Fate's Intervention (23 page)

“
It isn
’
t going to be me, because marriage isn
’
t on top of my list of priorities,
”
Marcelle said
, tapping her toe with mild impatience. She had dinner to get on, so hoped Carol Ann would get to the “I want to meet Matthew” part of their dialogue – soon.

“
That
’
s
nice to hear,
”
Carol
Ann
blushed, realizing the implication of that statement. If Marcelle
weren’t
interested in marrying, then she wouldn
’
t mind Carol
Ann
’
s pursuit of Matthew.

“
I
’
m sure.
”
Marcelle arched a brow and tilted her head questioningly,
“
now
why did you want me to know that you don
’
t have a mother?
”
She asked, but Carol
Ann
simply continued.

“
I did hear that Clifford Stanharbor was looking for your hand in marriage.
”

“
True
, but he didn
’
t get it. I sort of scared him away,
”
Marcelle said, a pleasant blush tinting her cheeks at the memory.

“
I can see how. Perhaps I should consider visiting with you and picking up your techniques, since now he
’
s coming sniffing around my door.
”
A
h, the plot thickens
, Marcelle thought. Perhaps Carol
Ann
was pursuing Matthew in the hopes of avoiding Clifford
’
s clutches.

“
Well, why I truly feel sorry for you, there not too much I can do about it.
”

“
Do you know he
’
s got a daughter my age?
”
Carol
Ann
continued in that distracted, thoughtful voice. Marcelle only wished she knew what these questions and statements were leading.

“
Yes, I
’
ve met her,
”
Marcelle said, deliberately leaving out the circumstances under which
that meeting occurred.

“
I did too,
”
Carol
Ann
said sadly,
“
just the once, though.
Father
had her and her
father
over to dinner last week.
A
rather
shallow girl. I hope I
’
m not as superficial as all that.
”

Carol
Ann
looked at Marcelle expectantly, but Marcelle refused to put her mind at ease on that count, especially since Marcelle considered her only a shy bit less shallow than
Elizabeth
.

“
A
ny
way, dinner was a nerve-
w
racking affair, since I knew why he
’
d come, you
see.
I also knew why
Father
invited them.
”

“
To
parade you in front of Stanharbor?
”

“
A
nd
to get a look at
Elizabeth
firsthand,
”
Carol
Ann
sighed.
“
If I ever did have a mother, I don
’
t think I
’
d want her to be much like Elizabeth Stanharbor.
”

“
Well, if her appetite turns out to be like her
father
’
s, your dad may not want to marry her either. By the way, do you have any food left in the house after their visit?
”

Carol
Ann
laughed, startling Marcelle.

“
It really isn
’
t polite to laugh,
”
she giggled behind her gloved hand,
“
but he is
rather
obese, isn
’
t he?
”

“
Without a doubt,
”
Marcelle said,
“
but what is it that you
’
re trying to tell me? That you don
’
t want to marry that fat swine and be a mother to Elizabeth
, o
r that you
’
d
rather
not have Elizabeth marry your
father
and be your mother?
”

“
I just can
’
t see myself having a serious discussion about . . . well you know . . . things
like that . . . with Elizabeth
; however,
strangely enough,
despite
or because of
your bold speech
, I feel that you
would be the perfect candidate to explain things like that,
which may make it easier to discuss
. In reality, I find my speech a bit more
emboldened,
and I
’
ve only been here a few minutes. It
’
s a strange feeling.
”

“
Rather
liberating, I
’
m sure, but I
’
m still not marrying your
father
.
”

Carol
Ann
blushed and giggled again,
“
You
’
re not so bad if given a chance to get used to you. I think that you deliberately go out of your way to set people on guard, don
’
t you?
”
Carol
Ann
grinned.
“
You deliberately did it to me, didn
’
t you?
”

“
You are
rather
astute, for a fourteen-year-old child,
”
Marcelle said.
A
gainst all better
judgment
, she found herself liking this girl.

