Savage Conquest (5 page)

Miranda accepted Reis's handshake and smiled
warmly. "It's a pleasure to meet you, sir. Shall I take
your coat?"

Reis's eyes went from one beauty to the next.
"You're almost twins," he muttered in surprise.
"With different coloring."

The girls looked at each other and smiled. Miranda
hugged Lucas and said good night, her eyes
motioning for him to usher the despicable Weber out with him. Lucas grinned, only too delighted to
comply. Weber couldn't refuse without acting a fool,
so he left.

When the door closed behind the two men-one
frowning and one smiling-Amanda invited Reis to
have a brandy. She smiled sheepishly as she told him,
"I'm sorry about that little lie, Mister Harrison.
Sometimes Web is a bit presumptuous. He has a bad
habit of trying to be too helpful," she jested.

Knowing Weber Richardson was probably lurking
outside to see how long he remained, Reis was sorely
tempted to accept the invitation. He would have, if
Amanda had been alone. But he politely refused the
offer, giving the late hour as his excuse. He slipped
on his rain slicker and said good night, sending
Amanda a smoldering smile which could have
melted an entire snowdrift.

As he walked away from the house with a fluid and
confident stride, Amanda stood in the open doorway,
oblivious to the cool, damp air, watching him until
the shadows devoured him. She closed the door and
leaned against it, sighing peacefully.

Miranda giggled and commented, "He's quite a
man."

Amanda sighed again, eyes dreamy. "Yes, he is,
Randy. We're meeting for lunch tomorrow," she
divulged happily, then revealed who Reis was and
why he had appeared at their door tonight.

"Aren't you spoken for, Mandy? What about
Web?" Miranda asked softly, observing her sister's interest in Reis.

"Who?" Amanda teased playfully, winking at
Miranda. "Besides, Reis is only business, my first
client."

Their gazes fused; they burst into mirthful laughter.

Reis stood before his hotel window watching the
gentle rainfall and sipping a tepid brandy. He hadn't
expected to find Joseph Lawrence dead under
mysterious circumstances. Reis flung himself across
his bed without bothering to undress. This case was
suddenly very complex and perilous. He hadn't
imagined he would meet a dream like Amanda
Lawrence and positively not on this crucial trip.
More so, he hadn't envisioned confronting Lieutenant Weber Richardson here! Perhaps that sadistic exRebel officer had forgotten the awesome day when
they had met, but Major Reis Harrison never would.

Reis had tried to accept his losses during a vicious
war. He had tried to repair his torn life, to master his
bitterness, to govern the urge to track that one foe and
justifiably slay him. After all, if every person gave in
to vengeful impulses, the conflict between the two
sides would never end.

Somehow all these facts and people were intertwined, and he dreaded untangling them. Only
President Grant knew why Reis had been sent here.
With so much greed and corruption surrounding
him, Grant didn't know who to trust. It was up to Reis to find some answers for him, answers to halt
some explosive problems, answers to who was
involved and why.

He cursed the heavens for putting Amanda in the
center of this new crisis, for there could be no middle
ground .. .

When Miranda entered the sitting room the
following morning, she found her sister pacing the
floor, a look of annoyance wrinkling her forehead.
Miranda watched from the doorway for a few
moments before asking, "What's wrong, Mandy?"

Amanda halted her movements and glanced at her
discerning sister. Waving a paper in her tight grasp,
she replied, "See this? It says Mister Reis Harrison
doesn't want to meet with me today. He could have
sent his refusal before I was dressed and ready to
leave," she declared angrily, unaccustomed to being
put off by a man.

Miranda was quick to notice how lovely her sister
looked this gloomy morning. Clearly Amanda had
taken extra pains with her clothes and hair. She had
been so excited about this appointment. Now, she
looked distressed. Obviously, Amanda was suffering
more from disappointment at not seeing Reis than from singed pride. "What does the letter say? Why
did he cancel the meeting?" Miranda probed curiously.

