Wise Folly (7 page)

Noah raised his brows and leaned back in the chair, casually relaxing.
“Really?
Wh
at makes you sure?”

June wasn’t fooled. She knew he would pounce on her in a moment if he thought she wasn’t telling the
truth. "Because
Dianna
is
a workaholic
. Two years ago she was escorted to several parties that her
old
company asked her to attend
.
But until then she had
n't
dated anyone for five years
.
”

“Not even directly after the rape?”

June winced at his words, but her eyes locked with his. She could be just as stubborn as he! "Especially
not
after that!
With the exception of doctor visits we set up, s
he didn’t leave this house for over six months. Not even to travel to the store alone. All she did was sit alone in her room and stare out at the backyard,” June said emphatically. “If
y
ou’re trying to prove that Char
l
es was not Tabby’s father, you can forget it” She took a deep breath and plunged “You should have been here after that. . . that night You should have helped Dianna
go through that ordeal; been with her and
Tabby long ago
,
when she needed all the moral support she could get
.
Tabby is definitely a Weston, and Charles is to blame. We all know that” She looked toward David for reinforcement which he gave in the form of an affirmative nod.

“
I
know who’s to blame, but apparently no one else does,” Noah said cryptically, then gave an apologetic sigh. “All right
,
we're
saying
I'm
Tabby’s uncle,
and so
we’ll leave it that way ... for now.”

“But it’s true!” June looked from Noah
to the puzzled expression
on
her husband
's face
. “Double check with that private detective you sent around right after Dianna applied for the job with Wescomp. He probably interviewed half the neighborhood!” The bitterness that laced her words was obvious to both men
.

B
ut as Noah started to speak a small voice broke the silence.

“Are you
m
y uncle
?” Tabby asked
, standing
in the
living room
doorway
in her
prink, princess
nightgown and a tattered teddy
tucked
close
to her body
. She
stared at the tall stranger seated in Aunt June’s best chair. “Are you?”

Noah’s mouth moved into a smile that
l
it up his gray eyes. “
Yes,
I'm
really your uncle, and I’ve come to meet you. I heard you were a beautiful young lady and I wanted to see for myself whether it was true.”

Her hazel eyes stared at him before she answered. It was as if she were not listening to him, but to some voice deep inside that weighed
the
truth of his words. S
he tilted her head sideways, and very
lowly her smile grew. She stepped into the room, stopping just short of Noah’s chair. “
You
must have talked to my m
ama
. She always says
I'm
beautiful.”

“And she’s right
.
”

“I want to look just like her when I grow up. An’ I will too,” she stated, holding on to one long corn-colored pigtail,
"
cept for my hair.”

“I think you look just
l
ike her now,” he answered softly. “Except for
your
hair. That comes from your father’s side of the family. All the Westons have hair your color when they’re young. Some keep it and others grow darker, as I did.”

“You had my color hair?
"

He nodded.
“
W
hen I was a little boy, just about your age.”

“Are you very old now?’ She tilted her head to one side and studied the smile lines around his eyes very carefully.
"You look old."

“Tabby! That’s not polite, dear,” June admonished, but Noah’s hand rose to halt her speech, his eyes never leaving Tabby.

“Not too old yet Tabby. How old are you?”

"I'll
be seven in March.” She stood just a little taller, proud of her claim to years. Suddenly a cloud passed over her face and she looked uncertainly at her aunt then back to Noah. “Aunt June says my mom doesn’t feel well.
Wh
ere
is she?
”

“Your mother feels better already, Tabby.
She just
need
s
rest
.
Do you mind not seeing her for a
day or
so
? Your aunt has offered to have you stay here and play with your cousins. That way your mother won’t worry about all the things that need to be done and get tired again.”

“I
miss her, but I want her to get better fast
. I’m all she has, you see.” Her lower lip trembled slightly and Noah unconsciously put his hand over her small one, surprised at the frailty of her tiny bones.

From the moment Tabby had entered the room all cynicism had fled his features and June had glimpsed another facet of his character. But now, even laughter was erased as he returned her serious look.

“I know. I’d like to help you take care of your mother so she doesn’t get so tired again. Do you think we could take a drive and talk about it?”

Before June knew what had happened, Tabby and Noah were gone, promising to return in an hour. Everything was out of her hands now and there was nothing else she could do. Noah had neatly maneuvered her by playing on her own feelings that justice should be done.

“Dear God, let this work out” she prayed as she absently straightened the cushions on the couch. “Please let this work out!”

