Game of Hearts

by Sara Logan

  "How's the ankle?" he asked.

  "Hardly a twinge," she assured him.

  A little later, as they were driving back to the Lodge, Christina said quietly, "I noticed that James wasn't at the closing ceremonies. Have you seen him this morning?"

  Alex grinned. "I saw him. He's in a lot worse shape than you are, Chris. We had a chat, and he decided it would be prudent for him to leave for home this morning. He and a confused Monica left some time ago. You need not worry about running into him today."

  Christina sighed and relaxed against the seat. "I'm glad of that! It'll be nice not to have him glowering at us all day, won't it?"

  "I wonder what he told Monica."

  "Something that will have her sympathizing with him all the way. James has a real talent for that."

  Alex parked the car in the inn parking lot and helped her out. "How nice," he said dryly. "Let's go get some lunch. I'm starving."

  "But we just had breakfast!"

  "That was hours ago. It must be the mountain air, but I'm hungry again."

  He had evidently been right about the mountain air. They both consumed an enormous lunch, during which he told her how impressed he'd been with the games and the entire weekend's activities.

  He slanted a dark glance at her. "The chairman invited me to come back next year if I could make it; I told him I'd be glad to if it were at all possible. Chris," he asked, changing the subject, "are you in a hurry to get home?"

  She looked at him, startled, and shook her head. "Not particularly. Why?"

  "I was talking to a man at the games and he was telling me about some areas around here that I haven't seen. I thought, if you didn't mind getting back rather late, we could go and do a spot of sightseeing before we left. No walking; I wouldn't ask that of you. Just driving around and looking. I haven't seen much of this part of the world and I'd love to see a bit more before we go back."

  Christina was torn between the heavenly thought of spending more time with Alex and the urgent need for the weekend to be over. She knew that when they went back to Charlotte, Alex would tell her what a pleasant weekend it had been and then board his plane and go back to Scotland. She would be left trying to put her life back into order, to find a job, to realize that she wasn't going to be able to work at the family firm, and to accept the fact that there was no man in her life for the present time. She thought about it for a minute and then rashly decided that she would take whatever time Alex had to offer and worry about it when he left.

  "What, in particular, did you want to see?" she asked hesitantly.

  "Mount Mitchell," he said promptly. "The man told me it's the highest mountain east of the Mississippi, over six thousand feet, and that on a clear day you can see several states. He said there was a good road all the way up to the top and a restaurant there. Could we have a late meal up there before going home?"

  Christina glanced at her watch. It was already well into the afternoon, and there was the long drive back to Charlotte still before them. "Alex, I don't know if we could make it. I mean, go to Mount Mitchell and get home before morning. It's quite a few miles from here."

  He looked so disappointed that she impulsively said, "I tell you what, though. We could go there today, stay over, and go home tomorrow. Are you due to leave tomorrow, Alex? You never did say."

  "I haven't made any reservations yet. I can leave whenever it pleases me. Chris, would you really be willing to do that? Don't you have to be at work tomorrow?"

  She considered it. "The advantage of being the boss's granddaughter is that it's not too difficult to get time off. I could call Gramps and tell him we're going to Mount Mitchell and won't be back until tomorrow sometime. That would give us plenty of time. We could leave here," she began, starting to get enthusiastic about the idea, "and drive up to Mount Mitchell. There's a little town at its base with a lodge where we could spend the night. I used to come up with Mom and Dad and we'd go there and drive up the mountain. Tomorrow we could drive down the parkway a bit and then head home. Does that appeal to you?"

  "Very much! If you're sure it won't inconvenience you?"

  She smiled inwardly. "I'm sure," she said briskly. "I love Mount Mitchell. I'll just call Gramps and then finish packing. You might ask the desk clerk if the restaurant is open up there because I'm going to be starving by the time we get there."

  He laughed. "I'll make sure you don't starve. When you're ready, beat on my door and we'll go."

  Christina's grandfather, who had been busy when she called but had called her right back, was neither surprised nor displeased. He seemed, in fact, very enthusiastic about the plan. "Stay as long as you like, honey. Alex might not get back up there for a while, so he should see as much as he can now. I'll expect you when you call me."

