Blue Mist of Morning (17 page)

"It's all dry," Jenny declared, disturbing Anne's reverie.

Desperately, Anne tried to keep her mind a blank as she
gently ran a brush through Jenny's silken tresses. She was having very
little luck in that endeavor, when Ty knocked on the door, then stepped
into the room.

Almost of their own volition, her eyes met his. But if
there was a message in those dark blue depths, it was beyond her at the
moment to decipher it. He had dressed, although it wasn't even seven
o'clock. Anne supposed that meant he was planning to leave before then.
And she was right.

"I'm sorry, Anne, but Millicent's upset and wants to see
me," he said regretfully. "I think I should go."

"But what about Anne?" Jenny spoke up, her tone accusing.
"You were supposed to take her out to dinner. What's she going to do
now that you aren't going to?"

"I'm still taking you out to dinner," he told Anne,
ignoring his sister. His darkening gaze traveled slowly over the curves
faintly outlined against the satin-like fabric of the kimono. "Go ahead
and get ready. I'll be back here by seven-thirty, I promise."

The barely perceptible uptilting of Anne's small chin
hinted at her strong sense of pride. She simply stared at him, not
believing for a second that he would be back in time to take her to
dinner. Apparently her doubt wasn't lost on him.

His jaw hardened. "I will be back, Anne, so be ready to go
when I get here."

Her eyes flashed fiery defiance at his commanding tone,
but before she could make a biting retort, he turned and left the room.

"Old Millie sure is chasing him down," Jenny remarked,
totally unaware of Anne's tension. "And it looks as if she's about to
catch him, too. I guess Mother will be ecstatic about it if she does.
She always thought they were perfect for each other and was very upset
when Millicent married someone else."

"She's still married, didn't you say?" Anne asked as
nonchalantly as possible as she divided the younger girl's hair into
three equal sections. "Isn't it possible she'll go back to her husband?"

"Oh, I doubt that. They're separated now and everybody
says that marriage was doomed from the start. They just weren't
compatible." Jenny made a little moue with her mouth. "You see, he's a
captain in the Navy or the Merchant Marines or something like that, so
he doesn't make a lot of money. And he didn't come from the same social
background as Millicent did. Her father's one of the wealthiest men in
Alexandria, but her husband's family's just…"

"Average? Like mine," Anne murmured, but smiled slightly
at Jenny in the mirror, knowing she wasn't being deliberately snobbish.
She was only repeating a philosophy she had heard all her life, and
Anne couldn't fault her for that. Though her fingers were trembling,
she quickly braided the three thick sections of Jenny's hair into a
smooth plait. After making certain there was some fullness in the soft
waves edging Jenny's face, she wound the braid into a chignon and
pinned it securely. Noticing the pure white camellia in the vase on the
dressing table, she impulsively took it out and broke off part of the
stem. The edge of her teeth pressed down into her soft lower lip as she
gazed at the rose-like flower. Ty had picked it for her that afternoon,
asking her to wear it tonight, but now she wouldn't be needing it.

"Here, this will look nice tucked over one ear," she told
Jenny. "The white is just right for your dark hair."

Jenny's eyes sparkled with enthusiasm as Anne pinned the
flower above her left ear. "My, that does look pretty, doesn't it? I
really like my hair up like this. Thanks for doing it."

"Any time," Anne said softly, leaving the dressing table
to go sit in the overstuffed armchair by the far window. Closing her
eyes, she rested her head against the cushion and tucked her bare feet
up beside her.

"Why are you sitting down?" Jenny asked. "It's already
after seven, in case you didn't know it. Aren't you going to get ready
as Ty told you to?"

A slight smile trembled on Anne's lips as she reopened her
eyes. "I don't really think I should waste my time, do you?"

Jenny grimaced. "Well, maybe not. Knowing Millicent,
she'll hold onto him most of the night, now that she's snared him." She
spread her arms in an expressive gesture. "But you can't just stay here
by yourself. Bob and Meg are going to a party, you said, so they won't
even be home for dinner. Where will you eat?"

"I'm not really very hungry," Anne admitted truthfully,
though she tried not to sound too bleak. "And I'll be just fine here by
myself. I have a book to read."

