A Man to Call My Own

Chapter 32

CHAD FELT LIKE A child caught with his hand in the forbidden cookie jar. His embarrassment was still acute, even though it was now just him and Red left in the dining room. But she was shaking her head at him, wearing a look that said "you disappoint me, boy." And he couldn't blame her. It was her niece he'd trifled with. That was a clear betrayal of trust.

He'd yet to examine the full ramifications of what had just happened and was still somewhat in shock. He was going to have to marry—the wrong woman. How the hell could he have been so wrong?

"You should have gotten to know her better, before you—decided to marry her."

The disappointment was still strong in Red's tone. Chad nodded. "Don't be surprised if I agree with you one hundred percent."

"Then why didn't you wait before doing something so irreversible?"

"I'm not sure I had much choice in the matter. Oh, I could have got the hell out of there, but, I'm beginning to feel set up, as if she planned the whole thing."

"Then it wasn't your idea to make a bed in the hay with her?"

He'd thought he was done with blushing, but his cheeks started to heat up again. "It certainly wasn't the reason I came back here this morning. I found her in the stable, started the riding lesson you asked me to—"

"Wait a minute, I didn't ask you to teach her to ride," Kathleen cut in.

"That's just it, it wasn't Amanda, well, it was, obviously, but she'd made herself up to look just like Marian. And she was acting just like Marian. She was even willing to learn to ride, when I know she doesn't like horses—which probably was what convinced me the woman I was dealing with was Marian. So I guess my eyesight as well as my good sense went to hell."

"Well, they are twins. I suppose it would be easy enough for one to masquerade as the other and pull it off," Kathleen conceded.

His lips twisted sourly. "The thing is, I was damn sure it was Marian in the stable this morning. There might have been a brief moment when I had some doubt. Her boldness threw me off, and I asked if she were Amanda."

"I take it she didn't confirm or deny it?"

"No, she got mad about it actually. I thought it was because I called her Amanda, but it was probably because I saw through her ploy for a moment."

Kathleen sighed. "So you did seduce the right sister; at least, you thought you did."

"Red, I don't hide from my own mistakes, but I have to tell you, I didn't do the seducing. She was like a cat in heat, giving off all the signs that she wanted me. Considering what I thought, I didn't try very hard to resist. I'll admit that. And I'm not denying responsibility, either. I could have dredged up enough willpower to get the hell out of there. I didn't. But I didn't start it."

"This makes it much worse, you know."

"You don't know the half of it. I don't even like Amanda. I ignored all her bad traits, chalked them up to the trip, was sure once she settled in here that she'd be a lot different. I was attracted to her, yes, very much so. She is damn beautiful, after all. But I was holding off letting her know that until she got here, since her attitude on the trip was entirely too bratty for my tastes. I really thought she'd change though, not get worse."

"I hate to say this, since she is my niece, but from all accounts, what you've seen so far isn't going to improve any. My brother spoiled her beyond redemption."

"But not Marian?"

"No, Amanda was his favorite," Kathleen said. "Marian he ignored completely."

"Is that why she tries to go through life unnoticed? From habit?"

"No, I think it has to do with Amanda's being jealous of her. She started to explain it to me, but we got sidetracked, talking about my brother."

Chad frowned in thought. "Come to think of it, I may have gotten the explanation the night before we got here. I had to drag it out of her, and then I plain out didn't buy it, considering she's about as spinsterish in her looks as she can be."

"You gonna tell me why Marian goes to such lengths to avoid her sister's jealousy?"

He snorted over Kathleens impatience. "I was getting to it. It was her contention that Amanda could get so jealous, that if she thought Marian fancied a man, she'd turn on the charm and try to steal him away from her, just for spite."

"Just for spite? You mean not to keep?"

Chad went very still, then swore, "Son of a bitch. You think that could be what this morning was all about?"

"Was she a virgin?"

Once again, he blushed. "Yes."

"Then no, I can't see her going to that length just for spite."

"What about her behavior tonight? She didn't exactly give the impression that she wants to marry me. It does kind of fit, Red."

Kathleen shook her head at him. "If she'd already lost her innocence somewhere else, I might agree. But she could have accomplished the objective of redirecting your affections to herself without going to that extreme. And besides, she was pretending to be Marian. If she wanted to charm you, she'd do it as herself."

He sighed, conceding, "I suppose, which puts me back to 'not getting it.' I mean, she doesn't even like me."

"You sure about that?"

"Well, aside from her performance this morning of being overwhelmed with desire, yes, I'm reasonably sure."

"Women aren't always obvious about their feelings," Kathleen remarked.

"I know, but when the predominant emotion you usually sense from a woman is disgust, you don't need to be knocked over to get a clue."

"Then I'd go with my first guess."

"Which is?"

"She's decided to use you to get her inheritance," she replied.

"But wouldn't your own contention hold true in that case as well? That she wouldn't go to such lengths, would try to charm me instead?"

"I'd say yes, except I know that her only goal at the moment is to go home, with or without a husband, in the latter case, with my blessing to marry whomever she wants. Now, I'm not about to give her permission to do that, and maybe she's dredged up enough sense to realize that by now. But it's more likely just pure impatience on her part. She knows I'd. approve of you to marry her. She can't say the same about any other man she's met out here yet. So marrying you would be her quickest ticket home, and seducing you just guaranteed it."

He scowled. "Marrying me isn't going to get her a trip anywhere."

"Well, I know that," Kathleen assured him. "And you know that, but I've been warned that Amanda doesn't take too kindly to 'no.' If she can't cajole what she wants, she'll more than likely resort to other, less pleasant tactics."

"Like nagging me to death?" Chad mumbled.

Kathleen nodded with a wince. "Or sullying your good name. I wouldn't put that past her, after witnessing her shocking attire tonight."

"There's no way out of this, is there?"

"For a decent man like you? No."

He nodded, stood up to leave. "So when does my sentence in purgatory begin?"

"Your pa's big barbecue is this Saturday. Just got the word about it today. I'll check with the preacher then to see when he can be available, or stop by to see him in town on the way back here on Sunday.

You'll want to let your pa know about it, too."

"Oh, God."

"I'm sorry, Chad, I really am."

"Not half as much as I am."