He gave a careless shrug. This was familiar territory. “He doesn’t mean anything by it. It’s just a habit of his.”
“Then, it’s up to you to break him of it. Darling, don’t you see,” she said, “that’s what he wants you to do. He wants you to stand up to him. Angus only understands one tone of voice—harsh.
“He doesn’t know how to be soft-spoken and genteel, like us. You have to talk to him in a way he understands, like Reede does. Angus wouldn’t dare speak to Reede in the condescending way he does to you because he respects Reede. And he respects him because Reede doesn’t kowtow to him.”
“Dad thinks Reede can do no wrong. To this day, it sticks in his craw that Reede left ME. He’d much rather have Reede than me around to manage things. I never do anything to his liking.”
“That’s simply not true!” Sarah Jo objected, showing more spirit than she had in weeks. “Angus is very proud of you. He just doesn’t know how to show it. He’s such a hard man. He’s had to be tough to accomplish everything he’s done. He wants you to be tough, too.”
Junior grinned, doubling up his fists. “Okay, Mother, tomorrow morning I’ll come out slugging.”
She giggled. His resilience and sense of humor had always delighted her. “Not literally, I hope, but that’s the spirit Angus wants to see in you.”
Laughter was a good note to leave on. Junior seized the opportunity, said his good night, gave her his promise to drive safely, and left. On the stairs, he met Angus, who was carrying his boots and limping. “When are you going to see a doctor about that toe?”
“What good’s a goddamn doctor, except to take your money? I ought to shoot off the sonofabitch and be done with it.”
Junior smiled. “Okay, but don’t get blood on the carpet. Mother would have a fit.”
Angus laughed, all traces of anger gone. It was as if the episode in his den had never happened. He placed his arm across Junior’s shoulders and gave them a quick squeeze. “I knew I could depend on you to get that girl out here. It worked out just like I hoped it would. We’ve put her on the defensive and planted seeds of doubt. If she’s smart, and I believe she is, she’ll call this thing off before too much damage has been done.”
“What if she doesn’t?”
“If she doesn’t, we’ll cross that bridge, too,” Angus said darkly. Then he smiled and affectionately slapped Junior on the cheek. “Good night, boy.”
Junior watched his father hobble across the landing. Feeling much better, he whistled softly beneath his breath on his way downstairs. Angus wouldn’t be disappointed in him this time. The job he had been assigned suited him to a tee.
His experience in handling women was legendary. The challenges that Alex presented would just make the chase that much more exciting and fun. She was a damned attractive woman. Even if Angus hadn’t told him, he would have wooed her anyway.
Doing it just right, however, would take some time and thought. He would give himself a few days to come up with a sure-fire strategy. In the meantime, there were lesser worlds to conquer. He saluted his handsome image in the hallway mirror on his way out the front door.
Chapter 9
Like the house, the stable was built of stone. The interior was like any other that Alex had seen, except that it was spotlessly clean. Two rows of stalls were divided by a wide center aisle. It smelled, not unpleasantly, of hay and leather and horseflesh.
Low wattage night-lights placed between the stalls made it easy for her to see where she was going—toward a brighter light that was burning in a stall about midway down. Quietly she made her way toward it, passing an open tack room and a door that was labeled PHYSICAL THERAPY. Through a wide opening she also saw a round pen with a walker that would exercise several horses at one time.
Before she saw him, she heard Reede, speaking in a low murmur to the occupant of the stall. Drawing even with it, she looked inside. He was hunkered down, sitting on the heels of his boots, rubbing his large hands up and down the animal’s back leg.
His head was bent to one side as he concentrated on his task. His
fingers pressed a spot which was obviously sensitive. The horse sniffed and tried to withdraw.
“Easy, easy.”
“What’s the matter with him?”
He didn’t turn around or show the slightest surprise at the sound of her voice. Apparently, he had known all along that she was standing there and was just being obtuse. He gently lowered the injured leg and, standing, patted the animal’s rump. “It’s a her.” He shot her a suggestive smile. “Or aren’t you old enough to tell the difference?”
“Not from this angle.”
“Her name is Fancy Pants.”
“Cute.”
“It fits her. She thinks she’s smarter than me, smarter than anybody. Fact is, she’s too smart for her own good. She goes too far, too fast, and as a result, she ends up getting hurt.” He scooped up a handful of grain and let the horse eat it from his hand.
“Oh, I get it. That’s a veiled reference to me.” He admitted it with a shrug. “Should I take it as a threat?”