  "Thanks, Gramps, but we'll be back late tomorrow afternoon for sure. How are you feeling?"

  "You sound like the doctor. How is a man my age supposed to feel? You go ahead and have a good time; I'll be all right." After a short pause, he asked, "Was James there?"

  "He was." she replied. "I'll tell you about it when I get home."

  "Fine. See you then, honey."

  Christina went to her room and changed from her dress into a cream-colored pants suit with a hyacinth-blue silk blouse and decided on heavier shoes. Then she packed and checked the room to make sure she wasn't leaving anything behind. After a bit she paused in front of the door which opened onto the balcony and then unlocked it and pushed it open.

  The heavy scent of pine surrounded her as she leaned against the balcony rail and gazed down the steep hillside. Thick stands of pine marched down the slope, broken here and there by a narrow mountain stream, its water glistening in the sunlight. Christina drew a deep breath of the warm, scented air and felt more relaxed and at peace than she had during the entire weekend. James and Monica were gone; they would not see Rory and Lorna again. She could look forward to the bittersweet pleasure of Alex's company for another twenty-four hours without outside interruptions. She decided that it would be fun taking Alex up Mount Mitchell. It was one of her favorite places and, feeling as she did about him, she was very glad she could share it with him.

  Glancing around, she noticed that his balcony door was open and she moved toward it, intending to call to him and suggest he hurry with his packing. Her hand went out to touch his partly opened door when she froze as she heard voices from inside the room, voices she instantly recognized. Alex—and Lorna!

  "But, darling, I've told you! I regretted it as soon as I married Rory. I've always loved you; you know that!"

  "But you wanted to be a countess, Lorna! Did you think I didn't know why you broke it off? Rory could offer you a lot more: an old and respected title, considerable estates, and a great deal of money. You couldn't resist that, could you?"

  Even from where she stood, Christina could hear the bitterness in his voice. She stood, unable to move, hardly breathing, listening to the words with a numbed feeling of shock.

  "Alex, love, I admit it. But I've never loved anyone but you! As for Rory, what he doesn't know won't hurt him, will it?"

  Alex answered her, but he must have moved away from the door because Christina could not hear what he said. Then she heard Lorna's voice, higher pitched and much nearer, carrying to her clearly.

  "Darling, of course I've missed you! I know why you stayed away, but you needn't do that now! Rory thinks you're involved with that American girl, you know, so he won't suspect a thing! I know you still love me and want me, and it will be so easy! Rory still travels a great deal, my darling, and I do want you, too. Come here and let me show you how much…"

  Silence descended on the room. With a horrified gasp, Christina backed away from the opened door and fled into her room. With trembling hands she closed and locked her balcony door and sank down on the side of the bed. She felt sick and dizzy and could hardly comprehend what she'd just heard. Images of Alex and Lorna in the next room swam through her mind. She could almost see Alex holding the go
rgeous brunette in his arms, kissing her, making love to her!

  Christina flung herself down on the bed and stifled the sobs rising in her throat. How could he? How could Alex allow himself to have an affair with Rory's wife? It was all so clear now. He had managed to resist Lorna all weekend… until now. Where on earth was Rory? Christina wondered. At their hotel, packing to leave? Did he suspect where his wife was? Christina knew that he didn't. Lorna would have managed this visit without his being aware she had even left the club, and Rory would continue to be duped by her. And by Alex.

  Christina felt sickened. She hadn't thought Alex capable of such an action. It just proved that she didn't know as much about men as she thought she did. Certainly James had turned into a stranger in the last few days. Before she broke the engagement he had been selfish, yes, but appeared to adore her and to be looking forward to their marriage. Yesterday he had acted like a crazy man. And Alex, so sensitive to her hurt feelings, so protective, so, yes, chivalrous. And now! Succumbing to another woman's wiles, a married woman's wiles, without a second thought!

