Twin of Ice Read online

  “My father takes after his mother’s side of the family, I’m happy to say, but Uncle Rafe and Ian are true Taggerts. I thought this Kane, because he had money . . . ”

  “It probably makes him worse. Who is Ian’s father? I don’t remember meeting the boy.”

  “You haven’t. He’s worked in the mines for years now even though he’s only sixteen. He looks like Rafe: big, handsome, angry. His father was Lyle, Rafe’s brother. Lyle was killed in a mine explosion when he was twenty-three.”

  “And Kane’s father . . . ?”

  “Frank was the oldest brother. He was killed in an accident long before I was born and, I believe, even before Kane was born.”

  “I’m sorry,” Houston said. “It must be hard for you to have to take care of so many men.”

  “I have help from charitable young ladies,” she said, rising. “It’ll be dark soon. You’d better go.”

  “Will you please come to my wedding? I’d very much like for you to be there and, besides, you’ll see me in something a little cleaner.” Houston grinned, showing off her blackened teeth.

  “To tell you the truth, I somehow think I’ll feel more comfortable around Sadie than the Society Princess, Miss Chandler.”

  “Don’t say that!” Houston said seriously. “Please don’t.”

  “All right. I’ll do my best.”

  “And you’ll go to my dressmaker’s tomorrow? She needs all the time she can get to make the dress. Here’s the address.”

  Jean took the card. “I’ll look forward to it. And I’ll do my best with Uncle Rafe and Ian. But I make no promises.”

  “I understand that from the bottom of my heart.” On impulse, she clasped Jean to her. “I’ll look forward to seeing you again.”

  On her way back to town, Houston mused on her talk with Jean. It made perfect sense that she was in love with Kane and, with the knowledge, she laughed aloud. All those years with Lee, and she’d never really been in love with him. She knew that now.

  Of course, she couldn’t tell anyone. It would make her seem like a woman whose love was given lightly. But it wasn’t; she was sure of that. Kane Taggert was the man she loved and would always love.

  She used the reins to urge the horses to move faster. She still had to wash and change her clothes. Then make arrangements for . . . A secret little smile shaped her lips as she thought of her plans for Friday night. She’d ask Leander to invite Kane and Edan to Lee’s men’s club and she’d ask Kane for the use of his house for a farewell dinner with her girlfriends. Just a quiet little get-together—like the one Ellie had before she got married.

  Now, if Houston could only persuade that strongman she’d seen on the billboard on Coal Avenue to do what she wanted . . .

  Houston was so busy musing on her plans that she didn’t keep her usual vigil. Behind her, hidden by the trees, was a lone man on horseback.

  Edan wore a frown as he followed her back into town.

  Chapter 12

  With only days left the wedding, Houston found herself quickly running out of time. Kane’s dinner on Wednesday was a great success.

  “I broke my engagement to John today, Mr. Taggert,” Cordelia Farrell said shyly.

  “That’s good news,” Kane laughed as he grabbed her shoulders and kissed her heartily on the mouth. Cordelia was embarrassed but pleased. “You can do lots better ’n that ol’ man.”

  “Thank you, Mr. Taggert.”

  For a moment, Kane looked puzzled. “How come ever’body calls me Mr. Taggert?”

  “Because, Mr. Taggert,” Houston said smoothly, “You’ve never asked anyone to call you Kane.”

  “All of you can call me Kane,” he said quietly, but, looking at Houston, his eyes turned hot. “Except you, Houston. You’ve only called me Kane once and I liked it when you did.”

  Houston knew his meaning was clear to everyone and her throat went dry at the embarrassment of what he’d said.

  Sarah Oakley picked up a pillow and threw it at Kane’s head.

  He caught it and everyone waited with breath held. Who could guess how Kane was going to react?

  “Sometimes you’re not a gentleman . . . Kane,” Sarah said daringly.

  But Kane grinned at her. “Gentleman or not, I see you took my advice and bought yourself a new dress. All right, Houston, you can call me Kane.”

  “At this moment, I much prefer Mr. Taggert,” she said haughtily, and everyone laughed together.

  All day Thursday was given over to preparing Kane’s house for the wedding on Monday. Kane and Edan locked themselves in Kane’s study and ignored the furniture movers, the deliveries, and the arrivals and departures of most of Chandler’s tradesmen.

  Friday and Saturday were more of the same, with Houston explaining and reexplaining their roles to all the people involved in the wedding. There were men and women to prepare and serve food, men to build tables for outside. There were the men who set up the enormous open–sided tents Houston’d had made in Denver. On Sunday, there were thirty–eight people doing nothing but arranging flowers.

  Jean Taggert sent a message that Rafe was going to come but young Ian was balking, and could she bring a covered dish perhaps?

  When Houston read the message, she was in the kitchen, and before her on the table were two butchered cow carcasses and 250 pounds of potatoes that had just been delivered. And under the cows were three enormous wheels of cheese and 300 oranges—and she was praying the oranges weren’t on the bottom.

  Through all the turmoil, Houston was pleased that Kane stayed out of her way and left her to her work. He complained that he was so far behind in his own work, from lollygagging about with her, that he’d never catch up.

  Only once did he give her any trouble, and that was when Leander asked Edan and him to spend the evening at Lee’s men’s club.

  “I ain’t got time to do that!” Kane bellowed. “Don’t those men ever work? Lord knows but I’ll have little enough time after the weddin’, what with a woman always underfoot and—.” He stopped and looked at Houston. “Maybe I didn’t quite mean it that way . . . ” he began.

  Houston just looked at him.

  “All right,” he finally said, with disgust in his voice. “But I don’t see why you women can’t have your little tea party at your house.” He turned on his heel and went back to his office.

  “Damned women!” he muttered.

  “What horrible imposition has Houston placed on you now?” Edan asked, with a hint of a smile.

  “We’re to spend the evenin’ at Westfield’s fancy club. We’re to leave here by seven and not to return before midnight. What happened to the good ol’ days when women obeyed and respected their husbands?”

  “The first woman disobeyed the first man; the good ol’ days are a myth. What does Houston want to do tonight?”

  “A fancy tea party for her lady friends. I want you to stay here and watch her.”

  “What”

  “I don’t like all those women bein’ here alone. Houston’s hired servants to fill the house after the weddin’, but tonight only a bunch of unprotected women will be here. She’s set up the dinin’ room for her little party and there’s a door in there that’s covered with cloth, you know, the one with the flowers painted on it, and—.”

  “You expect me to hide inside a closet and spy on a ladies’ tea party?”

  “It’s for their own good, and I damn well pay you enough to do a little work for me.”

  “A little work—,” Edan sputtered.

  Hours later, Houston saw Edan and noticed a bruise on his right cheek.

  “How did you hurt yourself?” she asked.

  “I ran into a stone wall,” he said tightly and walked away.

  At six, the house began to clear of workers and at six forty–five Houston’s friends began to arrive, each bearing a beautifully–wrapped gift.

  Kane, still complaining about the injustice of having to leave his own house, climbed into the wagon beside a solemn Edan, and rode