CHAPTER TWENTY

 

“I haven’t told you yet why the sheriff came to see me this afternoon,” Claire began.

Tyler glanced at her, puzzled. “I thought Emily said he was still trying to court you.”

“I let her believe that.” Claire watched Tyler’s face. “But that wasn’t his reason.”

As though he sensed what was coming, Tyler’s gaze grew wary. “Then what was it?”

“He was concerned about me.” Claire turned to look straight at him. “He told me all about your plans, Tyler. He told me that you and Boothe are partners.”

For a long, tense moment, Tyler said nothing. And then he let out his breath slowly. “I didn’t want you to find out about that.”

Anger and hurt raged inside her, but Claire refused to let it show. “I can understand,” she said with brittle calmness, “why you wouldn’t want me to know that you’d decided to turn my home into an inn, and take my land, -- and let’s not forget that you made my enemy your partner!” She struggled to control her emotions. “What I can’t understand is why you pretended to care. Why did you keep coming to my rescue if you didn’t care?”

Tyler’s jaw tensed. He didn’t like the way she was misrepresenting his behavior. “I wasn’t pretending; I do care! And I helped you because I wanted to.”

Tears rolled down her cheeks and she dashed them away. “Don’t lie to me, Tyler. You’re asking me to believe you wanted to help me, and at the same time you were planning to take away my home. Is that what you call caring?”

“Those plans were made before I knew you.”

“And once you knew me, did you stop them?”

“Look here, Claire, Boothe said the bank was going to foreclose,” he answered tersely. “There was nothing I could do about that.”

“Boothe has been my father’s enemy for twelve years, Tyler! Of course he would say that. And now that the bank can’t foreclose, you have to marry me to get the land.”

“You’re looking at it all wrong, Claire,” he insisted. “I didn’t see it right away, either, until Jonas explained it to me.”

She gaped at him in shock. “This was Jonas’s idea?”

Tyler could tell that he’d said the wrong thing. But she’d asked for the truth. “Jonas has been concerned about you and Emily since we first met you. He didn’t want to see you lose your home, yet he knows how I feel about -- getting married.” He clenched his jaw to keep from shuddering. “So Jonas came up with a plan to benefit us both and make the idea of marriage palatable. I can put your land to its most profitable use and at the same time see my plans accomplished; you’ll no longer have to fear Boothe; and with the money I make from my business, you and Emily will be able to live comfortably in your house.”

Claire balled her hands into fists and glared at him. “Do you honestly think I would go along with any plan that included Reginald Boothe?”

“You don’t need to worry about that,” Tyler quickly assured her. “I intended to end the partnership anyway. In fact, I’d planned on doing it tomorrow. The only reason I went into partnership with Boothe in the first place was because he had the money to invest and I didn’t. But now it looks as though Gunter’s employers may be able to provide the financing.”

“And what about the inn?”

“As a matter of fact, I just talked to Jonas about that. I’ve decided to build an inn on my land. So you see, it will all work out for the best for both of us.” He tried to draw her close, but she pulled away, turning her back towards him.

“Claire,” he said, moving around to see her face, “I wouldn’t marry you to hurt you. You’ll have your home, your sister can go back to school, and I’ll be able to run my business from Bellefleur.” He picked up her hands, and this time she didn’t pull away. “Trust me, Claire, this is the best thing for everyone. And I didn’t lie when I told you how much I cared, and how much I desire you.” He lifted her chin to stare into her eyes. “I want you beside me, Claire.”

It was too much for Claire to absorb. She had questions that needed answering, but her thoughts were in such turmoil that she couldn’t begin to frame them. “I need time to think.”

Tyler took her by the shoulders and stared down into her eyes, his own burning with the fierce intensity that once made her throb with desire. Now it merely broke her heart.

“Claire, I’ve given this serious thought. It’s the best solution. You must know in your heart that I would never do anything to hurt you.”

“It’s too late for that, isn’t it, Tyler?”

“When I proposed, you had just read that newspaper article and you were distraught. I didn’t want to upset you further by telling you about my partnership with Boothe. I didn’t want to take the chance of losing you.” He added softly, “I still don’t, Claire.”

