Blue Mist of Morning, page 3
Picking up the glass of ginger ale he had just poured for her, he strode across the room, flicking a cold glance at Kirt Callen. "Here's your drink, Anne," he said quietly, taking her arm as she gave him a grateful little smile. Drawing her gently out of Callen's grasp, he escorted her around the chair. "Wouldn't you like to sit down?"
Composed again, now that she had been rescued, she nodded and settled herself in the cream-colored velvet wing chair. Thanking him for the drink, she took it and had a sip, watching over the rim of the glass as he walked to the stone fireplace, opened the mesh screen, and tossed in another log. After positioning the new log with a poker, he propped one elbow on the stone mantel. Crossing his long, powerful legs at the ankle, he leaned comfortably on the mantel while surveying the living room.
"Well, Kirt, you said someone had given you a tip on some foreign investments," Ty said at last. "Why don't you tell me more about it."
"Oh, don't you dare, Kirt," Millicent commanded, swinging her eyes around to Ty. "Really, darling, must we start discussing business already? You're going to spend most of the weekend going over the details of that shopping center purchase anyway, so…"
"I bought the shopping center a month ago," Kirt corrected her imperiously. "This weekend, we're discussing another apartment complex."
"Whatever. It's all deadly dull," Millicent drawled, then gave Ty a beguiling smile. "Surely you don't have to start talking business right this minute, do you?"
"Since Kirt never seems inclined to come to my office to discuss business, we have quite a lot to discuss," Ty responded matter-of-factly. "It's been quite some time since I've brought him up to date on all his investments."
Millicent giggled rather foolishly. "Well, so what? You might as well be speaking Greek when you talk to him about business anyway. I'm sure he's quite content to let you handle everything for him."
"I would like to be brought up to date," Kirt protested, as he tried to light a long, fat cigar. "My financial investments are complex."
Watching as he clamped the cigar between his teeth, Millicent sniffed. "Oh, do stop trying to act like an entrepreneur. You don't know much more about finances than I do. Ty does all the work for you. He finds all the profitable investments."
"Even so, Kirt should know about the investments I make," Ty answered, before Kirt had a chance to make an indignant reply. "It's his money and property we're talking about. I only manage it."
"Yes, darling, I get the point," Millicent countered, pursing her mauve-glossed lips into a silly little pout. "But surely we can just chat awhile before you begin discussing business."
Anne detected the barely perceptible tightening of Ty's jaw and the hint of an impatient gleam that flared for a second in his blue eyes, but at last, he shook his head resignedly and gave the other woman an indulgent smile. "And what would you like to chat about?"
"Ooh, well, I just have scads of gossip to tell," she whispered conspiratorially with a deep-throated chuckle. Patting the sofa cushions beside her, she crooked one finger, beckoning him to her. "Come and sit with me, darling, while I tell you about Scooter and Tippie Bedford. They're clients of yours, aren't they? Well, you'll never believe what I heard about them the other day! Nancy told me…"
A half hour later, Anne heaved a sigh of relief when they moved to the dining room. After doing justice to Ellie's trout amandine, rice pilaf and tiny garden peas, she felt considerably better, though somewhat sleepy. Sipping her white wine, she closed her ears to Millicent's inane chatter and relaxed… until she felt the hand descend on her knee. Unfortunately, she was seated next to Kirt, and though he had brushed his elbow against her several times during the meal, he hadn't actually laid a hand on her till now. She stiffened, and when he suddenly squeezed her thigh just above her knee, she reacted instinctively. Reaching down, she picked up his hand and flung it from her. His knuckles hit the bottom of the table with a resounding thump, and she felt herself blushing furiously.
Her eyes darted up and met Ty's, and he actually laughed. Or at least he started to, then changed it to a cough. Pressing a snowy white linen napkin to his mouth, he hid a smile, but amusement danced in his eyes as they held Anne's. Obviously, he realized exactly what had happened, though Mike and Millicent appeared thoroughly confused.
"What was that thumping noise?" Millicent questioned. "Don't tell me you have ghosts in the house, Ty. That thump sounded as if it came from under the table, just like the tapping I heard at a séance I attended several weeks ago. I must confess I was really scared. Nancy's medium conducts her stances in an old house on Front Street, and it was really a terribly depressing place."
