by Regina Duke
“It sounds terrible to me,” said Madlyn, “but surely you knew what was involved when you started competing, right?”
“Yes, of course. And mother made it sound so glamorous. But that was before I cared enough about anyone to worry about leaving them.” She kissed the baby doll and returned it gently to the carriage. “I can’t stand the thought of leaving Jason. Or his grandmother, for that matter. And all the wonderful people I’ve met here. And frankly, it was so much fun being silly at the boutique and playing for people who enjoyed what I had to offer.”
Madlyn said, “Like I told you before, do what your heart tells you to do. You can spend a lifetime playing the piano without giving concerts. And you’ll save a lot of money by not paying entry fees. You’ll be able to afford extravagant gifts for your BFF.”
“What a great idea,” said Vicky lightly.
“You know I’m joking,” said Madz.
Vicky grinned. “I know. Hey, maybe I’ll be able to afford a car payment.”
“Are you kidding? You’ll probably be driving Mrs. Darby’s Rolls-Royce.”
“They have a Rolls?”
“Ha! They have two,” said Madlyn. “Everyone in town knows. That’s how Mrs. Darby comes to the boutique. Hey, did they rehire the chauffeur yet?”
“Jason is taking care of all that. He’s already talked to the butler and has him running some secret mission he won’t tell me about. He said he can’t wait for Alistair to return so he can turn over some of the work to him. Poor guy. I never knew it was so much work being rich.”
Madlyn pretended to sound sympathetic. “Yes, it must be terrible. All that money, needing someone to look after it. Your future is so bleak. Your fingers will turn green from counting it all. You’ll leave little green prints all over your keyboard.”
Vicky laughed. “Smarty pants. As usual, you’ve cheered me up. Okay. Go back to work. We can talk when you get off. You’re staying here again tonight, right?”
“Yes. I should be there by seven.”
Vicky hung up and shook her head, marveling at herself. How could a person’s heart be changed so dramatically in the space of a few days? A week ago she thought her future was inextricably woven with Darius’ future. But then, a week ago, she didn’t know what a villain he could be. And now, her heart was overflowing with affection for Jason.
Love. She had to call it what it was. She loved him, but she’d have to be careful. He wanted a business arrangement to fulfill the requirements of his grandmother’s will. If he knew she was falling head over heels, would he run scared? Back out?
But they’d already signed the paperwork. The prenup. It was like a business contract, wasn’t it? She cursed her inability to think straight.
And what about that scene in the library? She hadn’t been coming on to him. Had she? She was pretty certain that was all Jason, expressing his attraction for her. And if he was that attracted to her, then surely he was also fond of her. But men were different. Take Darius as a case in point.
She released a frustrated breath. If only Dee hadn’t interrupted with her phone call. She and Jason would have— What? Would they really have made love in the library? Where anyone could walk in on them? Well, it was a very big house. She felt a giggle building inside. Maybe they could have another midnight skating lesson. That would be perfect.
Meanwhile, if she made herself scarce, she could get some practice time in on her keyboard before dinner. Mrs. Johnson said they’d eat at eight. That was good. Madlyn could eat with them. She headed for the Peach Room.
But if she changed her mind about the concert stage, why did she need to practice so many hours a day?
Aloud, she reminded herself, “Because I’m a pianist. A musician. And no matter where I end up playing, I still have to be the best I can be.” Besides, if she didn’t play soon, her fingers felt like they would wither and die from inactivity.
****
Jason was amazed at the quality of Dee’s dedication and work. With almost no backup from Gloria, and only the family history behind her, she was handling all the details of the ball.
“I won’t forget this,” he said.
Dee shrugged it off. “Event planning is what I do. The family doesn’t see most of my big events because they’re conferences and such for corporate. I enjoy running these small family events.”
Jason shook his head in disbelief. “Your definition of small is different from mine. Two hundred guests? And arranging for all the food, decorations, and wait staff? When this is all over, you’re getting a healthy bonus. Don’t we still have a house in Hawaii that our corporate heads use for retreats?”
