Camouflage by M J Marlow (ebook reader online free txt) 📕

made plans to marry,” she continued, her expression becoming far away. “But something always happened to prevent their wedding. Then she learned she was pregnant. That was when the stalking started.”
“Stalking?”
“Someone targeted our mother and Winslow,” Dianna told her bluntly. “They would leave nasty notes; break car windows, slash tires. Mother grew quite frightened. Someone convinced her that she should leave, take an assumed name, and finish her schooling elsewhere. They told her they would tell Michael that she had taken ill and had to go away for her health.” She saw Emily’s expression and patted the girl’s hand. “Everything went well for nearly the whole nine months she was carrying you. Then she received a note from Michael, asking her to meet him. We only learned later that Michael had never sent her that note. You know the rest.”
“How horrible!” Emily cried out, distressed by the tale. “If I had not decided to help you all clear Sebastian, that tale would have done it.” She saw Dianna’s shocked expression. “I have known this man my entire life, Dianna. I think someone else was behind what happened to our mother and Sebastian is being set up.”
“It doesn’t matter why you are doing this, Emily,” Dianna smiled at her sister and hugged her. “It’s time the truth came out.” She kissed her on the cheek and got to her feet. “Good night little sister.”
Emily smiled and watched her newfound sister leave the room. She went to take a shower and returned to find Alexander standing by the windows. He turned as he heard her enter and she could tell he had been told by the mixture of happiness and worry in his expression. He came up to her and put his hands on her upper arms, searching her eyes for any sign of hesitation. Finding none, he took the ring out of his pocket and slid it back on her finger. He kissed her palm and then kissed her lips. Emily was lost in a whirl of emotion as the kiss deepened. When they finally parted, she watched Alexander leave with true regret.

