The other girl shrugged, searching Katie’s face in a way that brought heat to Katie’s cheeks.
“No problem.”
Together they began restocking supplies for the evening meal. Although it would be several hours yet until the train arrived, more people would be arriving by car throughout the day. The El Tovar had seen the area grow from several thousand visitors at its inception to almost two hundred thousand in the last year. People came and went all through the day, so everything needed to be prepared before she and Cleo could have time to themselves.
When at last she was free from her duties, Katie decided to take a walk to her favorite spot, a small pine tree close to the canyon’s edge that struggled against the perpetual wind. Katie seated herself beneath it, leaning back against its spindly surface.
The grandeur of the canyon never failed to amaze her. Spread out before her in a panorama of age-old beauty, the steep canyon walls edged downward to the mighty Colorado River below.
Lifting her gaze upward, she watched a majestic eagle circling high overhead. Its cry of freedom brought forth an answering cry from deep in her spirit. For the first time in six long months, she felt really free and finally able to let down her guard. It had been two months now since she had fled the security of familiar things and headed out into the unknown. She knew that without the knowledge that God was in control of her life, she never would have had the courage.
Still, that niggling worm of doubt crept into her mind. Was she in God’s will, having fled from her marriage? She would never consider divorce, content to live her life alone, but then again, she could not countenance staying with an abusive, philandering husband.
She closed her eyes, rubbing her forehead with one hand against the headache inching its way once again through her temple. She didn’t know what she was really supposed to do, so she did the only thing she could. She prayed. The Lord was her comfort and solace, and all her life her mother had taught her He would never leave or forsake her. Only during those dark months had her faith wavered. Here among the magnificence of one of God’s mightiest creations, her faith had grown once again. It was impossible to see the wonder of the canyon and not be moved by its beauty.
She finally stood up, shielding her eyes against the sun’s bright rays. The cool wind made the temperatures feel much chillier than they actually were. At least up here they had the wind. A visitor from Phoenix had mentioned that in the valley, the temperatures were a soaring one hundred ten degrees.
Continuing her walk, she ambled along the canyon rim, watching other people marveling at the beauty of the canyon, or else dodging in and out of the El Tovar or the equally popular Hopi House. Designed by Mary Jane Coulter, the building resembled a Hopi pueblo complete with sandstone walls and tiny windows. It was one of Katie’s favorite places to spend her time; she was intrigued by the beautiful Harvey museum collection of Navajo blankets and other Indian novelties.
Fascinated by the unique jewelry the Indians made, Katie had been unable to resist purchasing a few trinkets for herself. Since Harvey Girls weren’t allowed to wear jewelry, she didn’t know when she might put them to use—if ever. Frankly, after long days, she fell tiredly into bed at night only to rise and start all over again. But she wouldn’t trade the work for anything. She had grown to love the people of El Tovar, and they were very good to her. She had missed that sense of family so much since her parents had died.
The sun began its descent to the horizon, and she knew it was time to return. The evening train always brought customers who wanted to spend the night, and that was always more work for everyone.
Noticing the dirt stains on her uniform apron, she hurriedly raced to the dormitory and changed it. It was forbidden for even a spot to show on their uniforms. It was a good thing the Harvey Company did all the laundry, because Katie wouldn’t have had a clue how to go about doing it. Pampered all her life by an adoring father and mother, she had learned very little about keeping house, or anything else for that matter. Her college education had consisted of subjects such as mathematics and science, but very little else. Training in domestic matters had been considered unnecessary since she would one day be the sole heir of her family’s fortune.
Her first month here had been hard for that very reason, but she was intelligent and quick to pick up on new ideas. It was that adaptability that had helped her to excel to the point where she now proudly wore a number seven badge on her uniform instead of the number fourteen she had originally been given. One day, she promised herself, she would wear the number one badge. And who knew, she might even attain the position of manager one day. With a wry twist of her lips, she stopped her daydreaming and rushed downstairs and back to the hotel to make certain once again that her station was in pristine order.
When the train pulled into the station, the mad rush began. Although the train would leave later in the evening, many would choose to stay just to see the sunset over the canyon. Also popular in the evening was the Hopi dance at the Hopi House across from the hotel. Katie never tired of seeing the Indians in their full regalia performing dances that had been a part of their heritage for hundreds of years. In many ways, she envied them their free lifestyle.
The travelers who had disembarked and now filled the restaurant made a cacophony of sound, their voices mingling Dutch, Spanish, and myriad other languages. Only last week a famous silent movie star had visited the canyon. Katie had watched as the woman was hounded by hotel guests and reporters alike and thanked God for her anonymity. Well she knew how frustrating such attention could be. But whereas being a movie star was a choice, Katie had been born into the limelight. Only here in the obscurity of the West did she feel comfortable, though she had experienced a close call last week when a reporter from back east had stared at her as though he knew her.
“Katie.”
Startled out of her reverie, Katie turned to find Cleo just behind her.
“Your food’s up,” Cleo told her, giving her a peculiar look. “You look kinda pale again. Are you sure you’re all right?”
Katie smiled. “I’m fine. Just thinking.”
