by Leona Karr
“Tell me about your brothers. Are they identical twins?” she asked, wanting to keep the attention off herself. She wasn’t at all sure that Neil’s optimistic assurances weren’t more hopeful thinking than anything.
“Yes, but they’re different personalities and work together very well. They’re partners in a successful car dealership.” He chuckled. “Alex is the more aggressive. He’ll probably try to sell you his latest model if you give him an opening.”
When they arrived at a well-lit, two-storied home on the lake frontage, Neil held the baby’s carrier in one hand and guided Courtney into the house with the other.
“We’re here!”
Courtney scarcely had time to take a deep breath before she was enveloped in a sea of introductions to Neil’s family and friends. She got the impression that they were totally surprised that he was arriving with a woman and a baby, and she was sure the absence of a wedding ring on her finger didn’t go unnoticed.
“How nice to meet you, Courtney,” Maribeth said, squeezing her hand. Short, dark, curly hair framed her face and accented the same shade of brown eyes as Neil’s. She was rather plump, vivacious, and bubbled with friendliness. “And what a beautiful baby.” She nodded at Neil and winked. “Nice going, brother!”
“I thought you’d approve,” Neil answered, giving her an affectionate hug.
“Come on, Courtney, I’ll show you the nursery.” Maribeth took the carrier, then told her brother, “There’s food and drink on the terrace, and some of the fellows are watching a football game. We’ll make sure this little fellow is settled in, and then we’ll be down.”
“Sounds good.” He winked at Courtney. “Don’t get lost. My sister has a habit of monopolizing people she likes.”
“It’s true,” Maribeth laughingly admitted as she and Courtney went upstairs. “Neil never said boo about who he was bringing. What a lovely surprise. I didn’t know he was even seeing someone with a baby.”
Courtney wanted to correct the “seeing” part, but Maribeth didn’t give her a chance. A proud mother of a two-month-old little girl and a five-year-old boy, Maribeth centered the conversation on the demands and marvels of motherhood as she led the way down the upper hall.
“My son is playing with some of his cousins in the backyard. He thinks he’s much too big to stay in the nursery,” she said, laughing proudly.
Courtney tried to hide her shock when she saw the nursery. She couldn’t believe the spacious, beautifully decorated room was the domain of one little baby girl in a ruffled pink bassinet. White furniture and carpet blended with lovely swags of lace curtains at the windows, and harmonized with a pastel floral wallpaper. The wonderful, clean smell was a sharp contrast to the stale odors in the houseboat’s tiny quarters.
A large middle-aged woman in a nursemaid’s uniform stood at a small kitchenette in the far corner of the room. As they entered, she turned around and asked, smiling, “Another little one for the party?”
“Yes, Hazel,” Maribeth answered. “This cute fellow is going to keep Annette company.”
The nursemaid tickled Jamie under the chin as she took him out of the carrier. He rewarded her attention with one of his toothless smiles.
“What a darling,” she cooed. Nodding toward the diaper bag Courtney was carrying, she said, “I suspect there’s everything I need in there to keep him happy while you enjoy yourself.”
“He’s been fed, and if you give him his pacifier, he’ll probably drop off to sleep.”
As Hazel settled Jamie in a crib, Maribeth drew Courtney over to the pink bassinet. “This is Annette.”
Courtney gazed down at the sleeping baby girl dressed in a soft pink dress. “She’s beautiful. And look at all that lovely dark hair. I keep waiting for Jamie’s blond fuzz to thicken up.”
They began sharing some of the trials and joys of being mothers, and a half an hour sped by without either of them realizing it.
“Oh, my goodness,” Maribeth gasped when she heard the faint ring of a doorbell. “I’d better get back downstairs to my guests.”
