Delilah's Flame (21 page)

Dinah looked defiantly at her sister. Lilah’s tone of voice was enough to make her scowl. “Then why did you invite him for a moonlight walk in the conservatory?”

Lilah bit her lip and grasped for an excuse. “Because...because I knew Papa needed to rest instead of going to the stables. You know he doesn’t sleep well if he becomes too stimulated late at night.”

Dinah huffed out a breath. Lilah used Papa’s infirmity as an excuse for everything. “That doesn’t explain why you and Mr. Stanton were—”

“Dinah! Honestly! You misinterpret everything. I can’t imagine what you think you saw.”

Dinah got out of her chair and sashayed across the floor. She wore an impish smile. “I saw you and Mr. Stanton on the floor, and he had his mouth on your—”

“Dinah!” Lilah pulled herself ramrod straight. Nevertheless, more color stained her cheeks. “There was water on the brick path. What you saw was Mr. Stanton helping me up after I slipped. Really, your imagination is incredible.”

Dinah frowned. “It didn’t look that way from the window.”

“I don’t care how it looked from the window,” Lilah said tartly. Was there to be any end to the complications Tabor Stanton added to her life? Before meeting him, she could keep the two sides of it separate. Now it seemed her entire life was becoming a lie. But what else could she tell Dinah? She continued with the same tartness, “And in the future, if you find yourself attracted to a man, don’t use me to ensure you’ll see him again.”

“What?”

Lilah forcefully calmed her voice. “I am referring to your dim-witted scheme. I suppose you thought I would invite you along on that picnic you arranged. Or did you think I would refuse to go and you could accompany Mr. Stanton?”

Dinah, who usually didn’t try to control her temper the way her sister did, bit back her anger and sat silently for a few minutes. Who did Lilah think she was, always correcting and giving orders? She didn’t believe any of that story about slipping on the bricks in the conservatory. Something had been going on and Lilah certainly had looked as if she were enjoying it. Whom was she fooling, pretending she didn’t like Mr. Stanton? She was probably angry at him because he was leaving and she couldn’t change his mind.

Lilah didn’t love Barrett. Not that Dinah doubted her sister was fond of him. She had decided to marry her father’s assistant with the same calculating shrewdness she used to plan her revenge on their father’s attackers. Marrying Barrett was convenient for the Damon enterprises, for Papa. That was all that concerned Lilah.

Dinah was certain Barrett didn’t really love Lilah either. Maybe he thought he did. He was almost as adamant about pleasing Papa as Lilah was. The only time he talked about anything but business was when he sat on the tête-à-tête in the parlor with her. Dinah liked the way Barrett’s brown eyes glowed at those times.

Of course, she couldn’t forget that by marrying Lilah Barrett would gain access to the Damon fortune. That had to be quite an attraction in itself. Dinah’s expression turned smug. She supposed he deserved that. Having a wife as bossy as Lilah would demand some compensation.

Still, if Barrett knew about what had happened in the conservatory, he might change his mind about marrying Lilah. She had half a mind to tell him. But she wouldn’t. Barrett ought to find out a thing like that by himself. She would let matters stand as they were. If Lilah thought she was attracted to Mr. Stanton and that was the reason for planning the picnic, let her.

Having reasoned it all out, Dinah, every bit the actress Lilah was, dropped her eyes and assumed a repentant look. “I’m sorry, Lilah,” she said softly. “I didn’t mean any harm. I thought it would be fun.”

Seeing Dinah’s sorrowful face, Lilah immediately regretted her harsh words. She lifted Dinah’s chin, then hugged her. “I know, Sissy. I’m not angry at you. It’s just that Tabor Stanton is much too old and worldly for someone your age. Besides, I’m sure saloon girls are more to his taste.”

Dinah sighed and refrained from reminding Lilah not to call her Sissy. “I suppose so.”

Lilah reproached herself. She really had been neglecting her responsibilities concerning her sister. Dinah was old enough to be thinking of having a beau. Lilah offered a suggestion. “Why don’t we invite that Holmes boy to Aunt Emily’s party? He’s always been rather sweet on you.”

Dinah suppressed a groan. “Yes, I think we should,” she said, willing to agree to anything that would pacify Lilah. Of course, Dave Holmes was only nineteen and inordinately silly. He was gawky and hardly had more than peach fuzz on his face. Hadn’t Lilah any idea her sister was much too grown-up to be interested in a boy like Dave Holmes?

