Impetuous Masquerade

by Anne Mather

  The journey back up the ravine was accomplished without incident, and Rhia thought wryly how ironic it was that she should have been the one to fall off. Still, at least that should please Lisa, she reflected, hoping against hope that neither Jared nor Lisa would witness their return.

  Her wish was granted. Only Troy Cummings saw them ride into the compound, and although his eyes mirrored his concern at Rhia’s dishevelled appearance, he caught her warning eye and said nothing.

  Glyn climbed down slowly, and Rhia realised that in her eagerness to get back, she had not given a thought to the possibility that he might have needed to rest before attempting the ride home. His determination to go down to the lake could have been a covert attempt to gain a little time to relax, but after her tumble she had thought only of herself.

  Contrite, she disguised her own stiffness, and the pain that jarred her spine, and allowed him to lean on her all the way back to the house. Why had she acted so carelessly? she asked herself impatiently. After only a few days of recuperation she should have realised how quickly Glyn would tire. She should have been firm. She should not have given in to his blackmail. She felt pretty sure now that if she had refused to enter the ravine, he would have had to abandon the idea.

  Happily, only Maria was about when they reached the house, and apart from pulling a face at Rhia’s mud-smeared clothes, she made no comment. Instead, she suggested that Glyn might like to join her in the kitchen, while Rhia went to change.

  ‘Yes. Yes, I’ll do that,’ he agreed, transferring his weight from Rhia’s shoulder to the Indian woman’s. ‘I could surely use some coffee, and some of your home-made muffins, Maria.’

  In the bathroom, Rhia undressed with some difficulty. Every bone in her body seemed to have been jarred, and her limbs ached from the effort of riding some distance in that condition. Her clothes were damp, too, chilling her flesh and clinging to her skin when she attempted to remove them.

  Successful at last, she ran herself a hot bath, and plunged into its steaming depths. The water acted as a balm to her abused body, and she closed her eyes wearily, allowing the heat to seep into her bones.

  The sound of voices below her windows alerted her to the fact that the men had returned, and with an effort, she pulled herself out of the bath and towelled herself dry. She was amazed to discover it was lunchtime, and she hurried into her bedroom to find something else to wear.

  Fortunately she had more than one set of jeans, but she decided to wear cords instead. A slim-fitting pair of jade green corduroy accented the slender line of her long legs, and with them she wore a cream blouse and matching sweater.

  She did get quite a shock when she took off the bathrobe, however. As she stepped into bikini briefs she caught a glimpse of her back in the long closet mirrors, and caught her breath at the purpling bruise that followed the curve of her spine round to her buttocks. It looked and felt very tender, and she pulled her trousers on carefully to avoid any undue abrasion.

  Downstairs, the hall seemed to be filled with people, and she hesitated uncertainly, unwilling to intrude. Glyn was there, she could see him, ensconced on one of the couches and talking with an older man and a younger girl, and Lisa was holding court near the fireplace, the glass she was holding reflecting the sparks of the logs burning beside her. Of Jared there was no sign, but Rhia guessed he would be about somewhere. However, it was Ben Frazer who looked up and saw her, and it was his friendly invitation that brought her into the throng.

  ‘Come and meet some people you should know,’ he exclaimed, tucking his hand beneath her elbow. ‘Just one or two folks who’ve called in for a drink and to welcome Glyn back home. Now, let me see, this here’s Martin Palmer, our local medic, and this lovely lady is his wife, Pamela. That guy talking with Glyn is Frank Stevens, who owns the spread next to ours, and the young lady with him is his daughter, Lory.’ He grinned. ‘Come on, I’ll introduce you.’

  ‘No—really—’ Rhia hung back, wishing someone would ask her to sit down. Her legs felt decidedly shaky, and when Ben offered her a drink, she accepted with gratitude.

  Although he brought her the sherry she asked for, she noticed Ben was drinking nothing stronger than orange juice again. She wondered if Jared felt a sense of satisfaction at this transformation, but he hadn’t yet made an appearance.

  ‘Ben tells us you’re training to be a nurse, Val,’ Pamela Palmer remarked beside her. ‘I used to be one, too. That’s how I met Martin.’

  Rhia cleared her throat. ‘I—er—I’m just a student nurse, Mrs Palmer,’ she explained. ‘I only began my training six months ago.’

  ‘Really?’ Pamela’s reddish brows arched. ‘How old does one have to be to start one’s training in England? I understood from Ben that you took up nursing after leaving school.’

