[Desert Roses 03] - Beneath A Harvest Sky (16 page)
Rainy thought he might have asked her again to accompany him to the party, and at that point, she 5 probably would have said yes, although she could never have come up with an outfit to equal those of the women in Phillip’s gathering. Jennetta wore a blood red gown with a deep plunging neckline. One of the other women, dressed in a full-length black velvet sheath, commented on the gown being designed by Chanel, but Rainy had little knowledge to determine whether the woman was right or not.
I’ve filled my mind with archaeological terms and
phrases, spending hours poring over artifacts and pieces of
clay while these women have made for themselves worlds of
glittering jewels and fashionable attire
. Rainy paused to look into the window of an art gallery. The painting displayed in the front window was of several nearly nude women lounging in a clothing-strewn dressing room. The title given was “Before the Show.”
“Not exactly something you’d buy to hang in the living room,” Duncan commented over her shoulder.
Rainy turned on her heel so quickly that she practically fell headlong into Duncan’s arms. He reached out to take hold of her shoulders and smiled. “Glad you could meet me.”
“I thought maybe you’d decided against coming,” Rainy replied. “After all, it’s almost quarter past the hour.”
“I know and I do apologize. My mother was well into a second story of my great-aunt Tillie’s birthday party when I realized how late the hour had gotten.”
He dropped his voice. “Do you forgive me?”
Rainy shivered, but not from the cold. She looked into his eyes and lost all rational thought. For years she’d admired Duncan from afar. It should have been so easy just to tell him that. But instead she couldn’t even force her lips to form words.
“Rainy? Are you all right?”
Duncan’s expression changed to one of great concern. Rainy forced herself to stop acting so childish.
“I’m fine. Why did you want to see me?”
Duncan looked away and let go of his hold on her.
“I’ve something to share with you. Something that I can’t talk about in front of the guests.”
“Sounds ominous. Why don’t we take a seat and you can explain.”
Duncan nodded. “I’m sure that would be best.”
Rainy sat on one of the benches and waited while Duncan seemed to consider whether to sit close to or far away from her. He finally sat down fairly close and glanced around. With his hands affixed to his knees, Rainy longed to reach out and cover his fingers with her own. She held back, fighting her feelings. How silly she was, pining first over Duncan and then over Phillip.
Of course,
she chided,
my feelings for Phillip could
never go any further without him first coming to God
. The thought seemed to make clear her choice between the two men and she looked up at Duncan with a new perspective.
Maybe he’d asked her here to share his heart with her. Maybe he wanted to suggest their relationship deepen. She looked away and licked her lips.
What if
he kisses me? Lord, is he the one?
“I wanted to talk to you about something that’s happened,” Duncan began. “I was at the museum when I overheard talk about the theft of Indian pieces from the Hopi. In particular, some ceremonial flutes are missing.”
Rainy’s illusions were shattered. The memories of that long ago day when she’d stood accused of stealing from the university left a tremor in her voice.
“Someone . . . stole flutes . . . from the Hopi?”
Duncan nodded. “It happened on our trip.
There’s some concern that one of the guests took the pieces.”
Rainy cleared her throat nervously. “But you and Sonny packed and unpacked the Harvey . . . I mean courier car. You would have noticed if something were amiss.”
“That’s what I said.”
“You mean they confronted you?” She felt a wave of nausea overcome her. It was as if the past had reared up to destroy her hope for the future. She felt light-headed and pressed her fingers to her temple.
Duncan suddenly looked very uncomfortable.
Rainy couldn’t help but wonder what had transpired to make him act in such a manner. “Duncan?”
He shook his head. “The thing is, I think we would do well to keep our eyes open and see if we can spot anyone in our group who might be trying the same thing here in Taos.”
Rainy felt her stomach continue to churn, and she lowered her hand to comfort her midsection. “Jen-netta and Phillip are the only ones with us this time who were also present on the last trip.” She thought immediately of the Driscolls. Chester! He had been her bane once before. She tightened her hands into fists, wanting nothing more than to punch the arrogant little man right in the nose.
Duncan gently covered her hand with his own.
“You planning to hit me?”
Rainy shook her head. “No, but I’d like to hit someone else.”
“Because of the thefts?”
“That and so much more. There is one person in particular. . . .” She paused, suddenly realizing she was going too far. “I’m sorry, Duncan. I’m afraid I’m tired and not feeling very hospitable.”
“Is that why you chose not to go with Phillip Vance and his friends?”
She looked at his face momentarily, then to the place where his hand still covered hers. A moment ago she was longing for such contact, and now all she wanted to do was get away. Before she could comment, however, Duncan continued.
“He’s showing you a great deal of attention. Sonny is worried about it.”
“Sonny should mind his own business.”
“He just wants to see that you’re safe—protected.”
Rainy nodded. “I’m perfectly safe and protected. I have God as my shield and defense.”
“Still, God doesn’t want us to put ourselves in foolish situations,” Duncan countered.
Rainy felt him gently stroke the side of her hand with his thumb. His touch was doing things to her mind—clouding her ability to reason. Without warning she pulled away. “I’ve asked God to send me a husband. If he’s sent me Phillip Vance, what business is it of Sonny’s . . . or yours?”
She started to walk away, but Duncan quickly joined her. “So you plan to marry Vance?”
She stopped and looked at Duncan. His eyes seemed to darken, even as his Scottish burr became more pronounced. The look he gave her left Rainy trembling from head to toe. It seemed so consuming— almost as if he could see inside to her soul.
“I . . . well . . . I have no plans . . . I mean, he hasn’t asked me.”
