Twin of Ice Read online

  Edan walked out with her. “Thank you so much for all you’ve done today. I’m sure the house will be what it should be when you finish.”

  She stopped at the doorway. “Please tell him I’ll be here at noon tomorrow with his new suit, and we’ll attend the garden party at two.”

  “I hope he’ll go.”

  “He will,” she said with more assurance than she felt.

  Chapter 8

  Breakfast at the Chandler house was a solemn affair, only Duncan and Houston doing justice to the steak, ham, eggs, peach pie, and buckwheat cakes. Opal looked as if she’d lost five pounds overnight, Blair’s jaw was set in a hard line of anger, while Duncan seemed to range from anger to bewilderment and back again.

  Houston thought about what Susan had told her this morning concerning Blair and Leander. Yesterday, Blair had been canoeing on the lake in Fenton Park with a handsome blond stranger when Leander had rowed up beside them, and the next thing anyone knew, the stranger was thrashing about in the water while Lee hauled Blair into his canoe and rowed them to shore. While everyone was laughing, Blair used a paddle to shove Lee into the mud, rescued her stranger from drowning, and rowed him back to the boat rental area.

  Houston knew she should be jealous of their love play, angry at how publicly Leander was telling everyone that he preferred Blair, and jealous of all the flowers Lee was sending, but her mind kept racing to things like where she was going to place that little Jacobean desk and whom she could get to help her hang the curtains she’d found in carefully-labelled packages. And then there was Mr. Taggert. She hoped he wouldn’t give her too much trouble today.

  “I’d like to speak to you, Houston,” Duncan said after breakfast, startling Houston so much that she jumped. He led the way into the front parlor, the one used for guests—and serious discussions.

  Quietly, she took a seat. This man had been her stepfather since she was a girl, and because she’d always done what he wanted and conducted herself perfectly in his image of what a lady should do, they’d never had a disagreement.

  “I hear that you’ve agreed to marry him,” he began, standing, his back to the window that faced the street.

  “Yes,” she answered, steeling herself for the coming storm. How was she going to plead her case? Could she say she’d asked Kane and he said he’d never murdered anyone? Or maybe she could try to explain about how much he needed her.

  As if he weighed hundreds of pounds, Duncan sat down.

  “Houston,” he said, in a voice barely above a whisper, “I know this house hasn’t been like it was when your father was alive, but I never thought you’d take drastic measures to get out of it.”

  She’d not expected this. “You think I’m marrying Mr. Taggert in order to leave your house?”

  He stood. “That and a few other reasons.” He moved to look out the window. “I know that what Leander did to you must be a humiliating experience, and at your age it must seem to be the end of the world.”

  He turned back to face her. “But believe me, Houston, it’s not the end of the world. You’re the prettiest young lady in town, maybe in the whole state, and you’ll find someone else. If you’d like to, I’ll take you to Denver and introduce you to some young men.”

  Rising, Houston went to him and kissed his cheek. Until this moment, she’d not known that he really cared for her. In spite of the fact that they lived in the same house, there was always a formality between them, and this was the first time she’d ever kissed him.

  “I thank you so much for your kindness,” she said when Duncan turned away in embarrassment. She stepped back. “I don’t believe I am marrying Mr. Taggert merely because he’s the one most available.”

  Duncan looked back at her. “Are you sure? Maybe you want to hold him up before the town to say, ‘See, I can get another man any time I want.’ You can get another man. Maybe one not so rich or not one with a house like Taggert’s, but a man whose family you know. For all you know, there could be insanity in Taggert’s family. I hear that uncle of his is nothing but a troublemaker.”

  Houston’s head came up. “Uncle?”

  “Rafe Taggert in the coal mines. The man is a thorn in Jacob Fenton’s side, but Jacob keeps him on no matter what he does.”

  Houston turned away to hide her face. The name Taggert was fairly common, and she’d never connected her friend Jean to Kane. Maybe Jean knew Kane. And if they were related, she could vouch for Kane’s family being sane.

  She turned back to Duncan. “I don’t believe there’s insanity.”

  A look of frustration crossed Duncan’s face. “How can you change so completely in so short a time? You were so sensible with Leander, getting to know each other before you made the commitment of marriage, but you’ve known this man for only days, yet you’ve agreed to spend the rest of your life with him.”

  There was no answer to give him. He was completely right. Logically, Houston knew she couldn’t marry this stranger. Except that she damn well wanted to! She covered the little smile that appeared on her lips with her hand. She couldn’t adopt Mr. Taggert’s language!

  “Marriage is a serious matter,” Duncan continued. “Think about what you’re doing.”

  “I’ve already agreed to marry him,” she said, as if it were an answer.

  “Blair proved that until that ring is on a woman’s finger, anything might happen,” he said bitterly. “Don’t let her . . . waywardness ruin your life. Find out about Kane Taggert. Talk to some people who know him. Talk to Marc Fenton; he might remember Taggert when he worked in the stables. I’ve tried to see Jacob but he can’t bear to hear Taggert’s name. It’s your whole life, Houston; find out everything you can about the man before you commit yourself to him.”

  Houston knew his request was reasonable, but she hesitated before agreeing. Maybe she didn’t want to find out about Kane, maybe she liked thinking of him as a mystery man who’d swept her off her feet.

  Maybe she just wasn’t ready for the adventure to end. But Duncan’s words were sensible, and Houston was used to obeying. Briefly, she wondered what he’d do if he knew about Kane’s attack on her yesterday morning and the subsequent pottery breakage. Lock her in her room no doubt. She sighed. “I will ask several people,” she whispered. “I will find out all I can, and if there is nothing horribly wrong, I will marry him on the twentieth.”

  Duncan gave a heavy sigh. “That’s all I can ask. Houston, tell me, have you always wanted money so badly? Have you considered your life in this house one of poverty?”

  “Is his money one of the other reasons you think I’m marrying him?”

  “Of course.” He looked surprised. “Why else would you marry the great ugly thing? If it weren’t for his money, no one would speak to him. He’d be just another coal miner like the rest of his family and no one would give him the time of day.”

  “Would he be just another miner?” she asked. “He started as a stable boy but he’s earned millions. No one gave it to him. Perhaps what I like is the man inside, the one who can pull himself up from the stable filth to achieve something in life. All I’ve ever done is learn how to dress properly.” And he needs that knowledge, she thought, feeling a little thrill run through her body.

  “What else should a lady know?” Duncan asked.

  “Women today are writing books, are—.” She stopped, waving her hand to dismiss the subject. “I wonder why no one is asking why a man of Mr. Taggert’s wealth is marrying a woman from the Colorado mountains? He could have a princess.”

  “You are a princess,” Duncan snapped.

  Houston smiled at him as she moved toward the door. “I must go. I have to visit Mr. Bagly and choose a wardrobe for my future husband, then I must order a second wedding dress identical to the first one. I’m sure Blair hasn’t thought to do it.”

  “I doubt she has either,” Duncan said, reaching into his pocket. “The bank president came by yesterday with this.” He handed her a piece of paper.

  It was a depos