As promised, Noah had Tabby back inside the security of June’s house within the hour. He spoke with June and David again, giving a few more details of his plans for the woman and child he had taken into his protection, then bid Tabby an affectionate farewell, once more swallowing the lump that formed every time he looked at her.

Five minutes later
Noah
entered
the flow of traffic on the freeway back to town. Reflexes took over the driving as his mind wrapped around a jumble of thoughts. There was so little the private detective had been able to tell him over the past few weeks. He hadn’t mentioned how thin
and fragile
the child was, or how sweet
.
He never said how grown up she behaved as she pondered questions before putting an answer to them. Tabby was a Weston, all right
.
Any doubts he might have harbored had been blown to bits the minute he saw her standing in the doorway. Dianna had to be given credit for raising her to be such a charming little girl. She had done her job well.
And she'd done it all
without his
money or
help.

He turned the wheel slightly to adjust to the curve of the highway. Now all he had to do was clear Catherine out of the way and Tabby
and her mother
could step into
their
rightful place. But that wasn’t going to be easy.

He had first met Catherine Sinclair
seven
years ago in Nashville at a run-down recording studio his friend and lawyer Philip Young had assured him was a sound investment
.
The nineteen-year-old
singer
had shown promise and he
'd
made sure she got the break she was looking for. The rest she had done herself.
Charles had seen her and they had become a couple - fighting like cats and dogs all the time. Noah didn't understand the relationship and couldn't handle being around either of them. He had a business to run, not a drama school.

Catherine
soon made a good-sized splash in
C
ountry-and-Weste
rn
circles
,
and before long had cut two gold records. Then, last year while on tour, she’d made a surprise visit to Dallas to
"
thank her benefactor
."
She had changed from the cheeky, scrappy kid he
'd
first met into a sophisticated young woman with the
experience and
sensuality
of a she-cat
.
It was obvious from
the
first that she had more than gratitude in mind, and he hadn’t objected
.
They both understood the nature of their relationship, or so he had thought
.
Only lately had he realized just how much she
expected of him.
He had used her, true, but she was out to use him to far greater advantage.

The strings would be cut
.
Noah would give her the piece of jewelry she had been hinting for and show her the door. It was the least he could do. She had been there when he needed her on dark lonely nights. It didn’t matter that any female would have satisfied that part of him: she had been there, never asking questions when he performed separate from his thoughts. She had never asked for more than physical release; and Noah, haunted by an image from
the
past—a vision of silky skin, dark flowing hair, and bright hazel eyes—could never give more than that
.
Perhaps she had known.
...

He pulled into
the
underground garage, parking his car next to the elevator and stepping out First things first— right now his problem was Dianna.

*******

Chapter Three

Consciousness came too soon. Dianna
felt
as if her tongue was double the usual size and there
was a
dull throb at the base of her neck
. Her body felt
weighted
and
lifeless
.
It took all her strength to move reluctant legs to a more comfortable position. She knew she was feeling the aftereffects of
the
shot administered by the doctor last night
.
She vaguely remembered bits and pieces of the conversation
. But
the
emotional
pain had been too intense for her to concentrate on anything.

She forced her eyes open and slowly looked around the familiar surroundings. The room was just as it had been seven years ago, decorated in shades of chocolate and rust and almost overwhelmingly masculine. The furniture was all in natura
l dark
wood, polished to a high mirror
-l
ike gloss. The king-size bed sat upon a dais, and t
he new bedspread was softened
earth tones in geometric design. Noah’s forceful personality was stamped on everything. He had good taste.

Noah. He was a puzzle in the shape of a man. Last night he had taunted, teased, cajoled
and
threatened. Then, when he realized she was truly ill and her nerves were stretched to the breaking point, he had been tender. He had bathed her forehead, called the doctor,
given her some type of prescription medication, and then
cradled her gently in
the
darkened room. He had been ruthless but he’d proved he could also be gentle.

The doctor had come and gone quickly, allowing Dianna to surrender to
the
dark curtain that wrapped her in black, blessed peace. But just before she was captured by oblivion Noah had whispered a question, and she had
again
answered truthfully. What was
the
question?

"
W
as
Tabby a Weston?
"

"Yes
.
"

She sat upright
.
An explosion in her head sent bolts of lightning heat through her as she realized the consequences of her honesty. He knew! Damn him! He had tricked her into admitting what previously he could only have suspected!

She quickly scanned the room for her clothing, ignoring
the
heavy throbbing of her head. She had to leave. She had to pick up Tabby and leave Dallas quickly. Where would she go? Never mind, she would think of that later. It didn’t really matter where they lived as long as it was far away from Noah Weston!
He was a man with too much power, and that power could take Tabitha away from her!