The Widow and the Wastrel (13 page)

"You've been counting!" Amy's brown eyes rounded in astonishment.

"Nonsense, I—" Her protest was defensively automatic, but the expressions on both their faces mirrored their disbelief.

"How many times, Liza?" Jed prompted softly.

Flustered for a second, Elizabeth turned back to the counter; their infectious humor was beginning to replace her chagrin. A smile hovered near the surface.

"Make her tell, Uncle Jed." Checked laughter rippled through Amy's voice. "I knew she was counting!"

At the scrape of the chair leg, Elizabeth glanced over her shoulder. At the sight of Jed's deliberate approach, her heart pattered wildly against her ribs.

"We shouldn't be making fun of Mrs. Garth this way," she protested again. For too many years, her life had been ruled by strict courtesy for Elizabeth to succumb easily to their amused, yet innocent mockery. "She can't help it."

"How many, Lisa?" A wide smile was daring her to continue to withhold the information.

Elizabeth pivoted to face him, her fingers closing over the hard counter top pushing into her back. "It isn't polite." Good judgment and discretion were rapidly being overtaken by the onslaught of his amused gaze.

"How many?" Jed persisted.

He was in front of her now; his nearness weakened her resistance. A smile started to break through and Elizabeth pressed her lips tightly together, glancing wildly at her daughter. But he had seen the laughter glittering in her green eyes. The touch of his hands on her shoulders brought it bubbling to the surface in soft giggles.

"Jed, Please!" It was a half-hearted protest through her laughter that acknowledged she was about, to give in. Her palms spread across his chest in an effort to keep his intoxicating length at a safe distance.

Tilting back his head, he chuckled quietly in victory and drew her closer, locking his arms around her waist. "You can't escape, Liza, until you tell us."

"Seventeen." Her answer was immediate and breathless.

Another sneeze was heard and they all broke into open laughter. Tears filled Elizabeth's eyes and she couldn't remember the last time she had laughed this hard. It was a wonderful, joyous sensation, especially since she was sharing it. Gradually it lessened into deep breaths for control. She found herself nestled under the crook of his arm, her head resting weakly against his shoulder.

Curving his hand under her chin, Jed raised it to inspect her face, and Elizabeth was much too contented and happy to do any more than gaze at his compellingly masculine features as he grinned at her.

"I've never seen you look more beautiful," he murmured huskily, the gold light in his eyes burning over her face. "You should laugh like that more often."

"Really?" she whispered, basking in the fiery warmth, unable to decide whether the heat racing over her skin came from contact with him or was born inside herself.

"Yes, really." Although there was mocking amusement in his voice, it wasn't the message she saw written in his gaze as he slowly turned her into his arms, his hands moving in an arousing caress down her shoulders and spine to mold her closer against him.

A tiny sound from the table reminded Elizabeth suddenly that they were not alone, Amy was watching them with obvious interest. Quickly she averted her head from Jed's descending mouth, gasping slightly as he settled on the lobe of her ear.

"Jed, please," she whispered with a self-conscious glance at her round-eyed daughter. "N-not in front of Amy."

He lifted his head a few inches from hers in seeming discretion, a crooked smile twisting the sensually male lips. The glitter of his eyes never left her face.

"Amy, do I have your permission to kiss your mother?" he asked quietly. The grooves around his mouth deepened at the rush of pink in Elizabeth's cheeks.

"Yes," Amy answered quickly with a broad, conspiring look, and settled into her chair to watch.

"You see?" he mocked.

This time he didn't take any chances that Elizabeth might avoid his kiss, but held her chin firmly until he had taken possession of her mouth. At his masterful touch, she surrendered to the whirl of inevitability, let ting the waves break over her head and become submerged in the superior force of his attraction.

A horrified gasp broke through the ardency that was about to carry Elizabeth completely away. As she broke away from the addictive pressure of his lips, her startled gaze encountered the shocked faces of three members of the Literary Club. At her twisting turn, Jed partially released her from their embrace, keeping one hand firmly around her waist and in plain view of the ladies. Before he glanced at the trio, his gaze mocked Elizabeth's crimsoning complexion.

"Was there something you ladies wanted?" he inquired with unbelievable calm.

"We were just leaving," one of them sniffed.

"We thought we, should see Elizabeth and offer our goodbye," a second responded, a brow arching at Elizabeth in disapproval.

The third woman merely looked from Elizabeth to the gleaming Amy and back to Elizabeth. Her indignant shock was more condemning in its silence than the rest. Stiffly Elizabeth thanked them for coming.

The three women were barely out of the kitchen before the rapid exchange of their voices could be heard, no doubt comparing reactions. Only then did Jed remove his hand from her waist, lighting a cigarette from his picket and letting his contemplative gaze dwell on the uncomfortable warmth still reddening her face.

"Does it bother you that you're going to be the subject of a lot of talk?" His tone challenged despite the softness of his question.

"Yes," Elizabeth swallowed. "It does a little."

"Jeremy was always the apple of the town's eye, not me. Are you ashamed to be seen with me?"

Her gaze bounced away from the harshness in his otherwise calm expression. "Not ashamed," she hedged. "I would have been self-conscious with anyone."

Jed studied her face for a long moment. The expression in his own masculine features was unrelenting. Then he turned to walk away.

"Jed." Her whispered plea called for his understanding.

Without glancing back, he paused beside her daughter's chair, and Elizabeth noted the faint softening of his profile as he gazed into Amy's curious and concerned expression.

"Your mother is a prude, Amy," he smiled crookedly.

"Is that bad?" Amy breathed.

There was a resigned shrug of his shoulders that was hardly encouraging as it accompanied the negative shake of his head. "No, it isn't bad." Then glancing briefly at Elizabeth he added, "I'll be back for dinner," and left from the rear door of the kitchen.

