"The nurses at the hospital told me. When I started looking for you, that was the first place I went. They remembered Allison well. The circumstances of her birth and Mary's—" he broke off mid-sentence and looked at Katherine. Was it pain she saw in his eyes? "Anyway, they remembered her. And you."
"Me?"
"Oh, yes, I was told countless times how sweet and considerate you were. Not to mention how beautiful." His voice was a hoarse whisper, and Katherine avoided the blue eyes that looked at her from a face far too close to her own. She could feel his breath fanning her cheek.
Her hands were trembling as she drew the blanket over Allison again. Jace's hand touched her shoulder as if to turn her toward him, but she recoiled and jerked away.
"Don't," she cried. When Allison jumped in reaction to the loud noise, she lowered her voice to a rasping hiss. "How dare you come in my house and act civilly and friendly and ... and affectionately. Understand me, Mr. Manning. No one is taking Allison away from me. Especially someone named Manning. I want nothing to do with any of you. I ask nothing of you, and neither will Allison." She drew a deep, ragged breath. "Your brother killed my sister!"
The words hung in the room between them. Momentarily they were frozen in time, adversaries assessing each other and weighing the opponent's strength.
The atmosphere crackled with emotion and expectation. Later in private, self-analyzing torment, Katherine swore that she hadn't leaned toward him, that the lunge that brought them together had been solely on his part. All she could truly recall was being enfolded in his powerful warmth. The lips that crushed hers were bruising and hard, and she matched his anger by meeting them in kind. She clutched his back as he wrapped her in arms of steel.
At what point the kiss changed character Katherine was never able to discern. But for some reason, it was no longer her aim to punish, but to please. She opened her mouth to his demanding tongue and, sensing her acquiescence, his plunder became sweet exploration. They sipped each other as if unable to quench a terrible thirst. Then their mouths fused together again.
"Yoo-hoo, Katherine. There's the strangest-looking car outside. I got worried about you so thought I'd check—"
Happy Cooper's immense proportions filled the doorway to Allison's bedroom and she stood transfixed as she saw Jace standing with Katherine next to the crib.
At the sound of her voice they had sprung apart, stunned by what had happened between them. Katherine felt as if every ounce of blood in her body were concentrated in her earlobes and her body was radiating heat like a stove. Her breasts were heaving in an effort to fill oxygen-starved lungs.
"Katherine?" the landlady asked cautiously in a quivering voice. When neither Katherine nor the handsome stranger answered, she began backing up and then ludicrously made a mad dash for the telephone in the living room.
The sight of Happy's bulk bouncing toward the telephone roused Katherine from her stupor. "Happy," she called and rushed after her landlady. She put a restraining hand on her friend's arm. "It ... it's okay. Nothing's wrong. You just startled us, that's all."
"Well, you scared me to death!" Happy exclaimed.
"I'm not used to seeing strange men in your house, Katherine." She laughed and her chest and stomach shook. Her round face was wreathed in a genuine smile as she crossed to Jace and extended her hand. "I'm Happy Cooper, Katherine's friend and landlady. How's my angel doing?" she asked, indicating the sleeping Allison. "Isn't she the dearest baby you've ever seen? I love her like my own."
Jace shook the hand presented him and stared at Happy, overcome by her size and open friendliness.
"Katherine, introduce me to this beautiful man before I swoon. He looks like a movie star! Who is he?" Happy had never mastered prudence or tact. When she thought something, she said it.
Katherine groped for a plausible lie and stammered a near truth. "This ... this is my ... uh ... brother-in-law. Yes. My late husband's brother and Allison's uncle."
She looked at Jace over Happy's gray coiffure and hoped that he had gotten the message. Would he give her away? She had loved the apartment on sight and wanted to rent it right away. Happy's initial hesitancy to lease it to a single woman with a baby had made it expedient for Katherine to invent a husband who had been killed. Most people couldn't deny anything to a young, helpless widow.
"What a pleasure, Mr. Adams," Happy gushed. "I'm sure Katherine feels reassured to have one of her family visit her."
"My name isn't Adams, Mrs. Cooper, it's Jason Manning. Jace."
Happy's cheerful countenance collapsed in bemusement. "Well, how is it that you and your brother have different names?"
