Season of Fear (13 page)

Robin put an arm around her shoulders. "I'm sorry, Sara. This whole thing is very hard on you."

"And hard on Father." It was the first time Robin had heard Sara speak sympathetically about her father. "On the outside she's beautiful, Robin, like a perfect jewel. And Father's been alone so long..."

When Sara left to dress for the day, her words stayed behind. Cookie was very, very right. The scene was set—the tension had begun. It did seem like a fuse had been lit on Ridley Ranch, and the explosion could be closer than they'd ever expected.

Despite her pot banging and general condition of upset, the meal that cook delivered to the table that night was a delicious one. The group was all in attendance: the children, Alex, Lisa, and Herman. Robin found her eyes roving constantly from the well-filled plate before her to her dinner companions, trying, as she seemed to find herself doing so often these days, to read their minds and moods and motives.

That the people present were preoccupied and tense was an obvious fact. But Robin could find no answers in their faces.

Just who was this much-remembered Deborah? And why was she suddenly appearing on the scene? Had she, as Sara voiced in fear, been sent for by Alex? Robin's stomach churned at the thought. Things had been calm, happier at the ranch since her own arrival, cook had said. Alex had been relaxed. Could he, as she so fervently hoped, have been reacting positively to Robin's presence?

Her throat was tight. And had he, upon realizing the deceit she had agreed to in order to gain a position on the ranch, have been disillusioned about her, changing his mind, suffocating what could have been the seeds of caring? And now Deborah was scheduled to arrive. Invited or uninvited. Robin had to admit to herself that she would not have blamed Alex if he had chosen such a route—Deborah. The name buzzed in her head. She was extremely relieved when the dishes were lifted from the table and she could graciously make an escape from the dining room.

She slipped out the front door of the ranch house, sucking in the first cooler breaths of evening air as the scorching sun dipped into the horizon, throwing its gorgeous glaze of red and orange across the Montana sky and the open plains.

She rounded the corner of the house, her eyes taking in the breathtaking view that she had come to appreciate. The silhouettes of the bunkhouses and barns loomed in the distance, dark shapes etched amidst the glowing early-evening sky. There was no one in sight. Robin's eyes scanned the horizon, across the plains to the low distant outline of mountains miles away.

Peace. That was the word that constantly came to mind as she surveyed the scene before her.

Yet, within the walls of the ranch house, there was not a trace of that peace to be found. A group of individuals, each obviously under stress, was growing tenser.

And why? Because the past was being remembered.

And because of Deborah.

Chapter 12

Deborah arrived. Amid the daily bustle of the ranch the arrival of most folks would have been a slightly noticed affair. But with the interest sparked by the tension in the family and guests, Deborah's arrival could not have been more dramatic if she had been accompanied by a decorated brass band.

She arrived in the late morning, behind the wheel of a sparkling yellow Cadillac, chrome glistening in the sunlight. Almost the full population of the ranch had instantaneously appeared with the first crunch of her tires on the gravel drive.

Robin stood beside Sara watching the new arrival quietly as she unfolded herself from behind the wheel of the car. From her long, tanned legs, (supporting the envied kind of body that one would expect from such legs) to her beautiful face, she was breathtaking! Her even features were set off to even more perfection by the mass of dark shiny curls that hung invitingly to her shoulders.

Her makeup highlighted her large dark eyes, adding to the sophistication of her well-fitting and obviously expensive summer dress.

Robin, clad in a cool, embroidered peasant blouse and a practical denim skirt, felt young and ordinary by comparison.

"Deborah." Alex said in a low, steady voice. "It certainly has been a while. I'll get a few of the fellows to unload your things. I'm sure you'll want to freshen up after your trip from town in this heat."

The ranch hands were already unloading the large trunk of the spectacular vehicle, methodically but in no apparent rush, their faces barely hiding their curiosity as they watched the new arrival.

Robin glanced to where Sara and Jacob and Gregory' had been standing as the car had come to a halt, but they had quietly disappeared without a word.

"Ah, Alexander," the soft voice purred. "You have no idea what a delight it is to see you again. You are looking as marvelous as ever, darling. What would really be appealing right at this moment is a tall, cool gin and tonic to prove to me that I've returned to civilization. Driving across that amazing barren desert can be a shock to one's system. How about it? Can you join me in a thirst quencher'.'"

Her eyes rolled appealingly and Robin felt distinctly uncomfortable to be standing within earshot. The ranch hands had taken their assorted loads into the house, all matching pieces of exquisite luggage, enough for a tour abroad. Deborah was obviously planning to stay for some time.

"And a gin and tonic you will have, if that is what will refresh you." Alex's voice was calm, but somehow Robin could sense that there were tensions woven deeply in his words. Anxiety? Excitement? Was he so very unhappy to have Deborah here? Or was he in fact so delighted to see her again? Robin could not tell.

"But I'm afraid to say that I will not be able to join you. Deborah. I've really got to get back to the office for a meeting with some of the hands, and then I have a long list of duties to attend to out on the range. Even with this hot weather to make us forget what a toll the cold takes on the fences and outbuildings, winter's not far behind. It keeps me busy keeping up with this place. I'll take a raincheck on the cool drink."'

"Such dedication! And why you bother is a mystery to me." She effectively batted her long lashes and gave him a smile that put girls in toothpaste ads to shame.

