Full Bloom

Gifford declared.
    "I've been able to save a few bucks," Jacob said easily.
    Emily shifted uneasily in her chair as she realized where all this was leading. Her fingers tightened on the wicker arms. Drake seemed unperturbed by it all. He was watching the other two men as if he still found something vastly amusing. Catherine was looking anxiously at her daughter and back at her husband.
    "You're going to have to plan on something in the neighborhood of a quarter of a million, Stone," Gifford said bluntly. "You might as well be realistic about this. It costs money to go into business these days, especially the kind of business you're planning on opening. The competition is tough."
    "Like I said, I've learned a lot watching RI operate."
    Gifford swirled the ice cubes in his glass and then smoothly fired his big guns. "I think that we might be able to negotiate a deal, Stone. I'm willing to loan you the two hundred and fifty at no interest under certain circumstances."
    Emily went very still. She knew what those circumstances were. Gifford was going to offer a deal which would undoubtedly involve Jacob filing for divorce in exchange for a quarter of a million dollars that he could use to start his new business. Her knuckles went white around her glass.
    She wanted to leap to her feet and scream her protest, but in that moment she caught Jacob's eye and the angry, impassioned words died on her lips. Jacob watched her sink back into herself, and his mouth curved faintly. He turned to Gifford and spoke deliberately.
    "Gifford, I've worked for you long enough to know that the last thing in the world I would ever do is allow you to invest in my business. No offense, but we both know that the kind of offer you're making comes with a lot of strings attached. I don't have any intention of letting myself get tangled up in strings of any kind, especially not the kind pulled by a Ravenscroft."
    Gifford watched him for a long moment. "I believe you really mean that."
    "You, of all people, should know Jacob never says anything he doesn't mean," Drake pointed out. He glanced at his watch. "I think it's time for dinner. Shall we go? You know how Myra hates to be kept waiting."
    Gifford shot his son a quick look. "The rest of you go on. Jacob and I will be along shortly."
    Catherine got to her feet at once and so did Drake.
    "Coming, Emily?" Catherine asked pointedly.
    Emily hesitated, and then she smiled at her husband. "Why not?" she murmured. "Jacob can take care of himself."
    Jacob caught her hand as she walked past his chair and squeezed her fingers reassuringly. "Thanks for the vote of confidence," he said too softly for the others to hear.
    She smiled at him again and then went to join her mother and Drake. The three of them left the room.
    "I just can't believe it," Catherine said bluntly out in the hall. "How could you take us by surprise like this, Emily? First the marriage and then this news about your private agreement with Grandmother Ravenscroft. It's too much. What has gotten into you lately? You never used to do things like this."
    "Correction," Drake said lightly. "She used to try doing things like this in the past. She just didn't get away with them until recently. Our sweet little Emily has finally blossomed into full flower, I'm afraid. And it was Jacob Stone who was around to pick the blossom when it was ready. The man always did have an uncanny sense of timing.''
    "I know this is probably going to come as a shock to you, Mom, but I've loved Jacob Stone since the day he rescued me from that deranged kidnapper," Emily said gently.
    "You what?" Catherine was totally nonplussed.
    "It's true. But he was married then and I assumed there was no future for us. Even after his divorce I never dared to hope he might love me in return until you and Dad kindly brought him back into my life a few weeks ago. How can I ever thank you?"
    Drake chuckled as Catherine glared at her daughter. "Don't worry, Mom, it wasn't really your fault. Stone came back looking for Emily. He would have found her on his own. I realized that a while ago. It was just sheer coincidence we asked him to give us a hand getting her away from Morrell. By the time he got back to the States he had officially resigned from RI. Didn't you wonder why he agreed so readily to help us get Emily out of the situation with Morrell?"
    "We trusted that man!" Catherine exclaimed. "We trusted him for years. How could he do this to us?"
    "I'd like to point out," Emily said