No Place for a Lady (19 page)

"Besides, I'm not just doing this for you" His voice grew softer.
"I'm doing it for Kate:" Crystal squeezed his hand.

Luke's blue eyes scanned the room and fell on josh and Crystal.
She seemed to be having a good time, and josh was making sure of
it. His arm was possessively around her waist as the dance ended.
Luke took his time walking over to where they stood talking with
Emily and Jube. Throughout the evening he had entered into
conversations with the senator and other respected community
leaders, and they listened with interest to what he had to say.
Women, married or single, twittered whenever he came near,
and he responded in his usual charming fashion, knowing full
well how he affected them. Now as he stopped at Crystal's side,
he noted Josh's rapt attention to her.

Luke touched her elbow. "I wondered if you would give me
the pleasure of the next dance" His eyes swept across her slender
throat and shoulders, where curling tendrils touched, and then
up again to look into her sparkling eyes.

"Well ... I was going to sit this one out .." She stammered an
excuse, but josh nodded. "Go ahead, Crystal. Later we'll all be
resting with our meal. The kitchen has been buzzing for hours
in preparation:"

Without waiting for an answer, Luke pulled her to the center
of the room as the strains of a waltz began. The skin on her bare
arms was as soft as a rose petal, and moisture dampened the curls
at the nape of her neck. There was a sweet scent that clung to
her, but Luke couldn't discern its origin. "That fragrance you're
wearing, what is it?"

"It's gardenia, made from a beautiful white flower that grows
in the South. Do you like it?"

He nodded. "Yes ... it's very different. It suits you:" She looked
up at him as he swept them across the floor, weaving her between
the other dancers with certain elegance. The span of her waist was
barely wider than his open palm against her back. Luke enjoyed
dancing with her, gliding in the glow of the soft gaslights, and
holding her this way.

"You seem to be having a good time" He smiled down at her.
The lights made her green eyes sparkle with brilliance. Luke was
afraid to linger there too long, afraid that he could get lost in
their depths.

"I am. You are quite a good dancer, Mr. Weber:'

"Have to be. Have to keep the ladies happy"

"Yes, they are all lined up, just waiting their turn;' she mocked.

He leaned his head down. "Except you;' he whispered.

"What?"

"Uh ... I was saying, I'm getting a little hungry. Be glad to have
that midnight snack they promised us," he lied. What he really
wanted was to bury his head in her sweet-smelling hair, which lay
against beautiful shoulders encircled by the lavender silk gown.
After his conversation earlier with McBride, he would have to
keep his head about him. He wanted that land on the Blue River
more than he wanted anything, and McBride had promised to
give it to him as a wedding gift when he married his daughter.
Soon Crystal would be returning to her homeland and to Drew
anyway, who must be waiting for her. Then the ranch would go
up for sale, if McBride didn't concoct a scheme to snatch it from
her. So Luke decided to just enjoy the moment while he could.

"I think Jube and Emily are perfect for each other, don't you?"
Crystal's eyes followed them as they danced, seemingly oblivious
to everyone else in the room.

"He does seem taken with her, I'll admit:"

I think her mother has different plans for her, though."

"Is that right? Well, I'm no expert, but there's one thing a body
can't do, and that's telling another where to put his heart-" He was
interrupted with a tap on his shoulder from the reverend, but Luke
caught the frown on Crystal's face when he released her hand.

It was not until the food was served that the orchestra stopped
playing. Guests filled their plates with cold chicken, thick slices of
roast beef, creamed peas, boiled potatoes, and fluffy rolls. Dessert
was to be served last, along with a surprise.

Crystal sat with the Franklins and the Johnsons. The men stood
about, allowing the ladies to sit and then balance their plates on
their knees. Jim McBride stood in front of the punch bowl, now
half empty, with April and Luke at his side.

"Ladies and gentlemen, would you give me your attention for
a moment? I know that's hard to do when you men have worked
up such an appetite .." Laughter reverberated from one end of
the ballroom to the other. "As you know, we are here to celebrate
my daughter's eighteenth birthday. It is also with great pleasure
that I announce to you April's engagement to Luke Weber. Please
join with me now in a toast to this happy couple and to April's
birthday" He raised his glass to a smiling April. Her arm was linked
to Luke's, whose face looked more somber than lighthearted for
a man who had just become engaged.

Crystal's heart slammed hard against her chest, and she could
only watch as others raised their glasses with loud cheers and
laughter to the happy couple. She looked at Luke, but his face
was turned away as friends came up to shake his hand and thump
him on the back. The piece of chicken she chewed on stuck in
her throat, threatening to choke her. She's not right for you! Not
April! Can't you see that?

Her mind was playing tricks on her. How in the world could
she be so drawn to Luke? Because he likes to be in control and so
do I. Crystal took a deep breath, fighting with her emotions. I
don't even know if he believes in God. All of these thoughts were
swirling in her mind like bullets bouncing off tin cans at target
practice.

