Bluegrass King (The Americana Series Book 17)

by Janet Dailey

  'As a model, of course.'

  'Why do you assume that?' she demanded.

  'That's Marshall's type.'

  'Why? Simply because he likes his women to be beautiful and sophisticated? The same could be said for you, M. King. I've seen some of the women you've had hanging on your arm.' Her temperature was up.

  'I don't expect a woman to be perfect,' Barrett offered dryly.

  'Neither does Marshall!'

  'Then why has he already changed you to fit his standards?'

  'That's an absurd argument!' Dani protested. 'Before tonight would you have considered asking me to dance?'

  'No,' Barrett admitted with a twinkle in his eyes. 'But I also considered myself old enough to be your father.'

  'You knew that morning in the hospital how old I was, and you still didn't consider me worthy of your attention,' she reminded him waspishly.

  'As I recall, I waited around so I could be on hand to rescue you from the clutches of those reporters.' The lines deepened around his mouth.

  'That may be so,' Dani acknowledged grudgingly, 'but it was still Marshall who recognized the fact that I was an attractive woman and not a cheeky brat. And he is also the one who was interested enough to do something about it!'

  'That's what is important to you, isn't it?' There was a fractional narrowing of his gaze. 'Before tonight, I saw you as a long-legged filly just beginning to shed her winter coat. A bit high-strung and fractious with certain people like myself, but with a big heart, always ready with a smile or an encouraging word the winter coat is gone. But the sleek, shining coat that should be there is covered by artificial trappings and finery that detract from the inner beauty. I much preferred the old Dani to the one sitting beside me.'

  Her mouth opened and refused to close as she bounded to her feet, incapable of believing that he actually meant what he said.

  'I'm curious, Dani, what you hope to gain from this peacock existence. I wouldn't have thought money was important to you,' Barrett mused.

  'It isn't!' she protested vigorously.

  'Then what is your goal?' Slowly and casually, Barrett straightened to his feet, towering over her like an inquisitor 'Do you want to be the darling of the social set? Spend the rest of your life parading around on Marshall's elbow to spout your cute little opinions? He'd like that. Oh, I'll admit your outlook is refreshing, as Dru said, and no doubt you spoke the truth, but is that all you want out of life—to be attractive and good newspaper copy?'

  'How dare you?' Dani spluttered.

  'You always gave me the impression that you enjoyed working with horses,' he went on, 'that you were content with the life you and your father led. Why this abrupt departure? I can't believe it was The Rogue's death that brought it about. You've been raised around horses and racing. The unexpected is always expected—you know that.' The questions, the subtle accusations, rained upon her head, delivered by a quietly aloof voice.

  'Do you want to know why?' Dani was angry now. 'I'll tell you why! And it was because of The Rogue! Do you know what my father told me at the hospital? That he should have sold The Rogue to you, not because he was eventually destroyed, Oh, no, Lew wasn't trying to wish a mishap on you,' she jeered. 'He believed he should have sold The Rogue to you because he didn't deserve to own a horse as good as The Rogue.'

  The slight jerk of his chin indicated that the words came as a surprise to Barrett.

  'And the unbridled way I attacked you made him decide that he was a failure as a parent, too. He wanted me to become a lady, and that's exactly what I'm going to do!' Dani finished.

  She spun on her heel and would have stalked from the room if a hand hadn't pulled her up short and pivoted her sharply around.

  'Wearing expensive clothes and jewelry, being able to discuss the latest literature or opera season, and being invited to exclusive parties doesn't make you a lady, Dani,' Barrett told her sternly. 'The qualities you're looking for, Marshall will never be able to teach you.'

  'How do you know?' she demanded sarcastically.

  'Because he isn't a gentleman.'

  'Neither are you!' she retorted. 'You're just an arrogant, hard, unfeeling monster who doesn't like it when people get the better of him. For some reason, you resent the fact that Marshall is helping me and you're trying to turn me against him,'

  'You don't know very much about Marshall Thompsen,' he said grimly.

  The tautness of his jawline, the unshielded fire in his eyes, the impression of muscles tensed to spring were all danger signals warning her of her impudence. A wise person would have taken note of them.

