Yesterday's Bride

by Susan Tracy

  Jason's hand captured a strand of her silvery hair. He coiled the silken tress around his finger and lifted it to his lips.

  "What makes your hair smell so delicious?"

  "I rinse it in lemon juice," she said, trying to keep a hold on sanity as her senses inevitably responded to Jason's nearness.

  "I don't believe you, minx. It's more like roses and sunshine." His fingers rippled through the shining mass. "You're getting white streaks," he said, his eyes on the contrast between pale hair and cheeks flushed a soft pink. "You should wear a hat when you go out." Playfully he tickled Leigh's ear with the ends of one tress.

  In retaliation, she reached over and tugged at the crisp black hair that fell over his forehead.

  He made a sound under his breath and in the next second had pulled her to him. How could she resist? She went willingly, her arms curving around his neck, her mouth raised to his.

  The kiss was a long exploration, deep and possessive and earthshaking. When Jason let her go, when she was no longer enmeshed in the heat of his embrace, Leigh felt as if a part of her had been torn away.

  "This is getting to be a habit. A nice habit," Jason strove to lighten the atmosphere, but his eyes, their irises almost as black as the pupils, betrayed his passion.

  "How would you feel about our getting away for the weekend?" he asked in a voice that was just a little ragged. "Smitty could look after Jody for a couple of days with no difficulty."

  At Leigh's wide-eyed expression, he shook his head. "No strings attached, Leigh. I told you I'd wait for your answer. But it might help you to make up your mind if we see how we get along by ourselves for a few days. Get to know each other again."

  Somehow Leigh found herself agreeing to go with him to a lodge in the foothills of the North Carolina mountains after he returned from Nashville.

  As she undressed for bed later that night, she didn't kid herself that she wouldn't miss him.

  For the next few days, however, she was very, very busy. Not only was she seeing to Jody and trying to help Smitty, but she found herself in the middle of the redecorating. The contractor whom Jason had hired to supervise the project came to see her and explained that the workers had reached the stage where some decisions had to be made. So after consulting with Smitty and not without reservations, Leigh pitched in. Jason had asked her to do it, she reasoned, and besides, she told herself with a slight tremor, this could be her home she was redecorating.

  She selected paint colors and wallpapers until her head was swimming, and then poured over books of fabrics to choose curtains and upholstery materials. A woman was coming from Raleigh to measure the windows and furniture and make up the finished product. Once that was taken care of, Leigh had to drive into Harrellsville to pick out carpets and odds and ends from a department store which had a special service for projects such as this, the contractor told her.

  When she was finished, Leigh felt a tremendous sense of satisfaction. She had done her best to restore the beauty and elegance of the old house, but she hadn't made it into a showpiece. One of the first things that had struck Leigh about Jason's home was the sense of comfort there, despite the number of furnishings that were collector's items. The comfort she had tried to preserve.

  Leigh wasn't sure Jason would approve of all her choices, and she wished he had been there to consult, but the contractor had been insistent that the decisions had to be made right away or the work would stop, so she had bitten the bullet and gone ahead. Whatever Jason absolutely hated, Leigh decided, she could replace out of her own pocket. And anyway, she hadn't chosen anything wildly frilly and feminine, she grinned to herself. The one room about which Leigh was really unsure was the master bedroom. She hadn't actually changed much, but she had lightened the masculine beige and brown color scheme with touches of off-white and apricot.

  "If he doesn't like it," the acerbic Smitty had commented when she saw the color swatches, "then he can just move to another room."

  On Friday morning, Leigh broached the subject of her going away for the weekend to Jody. The child took it calmly, in her sober way, but Leigh feared that she might be upset. After all, Jody had been parted from her mother and father for quite a long time, and now if her Uncle Jason and Aunt Leigh went away, that added up to a lot of separations for a three, almost four, year old to handle, Leigh reasoned. She talked it over with Smitty and then took Jody to visit Betty Pender and Karen in the hope that playing with another child would temporarily take her mind off the imminent separation and perhaps give her time to accept it. If not, Leigh decided firmly, they just wouldn't go.

