by Ginna Gray
"Maybe so. But at least when the sun goes down I've got enough sense to turn my attention to the finer things in life . . ."He paused and raised his brows hopefully. "... like a walk in the moonlight with a beautiful woman."
"Joe Kingman, you have a one-track mind!" Evelyn scolded in loving exasperation. "But I do agree with you about Ward. He works too hard. What he needs is to settle down with a good woman." She turned to Althea and smiled. "That's why we were so happy when he told us he was bringing you here, my dear."
Color flooded Althea's face, and she was devoutly thankful for the dim lighting on the porch. "I'm afraid you've misunderstood the situation, Mrs. Kingman," she corrected in a weak voice. "Ward and I are not . . . that is . . . I'm just his assistant. While the office is being repaired we have to work elsewhere anyway. Ward decided that since you already had a computer hookup, he could come here and visit with you and stay on top of things at the office at the same time. But for me, at least, this is strictly a business trip."
"If you say so, dear," Evelyn said with a small knowing smile. "But I feel I must tell you that Ward has often visited us for several days, even weeks at a time, and he never once brought Miss Dunston with him. He's never brought any woman here."
Althea shifted uncomfortably under the smug challenge in the older woman's expression. She had no answer for that, but evidently one wasn't expected, for after a moment of awkward silence Evelyn took pity on her and adroitly changed the subject.
The next hour was spent enjoying the warm summer night and talking quietly. Both Evelyn and Joe were fascinating people, with a wide range of interests, but Althea noted with amusement that no matter what the topic, each managed eventually to bring the conversation back to their mutual favorite subject: their son. They seemed determined to fill her in on every aspect of Ward's past, from his boyhood years on the ranch to his struggle to succeed in his own business. The picture they painted was of a bright, mischievous, endearingly stubborn little boy who grew into a brilliant, ambitious man with an unshakable desire to succeed at whatever he undertook. Althea was uncomfortably aware that if she hadn't already been in love with Ward, the conversation with his parents would certainly have done the trick.
Finally, no longer able to stifle her yawns, Althea stood up. "If you'll excuse me, I think I'll say good night," she said, smiling at her hosts.
"Of course, my dear," they replied in unison. "We'll see you in the morning," Evelyn added. "Sleep well."
Althea heard the porch swing creak loudly as she stepped into the house; she smiled, wondering if Joe had finally talked Evelyn into that walk in the moonlight.
As Althea passed the study door on her way to her room she paused, wondering if she should renew her offer of help. She lifted her arm to knock, hesitated, then lowered it again. No. No, if Ward needed her help he was more than capable of asking for it. Demanding it, most likely. The fact that he hadn't could only mean that he didn't want it.
The thought was oddly depressing, and Althea felt tears suddenly sting her eyes. Irritated, she turned and stomped up the stairs, determined to put Ward out of her mind.
It proved to be easier said than done. Hours later, despite being bone-tired, sleep still eluded her, and Althea was tossing and turning in the wide four-poster bed.
The house was quiet. She had heard Joe and Evelyn come upstairs shortly after she had, and she assumed that Ward had also retired. Disgusted, Althea finally threw back the covers and sat up. Deciding to get a glass of water and take two aspirin, she pulled the matching robe on over her champagne silk nightgown and headed for the door.
The narrow hallway was lit by only a dim night-light. Tiptoeing slowly so as not to wake anyone, Althea made her way toward the bathroom. She had just closed her fingers around the knob when the door was opened from the inside and she was jerked forward.
"Oh!" The startled gasp burst from Althea as she hit a solid wall of warm muscled flesh.
For a brief moment her face was pressed against a soap-scented mat of silky chest hairs; then steadying hands grasped her upper arms and eased her away. "Are you all right?"
Stunned, Althea stared up at Ward, unable to answer. Her mouth went dry and her throat tightened painfully as she studied his uncompromisingly male features, cast in soft-edged shadows by the dim light. His hair was tousled and hanging in dark wet ringlets across his forehead and his mouth was curved upward in an indulgent smile. Althea's heart fluttered at his nearness. He wore only a towel around his lean middle. Standing there, just inches from him, Althea experienced an overwhelming desire to throw herself into his arms and burrow close, to bury her face and nose in the luxuriant mat of hair on his chest.