  But Dani felt no caution. 'I bet you can hardly wait to enlighten me about Marshall!' hurling her angry words at him.

  Lean fingers closed over her bare arms, tightening when she tried to pull free. Then her blazing eyes watched the magical transformation as the grim line of his mouth relaxed into a coaxing smile and the leaping flames in his eyes changed into lights of be, gulling imps, a witching transition that caught at her breath and reminded her sharply of his virility.

  'Look, I don't want to quarrel with you,' Barrett murmured. His low-pitched, husky voice felt almost like a physical caress. 'Why can't we carry on a civil conversation?'

  'Because I don't like it, and you can save your famous King charm for someone else.' Not for the world would she admit that it had any effect on her.

  'You obviously like and respect Marshall. I shouldn't have tried to force my opinion on you. A person should defend their friends.'

  'You don't mean that,' Dani accused. 'You're only saying that because you think it might make me like you.'

  'Maybe I just don't want you to dislike me so much,' he suggested, bending his head and brushing her lips lightly with his own, igniting that pleasant, shooting fire again that disturbed her senses.

  'Why did you do that?' she protested angrily, although her voice wavered, taking out most of the sting.

  'Because I like to,' Barrett replied with barely concealed amusement.

  'Well, don't do it any more.'

  'Why? Don't you like it?'

  Barrett was obviously teasing her now and Dani found it was very difficult to remain angry, a discovery that endeared him to her.

  'No, I don't think I do,' was her prim answer as she sought to put him in his place.

  The warmth of his hands left her shoulders and her skin shivered at the unexpected removal. The fact that she enjoyed his touch she dismissed as ridiculous.

  'As long as there's room for uncertainty, there's always the hope that we can become bitter friends instead of bitter enemies,' he murmured.

  'Marshall must be wondering where I am,' Dani remarked sharply, prepared to do battle if Barrett suggested that they remain longer in the study. The atmosphere in the room had become too intimate for her peace of mind.

  But Barrett put forth no such argument, only gestured mockingly with an outstretched hand for her to precede him to the door. Determined to keep her footsteps unhurried and not reveal to him how anxious she was to escape his presence, Dani was unconscious of the regal tilt to her head as she walked at his side, the dignified carriage of her head accented by the high turtle-neck top of chocolate brown. The style intensified the slender length of her throat and the feathery soft waves of her gleaming brown hair. As they walked down the corridor towards the chattering noises of the party, she felt his gaze straying to her and sensed the glimmer of amusement in the clear depths of his eyes. Her chin tilted higher.

  'I suppose you would be annoyed if I asked to see you again,' Barrett said blandly. His offhand manner irritated her.

  'Probably,' Dani agreed, arching a brown brow as she sent him a cool glance to show the last thing she was interested in was his company.

  'Well, I'm asking.' There was that deep smile that managed to mock and be devastatingly attractive at the same time.

  'You're right—I am annoyed' Dani averted her gaze, letting it flit over the crowds as if she were seeking Marshall when in truth the only pe
rson she was truly conscious of was at her side.

  'Is that a yes or a no?' he asked with maddening persistence.

  She stopped and squared around to face him. Her pulse quickened as she met his steady gaze. 'Why would you want to see me? You've already made it clear that you object to the way I am now.'

  'I like the old irascible Dani who always manages to surface when I'm around. I don't want her to disappear completely amidst all the finery,' Barrett replied easily, then shrugged. 'Of course, if you think Marshall will object to my seeing you—'

  Breathing in deeply, Dani remembered the implication from Marshall that he and Barrett might be enemies, and Barrett's reaction tonight had seemed to enforce that. She didn't think to remind herself that she had considered Barrett an enemy, too. At the moment he represented a link with the past. She had only to close her eyes to visualise him standing in front of the racing stables talking to a jockey or a trainer while examining a fleet-limbed Thoroughbred. Despite her promise to her father, she was reluctant to sever this last link with the world she had loved.

  'I doubt if Marshall would approve,' she admitted hesitantly.

