Tender Is the Storm (19 page)

An intense autumn sun burned down on the quiet avenue, but Sharisse barely noticed, used to a hotter sun. She stood on the curb, looking up at Hammond House, long after the hired driver had gone. It all felt somehow foreign. She had not been away even three months, but it seemed as though years had gone by. And most unnerving was the feeling that she didn’t belong there.

Climbing the stairs very slowly, taking deep breaths, Sharisse was tempted to knock on the door. But that would be cowardly, and that was not the impression she wished to convey. She walked right in as though she belonged there, then stopped in the large foyer, overwhelmed. For so long she had taken all this for granted, the marble floors, the rich wallpapering, the crystal lighting; such quiet elegance.

She stood there realizing how easily she would give it all up just to see Lucas’s jewel-like eyes again. And then she chided herself. Lucas didn’t
want her: she had to remember that and make herself stop thinking about him so much.

“Miss Hammond!”

Sharisse jumped as her name echoed in the large foyer. Mrs. Etherton stood at the top of the stairs, as prim as ever, though a little shaken up just then.

“What is it, Mrs. Etherton?” Marcus Hammond called out through the doorway of his study.

Utter silence followed. Sharisse didn’t move a muscle, didn’t even breathe. It was only a moment before Marcus Hammond appeared in the doorway. He stopped, staring at her, his blue eyes quickly covering her from head to foot before they settled on her face. If she had expected to see a man exhausted from worry, this wasn’t it. He looked tired around the eyes, but otherwise there was no difference.

Sharisse carefully guarded her expression. Was that relief she saw on her father’s face for a second before he mastered his own expression? She couldn’t tell, for the sound of running footsteps made him frown.

Stephanie had heard Mrs. Etherton’s exclamation and come running. She nearly collided with the housekeeper at the top of the stairs. But Sharisse didn’t spare a glance for her sister, because she couldn’t take her eyes off her father. He glared at both of them, then said to Sharisse, “Put those things down and come in here.”

How easy it was to revert to following this man’s orders without question. Sharisse set her portmanteau and Charley’s basket on the floor and crossed the hall to enter her father’s study. A brief
glance at her sister showed Stephanie’s alarm, which made her own apprehension worse.

The door closed behind her, and Sharisse steeled herself. She couldn’t bear the silence. “You’re still angry with me?”

“Of course I’m still angry,” he said in a rough voice. But even as he spoke he came to her and drew her into his arms. He hugged her so fiercely, he squeezed the breath right out of her. Then he let her go just as suddenly. She could only stare at him amazed. He was frowning, but that didn’t alarm her now.

So it was true. He really had worried about her. Her relief was so great that she grinned, delighted.

“I think you missed me, Father.”

“Don’t you get sassy, girl,” he said sternly. “I should take a strap to you, by God. What you did was the most irresponsible—”

“I am aware of that.” She cut him short before he could work himself into a temper. “And I really am sorry, Father. No one regrets my foolishness more than I do.”

His concern revealed itself then. “You
are
all right, aren’t you, Rissy? I mean, nothing…happened to you?”

She hesitated. “Well…” She didn’t want to tell him about Lucas if she didn’t have to. “No. I look fine, don’t I?”

“Have you seen yourself in a mirror lately?” he asked brusquely.

Sharisse blushed. “I’ve been traveling for over two weeks, Father. Once I clean up and change—”

“Two weeks?” he exclaimed. “Just where
were
you? The men I hired couldn’t find you. Two weeks!”

“I…I was in the territory of Arizona.”

“That’s clear across the country! Are you crazy? The territories outside the states are barely civilized. Whatever made you—?”

“Does that really matter?” she interrupted. “I’m home.”

Marcus clamped his mouth shut. He didn’t know how to deal with this daughter anymore. He’d never known her to be like this, to be—just like her mother.

Too, Marcus didn’t want to risk another demonstration of her newfound independence. How did you explain to your child the agonies you suffered, not knowing where she was or even whether she was alive? She wouldn’t understand, not until she had children of her own. Marcus knew he couldn’t go through another disappearance, he just knew it.

