after another. Something would have to change, fast!
"Excuse me, Mr. Manning," Leona, his housekeeper, said, interrupting his thoughts. "There's a visitor here to see you."
Assuming it was William, he said,"Send him on back."
He closed the books and went to pour them both a brandy. But when he turned around he almost dropped the drinks.
James Halsted III, Alexandra's father, stood before him. Good Lord, what was the man doing here?
Connor set the glasses down and crossed the room to grip the man's hand. "My apologies for not greeting you at the door. I assumed you were a friend of mine who drops by regularly. Could I interest you in a brandy, sir?"
"Thank you. It will wash the dust from my throat."
Motioning to a chair on the other side of his desk, Connor said, "Please sit."
Halsted sat down across from him, and Connor handed him a glass, then took his own seat. For a moment, they simply sipped the liquor, Connor examining the possible reasons why Alexandra's father was here.
Finally, Mr. Halsted glanced up at him, eyes dark and intimidating, his manner serious. "I'm sure you must be wondering why I'm here. You take my daughter to one picnic and I show up on your doorstep."
"Yes, sir. My curiosity has definitely been aroused."
The man glanced down into his glass. "You know that several years ago my daughter was divorced."
"Yes, sir, I know."
"It was a dreadful situation, but that's all behind her now." He sipped his drink. "I'm not a young man anymore, and Alexandra is my only child. It's my wish to see her remarried and settled with children before I die. Grandsons who will someday inherit my bank."
"Seems like a natural wish." But what did this have to do with Connor?
"The problem is my daughter." He sighed. "During the last five years she has become extremely strongwilled . When I told her it was time she remarried, her first reaction was to deny my request." He shook his head. "Mr. Manning, my daughter has never refused me."
Connor smiled. The man obviously had missed his daughter's stubborn streak.
"Alexandra will be a wealthy woman someday and it's obvious she needs a man by her side, taking care of her. Otherwise, I'm afraid some scoundrel will dupe her and steal her blind after I'm dead and gone."
Connor shrugged, still speculating what this had to do with him. "I don't think you have to worry about Alexandra. She's tougher than she lets on."
"Perhaps. But I'm a man who likes every detail taken care of. Yet if Alexandra found out I was meddling, I have the distinct feeling she might do something drastic." He paused and sipped his drink. "You seem to be a man who knows how to handle her."
It suddenly dawned on Connor why Halsted was here, and he stood up from his desk, unable to sit any longer.
"I've made some inquiries regarding you and your family," his visitor said, voice tense.
Connor raised an eyebrow. He walked around the side of his desk and sat on the corner. Just how much did James Halsted know about him? "What did you find out?"
"Your reputation is good despite some of your earlier exploits. Although River Bend seems to be in financial trouble. You are about to lose the plantation to the county."
Connor downed the rest of his drink before returning the man's direct stare. "Unless this year's crop is substantial, I could be forced to sell part or all of River Bend."
"I'm going to be blunt, Mr. Manning." Mr. Halsted glanced down at his brandy and then lifted his eyes, staring straight into Connor's. "As far as I know you are the first man who has seen Alexandra socially in five years. What are your intentions concerning my daughter?"
"Your daughter is beautiful, but I'm not looking to get married," he answered.
"Even if marriage would bring you significant financial gain? Enough that you wouldn't have to worry about River Bend? Even if your son would inherit my bank someday?"
Connor tried to appear disinterested, while his palms began to sweat. "What are you offering, Mr.
"Excuse me, Mr. Manning," Leona, his housekeeper, said, interrupting his thoughts. "There's a visitor here to see you."
Assuming it was William, he said,"Send him on back."
He closed the books and went to pour them both a brandy. But when he turned around he almost dropped the drinks.
James Halsted III, Alexandra's father, stood before him. Good Lord, what was the man doing here?
Connor set the glasses down and crossed the room to grip the man's hand. "My apologies for not greeting you at the door. I assumed you were a friend of mine who drops by regularly. Could I interest you in a brandy, sir?"
"Thank you. It will wash the dust from my throat."
Motioning to a chair on the other side of his desk, Connor said, "Please sit."
Halsted sat down across from him, and Connor handed him a glass, then took his own seat. For a moment, they simply sipped the liquor, Connor examining the possible reasons why Alexandra's father was here.
Finally, Mr. Halsted glanced up at him, eyes dark and intimidating, his manner serious. "I'm sure you must be wondering why I'm here. You take my daughter to one picnic and I show up on your doorstep."
"Yes, sir. My curiosity has definitely been aroused."
The man glanced down into his glass. "You know that several years ago my daughter was divorced."
"Yes, sir, I know."
"It was a dreadful situation, but that's all behind her now." He sipped his drink. "I'm not a young man anymore, and Alexandra is my only child. It's my wish to see her remarried and settled with children before I die. Grandsons who will someday inherit my bank."
"Seems like a natural wish." But what did this have to do with Connor?
"The problem is my daughter." He sighed. "During the last five years she has become extremely strongwilled . When I told her it was time she remarried, her first reaction was to deny my request." He shook his head. "Mr. Manning, my daughter has never refused me."
Connor smiled. The man obviously had missed his daughter's stubborn streak.
"Alexandra will be a wealthy woman someday and it's obvious she needs a man by her side, taking care of her. Otherwise, I'm afraid some scoundrel will dupe her and steal her blind after I'm dead and gone."
Connor shrugged, still speculating what this had to do with him. "I don't think you have to worry about Alexandra. She's tougher than she lets on."
"Perhaps. But I'm a man who likes every detail taken care of. Yet if Alexandra found out I was meddling, I have the distinct feeling she might do something drastic." He paused and sipped his drink. "You seem to be a man who knows how to handle her."
It suddenly dawned on Connor why Halsted was here, and he stood up from his desk, unable to sit any longer.
"I've made some inquiries regarding you and your family," his visitor said, voice tense.
Connor raised an eyebrow. He walked around the side of his desk and sat on the corner. Just how much did James Halsted know about him? "What did you find out?"
"Your reputation is good despite some of your earlier exploits. Although River Bend seems to be in financial trouble. You are about to lose the plantation to the county."
Connor downed the rest of his drink before returning the man's direct stare. "Unless this year's crop is substantial, I could be forced to sell part or all of River Bend."
"I'm going to be blunt, Mr. Manning." Mr. Halsted glanced down at his brandy and then lifted his eyes, staring straight into Connor's. "As far as I know you are the first man who has seen Alexandra socially in five years. What are your intentions concerning my daughter?"
"Your daughter is beautiful, but I'm not looking to get married," he answered.
"Even if marriage would bring you significant financial gain? Enough that you wouldn't have to worry about River Bend? Even if your son would inherit my bank someday?"
Connor tried to appear disinterested, while his palms began to sweat. "What are you offering, Mr.
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