Temporary Bride

by Phyllis Halldorson

  "This was Mrs. McKittrick's room, she was a lot younger than her husband, and beautiful. I guess he wasn't able to satisfy her, if you know what I mean"—she gave Karen a bawdy wink— "because she ran off with an artist. My mom was working here at the time and she said the poor old guy nearly went out of his mind—shut himself up in the house for months and wouldn't go anywhere or see anyone but his son. Mr. Shane was only a boy then, and Mom says he adored his mother. It must have been rough on him."

  Karen felt a stab of pity for the young Shane. How awful to lose his mother that way. It would have caused a messy scandal, all the gossip and speculation and dirty jokes. She shuddered. No wonder Shane was so quick to think the worst of her. He probably didn't trust any woman!

  She hated prying into Shane's private torment but she had to know. "What happened to Mrs. McKittrick after that?"

  Taffy shrugged. "As far as I know she was never heard from again. Her husband finally pulled himself together and managed to work himself to death. He died of a stroke ten years ago. That's when Mr. Shane took over the business, and he seems bent on doing the same thing. I never saw a man so wrapped up in his work. Even the guests he brings here are business associates." She giggled. "I'll bet all his women are stockholders."

  Karen winced. She didn't like to think of Shane's women, whoever they were. She'd wondered why he'd never married. Could his mother's abandonment have soured him on women and marriage for good?

  They changed the linen on the bed and Taffy looked at her watch as she said, "Karen, would you be a love and clean Mr. McKittrick's bathroom while I vacuum in here? It's getting late and the Dragon will kill us if we aren't finished by the time Mr. McKittrick and his friends get here."

  Karen picked up the caddy filled with cleaning equipment and went into the bathroom. The fixtures were already spotless but she sprinkled scouring powder in the bathtub and started scrubbing. She didn't want Mrs. Whitney to find anything to fault. It was a large tub and rather high, the type a big man needed, but she was so short that the only way she could reach the back was to drape herself over the side, balancing on her stomach as she scrubbed. She was so busy concentrating on not falling that she heard nothing until an amused voice from behind startled her so much that she nearly toppled into the tub.

  "Would you mind telling me what you're doing in my bathtub?"

  She didn't have to wonder who it was—she knew. Shane was leaning against the doorjamb watching her as she landed in a heap on the floor. He reached down and lifted her to her feet and his eyes twinkled although his face was serious. "Have you been bathing in my tub?"

  She could feel the hot color rise to her cheeks. "No, of course not!" Her arms tingled where his hands held her.

  "Then why are you scrubbing it?" he asked reasonably.

  "I—we wanted it clean for you." She felt like a little girl caught smoking behind the barn.

  He lifted one eyebrow. "Aren't you aware that I employ a housekeeping staff to take care of that sort of thing?"

  She looked down at her hands, reddened from the abrasive powder. "Yes."

  His voice was no longer amused. "Then who told you to clean bathrooms?"

  Oh, no! Now he was mad at her again and small wonder. She shouldn't have been so slow! Mrs. Whitney would be furious. "I—I'm sorry," she stammered, "I'm afraid I'm not very good at this, but I learn fast."

  He swore and picked up her cleaning caddy and began shoving bottles and cans back in it as he said, "Karen, I have guests coming and I'd like to take a shower now, and unless you'd like to join me, maybe you should just run along and we'll sort this out later."

  Embarrassment flamed through her as she ran out the door, banging it behind her.

  There were people coming and going in the hall and an infant's high, insistent wail could be heard coming from one of the bedrooms. Karen was sure that her cheeks were still red and now there was the added humiliation of being caught among Shane's guests in her rumpled jeans and shirt with a red bandana tied over her hair. Mrs. Whitney would be furious!

  She raced down the staircase, so intent on getting out of sight that she failed to see the woman in the hall below and ran right into her, knocking them both off balance. Karen sat down with a thud on the bottom step and the other woman grabbed the rail to steady herself, her eyes brimming with indignation.

