“Come
in,” Dara called out.She wondered why the housekeeper even bothered to knock.The older woman certainly gave Dara the impression that the run of
Wyndemere was hers and as such there was no area off-limits.“You’re a little bit early…”Her voice trailed off.
Stefan
quietly considered his houseguest.“It would appear that you were expecting someone else.”
Dara
sat up and tried to inconspicuously bunch the covers up before her.The red silk pajamas she wore were more than respectable, yet Stefan
Cassadine’s intense gaze left her feeling strangely exposed.“I thought you were Mrs. Landsbury.”
“Then
I trust you will forgive my intrusion,” Stefan said, “but this morning’s
breakfast presented a most valuable opportunity to begin assessing your needs
for the upcoming venture.”
“You
mentioned as much in your note.”Dara placed her hand upon the envelope lying on the breakfast tray.“I wasn’t exactly sure what you meant by that.”
Stefan
drew closer to Dara and crossed his arms.His pose reminded the attorney of an exacting law school professor
she’d once had.“Tell me, Miss Jensen, what you see when you look upon your breakfast
tray.”
“With
anyone else,” Dara replied slowly, “I would say a plate, a bowl and a cup.But,” she arched an eyebrow in uncanny imitation of her host, “you
are a Cassadine, so…Baccarat, Dresden and Waterford?”
“Incorrect.”Stefan did not attempt to soften his response.“However, I am pleased to note your familiarity with the existence
of such things.You are not as ignorant of the facets of higher culture as most of your
countrymen.”
Dara
stiffened in outrage.“Do you know how very insulting that statement is?You have single-handedly pronounced an entire nation of people
‘ignorant slobs’!”
“You
exaggerate,” Stefan responded calmly.“And overreact.”He gave Dara a hard look.“Perhaps I have misjudged your understanding of the venture upon which
we are about to embark.The moment word of our ‘alliance’ becomes known, you will be subject
to a level of scrutiny the likes of which you have not even begun to imagine.”Stefan
explained, “Your every word and deed will be taken apart and analyzed.And ultimately the results will reflect upon the Cassadine name.More importantly, it will reflect upon me and the choice I have made.”
“I
have no intention of causing embarrassment to anyone, least of all myself,”
Dara retorted dryly.“Common though I am,” she pointedly spat out the words, “my
name is as important to me as the Cassadine name is to you.”
