by Janet Dailey
One hand he released. The second he held with little effort. The curving handle of the cane was pressed into her palm and Bay forced her fingers to curl around it.
Sabrina’s first impression was of a smooth glassy surface, then her sensitive touch felt the carving. Almost unwillingly her fingertips explored the design. It was several seconds before she followed the intricate serpentine lines flanking the sides of the cane to the end of the handle. There she was able to identify the design of reptilian heads as those of a dragon.
‘It’s a cane carved out of ivory,’ Bay explained. ‘I saw it in a shop window in Chinatown the other day.’
‘It’s very beautiful,’ Sabrina admitted reluctantly. The hand covering hers relaxed its grip, no longer forcing her to hold on to the cane. She held on to it for a few more exploring moments. ‘It must be valuable,’ she commented, and extended it toward him. ‘I couldn’t possibly accept it.’
‘It’s artistic in design but hardly an art object.’ He ignored the outstretched hand with the cane. ‘What you really mean is it’s still white.’
Sabrina didn’t deny his charge. ‘I can’t accept it.’
‘I can’t return it,’ Bay replied evenly.
‘I’m sorry.’ She pushed the cane into his hands and released it. He had no choice but to hold on to it or let it fall to the floor.
‘I know you were trying to be thoughtful, but you knew my views on the subject of canes before you bought it, Bay. The cane is unique and beautiful, but I won’t accept it. I get along very well with the one I have.’
‘Is that your final answer?’
‘Yes, it is,’ Sabrina answered firmly, resolved not to be bullied or made to feel guilty because she had refused.
‘I suppose if I try to persuade you to change your mind, you’ll go back on your agreement to go out with me tomorrow night,’ he sighed with almost resigned acceptance.
‘Probably,’ she shrugged, hoping he wouldn’t put her in such a position.
‘Then I’ll save my arguments for another time.’ There was a rustle of tissue paper and the lid being placed on the box. ‘Mind you, I’m not giving up,’ Bay warned mockingly, ‘just postponing the battle.’
‘I won’t change my mind,’ Sabrina replied stubbornly but with a trace of a smile curling her wide mouth.
‘I accept the challenge.’ She could hear the answering smile in his voice. ‘While we’re still on speaking terms, may I have another cup of coffee?’
‘Of course.’ She held out her hand for his cup and saucer.
The subject of the ivory cane was not re-introduced into the conversation, but when Bay Cameron left a half an hour later, Sabrina made certain he had the box with him and did not ‘accidentally’ forget it.
It was not until that evening when Deborah came that Sabrina discovered the way Bay had tricked her.
‘When did you get this, Sabrina?’ Deborah asked in a voice that was at one and the same time curious and surprised.
Her fingers stopped their braille reading in mid-sentence as she turned her head in the direction of Deborah’s voice. ‘What is it?’
‘An ivory cane. The handle has a dragon design carved on the sides. I found it on the floor beside the chair. Were you hiding it?’ The red-haired woman laughed shortly.
‘No, I wasn’t.’ Sabrina’s mouth thinned grimly.
‘It’s very elegant. Where did you find it?’ Deborah murmured.
‘Yes, where?’ her father joined in. ‘I haven’t seen it before. Is this something else you found the other day when you were with Bay Cameron?’
‘You should know by now, Father, that I would never buy a white cane, much less an ivory one,’ she retorted. ‘It was a present from Bay. I refused it, of course. I thought he had taken it with him.’
’refused it?’ Deborah questioned in amazement. ‘Why would you refuse something as lovely as this?’
‘Because I don’t want it,’ Sabrina answered tautly.
The sofa cushion beside her sank as it took her father’s weight. His hand gently covered the rigid fingers resting on the now closed cover of her book.
‘Aren’t you being a little foolish, honey?’ The chiding question was spoken softly. ‘We both know you didn’t refuse it because you thought it was too expensive or because you didn’t think it was beautiful. It’s because it’s white. And a white cane means that you’re blind. You can’t escape the fact that you’re blind simply by not using a white cane.’
‘I don’t wish to advertise the fact,’ was her curt reply.