“I’ll see that the invitation goes out today,” Lilah assured her. “Oh, dear,” she said, noticing the hour on the French clock on the mantel. “Barrett was to come an hour early so we could talk before he sees Papa.” She frowned, realizing she couldn’t possibly meet him on time. “I still have to get Bess to dress my hair. I won’t be ready.”

Dinah smiled consolingly. “Don’t worry. I’ll sit with Barrett until you come down.”

“Will you?” Lilah smiled too. “Then I won’t hurry. I have a new style in mind, and it may take Bess a while to get it right.”

Satisfied everything was as it should be between Dinah and herself, Lilah returned to her room and called her maid. As she had anticipated, the new hairstyle took some time. When she arrived in the downstairs parlor, Barrett had already gone into Clement’s study and Dinah had returned to her room. Lilah occupied herself with a walk in the garden until the dinner hour.

*     *     *

“You look splendid, dear,” Emily said, observing Lilah’s eye-catching new coiffure. Bess had pulled all her hair to one side and pinned it so that the mass of curls tumbled over one shoulder. “Don’t you like her hair dressed this way, Barrett?”

Barrett Fenton, a man of conservative tastes, attempted a diplomatic reply. “I find it daring,” he said, taking a studious look. He set his thin lips in a smile. “Perhaps just a trifle theatrical.”

Somewhat miffed, Lilah looked up. The new style had been chosen for his benefit, as had the yellow-and-blue-striped taffeta gown with the wide flounce at the hem. She supposed she should have remembered Barrett liked simple styles, like the neat bun Dinah wore. But such severity didn’t suit her, which was just as well, since it was next to impossible to confine her curls in a sleek style.

She forgave Barrett during dinner, however, finding in his presence a kind of reassurance that life at Damon House could once again get back to normal. If unexciting, Barrett at least didn’t have her in a tizzy all through dinner, wondering if he would reveal her carefully guarded secrets. And if she went for a walk in the moonlit conservatory with Barrett, she wouldn’t find her emotions running out of hand. He was safe. She understood that Aunt Emily thought her fiancé-to-be dull, but he wasn’t actually. It was simply that he already had his niche in the Damon family. Marriage to Barrett would require only a small adjustment on her part, and small ones, after all, were the best kind.

“By the way, Lilah,” Clement addressed his daughter. “I ran into Tabor Stanton as he was leaving today.”

“Did you, Papa?” Lilah gave a sunny smile, masking her displeasure that Tabor’s name had been mentioned. She would much have preferred Barrett not hear of him. “I’m glad you had a chance to say good-bye to Mr. Stanton.”

Clement gave Lilah a curious look. “I didn’t say good-bye to him. Why should I? I took him to the stable to have a look at my horses. The man’s quite knowledgeable about horseflesh.”

A terrible feeling of foreboding crept over Lilah. The color drained from her face. “He saw all the horses, Papa?” she asked in a small, weak voice.

“Certainly,” Clement answered slowly, his eyes on Lilah’s pale face. What was the matter with the girl? Was she going to have another fainting spell?

“Even Rogue?” Lilah croaked.

“Rogue too.”

Lilah gripped the edge of the table. Her heart hammered unsteadily. All afternoon she had been congratulating herself on successfully duping Tabor again, when all along she had been found out. What would he do? Papa couldn’t know yet, not as calm as he was.

“What did he say?” Lilah’s voice sounded thin.

“Lilah, are you all right? You look ghastly.” Clement’s question brought everyone’s eyes to Lilah and added to her discomfort.

“I’ll be all right, Papa,” she answered, giving a fleeting smile. “Did Mr. Stanton like the stallion?”

“I should say he did.” Clement grinned. “He’s agreed to break the animal to the saddle.”

Lilah gasped, and though Clement didn’t think it possible, turned paler. If he could have stood, he would have rushed to her side.

“Emily,” he said, his eyes wide with anxiety, “take that girl to her room and see that she gets whatever she needs. Send for the doctor again if you think it’s necessary.”

Emily hurriedly got to her feet, holding back a suspicious smile. She did believe Lilah was smitten with Tabor Stanton. Just the mention of his name, and the girl went vapid. Emily certainly preferred him over Barrett Fenton. Clement’s assistant hadn’t a romantic notion in his head. If he had, he would have married Lilah by now.

“Don’t you worry, Clement,” Emily assured her brother-in-law. She hastened to Lilah’s side and assisted her niece from the chair. The girl was shaking. “I’m sure it’s nothing,” she went on. “In this heat it’s a wonder all of us don’t have the vapors.”

With Lilah in her bed, a cool cloth resting on her forehead, Emily asked the question she had been burning to ask. “Are you going to tell me what’s upset you?”

