Tracie Peterson - [Desert Roses 01] (10 page)

They started back up the rock-walled path to the lighted walkway above. Chattering about the day and nothing in particular, Alex realized she liked Bernice’s gentle, sweet spirit. The girl was only eighteen, but with a huge family at home, she’d had to grow up quickly.

“The tips have been so much better than I could have imagined,” Bernice said, beaming. “I’ve managed to send several dollars home to my folks, and tonight I made at least four dollars!”

“Yes, the patrons are usually quite generous,” Alex agreed.

“Oh, dear,” Bernice said, her voice lowering.

Alex looked to her as they came to the top of the rim walk. “What’s wrong? Are you ill?”

Bernice shook her head. “It’s your father. He sees you and he’s coming this way.”

Alex looked up the lighted path toward El Tovar. Sure enough, there he was. Striding in his anger, Rufus Keegan looked to be a man with something on his mind. Alex shivered.

“I’ll stay with you,” Bernice promised.

“No, I can handle him. You don’t need to be in the middle of this.”

Bernice looked thoughtfully at Alex. “But if I’m here, he might hold his tongue.”

Alex laughed bitterly. “You don’t know my father very well. He doesn’t hold his tongue for anyone.”

“Alexandria!”

Alex said nothing and refused to move.
Let him come to me if he needs to talk so badly
.

Rufus was slightly out of breath as he joined the two women. “I’d have a word with you—alone.”

“I’ll be going now, Miss Keegan,” Bernice said in a voice barely above a whisper. “Unless you want me to stay.”

“She does not. Be gone with you, girl,” Alex’s father said without giving Alex a chance to speak for herself.

“Yes, Bernice, just as I told you a few seconds ago, you needn’t stay.”

Her father looked miffed that she should interject her own authority in the matter, but he said nothing.

Bernice hesitantly took off in the direction of El Tovar, glancing back over her shoulder as if to make certain Rufus Keegan wouldn’t rise up as some legendary monster and eat Alex alive. Alex waited until Bernice was well up the path before she turned her gaze upon her father. She knew her expression couldn’t help but reveal the anger she felt inside, still she tried to keep her temper under control. “What do you want? Why aren’t you in Williams, living the good life?”

Keegan leaned closer. “I’m not here to answer your questions. I’m here to give you an order. Play the game in a more cooperative manner, or pay the price.”

“I’m sure I don’t understand.”

“And I’m just as certain you do.” He leaned in closer. “You’re going out of your way to embarrass me in front of the Winthrops, and I’ll not have it.”

“Me? Embarrass you?” She laughed and moved to walk away. “That’s a bit like the pot calling the kettle black.” She held up her hand. “And please don’t further degrade yourself by making a pretense that you don’t know what I’m talking about.”

“I know all about the wrongs you suppose I’ve done you,” her father replied, keeping pace with her for a ways. “What’s happened is my business, not that of my daughter. A man
does not give life to a child only to be ordered about and condemned by that same child twenty-four years later.”

“I’m surprised you even know my age. The knowledge certainly doesn’t come from your devoted presence in my life.”

Her father reached out and stopped her. “Don’t meddle in this, Alexandria. You cannot hope to win. I, on the other hand, am very good at bucking the odds. I will have my appointment in Washington with the Winthrop administration. I will have the prestige and fame accorded me.”

“Wear laurels in your hair for all I care,” Alex said stepping away from her father’s touch. “Have your fame and glory, but leave Mother and me alone.”

“You have no right to order me around. I’m here to tell you that, from now on, if anyone in the Winthrop party so much as asks you to jump—you jump.”

Alex could take no more. “Why do you do this? Why not divorce my mother and let us go about our lives in an orderly and pleasant fashion? You don’t need either one of us. We have no political ties to anyone and therefore merit very little of your attention. A divorce would be the simple solution.”

“That’s how much you know,” Keegan replied, his face reddening as if he’d reached the limits of his patience.

Alex didn’t care. Let him rant and rage.

“I’ll never divorce her,” he said flatly. “Your mother is my property and my responsibility. She’ll stay at my side when I want her there and remain at home when I do not.”

“But a divorce would give you the freedom—”

“No divorce!” He reached out again as if to take hold of her shoulders, but Alex was too quick for him. Shrugging, he repeated. “No divorce.”