  ‘I was a late starter,’ said Rhia uncomfortably, sure that the lines of strain she knew must be evident in her face were adding years to her age. The curly wig didn’t help either. She had never liked short hair.

  ‘Oh, well—’ To her relief Pamela gave it up, and Glyn, hearing her voice, summoned her to join him.

  Excusing herself to Ben and the Palmers, Rhia crossed the floor to Glyn’s side, sighing with relief when he pulled her down on to the arm of the couch beside him. It was hard, and not particularly comfortable, but at least it was easier than relying on her legs.

  ‘Let me introduce you to Frank Stevens and Lory,’ he said, squeezing her hand reassuringly. ‘Lory and I have been friends since schooldays.’

  Rhia smiled at the slim dark girl seated on the couch beside her father. Lory Stevens was not beautiful, but she was attractive, and Rhia was not surprised that her attitude towards herself was hardly enthusiastic. No doubt, Lory had had some leanings in Glyn’s direction, too, and Rhia wished she could tell her that she presented no threat.

  The gathering broke up about half past one, still without Jared putting in an appearance. Happily, Glyn seemed to have completely recovered from his earlier exhaustion, and the four of them ate lunch together, served by Maria, and her rosy-cheeked assistant, Rebecca.

  ‘Why hasn’t Jared joined us?’ Lisa demanded of Ben, as they tackled a delicious hot soup, smelling strongly of beef. ‘He knew I’d asked Martin to stop by and take a look at Glyn. The least he could do was show his face!’

  ‘Oh, Mom!’ It was Glyn who answered her. ‘You know Jared has no time for chit-chat in the middle of the day. And in any case, why should he come back here? He sent Pa, didn’t he?’ His blue eyes narrowed disconcertingly. ‘Or did you just decide to come yourself?’

  Ben snorted. ‘Jared’s not my keeper, you know.’

  ‘You could have fooled me!’

  ‘Glyn!’

  ‘Glyn!’

  Both Rhia and Lisa spoke simultaneously, and Glyn gave a shamefaced grimace. ‘Well,’ he muttered, ‘I wish you wouldn’t try to involve me in your schemes, Mom. I don’t need any hick doctor looking me over. Dr Singh has made arrangements for me to see the specialist at the Mackenzie Hospital in Calgary in two weeks. Until then, there’s nothing anyone else can do.’

  ‘I should have thought, after spending almost two weeks in the hospital, you would have appreciated the need to monitor your progress,’ retorted Lisa shortly. ‘Honestly, Glyn, I’m only thinking of you. You can’t expect me to behave as if nothing had happened.’

  Glyn ground his jaws together. ‘Okay,’ he conceded moodily, pushing his plate aside. ‘But I’m no invalid, Mom, and I wish you’d remember that.’

  During the afternoon, Ben offered to entertain Rhia while Glyn took a reluctant rest. The younger man had protested that he didn’t need to rest, but after lunch it was obvious to all of them that he was having a struggle to keep awake.

  ‘Go to bed, Glyn,’ Rhia pleaded with him gently. ‘You know you should. You don’t want to have a relapse, do you?’

  ‘I will if you will,’ he remarked huskily, keeping her beside him, and Rhia sighed.

  ‘Glyn—’

/>   ‘Okay, okay,’ he nodded, ‘I’ll be good. But just you remember whose girl you are.’

  Rhia stiffened, apprehensive of what was coming next, but to her relief Glyn only laughed. ‘Pa’s been known to make it in his time,’ he explained, mocking his grandfather, and Ben scowled goodnaturedly.

  ‘Making it!’ he exclaimed. ‘What an expression to use! Let me tell you, there was a time when Ben Frazer was in demand.’

  ‘What for? Robbing a bank?’ Glyn ducked to avoid an imaginary punch and Ben snorted.

  ‘Young whipper-snapper! It’s just as well I’ve got an excuse to keep my hands off you!’

  Glyn’s animation faded. ‘Yeah,’ he said soberly. ‘You could be right,’ and the awkward silence that remained after he had left the room was almost tangible.

  ‘Tactless, as usual,’ observed Lisa, having no care for the old man’s feelings. It was obvious that Ben regretted his impulsive words, but she was not going to let him get away with it. ‘I don’t know why Jared puts up with you,’ she sneered. ‘You’re too old, and too unreliable. No wonder you drink! It’s your only escape, isn’t it?’

