Tory stopped dead in her tracks. “What? But how?”
With an encouraging smile, Anna met her friend’s questioning stare. “You’d better be sure that your backbone is strong, Tory. All sorts of rumors are flying around Sinclair.”
“Already? I don’t see how—”
Anna placed her hand over Tory’s arm. “Trask McFadden, excuse me, Senator McFadden is a famous man around these parts. What he does is news—big news. When someone attacks a man of his stature, it isn’t long before the gossip mill gets wind of it and starts grinding out the information, indiscriminately mixing fact with fiction to distort the truth.”
“But it only happened last night,” Tory argued.
“And how many people knew about it?”
Tory smiled wryly and continued walking across the parking lot. “Too many,” she admitted, thinking about Trask, Neva, Keith, the private investigator… The list seemed nearly endless.
“Then brace yourself; no doubt the press will b
e more than anxious to report what happened and how it relates to the horse swindle of five years ago as well as Jason McFadden’s murder.” Anna’s voice was soft and consoling. “Your father’s name, and his involvement in the scam, whether true or not, is bound to come up.”
Tory let out a long breath of air. “That’s just what I was trying to avoid.” The afternoon sun felt hot on the back of her neck and the reddish dust beneath the gravel was stirred up by the easterly breeze.
“Too late. The handwriting’s on the wall.”
Tory lifted her chin and her eyes hardened. Involuntarily her slim shoulders squared. “Well, what’s done is done, I suppose. At least you’ve given me fair warning. Now, how about staying for a late lunch?”
“It sounds heavenly,” Anna admitted, pleased that Tory had seemed to buck up a little and was ready to face the challenge of the future. “I thought you’d never ask!”
Tory laughed and found that she looked forward to Anna’s company and sarcastic wit. She needed to think about something other than the mysterious happenings on the ranch and it had been a long time since she and Anna had really had a chance to talk.
* * *
“THAT WAS DELICIOUS,” Anna stated, rolling her eyes as she finished her strawberry pie. “Denver omelet, spinach salad and pie to boot. Whenever you give up ranching, you could become a chef. It’s a good thing I don’t eat here more often or I’d gain twenty pounds.”
“I doubt that,” Tory said, pleased with the compliment nonetheless. “You’ll never gain weight, not with the work schedule you demand of yourself.”
“That’s my secret,” Anna said. “I never have time to eat.”
Chuckling softly the two women cleared the dishes from the table and set them in the sink. “So we’ve talked about what happened here yesterday, and about my plans for the ranch, and about Governor’s condition. Now, tell me about you. How’re you doin’?”
Anna’s dark eyes clouded. “Things have been different since Jim moved out.” She held up a strong finger, as if to remind herself. “However, despite it all, I’ve survived.”
“If you don’t want to talk about it…”
Anna forced a sad smile. “There’s nothing much to talk about. I was involved with starting my own veterinary practice. I worked long hours and was exhausted when I got home. I resented the fact that he expected me to be the perfect wife, housekeeper, you-name-it, and he got bored with listening to my dreams, I guess. I kind of ignored him and I guess he needed a woman. So I really can’t blame him for taking up with someone else, can I?”
“I would,” Tory said firmly. “It seems to me that if two people love each other, they can work things out.”
“It’s not always that easy.”
Tory thought of her own situation with Trask. The love they shared had always been shrouded in deceit. “Maybe you’re right,” she finally admitted. “But I don’t see why you should have to go around carrying all this guilt with you.”
Frowning thoughtfully, Anna rubbed her thumb over her index finger. “Maybe I carry it because I was brought up to believe that a woman’s place is in the home, having babies, washing dishes, enjoying being her husband’s best friend.” She leaned against the counter and stared out the window. “But I got greedy. I wanted it all: husband, home, children and a fascinating career. I didn’t mean to, but somehow I lost Jim in the shuffle.”
“Easy to do—”
“Too easy. But I’ve learned from my mistakes, thank you, and you should, too.”
“What’s that supposed to mean?”
Anna laughed grimly. “That I’m about to poke my nose in where it doesn’t belong.”