“I’m afraid I don’t understand what you think I’m doing,” I told her. “I am hardly a distraction.”
Catherine narrowed her eyes. “Don’t play coy, young lady. It doesn’t become you,” she sneered. “William’s place is in London with his company. Not here in New York. This is a temporary stop, and I will not have him move his headquarters here. I will not let him throw away the company we have built.”
“He’s moving his headquarters?” I asked, surprised. “Why?”
“He says New York is the better location,” Catherine spat. “I say it’s you. You have tainted his mind and made him, and now me, come to this wretched city.”
“I didn’t make you, or Mr. Darcy do anything,” I told her. “Least of all have him move his headquarters.”
“Now, swear to me that you will leave him. Swear to me that you will leave him to his work, and tell him to go back to London,” the old woman pressed. She came forward and stuck her finger under my nose. “You are beneath him, and I will not have him throw it all away for a stupid girl who only wants his cash flow.”
I was so angry I was unaccountably calm. Maybe it was because I was at work. Maybe it was because I was tired. Maybe the stars had simply aligned, but for once, I was furious yet able to keep my wits about me.
“I will not.”
She glared at me and reached for her purse. “Fine. How much will it take?” She pulled out a checkbook.
“Excuse me?” I asked, not quite following.
“How much money to leave him alone?” she asked. She looked me over once. “You look like fifty thousand would make your life better.”
“No.” I didn’t even hesitate.
“Fine.” She scribbled numbers on the check and ripped it out, holding it up to me. “One hundred thousand dollars never to see him again.”
The idea that she thought she could buy me was infuriating.
“There is no amount of money you can offer me,” I informed her, still floating in my calm anger. “I will see him as he sees fit. If he wishes to see me, then he may. It is his decision, not yours.”
“I do what is best for him!” Catherine shrieked at me. She was not calm. She did not have my cool, detached anger right now.
“No, I care for him. I respect him,” I told her. “You are doing neither of those things by showing up here and trying to buy me off. Now, you will leave, or I will have security escort you out.”
Despite my calm bubble, I was shaking with rage. I had never wanted to beat the crap out of someone so badly, yet I managed to keep myself standing with my hands to myself.
“You intolerable whore!” Catherine screamed at me. I was glad these doctor consult rooms were soundproofed. I opened the door leading out to the hallway and held it open for her.
“You have now insulted me in every possible way,” I informed her, surprised at the even control in my voice. I felt like screaming, but I wasn’t. I spoke evenly and calmly. “You can have nothing further left to discuss. Good night, Ma’am. If I see you again, I will call security.”
“How dare you!” Catherine screamed at me. She sounded like a bitter, broken old woman. If I hadn’t been so furious, I would have pitied her.
She stepped out into the hallway and stomped away. Her heels clicked on the floor hard enough to drive holes into the linoleum, but I just stood there, making sure she left my unit.
“Are you okay out there, Lizzie?” one of the nurse’s asked, peeking her head into the hallway. Maybe the doctor consult rooms weren’t quite as soundproofed as I thought.
“It’s fine,” I told my coworker as I headed back to my computer. I still had to finish my work. “It was just an angry old woman.”
I went to an empty patient room and shut the door so that I could finish charting in peace. I was still shaking and furious, yet oddly calm. I didn’t quite under
stand it.
I couldn’t believe that Catherine had come to my hospital. I replayed the entire visit in my head, trying to make it make sense. I wasn’t a threat to Mr. Darcy’s business. He would have to want to be in New York all the time to make his headquarters here. He loved London. Why would he do that?
For me?
That was laughable, and yet...
It made hope flare up for a moment before I put it back in its place.