She looked up at the handsome, earnest face of the man she loved and wanted desperately to believe him, almost as much as she wanted him to say he loved her. But now she knew that Tyler would tell her what he thought she wanted to hear, if it would further his cause. “I need time to think,” she said again, and walked away from him.

When she got back to the house, Emily was putting on a puppet show for Jonas, Mrs. Parks and Lulu. Claire joined them in the parlor, a smile pasted on her face, but she didn’t hear a word. Doubts and fears tumbled though her mind, until she wanted to scream for them to stop. With a muttered apology, she left the room and hurried upstairs to her bedroom.

Lulu watched Claire go, then glanced at Jonas, who was frowning in concern. When Emily finished her show, Lulu shooed her upstairs to get ready for bed, then said quietly to Jonas, “Something must have happened.”

“I’ll go find Ty,” Jonas volunteered.

“I’ll go talk to Claire.” Lulu helped Mrs. Parks to her room, then started toward the staircase. It was times like this that she wished she had more mothering experience.

 

Tyler was sitting on the porch swing when Jonas stepped outside. After a quick glance at the sky, Jonas started toward him. “Starting to drizzle, I see.”

“I hadn’t noticed.”

Jonas sat beside him. “I wondered where you were when Claire came back alone.”

“She wasn’t feeling too well.”

Ignoring Jonas’s knowing glance, Tyler leaned his head against the back of the swing. “You know why I like poker? There’s little talk and no women. You make all your plans yourself; you don’t ask anyone’s opinion; and if you make a mistake, you’re the only one who gets hurt.”

“So Claire didn’t like the plan, eh?”

Tyler shot him a dark look. “She didn’t like your plan, old man.”

“I suppose you told her it was my idea.”

“I thought it would help.”

“What would have helped was to tell her the plan before you proposed, before she started to get the impression that you loved her.” Jonas sighed. “Ah, well -- as you say, it’s too late to fret about that now.” He glanced at Tyler’s scowling face. “Or is it? Did she change her mind?”

“I don’t know. All she would say is that she had to think.”

“That’s to be expected, I suppose. You did give her a lot to think about.” He slapped Tyler on the knee. “To be on the safe side, you’d better start thinking of another way to get her land.”

“That’s not amusing.”

“That’s your goal, isn’t it? Isn’t that why you’re marrying her? Or is there another reason?”

Tyler’s scowl deepened. He knew what Jonas was driving at. He wanted to hear Tyler say he loved her. “There’s no other reason.”

“For your sake, Ty, I hope Claire doesn’t need another reason.” Shaking his head sadly, Jonas rose. “I shall leave you to your ruminations. I’m going to turn in now. It’s been a long day.”

“No nightcap?” Tyler asked, with little enthusiasm.

“I don’t really feel like it tonight.”

Tyler watched Jonas go inside, letting the swing sway beneath him. Love? He didn’t know what it meant. So if that was what Claire needed to hear, she was out of luck.

Tyler sat forward with a frown. What if Claire did change her mind? He didn’t even want to think about what it would do to his plans -- or to him. Jumping up from the swing, he strode out to the buggy. He needed to get away for awhile. Maybe he’d stay on his boat tonight. Maybe he’d sail off and never come back.

As he drove down Grand, he saw a woman strolling along the sidewalk, holding an umbrella over her head. He couldn’t see her face, but thought he recognized her sensuous walk. Pulling up alongside her, he waited until she looked in his direction and then he nodded at her. “Evening, Miss Duprey.”

A smile spread across her face. “Why, hello, darlin,’” she said in her soft drawl.

“Kind of late for you to be out alone, isn’t it?”

“I was just walking home from my parents’ house. But I could always use a lift.”

Tyler pulled the horse to a stop. “Climb in.”

He watched her lift the hem of her brown skirt, revealing a glimpse of ecru lace drawers and a slender ankle. “Turn at the next corner,” she directed, settling herself beside him.

Tyler clicked his tongue and the horse pulled away.

“Where are you off to?” she asked. “Surely it’s too late for a run on the river.”

“I was just going down to check on my boat. Which way to your house?”

“Drive down another two blocks and turn right,” she told him. “If you’re in no particular hurry, I’d like to invite you in for a drink.”

Tyler regarded her as she smiled invitingly, flashing her golden cat eyes at him. “I think I’d like that,” he said with a smile.

