Man Who Loved Pride and Prejudice (3 page)

   "That's easy for you to say," Calder snapped.

   "If you get up and walk out of here by yourself, that
will
make a scene. Finish your lunch."

   "I've had all I want." He tossed his napkin on the table.

   Cassie, dismayed by his sudden shift of mood, noticed Erin's unhappy look. At least this could give her an excuse to leave. "I'm done, too, and I need to get back to the lab. Maybe Calder and I could go part of the way together, and you two could take your time."

   Scott's face brightened. "That won't be so bad, now! Is that okay with you, Calder?"

   Calder gave a grim nod and pushed back his chair. Surprised by the speed with which this was happening, Cassie fished out a ten-dollar bill from her pocket and tossed it on the table.

   Scott tried to hand it back to her. "My treat."

   Cassie shook her head. "Sorry. I pay my own way."

   "No, please, this was my idea."

   "Scott, it's been a pleasure to meet you. Let's not spoil a budding friendship with an argument." Cassie hoped her smile took any sting from her words.

   This seemed to disarm him, and she followed Calder outside. He strode off down the street at a pace she had to work to keep up with. Apparently he didn't plan to offer an explanation for the scene in the restaurant. So much for wondering if she might have misjudged him. Her first impression of him had been correct. It was disappointing.

   They walked most of the brief length of the town in silence before he finally said, without looking at her, "Thank you."

   "Not a problem. This is where I turn off. My lab's down here."

   "I'll walk you there." He didn't sound particularly pleased with the prospect.

   "There's no need. It's out of your way."

   He paid no attention. Rather than argue pointlessly with him, Cassie followed his lead, glad it was only a block away.

   "This is it. Take care." It was hackneyed, but it was more polite than saying, "Goodbye and good riddance."

   He stopped between her and the building. "I suppose you knew all along."

   "Knew what?"

   His lips thinned. "Who I am."

   Cassie's temper began to simmer, but for Erin's sake she didn't let it show. It wouldn't do her friend any good to have Cassie argue with Calder. "Look, I have no idea what you're talking about, I have no idea what went on back there, and I suspect I'm just as happy that way."

   When he didn't respond, she flashed him a quick, if somewhat less than genuine, smile. "This is it, my home away from home," she said. "Enjoy the rest of your day." She turned and walked into the building before he could make any reply.

   As she ran up the stairs, she didn't see him standing and looking after her, contemplating the rarity of a woman who couldn't seem to get out of his company fast enough. Perversely, he found himself wishing she would look back, but she never did.

"CALDER WESTING? YOU MUST be joking." Cassie halted halfway through sorting a set of microscope slides. "As in the political Westings, the ones with old money? They wouldn't be caught dead with the likes of us."

   "Not this one." Erin perched on the edge of the lab bench. "He's Senator Westing's son, and his brother is in the House of Representatives now. Calder hates publicity, but he still gets stalked by paparazzi. Scott says that's why he gets angry when someone recognizes him. Poor guy."

   Cassie assimilated this new information. "Still, a little good manners would take him a long way. Assuming those girls did recognize him, all he had to do was to smile at them and there wouldn't have been a problem. That's all they wanted, I imagine—a smile and a story to take home."

   "That's a good point," said Erin slowly, "but I don't suppose I can imagine what it's like to have that happen all the time. Maybe it's harder than we think."

   "You would find a way to sympathize with the devil himself." Cassie had no sympathy for Calder Westing. No doubt he had everything in life handed to him on a platter, and if he was anything like his father, he probably thought women belonged in the kitchen and Darwin was the root of all evil. "How was the rest of lunch?"

   "Great. Scott invited us both out to his house on Saturday to swim and go sailing. You'll come, won't you?"

   "Wouldn't you rather go by yourself?"

   Erin hesitated. "I like him, but I don't think I'm ready to go to his house alone yet. I haven't forgotten how wonderful Jack looked at first."

   Cassie was glad Erin wasn't letting herself believe in surface charm this time. She didn't want to face another relationship where Erin's boyfriend sent her home with bruises. But after that experience, Cassie could understand why Erin would be anxious about being alone with a man she hardly knew. "All right, I'll come."

With a certain sense of unreality, Cassie and Erin approached the heretofore forbidden guard booth at the entrance to Penzance Point. The guard, who had chased away many years' worth of exploring grad students, was perfectly polite when Erin explained they were invited by Mr. Dunstan. He called up to the house to confirm the information before waving them through.

   Cassie could see why the residents wanted to keep it to themselves. The walk along the winding road provided stunning vistas of Vineyard Sound and Buzzard's Bay. They passed a few old estates, as well as some elaborate newer houses. Scott's house, a modern construction of glass and wood, wasn't the largest or most extravagant, but it was big enough that she rapidly revised her estimate of its cost upwards. "I doubt if that cost less than five million dollars!" she whispered to Erin. What a contrast to the tiny, well-worn rental cottage she shared with Erin!

   "Oh, hush, Cassie! I don't even want to think about it! Remember, we're only here to have a nice afternoon."