  'I wouldn't want to put you in a position to contradict his orders.' His solemn expression didn't convey the mockery she thought she had detected in his voice.

  'Marshall is helping me.' Her voice placed emphasis on the word 'helping'. 'He doesn't control my life. What I do with my free time is my business,' she asserted, her independent nature resisting any implication that someone other than herself was dictating her wishes.

  'Then perhaps you'll consent to spending some of your free time in my company?' Barrett prompted.

  'Perhaps,' Dani conceded. Her heart gave a strange leap of gladness as she made the tentative agreement and she turned quickly away in case that inner excitement was revealed in her face.

  'Where are you staying?' His hand was touching her elbow, prompting her into resuming their way through the crowd.

  'The Kingswood Arms,' keeping her voice calm and controlled. 'It's an apartment complex—'

  'Yes, I know where it is,' Barrett assured her. 'There's Marshall. He doesn't look too happy. I must have kept you too long.'

  Dani spied the dark face glowering at them a few feet away. Suddenly she realized that she didn't want an argument springing up between the two men. If they were ever at loggerheads, she would have to take Marshall's side, and she didn't want to align herself against Barrett. That knowledge was a surprise and one she didn't want to examine too closely.

  With a nervous smile, she turned to Barrett. 'I want to thank you for the dance. I…I enjoyed it.' Her smooth statement faltered a little towards the end.

  'You want to say your goodbyes now and avoid a confrontation, is that it?' His head tilted sideways in a confiding manner, the dark auburn hair catching the fire of a chandelier and reflecting a shimmering copper hue.

  Her mouth opened for a split second in surprise at his astuteness. 'A confrontation?' she parried lamely, wondering if he could read her mind,

  'Never mind,' Barrett grinned. 'I'm going to look up our hosts to say goodbye, then I'll leave. But I'll be seeing you'—a finger traced the delicate line of her jaw to her chin and lightly touched her lips—'soon.'

  After sketching a mocking salute in Marshall's direction, Barrett winked at Dani and withdrew into the crowd. A part of her wanted to watch the compelling figure until it was out of sight, but she firmly shook the desire away and crossed the short space to Marshall's side.

  'You certainly took your time about coming back!' he nearly snarled.

  'I didn't know I was supposed to be gone only a set number of minutes,' Dani retorted, assuming again the regal angle of her chin.

  'I never dreamed you would find Barrett King's company so enjoyable that you'd have to tear yourself away from him,' Marshall jeered.

  'Spare me your sarcasm!' Fire flashed in her hazel eyes. 'You knew all along that Barrett was going to be at this party and you didn't see fit to tell me.'

  'There was a distinct possibility that he wouldn't be here,' he hedged, glancing around as if he expected someone robe listening. 'I suppose he filled your head with dire warnings about me.'

  'As a matter of fact, he didn't,' she answered sharply—a half-truth, since Barrett had only implied that Marshall was not to be trusted.

  There was open disbelief in the dark coals of his eyes as he studied her expression, then a complacent smile turned up the corners of his mouth, the blackness of his eyes taking on a triumphant glitter.

  'I imagine he was too busy gloating over the latest victory of that horse he owns, the one your horse beat the other day.'

  'Easy Doesit?' Dani murmured, pain flicking lash-sharp over her at the vision of the flashy gold chestnut galloping down the straight and the even more poignant image of The Rogue.

  'I guess that's the one,' Marshall shrugged, as if the subject was of supreme indifference to him.

  'No.' Her head moved slowly from side to side, a puzzled frown creasing her forehead. 'No, he didn't mention it to me.'

  'All that's behind you, anyway,' he said with a consoling smile, tucking her hand beneath his arm. 'Come on, there are some people I want you to meet.'

  Meekly Dani submitted to his guidance. The news of the Thoroughbreds victory came as a surprise—more so because Marshall had been the one to tell her, as if he wanted to open up old wounds. But she didn't begrudge the chestnut its victory. In a way, she was almost glad. After all, The Rogue had beaten him soundly.

  It was difficult to concentrate on the group of people Marshall introduced to her because her mind kept wandering back to Barrett. Why hadn't he told her?

