by Janet Dailey
“I’m afraid you’re dreaming, Gail.” Exasperated with the woman’s loyalty, Laura gave up and reached for the mug. “More soup?”
In silence the woman downed a few more spoonfuls. “Where are the children? I can’t hear them.”
“In the kitchen having lunch. I went shopping,” Laura informed her, “and restocked your cupboards and refrigerator.”
“You didn’t have to do that.” But there was abject gratitude in the look she gave Laura. “We’ll pay you back as soon as we can.”
“Of course.” But Laura wasn’t about to hold her breath waiting for that day to come.
The woman started to take another sip of soup, then returned the spoon to the mug, and pushed aside the top sheet. “I think I’ll finish the rest of my soup in the kitchen with the children.”
“Are you sure?”
“Yes.” She swung her legs out of bed. “I’m fine.”
Laura couldn’t help wondering which one of them she was trying to convince. She waited while Gail changed into a pair of jeans and an oversized tee, then walked with her to the kitchen. The boy, Mike, was on his second hot dog when they arrived.
The little girl was more interested in the grapes on her plate than the hot dog. She was the only one to comment on her mother’s appearance, pointing to her face and saying, “Mama, owie.”
“Yes, Mama has an owie,” Gail confirmed and sat down at the table with them. She darted a self-conscious glance at Sebastian but avoided looking at Laura. “It was very good of you to help us like this. I’m sure there’s somewhere you should be, and it really isn’t necessary for you to stay. I can manage now, thanks to both of you.”
“We’ll go—on one condition,” Laura said, unmoved by the wary and slightly resentful look Gail Mitchell slid her way. “The next time it even looks like your husband is going to strike you, you call the police.”
“Our phone’s been disconnected.”
“That must make it a bit difficult for a prospective employer to contact your husband about a job,” Laura murmured, unable to resist getting in another jab.
“Laura is right,” Sebastian said gently. “Don’t subject yourself to another beating like this. The next time you could be seriously hurt. Get away from him however you can, and run to a neighbor or the tavern. But don’t remain here.”
“All right.”
But Laura had the feeling the woman was just saying that; she wouldn’t run from the house and leave her children behind. In her place, Laura wouldn’t, either.
Angered by the hopelessness of the situation, Laura turned to Sebastian. “We’d better go. Allie will be wondering where the strawberries are.”
Their leave-taking was brief. Chin high and temper simmering, Laura exited the house and struck out for the pickup parked at the street curb.
“There is only so much help you can give someone, Laura,” Sebastian said in that understanding voice of his.
She threw him a glare. “Don’t say another word,” she warned. “Or I’ll haul off and hit you just because you’re a man.”
Taking her at her word, Sebastian held his silence and climbed into the truck. After a stop at Fedderson’s to pick up the flat of strawberries, Laura pointed the pickup toward the Triple C headquarters, rolled the window down, and let the hot afternoon wind tunnel into the cab. She rested an elbow atop the opened window and combed a hand into her wind-whipped hair to keep its length out of her face while the pickup ate up the miles.
The speed and the big, empty land worked to unravel the high tension in her nerves. A long, slow sigh at last slipped from her.
“Is it safe to assume that your temper has cooled?” Sebastian queried in a dryly amused voice.
Absorbed in her own thoughts, Laura failed to hear his remark. “Sorry, did you say something?”
“Doing some heavy thinking, were you?” he guessed.
“Something like that,” she admitted with a shrug, then eyed him curiously. “What are you going to do if you should lose Crawford Hall?”
“I don’t know.” His mouth twitched. “But I give you my solemn oath that I won’t take to drinking and beating up women.”
It was a frivolous answer to what had been a serious question, and yet so typical of him that Laura had to laugh. At the same time, she knew Sebastian had spoken the truth.
“Do you realize we never ate lunch?” she asked, suddenly conscious of the emptiness in her stomach.