  Lisa followed her son out of the room, and Rhia wished she had left, too, before Ben’s humiliation. However, he seemed to recover quite quickly, and shrugging his shoulders, he said: ‘She’s only put out because Jared wasn’t here for her party. Could have told her he wouldn’t show. Not for a cocktail party. Not when there’s work to be done.’

  Rhia got to her feet slowly, her legs protesting at the effort. ‘I—Jared seems to put in a lot of time on the ranch,’ she said, glad of the diversion. ‘I should have thought he could have delegated his duties.’

  ‘Guess he could,’ Ben shrugged. ‘But that’s not Jared’s way. Wasn’t Mac’s way either. Me, I can take it or leave it, but Jared’s got ranching in his blood. Besides,’ he grimaced, ‘I sometimes think he enjoys the men’s company more than anyone’s. Particularly Horse.’

  ‘Horse? Oh, yes, that’s Maria’s son.’

  ‘Yeah. He told you that, did he? Well, he and Horse were brought up together, and after Margaret died, Maria was the closest thing to a mother he had.’

  Rhia nodded, edging herself carefully away from the table. ‘I understand.’

  ‘So,’ Ben spread his hands, ‘what say you and me take a ride down to the stockyards? Or have you had enough riding for one day? Seems like you’re acting pretty stiff to me.’

  Rhia forced a smile. ‘I—I am, a little,’ she admitted. ‘If you don’t mind, I’ll spend some time in the library. I’ve always loved books, and I’ve never seen so many in one place before. Except in a public library, of course.’

  ‘Sure. Why not?’ Ben grimaced. ‘I guess I can find something else to do.’

  Rhia’s tongue probed her upper lip in sudden anxiety. ‘You don’t mean—that is—do you mean you’ll ride down to the stockyards on your own?’

  ‘Happen.’ Ben scratched his grey head. ‘You take it easy. I’ll see you later.’

  Rhia spent the afternoon in the library, with one eye on the drive in case Jared should come back. Right now, the last thing she needed was a taste of his sarcasm, and she refused to admit that she was allowing her persistent, and unwelcome, attraction to him to sour her mood. No matter how she tried, she could not ignore him, and it was humiliating to realise that her real dislike of Lisa stemmed from that unwilling awareness.

  However, by the time she left the library to go up to her room, the lower half of her body had become one agonising ache, and she felt like nothing so much as tumbling into bed. Even the thought of food did not appeal to her, and she wished she dared announce that she had a headache and avoid the inevitable gathering at the dinner table.

  As it happened, Rebecca was in the process of turning down her bed when Rhia entered the room, but although she turned to the other girl smilingly, her cheerful features sobered when she saw Rhia’s pale face.

  ‘Is something wrong, Miss Val?’ she asked, with friendly concern. ‘You’re not sickening for a cold, are you? You look mighty peaky to me.’

  ‘I—I think I’m just tired,’ Rhia replied evasively. After all, it was true. Tiredness did play a part in her condition.

  ‘Well, why don’t you have a rest before supper?’ suggested Rebecca reasonably. ‘You got more’n an hour till you need to get ready. Or if you like, I could ask Miss Maria to send you something up.’

  ‘Oh, no. No, that won’t be necessary.’ The last thing Rhia wanted was to draw attention to her ailments. ‘I—er—I think I will take your advice and lie down for a while. Do you think you could give me a call in an hour?’

  ‘Sure thing,’ Rebecca nodded agreeably. ‘You take care now. Mr Glyn is relying on you.’

  But later that evening, seated at the dinner table, Rhia was miserably aware that Glyn appeared to be bearing up rather better than she was. Unlike her, he made short work of the food he was served, and Rhia was glad he could not see the amount she was sending back to the kitchen.

  Jared had joined them, as usual, bringing with him a dark-skinned man whom he introduced to her simply as Horse. Recognising the name of Maria’s son, who was Jared’s ranch foreman, she was not entirely surprised when he and Jared spent most of the meal talking shop.

  She was more concerned with the fact that Ben was absent, and she couldn’t help remembering what he had said to her that afternoon.

  However, Lisa objected to being neglected, and when the conversation turned to breeding methods, she put aside her napkin with carefully controlled impatience. ‘Is it necessary to bring cattle into the dining room?’ she demanded, her lips curling with distaste. ‘I’ve hardly spoken with you all day, Jared. Is it too much to ask that you show me a modicum of respect in the evening?’

