"Who's there?" he demanded. Impatiently, he pushed away the middle-aged woman's hand as she fussed around him. Sacha smiled at Helen, then turned her attention to Samuel.
"Samuel," Trey said.
"Trey! Is that Katharine with you? Well, come on in, girl. You never used to be shy." Bushy grayish-white brows were drawn in a straight line over a beak of a nose. Trey had said he was almost blind, but she saw perception in the depths of those eyes.
She swallowed, his appearance a shock. She stood her ground on the threshold, even though he motioned her closer.
"Don't act like you're afraid of me," he said, his tone autocratic, demanding, but she made no move to take the proffered hand. "You can leave us, Helen," he threw at the woman who hovered. "I will be fine. Go take a break. I need time alone with my granddaughter." He looked in Trey's direction. "I need to know about the Wheeling contract. Come back later."
Trey nodded, but Sacha barely paid attention as he and Helen left. She tried to contain the pity she felt, knowing she would be doing him no favors to let it show. He looked worn out, his shock of white hair on end, as if he'd run his fingers through it. The years looked like they'd been hard on him.
"Don't be standing there, Kate, as if you're trying to hide what you feel. I won't have it. I know you hate me. That's what all the years in between have been -- at least show some honest emotion."
"Hate is a strong word," she said.
"Love, hate, it's all wrapped up. Our family always had strong emotions, never any wallowing in the middle." He reached for his oxygen nose clip, put it over his head, and sat quietly a moment. Then he grinned at her. "This is a surprise, eh? I'm sure you never expected to see me in this kind of shape."
"Trey said you've been ill." She waited, feeling as if this was dangerous territory.
"Please excuse my gruffness," his voice softened. "As you can see I haven't gotten better with age, but I am trying. Please sit down next to me." He indicated a second chair.
She complied with his request, taking the seat beside him, facing him.
He leaned toward her. "You're more like your mother than I recalled," he said, as if caught in memories. "Trey told me you're making quite a name for yourself in the art world. I would never have imagined that we had any painting talent in our family."
"Sometimes you hit bottom, and you find out all kind of things about yourself. But it's not just painting; it's who I am today."
Samuel's sigh was a weary sound. She saw the real fatigue, the blue-veined hands with their fine tremor, the pale complexion with a small flush of red on his cheekbones. He started to cough. Gripping the arms of the chair, he pulled himself up straighter in the seat. When the coughing subsided, he said. "So you are doing well. I always wondered, you know, where you went. Eight years is a long time. But you never did anything in half measures, Kate, did you?
He studied her carefully. "You never used to give an inch but now something seems different." He seemed to hesitate, giving her an uncertain look. "We have to talk about the past, about the way you left --"
"No," she cut him off, then moved jerkily out of her seat. This territory just felt too much for her right now.
"You can't pretend it didn't happen. I know I didn't take very good care of you, Kate."
"I don't want to talk about it." She wasn't going to let him ride roughshod over her, sick or not. "I'm sorry, but I can't. I'm not ready."
"I recall a time everything used to be a big adventure. You were always chasing rainbows, not worrying about the consequences." He startled her by thumping his walking stick on the oak floorboards. "What happened to that girl? Where the devil is my granddaughter?"
"Sorry to disappoint you," she offered quietly, "but she's gone. She grew up."
#
When she left Samuel's room, Helen had come back. Sacha could see he was tiring and nodding at the woman, she left the room and closed the door behind her. Silently, she made herself a vow. She was through running. She would stay for now, she could see the old man's need to reconnect with a granddaughter he once loved. She really didn't know if she was up to the task, but her stay here would be on her terms. Trey was no longer running the show.
All thoughts of Trey and his questionable motives dropped away as she walked toward the front of the house.
Despite the circumstances, she felt like she were being given a new beginning, a chance to rectify the mistakes of her past, no more running involved. If she were to expose Trey at this game he played, she would have to watch everything. But really, she wondered, why should she even care? She'd just stepped into this life for a short time. Her real life was several states away.