By now, Ty's amusement was becoming infectious. Anne had to fight back a smile, no easy accomplishment when she glanced at Kirt and found him massaging his knuckles and wearing a petulant scowl. He made no attempt to touch her again, however, so she was able to enjoy the raspberry torte Ellie served for dessert.
When they returned to the living room for coffee, it was past nine o'clock. The long day and the hours of driving unfamiliar, winding roads were combining to make Anne weary. She was relieved when Ty announced that it was too late to start their business discussion. They would make faster progress in the morning when everyone was well-rested.
His announcement pleased Millicent immensely. Paying Kirt scant attention and pointedly ignoring Anne, she focused all her energies on Ty and Mike. Obviously a woman who enjoyed trying to impress attractive men, she told them about the ballet troupe her women's club wanted to sponsor and dropped the names of several important artists and sculptors she knew. All the while, she included Mike by touching his hand occasionally, but it was Ty she seemed more intent on impressing.
All in all, it was a boring evening, but just as Anne thought she was surely going to fall asleep in her chair, there was a commotion out in the foyer. A moment later a girl of about eighteen sauntered into the living room. Anne recognized the pretty teenager as Ty's younger sister Jenny, whom she had met once at the office. On that occasion she had seemed a nice enough girl. Tonight, however, something must have been bothering her, judging by the rather defiant expression on her face. Languidly, she strolled across the room, her hands slipped into the back pockets of snugly fitting designer jeans. "Surprise, everybody," she said liltingly, stopping beside Anne's chair. "Guess you didn't expect to see me here, did you, Ty?"
If Ty was surprised, he concealed it admirably. Subjecting his sister to a long, steady stare, he asked calmly, "What's brought you up here, Jenny? I thought you planned to spend the weekend with your friend Beth. Wasn't she having a big party?"
Jenny turned up her nose rather disdainfully. "I changed my mind about going. My friends are really silly sometimes. They're beginning to bore me." Running her fingers through her hair, she abruptly changed the subject. "The snow's really coming down out there. But would you believe I made it up here in less than two and a half hours?"
"And how did you accomplish that daring feat?" Ty asked flatly, though his hardening expression conveyed disapproval. "Surely you didn't try driving through this snowstorm in your MG?"
"No. I borrowed Charlie's jeep. And I think maybe you should have borrowed one too, considering what happened to the Mercedes. I can't believe you, of all people, drove off into a ditch."
"He didn't," Anne spoke up compulsively. "I was driving."
"Oh, really?" Sounding almost disappointed, Jenny smiled sardonically at her brother. "Well, I should have known you weren't responsible. You never make mistakes, do you, Ty?"
Though Ty ignored her slightly sarcastic tone, he folded his arms across his broad chest, watching her intently. "I have a feeling you're going to wish you'd gone to Beth's party, after all. I'm afraid you're going to be much more bored up here. We're going to be discussing business all weekend."
Shrugging, Jenny ambled across the room and trailed her fingers along the mahogany-topped bar as she walked behind it. Her eyes, as blue as her brother's, seemed to be issuing a challenge as she looked back at him. "I'd like a drink, but I suppose you'll insist I have something insipid like a soft drink or fruit juice?"
"You know the answer to that," Ty replied, his voice deceptively soft, as impatience tightened his jaw. "Have a ginger ale."
Jenny glowered at him. "Thanks, but no thanks. I'd rather have nothing at all than have that," she proclaimed with a rebellious toss of her head. When her brother simply ignored her belligerence and turned back to Millicent, Jenny moved restlessly around the room.
Anne watched her, noticing the slight downward curve of her mouth and suspecting that something more serious than a mere tiff with her older brother was causing her unhappiness. Her tension seemed nearly tangible. Wandering around the room, she picked up a brass statuette, then put it back down on a side table with more force than was necessary. Moving on, she stopped for a moment to stare morosely at the snow still falling outside the glass-enclosed room. Twirling a strand of her long dark hair, she prodded the nap of the plush carpet with her toe and sighed deeply, as if she didn't quite know what to do with herself.