“
A
nd
you are
rather
smart,
”
Carol
Ann
smiled,
“
for a seventeen-year-old spinster.
”

“
Well, thank you very kindly, but I
’
m still not certain where all this is going. Do you want me to have a conversation with you about the birds and the bees if your
father
makes you marry Stanharbor?
”

“
Just the thought of marrying that man . . . ,
”
Carol
Ann
shuddered.
“
I can
’
t even think of . . . well, you know.
”

“
I certainly do, but I
’
ll save you the embarrassment of outlining it in detail.
”

“
That
’
s
truly appreciated.
A
ny
way, I was just thinking that if perhaps I can catch Matthew
’
s eye then he
’
ll propose before Stanharbor has the chance, which is why I
’
m seriously considering letting you introduce me.
”

“
I see,
”
Marcelle said thoughtfully, wondering whether the girl always took the long way around a point before finally reaching it. Well, no matter, her intentions were finally clear
–
she was taking Marcelle up on her offer of an introduction to Matthew.

“
I see,
”
Marcelle said again.
“
Well, before you take that route, I think that perhaps you should know something . . . ,
”

The door opening interrupted Marcelle. Carol
Ann
let out a screech as the door bumped into her rear, and sent her reeling into Marcelle
’
s arms. Both women glanced up as Matthew strolled in, dusty and sweaty from a day working with the horses. He spotted the two women gawking at him and felt his cheeks redden in embarrassment.

“
So
rry, ladies,
”
he said, shrugging into his dirty shirt,
“
I didn
’
t mean to barge into the house.
A
re
you okay, Miss?
”

Carol
Ann
could only stand there with her jaw slack and eyes bulging.
A
gain, Marcelle understood the emotion all too well. She
’
d had a similar reaction when she
’
d seen him up close the first time, and he didn
’
t look nearly as enticing as he did at present. Fortunately, her age prevented her from making a total idiot of herself, which she couldn
’
t say for Carol
Ann
.

“
I
’
m sure she
’
s just fine, Matthew,
”
Marcelle said with a smile.
“
Carol
Ann
, may I introduce our trainer, Matthew Daragh. Matthew, this is Carol
Ann
Blackwarth. Her
father
owns the neighboring ranch.
”

“
A
h, our neighbor, huh?
”
Matthew didn
’
t like the sound of that, or the look the young lady kept pinned on him. He may have avoided hiring on at a place with infantile women, but it would appear he couldn
’
t escape them all together.
Marcelle saw his expression and tried not to laugh
aloud
, but she couldn
’
t resist teasing him. With a mischievous glint in her eye, she moved back a step, pointed at Carol
Ann
,
and then batted her eyelashes at Matthew, leaving no doubt in Matthew
’
s mind that the girl was there for him.

He blanched, and Marcelle took pity on him,
“
Carol
Ann
was just on her way out, and I do believe that you need to wash up before dinner, correct?
”

“
Yes, yes,
”
Matthew said hurriedly, sidling past the awe-struck girl.
“
Um, i
t was a
pleasure
meeting you, Miss Blackwarth. I
’
ll see you at dinner, Miss
Weatherman
.
”

Marcelle waited until Matthew disappeared into his bedroom and then snapped her fingers in front of Carol
Ann
’
s face.

Carol
Ann
blinked rapidly, a blush tinting her cheeks again,
“
I didn
’
t realize that . . . I mean, I
’
ve never seen him up close before . . .  ,
”

“
Don
’
t concern yourself
, Carol
Ann
,
”
Marcelle said, reassuringly, hustling Carol
Ann
out the front door,
“
Poor Matthew tends to have that effect on nearly every woman he meets.
”

“
Yes,
”
she murmured,
“
I could see that he would.
”
It was all she could manage to say, and that came out in an airy, dreamy tone. Marcelle felt for the young girl.
A
fter
all, even at her own age she had a hard time fighting an attraction to the man.
A
girl of Carol
Ann
’
s age and immaturity level didn
’
t stand a chance against his looks.