As though drawn by a power beyond her control, Althea leaned closer. Her lips parted and her eyes grew heavy-lidded, glazed with desire. Her hands, which lay against the sides of his lean waist, clutched him, her fingers unconsciously flexing against the warm male flesh. Eyes closed, head thrown back, she waited breathlessly for his kiss . . . but it never came.
Instead she felt herself being firmly set back a step, and her eyes flew open. "Sorry about that. I didn't mean to knock you off balance." Ward eased by her and gave her a bland, polite smile. "What are you doing up at this hour, anyway? Having trouble sleeping?"
"Yes. I ... uh ... I was just going to get a drink of water," Althea stammered uncertainly, brushing the heavy fall of golden hair away from her face. She was confused. The atmosphere in the darkened hall was so intimate, so evocative, yet Ward was being so coolly impersonal. She couldn't believe that this was the same man who had just a week ago vowed that he loved her and wanted to marry her.
"I see." With a pleasant smile, Ward gestured toward the room he had just vacated. "In that case, it's all yours. Good night, Althea. See you in the morning."
Bewildered, Althea watched him walk down the hall to his room and step inside without once looking back. For several minutes she just stood there staring at his closed door and fighting against the urge to cry. Don't be a fool, she told herself sternly. You told him to stay away from you, that you didn't want to get involved. You can't blame him if he took you at your word.
She turned slowly and walked back to her room, completely forgetting the glass of water which she had come for. No. She didn't blame him. But that didn't stop the hurting.
After a restless night Althea awoke the next morning feeling bleary-eyed and wooden-headed. She was pale and there were violet shadows under her eyes that not even a careful application of makeup could disguise. Disgusted, she grimaced at her reflection, then gave her hair one last flick with the brush and left the room.
To Althea's surprise, when she entered the kitchen, only Evelyn was there. "Good heavens! Am I that late?" she exclaimed as she noted the remains of breakfast on two plates.
Evelyn looked up from the morning paper she was reading and smiled. "No, you're not late. The men just decided to get an early start this morning. Joe is out in the far section mending fences, and Ward had to go into
Austin." She picked up the coffeepot and poured another cup. "Come have coffee while I get you some breakfast."
"What did Ward go into Austin for?" Althea asked as casually as she could while watching Evelyn deftly crack an egg on the side of the skillet and drop it into sizzling butter.
"I don't know. He didn't say."
"Do you know if he'll be gone long?"
"All day, I expect. He said for you to take the day off."
"I see." Althea cradled her cup in both hands and absently sipped the black brew. There was no business pending in Austin that she knew of, so why had Ward taken off at the crack of dawn? And why hadn't he told her that he was going? Maybe he just wanted some time on his own, she told herself despondently. Maybe he's tired of being cooped up with you, day after day. Or maybe he has a girlfriend in Austin.
The very thought created a burning pain just beneath Althea's breastbone, but she couldn't dismiss it from her mind. It was entirely possible. He had been raised her
e and was bound to know a lot of people. She had pushed him away so many times, maybe he had given up. Maybe he was trying to find solace with someone else. Or maybe he just no longer cares.
She was so preoccupied with her gloomy thoughts when Evelyn placed her breakfast in front of her that-she picked up her fork and began to eat automatically, not even tasting the fluffy eggs and crisp bacon.
"Why don't you let me show you around the ranch today," Evelyn suggested as she rejoined Althea at the table. "Now that the fall semester has started at U.T., the weekends are about the only time I'll have free, and the men are always too busy. That is, unless there's something else you'd rather do."
"No. I'd love to see the ranch," Althea agreed readily, eager for anything that might keep her mind off Ward's puzzling behavior. "Just give me a few minutes to change into my jeans."