Amanda stated skeptically, "He claims the weather
is too bad for me to leave home. He wants to postpone
our talk for a few days. He says he has other business
he can settle first. Damn him!" she muttered, jerking
the ribbons loose from her stylish hat and tossing it
on the sofa with her cape. This action revealed the
extent of her edginess, as Amanda was always careful
with her clothes and belongings.

"Amanda Lawrence! You shouldn't speak so
crudely. You recall how often Papa had to change
plans at the last minute. The weather's awful. I think
he's most considerate."

"You believe this excuse about the weather and
other business? He probably thinks I don't have the
brains to run Lawrence Shippingl" she declared,
wanting her sister to convince her otherwise.

"Mandy, you stop this! You shouldn't judge him
guilty of deception until you have proof. He didn't
strike me as a dishonest or calculating man. If you
hadn't found Mister Harrison so handsome and
charming, you wouldn't be so vexed by this note. I
saw the way you two looked at each other," she teased
knowingly. "Mandy, don't spoil things before giving
him a chance to explain," she entreated, praying this
vital man could pull Amanda's attention from
Weber.

"Spoil things?" Amanda echoed. "There's nothing to spoil. We only met last night, and we've noth ing in common but business."

Miranda gayly challenged, "That isn't the way it
looked to me, nor to Weber. Did you see the look on
his face when you dismissed him like an errant child?
I'd bet he wanted to choke you and Mister Harrison."
Miranda's voice waxed serious as she asked, "Mandy,
isn't Weber getting awfully possessive of you? You
two aren't betrothed. Why did Weber act so rude and
hostile last night?"

"Probably jealousy. You met Reis; can you blame
Web? Reis was being flirtatious when Web joined us.
Actually, I was rude to Web first, but he made me so
mad!" she confessed.

"Web was definitely trying to show Mister Harrison he has a prior claim on you. From the way you
two acted, maybe Mister Harrison thought he had
interrupted a lover's spat. Maybe that's why he
canceled; perhaps he's waiting to see if you're
available," Miranda hinted slyly.

"Don't be silly, Randy. Reis was just playing a
game with me. He probably thinks he can enchant
every female he meets. I bet he had no intention of
doing business with us. I could flog myself for acting
like a fooll That damn Yankee probably thinks
Southern girls don't know how to do anything but
look pretty! Just wait until I see Mister Reis Harrison
again; I'll straighten out his thinking," she threatened. She would not be an amusing game for any
man.

"Don't do anything you'll be sorry for, Mandy.
Mister Harrison doesn't appear the designing type, like some of your other suitors. He probably knows
you're flooded with offers, and he's afraid of the
competition. Af ter al 1, he is a stranger and a Yankee."

"Reis Harrison didn't strike me as a man afraid of
anything. But if he thinks to entice me by seeming
disinterested, he's wrong!" Suddenly Amanda's
expression grew thoughtful.

"What is it?" Miranda inquired, coming to stand
by her sister.

"Before you and Luke joined us, something odd
happened. Web asked Reis if they had met before.
Reis didn't say yes or no. But the way they looked and
acted ... It was like-"

"Like what?" Miranda asked anxiously.

"Fierce enemies meeting again. Worse than the
situation between Web and Luke. I wonder why,"
Amanda murmured worriedly.

"Are you forgetting Web was a Confederate officer
and Reis was a Yankee less than eight years ago?
Some men can't forgive or forget those times. From
what I've seen, Web hates all Yankees. And if Reis
thinks you and Web are close, that might cause
resentment toward you. You did tell white lies to
both men. If you'll remember, the trouble started last
night when Web confronted you two in the hallway
and acted as if he owned you," Miranda speculated.

Amanda wondered if Weber was the real reason for
Reis's change of plans. Or was Reis merely used to
having his way where women were concerned? She
wanted to learn more about both men, especially that
magnetic stranger who was affecting her emotion ally. "I think I'll go down to the office," Amanda
announced.

