by Janet Dailey
'My sister, Cinderella!’ Danny laughed, the pride glowing like a neon light on his face. ‘May I have the privilege of escorting Your Highness to dinner this evening?'
He bowed low before her, his towel flung in front of him like a cape. She laughed merrily and curtsied.
'I would be delighted, sir.'
'Then you'd better scram out of here so I can get dressed,’ he said, turning his towel into a whip.
She laughed again and danced out of the room. A few minutes later he was at her door, offering her his arm down the stairs. Coley felt like a princess making her grand entrance down a winding staircase. The new pride and assurance gave a previously hidden dignity and grace to her slender body. When Danny opened the door to the dining room for her, she walked unhesitatingly into the room, totally conscious of the pleasing picture she made. Her hazel eyes gleamed brightly at the group already seated at the table. Tony rose immediately from his chair, the stunned surprise showing on his face. Her gaze softened as she looked at the agreeable smile on Ben's face as he looked at her.
'Aunt Willy,’ Tony exclaimed, walking around the table to stand in front of Coley, ‘you're a fairy godmother!'
Coley's eyes turned to Jase, expecting to hear an echo of Tony's words or at least, the unspoken praise that was in Ben's eyes, but the mask was there, if anything, more firmly in place than ever. Her expression flickered briefly in hurt and confusion before taking Tony's arm with a gay smile. If she had looked at her aunt, Coley would have seen an equally puzzled face studying Jase very intensely.
The meal was just a continuation of a dream for Coley, a dream that had long been dreamed. Tony fairly danced attendance on her, flattering her with his words and eyes. Even the gnarled man in the wheelchair went out of his way to be chivalrous towards her. And the few times she glanced into her brother's eyes, the glow of pride was there for everyone to see. Except for Jason's silence, everything was complete. When they finally all withdrew to the veranda, Coley was pleased and surprised to see Jase join them. She took a seat on the bright wicker settee, feeling deliciously like a coquette with Danny on one side of her and Tony on the other and Jase smoking one of his slender cigars in the chair next to them.
Coley tilted her head towards Tony, confidence dazzling her smile. His slender brown arm rested lightly behind her shoulders while his dark eyes snapped messages to her.
'Were you really surprised over how I changed?’ Coley asked, knowingly seeking a compliment, but too full of her own satisfaction not to want it voiced by another.
'You knocked me cold when you walked into that room, Coley,’ he affirmed, his gaze roving over her face while dunking in her loveliness. ‘It was like seeing the cinder girl rum into Cinderella complete with Aunt Willy as fairy godmother. And me playing Prince Charming, stunned into adoring speechlessness.'
Coley's laugh drifted over the porch, intoxicated by his compliments. This for her was all her Christmases gathered into one day.
'I felt like a princess today,’ Coley said softly, almost in fear of breaking the spell of enchantment that surrounded her. She gazed unconsciously at Jase as she spoke. ‘Just as if the clock would strike any moment and I would be chanted back into that sad little urchin that always looked back at me from the mirror. Do I look different to you, Jase?'
He, of all people, must see the change from the drowned little girl he had rescued to this innocently sophisticated young woman. Her eyes gleamed brightly in the dim light as she waited in anticipation for his answer. And he must agree, the change was too apparent.
'You don't look like a princess at all to me,’ he replied. His voice was brittle and in the dim light, Coley was hurt to see the extension of his nostrils in controlled anger. ‘Tony is quite mistaken.'
Coley gasped uncontrollably at the censure in his voice. His eyes sought her out.
'You remind me of one of Aunt Willy's roses,’ he said. His gaze softened ever so slightly, although his expression never changed. ‘One of her yellow rosebuds, filled with the purity of innocence and just beginning to open into a full bloom.'
His soft yet distinct words echoed into a deepening silence on the porch. Coley's eyes misted brightly at the praise, so unqualified and so full of a promise to her as she matured.
'So words still come easily to your lips, huh?’ The gravelly voice of Benjamin Savage sliced like a rapier into the silence.