‘People are bound to notice, no matter what kind or color of cane you have. There’s no shame in being blind, for heaven’s sake,’ Grant Lane argued.
‘I’m not ashamed!’ Sabrina snapped.
‘Sometimes you act as if you are,’ he sighed.
‘I suppose you think I should use it,’ she challenged with a defiant toss of her head.
‘I’m your father, Sabrina. Take the chip off your shoulder.’ The mildly reproving tone of his voice lessened the jutting angle of her chin. ‘You’re too old for me to tell you what to do. You know what the right and wise thing to do is. Whether you do it or not is your decision.’
‘Excuse me, I think I’ll go to my room.’ Sabrina set the book on the table and rose stiffly to her feet.
It was impossible to argue when her father wouldn’t argue back. She hated it when he appealed to her logic. She invariably lost.
‘What should I do with the cane?’ Deborah inquired hesitantly.
‘Put it in the umbrella stand for now,’ her father answered. ‘Sabrina can decide what she wants to do before Bay Cameron comes over tomorrow night.’
As Sabrina put her foot on the first step of the stairs leading to the upper floor and her bedroom, she heard Deborah ask, ‘Bay Cameron is coming tomorrow night. Why?’
‘He’s taking Sabrina to the Wharf,’ her father replied.
‘You mean a date?’ his fiancée asked with amazed disbelief.
‘I suppose you could call it that. He called me yesterday afternoon at the office after he’d seen Sabrina to ask if I had any objection. I couldn’t bring myself to ask him what his intentions were. It would have been too presumptuous when he’s been kind to her.’
’did he mention the cane?’
‘No, it was a complete surprise to me,’ he answered.
Well, Sabrina sighed in relief, at least her father hadn’t been a part of any conspiracy with Bay Cameron. For a moment, she had been worried. She should have realized her father wouldn’t do anything underhanded to trick her into making the decision he wanted. It was a pity the same couldn’t be said for Bay Cameron.
Still, she had to concede that Bay had not forced her to accept the ivory cane. He had simply left it. And its presence had produced another dilemma, thanks to her father.
A few minutes before six o’clock, Sabrina sat on the sofa, nibbling on the tip of one fingernail. She absently reached out for the second time to be certain the hooded blue windbreaker was lying on the arm of the sofa. Then her pensive mood was broken by the front door buzzer.
Quickly she pulled on the windbreaker, stuffing the small clutch purse in its oversize pocket. A smoothing hand ran up the back of her neck, tucking any stray strands of hair into the knot atop her head. Her inquiry via the intercom was answered, as she had expected, by Bay.
‘I’ll be right down,’ she murmured.
Her hand closed over the doorknob, but she hesitated. Her sightless eyes stared at the umbrella stand. Her other hand was poised on the smooth oak cane. For several more seconds she remained immobile, then with a resigned sigh, she removed her hand from the oak cane and tentatively searched for the carved dragon heads of the ivory cane.
Slowly she descended the stairs, opening the outside door and locking it behind her. Squaring her shoulders, she turned toward the iron gates and Bay.
‘You took your time,’ he commented. ‘I was beginning to wonder what was keeping you.’
&n
bsp; ‘I had to put on my jacket,’ Sabrina lied, waiting for him to comment on the ivory cane in her hand.
‘My car is parked at the curb,’ Bay said as she swung open the gates and joined him on the sidewalk.
The hand on her elbow firmly guided her to the car. The suspense of waiting for his expression of triumph began to build as he helped her into the car. When Bay had still said nothing after the car was started and turned into the street, Sabrina knew she could not continue waiting for a moment of his choosing.
‘Well?’ she challenged finally, turning her head toward him in a slightly defiant angle.
‘Well what?’ Bay countered evenly.
‘Aren’t you going to say anything about the cane?’
‘What do you expect me to say?’ The low, calm voice remained controlled and unruffled.
‘I should think you’d be feeling pretty smug. After all, you did leave the cane behind deliberately,’ Sabrina accused.
‘I gave it to you. It was a present, and I don’t take back presents. It was entirely up to you what you did with it. I never insisted that you use it. I wouldn’t have stopped you if you’d thrown it in the garbage,’ responded Bay.
