Part 28 (1/2)

”I'm not trying to say Tyler knows he's in love with you, but I will say I've never seen him so unsettled by a woman as he is by you. It's going to take him a while to accept it. If you think he's worth the wait, don't give up on him.”

Daisy picked up the new dress and turned it inside out. She settled on the sofa next to Laurel, accepted a threaded needle, and began to sew the border to the dress. Laurel threaded a second needle and started on the other side.

Daisy didn't know if Tyler was worth the wait. There was so much about him that frightened her. At the same time, so much that drew her to him. It was like there were two people inside him. He wasn't enough of either one for her to be able to make up her mind.

”I don't think we have much in common,” Daisy finally said. ”The things he wants frighten me. The things I want don't appeal to him at all.”

”In that case, you ought to put him out of your head as fast as you can. It'll be nothing but heartache if you don't.”

Daisy agreed. Only it would be nothing but heartache if she did.

Daisy had been in Albuquerque four days when she emerged from a store and practically ran into Adora Cochrane and her mother.

With an exclamation of pleasure, Adora embraced her friend. ”I never thought your father would let you go long enough to come to town.”

The joy in their reunion fled. ”My father is dead. He was killed last . . . a few days ago.” There was no chance Guy would still want to marry her, not looking like she did, but she needed to stick to her story. There was no reason to ruin Tyler's reputation.

”What are you doing here?” Mrs. Cochrane asked as soon as she had offered the usual condolences.

”They burned our house. A prospector found me and brought me here to stay with his sister-in-law.”

Daisy noticed the frown produced by the word ”prospector” eased at the word ”sister-in-law.” Laurel was right. Everything would be all right as long as no one knew about that week in the cabin.

”What are you going to do?” Adora asked.

”I don't know,” Daisy said.

”You'll stay with us until you decide,” Adora said. ”Won't she, mother?”

”Certainly,” Mrs. Cochrane said. ”As long as you like.”

”She's going to stay with us for a long, long time,” Adora said with a giggle. ”Guy's going to see to that. Just wait until he finds out he missed you. We tried to get him to come with us, but he couldn't stand any more shopping.”

”Has Guy been asking about me?”

”He talks about you all the time,” Adora said. ”I finally had to tell him to shut up. Where did you get that dress? It suits you perfectly.”

Daisy explained that everything had been lost in the fire, that Laurel Randolph and her husband had been most generous.

”Guy will have to reimburse them,” Mrs. Cochrane said. ”I'm sure they are very nice people, but I can't feel comfortable being indebted to strangers.”

Daisy was on the verge of telling Mrs. Cochrane that she, not Guy, was indebted in a manner that couldn't be repaid by money, but she held her tongue. If there ever was a woman who thought money was the answer to everything, it was Belle Cochrane.

Though she disapproved of strangers who stayed in hotels, Mrs. Cochrane insisted she be introduced to the Randolphs immediately. From the moment she found out they had hired the whole top floor, her affability was a.s.sured. Learning Daisy had been rescued by a Randolph instead of a ”prospector” seemed to be all she needed to feel propriety had been observed. But she insisted Daisy move to their home immediately.

”I understand you have been put to some expense to replenish Daisy's wardrobe,” Mrs. Cochrane said.

”We were glad to do it,” Laurel replied. ”I've been enjoying her company.”

The rest of the visit pa.s.sed smoothly even though Laurel steadfastly refused any payment. Belle Cochrane spent most of the time it took them to reach their home prying as much information as possible out of Daisy about the Randolphs.

Daisy felt relieved when she was at last installed in her own room at the Cochranes, but she was sorry to have left Laurel. She liked her very much. She had wanted to be there when the baby was born. Most of all, she regretted losing this last link with Tyler. As long as she had any kind of connection with his family, she wouldn't give up hope he might come back.

Adora took her lowered spirits to mean she hadn't gotten over her father's death.

”Do you know who killed him?”

”No,” Daisy replied. ”I was hoping your father would help me find out.”

”Papa's still in Santa Fe, but I'm sure he'll see the sheriff makes it his first priority. It must have been terribly frightening.”

”One of the men shot me. If Tyler hadn't found me, I'd have died.”

”He shot you!” Adora exclaimed, her eyes wide with disbelief. ”Why didn't you tell me earlier?”

”I didn't want to upset your mother.” Daisy pulled back her hair. ”See!”

”Golly!” Adora exclaimed. She inspected the wound closely. ”It sure healed awfully fast.”

”It wasn't a bad wound,” Daisy said. She had to remember the missing nine days, or she'd betray herself. ”It ruined my hair. I have to wear it in a bun.”

”It makes you look older.”

Tyler had liked it loose.

”What was he like?” Adora asked.

”Who?”

”The man who rescued you. Was he as handsome as his brother?” Adora sighed. ”He looked so menacing, like he could shoot you and never blink and eye.”

”He's really very nice. He's just worried about his wife.”

”What about the other one? Is he married?”

”No, but you should have seen the youngest brother,” Daisy said, deciding to sacrifice Zac to Adora's insatiable curiosity. ”He's gorgeous. He stole his brother's money and ran off to become a river boat gambler.”

”No! You're making this up.”

”You can ask if you don't believe me. You won't believe how handsome he is. He's got the longest lashes and the most beautiful eyes you've ever seen. He's just about your age.”

”Tell me everything,” Adora gushed.

Daisy proceeded to do just that, inventing details as needed. Her conscience didn't bother her. Adora would never meet Zac, and this way she could keep Tyler all to herself.

Next morning at breakfast Adora and her mother kept up a constant flow of conversation. They seemed to be determined to do what they could to raise Daisy's spirits. The family took all their meals in this large, formal room. It was so dark and the furniture so heavy and formal it always made Daisy feel out of place.

”I'm certain you will want to observe a period of mourning,” Mrs. Cochrane said, ”but it's best to get past unpleasant things as quickly as possible.”