Courtney was reluctant to leave the warm comfort of the nursery and the sleeping babies. Jamie had contentedly let the pacifier drop from his mouth, closed his eyes and fallen asleep. She knew he was in good hands, but lately, she’d felt a growing undefined anxiety about him. She’d gotten in the habit of checking him several times at night and nap time to reassure herself that he wasn’t getting sick. Her aunt had accused her of trying to smother Jamie with so much attention and seemed resentful that Courtney kept such a close watch on him.
Courtney’s hesitation to leave the nursery must have been evident because Hazel assured her, “I’ll call you if he isn’t happy without his mommy.”
“Neil’s going to chew me out for keeping you upstairs so long,” Maribeth said as they hurried downstairs.
The family party was in full swing inside the house and outside on the terrace. Guests flowed around a loaded buffet table or sat at scattered tables overlooking the lake. Courtney didn’t see Neil anywhere and felt self-conscious mingling with a crowd of strangers.
Maribeth introduced Courtney to her husband, Richard. He was a tall, rather serious-looking man who seemed to enjoy his wife’s bubbling personality. Courtney learned that he was an attorney. Obviously a successful one, Courtney decided, if he was able to afford the lovely home and paid help Maribeth seemed to take for granted.
“I’d better check on the food, and make sure we have enough of everything,” Maribeth said.
“May I help with something?” Courtney asked as she followed her into a beautiful, spacious kitchen.
Maribeth quickly looked over counters loaded with trays of food and nodded in satisfaction. “I wonder if we ordered enough beer and wine. I’d better check.”
As she disappeared into a butler’s pantry, Courtney became aware of two young women sitting at a round table in a kitchen alcove. She was surprised when one of them waved at her.
“Come join us,” a pretty plump blonde called out. “We’re the wives of the birthday boys, and enjoying our own private celebration. Would you like some wine? I’m Peggy, and this is Hollie.”
“Nice to meet you both. I’m Courtney. I came with Neil.”
“We know.” Peggy’s eyes sparkled over the rim of her wine goblet. “Our brother-in-law is full of surprises.”
“Why do you say that?” Courtney asked as she sat down and took the glass of wine that Hollie had poured for her. “Doesn’t Neil usually bring someone to these family affairs?”
“Oh, indeed,” Peggy answered. “Our brother-in-law is quite the swinging bachelor. Always got some good-looking gal in tow.”
“But he never shows up with the same gal twice,” Hollie volunteered. “I’ve never seen a man so afraid of getting seriously involved.”
“We all thought Neil would be the first one married. He’s two years older than our husbands, the twins.” Peggy lowered her voice. “He got engaged when he was eighteen.”
Hollie sent Peggy a warning glance. “I don’t think we should go into all that.”
“Why not?” She shrugged. “It’s no secret. He put a ring on her finger when they were high-school seniors.”
“That’s too young to get engaged,” Courtney said evenly, hoping to learn as much about Neil’s romantic background as she could.
“It is,” Hollie agreed.
“But Neil had been in love with Wendy all through high school,” Peggy argued. “They made plans to go to the same college, and be married as soon as they could swing the finances. They even had their kids’ names picked out. It was a damn dirty shame the way things turned out.”
“What happened?” Courtney asked as casually as she could. She couldn’t help but encourage any sharing that would give her insight into Neil’s past.
“So sad,” Peggy answered, draining the last sip of her wine. “Wendy died of leukemia before she was twenty-one.”
“Neil’s heart was broken—”
“And he’s never
found someone to mend it,” Peggy said, finishing Hollie’s sentence. “It’s been ten years and he’s still playing the field.” She eyed Courtney with open speculation. “He’s never been able to put the past to rest. Neil has a reputation of love ’em and leave ’em.”
Very politely, but doggedly, Peggy and Hollie asked Courtney some questions about herself and how she met Neil.
“I’m spending the summer with my aunt. She’s rented a houseboat from Neil’s company,” Courtney said briefly. She wasn’t about to fuel the gossip line.
“Speak of the devil,” Peggy said affectionately as Neil came into the kitchen and spied the three women at the table.
“So this is where you’re hiding out?” he chided. “I’ve been all over this house looking for you.”
