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the plan. She wanted to get away from her father; she knew that after this incident his restrictions would be even more oppressive than ever. A change might do them both good.
    And until the night of Marion’s reception, she never saw Bram again.

 
    CHAPTER 3
     
    The next morning, Beth was awakened by the sound of the doorbell. The cleaning crew had arrived. She left them to their work and went upstairs to shower and change.
    When she came back down the house was beginning to resemble its former status, and she went down the lane to get the mail. Her mouth went dry when she saw that it contained an eggshell colored vellum envelope from the Connecticut State Bar Association. She ripped it open quickly, scanned the first few lines, and then let out a whoop of glee. She had passed the bar exam and was now admitted to practice law in the state.
    She looked around excitedly, and then experienced the deflation common to all those who receive good news alone: There was no one to tell. She ran inside to call Mindy, and as she approached the phone it rang.
    “Hello?” she said, her attention still focused on the letter in her hand.
    “Hi,” Bram’s voice said, and the folded sheet slipped through her fingers. “I was wondering if you’d like to have dinner with me.”
    Beth stared at the tile floor, wracked by indecision. She wanted to go more than anything, but last night had taught her that Bram still exercised the same fascination, still had the power to hurt her and turn her life upside down. If she were going to live here and work here, it would be best to avoid him.
    “I don’t think so, Bram,” she heard herself saying stiffly, and then winced at the starkness of her reply.
    There was a silence, and then a short bark of laughter. “I see that the passage of time has managed to tarnish the brightness of my appeal.”
    Hardly that, Beth thought. “I’m busy,” she added lamely.
    She could hear his sigh over the line. “Maybe you’ll change your mind if I tell you it isn’t entirely a social occasion. The fact is, I need a lawyer, and I thought you might be willing to represent the company.”
    Beth bit her lip. He certainly knew how to make things difficult. Curtis Broadleaf generated a lot of legal work, and she would be an idiot to turn him down.
    “Of course,” he went on, “if you’re booked too solid to take on any clients...”
    Beth made a wry face at the receiver. He knew she was just getting started. What a schemer he was; she was almost tempted to tell him to take his business elsewhere.
    “What about Don Matheson?” Beth asked, naming the lawyer who had always handled Bram’s father’s affairs. “Isn’t he still with you?”
    “Yes, but I’ve been going over the books, and I’m not too satisfied with the way he’s been handling things,” Bram answered.
    Beth was silent, hesitating.
    “Did I hurt you so badly that you won’t even see me in a professional capacity?” Bram asked quietly.
    “Where do you want to go?” Beth inquired, accepting the challenge he’d offered by taking such a personal tack. She would show him that she could deal with him on a business level; he wasn’t going to get her to admit that there was anything more involved.
    “How about the Signature?” Bram asked. It was a downtown Hartford restaurant, located in the Civic Center. It was a bit fancy for discussion purposes, but Beth didn’t feel like debating the point.
    “All right,” she agreed.
    “What time shall I pick you up?”
    “I’ll meet you there,” Beth responded quickly. She didn’t want this to take on the semblance of a date. “About seven-thirty, okay?”
    “Fine,” Bram answered, his neutral tone revealing nothing.
    “Bring along any information you think might be pertinent,” Beth added, to enhance the professional flavor of the encounter.
    “Right, counselor,” Bram said abruptly. “See you then.” The line went dead.
    * * *
    Beth took a lot of time deciding what to wear