 

Claire sat at her dressing table, brushing out her hair, her thoughts churning in angry confusion. Why did she fall in love with men who didn’t love her? What had Lance seen when he looked at her? A gullible woman with a wealthy father? She already knew what Tyler had seen. Her father was the only man who had never betrayed her trust. She wouldn’t consider their financial problems a betrayal. She knew he hadn’t meant his investments to affect them negatively, but rather to make more money for them. If her father hadn’t argued with Reginald Boothe, everything would have been fine.

At a knock on the door, Claire tensed, praying it was not Tyler. “Who’s there?”

“Lulu,” came the quiet reply.

“Come in.”

The housekeeper stuck her head around the door. Seeing Claire sitting at the dressing table, she came all the way in and closed the door. “I didn’t want to interrupt you.”

Claire began brushing her hair again as Lulu came up behind her. “May I?” the housekeeper asked, holding out her hand. She ran the brush from the crown of Claire’s head to the ends. “It’s something I’ve always wanted to do, but I never had a daughter. You’ll probably do this for your own little girl someday.”

Claire closed her eyes, thinking only about how good it felt to have her hair brushed. “My mother used to brush my hair.”

“Was your mama beautiful, like you?”

“She had black hair like mine.” Claire sighed despondently. “But my mother was lucky. She knew the love of two good men who adored her.”

“You’re lucky, too, sweetie. You have Tyler.”

Claire opened her eyes to stare at her reflection in the mirror. She didn’t have Tyler’s love -- and that was what she wanted. “That’s enough brushing.”

“You know, sweetie, I’m not very good at this,” Lulu said, following her to the window. “But I know there’s something troubling you deeply. I wish you would tell me how I can help.”

“How are you at mending broken hearts, Lulu?”

Lulu patted her bosom. “You see this big chest of mine? You know why it’s so big? Because of all the times my heart’s been broken and stuck back together again. It doesn’t fit so well anymore.”

Claire knew exactly what she meant. It was just how her own heart felt, except that it was still in tiny pieces, and she wasn’t sure it could ever be mended. Her eyes welled with tears and she put her hands over her face as she began to weep. Lulu held her as sobs wracked her body. Too much had happened in a short time. She had lost her father; she had nearly lost her house; she had been betrayed by her fiancé; and her plans for the future had been ruined. Now her heart was broken yet again.

Lulu stroked her hair as she crooned sympathetic words. “You’re gonna pull through this, sweetie pie, whatever it is that’s causing your grief. We’re strong creatures. We can bear a lot of pain. And my shoulders are extra wide if you want to share some of that pain.”

“Tyler doesn’t love me,” Claire wept brokenly. “He only asked me to marry him because he wants my land.”

“Is that what he told you tonight?”

Claire nodded. “The sheriff came to warn me about him. He told me that Tyler and Reginald Boothe were partners.”

Lulu gasped. “Tyler’s in cahoots with that money grubber?”

“I asked him about it tonight and he couldn’t deny it. But he said he’d decided to end his partnership. He said the marriage would benefit us both.” Claire sniffled. “And he said Jonas was the one who came up with the idea. Getting married wasn’t even Tyler’s idea!”

“There, there, now, sweetie,” Lulu said, rubbing her back. “There’s no sense crying your eyes out over any man. They’re just not worth it. What you need is a good night’s rest.”

“I don’t think that’s likely to happen tonight, Lulu.”

“Then I’ll make you one of my hot toddys. That’ll put you right off to sleep.” She gave Claire a final pat. “Things are gonna look much brighter tomorrow -- you’ll see. Now you wash that pretty face and slip into your night robe. I’ll be back in a bit.”

 

Lulu shut the door quietly behind her and hurried down to the kitchen to heat some rum. As she put the pan on the stove, Jonas walked in.

“Did you talk to Claire?” he asked.

“I did. And right now I’d like to take a strap to that boy for hurting her, and to you for coming up with such a cockamamie plan.”

“The idea was to get those two married and let nature take its course,” Jonas countered.

Lulu planted her hands on her hips. “That’s not good enough for Claire. She doesn’t want to go into a loveless marriage, and I can’t say that I blame her.”

“Unfortunately,” Jonas said, “it will have to do for now. Ty doesn’t believe in love, or marriage, for that matter.”

“Hogwash!”