  "Why don't you watch where you're going?" Her voice was sharp and commanding and her eyes widened as she studied Karen. "Who are you? And what are you doing running around like a little hellion? If you're one of Henri's kids, you've no business up here."

  The woman was beautiful, there was no doubt about that. She was at least five foot ten and slender as a fashion model. She dressed like one, too, in a softly tailored pants suit the same turquoise color as her eyes. Her short cap of hair was a deep mahogany that blended with her honey-tinged complexion, and the indolent tone of her voice indicated a snobbish lack of interest in the servants and their children.

  Karen scrambled up and kept a tight rein on her temper as she said, "I'm not a child, I'm an employee."

  The older woman's eyes studied her briefly. "You're new in the last couple of weeks," an observation that didn't seem to please her as she snapped, "Well, don't just stand there, take my bags upstairs to the green room."

  She indicated a cream leather weekender and matching makeup kit sitting on the floor. Karen opened her mouth to tell the woman she wasn't a maid, then thought better of it. She was in enough trouble already. If she antagonized a guest, Mrs. Whitney would probably have her fired. She picked up the cases and carried them up the stairs.

  The baby was still crying as Karen struggled along the upstairs hall with the heavy luggage. It was a howl of rage and Karen could almost see the dimpled little body turning red with its exertions. Poor thing! She wondered if someone was trying to calm it or if it was left alone in a strange house and a strange bed to scream its protest unattended.

  She was so intent on her concern for the child that she didn't see Shane come out of his room until she was almost in front of him. He didn't look any happier than he had a few minutes ago as he demanded, "What are you doing carrying those bags around?"

  Before she could say anything the woman's voice behind her answered, "I told her to put them in the green room, darling. That's the room I always use."

  Shane's mouth hardened into a thin line and his eyes narrowed to slits as he addressed the woman. "Audrey, I'd like you to meet Karen Muir, and she is not a maid! Hereafter, carry your own bags or wait until I can do it!"

  The woman called Audrey looked startled. "But she said she was an employee—"

  Shane glanced at Karen, still holding the suitcases, then back to Audrey. "Karen is here to catalogue the library. Karen, this is Audrey Templeton and you can put her cases down. She can carry them the rest of the way herself."

  Audrey threw him a withering look and exclaimed, "Really, Shane, you needn't make such a production of it. She said she was an employee. I naturally assumed—"

  Karen wished she could sink through the floor. She agreed with Audrey—why did Shane have to make such a fuss? Why couldn't he have just ignored it and explained her position in the household to Audrey later? The woman apparently had a close relationship with Shane—she called him "darling". Karen told herself it was only her friendly interest in him that made her hope he wasn't romantically involved with this turquoise-eyed iceberg.

  She put the bags down and tried to slip out from between them, but Shane's hand fastened around her arm. "I want to talk to you," he muttered.

  The crying infant was sobbing so pitifully that Karen was getting worried, but it was having the opposite effect on Audrey. She rolled her eyes heavenward and swore in a most unladylike manner.

  "Really, Shane, can't you do something about that squalling? You'd better tell Carrie and Ben to keep that baby quiet or none of us is going to get any sleep tonight! I don't know why they didn't stay home when their nursemaid got sick instead of bringing the noisy br
at with them."

  Karen was so appalled by the woman's insensitivity that she spoke before she thought. "But that's not just a fretful cry—the baby may be sick, or hungry! Is someone with him?"

  Shane looked at her and nodded. "His parents are with him." He reached down and picked up one of Audrey's suitcases while still holding Karen by the arm with his other hand. "Come on, Audrey, I'll help with your bags."

  Before he could take a step toward the green room Audrey stopped him. "Shane, that screeching is apt to go on all night! I can't sleep with all that racket right next door to my room. Please, would you mind if I took the lavender room in your suite?"

  Her voice had taken a seductive, pleading tone, and Karen's stomach turned over at the thought of Shane and Audrey sharing connected rooms. She told herself that it was none of her business if Shane wanted Audrey within easy reach, but she breathed a sigh of relief when Shane let go of her arm and picked up the other bag, then started toward the green room as he answered, "Sorry, you know that room is never used. If the child doesn't quiet down soon we'll call in a doctor."