Jase failed to answer the sarcastic question as he snubbed his cigar out in the ashtray on the table beside him.
'If you'll excuse me,’ he murmured, rising and nodding towards his aunt as he spoke.
Coley watched as he descended the veranda steps into the night. His walk was slow and his posture erect. Coley turned to her uncle to protest, but was silenced by a sharp nudge from Danny.
Chapter Four
COLEY watched the long, gleaming form slicing effortlessly through the water, shimmering a pale blue in the morning sun. She was late, she knew, for her lesson, but the graceful, rhythmic strokes of the brown arms fascinated her with their precision. Would she ever get over her own fears and be able to swim like that? Coley wondered.
This morning would mark her fifth lesson and she still shivered apprehensively at entering the pool. Only the deep desire to learn drove her on, making her overcome the quaking of her body. It wasn't so bad now as it had been that first morning when Jase had had to practically help her into the water. Coley had been surprised at his patience with her. He had taken her step by step, until she understood. He took the fundamentals slowly, persuading her to immerse her head in the water and blow bubbles, letting her hold on to the side of the pool as she kicked her feet with a scissor-like movement and instructing her in the arm movements that he was now doing so effortlessly.
He reached the opposite end of the pool and stopped, shaking the water from his black hair with a twist of his head. Holding on to the edge of the pool with one hand, he waved a greeting to her with his free hand.
'Oversleep?’ he asked as Coley walked shyly to the edge of the pool
She nodded sheepishly before shrugging off her terry-cloth robe to reveal the two-piece swimsuit with its bright yellow flowers. Coley hurried into the shallow end, just a little embarrassed by her scanty attire. Jase swam slowly down to her end of the pool, stopping a few feet from her and letting his feet settle to the bottom as his chest and head raised out of the water. His hands carelessly swept the water from his face and the hair from his forehead before coming to rest on his hips.
'We'll practice some more floating today,’ he said, his blue eyes abstractedly taking in her appearance. He moved away from her in the water and instructed, ‘Float over to me on your stomach and remember to keep your head in the water.'
Taking a deep breath, Coley allowed herself to slide into the water, her arms outstretched and reaching for the solid, reassuring hands of her teacher. Within a few seconds of time, that seemed like minutes, she felt two hands catching hold of hers and lifting her upwards. She wiped the water from her face and looked to him for approval. As usual, there was nothing but the mask.
'Okay, let's do it again.'
Twice more she floated slowly towards him and twice more after that with the accompaniment of the scissor-like motion of her legs.
'All right,’ said Jase, looking expectantly at Coley, ‘we're going to learn the backfloat now. It's easy. Just relax like you did before and I'll hold you up.'
Obediently Coley turned her back to him and supported herself on his arms. But as the water swirled around her face and over her head, she sputtered to the surface and gripped his arm in panic.
'It's all right. Come on, lean back now,’ his patient voice instructed. Again she leaned into his arms, unconsciously stiffening her body as she did so. ‘Relax. Don't tighten up.'
Shutting her eyes to close out her inner fear, Coley surrendered herself to the firm hands supporting her shoulders and her back until the buoyancy of the water claimed and soothed her. It wasn't so hard, she thought to
herself, as the little waves lapped around her body. It was fun! She felt so serene and at peace floating like this in the water. Unknowingly, a happy smile had curled her generous mouth.
'You're enjoying it, aren't you?’ Jase asked, his complacent tone answering his own question.
'It's so peaceful,’ Coley breathed, her voice tinged with the mystification that she felt. She opened her eyes to look up at him, seeing with pleasure that his own eyes were almost smiling back at her.
'You're not afraid any more,’ Jase replied as Coley closed her eyes again. ‘Move your hands a little bit to propel you through the water.’ When she began to move her arms away from her sides and sink, he quickly repeated himself, holding her up in the water with his hands. ‘Just your hands. Just move them a little bit.'
This time she just moved her hands back and forth and thrilled as she felt her body being pushed along by her own movement. She sighed dreamily, relaxing now in the comfortable motion of the water.
