All The King's Horses: A Tale Of Eternal Love by Alethea Downs Page B
Authors: Alethea Downs
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turned to go. “I’ll leave you two alone to say your goodbyes.”
Christy ushered Kent out onto the verandah.
“Thanks for a great meal,” he said, “I sure enjoyed…”
“Shhh…” she cut him short. Placing one palm on his chest and resting the other behind his neck she pulled his face down to hers. She held nothing back this time, and he was left in no doubt as to her feelings towards him.
“Wow that was out of this world.”
She rested her head on his chest and waited for him to envelop her in his arms. “There’s plenty more where that came from,” she assured him.
“So was that your way of telling me you want to step this up from a friendship to something much more?”
She looked up at him. “I think that rather depends on you. I’ve let you know where I stand.”
He stepped back from her and blew the air out from between his cheeks. “This has come at a really bad time for me. I really like you, Christy, but I’m no better than a pauper at the moment. No job, I lose the house in a couple of days. I’ll be living in a primitive tin shack after that.”
“Something will come up for you.”
“Maybe, but I’m never going to amount to much. I’ve left my run too late.”
Her eyes glistened in the verandah light. “You have already amounted to something. You’re kind and caring.”
“I think the world expects more from a man than that, Christy.”
“But I don’t. And I’m the one asking for a relationship. I just want you as you are. I don’t care about your job prospects.”
“But I do. I can’t support you if we decided to get married, and I certainly wouldn’t sit back and let you support me.”
“Why are you men all so proud? If it was you who had money and me with no job would it make any difference to you?”
“No probably not.”
“Then why this attitude…?”
“Because it’s the way of the world, Christy, “It’s what’s expected of a man.”
She stepped back and stood sulkily in the doorway. “I’m disappointed in you, Kent. I thought you were stronger than that. I certainly wouldn’t let what others think dictate whom I fell in love with.”
“I think this might be my cue to head off home,” he said quietly. “I’ll phone you tomorrow.”
She didn’t answer him, just remained staring off into the darkness with her arms folded across her chest.
Kent sighed, and stepping off the verandah walked along the path to his car.
“He’s a nice young feller,” Jack commented, when she was back in the house. “I take my hat off to him for taking you on when he knows about your condition.” He noticed how she immediately turned away from him and the awful truth struck him. “You haven’t told him have you?”
She remained silent.
“Oh, Christy, you can’t do that to him, Sweetheart.”
“Don’t bother me with it now, Daddy,” she snapped, and then immediately relented. “I’m sorry,” she sobbed. “I’ve never met anyone like him before, and I just want to be happy before I die.”
He wrapped her tightly in his arms. “I know, Darling, but he has a right to know. You must tell him.”
“I’m scared he won’t want me if I tell him.” Her sobs were coming quicker now.
“That’s a very real possibility. But even so, you owe it to him to tell him the truth. After all, you wouldn’t like it if someone deceived you like that would you?”
“I will tell him, I just need a little time.”
Jack frowned. “Don’t leave it too much longer. That young man is clearly falling for you. He needs to know exactly what he’s up against.”
CHAPTER EIGHT
Kent dumped his bag on the bed and looked around the tin shack. Although the roof was lined the walls weren’t. Heading into summer those tin walls were going to make the place unbearably hot. He walked to the window over the kitchen sink and tried to open it. It wouldn’t budge. Hadn’t been opened for years he figured. He would fix it when he had a bit of spare time. He
Christy ushered Kent out onto the verandah.
“Thanks for a great meal,” he said, “I sure enjoyed…”
“Shhh…” she cut him short. Placing one palm on his chest and resting the other behind his neck she pulled his face down to hers. She held nothing back this time, and he was left in no doubt as to her feelings towards him.
“Wow that was out of this world.”
She rested her head on his chest and waited for him to envelop her in his arms. “There’s plenty more where that came from,” she assured him.
“So was that your way of telling me you want to step this up from a friendship to something much more?”
She looked up at him. “I think that rather depends on you. I’ve let you know where I stand.”
He stepped back from her and blew the air out from between his cheeks. “This has come at a really bad time for me. I really like you, Christy, but I’m no better than a pauper at the moment. No job, I lose the house in a couple of days. I’ll be living in a primitive tin shack after that.”
“Something will come up for you.”
“Maybe, but I’m never going to amount to much. I’ve left my run too late.”
Her eyes glistened in the verandah light. “You have already amounted to something. You’re kind and caring.”
“I think the world expects more from a man than that, Christy.”
“But I don’t. And I’m the one asking for a relationship. I just want you as you are. I don’t care about your job prospects.”
“But I do. I can’t support you if we decided to get married, and I certainly wouldn’t sit back and let you support me.”
“Why are you men all so proud? If it was you who had money and me with no job would it make any difference to you?”
“No probably not.”
“Then why this attitude…?”
“Because it’s the way of the world, Christy, “It’s what’s expected of a man.”
She stepped back and stood sulkily in the doorway. “I’m disappointed in you, Kent. I thought you were stronger than that. I certainly wouldn’t let what others think dictate whom I fell in love with.”
“I think this might be my cue to head off home,” he said quietly. “I’ll phone you tomorrow.”
She didn’t answer him, just remained staring off into the darkness with her arms folded across her chest.
Kent sighed, and stepping off the verandah walked along the path to his car.
“He’s a nice young feller,” Jack commented, when she was back in the house. “I take my hat off to him for taking you on when he knows about your condition.” He noticed how she immediately turned away from him and the awful truth struck him. “You haven’t told him have you?”
She remained silent.
“Oh, Christy, you can’t do that to him, Sweetheart.”
“Don’t bother me with it now, Daddy,” she snapped, and then immediately relented. “I’m sorry,” she sobbed. “I’ve never met anyone like him before, and I just want to be happy before I die.”
He wrapped her tightly in his arms. “I know, Darling, but he has a right to know. You must tell him.”
“I’m scared he won’t want me if I tell him.” Her sobs were coming quicker now.
“That’s a very real possibility. But even so, you owe it to him to tell him the truth. After all, you wouldn’t like it if someone deceived you like that would you?”
“I will tell him, I just need a little time.”
Jack frowned. “Don’t leave it too much longer. That young man is clearly falling for you. He needs to know exactly what he’s up against.”
CHAPTER EIGHT
Kent dumped his bag on the bed and looked around the tin shack. Although the roof was lined the walls weren’t. Heading into summer those tin walls were going to make the place unbearably hot. He walked to the window over the kitchen sink and tried to open it. It wouldn’t budge. Hadn’t been opened for years he figured. He would fix it when he had a bit of spare time. He
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