Sensing that an underlying sadness had brought on the girl's rebellious behavior, Anne felt a rush of compassion for her, then realized she was not the only person in the room who was surveying Jenny with interest. Leaving his chair, Kirt Callen strolled across the room to where she stood. Glancing over his shoulder at Ty and finding himself unobserved, he whispered something into Jenny's ear, then pressed the cut-glass tumbler he carried into her hand.
For a second, Jenny looked surprised. Then, giving Kirt a conspiratorial smile, she turned so that her brother couldn't see what she was doing and took a large swallow of the amber-colored liquid. Though her face suddenly became flushed, she managed to suppress a cough and forced herself to take another smaller sip of the drink, before handing the glass back to Kirt.
As he deliberately brushed his hand over Jenny's during the exchange, Anne gritted her teeth, feeling a nearly overwhelming desire to get up and push him through one of the huge plate glass windows. During the five minutes that followed, unfortunately, that desire intensified Playboy that he was, he took full advantage of Jenny's obvious discontent, despite the fact that he was far too old for her. More disturbing than that was the realization that Jenny seemed to welcome his attentions. As he talked softly to her and occasionally touched her face and hair, she became more animated, obviously flattered by what he was saying and too young to see what a fraud he was.
Anne looked at Ty, hoping he would notice what was happening and do something to get Jenny out of Kirt's clutches. But Millicent, babbling away non-stop, was sitting forward on the sofa, blocking Ty's view of his sister. With an inward sigh, Anne turned back to watch Jenny again. A frown knitted her brow as she saw Kirt slip the girl his glass again. After taking a sip, Jenny glanced surreptitiously over her shoulder. Her eyes met Anne's, and as she apparently decided Anne's frown conveyed disapproval of her, she stiffened her shoulders defiantly. Her blue eyes glittered icily, issuing a silent challenge as she moved forward one step.
"Well, well, Miss Fairchild, I guess you're enjoying seeing how the other half lives," she said loudly enough for everyone in the room to hear. "Or are you feeling a little out of place?" She attempted an encouraging smile that failed miserably. "You shouldn't feel uncomfortable, you know, just because Millicent's all decked out in an expensive designer original and you're dressed in your plain little black skirt and off-the-rack blouse."
Though Anne heard Ty's muffled imprecation, she didn't seek his help. Being a secretary for five years had taught her how to deal with rudeness, and she was quite capable of handling Jenny herself. As she touched the collar of her pristine white blouse, she gave the girl one of her warmest smiles. "Oh, do you like my blouse? I think it's nice, too. And would you believe I got it on sale for half price?"
For a fleeting instant Jenny seemed startled that her attempt to embarrass Anne had failed, but she recovered quickly. With a disgruntled sniff, she turned around to stare out the window again.
At least the incident had made Ty aware of Kirt's interest in his sister, and he ended their private little discussion immediately. Without being the least bit obvious, he made certain Kirt was drawn into the conversation he was having with Millicent, so that finally the other man had no choice except to leave Jenny and return to his chair.
After that, the time dragged by, at least for Anne. Jenny plopped down on a bar stool and stared sullenly at the floor, while Mike tried valiantly to keep his eyes from fluttering shut. Realizing he must be finding Millicent as boring as she was, Anne smiled to herself and shifted restlessly in her chair. Finally, she could stand the woman's inane chatter no longer and resolved to be the first to make her excuses and go up to bed.
Standing, she smiled politely at Ty. "If you'll excuse me, Mr. Manning, I think I'll go upstairs now. It's been a long day."
His gaze narrowed and he intently surveyed her face for a moment before finally nodding. Even as Anne left the room, she felt he was still watching her, though she had no idea why he should be. She finally decided weariness was making her over-imaginative. Yawning behind one hand, she climbed the stairs and was halfway down the hall to her room, when Ty called her name.
She stopped and turned, watching him approach with a questioning smile. Her smile faded slowly as she saw the grim expression on his face.
"I want to apologize for my sister's rudeness, since she's in no mood to apologize for herself," he announced abruptly, his magnetic blue eyes piercing the gray luminosity of hers. "I hope she's not the reason you decided to come upstairs."
