Heart's Delight Page 15

  They all shook their heads, murmuring polite refusals. Jim stood in indecision for a long moment, then turned into the house.

  “What is it you want, Mr. Denman?” Elaine’s voice was ice-cold. “How did you find me?”

  Denman sat back and crossed his ankles, revealing silk socks beneath his well-tailored summer suit. Elaine noticed the shine on his classic shoes. I bet he never rode barefoot, she thought, or bare arse. The idea made her lips twitch and Denman obviously took it as a sign of acceptance.

  “I drove out today because I’ve heard of the problems you’ve been having, Ms…

  May I call you Elaine?”

  She remained silent. She didn’t care what he called her, she just wanted this over with.

  Again he seemed to assume she was thawing toward him because he smiled. “I know that I’ve made an offer on your land, a very generous offer—” He held up a hand as she began to speak. “Just let me finish. I would very much like to develop your property, but contrary to what you may think, I haven’t reached where I am with criminal and underhanded dealings. I treat people well, as I would like to be treated.

  I’ve come to tell you that if my representative made any remarks that sounded like threats, it was without my authority.

  “I negotiate hard, but never threaten and never damage property. I have a solid reputation and I treasure it.”

  He paused as if waiting for her to speak. She searched for words.

  Quinn broke the silence. “You must admit it didn’t look good, the fire and the vandalism right after your man’s visit?”

  Denman looked startled. “Vandalism? I know about the fire, but—”

  In a few words, Quinn painted a picture of what had been done to the house.

  “That settles it,” Denman said. “I withdraw my offer.”

  “You what?”

  “There is obviously something going on here that you have to sort out, Elaine. You must get to the bottom of it. I do not wish my good name associated with these kinds of dealings. If at some future date you decide to sell, contact me.” He drew a silver case from his pocket and extracted a business card. “This is my private number.” He jotted it down with a matching silver pen and held the card out to her. She took it as if in a dream. “Of course, I would still like the property,” he continued. “But if and when you are ready to sell with no coercion.”

  He got to his feet and held out his hand again to her and then to Quinn. “Believe it or not,” he said, “I wish you well. If you decide to start again somewhere else I’ll be happy to help you find a suitable piece of land.”

  He turned and walked smartly down the porch steps to his car.

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  “Do you believe that?” Elaine said at last as the car purred away.

  “Maybe, maybe not,” Quinn answered. “There are honest businessmen around, I suppose.”

  “I suppose.” She wasn’t convinced. Batt had pushed very hard to get her to sell.

  Would he have done that without his boss’s knowledge? “Maybe Batt went too far. It might be that he just wants to lie low for a while.”

  “Anything is possible.”

  They walked toward the paddock. There was no sign of Jim.

  “Before we leave let’s stow the rest of your feed somewhere safe,” Quinn said.

  Four large bags of feed, still securely closed, were stacked in one of the empty stalls.

  The fifth bag, from which they had taken feed last night, gaped open.

  The door of a storage room stood ajar, a padlock dangling from the hasp of the bolt.

  Elaine peered in. “This would do.”

  Together they lugged the four closed bags into the small room and locked the door.

  The key was on a long string and Quinn looped it over his neck.

  Although it was unlikely someone would try the same trick twice, Elaine felt immensely relieved.

  They walked to the horses. As Quinn had said, they both seemed fine. Elaine ran her hand over Star’s flank. The mare had a few weeks to go before she foaled, but it wasn’t worth taking any chances. “I’ll take it very easy with her,” she said. “I’ll ride bareback, in case the girth is getting too tight. Then I’ll walk her.”

  Quinn saddled up and Elaine slipped the bridle over Star’s head. They mounted and waved goodbye to Jim, who was weeding one of the flowerbeds. They took a well-used trail that was not too steep, not wanting to tax the animals, especially Star, after the stress they had suffered.

  Looking up, Elaine saw the gossamer outline of the moon hanging in the blue sky.