"I'm sure it is. By the way," he said, giving Robin an apologetic look, "this is Robin North. She is Herman and Lisa Robinson's cousin, and has been helping out here at the ranch."

His eyes were twinkling and Robin felt her cheeks were getting hot.

"Perhaps you two ladies could have a drink together as Deborah gets settled. I'll be in for supper, and I'll see you then."

He turned quickly and headed around to the side of the house, toward the office wing.

Deborah was not at all happy with the arrangement. Robin could see, as Alex moved from sight. Her eyes narrowed and she stared out into the horizon.

"Mending fences," Deborah sputtered, eyes narrowed. She reminded Robin strikingly of a cat. "We'll see how long that lasts."

"He really seems to be a busy man," Robin offered conversationally. "He works long hours each day, but I guess that's to be expected, keeping up a spread like this."

"He's a lunatic to attempt it. He could make twice as much money in a plush office in the city with his stockbrokers pyramiding his investments. It's ridiculous to work so hard when there is no need to."

She was still looking out at the vast skyline, almost speaking to herself.

"He has a great sense of pride in this ranch. He loves his work. He loves this land."

Robin could not keep the words to herself. She found Deborah's attitude exasperating.

The tall woman turned and looked at her suddenly, almost seeing her for the first time.

"Listen to the words,"' Deborah said. "And just what are your little plans in all of this? Is Herman planning to marry you off to his dear rich friend? Are you hovering around waiting for a piece of the pie, my dear? Because if you are, you can just change your tune. I'm not going to let that happen. Your vacation on this ranch is nearly over."

Rage filled Robin from the tip of her toes to the roots of her hair. "I'm not planning to be married off by Herman or by anyone else. I am on this ranch because I am employed as the housekeeper here, and I intend to stay employed in this position for as long as I am needed."

"Housekeeper!" The striking woman threw her head back and laughed. "And you spouted so majestically about 'pride in work' a few minutes ago. A little snip of a girl who must enslave herself as a housekeeper for a roof over her head. That's the most amusing anecdote I've heard all day. Little gold digger is more like it! Well, you're out of your class."

Robin tried hard to keep from losing her temper.

"There is no need to accuse or to question each other's motives, Deborah. I doubt that our paths will cross much during the course of the day. Now shall we get you that drink you were requesting?"

Deborah said coolly, "I'm sure our paths will go separate ways, my dear. After all, you are, as you say, employed as the housekeeper here. I do not mingle much with the household help. In fact, I'm sure you have many duties to attend to. Although it's been a while since I've been here last, you needn't worry your little self taking care of me. I can find and fix my own drink, as Ridley Ranch has practically been like a second home to me. And suddenly, the solitude of my own room sounds magnificently appealing."

With that, she brushed past Robin and entered the house, leaving her with her teeth clenched tightly.

Calm down. Robin warned herself. Just calm down. But as she followed the new guest into the house, she had a terrible sense of foreboding. The woman was like a case of TNT with the fuse lit. And sooner or later, it would all blow up in someone's face.

Robin threw her pent-up emotional energy into her job in the next few hours, organizing, planning, book balancing, inspecting the progress of the household girls in their cheery efforts to clean the large home, keeping herself busy and almost frantically active.

And in time, her duties fastidiously completed, she changed quickly into her riding clothes and headed for the stable. A good gallop in the fresh air would help her spirits immensely.

She prayed that she would not come into contact with Deborah as she slipped from the house. Instead, she nearly collided with Jacob, in jeans and western shirt, cowboy hat set far back on his head. He was tanned and handsome—starting to become a man at seventeen, she noticed suddenly. His eyes were bright and alive today, and the transition from the sober melancholy that had haunted him for so long was remarkable. What was the reason for the sudden change?

"Hi, Robin," he said cheerfully. "Are you going for a ride?"

At her nod, he went on.

"Maybe I'll be out later. That is, if Deborah cares to see the ranch."

The glow in his cheeks brightened.

"Deborah?" Robin said.

"She's such a great-looking lady, don't you think? We just had a talk about, well, about life. She makes a guy feel, well, so grown up. Anyway, have a nice ride, I'll see you later."

He was off in a trot toward the parked jeep in the drive, and Robin headed for the horses in the nearby corral. Deborah. Weaving her web already. And a right powerful web it would be. Robin had a feeling. To have changed the haunted, angry look in Jacob Ridley's young eyes in a short conversation was a remarkable feat. What was happening around here?

When she arrived at the corral, she found that Devil was not in sight and assumed that he was still in his stall. She opened the door of the stable, its cool darkness blinding her momentarily after the hot brightness of the sun. She stood quietly for a moment as her eyes adjusted to the new level of light.

Robin had had no intention of eavesdropping. The voices floated unexpectedly to her ears as she paused in the doorway. Two people, Sara and Mac, were deep in conversation in the backroom of the stable, unaware of Robin's appearance.

"You don't know what you're talking about, Sara Ridley. I never saw a finer figure of a woman than that there Deborah in her fancy new car. Nope, they don't make too many of them, if you ask me."

Sara's voice was strained. "There's nothing fine about her, Mac. I can't believe that you'd be impressed with her. I can't really explain it, but I just don't like her."