"Read! On our last night in St. Croix! You're crazy,"
Jenny declared, shaking her head. "No, I won't let you spend the
evening like that. Get dressed and you can go to the disco with the
guys and me."

Though Anne appreciated the offer, the thought of going to
a disco simply didn't appeal. Still, she didn't want to tell Jenny
that. "Thanks for asking, but you're already late getting ready. If you
wait for me to get dressed, you'll be even later and Rob and Mike might
get impatient."

"So, let them. Waiting won't kill them."

"No, really, I'll just stay here."

"Oh Anne, please come. I'll feel so bad if you don't come
with us," Jenny said beseechingly, proving she could feel concern for
someone other than herself. "Why should you have to spend your last
night on the island all alone?"

Why indeed? Anne pondered, a sudden resolve stiffening her
shoulders. Why should she sit there by herself all evening while Ty was
having a high old time somewhere with Millicent Beaumont? She
shouldn't, she decided. She wouldn't give him the satisfaction of
knowing she had waited for him all alone. Besides, she wasn't certain
she could cope with the loneliness she was now feeling, a loneliness
more intense than any she had ever known. At least if she went out with
Jenny and the guys, she would have the comfort of human companionship.

Rising swiftly to her feet, she nodded. "All right, you've talked me into it, thank goodness. I will go." As
Jenny grinned, Anne hurried to the closet. "While I'm dressing, why
don't you walk over to the main house and tell Rob and Mike I'll be
there in a jiffy. That is, if they don't mind having me tag along."

Catching up her purse, Jenny laughed on her way to the
door. "I'm sure they won't mind one little bit. In fact, Rob may just
whoop for joy when he hears."

After the younger girl disappeared down the hall, Anne
slipped on the black dress and stepped into black narrow-strapped high
heels. "This whole mess is your own fault," she muttered aloud to
herself while picking up her purse. "You were the one who made the
stupid mistake of falling in love with your boss. And this time, it's
going to be impossible to forget the man."

According to the clock in the great room, it was after
seven-thirty when Anne started to leave. She smiled rather sadly. Ty
was supposed to have returned five minutes before, but, of course, he
hadn't. She realized then that she had still held some hope he would.
"Gullible little ninny," she called herself. Lifting her chin slightly,
she stepped out onto the veranda, but before she could pull the wooden
door closed behind her, the telephone began to ring. She hesitated only
a second, then shut the door firmly, deciding she would spare Ty from
having to lie about why he wasn't coming back. And the sound of the
phone still ringing brought a smile of grim satisfaction to her mouth
as the screen door slammed shut behind her with a resounding bang, and
she ran lightly down the veranda steps.

Anne made an all-out effort at gaiety throughout what
seemed an endless evening. By eleven-thirty, however, her cheeks were
aching from the smile she had maintained for hours, and she was weary
of acting as if she felt lighthearted and happy. Rob, Mike and Jenny were pleasant companions, but at this particular
time, Anne couldn't fully appreciate their frivolous banter. Even the
drink she'd had, made her feel worse instead of better. It had induced
in her a nearly overwhelming desire to cry. Now, with the pressure of
unshed tears behind her eyes, she was getting a miserable headache.
Mere companionship wasn't compensation for the loss she felt, and she
realized she really needed to be alone. She longed for someone to
suggest that they return to the bungalow but, unfortunately, it didn't
quite work out that way.

"I have a terrific idea," Rob announced loudly, trying to
be heard over the sultry beat of the steel band. "Let's really make a
night of it, okay? After a disco and a nightclub featuring the best
steel band on the island, what could be better than a party? My friend
Julie Thorpe's having one tonight, so why don't we go?"

Though Jenny and Mike chimed in to voice their approval of
his suggestion, Anne had to demur. Massaging her temples with her
fingertips, she shook her head. "I'm sorry, but I'm getting a terrible
headache. I don't think I'm up to a party. Why don't you drop me off at
the bungalow, and then you can go on without me."

At first, the other three insisted they couldn't just take
her home and leave her if she wasn't feeling well, but finally she
managed to convince them that she needed solitude and absolute quiet.
Only sleep would rid her of the headache she had. They drove her back
to the Peterson estate immediately.