“Down, boy,” Peggy teased. “I bet you’ve been drinking beer with the guys, and gawking at the football game.”
Neil made a playful swipe at her. “That’s what I love about you, Peggy. You always think the worst of me.”
“No, I just know what a handsome rogue you are.”
Neil held out his hand to Courtney. “Come on, let’s hit the buffet and I’ll tell you some good stories about these two gals.”
As they left the kitchen, Courtney said, “I like them.”
“They’re both great gals. I’m glad you had a chance to meet them, but I’m claiming you for the rest of the evening.”
Neil was attentive as they enjoyed a lavish buffet dinner on the terrace. They sat on a garden step instead of at one of the crowed tables.
“This is nice,” she said, leaning back on her arms and looking at the lovely garden and deep green lawn. She took in deep breaths of the fresh evening air.
“What are you smiling about? Your eyes give you away, you know,” Neal said as he studied them. “Sometimes they’re guarded and hard. Right now, they’re soft and misty like a spring sky.”
As his tender gaze settled on her, she was thankful that she’d been warned not to be drawn into any fantasies about him. What kind of signals had she been giving out? She wasn’t about to sign up as one of his conquests.
Someone brought a boom box out on the terrace, and immediately several couples started dancing, cheered on by enthusiastic spectators.
“How about it?” Neil asked, a glint of a challenge in his smile.
“What?”
“Do you like to dance?”
“No…yes,” she contradicted herself. “But I’m not very good.”
“I bet you’re much too modest. Come on. Let’s find out. I’ll be an impartial judge.”
“Proceed at your own risk,” she said recklessly, ignoring that curious eyes centered on them.
As Neil pulled her to him, Courtney cradled into the graceful length of his body with perfect ease. She was glad the music was one of those slow “My baby done me wrong” ballads.
He held her so close that laying her cheek against his was a given. She lost herself in the hypnotic movement as he deftly guided her steps, and when the music stopped she felt a sense of loss.
As they pulled away from each other, he said solemnly, “Just as I thought. You lied.”
The next song had just started when Neil was summoned to the telephone.
“Sorry,” he apologized to Courtney.
“It’s okay. I’ll slip up and check on Jamie.”
They went inside the house together. He stopped at the den and she went on upstairs. Both babies were sound asleep, and Hazel assured her that all was well.
When Courtney came back downstairs, the door to the den was slightly ajar and she could hear Neil shouting in a rage.
“Don’t you threaten me! You made your bed, lie in it! You try anything, and I’ll have your ass in a sling.” He swore as he slammed down the receiver. The fury in his voice dismayed her. He’d always seemed so even tempered, and it frightened her to realize how little she really knew him.
When he came out of the den, she pretended to be just coming down the stairs.
“Jamie’s fussy,” she lied. “I think we’d better call it an evening.”
He didn’t argue.
Conversation was sparse between them on the way back to the houseboat, and it was apparent to Courtney that Neil was still upset over the telephone call. When she boldly asked him what was the matter, he responded flatly. “Bad business.”
His tone didn’t invite any more questions.
At the door of the houseboat, she thanked him politely for the evening and said, “I enjoyed meeting your family.”
“Thanks for coming.” He lightly kissed her cheek. “I’m sorry about the bad mood. Forgive me?”
“Sure. I’ve had a few of those myself.”
As his steps faded away, Courtney locked the door and quickly made her way through the darkened houseboat. Her aunt’s door was closed and there were no audible sounds. As quickly as she could, Courtney settled Jamie for the night and got ready for bed.
As she lay there going over the evening’s events, she could hear the wind rising, and the rocking motion of the waves increase. The moon was shrouded in dark clouds and a rumbling warned of an approaching storm. Oh, no, she thought. I’m going to be trapped inside for another endless day.
She was still wide-awake when she had a sense of another presence. At first she thought it was her imagination. Then a movement of air hit her face. She sat up with a jerk.
