Deception (23 page)

“He’s a beautiful animal, and maybe in a few years Renata will be interested in him, but he’s not right for Clay.” Connor couldn’t deny that she took pleasure in turning down the horse.

“What exactly do you find wrong with the horse?” The edge in Clarissa’s voice was unpleasant.

“There’s nothing wrong with the horse, Mrs. Barnes,” Connor said calmly. “He simply isn’t the right horse.”

“According to you.”

Connor smiled. “That’s what Clay pays me for, my expert opinion.”

“Maybe I should call Clay and ask him about this himself. After all, I’ve known Clay for years. I probably know things you’d like to hear about.”

Connor smiled. “Call him, if you’d like. He’ll tell you the same thing I’m telling you. I select his horses for him. I am the hired help at Oaklawn, as you seemed so eager to point out, but the reason I’m hired is for my knowledge. As I said, maybe when Renata gets older and more accomplished we’ll take a look at something for her.”

Clarissa’s smile was unexpected. “Well, well, you think you’re sitting in the catbird seat. We’ve all heard about you and the “remarkable progress” you’ve made with Clay’s children. Especially Renata. That child needed a good beating. I’ve never seen such a willful little monster.”

“Both children are turning into excellent riders. I’ll tell Clay you asked about them.” Connor wanted to get away from Clarissa. The woman was a bubbling pot of malice and bad opinions.

“I heard the girl was terrified of the barn—not hard to understand after she found her mother swinging from a rafter. You know, they said there were fingerprints on Talla’s neck that the lunge line didn’t exactly cover up. Talk was that Clay’s influence made sure her death was reported a suicide, but not everyone believes that.” Clarissa lit a cigarette, watching Connor for any sign of weakness through the smoke.

Connor felt the heat of her temper notch higher. “I would think that someone who owns her own business would find more to talk about than ancient gossip. If you have questions about my authority to buy Clay’s horses, or questions about his wife’s death, you should speak with him yourself.”

Connor didn’t give the woman a chance to respond. She started toward the barn.

Elvie was brushing Ribbons in the center aisle. She turned slightly as Connor stalked into the barn. Elvie looked up, then looked back down, her face flushing with embarrassment.

“She does that to me all the time,” she said, her hands busy with the horse. “You’d think I’d get used to it one day.”

“Why don’t you come out to Oaklawn and ride with me sometime? My two horses are there, and I’m trying to put some road miles on them. There’re some great trails.” Connor patted Ribbons’ neck. “You’ve done a wonderful job with this animal. I wouldn’t expect your employer to be able to see it, though.”

“She’s a bitch,” Elvie whispered under her breath. “But it’s a steady paycheck.”

“I’ve worked in the same situation,” Connor said. “Don’t let it get you down. I can see that you’re good. You’ll move on before long.”

Elvie gave Connor a small grin. “Thanks. I’d love to come ride with you. How about Thursday?”

“Excellent.” Connor looked up to see Clarissa striding into the barn. “Thursday, about eleven?”

“I’ll be there.” Elvie bent down and picked up Ribbons’ hoof to clean it.

Connor continued through the barn and out to the parking lot where her Chevy was under a tree. Blakely Farm was beautiful, situated with a view of Mobile Bay and the woods all around it. Connor silently thanked her lucky stars that she’d wound up working for Clay instead of someone like Clarissa Barnes.

The front seat of the truck was loaded with Christmas presents that she pushed against the passenger door as she got in. She’d found a couple of novels written by Mobile writers for Richard, some gourmet coffees to ship to her father as a pre-Christmas gift, a beautiful red sweater for Willene, and some earrings for Sally. For Danny, she’d ordered a leather halter with Ali Baba’s name on it, along with a bareback pad. Renata was a bit harder, but she’d settled on a riding jacket on sale. The little girl loved to dress in her breeches, boots and a jacket when she rode—to look proper, as she called it. The jacket would be great for Oaklawn, a deep forest green with a stylish cut.

Best of all was the saddle she’d found for Clay. It was expensive, but Connor felt she had room to splurge a bit. She’d spent so much of her life living from one paycheck to the next that having a little money in her pocket when she shopped was a pleasurable feeling. When she imagined Clay riding in the saddle, it was a very good feeling.