7*
They had been engaged for four days when the cruise came to an end. They returned to Riverton, Colorado and held the performances as scheduled. When Alexander and Emily arrived at her apartment, Sebastian Townsend was waiting for them. He did not speak as Emily unpacked her things. She returned to the living room to see him standing stiffly by the windows; his expression dark. Emily was surprised by his reaction. He had sent his son to keep an eye on her, she was certain of that; so how could he not believe that a relationship might have begun between them. Alexander brought her a glass of iced tea and they sat down on the couch to wait the storm of Sebastian’s displeasure together. Sebastian finally turned from the windows and came to sit in a chair by the couch. He looked at them both, seriously displeasure in his expression.
“When I sent you to Riverton to work with the company, son,” he began, landing the first volley on Alexander, “I did not think it would lead to this! She is just a child, Alex!” his voice grew even colder. “How could you take advantage of her innocence?”
“Emily is not a child,” Alexander replied stiffly. He took her hand in his, holding it for moral support. “She is an intelligent, creative, talented, and yes, beautiful, young woman. We did not make this decision as lightly as you seem to think.”
“In the time your son has been working with the company,” Emily chimed in, looking directly at Sebastian, “I have grown very attached to him. We believe we have a future together.”
“You are an innocent, Emily,” Sebastian scoffed. “All of your life you have been sheltered, catered to. But this is not something I can allow you…”
“Why not, Father?” Alexander asked bluntly, his eyes cold and angry. “Happiness is not something a son of yours should know?”
“It’s not that, son,” Sebastian groaned, suddenly looking ten years older. He looked at the pair of them, holding hands and staring him down, and he wished he could tell them the truth. “I can’t go into the details of it with either of you. You must trust me that this is not a good idea. You will call off your engagement immediately.”
“No!” Alexander and Emily said in tandem. Alexander kissed Emily’s hand and went to the door, opening it. “If you have nothing further to say, Father, it is time you were leaving. Emily and I are having dinner with her sister, Dianna, and her husband.”
“How did you find ou….” Sebastian looked at them again and realized they knew a lot more than he had realized. Someone had betrayed his confidence. He would find them and make them pay for that. “Never mind,” he continued as he rose to his feet. “I wish I could be happy for the pair of you, but this engagement is going to bring you nothing but trouble.”
He left the apartment then and Alexander closed the door behind him. He turned to see Emily biting her lip, dismayed by what had happened. He took her in his arms and held her until she stopped shaking. They went to his car and drove to one of the restaurants along the river. Dianna embraced them both as they were shown to the table. As they sat down, she couldn’t help but notice the subdued attitude of the younger couple.
“He didn’t take the news very well, did he?” she asked them bluntly. She ignored her husband’s look of censure. “What did he say.” They told her everything and she was frowning darkly at the end of their recitation. “He said that exactly ‘nothing but trouble?”
“Is that so important, Dianna?” Emily asked her sister, sensing something was very, very wrong. “It’s what the notes said that Mother and Dr. Winslow received, isn’t it?”
“Almost exactly,” Dianna nodded. She wasn’t going to spare Emily now. “You are going to come stay with us, Emily,” she said and shook her head as Emily started to refuse. “We insist. Don’t we, Stephen. Besides,” she smiled and grasped her sister’s hand, admiring the engagement ring, “we have a lot of planning to do for your big day. You’re going to need my sisterly input.” She looked up as Gregory and Bridget arrived. “You’re just in time, you two. Alexander and Emily are engaged!”
“Way to go, Golden Boy!” Gregory exclaimed and thumped Alexander on the shoulder. “When is the happy event?”
“We haven’t set a date yet,” Alexander replied, as he looked over at Emily. He hated having to do this to her; he truly did care for her, but it was necessary. “We were thinking late June, early July…”
“But that’s only two months away,” Bridget broke in, looking at the pair of them as if they had lost their minds. “It’s a good thing for you that Dianna called me in when she did. I have planned several weddings in my day; I have hundreds of contacts. In fact, I was the bridal consultant for Dianna and Stephen’s wedding.”
“You’re a bridal consultant?” Emily asked, stunned. This tall, blowsy redhead planned weddings? “Has the world suddenly started spinning in reverse?”
“Don’t worry, Emi,” Dianna smiled over at her sister. “If anyone can get this wedding arranged in one month, it’s Bridget!” Her eyes lit up as she thought of something. “I still have our Mother’s bridal gown, Emily! We should see if it will fit you.”
“Enough chit chat,” Stephen suddenly spoke up. “We came here to eat, woman, and I, for one, am starving.”
All talk of the fake wedding came to a halt as they all concentrated on the menus in front of them. After they had placed their orders, the restaurant manager arrived with a bucket. Inside it was a bottle of his best champagne. He congratulated the happy couple and opened the bottle for them as a waiter set out the champagne glasses. A picture was taken of the party and then they were left alone. Emily found herself looking over at Alexander as she began to feel a sadness that this was only a mock engagement. He smiled down at her and bent to kiss her on the cheek.
“Maybe one day, my little love,” he whispered against her ear. Then he pulled away and raised his glass. “To my beautiful fiancé.”

8*
Sebastian was pacing in his study, waiting for the phone call he knew was coming. How could his son and that girl do this to him? He had worked so hard to keep Emily and her family apart, the price for one of his most lucrative business contracts. The man was not going to be pleased to hear that Emily not only knew who her family was, but she was about to marry Sebastian’s own son. The man had been very, very specific about Emily Barton’s situation. She was to remain apart from her family, and untouched by a man, until he personally decided what her future was to be. He nearly jumped out of his skin as the phone rang.
“I just received a very disturbing phone call,” the man he’d been waiting to hear from said coldly on the other end. “Emily Barton has been approached by her father, and her Spencer relatives. A photograph of her and her fiancé, your son, was faxed to me as well,” There was a deadly silence over the line. “I thought I had made my conditions very clear, Sebastian. How could you allow this to happen?”
“Emily is not my son’s type,” Sebastian replied, biting his lip. “I am as surprised as you are to find them engaged. I tried to talk to them about this…”
“But they would not listen,” the man broke in harshly. “I have left it up to you far too long, Sebastian. I will have to deal with the situation on my own. If you are very, very lucky, your precious son will not be caught in the crossfire.”