Heaven And Hell novel Chapter 97

"Women plot to ensnare me, Aunt Marge," he gritted, scowling. "Acting like innocents yet their eyes are on my wealth."

"There are others out there who are genuine," she pointed out gently, thinking of Keller and her best friend, Vivian Lennox.

Cole didn't answer. He believed every woman, outside the Cuttings, was like Davina Boselli.

Lady Cutting stood up and grabbed her cane. She didn't need it for walking, but the thing came useful on certain situations. She walked toward one of the floor-to-ceiling windows nearest her and was about to speak -- until someone outside caught her eye.

It was a tall blond girl in the distance, on the Havenhurst estate, running around madly as she tried rather desperately -- in the dowager's esteemed opinion -- to catch a morbidly obese cat that ran like the fires of hell were licking its toes across the field.

Lady Cutting's eyebrow quirked up as the girl shouted something to the cat and the beast merely swished its tail haughtily at her. Then it climbed up an oak tree beside the deep pond, and the girl waved her hands in the air in frustration, pacing back and forth but never leaving her eyes on the feline laying leisurely on a high branch.

There seemed to be no gardeners on duty.

The dowager's lips tilted up to the side devilishly. She had an idea.

"Colton," she called out casually, twisting a bit to the side to look at her nephew. He quirked a brow in return, looking impeccably bored. "I suggest you go riding."

"Riding."

She waved her hand gracefully, in replacement of a shrug. "It's a lovely morning and one needs exercise. You're an expert horseman who does not need to be cooped up in your study all day."

Cole's eyes narrowed.

Her gaze didn't waver. "Go on before I call your father in here. We have much to discuss."

"I have several drawing rooms you may use for discussion."

"I do love the morning light here," Lady Cutting murmured conversationally, turning back to face the window.

Perfect. The chit was attempting to climb the giant tree. Not very smart of her, but it gave a certain advantage. "And you seem to have a tree-hugging trespasser, my dear. One you ought to see for yourself."

Cole rose up suspiciously and stood beside her. He scanned the large estate he owned, until he saw a pair of limbs wrapped around a thick trunk behind a giant oak tree. The limbs seemed to belong to a girl.

And she was attempting to climb his tree.

There were a lot of young women vying for his attention. They also attempted to trespass his ancestral home, claiming that they just so happened to be in the neighbourhood or they had no idea it was his property.

Plus why are the properties here not fenced? It would make the job a lot easier to see whose territory belonged to whom, jeez!

So I'd kept on walking because I was stubborn and I wasn't done with my little adventure and power walk.

Right until Garfield here came into my life did I stop moving.

"Meooow," I cooed, trying to coax the cat to come to me. His meaty paw tapped the lush green grass beneath us. "Meooow."

He started prowling slowly toward me. I grinned in triumph. Just as he was about to be within ten inches, his eyes caught my necklace.

I grinned. "Yes! I love cats, like you."

He seemed to snort derisively but I knew that was only my imagination. "Meow?"

"Meooow to you too," I chuckled.

Then the next thing happened in a blur: his paw curled around the gold chain holding Hello Kitty's head, and snapped the clasp away from my neck in one swoop. I was so startled, I didn't even have time to process things.