Read The Australian Heiress for Free Online Page B

company grow. I found you a job. Why, Harry never even gave you credit for being clever.”
    “As I said, Hugh, it doesn’t matter now. Are you looking to Lombard to shore up Comtek?”
    A thin smile curved Hugh’s lips. “What’s so unusual about that? Nick Lombard, my dear, is not just some flamboyant upstart. He’s old money. Establishment. A very solid man indeed.”
    “It doesn’t matter he’s a pirate?”
    Hugh didn’t look away. His gaze was level. “No, Camille. You’re too smart to let your emotions blind you to the truth. Harry fed us all a lot of garbage. He was paranoid about Lombard. Come to think it, Lombard was fairly paranoid about him.”
    “Did they have some sort of…early connection?” Camille probed carefully. “You were with my father almost from the beginning.”
    “Connection?” Hugh’s face reddened markedly. “What do you mean?”
    “Lombard told me something astonishing. He said my mother was once on the verge of marrying his uncle.”
    Hugh’s eyes went blank. “I know nothing about that.”
    “Are you sure?” Camille continued to watch his face.
    Hugh looked away. “Of course I’m sure. Look I really don’t want to go into this, my dear. What I wanted to talk to you about is your job.”
    “I’m glad to hear it,” Camille breathed. “Might I say, Hugh, I don’t think I should have been passed over for that promotion.”
    Hugh leaned back. “Bob Denholm was a good solid candidate. You mightn’t realize it, Camille, but you’re something of a risk taker—like your father.”
    She tried to ignore the alarm bells that went off. “If I’ve ever taken a risk, Hugh, it’s paid off. And it’s not been risk for risk’s sake. I thought it was called considered decision-making.”
    “Nevertheless you’re not as cautious as you could be,” Hugh insisted. “You don’t work well under constraint, either.”
    “Hugh, I’m not quite sure what you’re trying to say. You’ve never had a complaint before. In fact, as you’ve often told me, my high salary was justified. What’s gone wrong?”
    Hugh took a small bottle from a drawer, shook out a couple of tablets and swallowed them without water. “Your name, Camille,” he said finally. “People find it bitter. Our shareholders especially. They got very badly burned. Even now people get uptight when the name Guilford crops up.”
    By now the alarm bells were deafening. “You’re not firing me, are you?”
    Hugh let out a great sigh. “I care about you, Camille.I care about what happens to you, but Harry left a tremendous amount of residual hatred and anger. As innocent as you are, you’ve become involved. You know how many people have turned away from you already. You know the ones last night who came to gloat. In his own way Harry has almost destroyed your career.”
    “I can’t believe that, Hugh!” Camille burst out. “You’re allowing me to be a scapegoat, yet you were the one who gave me my start.”
    “Maybe I did it to spite Harry,” Hugh said, and Camille blanched. “A beautiful young woman like you doesn’t need a career, anyway. I would have thought you’d be a lot happier away from here.”
    “This has something to do with Nick Lombard, doesn’t it?” Camille said.
    “Don’t be absurd.” But Hugh looked flustered.
    “Oh, am I? On the same day you tell me I’ve lost my job you’re having lunch with him.”
    “Pure coincidence, I assure you.” Hugh paused. “I’m thinking of you, Camille. After all that’s happened, your continuing presence would be…an embarrassment.”
    A touch of contempt entered Camille’s eyes. “So what am I supposed to do for a job?”
    Hugh looked down at a file on his desk. “You’re good, Camille, no doubt about that, but I can’t honestly think of anyone in Sydney who’d want to take you on.”
    “It is Lombard, isn’t it?” Camille rose to her feet. “He’s bent on revenge. Obsessed with it. Probably you’ve already entered into some