Manhattan Merger

CHAPTER SIX

WHEN Rainey saw Payne in the kitchen doorway, his whole expression had undergone a change. He was gripped by some dark, powerful emotion held barely in check.

The difference in him was so startling, she almost dropped the plates of freshly cut fruits and vegetables she was holding.

“What’s going on in here?”

Catherine must have noticed the difference in him too, but all she said was, “We’re bringing the food right now, Uncle Payne. I was just introducing Rainey to Nyla. She’s going to eat with us so she can hear everything that happened in court.”

“Aye, aye, Captain.”

Payne’s comment provoked a laugh from his niece who carried the platter of hamburgers out of the kitchen. But Rainey had an idea Catherine wasn’t fooled by his sudden playfulness. Neither was Rainey.

She followed them to the patio. Nyla brought up the rear with the salad she’d taken from the fridge.

If Rainey hadn’t already been to Payne’s home, she would have thought the Boyce’s house and view of the ocean was the most beautiful sight she’d ever seen.

Everything was picture perfect against the twilight backstop.

Payne took his place behind his fiancée.

That one defining gesture set the boundaries in concrete for Rainey. What had transpired before this moment was history. Whatever happened from here on out belonged to someone else’s future. Rainey was simply a spectator passing through.

“Rainey Bennett? May I present my fiancée, Diane Wylie.”

“How do you do, Ms. Bennett.”

The other woman spoke first and held out her hand. Rainey moved around the table to shake it.

She and Diane were probably the same age. The attractive brunette had that girl-next-door look. To Rainey’s eye she seemed the type her brother might date rather than-

Rainey forced herself to stop with the speculation. Payne Sterling meant nothing to her. He couldn’t!

“I’m so thankful for this opportunity to meet you, Ms. Wylie. You’ll never know how sorry I am for putting all of you through more anguish.”

Payne’s fiancée studied Rainey out of intelligent brown eyes before letting go of her hand. “Payne said it was an honest mistake, so it’s best forgotten. I’m afraid his concern over my welfare has caused him to impose on your time.”

“It’s not an imposition!” Rainey blurted. “We’ve just come from his office. I almost had a heart attack when I saw how similar everything was to my painting. Anyone would be suspicious.

“After what you’ve suffered, I wanted to meet you in person and assure you I meant no harm. I hope in time you can forget it.”

“Rainey? Do you want to come and sit between Nyla and me?”

Rainey could have hugged Catherine for smoothing a difficult moment for her. She took her place, determined to avoid any eye contact with her host.

No more thinking about him.

“The hamburgers and potato salad are the best, sweetheart,” he said after all of them had settled down to eat.

“Thanks. There’s more in the kitchen.”

“Everything’s delicious,” Rainey declared. Since meeting Diane Wylie, she’d lost her appetite but forced herself to eat in order not to hurt Catherine’s feelings.

The dog brushed against Rainey’s leg.

“Is it against the rules to give Lady a nibble? She’s looking up at me with soulful eyes.”

The teenager smiled. “You can feed her some strawberries.”

“Oh good.” Rainey let one drop. Lady snatched it before it reached the ground. She dropped a couple more. “Winston likes these too, but he hates grapes.”

“Lady hates limes.”

“I should think so.” She chuckled.

“Why don’t you tell us how you happened to paint my fiancé?”

Rainey had been waiting for that question. Before she could say anything, Payne rose to his feet.

“Just a minute, Rainey,” he said, moving to the door. “First I want to get your brother’s photograph and your artwork.” Seconds later he returned and propped the fourteen-by-twenty inch paintings on some of the extra chairs.

Nyla and Catherine got up to study them. “I didn’t know you did full-size paintings like these for the covers,” the maid exclaimed. “They must take a long time.”

“A lot of work goes into them because I do sketches first until I know exactly what I want the finished product to look like.”

Nyla turned an animated face to Rainey. “It’s exciting to have you here. To think you’ve done all those wonderful paintings. You’re a fabulous artist.”

“You are!” Catherine cried.

“Thank you.”

“Nyla? Will you hand me the one of Payne in his office, please?”

“Here you go.” The maid removed the dishes and placed the painting in front of Diane.

She examined it for a minute, then lifted her head to scrutinize Rainey. “Did you get permission to paint this woman?”

Payne’s attorney was the person Rainey had expected to be adversarial, not his fiancée. But then Mr. Wallace wasn’t the wheelchair-bound woman desperately in love with his client.