"But the weather is too bad to go out," Miranda
debated. "If you run into thatdashing Reis, he might
think you're chasing him. I wonder what Weber will
have to say about Reis dropping your meeting?"

The cunning hints struck home. Amanda didn't
want either man to speculate wildly on her actions.
Web would be gone by midafternoon, and Reis was
out there somewhere. She was being childish and
impulsive. Postponing a business meeting with her
was not a crime, an insult, or a rejection.

"You're right as usual, Randy. I'll go to the office
tomorrow. I want a good look at our books while
Web is away. If Reis's business is near our firm, it
wouldn't be wise to run into him accidentally."

Miranda stared at her mercurial sister. "If he
merely put off your talk until the weather clears,
why are you acting this way?"

"Because he could have delivered the message
himself. It was storming last night when he came
here. So why does he suddenly use the weather as an
excuse to avoid me? If he truly thinks it's too bad to
go meet him, he could come here," she rationalized.

"What privacy could you have if Web called again?
He could have learned Weber is handling the firm for
you. Since Reis doesn't know how often you see each
other, it might be Web he wants to avoid."

Amanda met her sister's mischievous smile. "You
think so?"

"You know more than I about men and romance. He's different, Mandy. I've never seen you act like
this about a man. I think something happened
between you two the moment you met, just like
Mama said. Reis Harrison is a rare find, and I think
you're a fool if you mess it up before you see that fact
too," her sister blurted out.

Before Amanda could tell her how silly or absurd
that was, Miranda danced toward the door, humming to herself. Just before closing it, Miranda
warned devilishly, "Watch out, Mandy; you might be
falling in love with Reis." Amanda stared at the
closed door, allowing those startling seeds to take
root in her fertile mind.

That's ridiculous! she mentally rationalized. How
could I fall in love with a perfect stranger? Perfect.
Perhaps you're too perfect, Reis Harrison. Of all the
men I've ever known or seen, none have compared to
you. Can Randy be right? Did you cast some magical
spell over me last night? If not, why can I think of
nothing but you? Why did I go to sleep thinking of
you? Awake thinking of you? Why am I so afraid you
won't come around again? Why does the thought
we've met for the first and last time cause me such
sadness and anguish? Is this a cruel joke by Fate?
Have you done to me what I've done to so many men?
I must see you again, Reis. I must understand these
crazy feelings.

Around eight that evening, the housekeeper
answered the door and delivered a note to Amanda.
Her anger returned twofold when she read it. "How
dare he!" she shrieked aloud. "Listen to this, Randy' 'Miss Amanda Lawrence, I have reserved a private
table at the Windsor for our lunch and to discuss a
possible business deal. I shall expect you at noon.'
It's signed by Reis Harrison. Not,'will you meet me';
or, 'is it convenient'; just an order!"

Miranda wanted to tell her sister she was overreacting, but she knew Amanda wouldn't listen. A
masterful man was a new thing to Amanda. Men had
always pursued her, falling over themselves and each
other to gain her eye or to carry out her wishes.
Suddenly, here was a man whom she couldn't control
or bewitch, one who made her the huntress and not
the prey for a delightful change. Obviously this Reis
wasn't overly impressed with her beauty, wealth, and
station. Miranda wondered how her sister would deal
with this unspoken challenge, a challenge poor Reis
might not realize he had issued. Apparently her sister
had much to learn about a real man.

"I'm not going," Amanda stated defiantly. "If
Mister Harrison wants to see me, he can ask, not
summon! He should pick me up in a carriage. Him
and his stupid notes! When I don't appear, that
should teach him a thing or two about ladies and
manners! "

"You're being spiteful, Amanda Lawrence. He's
arranged a business meeting, not a date," Miranda
reminded her stubborn sister.

"Then perhaps I should think twice about doing
business with an ill-mannered rake. How does he
know I'm not busy tomorrow? He could have asked,"
she reasoned petulantly.