Desert Devil (18 page)

And how dare he act so self-righteous? she thought with fresh anger. Now she recognized the struggle that had gone on within him at various times during the evening. He had been struggling with the temptation to be unfaithful to Nicole—a battle, she thought scorn-fully, that he had lost. If it hadn't been for Juli herself finally coming to her senses before—

Her thoughts broke off abruptly. She didn't want to think about what might have happened, and one part of her recognized guiltily that this was because she was at least halfway regretful that it hadn't happened.

Of course, she thought slowly, she could have told him how the pump really came to be turned off. A stiffening of her pride rejected that thought immediately. He had already decided she was some scheming little tramp, and she was not about to beg him humbly to change his mind. He probably wouldn't believe her, anyway. There was another reason for not explaining, too, she realized reluctantly. She was afraid she would break down and reveal she loved him, and she couldn't do that, not ever, after he had made plain what he really thought of her.

The unhappy fact was that no matter what had happened, she was in love with him, she thought despairingly. And that was where her anger got all mixed up with hurt and pain and shame. He had humiliated and degraded her with his cynical, scathing accusation—but she loved him, anyway.

She was exhausted both from the long hike and the emotional collision with Thorne, but she stayed awake for what seemed like hours, tossing and turning in the huge bed while thoughts and images chased back and forth through her mind. She was determined to be out of the house before Thorne even woke up in the morning, and that resolution further contributed to her restless night.

But when she finally awoke from a dead, dreamless sleep in the morning, she was instantly aware that her plans had already gone awry. Her watch was in her purse, but she could tell from the sunlight peeking through the drapes that the hour was not early. She hastily washed her face and dressed and then tiptoed cautiously down the hall toward the den. She jumped as a figure met her in the doorway.

"Oh, Miss Townsend, you're up!" Estelle exclaimed. "I'll have your breakfast ready in just a few minutes. Would you like to eat in the dining room, or out on the patio?"

Juli was about to decline breakfast and murmur that she was just leaving, but instead something prompted her to ask tentatively, "Has Thorne—Mr. Taylor—had breakfast yet?"

"Oh, my, yes. He left for the office over an hour ago. He took the pickup and said you were to use the Porsche when you… um… needed transportation."

Estelle was obviously practiced at being tactful, Juli thought with wry amusement. She was about to decline that offer, also, and hurry away with all possible speed, but a sudden reckless defiance stopped her. There was no need to rush now. Thorne was gone for the day. Why not enjoy her moment of luxury? "Breakfast on the patio would be lovely," she said firmly.

Juli went on into the den, no longer tiptoeing, and found her purse and sandals. She ignored the pictures on the coffee table. The sofa pillows had already been neatly straightened by the efficient Estelle. On the way back to Thorne's bedroom, Juli boldly peered into open doors. Thorne, she thought defiantly, probably expected some such uncouth behavior from a girl of her type, anyway. She saw two guest bedrooms, one with a warm peach-color scheme, the other a sunny lemon-yellow. Thorne, she realized with a small jolt, had evidently slept in the lilac-colored bedroom right next to his own bedroom, where she was sleeping. The bed covers were mussed and rumpled, as if he had slept restlessly, also. With another jolt she saw a door opening off the side of the bedroom. It couldn't be—but it was! When she yanked it open she was looking directly at Thorne's king-sized bed, still rumpled from her own restless tossings and turnings. How Thorne must have laughed at her, she thought furiously, knowing all the time there was an unlocked door between them.

Outside on the patio she tried to calm her thoughts. Nothing had happened. Thorne was gone now. She could relax.

She settled herself in a cushioned redwood lounge chair on the patio. The sunshine felt deliciously warm, and Estelle arrived a few minutes later with breakfast on a tray that fit neatly across the arms of the chair. There was freshly squeezed orange juice, crisp bacon, soft-boiled eggs, and an airy pastry that literally melted in her mouth. With a sigh of pure pleasure, Juli leaned back to enjoy a second cup of coffee from the little pot on the tray. Deliberately, she put all thoughts of last night's unpleasantness out of her mind and played a little lady-of-the-manor fantasy game. She imagined herself sitting here each morning, planning a busy day, then entertaining around the pool in the evening. From there it wasn't hard to imagine greeting a returning husband at the patio gate with a kiss, and there would be a couple of children tumbling happily around her feet…

She laughed at herself and her wild imaginings, but it was a certain bittersweetness about the images that made her quickly turn her mind elsewhere. It was time she was going. She stood up and stretched catlike in the sun, reluctant to walk away and leave all this for the stuffiness of the trailer. Perhaps just a short swim before she departed, she decided. Thorne would never know.

