Full Bloom

change their minds."
    Emily shook her head. "Not Jacob. And even if he did, marriage would be out of the question for us. I don't even want to think about what my family might do if they thought I was going to marry Jacob Stone."
    Diane looked at her seriously. "You think they would try to put a stop to it?"
    "Of course. They would never approve of him in a million years."
    "They employed him. From what you've told me they trusted him with Ravenscroft secrets. Your family seems to like him."
    "That's got nothing to do with it," Emily said wryly. "The fact that he was once a trusted employee would not make him a good candidate for my husband in their eyes. My family has very definite ideas about the kind of man I should marry, and if I look as if I'm going to choose the wrong one, they'll do something about it."
    "Like what?"
    Emily shuddered and tried to speak lightly. "Oh, it depends. Buy him off or warn him off or find a way to prove he's only after my interest in RI. Whatever works. My family is very practical and straightforward in such matters." She knew some of her bitterness had leaked into her words.
    "You think they could buy off Jacob? Or warn him off? Or even prove he's after your shares and your seat on the board? I'm not so sure about that, Emily. Your Mr. Stone looks very solid to me. It would take a lot to deflect him from any course of action he chooses to take. It's hard to deflect a chunk of rock."
    "I'm not sure what they would try with Jacob, but believe me, they'd find something. I know my family."
    "What will they do if they find out you're just having an affair with him?" Diane pressed.
    "I'm not having an affair with him."
Not yet, at any rate
, she added silently, aware of the thrill of anticipation that shot through her at the thought.
    "But if you do get involved in that way?" Diane persisted.
    Emily hesitated, gnawing on her lower lip. "The best thing for all concerned would be for them not to find out," she finally decided softly, thinking it through. "If I were to have an affair with Jacob, I would keep it very, very quiet. When dealing with my family, discretion is definitely the better part of valor." And the last thing she would want to do would be to risk losing Jacob.
    Diane was unwilling to give up her point. "But what if your family eventually found out about him?"
    Emily groaned. "They'd hit the roof."
    "Really?"
    "You can bet they wouldn't like the idea one bit. I think they'd be almost as upset about that as they would be about my marrying him. Almost, but not quite. After all, an affair isn't a permanent arrangement, in their view. It's marriage they worry about. Marriage puts my RI shares in jeopardy. Marriage means in-laws and another family getting involved in RI business. Marriage means there might be kids from an unapproved sire who would stand to inherit my interests in RI. Mustn't have that. The family name and business must be protected."
    "But a quiet little affair… ?"
    Emily drummed her fingers on the counter, thinking about that. "There's a chance, just a chance, mind you, that I could manage an affair with Jacob without bringing down the wrath of the Ravenscrofts on both our heads. If I'm discreet and very, very careful."
    "You've got that funny look in your eyes again," Diane observed. "You know what I think?"
    "What?"
    "I think you're falling in love with Jacob Stone."
    Emily suddenly felt very vulnerable. "I think I'd better get this arrangement done or forget about the Strandburg account altogether."
    By applying a stupendous amount of willpower, Emily managed not to think about having an affair with Jacob for the rest of the afternoon. She steadfastly put the whole notion out of her mind while she worked, determined not to let it distract her.
    But later that evening as she dressed for dinner, the sense of anticipation within her blossomed forth again. Emily looked at herself in the mirror as she put on a pair of silver-and-turquoise earrings and thought about her uncertain future with Jacob.
    She was in love with the man. She had loved him in various ways for five years. Now that he was back in her life, that love was stronger than ever. Sooner or later, if Jacob hung around, she was going to wind up in an affair with him.
    If that happened, she would be skating on very thin ice and she knew it. Her family would not like the idea at all.
    She had been right when she had told Diane that having a love affair with Jacob Stone would require enormous caution and