“Have a strawberry.” He hand-fed her one. Just like that, the entire incident at the Mitchell house seemed to lose much of its frustration. Once again her smile was carefree.
Chapter Fifteen
The Mitchell woman dominated the dinner conversation at The Homestead that evening. “I’m afraid I couldn’t even pretend to be sympathetic,” Laura declared. “As far as I’m concerned, Mitchell should be strung up by his balls for what he did to her.”
There was an instant of stunned silence, broken by Jessy’s low-voiced, “Laura.”
Chase spoke up quickly, “Now don’t shush her, Jessy. It’s the first unladylike thing that’s come out of her mouth in years. She just might be a Calder after all.”
“Hear, hear.” Sebastian toasted her with his wineglass.
“It might not be a bad idea to mention this to Logan the next time you see him,” Laredo suggested. “If nothing else, he can swing by there now and then. It might help convince the wife that she can call for help.”
“Good idea,” Jessy agreed.
“I wouldn’t bother calling him tonight,” Trey said. “Logan says things always get crazy on nights when there’s a full moon, and we have one tonight.”
Laura perked up. “We do?”
Trey nodded. “About as big and round as it gets.”
She turned an eager glance on Sebastian. “How about we saddle a couple horses and go for a moonlight ride?”
“I would enjoy that.” His answering look was lively and warm, and Laura felt that familiar curl of excitement deep in the pit of her stomach.
“Good.” Laura pushed her chair back from the table. “If you’ll excuse me, I’ll go change into my riding clothes.”
“But what about dessert?” Jessy looked at her in surprise. “Allie’s made a fresh strawberry tart.”
Laura exchanged knowing glances with Sebastian. “I’ll pass. I’ve already had my quota of fresh strawberries today.” She rose from her chair and headed into the hallway.
An hour later the first blush of sunset tinted the evening sky as Laura left the barns and rode toward The Homestead, a saddled horse in tow. Chase was ensconced in his rocker on the veranda, pushing it back and forth in a slow rhythm.
Laura reined in her horse, halting it near the front steps. “Where’s Sebastian? I thought he’d be out here by now.”
“He’s on the phone with his sister,” Chase replied. “I expect he’ll be out directly.”
“I hope so. The moon will be rising soon.” Laura hooked a knee around the saddle horn and resigned herself to waiting, conscious of the day’s heat rising from the sun-baked ground and the utter stillness of the air.
“You surprised me today,” Chase continued his idle rock.
“How’s that?”
“Getting personally involved with that Mitchell woman. That’s something I would have expected from Quint—or even Trey. But it isn’t like you.”
She smiled in a chiding fashion, not in the least offended. “Now, Gramps, you know very well that I wouldn’t have walked out and left her lying on the floor all battered and beaten.”
“No. You would have called an ambulance.”
“Believe me, I wanted to,” Laura admitted without apology. “But she wouldn’t hear of it. And once she managed to convince Sebastian her injuries weren’t serious, there wasn’t much I could do.”
“And there was the business with the groceries. You went and got them yourself instead of simply handing her some money.”
“She was in no condition to go,” Laura remi
nded him. “And the children were starving. I’m not heartless.”
“Sometimes I think you like to pretend that you are.”
“Don’t be silly.” She dismissed his claim.
“No, you’re guilty of letting your head make most of your decisions instead of following your instincts.”
“If I had followed my instincts today, the police would have been called and an arrest warrant issued for Mitchell,” Laura informed him.
“Not if the wife refused to file charges against him, it wouldn’t have,” Chase countered. “I think that young English fella knew it.”
“He should. He’s a lawyer, or a solicitor, or whatever they call attorneys over there,” Laura replied with a careless shrug and idly tapped the reins against her boot.
“He seems to be a good influence on you.”
Once more Chase had her full attention as a suspicion formed. “Don’t tell me you’re trying your hand at some matchmaking, Gramps.”
“Good God, no.” He was emphatic in his denial. “I think you’ve made the right choice. This Crockett will make you a much more satisfactory husband.”