She found her bathing suit where she had left it in the bathhouse. A moment later she slipped into the silky warmth of the pool. She sidestroked and swam underwater, floated dreamily on her back and found fairy castles and furry animals in the cloud patterns in the sky. She was just watching a billow of cloud form itself into a benevolent moon face when she was startled by the sound of a car door slamming in the driveway. She floundered in the water, grabbing for the side. Was Thorne returning already? No, he couldn't be!

Then she heard laughter and female voices. Who could it be? Whoever it was, she surely did not want to be found here and have to meet curious eyes and perhaps make awkward explanations about her presence. She would just dash into the bathhouse, change her clothes, and slip out the back way before anyone saw her.

She swung lithely out of the pool and started toward the bathhouse, but too late she realized the women were not approaching the front door of the house. They were coming through the patio gate! Halfway to the bathhouse, dripping puddles of water and feeling nakedly exposed in the burgundy bathing suit, Juli met them.

One was Nicole, dressed in a plain white dress dramatized with a heavy silver and turquoise Indian squash-blossom necklace and silver concho belt. Her mouth literally dropped open when she saw Juli. The other woman was older, but slim and petite and feminine, with perfectly groomed white hair and pink linen pantsuit.

Nicole quickly recovered her composure. "Miss Townser, I believe it is?" she said, voice chilly enough to goosebump Juli's skin.

"Townsend. Juli Townsend," Juli corrected weakly, knowing full well Nicole had deliberately mispronounced her name to put her in her place. With a sinking sensation, Juli also knew that the older woman, in spite of a lack of physical resemblance, must be Thorne's mother.

That suspicion was confirmed when the older woman graciously introduced herself after Nicole failed to make any introductions.

"I'm so pleased to meet you," Juli murmured automatically. It was hardly true, of course, at least not under these circumstances. Juli felt as if she were blushing from head to toe. Her breakfast tray was still on the lounge chair. It was plain as a billboard announcement that she had spent the night here. Awkwardly, she explained about her water problems at the trailer and Thorne's hospitality, but from the frozen smile on Nicole's face and the slightly amused expression on Mrs. Taylor's, Juli knew her explanation was only making things worse. It hardly sounded believable even to her own ears. Nicole finally interrupted impatiently.

"Is Thorne here now? I see his car outside."

"No, he went to the office sometime ago. I believe he drove his pickup."

"I'll call and tell him we've arrived," Mrs. Taylor said. She started toward the door, adding over her shoulder, "He wasn't expecting us this early."

Nicole's eyes moved disdainfully over Juli's body. "Obviously," she said scathingly, loud enough only for Juli to hear.

Juli scooted off to dress, angrily berating herself for not having gotten out the minute she woke up. Why, oh,
why
, had she hung around playing her foolish little fantasy game with luxury? She took all the time she possibly could dressing and applying a touch of lip gloss and eyeshadow, not wanting to be alone with Nicole.

With relief she heard Mrs. Taylor return and say to Nicole that Thorne would be out to join them for lunch.

Juli took a deep breath and stepped out into the brilliant sunshine, her exit dialogue all planned. "It's been lovely meeting you, Mrs. Taylor," she said brightly, head held high, "and so nice seeing you again, Nicole. I must be going now, to take care of my water problems, so if you'll excuse me—?"

"Oh, but you mustn't leave now," Mrs. Taylor protested firmly. "Thorne was very definite about your staying for lunch, and I'm sure you know how disagreeable he can be if his wishes are ignored." She smiled at Juli in a conspiratorial way, as if knowledge of Thorne's arrogance made a bond between them.

Juli was totally astonished, but no more so than Nicole, she realized, glancing at the young woman.

