Wildest Hearts

to get back to my shop.”

    “Annie, wait.” There was sudden desperation in Sybil's expression. “Please don't leave. I've got to talk to you.”

    “I don't want to talk to you about Oliver or my marriage.”

    “You don't understand. There's more involved here than just your marriage. I know you're concerned about your brother's business. We need to talk.”

    “If you're going to issue another warning about what Oliver has planned for Lyncroft, forget it. I'm not in the mood to listen.” Annie started to rise from the chair.

    “Just a minute.” Sybil broke off and looked up quickly as a tall man came to a halt beside the table. Anxiety tempered with relief appeared in her eyes. “Jonathan. What are you doing here?”

    “Hello, Sybil.” The man turned a charmingly rueful smile on Annie. Behind the lenses of his glasses his eyes reflected a measure of understanding. “Sorry about this. Allow me to introduce myself. I'm Jonathan Grace. A friend of Sybil's.”

    “How do you do.” Annie examined him curiously.

    Her first thought was that Jonathan Grace did not live up to his name. Instead of being built on lean and graceful lines, he was solid and sturdy looking. One could imagine him as having played football in high school or college. Some of the muscle had turned to middle-aged spread. Annie guessed he was in his late forties or early fifties. He had broad, somewhat heavy, but generally pleasant features.

    “You shouldn't be here,” Sybil said quickly.

    “I think Annie will understand and keep our little secret, won't you, Annie?” Jonathan sat down at the table. He signaled to a waiter.

    “What secret?” Annie asked warily as the waiter poured coffee in Jonathan's cup.

    “Sybil and I are planning to be married,” Jonathan said easily.

    Sybil sucked in her breath. There was a haunted look in her eyes. “We agreed it was much too soon to say anything about our plans, Jonathan.”

    “It's all right, darling.” Jonathan patted Sybil's hand and turned his amused brown eyes on Annie. “I'm afraid my lovely Sybil has been living in fear of her stepson for so many years she can't get used to the idea of being open about our relationship.”

    “He'll cut me off the instant he hears I'm thinking of remarrying,” Sybil said nervously. “He's been looking for an excuse to get rid of me for the past sixteen years and this will be it.”

    Jonathan squeezed her hand. “You know you won't have to worry about your financial security, honey. I can take care of you.”

    “It's the principle of the thing,” Sybil said tightly. “I've told you that. Damn it, I'm entitled to my share of the Rain fortune. Oliver has no right to deprive me of it. It's all so unfair. He owes me for what I did for him. Heowes me.”

    Jonathan smiled tenderly. “And I'm sure in his eyes he's repaid you. You've admitted that Rain has been quite generous ever since he started making money on his own. Your sons have had everything they needed, including a father figure.”

    “I'll admit he's been good to them. They never knew their real father. Oliver stepped into the role. He was always available for them and the girls, even during the times when he was working eighteen hours a day. But he only tolerated me because of them.”

    “I'm sure that's not true, Sybil,” Annie said.

    “It's quite true.” Sybil looked down at her beautifully manicured hands. Her mouth tightened. “He hates me.”

    Annie was appalled. “I don't believe that.”

    “You don't know him.”

    “Why should he hate you?”

    Sybil sighed and glanced away for a moment. “He always resented the fact that his father married me after his mother died. Oliver never accepted me.”

    Annie tilted her head to one side. “You think Oliver still resents you, even after all these years?”

    “I know he does. He'll never forgive me for trying to take his mother's place.” Sybil met her eyes. “Oliver never forgives or forgets. Everyone knows that. Just ask Valerie. She's in love with Carson Shore, the son of one of Oliver's old enemies. I talked to her this morning. She was in tears because Oliver has ordered her to sever the relationship.”

    Annie swallowed. She knew that much was true. There was no reason to doubt that Sybil's story was equally true. All things considered, Oliver did seem to be the type who carried a mean grudge. But once again she felt an inexplicable need to leap to his defense.

    “Oliver has been very good