The Triple K was a fairly large spread and Evelyn gave Althea the choice of covering it on horseback or in the pickup. Since Althea had never been on a horse in her life, she opted for the latter, but after only a few hours she was beginning to question the wisdom of her choice. With a total disregard for the rough but clearly defined roads that ran through the property, Evelyn drove the bucking truck over hill and dale, keeping up a running narrative on the points of interest, oblivious of the fact that Althea was holding on for dear life. After being jostled and bounced for over three hours, Althea felt as though she had taken a severe beating and was sure she would be black and blue by evening.
Despite her discomfort, Althea was impressed. There was a unique beauty about this rugged land of rocky, rolling hills. Huge oaks, feathery-leafed gnarled mes-quite, prickly cactus and bear grass dotted the arid pastures, while ash, Cottonwood and pecan trees lined the banks of the creek, their spreading branches forming a leafy canopy over the clear running stream.
In addition to the quarter horses and the enormous herd of white-faced Herefords, Althea saw jackrabbits and deer that bounded away into the brush at incredible speed, and fat armadillos that lumbered along like ancient tanks. At a salt lick, much to her delight, they surprised a doe and her half-grown fawn.
They drove past man-made ponds and stock tanks that were fed by huge working windmills. At one point they stopped and talked to two cowboys who were taking a break, and the smell of their coffee brewing on an open fire made Althea's nose twitch with pleasure.
Finally, around noon, hunger turned them back in the direction of the ranch house. About two miles from home they had climbed a hill and were starting down the other side to ford the shallow creek at its base, when all at once Evelyn muttered a sharp curse and began to pump the brake pedal.
"Hold on, Althea!" she yelled as the truck began to pick up speed. "The brakes are out!"
Althea's heart began to pump frantically. She braced one hand against the dashboard and clutched the window opening with the other. The truck sped down the incline, bucking and pitching wildly over chuckholes and rocks. Gripping the steering wheel with all her might, Evelyn fought a desperate battle to control the careening vehicle and guide it around the larger boulders.
It was over with startling suddenness. They hit the creek with jarring impact, sending water spraying in every direction, and in the next instant the nose of the truck smashed against the opposite bank.
For a moment both women were too shaken to move. The only sounds were the gurgle of the water, the soft sighing of the trees overhead and the hiss of steam spewing from beneath the sprung hood. "Are you all right?" Althea whispered at last, turning her head to look at the older woman.
Evelyn sat like a statue, still gripping the steering wheel, her eyes tightly closed. "I don't know. Are you? Is anything broken?"
Fighting down a hysterical urge to giggle, Althea gingerly wriggled her legs and arms, then rotated her head slowly. "I don't think so," she replied in a shaken voice.
Very cautiously Evelyn opened her eyes and made a few experimental moves. When satisfied that she was still in one piece, she looked at Althea and smiled weakly. "Whew! And people think life in the country is dull."
"If it gets any more exciting than this, I don't want to know about it," Althea replied stoutly, and they both laughed nervously, their fright slowly dissipating.
When they sobered, Evelyn opened her door and leaned out as far as she could to inspect the damage. She plopped back down on the seat, gave a disgusted sigh and began pulling off her boots. "Looks like we're going to have to walk the rest of the way. This thing isn't going anywhere. The front end looks like the snout on a Pekingese dog."
The water was clear and cool and when Althea stepped into it she gave a tiny cry. She could see the red and brown pebbles on the bottom, glittering like jewels in the dappled sunlight, and darting schools of minnows that flashed away as the two women waded to the bank.
After letting their legs and feet dry, they tugged on their socks and boots and set out grimly for the ranch house. At least Althea hoped Evelyn was taking them in that direction. She hadn't the least idea where they were.
They had been walking for what seemed like hours when a horse and rider crested the hill in front of them. He reined in sharply at the sight of them, then dug his heels into the horse's flanks and raced down the slope at a gallop.
Joe Kingman was swinging out of the saddle before the big bay could come to a complete stop. "What happened? Why are you two out here on foot?" he demanded, dropping the reins to the ground as he strode toward them. His iron-gray brows were pinched together over his nose, and his lined, weathered face wore a look of deep concern.