"You needn't get out," she told them while alighting from
Rob's car in front of his parents' house. "Just go on to the party and
have fun. I'll be fine here. I plan to take a couple of aspirin and go
straight to bed."

"But I'm walking you to the bungalow," Mike insist-ed
gallantly, unwilling to hear any argument from her. And after she had
said goodnight to Rob and Jenny, he took her hand as they walked around
the Peterson house to the flagstone path that led to the guest cottage.
Once there, he brushed a kiss across her cheek. "Hope your headache's
gone soon, honey," he murmured. Then he waited until she had ascended
the veranda stairs before he turned to walk back to the car.

With a deep, heartfelt sigh, Anne opened the door of the
bungalow and stepped into the great room. Moonlight filtering in
through the windows provided enough illumination for her to see where
she was going, so she didn't bother to switch on the overhead light.
That was a decision she regretted almost immediately. As she walked
across the room toward the hallway, there was a sudden rustle of sound
and a dark form rose from the shadowy sofa.

Anne's heart leaped up in her throat, and she uttered a
startled cry as she recognized the looming form as a man. Immediately,
she feared she had surprised an intruder. As the menacing form advanced
on her stealthily, she took several jerky steps backward and looked
around frantically for some avenue of escape. Deciding she must try to
find refuge in one of the bedrooms, she spun around and sprinted down
the hallway, but she didn't get far before her right wrist was captured
in a vise-like grip.

"
Where
have you been?" a deep voice
demanded to know.

Anne released her breath in a gasp of relief and peered up
into the darkness. That deep voice was Ty's and now, up close to him,
she was able to recognize his face. Yet, that first surge of sheer
panic had left her too overwrought to speak, so she could only stare
mutely up at him.

"I asked you where you've been," he at last repeated
tersely. "And I want an answer fast."

Still too confused to think clearly, Anne said simply, "I
went out,"

"Don't try to play games with me, Anne," he nearly growled
at her, hard hands clamping around her waist. "I know you went out, and
I know you went with Mike."

"And Rob and Jenny."

"Really? Then where were they a minute ago when you and
Mike were outside kissing each other?"

"I wasn't kissing him!
He
kissed
me
."

"What's the difference?" Ty retorted, his voice ominously
low. "I certainly didn't see you resist his kiss."

"Well, what was I supposed to do?" Anne countered
sarcastically. "Knock him down with a karate chop to his neck or
something? He wasn't committing a crime, you know. He was only giving
me a friendly kiss. Now, I'd appreciate it if you'd let me go. I have a
headache and I want to go to bed."

"Oh no, Anne, you're not going anywhere just yet." Ty's
grip on her tightened and he shook her slightly. "First you're going to
tell me why you went out at all, when I told you I'd return at
seven-thirty."

Anne tensed with anger. He had some nerve, getting angry
with her for finding some way to pass the long hours while he played
around with his old girlfriend! Suddenly, her palm itched to connect
with his lean brown face. But her anger vanished almost as quickly as
it had come and left only disillusionment and pain in its place.

"I went out because I had to eat dinner somewhere, didn't
I?" she muttered. "And since I knew you weren't coming back…"

"Come on, Anne, you can think of a better lie than that,"
he whispered harshly. "You knew I was coming back. I promised I would,
didn't I?"

"Yes, but promises aren't always kept."

"Mine are. And you would know that if you'd bothered to
wait around here until I could return. But you weren't willing to do
that, were you?" he asked grimly, lean fingers pressing into her flesh.
"You were already gone when I tried to call here about seven-thirty to
tell you I'd be a little later than I'd planned. Unfortunately for me,
I imagined you didn't answer the phone because you were taking a walk
outside, so I rushed back here at eight o'clock."

"I'll just bet," Anne snapped. In the darkened hall, she
was unable to see the grim thinning of his firmly shaped lips, so she
couldn't heed the warning his taut expression conveyed. Her words
tumbled out recklessly. "What do you think I am? Some kind of gullible
little nitwit? You can't really expect me to believe you returned here
at eight o'clock! I'm not that stupid, I'll have you know. I don't
imagine for one moment that you'd been in this bungalow more than a few
minutes before Mike brought me back."