  A large sliver had gone from its side. The solstice was over, the moon no longer full. But Quinn rode at her side, his knee close to her thigh. She could feel the electric charge between them, the current that passed whenever he came close. It was a beautiful day, the sun was warm but the air pleasantly cool. A few flies came to bother the horses, who whisked their tails. They rode through dappled shade until they came to a low ridge bordering a green valley. A house nestled on the slopes, shining white in the sun, surrounded by a mown expanse of grass. It looked comfortable in its setting, as if it had been there for many years.

  Quinn reached out a hand and touched her wrist. “Penny for them,” he said.

  She reined in and sat for a moment, patting the mare’s neck. “It doesn’t seem as if Denman was behind the fire and the break-in. So maybe the bank manager is clean too.

  Jim wasn’t responsible for the problem with the feed. So who has been doing this and why?”

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  Quinn shifted in the saddle. “People can lie,” he said. “But if it wasn’t Denman or Jim, then you have to search your past for someone else who wants to ruin you.”

  She looked at him in bewilderment. “Ruin me? I don’t have any enemies.”

  “We all have enemies, my love. But most of them just think angry thoughts and don’t do anything unless there’s a heaven-sent opportunity.”

  She shook her head. “I can’t believe it. My grandfather was so well-liked and I’ve never had a problem with anyone.”

  “Ah yes, your grandfather’s network of friends. You might start there. My uncle had a best friend who offered support and advice, and even money. Except the advice was not so good. Turned out the ‘friend’ was being paid by someone else who wanted my uncle’s property. My uncle and his friend had quarreled once and patched things up. Uncle Tom thought it was all over, but his friend bore a grudge that festered and grew worse over the years.”

  She shivered. “That’s horrible, to think someone you trusted would lie and cheat like that.”

  “True, but it happens.”

  “I just want to be settled again. Tomorrow I’ll check with the insurance and try to get a crew to start clearing the debris of the stable and clean up the house.”

  “Do you still want to stay with Jim?”

  She considered for a moment. “I don’t see why not for a few days. I don’t think he’s the culprit. It’s a great place for horses. If I use the insurance money to go to a hotel, it means I have to travel back and forth several times a day.”

  Quinn nodded. “There’s a woman down there at the house waving at us. I think she wants us to go down.”

  Elaine shielded her eyes and waved back. “Maybe she needs something. Let’s see.”

  They rode down the gentle slope to the house. The woman waiting for them was tall and thin, her hair pinned back in a neat bun. She wore a long apron over a flowered blouse and gray slacks. As they grew close Elaine saw rosy cheeks and twinkling blue eyes.

  “I’m so glad to see you,” the woman said. “Thank you for coming.”

  Quinn reined in and touched his forelock in a sweetly old-fashioned gesture. “What can we do for you, madam?”

  “It’s this.” She lifted her arm and Elaine saw a plaster cast encasing her forearm. “I can do most things, but I can’t lift anything heavy. I wonder if you’d give m
e a hand with something in the house?”

  “Of course.”

  “Thank you so much. Come this way.” She unlatched a gate in the fence and stood aside to let them pass, fastening the gate behind them. They let the horses amble along the trail that led to the house while the woman walked beside them. “My name’s Mary Richardson,” she said and gave them each her good hand.

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  “I’m Elaine Christie and this is my friend Quinn Lockyer.”

  Elaine and Quinn slid from their horses as they reached the steps to the house and looped their reins over a rail.

  Mary led them around the open porch to the back door. “I was trying to put some things away on the top shelf of the cupboard and it all got away from me.”

  A large cardboard box lay on the kitchen floor with books and albums spilling from it in a tide. Photographs and packages lay in heaps where they had tumbled when the box fell. A chair lay on its side close to the pile.

  “I got up on the chair with the box, but it slipped out of my arms. I’d be really grateful if you could help me gather them up and put it back up there.” She indicated a row of cupboards built up to the ceiling.

  “Goodness, did you hurt yourself?”