"Oh, darling, we're so glad to see you," Evelyn greeted her big burly husband enthusiastically. "I was showing Althea over the ranch when the brakes on the truck went out. We had to leave it in the creek." She paused and grimaced ruefully. "I'm afraid the front end is pretty banged up."
"Are you hurt?" he demanded anxiously.
When Evelyn shook her head, his face went slack with relief, only to harden an instant later.
"Dammit, woman!" Joe roared, causing Althea to jump and take a hasty step backward. "I told you yesterday that that truck needed a brake job and that you were to stay out of it!"
"I guess I forgot."
"Forgot! Forgot! Of all the . . ." Impatiently Joe shoved his Stetson to the back of his head, releasing the thatch of iron-gray hair that immediately flopped across his brow. Standing with his legs braced apart, balled fists planted on his hips, he glared at her blackly. "You can calculate to the second exactly how long it will take to send a rocket to Mars, yet you can't remember a simple thing like that? Talk about your absentminded professor!" He snorted and shook his head in disgust. "You high IQ types haven't got the common sense God gave a goose. Sometimes I wonder why I ever married such a flighty, dim-witted genius!"
Evelyn drew her slender body up to its full height and glared right back, her cap of gray curls shining like polished silver in the bright Texas sun. "For the same reason I married a bad-tempered, blustering, broken-down saddle tramp," she informed him angrily, her brown eyes snapping. "You had no choice!"
"Dammit, woman!" Joe swept his hat off his head and slapped it against his leg, sending dust billowing. ' 'Besides the fact that you could have killed yourself and Althea, do you have any idea how much it's going to cost to repair that pickup?"
"No. And neither do you. You haven't even seen it yet!"
Their angry shouts echoed through the little valley, making the skittish horse prance nervously. Appalled, Althea stared at them with wide, stricken eyes, her face chalky white. A fiery confrontation was the last thing she had expected between this couple.
Joe bent at the waist and brought his face down until he was nose to nose with his belligerent wife; then he snarled through clenched teeth, "I don't need to see it. I know what a rotten driver you are. It's probably totaled."
"Oh, will you stop that bellowing, you old fool. You're not scaring anybody," Evelyn informed him cuttingly. "Just go back to the house and send someone out to pick us up before
we fry our brains in this heat."
Althea sucked in her breath and clamped her hand over her mouth. She was sure that at any second they would come to blows.
Muscles twitched beneath his weathered skin and Joe's eyes looked murderous, but he merely glared at his wife a moment longer, then spun on his heel and stomped toward his horse. With the agility of a man half his age, he vaulted into the saddle and kicked his mount into a ground-eating gallop.
Hands on her hips, Evelyn watched him ride away and shook her head slowly. "My hero," she drawled in soft sarcasm as a fond smile curved her mouth.
Althea gaped at her. "Y-you're not upset?" she asked in a shocked voice.
"Upset? Over that little set-to? No, of course not." Evelyn dismissed the idea with an airy wave of her hand. "Joe's bark is much worse than his bite. Besides . . ." She paused and smiled knowingly. ". . . It's not the truck he's worried about. It's me." "B-but he was so angry."
"Oh, pooh! That's just his way. All the Kingman men are like that. They're very intense and passionate. And when they really care about someone or something, they tend to react explosively. All you have to do is give them back as good as they give. Politeness, to Ward and his father, is something for strangers or for someone they don't really care about." Seeing Althea's stricken expression, Evelyn grinned and patted her arm. "Believe me, dear, the day Joe Kingman starts treating me with kid gloves is the day I'll start worrying."
Evelyn's words haunted Althea the rest of that day and through all the days of the following week. She was sick at heart, realizing that she had thrown away her chance for happiness with the only man she would ever love. She had judged Ward quickly and harshly, putting him in the same category as Bill Holland, when in reality they were nothing alike.
Several times during the days following the accident, in an effort to arouse some sort of reaction in Ward, Althea behaved provocatively, appearing before him in a scanty bikini or rubbing against him while they worked together in the study, but to her growing despair, he showed no reaction. The polite wall of indifference remained firmly in place.