“Well, you’d better get a move on before Dinah sees you.”
“Right.” Katie hurried to retrieve the plates for two of the last guests. When she finished, Cleo caught her by the arm.
“Do you want to go to Flagstaff on your day off? I thought it would be fun to see a movie. We have a choice between a Western or Buster Keaton.”
Katie hesitated. As accustomed to hiding as she had become, she found it hard to let go of the feelings that coursed through her each time she thought of leaving Grand Canyon Village. She knew she was being paranoid, but the feeling still persisted that something dreadful was about to happen. That choking feeling of panic was riding her hard lately, and she wasn’t sure why. Remembering the eagle from that morning and the heady feeling of freedom that swelled through her, she realized she had to get on with her life and stop living in fear.
“Sure, I’d love to go with you,” she finally agreed. “My vote is for Buster Keaton. I’ve heard that Battling Butler is really funny.”
Cleo grinned. “Great! We’ll catch the morning train and make a day of it.”
Katie turned to smile at her friend, admiring not for the first time Cleo’s effervescent personality. “That will be fun.”
Cleo’s look moved past Katie’s shoulder, her eyes widening with appreciation. Katie knew that look. There had to be some good-looking male standing just behind her. Fixing a smile on her face, Katie turned to the customer. Her own eyes widened, but not with appreciation.
“Hello, Katie.”
The shock of seeing her brother-in-law standing before her sent cold tingles shooting all through her body, and the room suddenly began to spin crazily. The hard green eyes staring into hers slowly started to pale and blur. She only had time to register Clay’s quick look of concern before she crumpled to the floor.
Chapter 2
Katie awakened in a room shroude
d in darkness, the light of a single lamp telling her night had already fallen. For a moment, she was disoriented, unable to recall how she had gotten here; then a shadow moved in the far corner and materialized at her side. She caught her breath sharply.
“Clay.”
He studied her in cold silence. Taking her wrist, he glanced at his watch as he counted the beats of her pulse. Being a doctor, he probably thought she was about to have a heart attack as he felt the staccato cadence. Her thoughts were running along much the same lines. She hadn’t seen Clay since her parents’ funeral, and she was amazed at the change in him. Although he had always had a lean physique, his body now held the rugged lines of someone familiar with physical exercise. His sandy brown hair had bleached highlights, evidence of time spent in the sun. The evidence was also there in the darkness of his skin. If he had been handsome before, he was devastatingly so now. She felt again that funny little twist of her insides at his mere presence, but she firmly pushed the feeling away. Surely she had gotten over her adolescent crush years ago. She wondered where his wanderlust had taken him to this time, and what ironic streak of fate had brought him to El Tovar.
“What are you doing here?”
His condescending snort made her flinch. Dropping her wrist, he fastened an angry green glare on her.
“I might ask you the same thing.”
He seated himself next to her on the bed, effectively pinning the covers against her legs with his weight. She couldn’t bring herself to meet his eyes.
For the longest time, silence reigned in the room. When Katie finally glanced up, she caught his look and was surprised to find it full of sympathy. Her face colored hotly, and she quickly turned away. He knows I ran away! Had Darius told him? Probably so, and as usual, Darius had probably involved Clay in things that didn’t concern him. She didn’t think she could be more ashamed than she was at that moment, though why she should be the one to feel shame, she hadn’t a clue.
But exactly how much did he know? She started to ask him, but just then something more pressing suddenly occurred to her. She leaned forward and grabbed his wrist, her panic evident in her voice. “What did you tell Miss Weston?”
The lack of emotion in his face was unsettling. “I told her I was a friend of yours from back east and that I was also a doctor. She found that reason enough to allow me to examine you. She just went to the kitchen to get you something to drink.” He looked at the door then back at her face. “She should be back any minute, so you’d better explain fast.”
There was no way Katie was going to tell her husband’s brother what had happened that night that sent her tearing off in a wild, tearful rush. Clay and Darius had always been close, so he probably wouldn’t believe her anyway.
She released her death grip on his arm and moved her body as far away from him as the small bed allowed. Biting her lip, she stared at the beautiful painting of the canyon that hung on the wall next to the bed. She had purchased the painting from Dinah some time ago, awed by the woman’s artistic ability.
“Katie.”
The softly spoken word compelled an answer. She closed her eyes tightly, glad he was no longer holding her wrist, because her heartbeat had increased its rhythm tenfold. Finally, she looked at him. His eyes were gentle with some unnamed emotion. He reached out and lightly brushed a tear from the corner of her eye.
“You already know, don’t you?” she asked him softly.
His lips drew together in a tight line, and he pulled away from her. At first she thought he wasn’t going to answer, but sighing, he pushed a weary hand back through his tumbling brown locks.
“Yes, I know about Delia.”
Katie stared at him wide-eyed for several seconds and then burst into hysterical laughter. His wary look scanned her from head to toe, obviously concerned over her irrational behavior. She shook her head reassuringly, still chuckling. Despite her laughter, a sob was lodged in her throat.
“I’m sorry,” she told him, the tears she had been holding back so long finally surfacing. “But which one is Delia?”