  “Just a bruise.” Mary rubbed her hip. “I guess I was lucky.”

  “Well, I think you should sit down and take it easy if you had a fall. Can I make you some tea?”

  “That would be lovely, dear. The pot and the kettle are by the stove.” Mary sank into a chair at the table with an audible groan.

  “Should you see a doctor?”

  “No. I’m fine. A nice cup of tea will set me to rights.”

  While Elaine busied herself with the tea, Quinn stooped and began to gather up the pictures and the papers.

  “Do you live on your own?” Elaine asked.

  “Oh my, yes. Been on my own for nearly twenty years. Never had a problem until I tripped on the top step two weeks ago. Had to call someone to take me into town.”

  Elaine poured hot water on the tea bags.

  “Let it brew, I like it strong,” Mary instructed. “So, what are you doing in these parts? Haven’t seen you or your horses before.”

  “I’m using Jim Burchitt’s stable for a few days while my place is being fixed up.”

  Mary eyed her with curiosity. “Where’s your place?” she asked bluntly.

  Elaine told her.

  “You’re Dan Christie’s granddaughter! How about that! We were at school together.”

  Elaine caught Quinn’s eye and saw the quiver of mirth on his lips. Another one of her grandfather’s network.

  “You weren’t brought up here,” Mary said, almost accusingly.

  “No, I wasn’t. I moved here about five years ago.”

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  She saw Quinn scoop the last of the photos from the floor and pat them into a neat pile. He dropped them into the box and climbed on the chair, reaching the cupboard easily and giving Elaine the chance to admire the set of his hips as they rose above her.

  Mary caught her looking and gave her a wink. Elaine dropped her eyes in confusion. Was her lust for Quinn so obvious?

  They drank a cup of tea with Mary, who chatted all the time about the area and the people she knew. When they rose to leave she picked up an envelope from a fruit bowl.

  “Could I ask you to put this in the post for me?” she said.

  “No problem.” Elaine slipped the letter into her jacket pocket. “Now, you take care, Mrs. Richardson. No more climbing.”

  Mary got to her feet. “No, I know. It was just that I wanted to check one photograph. Silly, really, keeping them in that big box, so high up.”

  She walked with them to where the horses waited. “Nice-looking animals,” she said.

  “Thank you.”

  Mary turned to Quinn. “Come by any time,” she said. Elaine smiled. There was an almost flirtatious look on the old lady’s face. But who could blame her? Quinn was enough to stir the heart of any female who had breath in her body. He bent courteously from the waist and brushed a kiss on Mary’s cheek. “I’ll stop by again and see if you need anything.”

  “Oh my!” Mary’s hand went to her cheek and her color heightened. “I’ll watch out for you.”

  They jogged along the path and paused to wave to Mary before they climbed the slope. “You made a conquest,” Elaine said.

  “Nice old lady. Reminded me of a cook we had once. She used to let me play with the dough left over from making the pies.”

  Even an innocent remark like this reminded Elaine of what she’d gleaned of Quinn’s childhood. She could picture a sad, lonely little boy taking refuge from his demanding, cold father with a kindly cook.

  They groomed the horses when they returned and gave them feed from the secured sacks. Quinn spent some time with Star.

  “When did you say she’s due to foal?” he asked.

  “Should be another three weeks at least. I figure this will be the last ride for her.

  She’s been taking it easy for a while now, only been taking a couple of the children for a gentle walk.”

  He touched the mare’s teats gently. “I think you may be a week or so off. Her udders are filling and look—” He showed drops of milk on the tips of his fingers. “This is her first?”

  “Yes.”

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  “Harder to tell in that case. It could be another couple of weeks.”

  “I hope so. I’d like a bit more time.”

  Quinn fell silent, hardly uttering another word as they worked, a small frown on his face, although he smiled at her when he caught her eye and touched her arm or her shoulder as he passed so that she could feel the affection transmitted between them.