   "And I thought you invited me to protect your reputation," Cassie teased.

   Scott met them at the door with a wide smile. He offered them a tour of the house, which only confirmed Cassie's impression of his wealth. She wondered if Erin understood what she was getting herself into. They ended in the dining room, where a catered lunch was set out.

   To Cassie's surprise, they were joined by a silent Calder Westing. She hadn't realized he was staying with his friend, or she would have thought twice about accepting the invitation. Maybe even three times. His presence made her uncomfortable. Every time she glanced in his direction, his eyes were on her. She had no idea what it was about her that bothered him so much. She was relieved when he disappeared again as soon as he was done eating.

   Scott shrugged apologetically. "Sorry about that. Calder can get pretty involved in his work and tends to forget about anything else."

   "I hadn't realized this was a working vacation for him." Erin took a sip of white wine.

   Scott hesitated for a second. "Well, he has some things he needs to do for the foundation he works with. But I'm more interested in what you'd like to do than what he's doing. What will it be? Swimming? Sailing? Lazing about on the porch?"

   Erin's face lit up. "I love to sail. Do you have a boat?"

   "I certainly do. Want to see her?"

   Cassie accompanied them as they went down to the water to look at the boat, but she doubted they noticed her presence. She was definitely a third wheel now. When the subject of going out on the water arose, she said she would be perfectly happy sitting on the porch reading, but hoped they would go ahead. Scott, looking delighted at the prospect of being alone with Erin, seconded the proposal.

   Cassie found a comfortable chair on the porch and pulled out the book she had brought with her. It was soothing to sit in the cool salt breeze, the view of the Sound stretched out in front of her. She'd be able to live anywhere with a view like this. But she couldn't complain. Woods Hole, surrounded by water on three sides, was a mecca for marine biologists, and she was lucky to get lab space there so early in her career. That was more important than a beautiful view.

   She had read only a couple of chapters before Calder emerged from the house and asked abruptly where the others were.

   She pointed out into the Sound. "They took the boat out. I decided to be a landlubber."

   "You don't sail?"

   "Actually, I do, though I haven't done it much. Not like Erin. She's from this area originally, and she practically grew up on sailboats." Looking out over the bay, she saw a few dark clouds beginning to roll in. She hoped Scott and Erin wouldn't stay out on the water long.

   "Why didn't you go with them, then?"

   Certainly not in hopes of having his company. "Because they're both good sailors, and they clearly wanted to be alone together. I knew I'd be in the way. That's why I brought a book." She held it up for his inspection, hoping he would take the hint and leave.

   He barely glanced at the book, preferring to keep his eyes on her. "Why did you come, then?"

   She wondered if all visitors to the house were subjected to this kind of inquisition or whether she was just lucky. "Because smart women don't go alone to the house of a man they barely know."

   "You don't trust Scott?"

   "Erin doesn't know Scott well enough to know whether she can trust him."

   He frowned. "Don't you think you're being a little over-suspicious?"

   Cassie couldn't suppress a smile at the protected world he clearly lived in. "Well, I don't suppose you've ever been in the position of being afraid of a woman forcing herself on you." She looked over his tall form appraisingly from head to toe.

   His eyes showed a flash of amusement. "You might be surprised," he said with a certain self-deprecating humor. "But you don't have to worry about Scott."

   "I'm glad to hear that." Not that she was willing to take his word on it. "Erin's last boyfriend put her in the hospital. That's why she's here for the summer. He kept violating the restraining order."

   "I'm sorry." It could have been perfunctory, but it sounded like he meant it. "Have you known Erin long?"

   "Since freshman year of college."

   "An old friend, then."

   "Yes." She looked out at the water again. She couldn't pick out Scott's sailboat anymore from the others crossing the Sound. "She's pretty fragile right now."

   "Scott isn't going to hurt her." His quiet words

surprised her. She hadn't expected him to understand her concern.

   "I hope not. Erin trusts people too easily." But that was starting to change.

   He didn't seem to feel the need to respond, making Cassie remember who she was talking to. This wasn't another scientist; this was Calder Westing, who she couldn't begin to understand. Once again she had decided he was cold and haughty, only to have a thoughtful man with quiet wit emerge. Of course, she knew from last time that the aloof Calder was only a heartbeat away, ready to put her back in her place. She wasn't going to be drawn in this time.

   Besides, she was crazy if she thought Calder Westing was someone she could ever be friends with. She shouldn't be talking to him this way. "It looks like it might rain soon. If you'll excuse me, I think I'm going to take a swim while the sun's still out."

   He gave her a quick look but said nothing, so she walked down to the pier. When she reached the end, she stripped off her clothes, revealing a modest one-piece bathing suit.

   Calder watched from the shadows of the porch, taking in the curves of her body as she neatly folded her clothes and set them on the dock. There was something about Cassie Boulton that made him want to know what was underneath her no-nonsense exterior and quick wit—not to mention what was underneath her swimsuit. His eyes remained fixed on her as she dove efficiently into the water.

   No, all in all he was finding her far too interesting, and that wouldn't do. Deliberately, he forced himself to