Sultry. Mary Baxter Lynn

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СКАЧАТЬ voice caught. “But she was sick. Believe me, I understand that now.”

      “I know you do.” He paused, then added, “God, if it had been me who had…” His voice trailed off.

      “Found her lying in her own blood, dead,” Lindsay whispered, barely getting those words out before her own voice faded into nothingness.

      Tim blanched, then nodded.

      In some respects, Lindsay couldn’t believe she was having this conversation with Tim. Always before, he’d refused to talk about their mother’s untimely and tragic death from a self-inflicted gunshot wound.

      At the time, he had retreated into his own shell of personal pain and fear. She hadn’t faulted him then, nor did she now. Besides, she’d been too distraught herself to think about anything other than her own broken heart and shattered dreams.

      Even though Cooper was the strong one in the family, the one who made the major decisions, Lindsay had nonetheless adored her mother, even if it had been from afar. She had learned early on that Emily was different from other mothers.

      Emily had had deep bouts of depression, which often sent her away from home for long periods. It hadn’t been until Lindsay was older that she realized her mother was in a private sanitarium for treatment, something Cooper was ashamed of and tried to cover up by refusing to acknowledge or discuss his wife’s problem.

      Only after Lindsay found her mother’s blood-splattered body and plunged into that same world of dark depression did Cooper respond.

      “Lindsay, are you all right?”

      Jerking her thoughts out of the past, Lindsay tried to swallow back the panic that suddenly threatened to overwhelm her. No, she wasn’t all right, she wanted to scream. Instead, she made the swing go faster, as if to outrun her mind.

      Why now, of all times, did Tim have to bring up their mother’s suicide?

      “Of course you’re not all right,” Tim muttered, seemingly more to himself than to her.

      Lindsay licked her dry lips. “I’m okay, really. Mother was not something I expected to discuss, that’s all.”

      “Me either,” Tim admitted, his weak chin jutting slightly. “I don’t know what the hell came over me.”

      “It’s okay. You don’t have to feel guilty for talking about her.”

      “But I do,” he said harshly. “It all happened so long ago.”

      “The summer I graduated from the university and you were in med school,” Lindsay acknowledged in a dazed voice. “Even at that, it seems like yesterday.” Her voice had suddenly turned hoarse, and she cleared her throat.

      “Let’s change the subject, okay?” Tim said abruptly. “‘To hell with her’ is the way I see it. If she didn’t want to stay with us, then we’re better off without her.”

      “Tim, please, don’t talk like that. What would Daddy think?”

      “Who gives a damn? Haven’t you ever considered that he just might be partly to blame?”

      “Of course I’ve considered it,” she responded, a wealth of sadness in her tone.

      “His stable of women has always been the talk of the town.” His tone was bitter. “Because of that, I’m sure Mother was the brunt of a lot of jokes.”

      “Tim, don’t do this, to yourself or me. It’s not healthy, for more reasons than one.”

      “You know, life sucks.”

      Lindsay blew out a heavy breath, realizing the tiny moment of closeness she had felt with Tim earlier had disintegrated. He was once more his brooding, untouchable self, while she was becoming anxious, a feeling that frightened her. She didn’t want to talk about Cooper’s penchant for women or dissect his role in her mother’s death. It wasn’t healthy.

      “I’d rather not talk about this any more,” she said stiffly, voicing her thoughts.

      His face darkened. “Ditto.”

      Lindsay stopped the swing. “I guess I’d best get back and check on Daddy.”

      “Ah, he’s all right. If not, we’d have heard.”

      Lindsay didn’t argue. However, she got out of the swing, walked back to the railing and stared into the distance. What a lovely and tranquil place, she thought, aching for some of that tranquility to filter into her soul.

      “Why do you stay?”

      Lindsay gave her brother a taxing look, trying to curb her temper. Another unsettling question out of the blue. This was a side of Tim she hadn’t seen in a long time. He usually had very little to say to her. “You know why.”

      “No, I don’t. He’s perfectly capable of taking care of himself. He’s just too selfish and ornery to do so.”

      “It’s not all him.” Lindsay’s voice suddenly shook. “I’ve never wanted to be by myself.”

      “I can understand that.”

      A short silence followed his bleak words. Lindsay broke it by saying, “My main concern right now is convincing Daddy once and for all that I’m not going to marry Peter.”

      “Well, good luck. You’ve got a daunting task ahead.”

      Another silence ensued as Lindsay’s eyes returned to the colorful grounds. It was then that she saw a man sauntering across the nearby lawn as if he owned it. He was a big man, with a loose, long-limbed gait that bespoke of self-assurance, if not a bit of arrogance.

      An attractive hunk, she thought wryly, unable to remember the last time she’d been affected by any man. Of course, she wasn’t affected by him, she corrected herself quickly, except in a purely objective way. After all, he was obviously an employee, and much too old for her, to boot.

      Still, her gaze lingered. He had a strong, rugged profile, and dark hair that curled slightly at his nape. But it wasn’t his face that held her attention. It was from the neck down.

      He was shirtless, and even from where she stood, she could see the contour of his body. And a fine body it was, too.

      For a moment Lindsay forgot all about Cooper, Timothy and—especially—Peter. She was intrigued and wondered who the man was, though she had never before taken an interest in the people who maintained the huge estate.

      As if he sensed he was being watched, he swung his head sideways, and their eyes met. She was trapped. Caught staring. Her face flooded with color, especially when he seemed to be surveying her with guarded eyes.

      What was he thinking? More to the point, why did she care?

      Suddenly, his brows arched in a deliberate and dismissive gesture, then he turned his head.

      Lindsay didn’t know why, but that look irritated her no end. She had never considered herself a snob, but she felt like putting him in his place, wherever that might be.

      She СКАЧАТЬ