1177,

respond, Chelsea frowned. "It's worth a try, isn't it? Come on, stop moping and tell me the name of one of his brothers here in Denver."
"Michael," Eli said. "Michael Taggert."
"Okay, let's make an appointment with him and talk to him."
After a moment's hesitation, Eli turned to his keyboard. "Yes, let's try."
CHANGE OF HEART
193
MICHAEL TAGGERT LOOKED up from his desk to see his secretary, Kathy, at the door wearing a mischievous grin.
"Remember the letter you received from Mr. Elijah J. Harcourt requesting a meeting today?"
Frowning, Mike gave a curt nod. He was to meet his wife for lunch in thirty minutes, and from the look on Kathy's face there might be some complications that would hold him up. "Yes?"
"He brought his secretary with him," Kathy said, breaking into a wide smile.
Mike couldn't see why a man and his secretary would cause such merriment, but then Kathy stepped aside and Mike saw two kids, both about twelve years old, enter the room behind her. The boy was tall, thin, with huge glasses and eyes so intense he reminded Mike of a hawk. The girl had the easy confidence of what promised to be beauty and, unless he missed his guess, money.
I don't have time for his, Mike thought, and he wondered who'd put these kids up to this visit. Silently, he motioned them to take a seat.
"You're busy and so are we, so I'll get right to the point," Eli said.
Mike had to repress a smile. The boy's manner was surprisingly adult, and he reminded him of someone but Mike couldn't think who.
194 JUDE DEVERAUX
"I want my mother to marry your brother."
"Ah, I see," Mike said, leaning back in his chair. "And which one of my brothers would that be?"
"The oldest one, Frank."
Mike nearly fell out of his chair. "Frank?" he gasped. His eldest brother was a terror, as precise as a measuring device, and about as warm as Maine in February. "Frank? You want your mother to marry Frank?" He leaned forward. "Tell me, kid, you got it in for your mother o