“What if mother divorces you?”

“She wouldn’t dare. I’d never allow her to bring such a scandal upon us.”

“Her? Bring scandal? What about you? What about ‘Keegan Chooses Wrong Mount’? Everyone from here to the capital
knows what you’re doing and with whom. I hardly see Mother seeking a divorce to be much of a scandal.”

“If you encourage her to try such a thing, I’ll see that both of you suffer.”

“What do you suppose we’re doing now?” Alex questioned. “Do you realize I don’t remember a time when I felt you truly loved me? Do you have any idea what it’s like to grow up seeing other children share close relationships with their fathers, knowing you will never have the same thing?”

“Spare me your sob stories. Great men of power seldom have time for such nonsense.”

“But that’s the truly funny part,” Alex countered. “You are neither a great man, nor a man of power. You fancy that because your bank account shows a tidy sum that you have somehow earned the respect and honor of your fellow citizens, but it isn’t so. You’re the laughingstock of this resort. The only reason you’re even allowed here is that your money spends as well as the next man’s. You were the laughingstock of Williams and probably still are, and the only reason anyone tolerates your antics is the fact that you have money, along with their insane love for a juicy piece of gossip.”

“Enough! I won’t be talked to in this manner. You need to remember what I’ve said. You may not care for the harm I cause you, but I think you’ll agree that your mother is hardly strong enough to endure my wrath should I find it necessary to punish you through her.”

“You had better not hurt her.”

“That, my dear, will be entirely up to you,” he said, sounding as though he’d regained his composure.

Alex realized the impasse. There was no way to deal with this now. She would simply have to make her plans and steal her mother away when her father least expected it.

“Do you understand me?”

“Yes. I understand you perfectly,” Alex replied. She met his dark gaze and feared for her mother’s life. Would he go so far as to kill her?

“Good. There will be no divorce. Not now—nor ever.”

CHAPTER NINE

Wearing nothing but a thin satin nightgown, Valerie Winthrop threw herself into Luke’s cabin, screaming as she entered.

Luke stared at her in surprise, not having a clue about what to say or do.

“There’s something out there,” she said, backing against the wall. “I heard it. It was chasing me.”

Luke went to the open door and looked out. The wind blew gently, while thunder rumbled in the distance. “I don’t see anything.”

He looked back to Valerie and shook his head as if to confirm it. “There’s nothing out there.”

“I know something or someone was out there. I could hear them saying my name—low and mournful.” She rubbed her bare upper arms, the action causing the deep cut of her neckline to reveal more cleavage. She batted her lashes and pouted. “Don’t send me back out there.”

Luke shook his head and reached for his shirt. “I’ll go check things out.” He’d barely pulled the shirt on when Valerie threw herself against him. Her momentum nearly sent Luke off-balance, causing him to reach involuntarily out to Valerie. As he grasped hold of her, she tightened her grip on him as well.

“Don’t leave me,” she whispered. “I’m afraid.” She looked up into his face, appearing absolutely terror stricken.

“I’m sure it’s all right,” Luke said, trying to put her away from him as he regained his stance.

Valerie would have no part of his action and tightened her hold on him. “No! I know what I heard.”

“Then someone’s just playing a game with you.”

Forcing her away from him, Luke pushed her back toward the bed. Pulling on his boots, he said, “Stay here and I’ll go scout things out.”

He headed out of the cabin, uncertain of what to do once he confirmed the safety of the area. Thunder sounded overhead. Luke wondered if they’d have rain and if that rain would make the trip back to the rim more difficult.

Seeing and hearing nothing out of the ordinary, Luke walked back to the cabin, buttoning his shirt as he went. He didn’t have time to tuck it back into his jeans before he re-entered the cabin to find Valerie stretched out across his bed.

Striking a seductive pose she said, “Did you chase away the boogeyman?”

“I saw no evidence that he was out there. Now come on, I’ll walk you back to your place.”

“Why not let me stay here with you? I won’t be missed. Besides, you have two beds,” she said. Then giggling she added, “But this one looks big enough for both of us.”

Luke was starting to feel angry. “Ma’am, I haven’t the least bit of interest in accommodating you.”

“You don’t like me?”

“Frankly, no.” Luke motioned to the door. “Come on.”