"How did things go?" Trey asked. Katharine turned to see him walk from a side door, the office where they had earlier met with Horace.
"As you said, he can't see very well." She heard the distinct sound of wheels on gravel. "Someone's here." They both walked toward the front door.
Trey opened the screen door with a welcoming smile. "It's Paula," he said, then stepped outside, the door swinging closed behind him.
Sacha stood to the side, watched a flashy black sports car pull up to the front of the house. A tall, blonde woman got out, dressed in a short, yellow sundress. The woman, perhaps thirty-five or so, hurried up the walk toward Trey. He stopped on the walk, and the tall, leggy blonde leaned familiarly close and said something, laughing up at him. Together they walked around the house and disappeared from sight. Was she a girlfriend, Sacha wondered, or a partner in crime? She grimaced. No doubt she'd find out soon enough.
Chapter Three
Early the next morning, Sacha jogged around the house. It was warm already at seven a.m., the sun just beginning to peek over the mountains. Pushing her hair off her forehead, she pulled a slim elastic band from her jeans pocket and tied her hair back. The air felt very still, unusual for mountains reputed to always have a breeze.
Sacha resumed jogging, keeping on the path through a small section of woods which gradually widened and turned into gravel that led to the horse barns.
She stopped in the clearing above the barns, admiring the gleaming white paint and dark green trim. The wood siding looked newly painted.
She jogged down the small hill and into the deserted stable yard and then followed a narrow footpath along a line of white board fencing. Two young horses grazed in the paddock, but they were unmindful of her as she jogged past. She passed more paddocks and out-sheds and quickened her pace, really getting into the rhythm of her run. The path circled the entire farm and went part way up into the hills beyond the pasture. The climb in elevation was a good workout. By the time she'd circled back, she estimated she had managed about five miles.
Once more by the barns, Sacha walked, cooling down, drawing deep breaths into her lungs. She put her head back, looking up at the sun now fully out. It was going to be a glorious day. Stretching her arms, she moved closer to the largest barn, peering into the darkened interior. All seemed quiet.
Resolutely, she took a deep breath and entered the barn, her steps slow as she allowed her eyes to adjust after the brightness outside.
The barn was redolent of hay and horses, a sweet, earthy smell filling her nostrils. As she walked the wide aisle, all the stalls appeared empty except for one on the end. As she drew near, the horse whinnied loudly. Sacha stared at him down the shadowy length of the barn. She heard him kick the wall and then a gray head appeared, ears pricked forward. She stepped closer to the stall.
"You are a beauty, that is for sure." She gently put up a hand but the horse pulled back, lunging in circles in the stall, eyes wide and nostrils distended. Suddenly, he stopped and watched her again, his body trembling.
"I bet you hate being inside on such a beautiful day." She could see one of his legs was wrapped. "You'll make it worse if you carry on like that." Her whispered words caused his ears to move forward and back. The horse moved closer to her and nudged her shoulder. Sacha traced her fingers over his velvety lips, and he pla
yed with her fingers.
With a final pat, she stepped outside into the bright sun. Shading her eyes, she looked across the pasture.
Several horses grazed in a lower pasture, except for one horse way up on the hill. That horse was a deep cream color. Sacha felt as if the horse was staring at her, even from this distance. With a soft whinny the horse trotted down the hill, head high, tail straight out.
Fascinated, she watched the horses come in from the field. They were obviously curious creatures. Some walked, a few trotted, only the cream color horse galloped.
She climbed on the rail, fascinated, but without warning the other horses, which were closer, veered away and ran back across the field.
Suddenly, a man yelled, "Kat!" and hands pulled her roughly down from the rail against a hard body.
"Hey!"
She turned into the man, prepared to bring her elbow up toward his head, but then she saw it was Trey. In the next instant, the fence behind her made a cracking sound as he pulled her away. They both fell onto the gravel.
Another crack of wood and she turned, surprised to see an enormous bull trying to batter the rail where she'd been sitting.
