Suddenly, Julia came hurrying back into the room. “I forgot my—” She stopped as she saw the papers on the floor. “What are you doing?”
“I’m sorry.” Sally apologized. “The box fell down.”
Blushing, Julia bent down and started putting the papers back in the box.
“I had no idea you were so interested in the rich and famous,” Sally said.
Silently, Julia kept shoving the papers into the box. As she gathered a handful of photographs, she came across a small gold heart-shaped locket that her mother had given her before she died. Julia put the locket aside.
Sally was studying her, puzzled. “Julia?”
“Yes.”
“Why are you so interested in Harry Stanford?”
“I’m not. I…This was my mother’s.”
Sally shrugged. “Okay.” She reached for a paper. It was from a scandal magazine, and the headline caught her eye: TYCOON GETS CHILDREN’S GOVERNESS PREGNANT—BABY BORN OUT-OF-WEDLOCK—MOTHER AND BABY DISAPPEAR!
Sally was staring at Julia, openmouthed. “My God! You’re Harry Stanford’s daughter!”
Julia’s mouth tightened. She shook her head and continued putting the papers back.
“Aren’t you?”
Julia stopped. “Please, I’d rather not talk about it, if you don’t mind.”
Sally jumped to her feet. “You’d rather not talk about it? You’re the daughter of one of the richest men in the world, and you’d rather not talk about it? Are you insane?”
“Sally…”
“Do you know how much he was worth? Billions.”
“That has nothing to do with me.”
“If you’re his daughter, it has everything to do with you. You’re an heiress! All you have to do is tell the family who you are, and—”
“No.”
“No…what?”
“You don’t understand.” Julia rose and then sank down on the bed. “Harry Stanford was an awful man. He abandoned my mother. She hated him, and I hate him.”
“You don’t hate anyone with that much money. You understand them.”
Julia shook her head. “I don’t want any part of them.”
“Julia, heiresses don’t live in crummy apartments and buy clothes at flea markets, and borrow to pay the rent. Your family would hate knowing you live like this. They’d be humiliated.”
“They don’t even know I’m alive.”
“Then you’ve got to tell them.”
“Sally…”
“Yes?”
“Drop the subject.”
Sally looked at her for a long time. “Sure. By the way, you couldn’t loan me a million or two till payday, could you?”
Chapter Twenty
Tyler was becoming frantic. For the last twenty-four hours, he had been dialing Lee’s home number, and there had been no answer. Who is he with? Tyler agonized. What is he doing?
He picked up the telephone and dialed once again. The phone rang for a long time, and just as Tyler was about to hang up, he heard Lee’s voice.
“Hello.”
“Lee! How are you?”
“Who the hell is this?”
“It’s Tyler.”
“Tyler?” There was a pause. “Oh, yes.”
Tyler felt a twinge of disappointment. “How are you?”
“Fine,” Lee said.
“I told you I was going to have a wonderful surprise for you.”
“Yes?” He sounded bored.
“Do you remember what you said to me about going to St.-Tropez on a beautiful white yacht?”
“What about it?”
“How would you like to leave next month?”
“Are you serious?”
“You bet I am.”
“Well, I don’t know. You’ve got a friend with a yacht?”
“I’m about to buy a yacht.”
“You’re not on something, are you, Judge?”
“On…? No, no! I’ve just come into some money. A lot of money.”
“St.-Tropez, huh? Yeah, that sounds great. Sure, I’d love to go with you.”
Tyler felt a deep sense of relief. “Wonderful! Meanwhile, don’t…” He couldn’t bring himself even to think about it. “I’ll be in touch with you, Lee.” He replaced the receiver and sat on the edge of his bed. “I’d love to go with you.” He could visualize the two of them on a beautiful yacht, cruising around the world together. Together.
Tyler picked up the telephone book and turned to the yellow pages.
The offices of John Alden Yachts, Inc., are located on Boston’s Commercial Wharf. The sales manager came up to Tyler as he entered.
“What can I do for you today, sir?”
Tyler looked at him, and said casually, “I’d like to buy a yacht.” The words rolled off his tongue.