Part 6 (1/2)

She suddenly decided there was no reason not to get them. ”Do you mind if we stop back at my house first?” she asked. ”I need to pick something up. I can go myself, if you'd rather.” She didn't own a car. She'd never been able to afford one. She could take a taxi if she needed one, but she figured he might still be playing his charming role and would insist on taking her himself.

He wanted her compliant. It was too early for him to start distancing himself. He didn't have her wrapped around his finger completely yet.

His eyes widened. ”Sure. Of course. I thought you already brought things over, though.”

”I did. I was going to leave some stuff behind, but I just changed my mind. It's fine if you'd-”

”I can take you,” he interrupted, frowning as if he didn't appreciate the a.s.sumption he wasn't considerate enough to take her. ”It's not that far out of the way. As long as I don't have to go into the room with those dead cats.”

The Beauforts lived in one of the historic neighborhoods at the heart of the city. Most of the houses were gorgeously restored, and all of them were old and stately and streets lined with oaks and Spanish moss.

Mitch.e.l.l lived in a gated community in the south of the city, with new houses, large pieces of property, and plenty of privacy.

The Beaufort home wasn't anywhere close to Mitch.e.l.l's, and it was definitely out of the way, but Deanna didn't bother argue. He was trying to be nice so she'd fall for him even more.

When they arrived, Deanna saw a flutter of curtains in the parlour, so she knew her someone had seen them drive up.

Kelly opened the door before Deanna could turn the k.n.o.b. ”Are you married?” she demanded.”

Deanna shook her head and raised her hand so her sister could see the simple platinum band next to the engagement ring with the diamond solitaire Mitch.e.l.l had presented her with last week. She would have preferred a ring with more history and character than the sleek modern lines, but Mitch.e.l.l had bought the rings, and he'd obviously chosen what he liked. ”The deed is done.”

”How strange does it feel?” Kelly asked.

Deanna chuckled. ”Pretty strange.” She glanced up at Mitch.e.l.l, catching him watching her closely again.

She wondered what was going on in his mind. Did he recognize that she wasn't as compliant as she'd been last week? Was he starting to plot to make sure he got her back under his thumb, easy to manage once more?

A sudden brainstorm hit her-the kind of spark of naughty genius that almost never tempted her. But she couldn't resist, remembering how condescendingly he'd spoken of her on the phone call.

She gave him a warmer smile. ”But I think it's going to be okay.”

His face visibly relaxed. ”I think so too.”

”Grandmama isn't here,” Kelly informed them, giving them both curious looks. ”She's having tea with Mrs. Endicott. She'll be very upset about missing you.”

Mitch.e.l.l's face relaxed even more, and Deanna knew he wasn't at all upset about missing her grandmother.

”We're not here to visit,” Deanna told her sister. ”I just decided I wanted my beads after all.”

”Oh, okay.” Kelly followed them as they walked up the staircase. ”That's probably a good idea. You'll be kind of bored, won't you, sitting around in a fancy house with nothing to do.”

”My house isn't that fancy,” Mitch.e.l.l said, glancing over his shoulder in a friendly way. ”And she's welcome to do anything she likes with her time.”

Deanna could think of a few things she might do that he would have objections to, but she didn't mention them. ”That's really nice of you,” she murmured instead, lowering her eyelids in what she hoped was a shy look.

Mitch.e.l.l was definitely looking less concerned now, and Kelly was looking very confused.

Fortunately, her sister didn't say anything.

When they reached Kelly's bedroom, Mitch.e.l.l paused in the doorway at the sight of all the tins of beads and spools of wire that were scattered over the floor. ”Wow,” he breathed. ”What are all these for?”

”I like to make jewelry and little purses and stuff with beads.” She opened her closet and found a little beaded coin purse she'd made two years ago. ”Like this, see?”

He took the purse in both his hands, staring down at it. Deanna had been proud of that one, since it had taken forever to get the roses to look right on it, and she couldn't help but be pleased when his expression showed that he was impressed. ”You made this?”

”Yeah.” She tried to look bashful and simpering, as he would expect her to. ”It's just a little hobby I have.”

It wasn't a little hobby. She loved working with beads, and she sometimes dreamed of making a living at it.

”This is really good. You make jewelry too? Have you tried to do anything with your stuff?”

”Yeah. I sell it online and a few local shops will stock some of my better items. So far, it's only brought in pocket money, though.”

”Well, it's a start.” He was looking down at the beaded coin purse, and his expression now was thoughtful. ”We can put a shelf of some of your stuff in the Claremont shop, if you want. This is good enough to place there, and people at hotels buy all kinds of useless stuff they wouldn't otherwise.” His head jerked up. ”Not that it's useless. I didn't mean that. I just mean it's pretty stuff, not practical stuff.”

Deanna laughed. She couldn't help it. He looked so guilty and worried by his gaff, although she actually liked him better for it, since he didn't seem so fake and practiced. ”I know what you meant. And, thank you, I would love to put some stuff in the shop, if you think it would be of interest. I'll have to make some more first, though, since I've sold most of my best stuff already.”

”Sure. Any time.”

They smiled at each other, both of them clearly pleased by this arrangement, and Deanna suddenly remembered that she couldn't fall under his thrall again.

She would need to be careful. It felt like the spontaneous offer was genuine and wasn't part of his charming act, but he would use it for sure, and she couldn't let him succeed in wooing her.

As if he'd read her mind, he slipped an arm around her waist and smiled down at her in that intimate way, the expression that was supposed to leave her weak and boneless. Even now, knowing what he was doing, it almost worked. ”I had no idea my new bride was so talented,” he said.

She had to fight the instinct to pull away. Instead, she gave a silly giggle. ”I'm not that talented. Thank you, though.”

When she glanced up, she saw that Kelly was looking at her suspiciously. Her sister would know this was not normal behavior for her, and she would wonder why. ”Well, let's start gathering all this stuff up,” Kelly said, fortunately not asking about Deanna's actions. ”Just be careful. We don't want another bead spill. Remember last time?”

Deanna shuddered at the memory of her grandmother knocking over a tin of beads in the back sitting room, where Deanna had been working on them. It had been months before they'd found them all.

She could just picture Mitch.e.l.l's face if tiny little beads ended up rolling all over his no doubt immaculate, modern house. He would hate that.

In fact, if he got too obnoxious, she could always arrange for a little accidental bead spill. It would be a good thing to keep in her pocket.

For now, though, he wasn't being too smarmy, although he smiled at her too much and gave her a few more compliments when she showed him her jewelry. The three of them managed to pack a few boxes with all her supplies and then the girls let Mitch.e.l.l carry them down to the car, since he insisted.

”What's going on?” Kelly whispered when he carried the first two boxes down at one time.

”What do you mean?” Deanna knew what her sister was talking about, but she acted innocent.

”You know. I a.s.sume you haven't miraculously fallen in love in a couple of hours. Why are you acting that way?”

”What way?”

”I don't know. All silly and giggly.”

Deanna raised her eyebrows. ”I have my reasons.”