by Leona Karr
“Enjoy yourself,” she said with unusual graciousness. “Be sure and put one of those new jumper suits on Jamie. We don’t want him wearing those faded, secondhand things you brought with you.”
She eyed Courtney’s short print skirt and white, off-the-shoulder blouse in a way that made Courtney feel her aunt included them in the secondhand category, as well.
Her enthusiasm for the outing began to fade. By the time she and the baby arrived at Maribeth’s house, and she parked her old car alongside several new ones, she was feeling uncomfortable about being there.
She wondered if Neil had twisted his sister’s arm to invite her, and she eyed the beautiful home and its decorative landscaping with misgivings. She didn’t belong in these affluent gatherings and wondered what on earth had made her accept the invitation.
“Come in, come in,” Maribeth greeted her with her usual bubbly warmth. “Everyone’s in the family room. When Jamie gets tired of everyone making a fuss over him, Hazel can take him up to the nursery.”
Maybe I can escape up there, too, Courtney thought, remembering how she hid out in the nursery once before. Maribeth was wearing a slenderizing white sharkskin pantsuit Courtney was certain hadn’t come off a bargain rack.
As she passed the den, she remembered Neil’s angry telephone conversation, and breathed a prayer of thankfulness that Delaney was safely behind bars.
The family room was almost as large Courtney’s utilitarian apartment had been. Myriad windows gave a panoramic view of the surrounding mountains, and white and lemon-yellow furnishings lent splashes of color to leather furniture and maple-paneled walls.
Maribeth’s guests lounged about on the leather furniture, drinking wine coolers out of tall, misty glasses. She was surprised when Peggy and Hollie greeted her warmly.
“Hi, Courtney.”
“Nice to see you.”
Remembering their friendliness at their husbands’ birthday party, she was grateful Maribeth had included them at the luncheon. Maybe it was going to be a pleasant afternoon, after all.
“Let me hold the baby,” Peggy begged, and took Jamie on her lap, cooing and tickling his tummy.
Maribeth quickly introduced her other two guests: Stella Penrose, a poised woman in her late forties, and her daughter, Pamela, a very attractive blonde wearing a silk dress that enhanced every curve in her slender body.
“It’s very nice to meet you, Courtney,” Stella responded in the polished manner of someone who knew her way around socially. “I understand you’re spending the summer in Manitou.”
“Yes, with my aunt,” Courtney answered evenly, hoping to put an end to that avenue of conversation. A discussion of life aboard a houseboat was not a topic she wanted to invite.
The way Pamela Penrose’s appraising eyes were taking inventory of her gave Courtney the feeling she’d been the topic of conversation before her arrival.
When Maribeth offered her wine or iced tea from a refreshment cart, Courtney readily chose tea.
“Try these appetizers,” Peggy offered as Courtney sat down on the sofa beside her.
The conversation revolved around some upcoming social events involving all the women, and Courtney enjoyed a few minutes of relaxation. Too soon, her sense of well-being ended when Stella pulled her back into the limelight.
“Maribeth was telling us about Neil’s and your horrible experience. I can’t imagine such a thing happening,” Stella said, frowning.
“I’m so glad they have the men in jail,” Maribeth said with a sigh of relief.
“You must have been terrified, Courtney,” Peggy said, shivering. “I can’t even imagine such an awful thing happening. It’s too scary to even think about.”
“Neil said she was absolutely wonderful,” Maribeth bragged. “Even when it looked as if the car was going to go over the cliff any second, she didn’t lose her head.”
“Really?” Pamela’s tone suggested skepticism.
Courtney was totally uncomfortable being the center of attention, and was relieved when Hazel appeared to take Jamie upstairs. Since they’d already met, Courtney was at ease handing the baby over to her.
“Well, now, I guess it’s time for lunch,” Maribeth said. “The table is set on the patio.” She motioned toward a pair of French doors that led out of the family room to a brick patio.
Hollie fell into step beside Courtney, and asked in a low voice, “Are you feeling all right?”