  ‘I’m sorry, Mrs Frazer. It’s all my fault.’ Horse’s attractive drawl was low and apologetic. ‘I guess with Jared being away so much recently, we’ve had a lot of time to make up. But you’re right—over the supper table is not the place.’

  ‘It’s okay, Horse.’ Jared cast a warning glance in his sister-in-law’s direction. ‘I guess Lisa’s just feeling that way. Where’s Ben? Don’t tell me he hasn’t been around the house all afternoon.’

  ‘I suppose he has.’ Lisa was offhand. ‘I wouldn’t know. I’ve been resting—I had a headache. Handling our guests alone wasn’t easy.’

  ‘Your guests, Lisa,’ Jared reminded her, narrow-eyed. ‘And what do you mean, you suppose Ben was here? Either he was, or he wasn’t.’

  ‘He went to the party, if that’s what you mean,’ replied Lisa unwillingly. ‘He had lunch with us.’

  ‘And afterwards?’

  ‘Val and I went riding this morning,’ put in Glyn tersely. ‘When I went to rest, he took care of you, didn’t he, Val?’

  Rhia sighed. ‘He—he offered to take me down to the stockyards,’ she admitted, and Jared’s brooding gaze turned on her. ‘But—but I didn’t go,’ she added quickly. ‘I—I was a bit tired, too.’

  ‘So where did he go?’ Jared’s gazed flicked all of them in turn, and Rhia shook her head.

  ‘I—I don’t know.’

  ‘What does it matter?’ Lisa was growing impatient with this conversation. ‘He’ll be about somewhere. He probably took the station wagon into Moose Bay. You told him it needed servicing. God knows,’ she gave Horse a rueful smile, ‘any activity is better than none at all.’

  ‘What my sister-in-law means is that she’s bored,’ Jared remarked, apparently abandoning the subject of his father for the time being. ‘What she needs is a change of environment, isn’t it, Lisa? I guess living on the ranch can be a lonely life for a woman. We’ll have to see what we can do to change that.’

  ‘Jared!’ Lisa’s eyes sparkled. ‘Do you mean it? Oh, you know how much I’d love to spend a week or two in New York! Shopping, sightseeing; seeing the latest shows! Do you think we could do it? I mean—while Val’s here, Glyn doesn’t really need me.’

  ‘You can go whenever
you like,’ declared Jared indifferently, as Rhia’s lips parted in unknowing anticipation. ‘We can cope. As you say, Glyn doesn’t really need you right now.’

  Lisa’s face changed. ‘What do you mean? We can cope? Won’t—I mean—you’ll be coming with me, won’t you?’

  ‘Me?’ Jared relaxed in his chair, his fingers playing lazily with the handle of his dessert fork. ‘Lisa, you know I can’t get away right now. Besides,’ he moved his shoulders dismissingly, ‘I don’t like New York.’

  ‘Jared!’ Lisa’s lips curved petulantly. ‘Oh, that was a rotten trick to play!’

  ‘What trick?’ Jared glanced impatiently round the table, and Rhia avoided those brilliant dark eyes. ‘Lisa, I’m not stopping you from doing anything you want to do. Go to New York. Take Pam Palmer with you. You know she’d be delighted to accompany you.’

  ‘I don’t want to go with Pam Palmer,’ retorted Lisa icily, and Rhia could almost touch the wave of hostility emanating from Lisa’s end of the table. ‘I shall stay here until you do have time to take me. Even if I have to wait all summer.’

  The significance of this remark was not lost on Rhia, and her mouth felt dry as Jared shrugged his broad shoulders and returned to his conversation with Horse. It was Lisa’s way of reminding him where his responsibilities lay, and Rhia was glad she would not be here in the autumn—or the fall, as Glyn had called it—to witness the coming nuptials.

  When the meal was over, the two men disappeared into Jared’s den to continue their discussions, and Lisa departed from the room in a storm of pique. That left only Rhia and Glyn at the table, and before he could say anything, she got to her feet.

  ‘Would you mind awfully if I went to bed, too, Glyn?’ she asked, stifling the groan that the mere effort of rising now brought to her lips. ‘I—I’m very tired, and—and—well, a bit stiff, too.’

  ‘You’re all right.’ Glyn’s brow furrowed. ‘You haven’t done yourself any permanent injury?’