“Sit down, Sharisse.” He moved behind his desk, where he felt more in command. “I want your solemn word that you will
never
leave home again without my blessing. You are of an age where a certain amount of freedom is acceptable, but you are nevertheless vulnerable. And your breeding demands proper behavior, Sharisse. Anything less is a disgrace to our good name. Do I have your word on this?”

“Yes.”

Marcus was thoughtful after that terse response. Was she truly repentant? If so, this was a good time to see just how repentant she was.

“I’m glad to see you’re being sensible, my dear. You will be relieved to know that your misadventure hasn’t changed anything. Your wedding will proceed as planned, albeit slightly delayed.”

“Father—”

“I won’t hear a single word of objection,” he told her adamantly.

“You’ll hear more than just a word,” she said, just as adamant as he was. “I can’t marry Joel. Stephanie married him.”

He stared at her wordlessly.

“Ask her, Father.”

If there was one thing Marcus could not abide, it was to have something sprung on him. His brows drew together darkly as he marched to the door to summon his younger daughter. But as soon as he opened the door, Stephanie stumbled into the room, having failed to hear her father’s approach. She stood there, shamefaced at being caught eavesdropping.

“Is it true?” Marcus demanded furiously. “Are you married to Joel?”

Stephanie trembled. She never had been able to cope with her father when he was angry. She couldn’t meet his eyes, but she managed to whisper, “Yes.”

“How?”

Stephanie gathered her courage. “Joel arranged it We…we drove upstate. We were married in a small church, and…and he brought me back home before you returned from the office.”

“You call that being married?” Marcus blus
tered. “That’s ridiculous. I will get an annulment.”

“No!” Stephanie cried.

“I will not tolerate any more defiance in this house! Go to your room!”

Stephanie turned a stricken face to her sister. “Rissy, do something!”

Suddenly Sharisse was awfully tired. Tonelessly she answered her sister’s plea. “I think I’ve done quite enough, don’t you?”

Stephanie burst into loud wails as she ran from the room and up the stairs. Marcus closed the door and returned to his desk. How he hated interference with his well-conceived plans.

“You see how easily that was settled,” he stated autocratically.

Sharisse sighed. Her father was still the ruling overlord, taking no one’s feelings into consideration.

Her eyes met his directly. “Why is it so important that I wed Joel? It can’t be that you simply want our family joined to his, for Stephanie has accomplished that. And he obviously prefers her. What’s wrong with that?”

“You are the one who will inherit the bulk of my businesses, Sharisse. And since your husband will handle your affairs, he has to be someone I feel is capable of the task. I thought you were sensible enough to realize that.”

“Then leave it all to Stephanie,” she said sensibly.

“No.”

“Why not? Why should I get most of it just because I’m older? I hardly think that’s fair.”

“You misunderstand, Rissy. I am not leaving your sister with nothing. I will simply leave her the properties that don’t require constant supervision, that’s all.”

“So you have a plan for Stephanie? I suppose you have already picked out her husband?”

Marcus frowned. “There’s no hurry, she’s still young.”

“And in love, and married. I don’t see why you can’t just switch things around, for heaven’s sake. Plans
can
be changed. Let her have the businesses you’re so worried about and leave me what you would have given her. Then you’ll still have Joel to run these businesses, and everyone will be happy. Why can’t you agree to that? It’s so easy.”

“Edward wants
you
for his daughter-in-law, not your sister.”

Her gaze deepened with understanding. Bits and pieces of arguments she had overheard as a child came back to her all at once. “It’s because Edward loved my mother and I remind him of her, isn’t it?” At his shocked expression, Sharisse became angry. Now at last she knew the reason for his obstinacy. “Yes, I knew about that.”

“How?”

“You and Mother were never quiet in your disagreements, Father, and I can remember many that involved Edward Parrington. I thought you were jealous because he knew Mother before you did. But now I wonder how many of those arguments stemmed from your guilt, Father.”

“That’s enough, Sharisse!”

“I don’t think so,” she continued. “That’s it, isn’t it? You still feel guilty for winning her away from your best friend. And you were willing to sacrifice both your daughters to make amends for your guilt!”

“That’s utter nonsense.”

“Then why,” she demanded bitterly, “are you stubbornly holding on to a plan that has long since lost its point for Stephanie or me?”