  Karen took advantage of her moment of freedom to rush through the hall and down the stairs until she reached her room. She showered and dressed in a brown and yellow print pinafore with sandals on her bare feet. She decided to spend the evening either reading or watching television in the small sitting room, since there was a party going on upstairs. Mrs. Whitney came looking for her a little while later.

  "Karen, the Tylers need a baby-sitter to stay upstairs with their baby while they join the rest of the guests this evening. The child is restless and can't be left alone and I need Taffy, Jolene, and Erma to help with serving and cleaning up. Since you're not expected to do kitchen work, I'll assign you to the second floor to be of service to the Tylers. Hurry, now—Taffy will bring your dinner up later."

  Karen realized that she hadn't been given any choice in the matter but she really didn't mind. She'd been worrying about the baby. Infants didn't cry unless there was something upsetting them and this one had seemed to be in real distress.

  The Tylers handed their three-month-old son, Danny, over to Karen with almost indecent haste and left to join the other guests at dinner. She got the impression that neither of the parents knew how to care for a child. Poor little Danny, she thought as she held the fussy baby over her shoulder and rubbed him gently on the back, he'll be raised by nursemaids and governesses until he's old enough to be sent off to boarding school and there will never be anyone who really cares for him. She wondered why people like the Tylers bothered to have children, but, of course, it was the expected thing to do. Didn't everyone need an heir to the family money?

  She unwrapped the infant and frowned. He was soaked! Not only his diaper but his undershirt and kimono. His mother had wrapped him in a clean blanket but neglected to change his dripping clothes. Karen undressed the wiggling infant and ran water into the bathtub. A thick bath towel in the bottom of the tub kept the baby from slipping as she once more balanced herself across the side and held the boy with one arm as she washed him with the other hand.

  A noise behind her made her turn her head and look over her shoulder. She gasped in surprise to see Shane lounging in the open doorway. He grinned and said, "Do you spend all your time standing on your head in the bathtub?"

  She laughed. "No. Only when there's something to scrub." She lifted the baby from the water and ordered, "Hand me that towel. No, shake it out and hold it so I can put the baby in it."

  She set the child in the soft towel across Shane's arms and brought the ends together, wrapping the infant warmly. A somewhat surprised Shane was left holding the baby and followed her into the bedroom with him. She bypassed the bed and sat down on the thickly carpeted floor, patting the space beside her.

  "Put him here."

  Shane stared. "On the floor?"

  "It's the only place there is to dress him," she said as Shane knelt and placed the towel-wrapped bundle where she indicated. "You didn't think I'd take a chance of ruining that bedspread, did you?" She indicated the hand-quilted satin spread on the king-size bed.

  "You didn't have to pay for it," Shane argued reasonably, "why should you care?"

  She shrugged and took a diaper from the stack of clean clothes beside her and folded it before she unwrapped the naked baby and began pinning it on. Shane watched.

  "You do that as if you'd had lots of practice."

  She jabbed a pin expertly into the folds of cloth. "I have. I've earned my spending money by baby-sitting since I was thirteen years old, and you didn't ask my opinion but I'm going to give it to you. Women who can't even diaper a child shouldn't have one."

  Shane spoke quietly. "I assume you're speaking of Carrie Tyler?"

  Karen nodded. "I am. This poor baby hadn't been changed for hours. No wonder he cried so. His little bottom was all red and they didn't even bring along any talcum powder or baby oil."

  She slipped a tiny undershirt over Danny's head and gently worked his arms into the sleeves. "When I got here she practically threw him at me and disappeared. Nobody could have torn me away from my baby if he had been crying so hard all afternoon! People who don't want to care for their children have no business having them!"

  Shane started visibly, then was silent while Karen snapped the infant into his nightgown and pulled the drawstring at the bottom. She lifted the gurgling child and held him above her head as she spoke to him.

  "There, sweetheart, now you feel better, don't you?"