Rainey took a steadying breath. “Yes. She’s a licensed model I’ve used in several covers. But sometimes I paint from memory. That’s how I happened to draw Mr. Sterling.”

Without preamble she spent the next ten minutes telling the same story she’d related in the courtroom. Combined with Payne’s explanations regarding Bonnie Wrigley’s testimony, they covered all the essentials.

Rainey let her see the photo of Winston. Between that picture, her brother’s photograph and Payne’s assertion that Rainey’s apartment contained a serigraph of the Nantucket Lighthouse, she hoped Catherine and Diane were satisfied.

“Because of this experience, the judge ordered that all the artists at Red Rose Romance work with licensed models from now on.”

“I should think so,” Diane muttered.

“I’m fairly certain they do anyway.”

“Why not you?”

“Because there are times when I can’t find the right model for what I want to convey. As I explained, sometimes a face in the crowd or a picture jumps out at me. I don’t even know it’s happening.”

“You mean like my fiancé’s.”

“Yes,” Rainey answered honestly.

Old fears had been put to rest. Now there was a new one.

The other woman believed Rainey was interested in Payne.

What better way to expose Rainey than force a confrontation which would embarrass her in front of him and his niece?

Little did Diane know she had nothing to fear from Rainey. Now was the time to prove it.

“Because I’m an artist, I can’t help looking at every face a little differently than most people do. Mr. Sterling is handsome in a rugged sort of way, but so are a lot of men. Some of the male models are breathtaking.”

Nyla nodded. “You can say that again!”

Bless you, Nyla.

“It’s what I read in a person’s face that makes it memorable. Mr. Sterling’s exudes character, confidence, hard work, struggle, determination, a passion for life. All those qualities combine to make him stand out as a heroic figure, artistically speaking.”

“Whoa! Uncle Payne-” Catherine smiled at him. “Did you hear all that?”

“I did,” his voice grated.

Ignoring him, Rainey put Craig’s photograph in front of Diane again. “Take another look at your fiancé.”

Now Rainey was the one forcing his fiancée to cooperate when it was the last thing Diane wanted to do.

“See the way he’s staring at the formations above the river? His eyes appear to be looking beyond them at something else the rest of us can’t see. You can tell his mind is caught up in an inner vision. That’s what makes him an arresting figure.

“That’s why I suddenly found myself sketching him weeks later. He seemed perfect for certain novels I was sent. When Manhattan Merger came along, it was almost a spiritual mating of man and story.”

The other woman’s dark brows puckered. “When you’re such a fine artist, why do you go to so much trouble for an inconsequential romance?”

Rainey had been waiting for a comment like that to surface. It was only natural for a woman like Diane. She’d never read a paperback romance and dismissed them as so much drivel.

“Millions of women will tell you they find them irresistible. Therefore it matters to the publishing company that their vast readership keeps coming back for more.

“Speaking from a personal note, it means everything to the author that the hero and heroine on the cover do justice to her superbly crafted relationship novel.

“That’s my job.

“If I’ve done it right, the romance reader escapes even further into the story.”

“I can vouch for that,” Nyla piped up. “I still read the book if the cover’s bad, but when it’s a good one, it makes it even more exciting.”

“Especially like that novel with Uncle Payne as a Viking! It was such a good story I checked out some books at the library about the Norsemen.”

Rainey nodded. “It was written by a male author who’s a Scandinavian history buff. I did the same thing as you, Catherine, and went to the library before I started to paint.

“You’ll never know how much fun I had with that cover because the author had based Roald on a true historical figure. The clothes I put on him were the same ones on display at a museum in Norway.”

“It was thrilling all right,” Nyla murmured, “but I think I liked your cover of Mr. Sterling on The Baby Doctor’s Baby the best.”

“Oh, Uncle Payne-the little baby you were holding was so sweet.”

“Is that right,” he drawled.

Rainey forgot the promise she’d made not to look at him. Their eyes met. His were smiling. They filled her with warmth. She hurriedly glanced at Catherine.

“That was Matt, my best friend’s baby boy.”

“You just wanted to squeeze him,” Nyla said with a sigh. “I can still see those big dimples and adorable blue eyes.”

“Someday I want a baby that looks just like him.”

“Let’s make that about ten years away, sweetheart.”

