The Awakening Read online

  Reva Eiler was still smoldering about the dance. It seemed that Amanda Caulden was put on this earth to make her life miserable. Reva’d had a chance at a dream like Hank Montgomery and who shows up but Miss Lady of the Manor, acting as if she didn’t even want to go to a dance with Hank. Ha! Reva thought. Amanda would have done everything she could to get his attention, such as throwing herself at a drunken Sam Ryan, then acting like Sam was trying to attack her. Dear Hank had fallen for all of it.

  As Reva started to cross the street she saw one of the Caulden limousines stop in front of the jewelry store and the chauffeur get out and open the back door. Out stepped the man Amanda was supposed to be engaged to—when she wasn’t chasing after Hank, Reva thought bitterly. She watched as the tall, thin, dark man tried the jewelry store door then looked puzzled when it was locked. He went to look in the empty window where Mr. Robbins displayed the jewelry during the week. He was awfully good-looking, Reva thought, and grudgingly admired Amanda’s taste in men.

  Quickly, Reva crossed the street. “It’s Sunday,” she said, and the man turned to look at her. Reva felt a little chill run down her back. He was a haughty-looking man, almost as if his spine were steel instead of flesh and blood, but there was something else in there, too, that Reva recognized as a kindred spirit. He looked cold on the outside but she imagined there was passion underneath. He was trying his best to look down his nose at her bright lipstick and the brilliant turquoise hat she was wearing, but she felt his interest in her. Wouldn’t it serve Amanda right if she had a fling with her boyfriend?

  “It’s Sunday and the shop is closed,” Reva said again.

  “Yes, of course,” Taylor said and looked away from the woman. She was making him feel quite strange. He started back toward the car.

  “Mr. Robbins lives just a block over and he’ll be home from church now. I could take you to him and maybe he’d open the store for you.” She looked up at him. “That is, if you wanted to buy something important—like, say, a diamond engagement ring, maybe.” She’d noticed that Amanda wore no ring, and it made sense that he’d want to put his brand on her after seeing the way Amanda came home last night. Reva saw a flicker in those dark eyes and knew she’d guessed right.

  “If you’ll give me directions,” Taylor began.

  “No, we’ll walk. Give your driver the day off. Besides, you’ll need somebody to try on the ring. Amanda and I are about the same size.”

  Taylor frowned. This young woman was entirely too forward, too garishly painted, and obviously not of his class, but he allowed himself to be led away toward the jeweler’s house. Getting the ring was very important to his future.

  Two hours later, when he left the jewelry store, he was smiling. Miss Eiler really was a vulgar, loud, uneducated person, but there was something about her…

  “You want to get somethin’ to eat?” Reva said. “Maybe as a celebration of your last day as a free man? The diner always has chicken-fried steak on Sunday night.”

  Taylor started to protest in horror, but the words didn’t come out. “It sounds delicious.” He held his arm out to her and together they crossed the street.

  Chapter Twelve

  Amanda sat on the seat of the gazebo in the darkness and listened to the night sounds. She’d had a delicious dinner with her father and it had been pleasant even if neither of them said much. She was afraid to open her mouth after what he’d said that morning about her boring him to death. She somehow didn’t think he’d like to discuss the President’s new tariff laws. As the meal progressed, she found herself wishing Dr. Montgomery were there. He would know what to talk about. He’d be able to talk about the weather without comparing cirrostratus clouds with cumulonimbus clouds, as Amanda would do. In the end, all she’d said was, “It’s hot,” and J. Harker had said, “It sure is.” But even without conversation, it had been nice sitting with her father and eating real food.

  After dinner she hadn’t gone to her room to do more Greek translation but instead had turned and walked outside in the growing darkness, and now she sat in the gazebo looking at the stars. She began to remember the times she’d sat here with Dr. Montgomery. She remembered watching him eat three slices of cake; she remembered his kissing her and asking to see her hair down. She remembered how he’d returned to the house one night and seen just the shadow of her dress yet he’d still come to her.

  She straightened on the bench and told herself she should be thinking about Taylor, not Dr. Montgomery, but right now all she could think about was the unfairness of Greek translation. Taylor had merely blamed her for Dr. Montgomery’s leaving without allowing her to explain, and not believing what little she had told him.

  A car pulled into the garage and for a moment Amanda held her breath. It wasn’t Dr. Montgomery returning, of course, and she certainly didn’t want him to return, but just maybe, perhaps it was him.

  By the time she heard five footsteps on the gravel, she knew it was Taylor. Dr. Montgomery’s footsteps were heavier, more…more predatory, while Taylor walked light and quick, almost as if he were running.

  He didn’t see her, as she knew he wouldn’t, and he went on into the house. She was supposed to be in her room, having had only one tiny meal all day, deep into Moby Dick, but instead she was outside enjoying the quiet darkness.

  She listened as doors inside the house opened and closed and she knew her absence had been discovered. Thank heaven no one had wanted her last night when she’d been at the dance.

  After a while the house quietened and the back door opened and closed and she could hear Taylor’s footsteps on the gravel. “Amanda?” he called in a reserved way.

  For some reason, Amanda almost didn’t answer him. She told herself it was because he’d been unfair, but part of her said that Taylor was not the sort of man a woman wanted to sit under the stars with. This feeling was Dr. Montgomery’s fault, she reminded herself. If he hadn’t come…

  “Here,” she called to Taylor, then watched as he approached.

  “Do you mind if I sit down?”

  “Of course not,” she answered, then began to explain. “It was so hot in my room that I couldn’t seem to think. I was just taking a break.” She stood. “I’ll get back to work now.”

  “Wait,” he said, and when she paused at the doorway, he continued. “Amanda, maybe I was a little harsh this morning. You have always done your best with any assignment I have given you and I suppose Dr. Montgomery was no different. I’m afraid I was angry at myself as much as at anyone else and I took it out on you.”

  Amanda stood motionless where she was. Taylor had never admitted to any fault before. “I understand,” she whispered. “Dr. Montgomery has made us all on edge.”

  “I think I sent you off with him because I quite frankly couldn’t abide him.”

  “Oh?” Amanda said, turning back into the gazebo. Taylor had never been this personal with her before.

  “Such an insolent, lazy man. He’s obviously never had two nickels to rub together, and I guess I resented his being in your father’s fine house. Can you forgive me?”

  “Why, yes, certainly.” She hesitated. “Do I have to do more translation of Moby Dick?”

  Taylor winced. “No.” They were quiet for a moment. “Amanda,” Taylor said at last, “I have something important to say to you.”

  Amanda prayed it was no more calculus. Since “she” had made 100% on the test she was afraid Taylor would want her to take up mathematics full time.

  “I think it’s time we talk about marriage.”

  “Oh,” Amanda said, not having expected this, and sat down heavily on the bench on the other side of the doorway.

  “You’re becoming a young woman now and it’s time to seriously consider when we’ll be married. I have given it some thought and I believe we should be married two months from today. If that suits you, of course.”

  Amanda’s mind was reeling. This morning her father had threatened to throw Taylor off the ranch and tonight he was proposing