  She knew him well enough by now to understand that he liked to reason things through, so whatever was bothering him would come out soon enough. Doubtless he was mulling over the escapades of another gamekeeper or malicious neighbor and would tell her his thoughts soon enough. At least she wasn’t immediately jumping to the conclusion that he regretted his trip back through the mirror. That was progress.

  By the time they secured the stable and walked back to the house, he still hadn’t said anything.

  Jim was waiting for them, as usual.

  “Have a good ride?”

  “Very nice, thanks.”

  “See anyone on the trail?”

  Quinn cut Elaine off before she could get the words out. “It’s very quiet up there.

  No one around.”

  She glanced at him, but his face had the bland neutrality she’d seen before. With good reason, he was skilled at hiding his feelings when he had to.

  “Uh-huh.” Jim nodded. “Dinner at seven okay for you?”

  “Sounds good.” She took Quinn’s hand. “Do you mind if I use your phone, Jim? I need to cancel a couple of things.”

  Jim waved his hand to the doorway and stood aside. “Be my guest. A pleasure to be of assistance.”

  Still holding Quinn’s hand, Elaine led him to the phone in Jim’s sparkling kitchen.

  A delicious aroma filled the air and she sniffed appreciatively.

  “Beef stew,” Jim announced. “One of my wife’s favorite recipes.”

  “Can’t wait.” She let go of Quinn’s hand and dialed Maggie’s number. Her friend picked up on the second ring.

  “Elaine Christie, what on earth are you up to? What’s been going on?”

  Quickly Elaine gave her the gist of the events of the last day, leaving out Quinn’s passage through the mirror.

  “Ugh!” Elaine could feel Maggie’s disgust through the phone line. “Pigs!”

  “You said it.”

  “Are the horses okay?

  “They seem to be fine. Two have been reclaimed by the owners, can’t say I blame them. So there won’t be any riding lessons for the children for a few weeks.”

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ett Dawson

  “Hey, don’t sweat it. I can wait ‘til you get back on your feet. Glad to know the insurance will come through.”

  “It’s a huge relief.”

  “Are you alone out there?”

  “Jim Burchitt’s here all the time—” Out of the corner of her eye she saw Jim give her the thumbs-up.

  “No one else?” Maggie’s voice took on a teasing note. “Come on, ‘fess up. I’ve heard about your mysterious visitor.”

  “News travels fast.”

  “Sure does.” Maggie’s voice dropped. “Have you tried any of my toys? Guaranteed to take your mind off your troubles.”

  “Maggie!!”

  “I take that as a yes.” She paused. “Oh, don’t tell me they all got destroyed!”

  Elaine thought of the pleasure balls. “Mostly, but not all.”

  “Okay, we have to look after your physical well-being. Let’s go through the list and you can tell me what you want.”

  Elaine turned her back to Jim, who was reading a newspaper but hadn’t turned a page in the last five minutes. She hunched over the phone, which brought her closer to Quinn. He put an arm around her and she leaned against him. The warmth of his body, the strength of him, the faint scent of horse and hay and fresh air was more intoxicating than the finest brandy. The faint stubble on his cheek brushed her lips. A rush of desire washed over her, making her knees weak and setting butterflies fluttering in her abdomen. If they’d been alone she would have hung up the phone and dragged him to the floor.

  Drunk with the headiness of her emotions, she took a deep breath. “Send me whatever you have,” she said in a rush. “I want them all.”

  “Hey, girlfriend. Way to go. You’ve got it. I must get to see this hunk.”

  “Soon.”

  Elaine hung up the phone, her hand trembling slightly at the thought of how she’d given herself away. She didn’t care.

  Quinn looked down at her and touched her mouth with the tip of his finger. She thought she would faint.

  “Is she sending what I think she’s sending?” he said in a low voice so Jim couldn’t hear.

  She nodded, unable to speak.

  His penis, trapped in the stiff denim, stirred against her side. Moisture flowed from her vagina in response and the slow ache began.