Patricia Wilson - Borrowed Wife (Romance)

PatriciaWilson - Borrowed Wife

Copyright I996 by Patricia Wilson. I996Silhouette Books, a division of Harlequin Enterprises Limited.

Harlequin Enterprises Limited, Toronto, Canada. Silhouette, Silhouette Desire a registered Trademark of Harlequin Romance.

CHAPTER ONE

Abigail watched with afrown as her father paced around his study from side to side. She noticed thetension in his shoulders, the contorted red colour of the strain on his face.He was working up to a heart attack and she knew it but there was nothing shecould do about this endless fear. She had seen it eating into him the last fouryears.

At first, she thought itwas an exaggeration. Now she knew that his insecurity had strong reasons forbeing. The almost superstitious belief that was within his grip, his certainty ofretribution. And now she believed it herself, because nothing would stop Logan. Nothing would halt the juggernaut of destruction that he had turned loose on theirlives. The promise he made to crush, the Madden Corporation was about to befulfilled. The vow had been made and it was happening; with the power of hisstrength, Logan Steeles was slowly destroying her father, without mercy,overwhelming them. It wasnt ever a clean, sharp kill. The method ofannihilation had been slowly grinding them into oblivion. The suffering hadbeen insidious and carried out with meticulous precision, planned to detail,the icily grey eyes of Logan Steele like some cruel deity controlling a gameof deadly chess. Except that it wasnt a game. It was her fathers life, thebusiness he had spent over thirty years building, his very reason for existing.

Five years! Five years tothe exact day he threatened me. Kent Madden muttered, stopping to look at heras she stood by his desk and watched helplessly.

The business wassuspended last night. By the end of today we will be liquidated. Looseeverything we have, everything!

He wentto stand by the window, staring unseeing into the garden of the huge house thathe had built almost twenty years ago. It had been an outward sign of prosperity,a signal to all the world that he had arrived. The Madden Corporation had beenclimbing like a star, shining and new, secure at last after ten yean of bardwork and scheming. Now the house would go with everything else. How long couldthey hang onto it? Months? Weeks?

Abigailsighed and shook her head, the feeling of helpless despair flooding over heragain There had been nothing she could do to shield them against Logans cold, ruthless determination. She had merely been a pawn in the game, anotherweapon in Logans hands as hed planned her fathers destruction.

KentMadden waned to be so bitterly alone. He stood with his back to her but even soshe could see the destruction that the last few years had wrought. Thestraight back was bent, the wide shoulders drooping; his hair was almostcompletely white. He had tried to fight, tried to win and he had beenaccustomed to winning. But there was no way of fighting the ice-cold energythat was Logan Steele, no way of defeating the wealth and power he commanded.

It wouldhave been better if her father had simply bowed out long ago but Logan had known be would not. He had known that Kent Madden would fight to the end and hehad slowly forced the breath from the firm, watching the struggle with aglacial detachment. Now was the time for the kill and he would not even appearfor that; she knew him too well to expect it. He would observe it from hisluxurious office in the towering city block that bore his name. He would watchit come over the fax. He would tear off the report, crumble it in his long,strong fingers and it would all be over.

Abigaillooked at her father with dread. What would he do then? How would he recoverfrom this silent battle to the death? The last few years had almost turned himinto an old man and she knew that when the end came, when the news of the crashwas blazoned across the papers, Kent Maddens life would be finished.

Alreadyhe had handed the office over to hernot in any formal way but simply by notbeing there. It was months since he had even set foot in the door. The boardmeetings, the daily dealings with each crisis had become Abigails problem. Hewas too ill to face work. One day at the office would probably kill him.

Illhave to go. she said quietly Today of all days, Ive got to be in theoffice.

Therellbe no miracle, Abigail. he muttered without turning. Miracles only happen forLogan Steele. Theres nothing you can do.

I know.All the same, I should be there.

She leftand went out to her car. Her father was still standing by the window but he wasstaring into space, never even looking down at her. It would take a miracle tosave them and she knew it. And miracles didnt happen for Logan. He made themhappen. Logan made everything happen and anyone who stood in his way was hurt.Who should know that better than she did? She still felt the pain.

Youve got two meetingsthis morning, Abigail. Martha Bates said as Abigail walked in. This afternoonyouve got to see Jenkinsons manager and the man from the bank. Theres a listof calls on your desk. The phone never stops ringing.

Are yousurprised? Abigail sighed, leaning against Marthas desk and looking down atthe growing list of appointments.

Imsorry. Really I am, Martha said sympathetically. She had been Kents private secretary for twenty years and she knew that this was the end-everyone knew.It was not something that could be hidden or glossed over. Abigail smiledruefully into the kindly, middle-aged face and nodded.

I know.Thanks. Its all going to be so much old news soon.

Theresnothing you can do? Martha asked hopefully, and Abigail looked at her wryly.

I couldstand and scream, break a few windows. Care to help?

It wasfunny how even at the worst of times people could laugh, Martha thought as shewatched Abigail walk down the long passage to her office. She never ceased tobe delighted by the look of Kent Maddens daughter. The long, glossy black hairhadnt changed since she had come here nearly seven years ago. Nobody deservedto take the beating she was taking now. She was too young, too beautiful, toosweet to face this daily battleground. Kent should have been here, fighting itto the end. Abigail had suffered enough.

The phonerang and Martha picked it up, her softened expression hardening.

Therewill be no statement issued to the Press today, she stated starchily, No, thechairman is not in the offices at the moment. She put the phone down angrily.While she was here she would protect Abigail from vultures. It was the onlyhelp she could give.

With thedoor dosed behind her, Abigail sank to the chair by the desk - her desk now,because if she had not been here there would have been nobody at all in thisoffice with his name engraved on the outer door. Kent Madden, Chairman. Thegold signs were up on other doors too. Vice-Chairman, General Manager,Boardroom

lt wasthe last sign that always stuck in her mind because that was where she hadfirst seen Logan. She had him at that door as hed been on his way out, fiveyears ago, when she had been nineteen. Now she felt old, worn out, defeated.Abigail leaned back and closed her eyes, too dejected even to begin planningthe afternoons meetings.