‘Well, I have decided to use it,’ she stated, facing straight ahead.
‘I’m glad.’ The car turned and went steeply down a hill. ‘May we leave the subject of the cane behind now?’
Sabrina sighed, ‘Yes.’
It seemed as if every time she thought she knew how he would react, Bay did not do the expected. He should have been triumphant or a little righteous. Instead he was so calm and matter-of-fact that it was impossible for Sabrina to feel resentment. She had made the decision to use the ivory cane, not Bay, and he knew it.
At the bottom of the inclining street, Bay turned the car again. ‘I thought I’d park at the Yacht Harbor. We can follow the sea-wall by Fort Mason to Aquatic Park and on to Fisherman’s Wharf. All right?’
‘Fine,’ Sabrina agreed.
Once the car was parked and locked, they started out at a strolling pace with Bay hooking Sabrina’s left arm under his right. Gulls screeched overhead. As they passed Fort Mason and neared the docks of the fishing fleet, the heavier flapping wings of pelicans accompanied the soaring seagulls. The damp salt odor of the air was altered by a fishy smell.
Although the seafood stalls were their ultimate destination, they mutually decided to walk farther and come back. The sidewalks were filled with tourists exploring the sights and sounds of the colorful area. A few were jostling and in a hurry but most took their time absorbing the atmosphere as Sabrina and Bay were doing.
The churning propellers of a tour boat indicated the start of another harbor cruise. The highlights would be a close look at the famed Golden Gate Bridge, the Oakland Bay Bridge and the former maximum security prison of Alcatraz. Now the island was a national park, only a mile out in the bay from the wharf.
At the end of the piers, they crossed the street to the rows of shops and started slowly back toward the seafood stalls.
Sabrina lifted her face to the breeze, salty and damp. ‘Is the fog coming in?’
‘Starting,’ Bay agreed. ‘It’s just beginning to obscure the top spans of the Golden Gate and the Marin hills north of the Bay. It might get thick tonight.’
‘In that case, I’ll have to lead you back to the car,’ she grinned impishly, and Bay chuckled. Sabrina tipped her head curiously toward him. ‘Where did you get the name Bay?’
‘My parents gave it to me — or didn’t you think I had any?’ he teased.
‘Of course I did. Are they still living?’ she asked, sidetracked momentarily from her original question.
‘Last I heard they were. They’re in Europe taking a second honeymoon.’ His arm tightened fractionally in warning. ‘You have to step down here.’
‘Is Bay a family name?’ Sabrina questioned again after negotiating the intersection curb.
‘I wish it were. No, I was named after the obvious, the San Francisco Bay that my mother saw from the hospital window. She was born and raised here, so she’d seen it thousands of times,’ he explained. ‘What about Sabrina?’
‘My mother liked the sound of it. She was very romantic.’
‘And you’re not?’ he mocked.
‘Maybe a little bit,’ she smiled faintly.
‘We’ve been walking for over an hour. Are you getting hungry?’ Bay inquired with an easy change of the subject.
‘Very close to starving.’
‘You should have said something sooner.’
Sabrina shrugged that it didn’t matter and breathed in the tantalizing aroma carried by the light breeze. ‘It’s just across the street, isn’t it?’ Then she laughed. ‘All I have to do is follow my nose.’
‘Are you certain you wouldn’t rather eat in one of the restaurants here?’ Bay checked her movement into the street and a car drove slowly by.
‘Positive,’ bobbing her head firmly.
At the long row of seafood stalls, Bay selected the cooked crab, including a round loaf of sourdough bread, a salad and cocktail shrimp to the order. Sabrina pressed a hand against her rumbling stomach. The delicious smells were making her all the more hungry. With the purchase completed, Bay handed her the bag and asked her to wait outside while he bought a bottle of chilled white wine to go with it.
Tingles ran down the back of her neck an instant before his hand touched her arm signaling his return. She decided that she must have telepathic powers that told her when Bay approached.
‘Are you ready for our picnic?’ he asked. At that moment her stomach growled the answer and they both laughed.