Katherine held her breath and closed her eyes. Jace would expose her lie, and she would lose her most valued friend.
"He ... he was only my half brother. We had different fathers," Jace lied smoothly. Did deception always come so easily for him?
"Oh. I see, of course," Happy patted Jace's hand. "It was a tragedy for him to die overseas like that. In Africa, wasn't it?"
Jace raised his eyebrows in a mocking, silent query and Katherine flushed. That he had been in Africa never entered her mind. It was just the most remote place she could think of as she told Happy a tale of an airplane crash that killed a nonexistent husband.
"Yes, Africa," said Jace. "And it was tragic. A pity he can't be here with us today." His face and voice were serious, but his blue eyes were glinting with humor as he looked at Katherine over Happy's head, which was bent as she dabbed her eyes with a lace- bordered handkerchief.
"Poor Katherine," Happy sighed as she once again turned to the young woman. Her look of concern was instantly converted to one of joy as she exclaimed, "But now that Jace is here, you won't have to go to the dance tonight alone. Isn't that lucky?"
She grabbed Jace's hand and shoved him toward Katherine.
Despite Jace's size, Happy's gentle push provided enough impetus for him to collide into Katherine. He reached out and grabbed her around the waist before she fell backward. They stared at each other, their faces close as he pulled her back to her feet. The kiss of moments before was still imprinted on their minds. Neither had taken it lightly.
"Here I was worrying about Katherine having to go unescorted to a dance, and right out of the blue a handsome brother-in-law drops in." Happy continued chattering happily, oblivious to Katherine's covert signals that she cease.
"Dance?" Jace picked up on the idea. Did he have a radar device in his head?
"Yes! The faculty banquet and dance is tonight. Katherine's worked so hard on the arrangements. She's required to attend because of her job, and was having to go alone. Now you can take her. Do you have a tuxedo? Well, no matter. A dark suit will do just as nicely."
"Happy, you don't understand. Mr. ... uh ... Jace isn't staying. He just came by—"
"Of course I'm staying, Katherine. Do you think I'd leave you stranded without an escort for this evening. Besides I hadn't had time to tell you that the oil company I work for is drilling near here. I'll be around for a long time."
Katherine stared open-mouthed at this announcement, but Happy clapped her hands in glee. "Oh, Jace, you can't imagine how happy that makes me. I never like to think that a young wo- man is left so alone in the world. It will be such a comfort to Katherine for you to be here."
Jace was smiling benignly at Happy, but then he turned to Katherine. He impaled her with his eyes, and the message was clear. He was staying until he got custody of Allison.
"I've got to go now and carry my groceries in. I had just come in from shopping when I saw that cute little ... uh..." For once, Happy was at a loss for words.
"Jeep." Jace supplied.
"A jeep! How quaint!" Happy chirped. Katherine rolled her eyes heavenward. Apparently Happy wasn't aware that the big status symbol these days was a four- wheel drive vehicle. "You two have a nice visit. I'll keep Allison tonight and you can stay out as late as you want to."
"I've got to go for now too. Katherine, what time do I need to pick you up?" Jace settled one large hand on her shoulder in brotherly affection, and, in deference to Happy's curious eyes, she stifled the impulse to fling it off. Things were moving too fast. She couldn't think. How could she spend an entire evening with him?
"Seven thirty," she heard herself answer and wasn't even conscious of shaping the words in her mouth.
"Okay, then. Happy, can I carry your groceries in for you? A lady like you shouldn't be doing menial tasks like that."
Happy giggled like a young girl. "Oh. Jace, I miss having a man around to do things like that. I really do. My son, Jim, lives..."
Her voice trailed off as they descended the stairs to the lawn below. Jason Manning. He was disgustingly transparent. He was being charming and a perfect gentleman. Was it his intention to get to her through her friends? What was his game plan?
He frightened her. He thrilled her. She must have been insane to even let him come into the house. A Manning wasn't to be trusted. Hadn't she seen how shallow Peter Manning's charming veneer was? She must protect Allison. But how? Jason Manning was too handsome and glib. Katherine thought these characteristics were far more formidable than malicious meanness and disreputability.