment ago that Harrison began to question just how good of an actress the lady was.

“Excuse me, Mr. Stone?” the butler said, interrupting them as he came to a halt next to Harrison. holding a silver tray with a folded-up note lying upon it. “Your secretary has asked me to deliver this to you.”

Harrison took the note from the butler, then unfolded it, recognizing Mrs. Holbrook’s penmanship on the parchment. “It’s from Mrs. Holbrook, who sends her apologies but says she’s come down with a stomach ailment and will rest in her room for the remainder of the day. And she’s asked for you to attend her room, Aim—Evie,” Harrison said, correcting himself before slipping up.

“She’s asked for me?” Aimee asked, doubt filling her eyes. “She must be unwell then.”

Harrison shrugged. “She says she wants to give you some instructions about dealing with Wilheimer, seeing as you’re here in a work capacity.”

“Now that makes sense,” Aimee said. “Well, I better go and see her.” Her head swiveled between Harrison and Jane, her brows knotting together as she did so. “If you’ll both excuse me.”

“I can go with you if you’d like.”

“There’s no need, I’ll be fine.”

“Of course she’ll be fine, Harrison,” Jane said, her arm lightly looping through his elbow. “It’s only a short walk through the gardens to the house, and besides, I’ve spoken to several of Wilheimer’s friends about your plans for the future of the London company, and they’re all eager to meet you and possibly invest, too.”

He gently but firmly extracted Jane’s arm from his. “As much as I appreciate your efforts, Jane, I will go with—”

“I said I’ll be fine,” Aimee interrupted him, a determined glint in her eyes. “So go with Lady Whitley, Harrison, and cultivate business for the company, which is your one true love after all.”

She gave him a nod and then turned on her heel and marched back to the inside of the greenhouse and out of his sight.

Part of him wanted to chase after her, but that was foolish. She’d start to think he cared more for her than he’d told her he ever could…which a small part of him was terrified was the case. But that couldn’t be. Even the thought of loving her sent him into a cold sweat.

“Are you quite all right, Harrison?” Jane asked, her eyes filled with concern, but Harrison could also see a calculation in their depths he’d not noticed before.

“I’m fine,” he said, parroting Aimee’s words, and rather than follow his instincts and follow Aimee, he followed Jane, who began regaling him of everyone she was going to introduce him to that would further his empire in London.

Which was exactly what he wanted, he reminded himself.

At least it had been before he’d met Aimee. Now he wasn’t so sure. Because as much as he denied it, he was worried the ice he’d encased his heart with was starting to crack, and if he let it get any bigger, it just might shatter.

So he pushed down the voice in his head telling him he was being a fool, and focused on what was most important in his life —business and growing his fortune. Which he reminded himself was the reason he was marrying her in the first place, to ensure this deal went ahead and there would be no future business repercussions from her father. Because if Thomas ever found out Harrison had dishonored his daughter and not married her, the man would do all in his power to destroy him. It was a fight even Harrison was reluctant to take on, especially when it would jeopardize his dream of owning his own company. A dream that had got him through the dark times as a child when he was so desperately alone. A dream he’d pursued more passionately than anything in his life, until recently.

A dream he couldn’t abandon for anything so debilitating as love.