Twin of Fire Read online

  Blair had been honored that Houston had given her this power, and she’d taken her responsibility seriously. She’d been a little disappointed when she’d met Leander and found that he wasn’t a man at all but just a tall, slim, good-looking boy who rarely said anything. Blair had always liked the boys who ran and threw rocks and taught her how to whistle with two fingers in her mouth. After a few initial unpleasant encounters with him, she had begun to see what people liked about Lee after Jimmy Summers had fallen out of a tree and broken his leg. None of the other children had known what to do and just stood back and watched Jimmy cry in pain, but Lee had taken over and sent someone for the doctor and someone else for Mrs. Summers. Blair had been quite impressed with him and, as she’d turned toward Houston, Houston had nodded her head once, as if to say that this episode had reaffirmed her decision to become Mrs. Leander Westfield.

  Blair was willing to admit that Leander did have a few good qualities about him, but she’d never really liked him. He was too sure of himself, too smug…too perfect. Of course, she had never told Houston she didn’t like him and, too, she had thought maybe he’d change, become more human as he grew older. He didn’t.

  A few days earlier, Lee had come to pick up Houston to take her to an afternoon tea and, since Opal was out and Mr. Gates at work, Blair had a chance to talk to Lee while Houston finished dressing—it usually took her an eternity to get fastened into one of those lace and silk concoctions she always wore.

  Blair thought that they’d have a common ground for conversation since they were both doctors, and that he’d no longer antagonize her as he had at one time.

  “I’ll be interning at St. Joseph’s Hospital in Philadelphia next month,” she began, when they were seated in the front parlor. “It’s supposed to be an excellent hospital.”

  Leander just looked at her with that piercing look of his that he’d had since he was a child. It was impossible to tell what he was thinking.

  “I wonder,” she continued, “do you think it would be possible for me to make rounds with you at the Chandler Infirmary? Maybe you could give me some pointers that I could use when I start training next month.”

  Lee took an infuriatingly long time to answer. “I don’t think that would be advisable,” was all he said at last.

  “I thought that between doctors…”

  “I’m not sure the Board of Directors would consider a woman a fully qualified doctor. I might be able to get you into the women’s hospital.”

  In school, they’d been warned that they would be treated like this at times. “It may surprise you to know that I plan to specialize in abdominal surgery. Not all female doctors want to become glorified midwives.”

  Leander arched one brow and looked her up and down in an annoying way that made Blair wonder if all the men in Chandler believed that women were idiots who shouldn’t be let out of the house.

  Still, she was determined not to judge him. After all, they were adults now and childhood animosities should be put aside. If he was the man Houston wanted, then she should have him—Blair didn’t have to live with him.

  But days later, after she’d spent time with her sister, she began to question the idea of a marriage between Leander and Houston, because, if anything, Houston was even more rigid when Lee was present. The two of them rarely spoke to each other, nor was there any of the putting of heads together and giggling as there was between most engaged couples. They were certainly not like she and Alan, Blair thought.

  And tonight, at dinner, things seemed to come to a head. Blair was tired from the constant harassment of Gates, and she was sick at seeing her sister in this horrible atmosphere of oppression. When Gates kept after Blair, she exploded and told him that he had ruined Houston’s life, but he wasn’t going to ruin hers, too.

  Blair regretted having said that as soon as it was out and she meant to apologize, but just then his royal highness, Leander Westfield, entered and everyone looked up at him as if a demigod had come into the room. Blair had a vision of Houston as a virgin sacrifice to be given to this cold, unfeeling man. And when Leander dared to call Houston his bride, as if he already owned her, Blair could stand no more and ran from the table in tears.

  She had no idea how long she had been crying before her mother came to her, held her in her arms and cradled her like a child.

  “Tell me what’s wrong,” Opal whispered, stroking her daughter’s hair. “Are you so very homesick? I know Mr. Gates hasn’t made your visit pleasant, but he means well. He wants you to have a home and children and he’s afraid that, if you’re a doctor, no man will have you. You won’t have to stay with us much longer, then you can go back to Henry and Flo and start work at the hospital.”

  Her mother’s words made Blair cry harder. “It’s not me,” she sobbed. “I can leave. I can get out of here. It’s Houston. She’s so miserable and it’s all my fault. I went off and left her to that awful man and now she’s so very unhappy.”

  “Blair,” Opal said firmly, “Mr. Gates is my husband and, whatever else he is, I respect him and I cannot allow you to speak that way about him.”

  Blair raised tear-stained eyes to her mother. “I don’t mean him. He’s here now, but Houston can get away from him. I mean that Leander.”

  “Lee?” Opal asked, incredulous. “But Leander is a darling boy. Why, every young lady in Chandler was dying to be asked for even a dance with him, and now Houston is going to marry him. You can’t mean you’re worried about Houston marrying Lee?”

  Blair moved away from her mother. “I have always been the only one to see what he’s like! Have you ever really looked at Houston when he’s around? She freezes! She sits there as if she’s afraid of the world and of him in particular. Houston used to laugh and have a good time, but now she doesn’t even smile. Oh, mother, right now I wish that I’d never left. If I’d stayed here, I could have prevented Houston from agreeing to marry that man.” She ran back to her mother and buried her face in her lap.

  Opal smiled down at her daughter, pleased by her caring concern. “No, you shouldn’t have stayed here,” she said softly. “You would have become like Houston and believed that the only thing a woman can do is to make a home for her husband, and then the world would have lost a fine doctor. Look at me.” She lifted Blair’s face.

  “We can’t really know what Houston and Lee are like when they’re alone. No one can know what’s in another’s personal life. I imagine you have a few secrets of your own.”

  Immediately, Blair thought of Alan and her cheeks pinked. But now was not the time to talk of him. He’d be here in a few days, and then maybe she’d have someone who agreed with her.

  “But I can see the way they are,” Blair persisted. “They never talk, never touch, I never see either one of them look at the other with love.” Blair stood. “And, the truth is, I never have been able to stand that pompous, upright, shining citizen, Leander Westfield. He’s one of those spoiled rich kids who’s been handed everything on a silver platter. He has never known disappointment or hardship or struggle or ever heard the word no. When I was in school, the neighboring male medical school allowed the top five women from my female college to attend some classes. The men were quite polite until we women began to score better on the tests than they did—and then we were asked to leave before the end of the term. Leander reminds me of all those smug young men who couldn’t stand the competition.”

  “But, dear, do you really think that’s fair? Just because Lee reminds you of others doesn’t mean that he’s actually like them.”

  “I’ve tried several times to talk to him about medicine and all he does is stare at me. What if Houston decides she wants to do something with her life besides match his socks? He’ll come down harder on her than Gates ever has on me, and it won’t be temporary, either. Houston won’t be able to get away.”

  Opal was beginning to frown. “Have you talked to Houston? I’m sure that she can explain to you why she loves Leander. Perhaps in private they’re different.