As she drove west toward Oaklawn, Connor impulsively took the Water Street exit to downtown Mobile. She needed a dose of Clay, even if it was only a brief hello.

Feeling a bit awkward, she gave the receptionist her name and waited. The downtown office was as beautifully appointed as Oaklawn, and almost as old. There were some wonderful paintings on the walls, and …

“Connor!”

She turned into Clay’s embrace.

“How wonderful of you to come downtown.” Clay looked at the receptionist. “Margaret, I think we’re going to call it a day. I have some briefs to dictate, and I can do that later. Why don’t you take off a bit early?”

“You don’t have to ask me twice.” Margaret turned off her computer. “You two have a nice afternoon.”

Before Connor could sit down, Clay took her hand and led her through the offices onto a porch and down steep brick steps to an enclosed patio where a fountain bubbled softly.

“It’s beautiful,” Connor said, “like pictures I’ve seen of the courtyards in New Orleans.”

“You’re beautiful.” Clay reached for the buttons on her blouse.

“Clay!” Connor looked around. The courtyard was enclosed by high brick walls on three sides and the law offices on the front. But she still felt so exposed.

“Everyone’s gone. Relax.” His fingers skillfully opened her shirt and removed it. There was a small bench tucked beneath a palm, and Clay directed her there. “I want to show you how glad I am to see you. I’ve had a rotten day, including a visit with my brother, and now you’re here to make me feel all better.” He eased her down onto the bench. “I was thinking about you when you walked in the door, wishing I could be with you. You’re like a fantasy come true.”

Connor forgot her concerns and drew Clay down with her on the narrow bench.

It was dark when Connor drove in to Oaklawn. The afternoon session in the courtyard still made her blush at the memory, but she was completely delighted. Clay made her feel so special, so desirable.

Making a quick check of the barn, Connor got back in the truck and drove to the back patio. Secrecy was foremost in her mind with all the Christmas presents she had to haul inside. Chances were the children were upstairs in their room or in the library. Of course, if they were in the kitchen, she’d be a goner.

Trying not to make a sound, she eased in the back door and across the hall. As she turned into the long hallway to her stairs, she heard the kitchen door slam.

“I think we should tell Connor.” Danny’s voice carried clearly.

“She won’t believe us. She didn’t believe you the last time. Besides, I like having a secret. Just between us.” Renata giggled.

“And the lady,” Danny added glumly. “I mean, that dress and all, it’s pretty weird. And the way she talks …”

“I don’t care, I like her. She’s my friend.”

Connor hesitated. She didn’t like the idea of eavesdropping, not even on children, but she had the sense that maybe they were talking for her benefit. Maybe they wanted her to hear. It did sound as if they were cueing each other.

On a chance she eased her armload of presents to the floor and tiptoed down the hall. Sure enough, Danny and Renata were staring at each other and making hand signals, the little pretenders.

“Did you see your stranger in the woods again?” Connor asked suddenly and was rewarded by Renata’s startled shriek and Danny’s holler.

“Connor!” The children said in unison. They looked at each other.

“You scared us,” Renata said. She laughed uneasily.

“I heard your voices, and I came to investigate,” Connor said. “What were you talking about? Did you run into the strange woman in the woods again?”

“Yes.” Danny hesitated before he spoke.

“Any more dire warnings for me?” Connor asked, lifting her eyebrows to show she wasn’t too serious.

Danny shook his head. “Nope. Not this time.”

“Oh, really? What did your new friend talk about?”

“I like her,” Renata said. “She’s the only friend Danny and I have ever made by ourselves. She’s pretty and she’s nice.”

There was a defensive note in Renata’s voice, and Connor decided not to push it. The children had stopped making threats. That was enough. There was little enough harm in an imaginary friend, and she hadn’t thought about it, but in the time she’d been at Oaklawn, neither Renata nor Danny had asked to bring over a single friend. They were rather isolated.

“I’m glad you’ve met someone nice. What’s her name?”

“She won’t say.” Renata looked at Connor. “You don’t believe she’s there, do you?”

“What matters is that she’s a nice friend to you and Danny.”

“She knows all about the past, what it was like here before the Civil War and all. When there were slaves,” Danny said eagerly. “She can ride a horse, she said, but she didn’t want to ride Ali or Erin. She didn’t like our saddles.”

“Oh, so she’s a western rider?” Connor was amazed at the detail of the children’s fabrications. They’d really put their heads together.