Chapter Seven

"Is that everything, Mrs. Carrel?" The woman clerk paused before ringing up the total on the cash register.

"Yes, thank you," Elizabeth responded, absently glancing to be certain that Amy was still at her side.

"It's quite a chore getting children ready for school these days. The list of things they need keeps getting longer and longer," the woman sighed. "With five of my own in school, I ought to be an expert on it."

"I think this completes Amy's list." Elizabeth smiled as she took the smaller of the two parcels and handed it to her daughter, juggling the larger into a comfortable position with her two previous purchases.

"Are you ready for school to start?" The clerk smiled down at Amy.

"I suppose so," she shrugged.

"I thought you were looking forward to the first day of school?" Elizabeth tilted her ebony dark head in curious surprise.

"Not since Uncle Jed came back. It's much more fun at home now that he's there," Amy observed.

"Uncles usually are more fun than school," the clerk agreed, darting an amused look at Elizabeth.

"Jed is fun. He even makes Mom laugh," asserted Amy.

Another customer approached the check-out counter and Elizabeth was relieved to direct her talkative daughter toward the door. The clerk's look of amusement had been tinged by speculation after Amy's last comment. There was little doubt in Elizabeth's mind that the incident witnessed by the three members of the Literary Club had been transmitted all over town.

A faint sigh of frustration slipped from her throat as she and Amy stepped outside. Truthfully she had expected Jed to seek her out again, but over the weekend not once had he indicated that he wanted to be alone with her. He had been charming and amusing, as Amy had pointed out, but he had also avoided any opportunity to be alone with her.

"Good morning, Elizabeth. We seemed destined to meet on the sidewalks of Carrelville. Good morning, Amy."

Focusing her gaze on the man who had stopped in front of them, Elizabeth realized that she hadn't even noticed Allan approaching them.

"Hello, Allan. How are you?" Her words of greeting were falsely warm to cover the initial blank look she had given him.

"Fine," he nodded. "Looks like you've been doing a little shopping."

"We've been getting Amy's things for school," she explained.

"It's getting close to that time," Allan agreed. He addressed the observation to Amy, but she was gazing about them with obvious lack of interest toward the man now talking to her mother. There was a hint of firmness in the smile he turned to Elizabeth and she knew he was irritated by Amy's attitude, one that she echoed at this minute but was too polite to let show. "I was just on my way to the restaurant for morning coffee. Would you two care to join me?"

"I'm not old enough to drink coffee," Amy scuffed the toe of her shoe on the sidewalk before turning cold brown eyes toward his face.

"How about milk and doughnuts, then?" Allan suggested with thinning patience.

Elizabeth's own polite words of refusal were checked. She was no more enthusiastic about having coffee with Allan than Amy was, but her daughter's churlishness had been cuttingly rude. Allan had always been kind and considerate. He didn't deserve that kind of treatment.

"That sounds like an excellent idea," she accepted warmly, sending a warning look to Amy, whose mouth was opening in protest. Her mouth went grimly shut as she tucked her chin into her neck and glowered at the sidewalk. "Our car is just across the street. We'll put our packages in there and join you."

"Let me help you carry some of that," Allan offered.

"They're not at all heavy," Elizabeth assured him as he fell into step beside them as if to make sure they didn't change their mind once they were at their car. "Besides, I have them balanced in such a manner that if you took one, they would all fall."

At the intersection, they waited for the light to change. Elizabeth made a polite inquiry about the hospital and half listened to his reply. Across the street a set of broad shoulders looked achingly familiar. A second later, the man turned away from the shop window and the sharply etched profile confirmed it was Jed. Another second later, Elizabeth recognized Barbara, curling her arms through Jed's and hugging close to him as they started down the street toward the same intersection she was waiting to cross.

Pain gnawed at her stomach walls. Jealousy had always been an alien emotion. Now she felt its tortuous grip and its sickening side effects. She tried to swallow back the nauseating lump in her throat, without success.

Do you see? a malicious voice whispered in her ear. Do you see the way he's accepting the attention as if it was his due? That's what he wants from you. He'd like to add you to his string of conquests. Once he's got you to fall in love with him, do you think he'll marry you? He's not the marrying kind, the hideous voice reminded her.

"Look, Mom!" Amy cried excitedly. "There's Uncle Jed!" And she waved the paper sack in her hand to attract Jed's attention.

Glancing away from the blonde molded to his side, Jed saw them. A frown of displeasure darkened his face, the lean hard features still compellingly handsome. Tears of irritation and pride blurred Elizabeth's vision. She had just as much right as he had to be in town, she told herself bitterly.

The light at the intersection changed. With a proud toss of her head she started across, but the watery collection of tears in her green eyes had affected her perception. She misjudged the distance from the curb to the pavement and stumbled. The packages spewed from her arms as she released them to try to check her fall. She wasn't even aware that she had cried out nor saw Allan's arms reaching out to try to catch her.

Winded and stunned, she lay unmoving on the pavement for a few seconds to try to collect her wits. She smiled weakly at Allan as he bent anxiously beside her and pushed herself into a sitting position.

"Are you all right?" he frowned, making a quick examination of the graze on her elbow.

Elizabeth nodded, unable to speak, partly from shock and partly from humiliation. Her fall had drawn everyone's attention and they were gathered in a tight circle around her.

"Stand back. Give her some room," a familiar voice was ordering crisply, and the people were obeying as Jed pushed his way through. Elizabeth studiously brushed the dust from her cranberry skirt, avoiding the gold sharpness of his eyes. Her heartbeat became erratic when he knelt beside her. "Are you hurt, Liza?"