Lilah wished she could. It was one of those moments when pouring her heart out to someone would have made her feel immensely better. But she couldn’t tell Aunt Emily the cause of her distress. She couldn’t tell anyone, except perhaps Loo, and Loo wouldn’t be home for weeks yet.

“I really don’t know,” Lilah offered weakly. “I think maybe it is the heat.” Another lie. And soon she would need another to follow that one. The thought of it sickened her.

Emily frowned. “I mentioned the heat for Clement’s sake. I certainly know better. It’s Tabor Stanton who has you in this state. What is it, child?” She sat on the bedside and took Lilah’s hand. “Are you in love with the man?”

“No!” Lilah gasped, but in another moment saw Emily’s suspicion as an avenue of escape. I mean, I don’t know. There is Barrett, you see.”

Emily undid her frown. It was all clear to her. “What you mean is, since you’ve met Mr. Stanton, you aren’t sure about your feelings for Barrett. Is that it?”

“Yes,” Lilah stammered, wishing she could pull the sheet up over her head. She didn’t like deceiving the people she loved. But once started, there was no turning back. “You see, I thought Mr. Stanton was going away. That would have settled everything. Now that I’ve learned he isn’t leaving, I don’t know what will happen.” She inhaled deeply. “I wish he had just gone away.”

“Of course you do,” Emily consoled her. “Then you wouldn’t have to take a close look at yourself. You wouldn’t have to decide whether it’s Barrett Fenton or Tabor Stanton you care for.”

Lilah pulled the sheet up to her nose. “You may be right, Aunt Emily.”

“Undoubtedly so,” Emily responded. “And don’t you think Mr. Stanton knows it too? Don’t you think that’s why he’s found a reason to stay around? I saw the way he looked at you. I don’t believe he heard a word your father said in the library last night. Certainly he’s not still here because of a horse.”

Lilah groaned and let Aunt Emily ramble on. She had stretched her limits as far as attributing favorable qualities to Tabor Stanton went. He couldn’t have seen the stallion without knowing the horse was his. Was it possible he hadn’t yet concluded Lilah Damon and Delilah were one and the same? If so, how long before he figured it out?

Papa had said Tabor would be training Rogue. That meant he would be at Damon House regularly. What did he expect to gain by that? She shivered as her mind explored answers to the question. Had Tabor kept quiet about the horse belonging to him out of regard for her father? Or was he just waiting until he could exact a sweeter revenge?

Tabor packed the clothes bought in San Francisco and the old ones that had been sent out and laundered. When all his belongings were together, he called for a porter to have them sent to his new address. This hotel had been fine until now, but for what he had in mind, more luxurious surroundings were required.

A visit to the Misses Alden’s post-office box revealed that the letter he had sent was still waiting to be picked up. He had small hope it would be. A few hours later, Tabor watched as a valet unpacked his bag in one of the finest suites of the Fontaine Hotel. With few garments to be hung, the task took only a few minutes. Tabor tipped the valet and sent him away with instructions for the hotel chef concerning the dinner party he was giving the next night.

When alone, Tabor seated himself in a wine velvet chair behind a lacquered desk and, using the quill pen and ink he found inside it, wrote out a note. That done, he pushed back the chair and propped his feet on the desk’s shiny top. Smiling, he methodically rolled a cigarette and struck a sulfur match on his boot sole. While he smoked, he read what he had written.

Satisfied that his words would have the intended effect, he folded and sealed the note in an envelope. Two days had passed since he had found the Admiral in the Damon stable. He had told Clement he needed a couple of days to tie up some business and then he could start breaking the horse.

Two days should be long enough for Lilah Damon to stew, wondering how much trouble he would cause her. He still hoped she wasn’t guilty of anything more than buying a good horse. But the information he had carefully elicited from Clement didn’t leave room for much doubt. Lilah, Dinah, and Loo had made a similar trip to St. Louis the previous year, at a time that corresponded to Delilah’s first tour. There were too many coincidences, including the young Indian girl with green eyes and freckles just like Dinah Damon’s.

What he couldn’t figure out was why Lilah did it. Not for the money. Clement Damon had more than enough for his daughters to live opulently all their lives. By observation, he was extremely generous with both of them. Tabor’s guess was she liked the excitement. Compared to Delilah’s, Lilah Damon’s life must seem bland. But how did she justify involving Dinah? To his surprise he had learned Clement’s younger daughter was only sixteen. What kind of sister would expose a girl of that age to the unsavory activities in saloons?