“I’m serious. And I’m convinced it’s because he’s never experienced love and, if the truth be known, doesn’t want to. I hate to say this about Tyler but, basically, he’s a coward when it comes to love.”

Lulu made a disgusted face. “How do you know he’s never experienced love? What about his folks? They loved him, didn’t they?”

“I hardly think so. They abandoned him.”

Lulu turned to the stove to stir her concoction. “Maybe they had their reasons.”

“Whatever their reasons, the outcome was that he’s afraid to let himself fall in love. Ty fancies himself a ladies’ man, because of all the females who flock to him. But he’s never had one special lady. He’s never let himself get close to anyone for fear of being jilted. In fact, until he met Claire, Ty wouldn’t even utter the word marriage. It seems his parents’ disastrous union left a bitter taste in his mouth. So he tells himself he’s marrying Claire for business reasons, because that makes him feel safe. One uses one’s head for business, you see, and not one’s heart. If Ty admitted he was marrying for love, then he could get hurt, and he doesn’t want that to happen.”

Lulu’s features hardened. “He’d better wise up, or he’ll lose Claire. She loves that boy, and she knows he doesn’t love her. She’s hurting real bad.” Lulu shook her head as she added honey to the pan. “I still can’t believe Tyler was working with that varmint Boothe to get her land.”

“I hope she told you that Ty has decided to end their partnership. He doesn’t trust Boothe any more than Claire does, and he wants Claire to keep her house. He has all the right intentions. He just has to let himself fall in love with her.”

Lulu poured her tonic into a mug and turned toward Jonas. “So what can we do?”

“There’s nothing we can do to make Tyler realize he loves Claire, but we can make sure they both get to the altar. I truly believe they’re good for each other, and I --” Jonas heard a slight sound coming from the dining room and paused for a moment to listen. “-- I didn’t mean to keep you. Is that drink for Claire?”

“Yes, and I’ve got to get it up to her right now so she can get some sleep.” She started out of the room, then stopped. “I appreciate your confiding in me, Jonas.”

“You’re quite welcome, Lulu. We need to work together on this for everyone’s sake.”

 

Emily flattened herself against the wall in the dining room as Lulu walked past. For the first time in her life, Emily wished she hadn’t listened in on a conversation, because now she had lots to worry about. She liked Tyler; she didn’t want to be angry at him. But she didn’t want him hurting her sister, either. Chewing a finger, Emily tried to think what she could do.

“So this is where you’re hiding,” Jonas said.

Emily gasped and turned toward the sound of his voice. “I - I didn’t mean to hide. I was coming down to get some warm milk and I heard you talking to Lulu.”

“And why didn’t you let us know you were here?” Jonas asked.

Emily heard the sound of the housekeeper’s footsteps on the stairs. “Sh-h!” she whispered. “Don’t tell Lulu. I’ll go straight upstairs and I won’t say a word about it, I promise.”

“It’s a deal.”

Holding the rail, Emily climbed the steps as fast as she could, thinking about what she had heard. She had promised not to say anything, but she hadn’t promised not to do anything.

 

Holding a glass of bourbon, Tyler wandered around Daphne’s house, noting the costly oil paintings, the crystal lamps, the expensively furnished rooms. Daphne had left to change out of her clothes, which had become damp from the drizzle.

Hearing a rustle of silk behind him, Tyler turned, his gaze immediately drawn to the shimmering coffee-colored silk wrapper that cloaked her voluptuous curves. He knew instantly that she wore nothing beneath it, and his body responded accordingly. He watched in fascination as her gaze left his face and traveled downward to where his arousal bulged against his trousers. She smiled cagily and moved towards him, her hips swaying. He saw her tongue run around the outside of her lips and he quickly took a sip of the drink.

“Enjoying my bourbon, Mr. McCane?” she purred, taking his glass.

He grunted, unable to form a coherent reply. It had been too long since he’d enjoyed the pleasures of a female. Much too long. She bent to set his glass on a table, giving him a delicious view of her rounded bottom. Slowly she turned to face him, her fingers untying the sash.

“How would you like to enjoy this, Mr. McCane?” she asked, holding her wrapper open.

Tyler let out his breath between his teeth as his manhood pulsed and throbbed, heavy with desire. He couldn’t form a single thought but one: he wanted her.