“Yeah, the kind with the horn. She said she had a very nice horse one time, a young mare. But it died when she and her family moved away.” Danny’s face was sad. “She cried when she told us. Connor, Ali and Erin won’t die, will they?”

Connor knelt down and brushed Danny’s hair back from his face. For all his adventuring in the woods with imaginary friends, he was a little boy. He’d lost too much already. “Not any time soon, Danny, unless there’s an accident. Erin and Ali are young horses. If we take good care of them, they should live to be very, very old.”

“Apollo, Tinker, and Cleo, too?” Danny asked.

“All of them, even though Cleo and Tinker are a little older. They’re very healthy. They should be around long after you kids are grown and in college.”

“Can we ride in the woods tomorrow, Connor?” Renata asked.

“Have you been practicing your seat?”

The girl nodded. “Very hard. I’m much better. Ask Danny.”

“She is,” her brother vouched. “She doesn’t stand on her toes as much.”

“How about we have a lesson, the two of you together, over some jumps in the arena? Let me see this big improvement, and then you can head out for the woods. I’ll bet Willene will even pack you a lunch, if you ask her sweetly. Just be sure and take halters so you can tie up the horses if you get off.”

“That would be great!” Renata took the three steps forward and hugged Connor. “I thought you’d be mad about the stranger. I didn’t want to tell you. Now I’m glad we did.”

“Well, take enough sandwiches for her to have some,” Connor said. “We wouldn’t want your new friend to go hungry.”

“She is kind of thin,” Danny nodded. “That’s a good idea. Want to come, Connor?”

“I don’t think so, kids. I’ve got a lot to catch up on. I went into Mobile today instead of doing my barn work.”

“Buy any Christmas presents?” Renata asked, her brown eyes sparkling with mischief.

Connor knew then that with all her cautions, the children had seen her from one of the windows. “You little rascals, you’d better stay out of my Christmas booty. I want everything to be a surprise.”

“Will you have Christmas with us, Connor, or will you go home?” Danny asked.

“I suppose I’ll stay right here. My dad’s in Australia, and I don’t have any other family.”

“Daddy said we might go to Washington,” Renata said, wrinkling her nose. “I’d rather stay here with Willene.”

Connor was slightly taken aback. Christmas was only twelve days away, but Clay hadn’t mentioned a holiday trip to D.C. Without even knowing she was doing it, she’d already planned a cozy Christmas at Oaklawn, with the horses and rides together. She felt slightly sick. How presumptuous of her. How foolish.

“Will you go to Washington with us?” Danny asked.

“No, not this time, Danny. Someone has to stay here and take care of the horses. That’s my job.”

Renata’s smile was innocent. “That’s too bad, Connor. We’re going to the Smithsonian and to visit some of Mama’s and Daddy’s old friends. I think Uncle Harlan is going, too.”

Connor couldn’t think of a better reason to stay home, but the information made her feel uneasy. Harlan would do everything in his power to work on Clay. It was the rush of vulnerability that made Connor sick and ashamed of herself. That, and the tiniest germ of betrayal. Why hadn’t Clay told her of his plans? Wouldn’t he know she’d want to spend Christmas with him?

“Hey, Connor, can we have our presents before we go?” Danny asked.

“We’ll have a little celebration here first,” Connor said, forcing her voice to be light, a smile on her face. “Maybe a barn party.” At Renata’s expression, Connor clarified her statement. “Not
in
the barn, but for you guys and the horses and your dad.”

“I’m getting Erin a present,” Renata announced. “Uncle Harlan’s friend, Midgie, is taking us to the tack shop to buy one.”

“Does Midgie ride?” Connor asked. She had a very bad feeling now.

“No, but she likes horses. She and Daddy were friends when they were younger. They played together and all. Her daddy owns First System Banks.”

Renata was a fount of information. The child was only eleven, but as Connor watched her, she got the feeling Renata knew exactly what she was saying.

“Does Midgie have children?” Connor asked, despite herself.

“No, ma’am,” Renata said. “She’s been divorced a long, long time. Uncle Harlan said she’s been too busy with her interior decorating business to worry about men and children. That’s why she’s coming out here to take me and Danny to the tack shop. She’s bored and needs something fun to do.”

“Well, you three have a good time,” Connor managed.