He had just been flirting for the fun of it, she finally admitted
to herself. She wished that she could talk to Kate.

Amid the din, a path was cleared as a servant wheeled a tea
cart laden with an enormous birthday cake flaming with candles
into the center of the room. The reverend started singing "Happy
Birthday to You;" and the rest of the crowd joined in. From across
the room Crystal caught Rusty's eye, and she pretended indifference.

"Well, what do you know about that!" Sara said with a sharp
intake of breath.

Mary Franklin, her mouth forming a tight line across her
protruding teeth, snapped her disapproval. "Humph! She's been
throwing herself at him for the last year."

Emily turned to look at Crystal and placed her hand on hers
as if sensing her feelings, to let her know she understood. Crystal
stared down at the rest of the food on her plate. The roll soaked
up the juice from the creamed peas.

Josh appeared with two slices of cake, one of which he handed
to Crystal. "Boy! What a surprise. I guess I didn't know they were
that serious, but if that will make April happy, then I'm happy
for her"

Crystal said nothing and looked at the cake. If it had been any
other time, she would have enjoyed its light, fluffy texture and
rich icing. Instead she picked at it.

"Is something wrong, Crystal? You've not touched the cake."

"Not at all. I've had a very nice evening" When she forced a
smile, his face softened and his shoulders relaxed.

What about all those signals I got from Luke just this morning?
Crystal thought. He doesn't care about me at all.

"I was thinking that I'd better go congratulate the happy pair."
She put down the cake.

"I'll go with you:" Emily followed Crystal across the room.

Luke stood motionless as Crystal approached him. She flashed
him a strained smile and wished him well, then shook his hand
with her trembling one and moved toward April.

Luke stared after her. Well, so much for worrying about her
reaction. She seemed downright pleased as she sashayed on over
to congratulate April. He watched them talking together and drew
a sharp comparison between them. April, tall and slender, had a
composed, hard look etched on her face as she coolly accepted
Crystal's wishes. Crystal, petite and gently feminine, head tilted
upward, gave her most gracious smile with decorum. He was
unable to hear what was said because the cowhands chose that
precise time to pound him on the back with congratulations.

"Guess your money problems are over now, boss," Curly
said.

"Reckon you'll live in this mansion now. I hear they have six
bedrooms. Take your pick:" Kurt laughed.

"When's the wedding to be?" Jube asked.

"Nothing's been decided yet, boys. One thing at a time;' Luke
answered. All the while his mind was somewhere else, on the
beauty in the lavender dress.

"Crystal, how kind of you to wish us well," April remarked
tritely.

Crystal's smile faded. "It's the least I could do for my foreman:"

"He won't be that much longer, I'm afraid" April's eyes fluttered back at Crystal.

"Don't be too sure. Luke's not a man to sit around and twiddle
his thumbs, darling," Crystal drawled.

"I always get what I want, one way or another;' April said, her
blue eyes turning to liquid steel.

"Well, if what you want is a stubborn, thick-headed cowboy,
I say good luck. I think you're going to need it:" Crystal spun on
her heels, leaving April sputtering words under her breath.

What Crystal wanted to do was cry. She was desperately trying
to be kind and considerate; after all, Luke had never said anything
to make her think he liked her in that way. She looked across the
dance floor for josh and made her way toward him with the best
smile she could muster. He deserved a fine Christian woman.

April turned to Emily, feigning indifference. "Having a good
time, Em?"

"I think the good time just came to an end. I wanted to tell you
thanks for having us, but I think Papa is ready to leave now."

"Before you go, a word of advice:" April's blue eyes narrowed.
"I think you should stick to the reverend. You two would make
a perfect couple. Besides, Daddy donated the pastor's home, and
you'd have a small parcel of land to go along with it. Jube has
nothing whatsoever."

"Strange, April, I thought you were marrying a cowboy, and
I don't see that there's any difference at all." Emily walked past
April without a backward glance.

Josh retrieved the carriage, then waited patiently while Crystal
and Emily parted. Crystal promised Emily that she would attend
the quilting circle the following Saturday. Lifting her at the waist,
Josh swung her lightly up into the carriage. The fun of the party
and the dancing had seemed to loosen his normal unobtrusive
manner, and he was in high spirits.

While Josh talked, Crystal murmured the appropriate response,
but her mind was trying to shut out the vision in her head of the
handsome couple happily accepting congratulations. Stop it! she
told herself. You have a finegentleman at your side who thinks you
are wonderful and witty. She turned her attention to josh, and in
spite of her thoughts, Crystal was soon laughing, especially when
he described Widow Miller.

"She is as big as a watermelon about to burst. Widow Miller
was lavishing all her attention on Reverend Alden and promising
to fatten him up. He's so thin he could be used as a buggy whip;'
Josh said, and Crystal's laughter joined his.