“Fine,” she reassured her.
“You look a little peaked.”
“Just a little tired.” Courtney decided Neil must not have told Maribeth about the food poisoning, or his sister would have surely asked her about it.
The table conversation at lunch flowed easily. As Maribeth and her other guests gossiped and shared plans for travel or upcoming events, Courtney was able to relax and enjoy the pleasure of being outside in the fresh air, bright sunshine and beautiful green lawn.
Still a little cautious about what she ate and drank, Courtney sipped her iced tea and gingerly picked at a salad made of avocado, seasoned artichoke and sliced turkey. Ordinarily, Courtney was a good eater, enjoying all kinds of food, but the lingering memory of how horribly sick she’d been kept her from eating with her usual appetite.
Maribeth did her best to include Courtney in the conversation, but without much success. The only common tie they all had was Neil.
“My brother tells me you beat the socks off of him at pool the other day,” Maribeth said, chuckling. “I’d like to have seen that. Neil said you’re a real champion. Even won a trophy or two, I hear.”
An instant weighted silence engulfed the luncheon table as all the other women stared at her.
“You’re a pool shark?” Hollie asked with open astonishment.
“Well, I’ll be,” Peggy laughed. “You don’t look like the kind of gal who knows her way around a pool hall.”
Courtney wanted to shrink up and fade away.
Stella Penrose looked at her with a disapproving downturn of her lips. “I can’t imagine anyone spending time in those smoky, horrid places.”
“Me, either,” Pamela said with a slight quiver of her narrow nostrils.
“Well, I think it’s great when a gal can beat a fellow at his own game,” Maribeth said defensively, trying to defend her remarks that had put Courtney in a bad light.
“Didn’t they have tennis courts where you grew up, Courtney?” Pamela asked with a slight smile. “I mean, playing pool is so…so?” She shrugged as if she couldn’t find the right word to describe it.
“What about golf?” Stella asked as if she were doing her best to find some accomplishment that would make Courtney slightly more respectable. “The country club has some beautiful greens, and there’s a ladies tournament every year that’s great fun.”
“I’ve tried other sports,” Courtney replied evenly. “But I like pool the best.”
Stella shrugged as if she’d done her best.
“Well, I’m glad you took my brother down a peg or two,” Maribeth said, showing that she was on Courtney’s side.
Stella cleared her throat. “I don’t know if I should bring this up, Maribeth, but I saw that woman whom Neil used to date. You know, the divorcée. What was her name? Rosemary something? What ever happened with her and Neil?”
“They broke up,” Maribeth answered shortly.
“For a while there, I thought Neil was headed for the altar for sure,” Peggy commented.
“Not me.” Hollie shook her head. “He’s made it pretty clear he’s going to be a perennial bachelor.” Then she looked at Courtney and flushed.
“Well, I don’t know what Neil Ellsworth is looking for in a woman,” Pamela said tartly. “He wines and dines a gal, makes her believe he’s serious about a commitment, and then poof, he’s off to newer pastures.” The look she exchanged with her mother spoke volumes to Courtney.
Pamela had been another one of Neil’s conquests.
Courtney kept a smile on her face, but the
conversation had brought home a truth that hit her like a cold slap to the face. Wake up! Neil’s record spoke loud and clear. It wouldn’t be very long before these same women would be talking about her. It was doubtful his attention would even last till the end of the summer.
“Would you like to help on the Labor Day Gala, Courtney?” Maribeth asked, valiantly trying to change the direction of the conversation.
“Oh, I won’t be here,” she heard herself saying. “Actually, I’ve decided it’s about time for me to leave Manitou.”
“I thought you were here for the summer. I mean, that’s the impression I got from Neil.”
“My plans have changed.”
“Where will you go?”
“Back to Cheyenne, Wyoming. That’s where my job is.”
Verbalizing her departure brought a strange sense of release. Leaving was the only sensible decision. Her high hopes for a happy summer had been dashed almost from the first moment she’d arrived. She knew Devanna would make a fuss when she told her she was leaving, but only because of her affection for the baby. It was obvious that Devanna couldn’t care less about whether she, Courtney, stayed or left.