  Christina sat up on the bed and stared wildly at nothing. How could she conceal her knowledge of what was going on? She was supposed to go off on a lighthearted trip to Mount Mitchell with Alex and not return until tomorrow! Christina shuddered. She wanted to go home, to bid that tall, devastating man farewell and never see him again for as long as she lived. She was beginning to believe that all men were like that… certainly both the men she had so unwisely chosen had betrayed people who loved them. Yet how could she tell Alex she had changed her mind and wanted to go straight home? He would want to know why, and she couldn't think of an adequate reason. She knew it would be useless to say that Gramps was worse. Alex would insist on seeing him once they reached Charlotte, and then she would have two people to try to explain her lie to. If she herself claimed to be ill Alex would probably find that nice Dr. Maclean to check her over. And then where would she be?

  She could never tell him the truth! She couldn't bear for him to know that she had overheard that conversation, that she knew about him and Lorna. Or, her heart added, the pain and emptiness that had filled her mind and body to find Alex in Lorna's arms. Christina clenched her teeth and wondered what to do. If she refused to go, he would insist on a full explanation, and she couldn't give one. Yet to spend today and tomorrow with him, pretending she didn't know… She lay in a miserable little huddle for what seemed a long time.

  Then the shrilling of the telephone by her bed jerked her up and out of her thoughts. She stared at it for a long moment, reluctant to answer it, for she knew who was calling her. At last her hand went out and picked up the receiver.

  "Chris? Are you ready?" Alex's voice was firm and clear.

  She swallowed nervously and wondered what to say. "I… yes, I'm ready," she stammered.

  He said he'd meet her in the hall and hung up, and Christina stared at the offending telephone. Now what should she do? Putting the receiver down, she rose, gathered her tiny reserve of courage around her, and collected her handbag and suitcase. She could never tell him what she knew; she had no choice but to go and try to forget she had ever gone out on the balcony. She would force herself to act so naturally, so casually, that he would never suspect that she had heard Lorna's plans for them.

  Taking a deep breath, she walked out into the hall, gave him a bright smile, handed him her suitcase, and followed him down the stairs to the lobby, determined to erase it all from her mind and get what enjoyment she could from the trip.

  The drive along the Blue Ridge Parkway could hardly have been more scenic. They passed Linville Falls, and Christina pointed out the clear spills of water tumbling and splashing their way down the craggy face of the mountain. Hawkbill Mountain and Tabletop reared majestically in the distance above the lower hills. They drove slowly past the town of Little Switzerland, admiring the Swiss-style chalets with their colorful boxes of flowers standing out boldly against the quaint balconies. Just past Little Switzerland, they stopped at an overlook and admired the dense carpet of rhododendron flaming brilliant pink and reddish-purple at Crabtree Meadows. The mountain rhododendron was at its peak of beauty and spread across the meadow and up the rising slopes in a glowing splash of color.

  The road twisted and turned, running through sheltered glens and along precipitous ridges before leading to the road going up to the summit of Mount Mitchell. Alex was more and more struck by the wild and rugged beauty that so closely resembled the Scottish Highlands. He drove carefully up the steep, winding road.

  "That is the last building on the way up," Christina said, referring to the smallish two-story building set on the side of the mountain by the road. "It's an old inn, the only place to eat up here before the new restaurant went in on the summit. It has a tiny dining room, a souvenir shop, and half a dozen bedrooms on the second floor. We used to eat lunch there. The country ham, cured around this area, is one of their specialties."

  "I had some for breakfast; I like it. Salty but very flavorful. Quite unlike sugar-cured ham, isn't it?"

  "How about grits? I noticed you ate a modest helping for breakfast," she teased.

  That led to a discussion about Southern foods that lasted the rest of the way up, and Christina was almost sorry when they reached the parking lot on the summit. It had been a lot easier than she'd thought, she realized. Once in the car with him, talking to him, having him all to herself, she found it hard to believe that he would really betray his cousin. She began to wonder if perhaps she had misunderstood the scene she'd overheard. There was no mistaking Lorna's part in it, she admitted to herself, but she hadn't actually heard Alex agree to Lorna's plans. Under his warm charm, Christina found herself relaxing, enjoying the day and his attention, and dismissing the idea that he could ever have done what she had suspected him of doing.