“Yes, sir. In my spare time, I’ve been dealing with those requests.”
“Well, book yourself a week right now. Bump someone if you have to. And the airfare is on me.”
He heard Dee gasp. “That’s very generous, Mr. Darby.”
“You’ve earned it. Are we all set for this bash?”
“I think so, sir. I’ve hired extra parking attendants, and Mr. McAvoy has been extremely helpful. The facility at The Cattlemen’s is much grander than I expected.”
“Excellent.”
“Do you have a costume, sir?”
Jason stopped cold. “Oh, crap. I didn’t think of that.”
“Your grandmother dresses for a ball and uses a decorative mask for her costume.”
“Great idea. I’d better find a mask.”
“I plan to have extras on hand at the ball, in case other guests also forget the costume aspect.”
“Thanks for everything, Dee, and don’t forget to book your week in Hawaii.”
He hung up and looked around for Vicky, but she’d left the library. He took a deep breath and wondered if he would survive the week. He swore to himself he would do anything and everything to make things up to the family retainers. A scant few had been forced to find other jobs, but almost all had jumped at the chance to come back. He’d make sure they were properly rewarded.
And he’d also do everything he could to make Gloria pay for what she’d tried to do to his grandmother. Isolating her, taking advantage of her memory problems.
Meanwhile, he had to get through the next couple of days. He felt an irrational need to hold Vicky’s hand and maybe pull her close again. That had been extremely pleasant. He loved the little noises she made when he nuzzled her neck. She smelled delightful. He suspected she was practicing, and he decided to make a detour through the kitchen. Grace was baking cookies. He could smell them from the library.
As he strolled toward the kitchen, he wondered if he could bear to have Vicky take off on a musical tour, playing concert dates, and doing all the things he’d heard about musicians. He shuddered. Perhaps he should have written into their agreement that she would actually stay close to Eagle’s Toe.
He stopped in his tracks, struck by a brilliant idea. He knew exactly what to do.
CHAPTER FORTY-THREE
Jason was grinning from ear to ear as he walked into the kitchen. When he passed through the music room, he paused long enough to plant a kiss on his grandmother’s cheek. She played on. In the kitchen, he went straight to the cooling board and snagged a couple of chocolate chip cookies. Mrs. Johnson was busy making rolls. A young woman was working at her side, kneading dough.
“Oh, Mr. Darby, this is my niece, Sheila. You said I could bring in a helper.”
“Nice to meet you, Sheila. Hope you like it here.”
Sheila smiled shyly.
“Mrs. Johnson, you’ll be happy to know that Alistair is on his way from Denver at this very moment.”
“Oh, that’s wonderful. Thank goodness.”
“My sentiments exactly. Aunt Grace, these cookies are marvelous.” He joined her at the table where the staff took their meals. He lowered his voice a bit and asked, “How are you doing?”
Grace knew what he meant. “I’ll never stop missing him, but in a strange way, it’s such a relief to have the hard part behind me. Does that make sens
e?”
“Perfect sense. What are you wearing to the ball?”
“Who, me? Oh, no, I couldn’t. I’m too old for such late nights.”
“Gran is going. She’s twenty years older than you.”
Grace cringed. “All those rich people?”
“They’re human beings, just like me. Besides, I want you there. You’re my security blanket. And it would be great to have an extra person around who can look out for Gran.”
“I haven’t the faintest idea what to wear.”
“We’ll ask Wilhelmina in the morning. She’s got a pretty colorful shop. It’s a costume party. You don’t have to wear a ball gown. That’s Gran’s specialty.”
Grace relaxed a bit. “Well, all right, dear. If it means so much to you, I’ll go.”
“Besides, I’ve arranged a little surprise, and I don’t think you want to miss it.” He winked at her, got up and left.