She hadn’t meant it to come out like that, but she was hanging on to her emotions by a mere thread. He stared at her in dumbfounded silence as the meaning of her words finally registered. He began to shake his head slowly from side to side, his eyes narrowing in unbelief.
“Are you saying my brother was having an affair with more than one woman?” The look that transformed his face was alarming, and Katie tried to move even farther away from him. He reached forward, grabbing her by the wrist, his face now so close to hers that she could see the evening shadow of his whiskers. His crushing grip brought a small cry from her as his fingers bruised her skin. “How long has this been going on?”
She tried to pry loose from his hold, terrified by his anger. Memories of that last night with Darius caused fear to pulsate through her body. This was Clay, and he was Darius’s brother. She had always believed them to be so different, but perhaps that wasn’t entirely so. Perhaps they were more alike than she realized.
“Please, Clay, you’re hurting me,” she whispered.
Although those same words had had no effect on Darius, Clay released her wrist as though he had been burned. He quickly rose and moved away from the bed. His apologetic look did little to still the fear that had caught her in its paralyzing grip.
“I’m sorry, Katie. I’m so sorry.”
The huskiness of his voice spoke of feelings held tightly in check. He was still angry, she could see that, but the anger seemed not to be directed at herself. Was he apologizing for hurting her, or for his brother’s treachery? Whichever, his emotion had been frightening.
There was a knock on the door, and Dinah came into the room with a tray. She glanced from one to the other. Sensing the tension in the room, she fixed a narrow-eyed gaze on Clay.
“I thank you for your services, Dr. O’Neil. But Miss Halloran needs to rest now.”
Clay’s eyebrows disappeared beneath the hair that had tumbled across his forehead. The look he fixed on Katie spoke more clearly than words. Miss Halloran? it said.
She begged him with her own eyes not to betray her. They still had much they needed to discuss, and she could only hope he would keep her secret until they did. Katie gave a soundless sigh at his slight nod of acquiescence.
“I’ll see you tomorrow,” he said, the words sounding more like a threat than a promise. He opened his mouth as though to say more, then closing it again, he gave Dinah a slight nod and left the room.
The next morning Katie found herself relieved of her duties for the day. Although she argued hotly, Dinah was adamant. No doubt Clay had used his medical influence to see that she had time for them to finish their interrupted conversation. The thought made her stomach churn to such an extent that she thought for certain she would have to rush for the bathroom again.
She slowly tugged on her favorite sapphire-blue silk charmeuse dress, tying the ribbon belt at her waist and checking to make sure that the portion of her stocking showing from her calf to her ankle had no runs. She knew she would have to face Clay sometime, but the dread she felt made her movements slow and clumsy. Growing frustrated with herself, she gave herself a lecture that soon stiffened her backbone. After all, what could Clay do to her?
She set her chin firmly, buckling on her black patent leather shoes while continuing to berate herself.
Brushing her hair, she twisted it into a French roll. Although the Harveys had recently allowed some girls to wear their hair bobbed in the style of the day, Katie still liked hers long. She didn’t think she would ever get used to the shorter hair that so many girls sported nowadays.
Perching a blue velvet hat on her head, she looked in the mirror and heaved a dispirited sigh. Regardless of the exquisite clothing, nothing, absolutely nothing, would ever make her into a beauty. She disregarded the heavily fringed blue eyes that most considered her best feature.
Deciding she was finally ready, she straightened her shoulders and marched down the
stairs and across to the El Tovar. The beauty of the morning reached out to embrace her, and she paused on the porch. The sun had risen brightly, but she noticed wisps of clouds on the horizon, a possible precursor of a storm to come. The summer monsoon had reached Arizona, and Katie had been amazed at the ferocity of the storms that came with it. At this height, the power of the lightning was awesome indeed.
Although she had awakened early, Clay was dressed and waiting for her in the restaurant. He rose and pulled out the chair across from him, motioning her into it. Katie glanced around apprehensively and realized there were few people in the restaurant this early in the morning. After witnessing Clay’s anger the previous evening, she suddenly felt very unsure of herself.
Clay seated himself, giving her a quick perusal. The fine-cut navy blue worsted suit he wore spoke of wealth and culture, but Katie was more concerned with what might be hidden by that veneer of charm and civilization. Darius had looked and dressed the same, but beneath all that sophisticated appeal hid a demon.
“Feeling better this morning?” Clay inquired, and Katie blinked her eyes at the intrusion into her thoughts. His silent scrutiny was unnerving.
“I feel fine,” she assured him hastily, reaching for the menu one of the Harvey Girls handed her. Katie smiled at her. “Thank you, Anne.”
After they placed their order, Clay leaned back in his seat and studied her through half-closed lids.
“So where were we?”
Katie sighed in exasperation. “May we please hold the interrogation until after breakfast? I don’t think my stomach can handle it right now.”
“Cleo told me about your problem.”
Katie dropped the glass she had just lifted, and water splashed onto the table. Jumping up, she threw him an angry glare. “Now look what you made me do!”
He rose with her and began mopping up the spill with his napkin, his lips twitching in amusement. “I made you do?”
The Timeless Love Romance Collection Page 28