“Really?” Laura was surprised and a little pleased by his unexpected endorsement of Boone. But there was a part of her that wasn’t sure she believed him.
“In your own way, you’re an ambitious woman. . . .” He paused to study her for a moment. “Perhaps in the mold of Lady Elaine. If the stories that have been handed down about her are true, she thrived on business and politics. Considering the way Tara has filled your head with stories about her, I wouldn’t be surprised if you toyed with the idea of marrying a titled Englishman, especially after meeting Sebastian. But it would never have worked.”
“How could it, when he was after my money?” Her voice had a little edge to it.
“That’s your pride talking, not your head.” His accusation stung. “The money part of it wouldn’t have mattered.”
“Really?” Laura challenged coolly.
“Yes, really. From what I’ve always heard, those English bluebloods are pretty much a closed society. They might have tolerated you, but I doubt you would have ever been accepted into the ranks. It’s for sure they would have made it tough on you. I suppose in time you might have been able to talk Sebastian into trying his hand at politics. He has the looks and charm for it—maybe even the intelligence. It’s the sort of challenge that would definitely suit you. But all the odds are against you,” he declared, then nodded. “Like I said, you’re better off with Crockett. His father has all the money and power you could ever want. And you’ve got Tara to pave your way into Texas society. You’re walking into a ready-made situation that isn’t going to require much from you at all.”
A knowing smile curved her mouth. “Honestly, Gramps, you are about as subtle as a bullfighter with a cape.” She unhooked her leg from around the saddle horn and slipped the toe of her boot back in the stirrup.
“What?” He gave her a suitable innocent look.
“Come on. That whole monologue was an attempt to convince me I should marry Sebastian, and you know it.”
“Why would I want my only granddaughter to marry some foreigner and move halfway across the world?” he argued, then snorted. “It’s bad enough that you’ll be living in Texas.”
His exaggerated denial was almost laughable. Yet it filled Laura with an almost overwhelming sadness. This old stoop-shouldered man idling away the hours in a rocker was a far cry from the big, robust grandfather of her youth.
The front door opened, and Sebastian stepped onto the veranda, eliminating the need for Laura to respond to her grandfather’s last remark. “It’s about time you showed up,” Laura declared and gave a tug on the reins of the second horse, pulling it around to the front of her saddle.
“Chase did explain that Helen phoned, I hope.” Sebastian crossed to the top of the steps and started down.
“He did,” she confirmed.
“By the way, Helen asked me to give you her regards.” He took the reins from her outstretched hand and moved to the near side of the saddle.
“That was thoughtful of her.” Laura waited until he had mounted, then threw a wave to her grandfather and reined her horse away from the veranda. “No problems at home, I hope.” She slid him a questioning look when he swung his horse alongside of hers.
“No new ones,” Sebastian replied.
“Just the same old money ones.” She tried for lightness, but she knew it fell short.
He arched her a curious look. “Do I detect a trace of bitterness?”
“Probably,” she admitted a little grimly. “But it doesn’t have anything to do with you. It’s Gramps. Age has started affecting his judgment. It just doesn’t seem fair. And don’t say it,” Laura warned. “I already know that life isn’t fair.”
“I shan’t bother to remind you, then.” His smile was easy and warm. As always, Laura found it impossible not to respond to its sexy charm.
She lifted her horse into a trot, pointing it south toward the tree-lined river. Sebastian’s mount followed suit as dusk settled over the land.
With her back to the house, Laura never saw Trey walk onto the veranda, a cordless phone in his hand. He halted when he caught sight of the two riders already halfway across the ranch yard, and carried the phone to his ear. “Sorry, Tara. I was too late. They’ve already left.”
“They?” Tara stiffened instantly. “What do you mean, they have left?”
“Laura and Sebastian. They’ve gone riding,” Trey replied.
“Where?”
