arranged, Theran was waiting for them under the high arches of the main entrance. He looked like a stranger to Chloe in his khaki doughboy uniform, and she felt suddenly uncertain. Oblivious to her doubt, he hugged her confidently to him and then wrung Roarke’s hand. “I can’t thank you enough, McCaslin. We couldn’t have done this without you.” Minnie hung back, but Theran beamed and thanked her, too.
“You’re welcome, sir,” the girl murmured, her eyes roving over first him and then the busy train station.
“Well, McCaslin,” Theran said as he drew Chloe under one arm, “you can leave Chloe and her maid in my charge. We’ll be in New York late tonight. Chloe can stay at my rooming house while I bunk with friends. Then we’ll get a license as soon as City Hall opens and get married there, too.”
Chloe listened to these plans with relief. All she had to do was follow along. She’d thank Roarke, bid him farewell, and Theran would take care of everything.
“I’ve decided to come along,” Roarke said in a tone Chloe had rarely heard him use. It was a challenge.
Unable to believe her ears, Chloe looked up at him. “Come along?”
Theran’s look turned ugly. “Don’t you trust me? Do you think I’d—”
Roarke stopped him with a hand. “I might as well ride with you to New York. I can’t very well go home right away. You don’t want me to be available for questioning by your future in-laws, do you? And if they know Miss Chloe’s in my care, they won’t make such a public fuss right away. They’ll be surprised . . . shocked that we’ve apparently eloped, but they won’t call the state police. So I might as well come along as the friend of the bride until Miss Chloe’s legally married.”
Chloe stared at him, a crease between her brows. Did he expect her to go back on her word? Did he sense that her resolve was paper thin? Her traitorous eyes drifted up to his compressed lips before rising to meet his rock-hard gaze.
I’m marrying Theran, Roarke. I am.
Behind her gloved hand, Chloe stifled an unladylike yawn. The train ride had taken longer than they’d anticipated. It was full morning before they arrived in New York City. Now the four of them waited for City Hall to open. Minnie hung back at the rear while Roarke stood just ahead on Theran’s opposite side. Chloe felt conspicuous in the extreme and couldn’t help fearing her father might appear at any moment. He wouldn’t be pleased.
Theran put an arm around her. He already held her hand. “Don’t worry, sweetheart. You’ll belong to me very soon.” He cast an aggressive glance at Roarke.
Chloe felt as if she were in a trance. She’d never been to New York City before. The tall, grand buildings and noisy streets—crowded with red-and-green-paneled taxis, tall green buses, and hundreds of cars—made her jumpy. Even on Saturday morning, everybody was in a hurry, honking car horns and shouting in strange accents. Foreigners called to each other in languages she’d never heard. Everything felt just too big, too strange, too complicated to settle down in her mind.
I’m getting married today. I’m marrying Theran Black.
The thought was unreal. The man beside her didn’t even look familiar. The man she’d planned to marry hadn’t worn a doughboy uniform and his hair had been longer. Whenever she tried to look at Theran, it was like peering through binoculars that wouldn’t focus.
Beside Theran, Roarke McCaslin’s profile was familiar. And Roarke had proposed to her last night. That also didn’t feel real. Why hadn’t Roarke ever said anything, made the least overture? If she hadn’t given her word, Roarke’s suit might have tempted her. But it had only made things harder for her.
“Hey!” Kitty hurried up the steps, joining them. They’d called her from the restaurant where they’d breakfasted. “Isn’t this thrilling?”
Chloe didn’t feel thrilled. Daunted and confused, she forced a smile. “Kitty!” She
“You’re welcome, sir,” the girl murmured, her eyes roving over first him and then the busy train station.
“Well, McCaslin,” Theran said as he drew Chloe under one arm, “you can leave Chloe and her maid in my charge. We’ll be in New York late tonight. Chloe can stay at my rooming house while I bunk with friends. Then we’ll get a license as soon as City Hall opens and get married there, too.”
Chloe listened to these plans with relief. All she had to do was follow along. She’d thank Roarke, bid him farewell, and Theran would take care of everything.
“I’ve decided to come along,” Roarke said in a tone Chloe had rarely heard him use. It was a challenge.
Unable to believe her ears, Chloe looked up at him. “Come along?”
Theran’s look turned ugly. “Don’t you trust me? Do you think I’d—”
Roarke stopped him with a hand. “I might as well ride with you to New York. I can’t very well go home right away. You don’t want me to be available for questioning by your future in-laws, do you? And if they know Miss Chloe’s in my care, they won’t make such a public fuss right away. They’ll be surprised . . . shocked that we’ve apparently eloped, but they won’t call the state police. So I might as well come along as the friend of the bride until Miss Chloe’s legally married.”
Chloe stared at him, a crease between her brows. Did he expect her to go back on her word? Did he sense that her resolve was paper thin? Her traitorous eyes drifted up to his compressed lips before rising to meet his rock-hard gaze.
I’m marrying Theran, Roarke. I am.
Behind her gloved hand, Chloe stifled an unladylike yawn. The train ride had taken longer than they’d anticipated. It was full morning before they arrived in New York City. Now the four of them waited for City Hall to open. Minnie hung back at the rear while Roarke stood just ahead on Theran’s opposite side. Chloe felt conspicuous in the extreme and couldn’t help fearing her father might appear at any moment. He wouldn’t be pleased.
Theran put an arm around her. He already held her hand. “Don’t worry, sweetheart. You’ll belong to me very soon.” He cast an aggressive glance at Roarke.
Chloe felt as if she were in a trance. She’d never been to New York City before. The tall, grand buildings and noisy streets—crowded with red-and-green-paneled taxis, tall green buses, and hundreds of cars—made her jumpy. Even on Saturday morning, everybody was in a hurry, honking car horns and shouting in strange accents. Foreigners called to each other in languages she’d never heard. Everything felt just too big, too strange, too complicated to settle down in her mind.
I’m getting married today. I’m marrying Theran Black.
The thought was unreal. The man beside her didn’t even look familiar. The man she’d planned to marry hadn’t worn a doughboy uniform and his hair had been longer. Whenever she tried to look at Theran, it was like peering through binoculars that wouldn’t focus.
Beside Theran, Roarke McCaslin’s profile was familiar. And Roarke had proposed to her last night. That also didn’t feel real. Why hadn’t Roarke ever said anything, made the least overture? If she hadn’t given her word, Roarke’s suit might have tempted her. But it had only made things harder for her.
“Hey!” Kitty hurried up the steps, joining them. They’d called her from the restaurant where they’d breakfasted. “Isn’t this thrilling?”
Chloe didn’t feel thrilled. Daunted and confused, she forced a smile. “Kitty!” She
Similar Books