“Why don’t you like me?”

“I’ve never cared for fast women.”

“I’m not fast,” she said, laughing. “I’m just purposeful. When I see something I like, I go after it.”

“Well, I don’t care for that kind of woman either.”

“Is there someone else? Is that what this is really about? Do you have a sweetheart?”

“I wouldn’t exactly say that,” Luke responded, not even sure why he was bothering.

“There is someone!” Valerie sat up in the middle of the bed. “What’s her name?”

“None of your business. Now get out of my bed, and let me walk you back to your cabin.”

“Not until you tell me her name.”

Luke had taken all he was going to take. Marching to the bed, he lifted Valerie from the mattress and set her on the floor. Again her grip on him was almost painful.

“Don’t be mad at me. You and I could have a great time together. I know it.”

Just then, Clancy walked through the open door. “Hey, why’s the door . . .” He paused, taking in the sight.

“Miss Winthrop was sure that something was chasing her,” Luke said, forcing her once again away from him. “Would you walk her back to her cabin, Clancy?”

Clancy eyed the barely clothed Valerie and then turned his gaze to Luke again. There were a dozen unspoken questions in his expression, but thankfully he didn’t vocalize a single one.

“Sure thing, boss.”

Luke breathed a sigh of relief, but it was short-lived. Valerie Winthrop was not a happy woman. She’d been scorned and denied, and as a rich socialite, she was probably not used to either one.

She frowned at him, her eyes narrowing as her brows came together ever so slightly. “This isn’t settled between us,” she whispered.

“Yes, it is,” Luke replied. “Keep your distance. I don’t have time for these games, and I’ll not allow you to put the party in jeopardy tomorrow when we make our ascent. Keep that in mind. At the first sign of trouble, I’ll separate you from the group and have Clancy escort you alone.”

Valerie grew hateful then. “I can’t tell you how much you’ve offended me. All I wanted was a little fun in this hideous place. You’ve made a terrible mistake.”

“The error is on your part, Miss Winthrop. Good night.” He hoped his firm tone would assure her of his purpose. Turning away from her, he went to the far side of the room and pretended to busy himself with poking up the fire.

“Come on, Miss Winthrop. I’ll see to it that you get back safe and sound.”

Luke heard Clancy’s gentle tone and hoped that Valerie wouldn’t take out her anger on him. Clancy was a sweet, gentle-natured fellow—Luke hated the thought of Miss Winthrop sinking her claws in him.

It wasn’t until Luke heard the door close behind them that he stood and replaced the fire poker. He looked at the closed door for a long time. Why in the world had she singled him out? With the exception of two other women, both older and both obviously married, Miss Winthrop was the only female in their group. She was the obvious interest of the dozen or more men who had joined their party into the canyon.

“So why come after me?” he questioned aloud. He pulled off his shirt and draped it back over the chair. Sitting on the edge of the bed, his gaze still fixed on the door as if Valerie Winthrop might somehow rematerialize, Luke pulled off his boots and shook his head. “Why?”

Clancy returned about that time and Luke couldn’t help but feel a wash of embarrassment over the episode. Clancy looked at him, as if awaiting an explanation. Luke shrugged. “She just burst in here unannounced and threw herself at me. I’m telling you, I’ve never seen anything like it.”

Clancy smiled. “She smells good, I’ve got to give her that.” He closed the door and walked to his own side of the room. “She isn’t very happy with you.”

“I don’t care,” Luke said, standing to take off his jeans. He thought better of it and decided to sleep with them on. Just because Clancy was here didn’t mean she might not sneak back, and if that happened, Luke intended to be at least partially clothed.

“She was crying and telling me that nobody cared about her,” Clancy said, tossing his hat to a hook. “I felt sorry for her.”

“Don’t,” Luke said angrily. “She has an entire entourage of men who would be more than happy to entertain and care for her. She’s just playing games with me. The problem is, I don’t know why.”

“Maybe she has some kind of bet with that Mr. Harper character. They seem a strange bunch. Someone said she’s engaged to Harper. If that’s the case, why is she here with you?”

“Exactly,” Luke said in complete exasperation. He trusted Clancy not to make a big deal out of the situation, but he felt he needed to say something. “Clancy, I’d appreciate it if you’d keep what happened here tonight just between us.”