AT LEAST he hadnât refused outright to see her, although he must be aware of why she was here. Aware of curious glances from staff in the vicinity, Leonie kept her face blank of expression. Vidalâs arrival, along with her fatherâs absence, would have given rise to some speculation, but she doubted if the full facts were known as yet.
The man who emerged from what had been her fatherâs office looked far from happy. Leonie couldnât blame him for avoiding her eyes. She only hoped he hadnât lost his job as a result of not realising what was going on.
She waited on tenterhooks for the summons to the inner sanctum herself, dreading the moment of confrontation. It was two years since she had last seen the man she was about to beg for forbearance on her fatherâs behalf. Two years since she had told him he was the last man on earth she would ever consider marrying. If he still held a grudge against her for that put-down there was little chance of his complying with her plea, but she had to try.
The woman seated at the desk her fatherâs secretary normally occupied was new to her; she remembered him saying heâd had a change about a month ago. She looked across at Leonie as the intercom buzzed, curiosity written large in her eyes. âYou can go through now,â she said.
Leonie got to her feet, steeling herself for what was to come. It was on the cards that she would be emerging from the office again in a couple of minutes with Vidalâs bootâmetaphorically if not physicallyâbehind her. Not that heâd be anything but within his rights in telling her to go take a running jump, so to speak.
It was some time since sheâd visited her father at work. Spacious and well-lit, his office overlooked the river. Leaning negligently against the windowsill, lean and lithe body clad in a silver-grey suit of impeccable cut, Vidal Parella Dos Santos regarded her in silence for a lengthy moment, his tautly sculpted features unrevealing.
âYouâve changed little,â he observed in excellent Cambridge-acquired English. âBut then, looks such as yours are unlikely to deteriorate.â He indicated the chair set her side of the wide desk. âPlease be seated.â
âIâd as soon stand,â Leonie answered. She drew a steadying breath, meeting the dark eyes full-on. âIâm sure I donât need to tell you how I feel about what my fatherâs done. He abused your trust in him, and deserves to pay the price for it.â
âBut?â Vidal prompted as she hesitated.
âBut prison would kill him,â she said.
One black eyebrow lifted sardonically. âSo what are you suggesting? That I allow him to get away with embezzlement?â
Leonie put everything she knew into keeping a steady head. âIâm asking you to just give him time to put things right again. He can repay what he owes by remortgaging the house.â
âAnd how would you propose that he even arranges a mortgage without a job?â The smile that crossed the hard-boned face when she failed to answer immediately was almost humorous. âYou expect me to reinstate him too?â
âHeâs unlikely to get another job at all if you prosecute,â she pointed out. âWhich means heâs never going to be in a position to pay back. Obviously it would have to be in a lesser capacity.â
âOne denying him any further opportunities to tamper with accounts, you mean?â
Leonie caught herself up, only too aware of being baited. âIt makes more sense than putting him in a cell.â
Vidal studied her strikingly lovely face, framed by the heavy fall of Titian hair, lowering his gaze with deliberation down the shapely length of her body, then back again. She tilted her chin, green eyes sparking as they met his once more. It was still there: the covetousness that had so alienated her in the past. What this man wanted he was accustomed to getting. Her refusal to marry him had been met with total disbelief at first, followed by cold fury when sheâd added insult to injury by saying what she had. There had been no need to go that far, she had to acknowledge now. It said something for him that he hadnât taken it out on her father at the time.
More than could be said for her father for certain.
âDid he send you to plead his case?â Vidal asked.
She shook her head. âThis is my idea. I donât condone what heâs done, but Iâd hate to see him in a prison cell myself. Iâm sure it can be taken for granted that he wonât be doing any more big-time gambling.â
There was a lengthy pause. Leonie wished she could tell what was going on in the arrogant dark head. She was still here. That in itself gave her some hope.
âYou think him ready to carry on here in the circumstances?â Vidal asked at length. âSo far only one other person knows the truth of the matter, but even if he were sworn to secrecy there would be speculation.â