  They had a quick sandwich in the restaurant, which was nearly deserted that late in the afternoon, and then began to walk up to the summit. Alex had wanted her to wait in the car and not use her ankle, but Christina was determined to go up with him and finally won the argument. It was a bright, clear day, with high puffy clouds, and the view promised to be excellent.

  "Besides, you need me to point out what you're looking at," she persisted. "A guide's no good sitting in the car."

  "Yes, but…"

  "It's really not very far, Alex, and there's an observation tower up there. Come on; if I get tired or my ankle starts to hurt, I'll let you carry me."

  He grinned at her and asked, "Is that a promise or a threat?" Before she could answer, he continued, "Whatever it is, I'll hold you to it."

  They went slowly up the graveled path, winding in and out of big boulders and rocky ledges. When they reached the top and went up into the observation tower, Christina saw a park ranger down the slope below looking up at them. She waved to him, and he waved back. Then she leaned on the rail and looked out over the spreading vista.

  "I think you can see four or five states on a day like this. Let's see," she said, counting them off on her fingers. "This is, of course, North Carolina. That should be South Carolina, that Tennessee, that Kentucky, and over there Virginia. Isn't it lovely?"

  "Beautiful," he said, looking at her. She glanced up at him, and he swiftly turned his eyes to the panorama spread before them. "It really is," he continued hurriedly. "It makes you feel as if you're alone in the world, serene and at peace. What a view, Chris!"

  "We were up here once when the sun was setting… thunderheads, cream and gold and rose… oh, I can't begin to describe it. I felt like praying. I understand sunrise is also worth seeing up here, but, I confess, I don't like getting up quite that early."

  He laughed. "No, I've noticed that," he said, referring to the morning before.

  "I was up and down to breakfast before you were today, sir," she reminded him, bristling a bit.

  "That must have been a fluke! However, you look so lovely in bed that you're forgiven for hating to get up," he said.

  Fe
eling that they were treading on dangerous ground, Christina chose not to pursue the subject. She turned away from him with a blush that she couldn't repress and leaned on the rail, staring off into the distance. He joined her, and neither said anything else for a while. Then the sun went behind a cloud and the cooling breeze ruffled Christina's blond hair. Alex gave a startled exclamation and pointed downward.

  "Look at that, Chris!"

  She followed his pointing finger and frowned. Patches of fluffy white cotton wool were gathering in the lower valleys. While they watched, the ranger came into view again, at the foot of the tower. He shouted something but they couldn't hear, and Alex signaled that they were coming down.

  "Sir, if you're going down, I suggest you start right away," said the ranger when they had reached the ground. "I've had a report from below that fog is coming in."

  Christina groaned.

  "It comes in fast up here," the ranger explained to Alex. "One minute it's clear, and the next it's like gray soup. It moves up the mountain pretty fast, so you'd better get down while you can."

  "Thanks. We will."

  Alex wasted no time. He hustled Christina down the path, easing her over the rougher spots but keeping a firm, hurrying grip on her arm. They reached the parking lot without mishap, to find it deserted and the restaurant closed. Alex crammed her into the car and started down the mountain, driving as fast as he dared on such hairpin curves.

  The road, though very steep and winding, was a good, smooth one. Soon, however, they caught up with the rapidly rising fog. Streaming white wisps drifted past, shrouding the face of the mountain in angel hair. Grimly, Alex drove on, his gaze intent on the white line in the center of the road.

  "One good thing, I don't have to worry much about which side of the road to drive on. No one would be fool enough to come up the mountain in this."

  Christina laughed nervously, knowing he was trying to calm her fears.

  The fog grew thicker by the minute, until the car seemed enveloped by a milky cloud. No longer was the white line clearly visible. The car lights were useless. They rounded a bend and ran into a heavy gray wall of fog. Christina gasped. Suddenly, they were unable to see the nose of the car, and Alex cautiously crawled to a stop.