  Chapter Six

  THE sun had been up along time before Dani drowsily blinked her eyes open. She rolled over wearily and glanced at the clock on the bedside table. Ten o'clock. Stifling a yawn, she slid from beneath the covers and shrugged into a light cotton robe before making her way to the small kitchen in her apartment. After filling the electric percolator with coffee and water, she padded into the bathroom where she sluiced cold water on her sleep-encrusted face. The make-up bottles and tubes were in an orderly row in front of her.

  'Uggh!' Dani shuddered expressively as she glared at them.

  She hadn't returned from the party at the Blakes' until the wee small hours of the morning—this morning it was. No wonder she had slept so late! With a grimace of resignation, she touched some mascara to the tips of her lashes and applied a bit of pink lipstick after brushing her teeth and ignored all the bases and blushers and coversticks.

  'Marshall told me to relax today,' she murmured to herself, and stuck out her tongue at the bottles. 'I don't feel like being a glamorous model today!'

  Sifting through the clothes in her closet, she chose the most casual of her outfits, white slacks and a knit top of wide gold and orange stripes separated by narrow bands of white. Running a brush through her hair, she paused through habit to fluff and curl the ends the way Giorgio had taught her to achieve the desired hairstyle. She walked into the kitchen just as the coffee pot emitted its last dying sigh.

  Before she could pour herself a cup, there was a knock at the door. Muttering imprecations at Marshall for arriving before she had drunk her morning coffee, Dani stalked to the door, cursing him silently again because he hadn't called to let her know he was coming. With an irritated expression on her face, she flung open the door and stared into the green eyes that glittered laughingly back.

  'What are you doing here?' Dani stepped back, her heart skipping a beat in surprise.

  'I came to see you.' Barrett made a mocking show of examining the number on the door. 'This is Danielle Williams' apartment, isn't it? Or have I inadvertently knocked on the door of the Wicked Witch of the West?'

  An unwilling smile edged the corners of her mouth, but she refused to submit to his teasing voice completely. 'I haven't had my coffee yet this morning.'

  'In that case, may I join you in a cup?' His head was tilted inq
uiringly as he supported himself on an arm propped against the door jamb.

  'Do you think we could both fit?' she countered, the old vaudeville joke leaping forward before she could prevent it.

  'Your age is showing,' Barrett laughed.

  'You're welcome to a cup by yourself,' Dani grinned, turning to lead the way into the kitchen.

  'Did you just get up?' he asked lightly. 'That party must have lasted half the night.'

  'I think it did,' she sighed, and poured two cups to the brim. 'I hope you don't take cream, because I haven't spent enough time in the apartment to stock it properly.'

  'My father taught me to drink it black. It puts hair on your chest,' Barrett mocked as he straddled a chair and took one of the cups from her hand.

  'What are you doing here this morning?' she asked between sips of coffee.

  'As I said, I came to see you,' he retorted with the barest glimmer of a smile.

  'That's not what I mean.'

  'I didn't think Marshall would have anything planned for you today, since it's the Sabbath. I thought you might be at a loose end and I could offer my company for a tour of the town.'

  'I've seen enough museums and galleries and concert halls to last me for one week. Thanks, but no thanks,' Dani replied firmly.

  'I was thinking of something more in the line of a steamboat trip down the Ohio River, or maybe just a stroll along the banks. I doubt if either one will do much to improve your mind.'

  His suggestion was inviting. Still Dani paused. 'We'll end up arguing. We always do,' she sighed.

  'I've been subject to the sharp edge of your tongue before,' Barrett replied, concealing a smile. 'I'm willing to take my chances.'

  'It will be good to be out of doors,' she agreed with a decisive nod.

  'So it's not an invitation to a day with me you are accepting, but an opportunity to be outside,' he mocked.

  Dani refused to be baited into admitting that the prospect of his company for the day wasn't as unpleasant as she thought it would be. It seemed her attitude towards Barrett King had undergone a change almost as startling as her appearance. Not that she trusted him, because she was certain there was a hidden motive behind his attention that she didn't know about.