  The children had a riotous time on Karen's swing, while the grown-ups rested on lawn chairs nearby with glasses of iced Coke. On hearing about the proposed trip, Betty said she thought it was a terrific idea for Jason and Leigh to get away and immediately suggested that Leigh leave Jody there for the afternoon and she would bring her home later, in time to say good-bye to them. Then tomorrow, she said, she could take the girls on an outing. If they gave Jody something to look forward to, she might not mind so much that Leigh and Jason were away for a day or two.

  Leigh could have hugged Betty for her consideration and went to talk it over with Jody, who nodded happily, her fat, brown curls dancing. To Jody, having a playmate for a whole afternoon was a decided treat, and two days in a row was miraculous. When Leigh left, it was with a much easier mind.

  Back at the house, Leigh found Paula Knight comfortably settled in the drawing room, a tray of tea things in front of her.

  "Oh, Mrs. Randall." She gave a self-conscious laugh. "Smitty said you'd gone out. I hope you don't mind my making myself at home." A beringed hand swept out in a graceful gesture.

  Paula looked very businesslike today in a simple white blouse and slim black skirt, a scarf in a geometric print tied loosely at her neck.

  Leigh wondered how the woman always managed to make her feel like an interloper. Besides that, Leigh's skin was damp from rushing about and her clothes were decidedly wilted. Yet, as much as she would like to go up and take a shower, Paula Knight was a guest and she was acting as hostess. With as good grace as possible, she sat down and smiled pleasantly. "Why don't you call me Leigh?" she suggested.

  Paula acquiesced and returned the favor.

  "I've been waiting for Jason," she explained as she sank back against the deep cushions of the sofa. "He said he'd be back late this afternoon."

  "Is there an urgent problem?" Leigh asked in alarm, remembering Jason's mention of labor troubles.

  "No, I have some papers for him to sign." Paula took a sip from the thin porcelain cup and looked at Leigh over its rim, assessing the simple skirt and blouse she wore.

  "It's nice for us to have a chance to get acquainted," she said, taking charge of the conversation as if she really were at home. "I understand that you were a fashion model. It must be fascinating work. Do you plan to continue with it?"

  Leigh was getting tired of that particular question, especially since she didn't know the answer. "I'm not sure," she said and asked Paula about herself before the woman could get in another query.

  They made polite small talk, Paula revealing that she had worked for Jason for the past six months since his previous secretary had retired.

  "He's such a dynamic man, so hard-driving," she shivered delicately, "that he can't help being a success. But of course you know all that."

  With elaborate care she put the fragile cup and saucer down and leaned back again to pin Leigh with a curiously hard stare.

  "Jason can be very ruthless." There was a brief pause. "In business, of course." Her glance fell to her nails, painted a dark crimson. She studied their oval perfection before she spoke again. "In his line of work, Jason often forms limited partnerships for a time, but when he's through with a relationship, he's through, even though the partner wants it to continue. Jason can walk away without a backward glance."

  Once again the blue eyes lifted to Leigh, a message clear in their depths. Leigh felt she h
ad been well and truly warned and she experienced an urgent desire to get out of the suddenly stifling room.

  "Oh, really," she returned with some irony. "I don't know much about Jason's business matters."

  "No, I don't suppose you do," Paula murmured. "I'm sure you couldn't have realized how very busy Jason is right now when you persuaded him to take you away for the weekend."

  Leigh had had enough. She stood up, smoothing down her blue denim skirt.

  "On the contrary, Paula, Jason persuaded me to go away this weekend, not the other way round. Not that it matters," she said softly. "Now if you'll excuse me, I'd like to let Smitty know that I'm back."

  She made it to the door before Paula's voice stopped her.

  "Oh, Leigh, would you ask Smitty to have some hot tea ready for Jason when he gets back. I'm sure he'll need something refreshing."

  Suppressing a sigh of irritation, Leigh crossed the room and picked up the silver teapot, and then she made her escape.

