“No, don’t apologize. It ruins the entire effect,” he drawled. “Outraged womanhood and all that. How come a proposal deserves a slap, though? Outside of the fact that it’s the night before your wedding to someone else.”
“It wasn’t a proposal and you know it.”
“Sounded like one to me.”
“So you followed me into the woods during my rehearsal dinner to propose...something. Any particular reason? Were you suddenly overcome by passion? You realized you’ve loved me forever and you can’t see me throwing my life away on the wrong man?”
He said nothing, the mark of her hand standing out against his tanned face.
“What, no passionate declarations of love?” she mocked him. “Of course not You see, I know why you’re doing this, Jack It was Jimmy’s idea, right? It just took you four years to get around to it,” she said bitterly. She was beyond thinking clearly, beyond wondering how she knew things only Tallulah would know. Somehow during the past forty-eight hours she and Lou had become one, and Lou’s emotions and memories had become hers. The man in front of her, the man she wanted to kill, was the man she was in love with, and always had been.
“It was Jimmy’s idea,” Jack said finally. “He must have known there was a good chance he wouldn’t come back He wrote and asked me to look after you.”
“Well, I’d say you failed, big-time,” she shot back. “You blew your brother’s last request, hotshot. I’m being forced to marry a bullying criminal, and there’s not a damned thing anyone can do about it. And your noble sacrifice is too damned little, too damned late.”
To her amazement he didn’t look particularly chastened. As a matter of fact, he smiled at her, with something like relief. “That’s the Lou I remember,” he said. “For four years you’ve been walking around like a zombie. I don’t think you let a curse word past your lips in all that time. Welcome back.”
“Go to hell.”
“You want to hit me again?” he taunted.
“Yes!” She moved toward him, like a fool, not realizing his intention. He caught her upraised hand and pulled her into his arms, her body slamming up against his. This time when he kissed her she kissed him back, surrendering with a quiet moan of longing and despair.
It went on forever. His big hands threaded through her carefully arranged hair, pulling it free, and he kissed her mouth, her throat, the corners of her eyes.
“Run away with me, Lou,” he whispered against her skin. “We can make a good team. We’re both too old to believe in true love anymore....”
She kicked him. Hard, in the shins, her uncomfortable shoes finally good for something.
“I repeat Go...to...hell.” And she strode off down the path to the party, her back straight, bristling with fury.
Twelve
Susan was so intent on escaping from Jack that she failed to notice someone looming up at the edge of the woods, and it was too late to avoid barreling into them. At least it wasn’t Neddie or Ridley.
Unfortunately it was Elda.
She caught Susan by the arms, inadvertently squeezing where Neddie had already bruised her. “Where are you running off to, precious?” she purred. “The blushing bride is the center of the party, and no one’s been able to find you for ages.”
“Did they really notice?”
“No,” Elda said with an airy laugh. “But I did. I was worried you might be trying to run away. You’ve always had an almost saintlike sense of responsibility, but I know the lure of an attractive young man, and it’s common knowledge you’ve always been desperately in love with Jack McGowan. Is that who you were meeting in the woods?”
“I didn’t meet anyone in the woods.”
“You look well kissed, and I’m a woman who
knows the look. If it were anyone else I’d say you’d been doing a lot more than that, but we know Saint Lou is planning on being a martyred virgin bride, so she’s unlikely to indulge in a little prenuptial hanky-panky. So tell me, did Jack pledge his undying love?”
Susan was tired, frustrated and angry. She looked at the smug, elegant woman who was taunting her, and something snapped. “Doesn’t this wicked stepmother thing get a little old after a while, Elda?” she drawled.
She’d managed to startle Elda out of her mocking complacency. “Have you developed claws, my dear? It’s a little late for that Your fate is sealed.”
“Lord, Elda, what kind of books do you read? My fate is sealed? Don’t be ridiculous,” Susan snapped.
Elda was looking at her as if she’d suddenly sprouted horns and a tail. “It’s a little late to regrow your backbone. You aren’t thinking of backing out of our agreement, are you? The family?—”
“The family is counting on me, yes, I know,” Susan said. “If I don’t marry Neddie the family is disgraced and ruined, including my little sister. It sounds like something out of a melodrama.”