"Oh no," Anne assured him honestly. "I really am tired. Jenny didn't upset me. I could see something was bothering her."
Massaging the back of his neck with one lean hand, Ty nodded. "She's going through a difficult time right now but, still, that's no excuse for her behavior."
"Please don't worry about it," Anne insisted, then smiled understandingly. "I have two younger sisters myself. One of them is eighteen, and sometimes she would try the patience of a saint. Besides, I remember what it is to be eighteen—life can seem extremely complicated."
"How very old and wise you sound, Miss Fairchild," he said, his expression softening as he gave her a teasing smile. "And how long ago was it that you were eighteen?"
"Long enough," she answered pertly. "In today's world, a person learns a great deal in five years. So just give Jenny time. Maybe whatever is bothering her tonight will soon be forgotten."
"I'm afraid it might not be so simple," he said cryptically, then escorted Anne down the hall to her room and opened her door. "I'll have Ellie call you at about seven in the morning. Goodnight, Anne."
As he turned to walk away, she gave in to a sudden compulsion and laid her hand on his forearm. Even when she felt his muscles tauten beneath her fingers and a shiver of apprehension trickle along her spine, she had to speak up. "This is none of my business, Mr. Manning, but… well, I noticed that Jenny seemed to be a little impressed with Kirt Callen, and I'm sure you wouldn't want her to… Oh, you know what I'm saying. He's such a…"
When she didn't allow herself to finish what would have been a very uncomplimentary description, Ty laughed softly. "I know exactly what you're saying and you're right. I'll see to it that Jenny stays away from him. Perhaps I should send her to you for lessons on how to handle a man like Kirt. You seemed quite proficient at putting him in his place at dinner tonight." A satisfied smile hovered on her softly shaped lips. As his eyes darkened abruptly and moved slowly over her upturned face, they lingered on the wayward strand of hair that brushed her temple. Almost involuntarily, his hand came up. His fingers slipped beneath the wispy tendril, lifting it out slightly.
"You just can't keep it confined, can you?" he asked, his voice low and unusually husky. "I've seen you tuck it back a million times in the past two weeks, but it always falls back to graze your cheek."
"It's a nuisance," Anne breathed, her heart beating with dizzying rapidity. "I don't think I'll ever get it to stay where it belongs."
"Then stop trying," he commanded softly, his eyes holding hers as he gently lowered the silken tendril, then released it.
As he moved his hand away, his warm fingers brushed lightly against Anne's cheek, and it took all of her self-control not to react to the unexpected touch. His fingers almost seemed to burn her skin. Instead, she simply murmured goodnight, stepped into her room and closed the door behind her. Her hand shook slightly as she reached up to touch the loose strand of honey-gold hair. For several long seconds, she stood by the door immobile, recalling the blueness of Ty's eyes, the tan smoothness of his skin and the strong contours of his lean face. Then, regaining her common sense, she shook her head and berated herself for such foolish thoughts. Ty might be acting a little more friendly, but he was still her boss and that was all he would ever be. She meant to make certain of that.
Chapter Three
The next morning, Anne was awake early. Before Ellie could come to call her, she was dressed and downstairs, planning on a quick walk before breakfast. After getting her coat from the foyer closet, she slipped her small hands into brown suede gloves, opened the back door and stepped outside onto the snow-covered terrace.
Though the sky was still overcast and gray, the snow was falling more slowly. Fat flakes fluttered down on the silent countryside. During the night, freezing rain had encased the shrubs and branches of trees in glittering ice and had formed a crust on the carpet of snow. Anne's boots crunched through the surface as she walked through a stand of bare oaks, their large trunks draped by drifting snow. Taking deep breaths of the fresh clean air, she wandered farther from the house to the edge of a wood that stretched out for some distance, then came to an abrupt halt as she spied a deer several yards ahead, foraging for what food he could find at the base of a tall pine. Perhaps he sensed her presence because he raised his head and stared at her, his soft brown eyes conveying more curiosity than fear. Anne stood perfectly still, admiring the buck's handsome antlers as he looked her over for several moments. When he apparently decided she meant to do him no harm and began to search around the roots of the tree for food again, she smiled and continued to watch him.