After lunch, as soon as it was politely acceptable, Courtney thanked Maribeth for her hospitality and got ready to leave.
“If I don’t see you again,” Courtney told her, “I want you to know how much I’ve appreciated your friendship.”
Maribeth hugged her. “If you change your mind, let me know, and we’ll get together again.”
Courtney promised, but already her decision to leave was firmly fixed her mind. As she drove back to the houseboat, she wondered when the best time would be to tell her aunt.
NEIL CALLED MARIBETH that evening from his Seattle hotel. He was anxious to know how the afternoon get-together had gone. He had persuaded his sister to give the luncheon especially for Courtney’s benefit. It worried him that she looked so wan, and he thought it would do her good to get out and be with some other women.
“I’m not sure how it went,” Maribeth answered honestly.
“What do you mean?”
“Courtney didn’t look all that well. Only picked at her food.”
“I told you she’d had a bout with food poisoning recently, so that doesn’t surprise me.”
“I’m afraid that Pamela and her mother made it a little uncomfortable for her—”
“You invited them?” Neil swore under his breath. He had dated Pamela a few times and knew firsthand how critical she and her mother could be. He’d given both of them a wide berth, and often wondered why on earth his sister continued to associate with them. “What on earth were you thinking?”
“I couldn’t help it,” Maribeth said regretfully. “They were sitting with Peggy and Hollie at the club when I asked them to the luncheon, and there wasn’t anything I could do but include Stella and Pamela, too.” She sighed. “It was a mistake.”
“I could have told you that!”
When she told him about the pool fiasco, and the conversation about him and Rosemary, he groaned. He wouldn’t have willingly put Courtney through that kind of social torture for anything in the world.
“I’m sorry, Neil,” Maribeth said contritely. “I like Courtney, and I’m sorry to see her go. I wonder if she’s up to traveling. It can’t be easy with a baby—”
“What are you talking about?”
“Oh, didn’t you know? She’s leaving, going back to Wyoming.”
Neil tightened his grip on the telephone. “What? When?”
“In the next few days, I guess, because she said she wouldn’t be seeing me again. Anyway, I’m sorry, Neil. I really liked Courtney, and was hoping you’d see a future with her. If you really, really care about her—”
“I know. I know,” he cut her off. “All right, I’ll see her as soon as I fly back.”
“When will that be?”
“I’m not sure. I have to finish some business before I can leave.”
“Let me give you some sisterly advice,” Maribeth said firmly. “You’ve held on to your shattered dreams with Wendy long enough. It’s time to let go.”
“I know, I know.”
After he hung up, he ran an agitated hand through his hair, fighting a battle with himself. He had investors depending on him. He didn’t see how he could cancel his important business conference.
Why was Courtney leaving? What the hell had happened?
COURTNEY SUMMONED HER COURAGE after dinner that evening, and told her aunt that she had decided to cut her vacation short.
“I know I planned to stay the summer, but I’ve changed my mind,” Courtney said evenly. “I’ll pack up our things tomorrow, and then get an early start back to Cheyenne the following morning.”
“You can’t. You can’t just take off like that.” Devanna clenched her fists and turned every shade of red.
“Why not?” Courtney asked in what she hoped was a reasonable tone. She had decided not to give her aunt much warning, hoping to avoid an extended quarrel between them.
“It’s not time!”
“I think it is.”
“No, no. It’s too soon…too soon!”
“Let’s not argue.” Her aunt’s dictatorial outburst only strengthened Courtney’s resolve to leave. “I know you’ll miss Jamie, and he’ll miss you, but my mind is made up.”
Clearly the only reason her aunt objected to her going was the baby. The tension had been increasing between them as every day passed. When Courtney exerted her rights to make motherly decisions that didn’t meet Devanna’s approval, her aunt’s temper instantly flared. It was only a matter of time before they had a bitter quarrel. It was better all around to leave before that happened.