  Danny screamed with laughter and grabbed her hair with both hands and pulled. Karen squealed and tried to pry him loose but not until Shane got up and forcibly opened the clenched little fists was she able to get away.

  "You're a menace, you little fiend. Now stay with Uncle Shane while I clean up the mess in the bathroom." She handed the baby to a startled Shane and left the room.

  When she finished straightening the bathroom Shane was sitting in a chair rocking the baby, who hadn't uttered a sound. She walked over and stood beside them, looking down at the man and the tiny boy. Shane was relaxed and seemed to know just how to hold a baby, and Danny was looking intently at Shane's square masculine face through round blue eyes. She dropped her hand lightly on Shane's shoulder and murmured, "You'd make an excellent father, Shane."

  He turned his head and rubbed his rough cheek against the smoothness of her arm. He seemed about to speak but then the peace of the moment was shattered by a banging on the door and Audrey's voice calling: "Shane, are you in there? Karen, unlock the door?"

  Karen hadn't known that the door was locked and she moved quickly to open it. Audrey stood there looking lovely in rose chiffon but her turquoise eyes shot sparks as she snapped, "Have you seen Mr. McKittrick?" Her mouth dropped open as Shane came up behind Karen, still carrying the baby. She uttered a strangled sound and said, "Shane, Mrs. Whitney has had dinner ready to serve for the past half hour and nobody knew where you were. I certainly didn't expect to find you here. What's the matter? Isn't Karen capable of looking after the child by herself?"

  Shane handed Karen the sleeping child and spoke to Audrey. "I'm sorry Mrs. Whitney has been inconvenienced. Tell her to go ahead and prepare to serve; I'll be down in a few minutes." He shut the door quietly but firmly in Audrey's face.

  Karen turned to walk away, but his hands on her shoulders stopped her. "Karen, it was never my intention for you to baby-sit. I didn't even know that's what you were doing until I asked Mrs. Whitney where you were and she told me. Who sent you up here?"

  There was anger in his voice and Karen didn't want to cause trouble by admitting that Mrs. Whitney hadn't given her much choice in the matter so she said, "I volunteered to come. I was worried about the baby, afraid it might be sick from crying so hard. Besides, the other girls were needed to help with the dinner party. I didn't have anything else to do."

  "Of course you had something else to do," he said irritably. "You were supposed to join the rest of us at dinner."

  Karen
turned to face him. "But I didn't know that, Shane."

  His face twisted in disgust. "I swear, Karen, if I didn't know you better I'd think you were simpleminded! Where did you expect to eat?"

  Karen knew she'd better get Shane downstairs or Audrey would be up again and Mrs. Whitney would be furious. She put her finger to her lips in a shushing motion.

  "Please, you'll wake the baby. Go on down to your guests. I'll be fine. One of the girls will bring my dinner on a tray."

  Shane swore and stalked out of the room.

  Little Danny snuggled down and went right to sleep when Karen put him in the portable crib, the only piece of equipment his disinterested parents had thought to bring, and Taffy came almost immediately with Karen's supper tray. She knew that must have been Shane's doing, otherwise Mrs. Whitney would have waited until dinner was over before bothering to remember her. As the evening wore on she curled up in the chair with a book. She was tired after cleaning house most of the day and before long the words on the page began to blur and her head dropped against the soft upholstery.

  It was much later when she heard voices speaking quietly in the room but she couldn't seem to wake up enough to open her eyes. She stirred and was aware of an arm around her shoulders and another under her knees, lifting her up. She knew it was Shane. She could tell by the spicy smell of him, and the feel of him, and the way she fitted against him as if she were meant to be there. She wound her arms around his neck and buried her face in his shoulder as he started across the room. She couldn't let him carry her down all those stairs but it wouldn't hurt to snuggle close against him until they got out in the hall. Shane said good night to the Tylers and walked through the door with her when a high-pitched shriek tore through the silence.

  "Shane!" There was no mistaking Audrey's voice. "Where are you going with her?"

  Karen jumped, then stiffened, and Shane put her down on her feet, then turned to Audrey. "For heaven's sake, Audrey, keep it down! Do you want to wake the baby?"