  Smitty was in the kitchen, noisily banging pots and pans and muttering under her breath. One look at her set face and Leigh decided not to mention Paula's request for fresh tea. She'd make it herself after she had smoothed Smitty's obviously ruffled feathers. She was sure she knew the cause. Paula Knight just rubbed Smitty the wrong way.

  She made the tea and was discussing Betty Pender's suggestion about an outing for the children when she heard the front door open. Leigh arrived in the hall a few seconds after Paula, but Jason came straight to her and gave her a light kiss on the cheek.

  "Hi. Did you miss me?" Not waiting for an answer, he put down his case and greeted Paula.

  "Why are you here, Paula?" he continued with a slight frown. "Is anything wrong at the office?"

  She came to stand close by his side, bringing with her a cloud of expensive perfume. "No, but I have a number of letters ready to go out. I thought you'd want to sign them." .

  "This late on a Friday afternoon, it really doesn't matter," Jason said impatiently. "Monday morning would have done as well."

  At the glimmer of hurt in the blue eyes, he softened. "Oh, all right. It was thoughtful of you to come all this way. Let's go in the study and I'll take a look at them."

  While she waited, he turned back to Leigh. "All packed? Good. We'll leave as soon as I deal with this."

  As Leigh watched the two of them disappear down the hall, Jason's head bent to catch something Paula was saying, she felt a sharp stab of jealousy. Oh, no, you don't, she told herself and marched determinedly up the stairs.

  When she had packed for the weekend, Leigh hadn't been very clear on what to take. From Jason's brief description, she gathered that the lodge was of the luxurious, rather than rustic variety, so she put in a few formal outfits, but with casual things in predominance.

  Her eyes on the clock, she quickly showered and changed into a matching skirt and blouse of blue-green silk. With a practiced hand, she smoothed on a colorless lip gloss and decided not to bother with any more makeup. She didn't really need it since exposure to the sun had given her a light tan.

  At last, after good-byes to Smitty and Jody, they were on their way.

  For the most part, Jason seemed to prefer to drive in silence, a brooding expression on his face. Several times Leigh tried to start a conversation, only to get monosyllabic replies in return, so she amiably shut up. Instead, she watched Jason sideways through her long lashes. He drove as he did everything else, expertly, with a minimum of effort and complete assurance as he wove in and out of traffic. His hard profile was etched with power. Intelligence, experience and confidence were there to be read in his face as well. Strain, too, Leigh's observant eyes noted, and she guessed that he had overworked. She was right, as he confirmed when they stopped for dinner.

  "I only had about three hours sleep last night," he admitted finally in answer to her direct question. "I wanted to finish up and get back to you."

  Flushing, Leigh bent her head and concentrated on her food for the rest of the meal.

  "Do you want me to drive now?" she asked when they returned to the car from the roadside restaurant.

  "No. It's only a little over an hour more."

  Jason held the door for her and walked around to the other side of the car. After he had started the engine and maneuvered the sleek vehicle out onto the expressway, he seemed more disposed to talk. The meal had apparently refreshed him.

  So Leigh told him how she had been working with the contractor for the past few days and described the various selections she had made.

  "Sounds nice," he commented.

  Hesitantly she admitted to adding some lighter colors to the master bedroom.

  He quirked an amused eyebrow at her. "If you like it, I'm sure I shall. Do you think it's attractive enough to tempt you to move in there?"

  To Leigh's relief, he didn't seem to expect an answer but began to tell her about some of the places to visit near the lodge.

  What with not getting away until very late afternoon and then stopping an hour for dinner, it was almost ten by the time they arrived at Blackstones.

  From what Jason said, it had once been the mountain home of a tobacco baron who had spared no expense. The lodge took its name from the sooty gray, almost black stones with which it had been built. Leigh's eyes widened as she got out of the car at the porticoed entrance. Above her was a massive pile of stones that resembled a gothic, turreted castle.

  "I wouldn't have believed it if I hadn't seen it with my own eyes!" she laughingly told Jason who was standing just behind her.

  "Wait until you see the inside."