Devanna was bending over the baby.
“What are you doing?”
“He’s crying. I’m going to take him to bed with me. He’s cold.”
“He’s not crying, and he’s not cold.” Courtney swung down from the bed. “You leave him where he is.”
“No, he wants me! Can’t you tell?”
Courtney pushed herself between her aunt and the bassinet. “The baby is fine. Don’t bother him.”
A flash of lightning lit up her aunt’s face, and Courtney was stunned. Her aunt looked angry enough to attack her.
“You must have had a bad dream,” Courtney said quickly and as soothingly as her tense voice would allow. “Everything’s all right. Go back to bed.”
Devanna didn’t move. Courtney heard her say something under her breath, but couldn’t make it out. Suddenly a clap of deafening thunder shook the walls of the houseboat. The whole floor seemed to drop away from under their feet.
Slowly Devanna backed out of the room. She disappeared in the darkness, and a moment later, her compartment door shut with an angry bang.
“Thank God.” What if I’d been asleep?
Courtney hugged herself to stop the shivers. From now on, she’d keep her door locked at night.
If she hadn’t heard Devanna, the older woman might have stealthily slipped Jamie out of his bassinet without her knowing it. And in her confused state, no telling what she would have done with or to the baby.
Chapter Four
All night the houseboat rocked in the undulating surf, pulling at its creaking mooring chains as a storm system slipped down from Canada and into the northern Idaho mountains. The very walls of the floating house seemed ready to give way at any moment against the onslaught.
The next morning the outside decks were soaked, and sprays of water whipped against the windows, shutting out the cloud-shrouded sunlight. Courtney’s escape from the confining inside quarters of the houseboat was completely shut off. The day was long and tedious.
Jamie picked up on Courtney’s nervous energy, and tried her patience with short naps and constant fussing.
“I told you that you shouldn’t have taken him out last evening,” Devanna declared. “He probably picked up something. It’ll be your fault if he comes down sick.”
Courtney held her temper. What good would it do to argue? All her efforts to create a harmonious relationship between them seemed doomed to failure. The only bonding between them was the baby, and now that was unraveling. Nothing was said about last night’s confrontation and Courtney wondered if her aunt had been walking in her sleep.
“I haven’t read any of them.”
“What about your embroidery? You could work on that.”
“And put my eyes out?” she scoffed.
Courtney gave up. “What does the radio say about the storm ending?”
“Radio? I don’t have a radio. Where’d you get an idea like that?”
Courtney started to challenge her, but decided against saying anything. Lying about the radio was another of Devanna’s little quirks. It was obvious that she hated sharing, and it was a mystery to Courtney why her aunt had invited her to come stay in the first place.
The long day dragged on. The wind created a keening sound as it whipped high waves against the sides of the houseboat. It sounded as if a hundred wailing creatures were beating to get inside. Wavering gray sunlight gave way to deepening twilight and night shadows.
Sharing the care of Jamie had been the only salvation of a long, nerve-racking day, and Courtney didn’t know how she could take another day being cooped up with Devanna. She was wide-awake at midnight when the storm began to slacken, and by three o’clock she was finally able to fall asleep.
Jamie woke her up at five o’clock for an early bottle. Wearily, Courtney put on jeans and a warm sweater to hold off a chill that the storm had brought, and kept a blanket around the baby as she fed him
For some reason, Devanna stayed in her room until nearly ten o’clock.
“How’d our baby sleep?” she asked when she got up.
“He woke up early, and went back to sleep after his bottle.”
“I thought I heard him crying. I was going to get up and tend to him if he kept it up,” she warned, as if she wasn’t going to let Courtney interfere the way she had the last time.
“That’s sweet of you, Aunt Devanna, but you don’t need to be so concerned about him. You need your sleep.” There was an edge to her tone, but her aunt didn’t seem to notice.
Devanna seemed preoccupied as she poured a cup of coffee. She was dressed in the plain brown slacks and pullover she usually wore when she went out.