****
Dinner was a festive affair. Dolores talked about her piano and about Beethoven and acted like she’d never taken a fifteen year break from either one. Vicky kept questions coming whenever Dolores would falter. Madlyn was bursting with excitement about her promotion, and Jason enjoyed himself immensely, thinking of what he’d put Alistair up to. Every now and then, his eyes would seek out Vicky’s across the table, and they would share a secret smile.
Grace took advantage of a lull in the conversation to ask about her costume. “Madlyn, may I come by your shop tomorrow and have you help me find something to wear to the costume ball? Jason says it doesn’t have to be formal.”
“I’d love that,” said Madlyn. “And by the way, Jason, I want to thank you for your hospitality now because tomorrow will be crazy. I drove by the house on my way here tonight, and the damage doesn’t seem nearly as bad as it did with all the fire trucks parked out front. The smell is very faint, and tomorrow night, I’ll be sleeping at home.”
“That’s great news,” said Jason, then he caught himself. “I mean the part about the damage being less than it first appeared.”
Madlyn laughed. “Don’t worry. I know what you meant.” She turned to Vicky. “What are you wearing tomorrow?”
“I have no idea. Mina is bringing it with her in the morning.”
“Ah. Well. Good luck.”
Vicky looked alarmed. “What does that mean?”
Madlyn’s red hair swayed in the light of the chandelier as she bobbed her head from side to side. “Mina has an adventurous sense of fashion.”
Vicky laughed. “Great. I’m going as my best friend.”
“Ha. Ha.” But Madlyn was pleased. “You’ll have fun.”
“Aren’t you going?”
Madlyn said, “John has asked me out on a very special date. He wants it to be just the two of us.”
“That’s wonderful,” said Vicky. But her hopes for a gab fest with her friend were dashed when she realized just how exhausted Madlyn looked. She’d had a long and no doubt tiring day. Instead, she mentioned skating to Jason, but he hugged her and begged off. “I have to play chauffeur tomorrow because our guy took a job driving for a service in Denver, and he has to give them two weeks notice before coming back. So I need to go out and make sure Gran’s Rolls-Royce is ready to go.”
“I thought Mr. Lopes was helping with that.”
“He had a couple of his helpers shining and polishing, but I need to take it for a spin, make sure it has gas. All that stuff.” He looked hopeful. “You want to come?”
Vicky brightened. She was about to say yes when Dolores intervened.
“I want her here with me. She’s an amazing musician. Did you hear her play earlier? I want her to show me a few things now that my fingers are warmed up.”
Jason started to object, but Vicky patted his arm. “It’s okay. Go play with the car. I’ll be fine.”
They exchanged a chaste kiss and Jason left.
Vicky retired to the music room with Dolores. Her thoughts lingered on the sweet kiss she’d shared with Jason, and it was hard for her to keep her mind on the music. But when Dolores asked her to demonstrate a difficult twelve bars, Vicky got swept away and played the whole piece.
When Dolores finally ran out of energy, Grace offered to help her get ready for bed.
Vicky was grateful. She wandered outside and around the end of the house to find the eight-car garage all closed up except for one empty bay. She was disappointed that Jason wasn’t back yet and wondered how long it could take to put gas in a Rolls-Royce.
Her curiosity piqued, she decided to take a look. She ambled into the garage. It had four double doors, and the one nearest the house was open revealing two bays. The occupied bay held Jason’s Jaguar. When she entered, she marveled at how clean the garage was. Nothing like her stepfather’s garage at home, which was filled with the detritus of lawn maintenance, power tools, and boxes of old clothes that never seemed to make it to the thrift store. This garage looked like someone polished the floors. Elaborate rolling tool boxes stood like red soldiers against the back wall. Though only the one door was open, lights were on all the way to the end of the building.
Something clanged at the other end.
Vicky whirled to see what it was, just in time to duck as something whizzed by her head.
CHAPTER FORTY-FOUR
Startled, Vicky turned again to see what the object was. The basketball bounced off the wall at an angle and rolled out the open garage door.