  The tobacco baron, apparently seeking his European heritage, had put together his own baronial mansion. Jason told Leigh that on a vacation trip to England, the man had impulsively bought a stately home, parts of which he then had disassembled and shipped back to the United States to decorate his own summer home.

  "It's fantastic," Leigh exclaimed, looking around in awe at the ancient tapestries that adorned the walls of the lobby.

  While Jason checked them in, she wandered around, admiring the rich rugs, the burnished furniture, even laughing here and there at a particularly ornate piece. Finally the bellhop whisked away their bags and they were speeding up to the third floor on the elevator.

  Jason stopped in front of a door. "This is your room," he told her as he unlocked the door and handed her the key. "Would you like to go back downstairs later for a drink?"

  Leigh reached over and tilted Jason's wrist toward her to look at the thin circle of gold there.

  "Uh-uh. It's late and you didn't get much sleep last night."

  "OK, tyrant," he teased, his dark eyes warm with laughter and something else Leigh couldn't quite define.

  "Shall I come in and tuck you in?"

  When she smilingly shook her head, he sighed in mock despair. "Oh, well, if you should need me in the night, just whistle. Or better yet, knock on the wall."

  He winked and turned to enter the room next door.

  Chapter Nine

  The telephone rang shrilly in Leigh's ears. She reached groggily out and succeeded in knocking the receiver off its rest. It clattered loudly against the tabletop and Leigh muttered to herself until she had grabbed it and lifted it to her ear.

  " 'Lo," she said, her voice slurred with sleep.

  "Good morning, sleepyhead. Did you have pleasant dreams?"

  Leigh's eyes focused on the face of her bedside traveling clock. "Jason," she groaned, "do you know what time it is?"

  "Time to be up and out, sweetheart. We don't have a moment to lose."

  Leigh rolled over, carrying the receiver with her. "Just another half hour. Please, Jason," she pleaded.

  His chuckle came softly over the wire. "If you need any help getting dressed, I'll be right over."

  Hastily Leigh threw back the covers. She didn't doubt him for a minute. "I'm up," she said, shivering in the cool early morning air. "Be with you in half an hour."

  They had an enormous breakfast i
n one of the smaller dining rooms and then set off for a walk. Jason insisted that the view from one particular hill was superb, so Leigh good-naturedly agreed to the climb. Blackstones was located just where the aptly named Blue Ridge Mountains started their precipitous rise, and as they walked, Leigh and Jason could admire the hazy blue-gray peaks towering over them from the distance.

  There were several pathways that led to the crown of the hill. Jason started along a well-trodden grassy trail that eventually left the trees behind to wind through a section of low scrub underbrush.

  "You've been here before," Leigh noted, observing his familiarity with the area.

  "A long time ago, when I was a kid." He looked down at her flat-heeled, strappy sandals. "Think you'll be all right in those shoes? The going is getting steeper now and can be pretty rough farther up."

  A group of teenagers passed them, leaving the path to scramble up a rocky incline, with hilarious bursts of laughter at their slippery progress.

  "Too hot for that kind of climbing," Jason remarked.

  Leigh nodded agreement, but her mind wasn't really on the boisterous group ahead of them. She couldn't help but wonder if Jason had enjoyed such careless fun when he came here as a youth, before family problems bore down on him, forcing him to grow up too fast. He was a serious man, but one with a good sense of humor, yet she just couldn't imagine him as an uninhibited, loud teenager.

  As they walked, Jason's hand seemed automatically to find hers, his grip firm and sure. Leigh discovered that she liked holding on to him, striding along close beside him. They seemed in tune somehow, matched.

  The day was slightly overcast, with a few heavy clouds scudding about overhead, but to Leigh, the colors were brighter, the air clearer, the pungent smell of the pine needles sharper than ever before.

  They reached the top of the hill and paused to drink in the panorama before them. Although they had passed several people on the climb, no one was around at the moment and they had the place to themselves. The view was spectacular. Below, the vivid green of the rolling land met the blue-gray of the sky in a line delineated by a thin band of haze. They could see for miles, a seemingly infinite stretch of distant horizons, and behind them, the majesty of the mountains provided a stunning backdrop.