“Uncle Payne-”

Everyone laughed except his fiancée whose gaze remained leveled on Rainey.

“How did you happen to end up painting covers on romance novels of all things?”

“One day while I was in the media center of the high school where I taught art, I came across a book called Writer’s World U.S.A. I started looking through the pages at the hundreds of publishing companies that use artwork.

“On a whim I sent out queries. Sometimes I got an answer back. Sometimes not. A few times I was asked for a sample of my work.

“To my delight, Red Rose Romance asked to see my portfolio. I sent in my disk and they hired me. I was hired by Global Greeting Cards the same way.”

“You’re very talented.”

Diane sounded tired. Not only of the subject, but physically worn out.

“Thank you, Ms. Wylie. Once again, I’d like to apologize for the pain I unknowingly caused you. I hope you’ll be able to get past this.”

“I already have,” she muttered. “It’s obvious you meant no harm. I wish you luck in your future endeavors.”

“I want the same thing for you. Have you set a date for your wedding?”

“August first.”

The words cut like a knife through Rainey’s heart. “That’s not far away.”

“You’re right,” Payne broke in. “Diane and I still have an important matter to decide. If you’ll excuse us, we’ll say goodnight.” He rose to his feet.

“See you tomorrow, sweetheart. That was a terrific meal.” He kissed Catherine’s cheek.

“Goodnight, Ms. Bennett.”

“Goodnight,” Rainey whispered.

“Nyla?” He patted the maid’s shoulder. “Don’t ever change.”

The second he wheeled his fiancée into the house, Catherine turned to Rainey. “If I brought you some paper, would you do a picture of Lady?”

Rainey wanted to hug her for making the request. The announcement of Payne Sterling’s imminent marriage had come as a greater blow than she would have imagined.

When Rainey got upset, she always turned to her drawing board for solace. Right now she was in agony.

“I’d be honored. In fact while we were eating dinner, I sketched her in my mind.”

“You mean it?” Catherine looked stunned.

“Yes. I’ve already given the drawing a title.”

“What?”

Nyla looked equally curious.

She winked. “You’ll see.”

Both of them smiled.

“I’ll find you some paper and a pencil!” Catherine cried.

“There’s no need for that. The art case next to my overnight bag has everything I’ll require.”

“I’ll get it!”

Lady raced after her.

“She’s a darling girl,” Rainey murmured as Payne’s niece disappeared inside the house.

The maid nodded. “You’re coming here this evening has made her happier than I’ve seen her in a long, long time.”

“Why do you say that?”

“Her younger brother, Trevor, died of leukemia last year. She took it harder than the oth-”

“Leukemia-”

“Oh…I didn’t realize you didn’t know. I guess I shouldn’t be surprised Mr. Sterling didn’t tell you. Too many similarities between the book and his life.”

“Dear God, Nyla.”

“It’s been a difficult year. First his nephew’s death, then Ms. Wylie’s horrible accident. He’s determined that she’ll walk again, but she fights him so. I’m afraid Mr. Sterling has had about as muc-”

“Here you go.”

Catherine reappeared so fast, Nyla didn’t get the opportunity to finish what she was going to say. Rainey was still so shaken by the news of another tragedy befalling the Sterling family, she felt ill.

Bonnie Wrigley wouldn’t believe it when Rainey phoned to tell her that Payne’s nephew had died from leukemia.

How many more uncanny coincidences were waiting to come to light Rainey didn’t know about yet?

Nyla’s revelation cast a new twist on the old adage about truth being stranger than fiction. Chills ran through Rainey’s body.

With trembling hands she opened her case and removed the items she would need.

“Do you want Lady to pose for you? I can make her sit still for a few minutes.”

“Thanks, Catherine, but it won’t be necessary.”

“Do you mind if I stand behind you and watch?”

“Of course not.”

Lady plopped down next to them. She might not know what was happening, but she acted as if she did. The retriever had a beautiful head.

It didn’t take long for the drawing to come to life. Pretty soon Nyla, who’d been taking dishes in the house, came back out to join Catherine. “Will you look at that…”

“I don’t see how you do it.”

“Believe me, Catherine, neither do I.”

“It’s a gift,” Nyla stated.

“One that landed me in a lot of trouble,” Rainey’s voice shook.

“Uncle Payne’s forgiven you. Otherwise he would never have brought you home with him.”

“Well, now that I’ve apologized to Ms. Wylie, we need to destroy those paintings so she won’t ever be reminded of them again.”