'I really am going to learn how to swim, aren't I, Jase?’ she asked, opening her eyes to look into his face.
But it wasn't there! Suddenly she missed the pressure of his hands on her back. In terror she turned her head swiftly to see him treading water just a few feet away from her. And then everything went wrong. Her long legs tumbled over themselves in a desperate effort to find the bottom that wasn't there. Her arms began flailing the water as she panicked from the water swirling around her head.
'Jase!’ she gurgled, striking out desperately towards him. She saw him moving towards her as she tried to make her arms move in the synchronized rhythm that he had shown her. Then she was in his arms, being pulled towards the edge of the pool, coughing and spluttering as she went. When they had reached safety, her arms remained clasped around his shoulders, her body trembling and shivering with fright.
'You're all right, now,’ Jase said, his arm remaining firmly around her bare waist. ‘You did fine. You actually swam to me.'
'I ... I did?’ she stuttered, her terrified eyes gazing into his as she huddled closer to him; grateful for the broad, tanned cheat to lean on. ‘Why di-did you let go of me?'
'Because you didn't need me. You were floating all by yourself and I was in the way,’ he answered patiently, smiling comfortingly into her face.
'I really did?’ Coley asked, warming to his praise, in spite of her previous scare.
'Yes, you did.’ His smile was so gentle and unexpected that she could only stare at his lips, growing slowly more conscious of the few inches that separated them and the suddenly burning touch of his hand on her bare midriff. His head began to bend towards hers as her eyes remained hypnotized by his mouth.
'What have we here? An early morning rendezvous?’ came a teasing voice from the pool side.
Almost roughly Jase pushed Coley away from him, yet not letting her go, as they both turned towards the mocking face of Tony.
'I was just giving Coley a swimming lesson,’ Jase retorted sharply at Tony's raised eyebrows. ‘She had a scare in the deep water.'
'And Daddy was going to kiss her little fears away,’ Tony finished in mock-adult baby talk. Colour rose high in Coley's cheeks as she left the protection of Jason's arm and edged her way along the side of the pool to the shallow end. The scar on his cheek stood out whitely as Jase glowered at Tony before moving after the retreating Coley.
'If that's the way these little swimming lessons are turning out,’ Tony said, ‘I'd like to stand in for you one of these days, cousin dear.'
He grinned widely at the pair before striding off jauntily towards the ranch-yard, whistling merrily as he went. Coley watched him leave, wondering how she could look Jason in the face after what almost happened. She knew he was standing just a few feet from her in the shallow water, his piercing blue eyes watching her.
'Had enough for today?’ His voice rang harshly in her ears as she nodded her assent.
He was waiting by the ladder, one arm gripping the rung and the other resting impatiently on his waist. She longed to run past him, but the water raging at her legs reduced her pace to an ungainly waddle. Coley kept her head lowered, hiding as best she could the red flush on her cheeks and the misting of her eyes as she groped blindly for the ladder. As his hand gripped her arm steady her when she stumbled on one of the rungs, she almost ripped it away from him in her shame. Somehow she made it one of the lounge chairs and began drying herself off with the little dignity she could muster. She silently wished he would grab his towel and leave as he usually did. This time he hovered above her like a hawk over his kill. She tried to ignore him. She had to, she couldn't face him, not in the state she was in.
His hand reached out and imprisoned her twisting her face upward to his. She could feel him studying her intently, but Coley couldn't look in his face. Just as suddenly as he had grabbed her, he let her go, walking a few paces to her right where his towel lay. Involuntarily her ears followed his movements, hearing the crackle of paper and the striking of a match. Her nose smelled the aroma of the little cigars he always smoked. Again she felt his eyes on her.
'I told you you were too sensitive,’ Jase said briskly. ‘If you're going to last around here, your skin's going to have to toughen.'
Then he was gone. She clutched the towel tightly around her shoulders, hugging it close to her. He was right, she was too sensitive. What a silly thing to get so upset about! It was Tony's fault for teasing them, that was what had embarrassed her so, not the thought that Jase might have been going to kiss her. Heavens, she didn't even know if that was what he was going to do. Suddenly Coley realized that she had wanted him to. Momentarily stunned by her discovery, she stared blankly into the pool.
