His Most Suitable Bride by Renee Ryan Page B

had indicated, she found Mrs. Singletary in her office. The widow sat in an overstuffed chair, her head bent over a book, Lady Macbeth spread out on her lap.
    Neither the widow nor the cat noticed Callie’s arrival. She took the opportunity to glance around the room. Bold afternoon sunlight spread across the empty stone hearth. Bookshelves lined three of the other four walls. The scent of leather and old book bindings mingled with Mrs. Singletary’s perfume, a pleasant mix of lavender and roses and...
    Callie was stalling, though she couldn’t think why.
    Squaring her shoulders, she rapped lightly on the doorjamb to gain the widow’s attention.
    Mrs. Singletary lifted her head. “Ah, there you are.” She closed her book and set it on the small, round table beside her. “I trust everything went according to plan.”
    What an odd choice of words.
    Had Mrs. Singletary sent her to Bennett, Bennett and Brand with a purpose other than business in mind?
    That would certainly explain Reese’s initial confusion when she’d stepped into his office.
    Then again...
    He’d been buried in legal briefs prior to her arrival. He’d recovered quickly enough and had given Callie a stack of papers to deliver to her employer. Papers contained in the leather case she now held.
    Papers his law clerk could have delivered, as was usually the case.
    Realizing her steps had slowed to a halt Callie resumed moving through the room and addressed her suspicions directly. “I must say, Mr. Bennett appeared genuinely surprised to see me in his office this afternoon.”
    The words had barely left her lips when her foot caught on the fringe of an area rug and she momentarily lost her balance. In her attempt to right herself, the satchel flew from her hands.
    Callie rushed forward. Unfortunately, she picked up the briefcase at the wrong end and the contents spilled out.
    “Oh, oh, no.” She dropped to her knees and began picking up the papers as quickly as possible. “I’m not usually so clumsy.”
    “Not to worry, dear.” Mrs. Singletary set her cat on the ottoman in front of her chair and joined Callie on the floor. “These things happen.”
    Together, they retrieved the strewn papers, placing them in a neat pile between them.
    Lady Macbeth, evidently sensing a new game afoot, leaped on top of the stack and plopped her hindquarters down with regal feline arrogance.
    The widow laughed. “Move aside, my lady.” She playfully poked the cat in her ribs. “You are in the way.”
    The animal lowered to her belly, her challenging glint all but daring her mistress to protest.
    Wrinkling her nose at the ornery animal, Callie carefully pulled papers out from beneath the furry belly. She managed to free the bulk of them when the cat gazed at the new pile with narrow-eyed intent.
    “Oh, no, you don’t.” Callie snatched the papers off the floor and placed them on the table next to Mrs. Singletary’s book.
    Not to be deterred, Lady Macbeth went after a lone sheet of paper that had landed farther away than the rest.
    Callie moved a shade quicker. “Ha.”
    Swishing her tail in hard, jerky movements, Lady Macbeth stalked off toward the fireplace and curled up on a rug near the grate.
    Disaster averted, Callie glanced down at the paper in her hand. There was a crease in the center of the page, indicating it had once been folded in two. Written in a bold, masculine hand, it looked like a record of some kind, an inventory perhaps.
    The third item from the top captured her notice. Loves children, wants several, at least five but no more than seven.
    Beneath that odd statement, was another equally confusing entry. Must come from a good family and value strong family ties.
    Callie frowned.
    What sort of list had she stumbled upon?
    Realizing it was none of her business, she pressed the paper into Mrs. Singletary’s hand. “This is clearly meant for your eyes only.”
    The widow scanned the page in silence then clicked her tongue in obvious disapproval.