“Destroyed?” they both cried at once.

“Yes. That’s what the judge ordered. If you’d dispose of them, Nyla, it will save Mr. Sterling having to deal with any more grief.”

“You’re right. If it’s a legal matter I suppose now’s as good a time as any to take care of them.”

“Thank you, Nyla.”

While the maid picked them up and carried them into the house, Rainey finished fleshing out the drawing. In the top left-hand corner she put, “To Catherine.” Down in the right-hand corner she titled it, then wrote the date and her initials.

“There.” She carefully removed the sheet of paper and handed it to Catherine.

The teen held it at both ends. “The Beggar.” She broke into laughter. “That’s perfect! I love it! I’m going to have this framed and put it above my bed. Excuse me while I show it to Nyla. Then I’m going to run it upstairs so it won’t get damaged.”

Alone for the moment, Rainey glanced at her watch. It was quarter to eleven. They’d been out on the patio for a long time.

She got up and put everything in her case including her brother’s photograph. The picture of Winston went back in her purse. On the way indoors she met Nyla.

“Where will I be sleeping tonight?”

“Up in the guest room next to Catherine’s. I’ll get your overnight bag and take you there.”

“I’d appreciate that, but before we go, I have another favor to ask.”

“What is it?”

“Could you manage to bring me a photograph of Trevor without Catherine finding out?”

The maid eyed her with a knowing expression. “You bet. There’s one she carries in her wallet. It’s her favorite. I’ll get it.”

Within fifteen minutes everyone had said goodnight. By the time Rainey had prepared for bed, Nyla returned with the photo.

Thankful for an important project that would help keep her thoughts off Payne and his fiancée, Rainey got started on the picture. Instead of using a pencil, she decided to work with her pastels. She wanted this gift to be perfect.

In the snap, Trevor appeared to be nine or ten years old and bore a strong resemblance to his sister. Several times throughout the night tears rolled down Rainey’s cheeks to think he’d had to die so early in life.

At five in the morning she was finally satisfied with her work. She’d depicted him and Catherine sitting out on the back lawn. Lady lay at their feet with Catherine’s arm thrown loosely around her brother’s shoulders.

After putting the pastels away, Rainey climbed into bed exhausted. But two hours later and sleep still hadn’t come. She’d sopped her pillow and couldn’t stand to lie in bed any longer.

Meeting Payne Sterling had changed her in ways she was terrified to contemplate.

Though his fiancée might not be the warmest person, after what had happened to her, Rainey couldn’t fault her for anything. She had courage to get on with her life, to marry the man of her dreams.

Why would Rainey want to torture herself by hanging around a few more hours just to be with him one more time when his devotion to Diane Wylie was unquestioned. Heavens-they would be married in another month!

If Rainey didn’t take control of herself and the situation right now, then there wasn’t that much difference between her and the stalker who’d put his fiancée in the wheelchair.

Calling on her inner strength, Rainey straightened the bed, got dressed and hurried downstairs with her cases. A man she hadn’t seen before was sitting on a chair in the hall reading a sports magazine. He lifted his head.

“Good morning, Ms. Bennett. My name is Stan.”

“Good morning.”

How could Rainey have forgotten nothing went on in the Sterling’s world without the presence of security?

“Is there someone on the Boyce staff who would drive me into the city? Mr. Sterling was going to have me flown back to New York later in the day, but I’ve just had a phone call that has forced me to change my plans. I need to leave now.”

“Of course. I’ll have a limo brought around back for you.”

“Thank you. At some point you’ll have to inform Mr. Sterling, but would you please wait a while? I happen to know he’s with his fiancée and it’s a Saturday morning. I’d hate for him to be disturbed over a matter as trivial as my transportation. She appeared very tired last night.”

The security man hesitated briefly, then nodded. While he got on his radio phone, Rainey walked through the house to the back hall and let herself outside.

To her surprise there was a strong wind coming off the ocean. It filled the air with salt spray. Judging by the overcast sky, the sun might not make an appearance at all.

She would love to be at Crag’s Head enjoying the elements right now. But that magnificent place and the man who lived there were forbidden to her.

You need to remove yourself from temptation and fly far away, Rainey. Much farther than your studio apartment.

By the time the limo had rolled around, she’d made up her mind to move back to Grand Junction. Coming to New York had been the biggest mistake of her life.