“Because you were perfectly willing to have Joel until your sister said she wanted him. Such nonsense. Did it never occur to you that she only wanted what was yours?”

“You’re saying that she might not really love him?” Sharisse frowned. Her father wasn’t aware of all the things Stephanie had done in order to get Joel. “No, I can’t believe that. She loves him.”

“She’s a child, Sharisse. She may
think
she’s in love at the moment, but she will feel the same way about a dozen men before she’s ready to marry, and that won’t be for several more years. No, her hasty marriage will be dissolved. I will not have well-laid plans ruined on the whim of a child.”

“You won’t reconsider?”

“No.”

Sharisse slumped in her chair. She had tried to keep Lucas a secret, but it wasn’t to be.

“That’s too bad, Father.”

“What is that supposed to mean?”

“Even if you did manage to annul Stephanie’s marriage, I still couldn’t marry Joel. I didn’t want
to tell you this, at least not right away, but you leave me no choice. I already have a husband.”

“You’re lying,” he said flatly.

Sharisse opened her reticule and placed her marriage certificate on the desk.

He picked it up carefully and read it. Then he dropped it back on his desk. “I’ll have that annulled, too.”

Sharisse shook her head slowly. “You can’t do a thing, Father. I don’t know about Joel and Steph, but Lucas and I had our wedding night, if you know what I mean.” She didn’t have to admit that had happened before the marriage. “I don’t believe an annulment is possible unless I deny the marriage was consummated.”

Her father turned with fury. “Then it will be a divorce!” he shouted.

“And suffer the scandal?” Her voice rose as his did.

Her mouth was set firmly, and her eyes sparkled defiantly. Marcus knew he was beaten. There wasn’t a thing he could do, not if her marriage had been consummated. For that matter, he hadn’t bothered to ask Stephanie if she and Joel…Lord, how had everything gone from bad to disastrous?

Sharisse relented a little as she saw how defeated he seemed. “If you will be reasonable and let Stephanie and Joel stay married, then I will agree to having my marriage annulled. I can find some other man you will approve of. You can do as I suggested earlier and change your plans about the inheritance. To be honest, I’m in no hurry to
get married again. Let Joel and Steph inherit what was going to be mine, Father.”

“You said you were intimate with your husband. How can you annul the marriage?”

The subject was embarrassing enough without elaborating on it. “He won’t contest it. I don’t have to be exactly truthful about what passed between us, do I? Can you arrange it with a lawyer?”

“Anything can be arranged,” he said hastily. “But let me get this straight. You’re saying this Lucas Holt doesn’t care what you do?”

“That’s putting it rather bluntly, but in essence that’s true. You see, neither of us really wanted to get married. It was a matter of circumstances, my living under his protection, people assuming we would marry, the preacher coming along—oh, Father, it’s a long story. I would rather not get into it right now,” she ended with a sigh.

Marcus would have none of it. “Don’t think you’re not going to tell me about this man.”

“There’s nothing really to tell,” she said. “He’s a rancher.”

“In Arizona?”

“Yes.”

“What is his standing?”

Sharisse knew the way his mind worked. “He’s not rich. He owns a small horse ranch outside the town of Newcomb. It just barely supports him and the few men who work for him. He catches wild horses, tames them, then sells them to the Army and to other ranchers. What breeding stock he has
started is still too young for sale, as I understand it.”

“What is he like?”

Sharisse didn’t want to be thinking about Lucas and replied offhandedly, “I guess you could say he’s handsome, if you like the type.”

“The type?”

He just wasn’t going to leave it alone. She sighed. “Dark, rugged, excessively masculine. He’s tall as well, and frightfully strong, with a body…” She blushed to the roots of her hair. Whatever was she doing? “Let’s just say his physique might be envied by some men. As for his character, well, he’s like you. Stubborn, arrogant.” Her father said nothing to that. “Lucas can be roguishly charming, too. He’s like no man I’ve ever met before.”

“How
did
you come to meet him?”

She tried to sound bored. “It’s all rather complicated.”

Marcus didn’t like her evasiveness one bit, but he had heard all he needed to know for the time being. “You’re sure he’s not for you?”