“But you’d like for him to?”
Rainy tried to steady her nerves and looked away.
She wanted to scream, “No, I’d much rather have you ask me.” But the very thought of that concerned her more than anything else they’d discussed. Did she care more for Duncan than she realized? Had she grown so much closer to him in the last few weeks that her heart was ready to accept him as something more than a friend? Why couldn’t it be a simple matter? She’d heard her friends tell tales of love at first sight—of being certain of the man they were to marry.
Why can’t
I feel that way? Why can’t I know for certain that Duncan
Hartford is to be my husband?
She looked up rather startled. Why had she put Duncan’s name into that question rather than Phillip’s?
Duncan still studied her, almost as if he could will the truth from her with his stare. Rainy straightened her shoulders and drew a deep breath. “I want to do whatever it is God wants me to do. I’ve prayed and asked Him to send me a husband.” She felt her cheeks grow hot. “I don’t even know why I’m telling you this.”
“I think you do,” Duncan said, his voice low and steady.
Rainy stepped back a pace. Being too close to Duncan Hartford just might well be her demise. “I don’t want to discuss this any further. Some things should just be left unsaid.”
“I disagree. I think there’s a great deal between us that needs to be said,” Duncan replied, moving toward her.
Rainy froze. She’d long considered the possibilities that might exist between her and Duncan. Was he the one God had sent? Would he tell her now of his love for her—of his desire to be a part of her life?
“I know that you realize Sonny wants me to keep an eye on you,” Duncan began. “He worries, and probably because he knows you’re so determined to find a husband, he knows that you’re vulnerable to those who might use you to their own advantage.”
Rainy swallowed hard. Her mouth had taken on a cottony dryness.
“I’m trying my best to help Sonny in this situation, and I think you really want my help. I think that’s why you blurted out that revelation regarding a husband.
If you’re wise, you’ll listen to the counsel of those who care.”
“You?” The word came out more like a squeak than a real word.
“Of course, me. Getting to know you and Sonny, I can’t help but care. I wouldn’t want to see someone like Vance take advantage of you. Men like him are used to having what they want, and it doesn’t really matter if what they want is a new suit or another human being. They’ll take what they desire and never give the matter another thought.”
Through the haze of her own confusion, Rainy was slowly but surely coming to realize that Duncan wasn’t about to declare his feelings of love—but was instead proclaiming a brotherly warning of caution. The idea began to irritate Rainy. How dare he step into Sonny’s role just because he’d taken on the job of driving!
“God has a plan for you,” Duncan continued. “But you needn’t rush it or try to manipulate it for your own desires. There shouldn’t be such a sense of urgency in something that God ordains. You don’t have to chase after it—He’ll bring it right to you if you let Him. Maybe . . .”He paused and looked at her with such longing that Rainy almost felt startled. She edged back and he continued. “Maybe God just wants you to let go of your urgency for a mate and trust Him to be what you need.”
Rainy’s anger began to build. “What I don’t need is for you or Sonny to lecture or preach at me. I know that God is in control, and further, I know that He has a plan for my life. I believe that plan includes a husband and children and when the time is right, God will show me the mate He has chosen. If that man is Phillip Vance, so be it. If not, then that is perfectly acceptable as well.”
She walked away, surprised that Duncan didn’t follow after her. Tormenting thoughts raced around inside her brain, giving her a headache and deep desire to run away from Taos and leave the whole tour group behind.
Father, I’m trying so hard to be obedient—to hear your
voice rather than my own. I wouldn’t choose a husband without
being completely certain that he was the man you’d sent
me. I don’t want to do anything to displease you. I kind of
figured you sent Phillip into the picture when Duncan showed
no interest. Of course, I suppose I haven’t really given Duncan
time to show true interest
. She toyed with that thought momentarily. With a heavy sigh, she sat down on a small rock wall and looked to the starry skies overhead.
Father,
she continued her prayer,
I hate that Duncan
treats me like a child—like a little sister—in Sonny’s stead. I
hate that Phillip’s lifestyle leaves no room for you. I thought
perhaps you’d brought Phillip into my life to be my husband.
Then when I heard he wasn’t interested in you, I wondered if
maybe I was to help point him to you, and then he’d be ready
to be my husband.
Now Duncan suggests that I stop trying to work this out
and rest in you—to let go of worrying after a mate and let
you be my husband. I know that’s biblically sound advice, but
still it hurts. It hurts deep inside because I’m lonely and
because I see other women around me enjoying marriage and
children. And, Lord, I want that so very much
.
She thought of the past and how much she’d always hoped to clear her name so that she might go forward in her career. Now that thought seemed so secondary to the issues of husband and babies.
Father, I want to clear my name as well. I don’t want
anyone to go on in this world thinking me a thief. And now
there’s this situation with the missing Hopi flutes. Will I be
suspected again? Will someone from the university get news of
this and suggest me as a suspect?
A sickening dread coursed through her. The Driscolls! They were connected to Phillip and his sister. If word got out about this, they would most definitely stir up trouble.
“Oh, God, please help me,” she moaned.
S
onny moved through his parents’ house carrying a large birthday cake that read, “Happy Birthday, Gun-ther.” Gunther Albright was his father’s best friend at the university. They’d been friends from the start of Raymond Gordon’s teaching career in New Mexico.
Gunther, a funny sort of man, was also the uncle of Chester Driscoll’s wife, Bethel. Because of this, Gun-ther was, of late, quite often seen in the company of the Driscolls.
Sonny thought the combination a rather strange and complicated one. The Driscolls were really no longer welcomed in his parents’ circle of friends.