Nicole's usual glossy composure was shattered for the second time that morning. "But… but if Juli has to leave—" she faltered. "I mean, she said something about water problems…" Nicole looked thoroughly discomfited, and one carefully manicured hand toyed nervously with the handsome necklace. Gathering herself together, however, she managed to bring some of the aloof chill back into her voice. "We certainly would not want to cause Miss Townsend any inconvenience."

Juli hesitated uncertainly. She did not want to stay and suffer through an uncomfortable luncheon, and a certain stubbornness within her rebelled at complying with Thorne's arrogant orders after the way he had treated her last night. But neither did she like the idea of meekly giving in to Nicole's anxious determination to get rid of her. And she had to admit to a certain curiosity. Why did Thorne want her to stay?

Mrs. Taylor, however, seemed to consider the matter already settled. Obviously, from her point of view, what Thorne wanted, Thorne got. She took off her pink jacket and stretched out in a lounge chair. "My, it feels so good to be home."

With a meaningful glance at Juli, Nicole agreed. "Yes, it does feel good." She was obviously making the point that this was, or soon would be, her home, also.

It was not, Juli thought grimly, going to be a pleasant morning or luncheon. She decided to abandon her stubbornness. She was not going to stay and suffer Nicole's taunts or the possibility of some further humiliation from Thorne. But Mrs. Taylor's next words stopped her.

"I called from the telephone in the den, and I couldn't help but notice the photographs on the coffee table," she remarked. "I was surprised because Thorne so seldom photographs people. He has kind of a 'thing' about it, in fact, and has been known to walk miles to avoid having people in a particular shot he wants."

Juli murmured something noncommittal, glad that now only her face could reveal the blush that seemed to cover her whole body again. Had Mrs. Taylor looked at
all
the photographs, especially that suggestive close-up?

"Thorne took photographs of Miss Townsend?" Nicole snapped in surprise.

"It was probably just an accident," Juli said weakly, but they all knew Thorne was too much of a perfectionist to make any such slip.

Not more than sixty seconds later Nicole excused herself, saying she wanted to get some things from the car. She made no pretense of heading for the car, however, and Juli knew she was rushing directly to the den to examine those photographs.

Mrs. Taylor's gaze followed Nicole thoughtfully for a moment, then she turned back to Juli. "Are you a visitor or a permanent resident here in Cholla?" she asked pleasantly.

Cautiously at first, but with growing ease as she realized Mrs. Taylor was sincerely interested, Juli explained about David's death and Aunt Kate and the trailer, finally going on to mention even David's almost fanatical obsession with the lost gold mine. The only thing she left out was David's accusation that Mrs. Taylor's other son, Jason, had somehow cheated David in the past. Juli had found nothing to substantiate that accusation, and now she wondered if perhaps it were not just some dark, suspicious quirk in David's mind, some mistaken perception of reality. He had also, she remembered, intimated to his mother that he was head of the research department at Taylor Electronics, which was certainly not true.

Mrs. Taylor nodded sympathetically now and then. She was a good listener and Juli was a little embarrassed when she realized how long she had been babbling on. Somehow it seemed more important than ever to make clear to Mrs. Taylor that Juli had not spent the night
with
Thorne. "I'd like you to know I stayed here last night because I really didn't have any water at the trailer," she said hurriedly. "At least I thought I didn't," she added, realizing helplessly that her explanations only seemed to get more complicated.

Mrs. Taylor smiled. "I'm glad my son was properly hospitable," she said noncommittally. Nicole returned just as Mrs. Taylor added, "I don't suppose you'll be staying in Cholla much longer?"

"It all depends on how long it takes to sell David's trailer and property," Juli said.

She was aware of an odd look on Nicole's face, as if Nicole were re-appraising her after seeing her through the eyes of Thorne's camera, suspecting Thorne had some special interest in her. There was a certain amount of grim satisfaction for Juli in Nicole's sudden recognition of Juli as real competition. That satisfaction was short-lived, however, wilting under Juli's inescapable memories of last night. Nicole, in the end, would be the real winner. The photographs meant nothing.

The morning passed with surprising ease and quickness. Nicole was almost silent, her expression sullen and wary. She obviously disbelieved Juli's explanation of her presence here. Mrs. Taylor carried most of the conversation with anecdotes about her stay in Acapulco. She stayed away from the subject of Thorne, evidently feeling a more neutral subject was safer.