Taking the bag of food from her grasp, Bay added it to the one he already had in his arms. The hand she linked in his arm was not for guidance but companionship as they set out for the Yacht Harbor and the shoreline beyond.
They were on the edge of the harbor when Sabrina noticed the fine mist on her face had intensified. ‘It’s drizzling rain,’ she moaned angrily.
‘I was afraid it was an overcast more than fog,’ Bay sighed.
‘I suppose we could always take the food to the house,’ Sabrina suggested.
‘I have a better idea. My ketch is tied up here. We can eat aboard her. What do you say?’
‘I say,’ she smiled, ‘that it sounds much more pleasant than my house.’
‘Let’s go!’
Bay had Sabrina wait on the dock while he stowed the food below. Topside again, his strong hands spanned her waist and lifted her aboard. He maintained the hold for steadying minutes, her own hands resting on the rippling muscles of his forearms. The dampness of the drizzling rain increased the spicy aroma emanating from his shaven cheeks and the heady male that enfolded her. The deck beneath her feet moved rhythmically with the lapping waters of the bay.
‘It’s been so long since I’ve been on the water,’ Sabrina said with an odd catch in her voice, ‘that my sea-legs are a bit shaky.’ It seemed a reasonable explanation for the weakness in her limbs.
With an arm firmly circling her waist in support, Bay led her below deck. Making certain she had something to hold on to, he went down the steps ahead of her. Sabrina knew it was to catch her in case she fell. Once below he told her where the seats were and let her make her own way to them.
’do you like sailing?’ he asked. The rustling of bags indicated he was getting the food out to eat.
‘Love it.’ A wry grimace pulled down the corners of her mouth in a rueful expression. ‘I used to go out every weekend with Dad.’
‘You haven’t been out since your accident? Why?’ His low voice was honed sharp with curiosity.
‘Oh, a couple of times, but I had to stay below. Dad can’t swim. He was afraid I would fall overboard and he wouldn’t be able to save me. I like to be on deck where the salt wind stings your face and the waves breaking over the bow spray you. So I don’t go out any more,’ she concluded.
‘And you aren’t afraid of falling in?’
‘Not
really,’ Sabrina shrugged.
A shrimp cocktail was set before her as Bay took a seat opposite her. For a time the conversation centered around sailing, then shifted smoothly to other topics of interest, mainly leisure activities, as they slowly ate their picnic meal.
‘I used to really enjoy watching people, studying their faces.’ She sipped lightly at the wine. ‘Of course, I did it often in connection with my work. Most of my better characters came from the faces of people I saw on the streets. A great deal of a person’s attitude toward life is written on his face. The grumpy look of a pessimist, the hardness of a cynic, the authority of a leader, the harried worn look of a man driven to succeed, an eagerness for life, the contentment of family and home. There are so many things,’ Sabrina exhaled slowly. ‘It’s not so easy to do it with just voices, but I’m learning. It’s difficult, though, to visualize a person’s looks from their voice.’
‘What have you learned about me?’ Bay challenged mockingly.
‘Well,’ a hint of mischief tickled the corners of her mouth, ‘you’re self-confident to the point of arrogance. You’re well-educated, accustomed to having authority over others. You obviously enjoy the outdoors and especially the sea. You have a quick temper, but you can be thoughtful when it suits you.’
‘Have you put a face with my voice yet?’
Sabrina quickly ducked her head from his gaze self-consciously. ‘Only a blurred image of strong features.’ She pushed her plate away. ‘That was good.’
‘Why haven’t you asked to look at me?’ Bay asked quietly, ignoring her attempt to switch the subject to food.
‘W-what?’ she stammered.
‘As you did with the dress,’ he explained patiently.
Humor hovered on the edge of his voice after she had shifted uncomfortably in her seat. The thought of exploring his face with her hands was disturbing.
‘I could fill in the blank spots for you. I have green hair and purple eyes, a long ugly scar down the side of my face. I keep it hidden with a bushy green beard. I have a tattoo of a skull and crossbones on my forehead — and I won’t tell you what the picture is on my chest.’ The spreading smile on Sabrina’s face broke into laughter at his absurd description. ’don’t you believe me?’