She had always shied away from any close contact with the opposite sex, especially after that repulsive episode with Carl, but a few minutes ago when Jase had held her, it had seemed almost instinctive. In that one brief moment when his head had begun to bend towards hers, Coley had actually felt that it was natural and right. Was that where her shame came from, from her own bold desire and not from Tony's teasing, but from his catching her in that vulnerable moment?
Visibly subdued, she made her way into the house and up the stairs into her room, her mind conscious of only this confusing revelation.
She spent the rest of the morning trailing after her aunt as Willy made her daily rounds in her rose garden. If she noticed Coley's inattention to her conversation, she made no mention of it. The whole family was present for lunch, a rare occurrence since quite often one or several were out on another section of the ranch. Somehow Coley managed a small smile when she looked at Jase, her round eyes expressing the apology for her morning conduct that she was too shy to put into words. With a barely perceptible nod, Jase accepted it.
Danny's expression was a little grim when he sat down beside her while Tony winked at her from across the table. Coley fought for a calm composure although she was aware that there were two bright dots of colour on her cheeks.
'How are your swimming lessons?’ Tony asked with a malicious twinkle in his eye. Danny stabbed at a pea on his plate.
'Very well,’ Coley replied, accepting a dish from Ben with just the slightest tremor. ‘I'll soon be as good as you and Danny.'
'As soon as you get to the advanced level, why don't you let me take over for Jase?’ Tony gleamed at her, flashing his white teeth at her in a knowing smile. ‘I'm an excellent teacher.
His barely disguised innuendo flooded her cheeks as she concentrated her attention on her plate. She glanced briefly at Jase, meeting the full force of the piercing gaze. He was waiting for her reply too. She mustn't let Tony's teasing to get her. She had to show Jase that her skin was tough and she could take it.
'Really, Tony?’ she replied as coolly as she could. ‘I never would have guessed that you were experienced in the teaching class.'
Tony's head jerked back at her words as he glanced over at Jase, but not quick enough to see the sly smile that Coley saw before it was quickly suppressed by
a studied concentration of the steak he was slicing. She could have almost giggled with her delight, but she turned instead to her brother, anxious for a change of subject.
'What have you been doing this morning?’ she asked.
'Taking care of a mare that just foaled,’ Danny answered, a hard glint in his eye as he looked at his sister. ‘It's a late foal and we've been keepin’ a close eye on it.'
Danny couldn't keep the pride from sneaking in his voice.
'A little baby?’ Coley exclaimed, captured by the excitement of birth. Turning excitedly to Ben, she asked, ‘Can I go down and see it?'
'Of course. Danny can take you down after lunch,’ Ben smiled good-humouredly.
'Will you, Danny?’ Her eyes gleamed.
'Sure. But you'll have to change in some jeans. Those shorts aren't exactly the thing for a barn,’ Danny stated.
'Right away,’ Coley cried happily, pushing her chair away from the table. ‘May I be excused, please?'
'You haven't had your dessert yet, Colleen,’ admonished Aunt Willy.
'I'm not hungry. I'll have it later,’ Coley called, already at the doorway. She started to leave the room, then ducked her head back in. ‘You be sure and wait for me, Danny.'
'I will.’ His voice sounded disgruntled, but there was a happy expression on his face as she returned his smile and bounced out of the room.
Coley raced up the steps into her room, creating a small whirlwind when she got there as she rummaged through her drawers for her jeans and a top. She changed in record time, then stopped in front of the mirror to touch up her hair briefly with a comb and add a hint of the peach lipstick. She wrinkled her button nose at her reflection and dashed out of the room. She arrived breathless at the bottom of the stairs and hurried to her brother, who was waiting only slightly impatiently at the door. With a cheery ‘I'm ready’ from Coley they left the house.
Coley managed to slow her anxious feet to the sedate pace her brother was taking. She fleshed a happy smile at his sombre expression, taking his arm with a childlike gesture.