"Come on," he said tersely, "get the hell out of there. That bull would just as soon mow you down as look at you."
Sacha quickly moved away. "Why is he in there with the horses?"
"The boys just unloaded him," Trey said. "They were supposed to wait."
"I never saw that bull."
"I know."
"I was watching the -- the horses."
Three men came hurrying around the corner. "We thought he made for the woods," said the older man in the lead, breathing heavily.
"We'll talk about it later," Trey said. "Get the four-wheeler and we'll herd him back into his enclosure before he wrecks the place or hurts a mare." Trey moved away from her.
Still a bit shaken, Sacha murmured, "Thank you."
"I'm glad you weren't hurt," he said, and then he entered the paddock as a young man inside the paddock slowly drove his four-wheeler up behind the bull. Trey and one of the men also got behind and off to the side of the animal and quite simply herded him through an open reinforced steel metal gate and closed it behind the bull. The animal kicked up his heels and managed to clip the steel gate with his feet, the metallic sound reverberating around them, before he charged back into his enclosure.
#
After that potentially deadly incident, Sacha felt even more out of place. Why had he made her come here? What was to be accomplished with her presence? She had seen Samuel. He was sick, true, but the deception itself weighed heavily on her.
As Sacha prepared to walk back to the house, she caught a movement just inside the barn. The blonde woman she'd seen yesterday was walking through the barn and toward her. Today she wore dark riding pants, a light T-shirt, and high, black boots.
She extended her hand. "Hello, I'm Paula Sansone, we didn't get an introduction earlier, although Trey did mention you were back."
Sacha shook her hand, then stepped back. "Katharine."
The other woman's light-colored eyes ran speculatively over her.
"I planned on riding, but I have to wait for them to finish rounding up that bull," she said. "Are you going riding?" Paula looked down at the running shoes on Sacha's feet. "You're not riding in sneakers, are you? It's really not very safe or practical --"
"I was just finishing up a jog," Sacha said. "Um, I don't ride."
"Anymore," Trey added, coming up behind her. "Katharine, this is Paula Sansone, a client of the Rambler. We board two of her horses."
"I've just met Paula," Sacha acknowledged.
Paula threw Trey a reproving glance. "Trey and I have been friends a long time."
Trey checked the top wooden fence rail where the bull had damaged it.
Paula looked back at her. "With all these horses and this glorious land, it's a shame you don't ride anymore. Why ever would you stop?"
Sacha shrugged, letting her gaze wander back to the horses in the paddock. "I've been away a long time." The cream mare trotted up to the rail, put her head over the metal gate and leaned on it, snorting, throwing her head up and down as her hooves danced in the dusty ground.
"Well, I've never seen Rosie act like that," Paula observed.
Entranced, Sacha ran her hand gently under the horse's jaw, the animal's antics for attention causing her to smile.
"Your grandfather's had her spoiled. She won't stand for anyone but Trey on her back."
"So you let Trey ride you," Sacha said softly, tilting her head to look into the mare's brown eyes.
"Maybe she's waiting for you to ride her again," Paula suggested. "There are some horses who are a one-man -- or woman -- horse. Perhaps you should go riding with us, Katharine."
"I don't think that's a good idea," Trey said, placing a saddle on a saddle tree near the doorway.
"Oh, Trey, don't be a killjoy," Paula protested. "I'm sure Katharine must be dying to ride after all this time away."
Trey pulled a box of brushes out of a drawer built into the wall. "When Katharine's ready, she'll decide if she wants to ride Rosie again." He looked at the watch on his wrist. "Paula, I'm sorry but we're going to have to put off that ride today. I've just got too much to do, and now I have extra fence to fix. Maybe later in the week."
"Well, I'm going back into town, Trey. I won't be around for the rest of the day," she said briskly.
"I understand," he said. "Sorry plans got changed."
