Part 23 (2/2)
”So I was told by the nice gentleman who gave me directions to your house.”
”Aren't you the littlest bit pleased for me?” Gwen hated the pleading note she heard in her voice.
”I suppose if it's what you want, Guinevere, then I'm glad.”
She wished Morgan were with her. She wished she could see him smile at her as he had earlier in the day, could hear him tell her he was proud of her.
”But I want to hear about your intended. How on earth did Morgan McKinley end up here? And now he's engaged to you. There are young women on two continents who wanted to do what you have done.”
”Shall we go inside, Mother? There's no need for us to remain standing on the porch. And you must be hungry after your journey.”
”No, I do not want to go inside and I am not hungry.” Her mother took hold of Gwen's arm and drew her to the chairs on the porch. ”Now sit down and answer my question.”
There was no use resisting. Elizabeth Arlington could be as stubborn as either of her daughters. Gwen might as well tell her what she wanted to know. ”Morgan is building a health resort just north of town. He came to Idaho over a year ago.”
”He's been living here all this time? And you never mentioned it once in your letters?”
”I had no reason to mention him. I didn't know him.”
Her mother rolled her eyes. ”You should have known I'd be interested. His family is held in esteem on both sides of t he Atlantic. In their day, the McKinley family hosted presidents and kings.” She shook her head. ”And to think you almost settled for that Bryant Hudson fellow.”
I almost settled for him? Gwen pressed her lips together, swallowing a retort. Her brief engagement to Bryant was her mother's doing, not hers. How could her mother forget that? Gwen pressed her lips together, swallowing a retort. Her brief engagement to Bryant was her mother's doing, not hers. How could her mother forget that?
”Oh, my. I can tell you. My friends are green with envy since I told them who you are engaged to marry. What an achievement!”
”It's not an achievement, Mother. I didn't ensnare him or win him. We fell in love.”
”Love.” Her mother waved a hand, as if brus.h.i.+ng away a pesky fly. ”A woman is far better served finding a husband who can give her a comfortable life and a secure future. Love can come later, if at all. Women who fall in love first are only asking for heartache. You will regret it if you go into marriage floating on some silly cloud of emotions. You mark my words.”
About an hour after they'd eaten dinner together, Morgan rapped on the door to his sister's room. ”Daphne? May I come in?”
”Yes, of course. I'm decent.”
He opened the door. ”I thought I'd go over to Gwen's for a while. See how her first day in office went. Care to come along?”
”No, thank you.” She pointed to the open journal on the small desk. ”I'm writing down some thoughts. Besides, you don't need me along. I'm sure you'd like to be alone with your fiancee.”
”Gwen and I want you to know you're always welcome, whatever we're doing.”
Amus.e.m.e.nt sparkled in her eyes. ”Not always.”
He couldn't argue with her. She was right. He would like some time alone with Gwen. He wanted to take her in his arms and kiss her breathless. He wanted - ”And before you ask me if I'm sure, yes, I'm sure. You go on and enjoy the evening. Like I said, I'm busy with my writing. I won't even know you're gone.”
”Mother wrote faithfully in her journals all the years that I remember. It's good one of us picked up the habit.”
Daphne smiled. ”I enjoy it. Writing has become a part of me, I guess.” She flicked her fingers at him. ”Now go on before I lose my train of thought entirely.”
This time Morgan didn't hesitate. With a nod, he backed into the hall, closing the door as he went. Minutes later, he was in his motorcar and driving toward Gwen's home.
He'd thought of Gwen so often since he left her alone in the mayor's office that morning. Had the day gone well for her? Was she loving the work or hating it? Had there been a spare moment in her day when she'd thought of him too?
No matter what, he was certain she'd given her all. That was the way Gwen did everything. At least that was his opinion. Admittedly, he was biased.
He turned onto Wallula and braked to a stop in front of her white fence. He hopped over the side of the car and strode up her walk. The front door was open, probably in hopes a breeze would blow through. Beyond the screen he heard two women's voices. Someone had beaten him here. Whoever it was, Morgan would run her off in a hurry.
He peered through the screen as he rapped on the doorjamb. ”Gwen, it's me. I came to hear about your first day in office.”
A heartbeat later, Gwen appeared in the doorway to her bedroom. ”Morgan,” she whispered. She didn't look glad to see him.
”Do you have a visitor?” He stepped inside, made uncertain by Gwen's expression. ”I thought I heard another voice.”
”You did.” A woman - a stranger to him - appeared in the bedroom doorway, smiling broadly. ”I'm Elizabeth Arlington. And you must be Morgan McKinley.” She moved toward him, her right arm outstretched. ”What a pleasure it is to meet you, dear boy.”
Morgan's first impression of Gwen's mother was that she was an undeniably handsome woman. However, he saw little resemblance to her daughters. Elizabeth's hair was auburn rather than blonde, and her eyes were a watery green instead of blue. Perhaps Gwen had the same chin and Cleo the same nose.
He shook hands with his future mother-in-law. ”The pleasure is mine, Mrs. Arlington. I a.s.sure you.”
”I could not believe it when I received Guinevere's letter, telling me of her engagement to you. But Mr. McKinley, I cannot fathom why you chose to move to this G.o.dforsaken town when you have such beautiful family estates in the East. Surely that would be a more appropriate place for you and Guinevere to live and raise a family.”
Obviously Elizabeth Arlington knew more than just his name. He'd wager she knew his entire history and the extent of the McKinley fortune as well. That would explain her haste to reach this town she so despised. He wasn't completely surprised. Gwen had given him some warning about her mother. And of course he'd known other women like Elizabeth Arlington.
His gaze returned to Gwen. Her internal conflict was written in her eyes. The Gwen he knew best - the one who wasn't afraid to run for mayor, the one who could stand up to the disapproval of her neighbors and who could live independently - had disappeared from view.
Elizabeth clapped her hands. ”But now I am here and we can begin to plan a proper wedding.”
Gwen closed her eyes. If only the floor would open up and swallow her whole. She never should have mentioned Morgan's name in her letter. If her mother had thought she was marrying a man of humble means, she might not have come for the wedding at all. But Gwen had wanted her here. Just not like this.
Another knock sounded at the door, and she looked to see who it was, glad for any intrusion.
f.a.gan Doyle stood on the other side of the screen. ”Morgan, I need to speak with you.”
”W hat is it? ” Morgan pushed open the screen door and stepped onto the porch. ”Trouble?”
f.a.gan lowered his voice, but not enough that Gwen couldn't hear him. ”One of the guards found dynamite not far from the bathhouse. In the forest just below it.”
”Dynamite?”
”I'm thinking someone brought it there with plans to use it. Maybe he got scared away by one of the guards. Maybe it was left there until a better opportunity.”
”It's escalating.”
”Aye, it is that.”
Gwen moved toward the door. ”What's escalating?”
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