“What about that fellow of yours? Aren’t you going to stick around till he gets back this weekend?”
“No, I’ll leave Friday morning,” she said firmly. Leaving before she saw Neil again was a coward’s way out, but the break would be quicker and cleaner.
“Well, I suppose there’s no sense wasting my breath.” Devanna’s eyes narrowed as if she were doing some heavy thinking.
“This just hasn’t worked out,” Courtney said as gently as she could.
“Oh, I don’t know about that,” Devanna retorted. “But anyway, there’s still tomorrow, isn’t there?”
Relieved that her aunt seemed to have reluctantly accepted her decision, Courtney began finalizing her departure. The next morning, she did all their washing and began to pack. As usual, Devanna ignored her and gave all her attention to the baby.
Toward late afternoon when Jamie went down for a nap, Courtney decided to enjoy one final sunbath on the roof.
“Good idea. You’ve been as pale as a bleached rag lately,” her aunt commented with her usual bluntness.
As she put on her bathing suit, Courtney had a momentary flicker of regret. Even though the atmosphere inside the houseboat had been oppressive, outside the sun, the beautiful view of the lake, and the pleasant climate had offered her some enjoyable moments.
And then there was Neil.
She paused for a moment at the deck railing before climbing up to the roof. Looking across the water, she could see the usual panorama of boats and water-skiers on the lake. The memory of being with Neil in his boat, and their recent walk along the water’s edge, created a swell of emotions. She’d never forget the way he made her feel when he smiled at her. The memory of his kisses sent a quiver of desire rippling through her. She could understand how devastating it would be to fall deeply in love with him, only to have him slip away.
Her eyes were misty as she turned away from the deck, and started to climb up the narrow ladder.
She made it nearly to the top.
Then it happened!
The ladder suddenly pulled away from its fastenings and she was flung backward.
She screamed as she hit the deck railing with such force that it broke, splintered and raked her arms and legs with deep cuts. One end of the falling ladder hit her head and p
ropelled her over the side of the houseboat. Black water drew her down and down. Kicking and flailing her arms, she barely made it back to the surface.
“Help!” she cried out as she bobbed in the water, floundering like a wounded animal fighting to stay afloat. Blood from scratches and cuts turned the water red around her. Her head throbbed with blinding pain. Dizzy and filled with pain, she knew she couldn’t last more than a few brief minutes. The only thing closer than the shore was the old rowboat tied up at the dock.
With blurry vision, she could see it bobbing in the water. She struck out, struggling to keep it in sight. Her few times in a swimming pool had scarcely been more than paddling in waist-high water. As she clumsily worked her arms and legs, her strokes weakened. She barely kept afloat. Her vision blurred and only raw determination kept her moving. It was only when her hands felt rough wood that she knew she had reached the rowboat.
With her last bit of strength, she pulled herself over the side of the boat. As she collapsed in the bottom, a rocking, floating sensation drew her away into unconsciousness.
Chapter Nine
Neil’s flight was an hour late getting in to Manitou. The sun was already setting behind the cluster of enveloping mountains when he picked up his recently purchased car from the parking garage and drove the fifteen miles to town. He had never before left a business deal hanging unresolved the way he had that afternoon. That important transaction demanded at least two more full days of his time and energy.
“What’s the matter with you?” his business associate had demanded when Neil’s usual concentration and dedication to business was obviously lacking.
“Personal problems,” Neil had answered without elaborating. “I’ll get back to you in a day or two.”
The flight was a short one, but to Neil it seemed like an eternity.
Courtney was leaving. Going out of his life as suddenly as she’d come into it.
He wrestled with emotions that made him a stranger to himself. After he lost Wendy, he’d never wanted to put his heart in jeopardy again. He’d been careful in all his relationships to maintain a protective barrier against any deep, total commitment. His life had been shattered once, and he wasn’t going to let it happen again, but he knew he’d be the worst kind of coward if he let Courtney disappear from his life without some kind of protest.