Sacha couldn't help but notice the other woman's impatient glance at Trey and wondered if she expected him to change his plans for her. Paula pursed her full lips when Trey continued to access the damage. As he walked back into the barn, Paula turned and walked over toward Sacha.
"Men," she said, rolling her eyes. "I've known Trey a long time. He doesn't mind letting me wait."
Sacha was shocked that Paula would say something like that to her. "He doesn't strike me like that, but then it's not my business," she said. "If they're his horses, I could understand him wanting you to wait."
"No, my Daddy has his own horses here."
"Really?" Sacha raised a brow. "Then why don't you ride by yourself?"
Paula looked nonplussed by that idea.
"If you'll excuse me," Sacha said, "I have to go."
Paula fell into step beside her. "Trey's rodeo stock, you know, he was always a drifter until we met." She smiled, and to Sacha that smile held a bit of secret knowledge. She hardly knew what to say.
Finally, she managed. "And you think I need to know this?"
Paula shrugged and laughed a little. "Oh, you know, one girl to another." Paula leaned closer and lowered her voice. "The only reason he stayed here in the first place is because of our friendship, and of course my Dad's money makes it worth his while."
Sacha firmed her mouth. "Excuse me, but I really have to be somewhere else."
"I'm sure you can't help but find him attractive," Paula persisted, the question in her voice unmistakable.
Well, what the hell. "Stop," Sacha said. "Leave me out of this conversation."
Paula's eyes narrowed quite unattractively.
"You're being damned rude right now, Paula. I am leaving."
"But --"
"Good bye."
Sacha left her on the path and jogged the remainder of the way to the house. A short while later, Sacha, looking out her bedroom window, saw the little sports car go cruising from the driveway. So Paula thought she might be interested in Trey. It couldn't be further from the truth. She was only interested in what his intentions were for the old man while she was here.
#
Sacha encountered Trey as she went back downstairs after getting cleaned up.
"Katharine, could you come a moment into the office?" he asked.
Sacha looked at the watch on her wrist. "I have a minute."
He closed the door. "I wouldn't let on to Samuel that you don't ride. Obviously, he'd find it very strange to
hear you say that."
"I don't intend to tell him," she said coolly.
"Though I could teach you if you wanted to learn --"
"Forget it. I'm not going to be here that long, and I think you have your hands full already," she added dryly. "If you'll excuse me, I promised Samuel I'd see him at eleven."
"Oh, and Katharine, don't take anything Paula says as gospel truth."
At the door, Sacha turned, a brow raised. "Like what?"
"That we're dating," he said bluntly.
"Why should I care?" she asked.
"Or that her business is crucial to this farm. I treat all our business as equally important."
Sacha laughed, her hand on the doorknob. "Then I think you should explain that distinction to her."
"Paula can be very strong minded in certain areas."
"Again, your problem, not mine. Now you'll have to excuse me." Sacha pulled open the office door. "I promised Samuel some peanut butter cookies with tea."
Trey raised a brow. "You have him drinking tea?"
"Better for him than that dark syrup he calls coffee," she said. "I bribed him. Helen told me he really likes peanut butter cookies."
Trey said. "No matter what we think about each other, I'm grateful that you're doing this."
She looked down the hallway. "That's why I'm here, right?" Without waiting for him to reply, Sacha turned and walked out.
#
Trey had already seen small positive changes in Samuel. The old man had really perked up and seemed to be spending less time looking down in the dumps, though his overall heart condition was the same. Trey even planned on getting him down to the barns later this afternoon so he could be outside and see what was going on. It had been months since he'd expressed any real interest in being outside, having spent way too much time in hospitals and shut up in his rooms.
He hadn't asked Samuel anything about his visits with Sacha, even though he was curious. He still felt it was the right thing to have her come here, but it didn't set well with him that he'd had to threaten her in the process. He felt bad about that and sensed there was more to Sacha Fortune than either the rap sheet or the artist. He still wasn't convinced of her real identity, but for now she was helping Samuel through a rough time, and that was all he'd wanted.