she said furiously, “Mr. Mallory, I’d
advise you to keep that animal out of my sight for the next few hours,” then
strode off towards the house, across the veranda and inside, slamming the door
behind her.
Chris took the now irate cat from
Alicia, carried him spitting and clawing to the garage, and shut him in.
Ignoring the cat’s outraged howls, he turned back to find James waiting alone. “He’ll
be all right there for a while. That should give Alice time to cool off.”
James nodded wearily. “I think I’d
better go in and try to calm her down. The only other time I’ve seen her this
livid was the day the will was read. Good-bye, Chris. I’m sorry the evening has
ended this way.”
“So am I. Did Alicia go in after
her mother?”
“No, she wandered off into the
garden. There’s a little ring of birches at the foot of that path. That’s one
of her favorite spots. I wouldn’t be surprised if you found her there. Now you’ll
have to excuse me ...”
“Of course.” Chris watched him go
and followed the flagstone path he’d indicated.
Alicia was sitting on a little
wooden bench beneath the birches, a pale, golden wraith in the moonlight. She
seemed as unapproachable as the stars she watched. He stood there, looking at
her, not knowing where to begin, or what to say. Finally, “Why did you run
away?”
She turned dreamy eyes towards
him and smiled. “It’s such a beautiful night, clear and tranquil. And those
stars! They’re so remote and untroubled.”
Not to be side-tracked, he
repeated his question softly.
Sighing, she brought herself back
from the heavenly to the mundane. “I hate unpleasant scenes and try to avoid
them whenever possible. With mother, unpleasant scenes are a regular
occurrence.”
“If you feel that way, why did
you come home from college when you mother sent for you?”
“It seemed easier at the time
than opposing her. Mother can be a bit of a steam-roller and I learned years
ago that there are only two things you can do when a steam-roller comes
barreling towards you - get out of its way or get crushed. I chose the former.
Father didn’t. Poor dear, he was never the man mother thought he should be. He’s
a very artistic person and always more interested in craftsmanship than
commerce. Mother couldn’t see this, and the more she pushed, the more he ...
crumbled. Grandmother saw what was happening and hated her even more for it,
and so she made Mother’s life miserable. As for Mother, she always thought she
was doing the right thing, giving him the push he needed. In her own way, she
really loves him. What he really needed, though, and still needs, is to succeed
on his own. I think Grandmother understood that.”
“And what do you need?”
“Me? All I need is to be left
alone.”
“Do you know what you grandmother
said about you?”
She shook her head.
“She said you were a Sleeping
Beauty, waiting for a prince to come and awaken you. What happened to the
prince, Alicia?”
Angry color flooded her cheeks. “That,
Mr. Mallory, is none of your business. And now, if you’ll excuse me, I’ll be
going in.” She stood and turned to go.
Recklessly, he went on, knowing
he’d never get another chance. “The Sleeping Beauty could only be awakened with
a kiss. Let’s see if it works.” And before she could protest, he pulled her to
him and covered her lips with his own. For several seconds, too stunned to
resist, she lay softly against him. Then, suddenly, she pulled away, and before
he knew what she intended, sent him staggering with a right hook to the jaw.
Without another word, she stalked back down the path.
Chuckling softly and rubbing his
stinging jaw, Chris walked slowly back to the house, remembering all the while
the warm softness of her lips and the fire in her eyes as her fist struck his
cheek.
Some sleeping princess!
Chapter 10
He stood alone, an obscure
figure, tucked away in the shadows of the black walnut tree by the gate at the
end of the
advise you to keep that animal out of my sight for the next few hours,” then
strode off towards the house, across the veranda and inside, slamming the door
behind her.
Chris took the now irate cat from
Alicia, carried him spitting and clawing to the garage, and shut him in.
Ignoring the cat’s outraged howls, he turned back to find James waiting alone. “He’ll
be all right there for a while. That should give Alice time to cool off.”
James nodded wearily. “I think I’d
better go in and try to calm her down. The only other time I’ve seen her this
livid was the day the will was read. Good-bye, Chris. I’m sorry the evening has
ended this way.”
“So am I. Did Alicia go in after
her mother?”
“No, she wandered off into the
garden. There’s a little ring of birches at the foot of that path. That’s one
of her favorite spots. I wouldn’t be surprised if you found her there. Now you’ll
have to excuse me ...”
“Of course.” Chris watched him go
and followed the flagstone path he’d indicated.
Alicia was sitting on a little
wooden bench beneath the birches, a pale, golden wraith in the moonlight. She
seemed as unapproachable as the stars she watched. He stood there, looking at
her, not knowing where to begin, or what to say. Finally, “Why did you run
away?”
She turned dreamy eyes towards
him and smiled. “It’s such a beautiful night, clear and tranquil. And those
stars! They’re so remote and untroubled.”
Not to be side-tracked, he
repeated his question softly.
Sighing, she brought herself back
from the heavenly to the mundane. “I hate unpleasant scenes and try to avoid
them whenever possible. With mother, unpleasant scenes are a regular
occurrence.”
“If you feel that way, why did
you come home from college when you mother sent for you?”
“It seemed easier at the time
than opposing her. Mother can be a bit of a steam-roller and I learned years
ago that there are only two things you can do when a steam-roller comes
barreling towards you - get out of its way or get crushed. I chose the former.
Father didn’t. Poor dear, he was never the man mother thought he should be. He’s
a very artistic person and always more interested in craftsmanship than
commerce. Mother couldn’t see this, and the more she pushed, the more he ...
crumbled. Grandmother saw what was happening and hated her even more for it,
and so she made Mother’s life miserable. As for Mother, she always thought she
was doing the right thing, giving him the push he needed. In her own way, she
really loves him. What he really needed, though, and still needs, is to succeed
on his own. I think Grandmother understood that.”
“And what do you need?”
“Me? All I need is to be left
alone.”
“Do you know what you grandmother
said about you?”
She shook her head.
“She said you were a Sleeping
Beauty, waiting for a prince to come and awaken you. What happened to the
prince, Alicia?”
Angry color flooded her cheeks. “That,
Mr. Mallory, is none of your business. And now, if you’ll excuse me, I’ll be
going in.” She stood and turned to go.
Recklessly, he went on, knowing
he’d never get another chance. “The Sleeping Beauty could only be awakened with
a kiss. Let’s see if it works.” And before she could protest, he pulled her to
him and covered her lips with his own. For several seconds, too stunned to
resist, she lay softly against him. Then, suddenly, she pulled away, and before
he knew what she intended, sent him staggering with a right hook to the jaw.
Without another word, she stalked back down the path.
Chuckling softly and rubbing his
stinging jaw, Chris walked slowly back to the house, remembering all the while
the warm softness of her lips and the fire in her eyes as her fist struck his
cheek.
Some sleeping princess!
Chapter 10
He stood alone, an obscure
figure, tucked away in the shadows of the black walnut tree by the gate at the
end of the
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