A female voice snarled, “Damn. I missed.”
“Gloria! What are you doing here?”
“None of your business.”
“Oh, really? I’m Jason’s fiancée. I think that makes it my business.” She rubbed her arms and wished she’d put on a sweater. The evening air was distinctly chilly.
Gloria was wearing a thigh-length car coat over jeans. She looked much less imposing in casual clothes. Her eyes darted to one of the large metal tool boxes, then away. “I was just leaving.”
“And if I ask you to empty your pockets?”
Gloria’s eyes flashed with anger. “You’re an idiot. I’ve just been fired. Do you think I’m stupid enough to come here and steal something? Besides, what would I want from a garage?”
“So why are you here?” Vicky made sure she did not wander far from the open door. She didn’t trust Gloria at all.
“I used to park my car down at that end. When I left yesterday, I forgot that I had a garage door opener on my dashboard. I just came to return it.”
“You couldn’t knock at the front door?”
Gloria glared at her. “I didn’t especially want to see any of the Darbys.” Her eyes darted again to the tool box.
“What’s so interesting over there?” asked Vicky.
“I was looking for my personal tool kit,” said Gloria. She waved a hand. “It’s just one of those little girly tool kits. Nothing important.”
“Let’s look,” said Vicky.
Gloria took a breath and tipped her nose in the air. “I said it’s not important. You can have it if you find it. I’ll buy another one.” She moved quickly past Vicky, adding over her shoulder, “Don’t let Jason forget that I’m still waiting for him to send my things. I’m staying at the Cattlemen’s. I expect them to be delivered tomorrow.” She stomped out of the garage and around the far side where she’d parked her car.
Vicky watched her go, and kept watching until her car was out of sight around a curve in the long driveway. Gloria was definitely after something. You didn’t hide your car out of sight of the house if you were innocently returning a garage door opener. And if she had one, why hadn’t she used it at the other end of the long building instead of going in and out the door closest to the house?
Curiouser and curiouser. Vicky approached the tall red metal tool box that Gloria kept glancing at. Had she removed something? And if so, what? She reached out to lift the lid.
The sound of a car horn startled her. She pulled her hand back.
It was Jason, returning in his grandmothe
r’s yellow Rolls. He smiled at her as he parked in the bay and got out of the car.
“I didn’t expect such a delightful welcoming committee.”
Vicky went to him and wrapped her arms around his chest. “Did you see a car leaving as you came in?”
“I saw headlights but not much else. It’s dark out there. Did we have company?”
“Gloria.”
Jason’s features hardened. “What did she want?”
Vicky ended the hug and stepped back. “She didn’t come to the house. I found her out here, and she had a cockamamy story about forgetting to give back her garage door opener. She couldn’t keep her eyes off that tool box, and when I asked about it, she got angry, said she’d left her personal tool kit there, and she was here to look for it. When I offered to help, she left in a huff and said you should send her things to the Cattlemen’s Inn.”
“Really?” Jason removed his driving gloves and tucked them in his jacket pocket. “That tool box right there?”
“Yes.” Vicky went over to open it.
“Wait.” Jason drew near. The box had three tiers, the tallest as high as Vicky’s chin. “Let me.” He used one hand to gently move her away a few feet.
“You think she booby trapped it? That’s a little extreme.”
Jason shrugged. “So is hiding out and invading someone else’s garage.”
“Oh. When you put it that way....” Vicky moved away a few more feet. “Be careful.”
Jason took the lid by one corner and lifted it very slowly a couple of inches.
Nothing happened.
He relaxed and lifted it the rest of the way. “Well, that was anticlimactic.”
Vicky giggled nervously and stepped closer. “Do you see anything that looks like a lady’s tool kit?”
Jason frowned. “Not on the top.” He used both hands to lift the staggered trays. They were filled with tools, and the trays moved slowly. “Oh, look at that.” He retrieved a zippered canvas bag and held it up.