“With Laura, who knows? There’s a full moon tonight, and she decided to go riding. Do you want me to leave her a message to call you tomorrow.”
“Yes, you do that, Trey,” Tara stated and hung up, but she didn’t turn away from the phone. The phrase ride in the moonlight echoed through her mind. There was nothing about the sound of it that Tara liked.
She was well aware that Laura was attracted to Sebastian even though she had walked away from him. It infuriated her the way the Calders had welcomed him when he had shown up at the ranch. Her mood didn’t improve when Tara recalled the lack of enthusiasm the family had shown when they learned of Laura’s engagement.
The longer she thought about it, the more convinced Tara became that Jessy was hoping to undermine Laura’s engagement to Boone. She suspected that Chase was probably in on it, too. Considering the way he had allowed his own daughter to marry a common lawman, it was obvious he had no understanding of the importance of marrying someone of similar status and wealth.
Ordinarily Tara would have been confident that Laura wouldn’t be swayed by Sebastian’s charm, regardless of any attraction she might have for him. But if, as she suspected, the family was involved, they could tilt the balance.
“We’ll put a stop to that right now,” Tara murmured and picked up the phone, rapidly punched an eleven-digit number, and waited through three rings.
“Rutledge residence.”
“This is Tara Calder. Let me speak to Max, please,”
“One moment.”
Only seconds later, his familiar voice came over the line. “Tara, this is a surprise.”
“Not a pleasant one, I’m afraid. I thought I should let you know that Sebastian Dunshill is here in Montana. In fact, he’s staying at the Triple C.”
“What’s he doing there?” The sharp demand in his voice matched her own feelings.
“Obviously he’s making one more try to win Laura. He’s wasting his time, of course. Just the same, I think it might hasten his departure if Boone were here.”
“Do you think that’s necessary?” Max challenged.
“I wouldn’t say it’s necessary.” Tara was walking a fine line here, and she knew it. Max would be insulted if she told him her suspicion that the Calders were less than thrilled about Laura’s engagement to his son. “I just want the man gone, and I know Boone’s arrival would accomplish that.”
“Didn’t you tell Chase about Dunshill’s finan
cial troubles?”
“I told both Chase and Jessy, but they have chosen to leave the decision as to whether he stays or goes to Laura. She finds his persistence a bit more amusing than I do.” Aware that she had to be careful, Tara managed a slightly theatrical sigh. “It’s hardly surprising, though. Any woman’s ego would be flattered to have a man follow her halfway around the world. It’s natural that Laura wants to savor the feeling, considering that she’ll be married soon.”
“I suppose. She is young.”
Tara jumped on his comment. “Too young to understand the way people can talk. That’s why I want to make certain Sebastian’s visit is a brief one.”
“I agree.”
“Wonderful.” Tara smiled in triumph.
The moon resembled a giant silver dollar in the eastern sky, its light so strong that any point in the landscape cast a shadow, including the two riders cantering their horses across the grass plains. The rhythmic cadence of pounding hooves, the belly grunts of the horses, and the occasional creak of saddle leather were the only sounds to be heard in the hushed night.
Cresting a rise in the undulating prairie, Laura reined her horse down to a walk. Sebastian checked his own mount and swung in alongside of her. Hatless, Laura wore her hair in a French braid that ended in a queue between her shoulders. The play of moonlight over the planes and angles of her face enhanced the classic perfection of her profile.
With an effort, Sebastian dragged his gaze from her and made a sweep of the unbroken land before them. “It would be remarkably easy to believe we are the only two on earth.”
“Very easy,” Laura agreed. “I love riding at night.”
“Really? And I was convinced you favored places that were loud and crowded.”
“Usually. It depends on my mood.” She lifted her gaze to the immense sky and its incredible encrusting of stars. “You must admit there’s a definite magic to this night. There must be a million stars up there, all of them so far away, yet they seem close enough to touch.”
“Indeed.” But it was Laura he wanted to touch.