“I don’t have time to argue right now. I’m leaving in about five minutes.”
“Leaving! Well I guess I’ve completed my shopping, but you’ll have to stop at the four shops and pick up my purchases.”
“Jake!” Travis bellowed. “Is that wagon ready yet?” He turned back to Margo. “I’m not going home, and you’ll have to find someone else to take you. Get Ellen to give you a ride, and stop off and tell Wes I’ll be away for a while.”
Turning, he saw Jake bring the heavy wagon to the front of the stable. “Get on it,” he commanded the nervous little man on the borrowed buggy.
“Travis,” Margo hissed. “So help me, if you don’t—.” She broke off as Travis leaped onto the wagon. “Where are you going?” she screamed as he started to move away.
“Scarlet Springs, Pennsylvania, to get Regan,” he yelled and then was gone in a hail of gravel and dust.
Coughing and cursing, Margo looked back at the stableman, who was grinning broadly. She knew her pursuit of Travis was a joke, and the more people laughed, the angrier she grew. But even as she was fuming, a plan began to form in her mind. Scarlet Springs, was it? Poor dear Travis left without a stitch of clean clothing. Perhaps she should pack and take him a few things. Yes, the more she thought about it, the more she was sure he needed clean clothes.
Regan was at her desk in her office, going over accounts, when Brandy walked in.
“And how is everything?” Brandy asked.
“Going quite well,” Regan answered, looking at the books. “Next year we should be able to put up a couple of new buildings. I was thinking of a cabinet shop. Don’t you think Scarlet Springs needs its own furniture maker?”
“You know I’m not talking about finances. How is it going between you and Farrell? You had dinner with him last night again, didn’t you?”
“You know very well that I
did. But to answer you, Farrell is always a delightful companion. His conversation is excellent, his manners are impeccable, and he knows how to make a woman feel like a crown princess.”
“You’re bored to tears by him, aren’t you?” Brandy said with a sigh, sitting down.
“In a word, yes. There are no surprises with Farrell. He’s so…I don’t know, he’s too perfect, I guess.”
“Jennifer likes him.”
Regan gave a little laugh. “Jennifer likes his gifts. Can you imagine giving a child as active as Jen a French porcelain fashion doll? She wanted to use it for target practice with the bow and arrow set you gave her.”
Brandy smothered a giggle. “Perhaps Farrell expects little girls as well as big ones to be ladies.”
Regan stood behind her desk. “Have we any new guests? I haven’t looked this morning.”
“There was some man getting out of a wagon a few minutes ago. Good-looking guy. Big.”
“Brandy, you are incorrigible,” Regan laughed. “But I’ll go and welcome him.”
Outside her office, she met Farrell. “Good morning,” he said, raising her hand to his lips. “You are sweeter than the early sunshine on the drops of dew on a rose petal.”
She didn’t know whether to laugh or groan. “Thank you for such a lovely compliment, but I really must go now.”
“Regan, dearest, you work too much. Come spend the day with me. We’ll take Jennifer and go on a picnic, just as if we were a family.”
“It’s a tempting offer, but I really must go now.”
“You can’t escape me that easily,” he smiled, and took her arm as they walked toward the reception area.
Regan felt Travis’s presence before she saw him. He stood in the doorway, blocking the light with his big body. Her body went rigid as her eyes locked with his.
Neither of them moved; they just stood looking at each other. Wave after wave of emotion went through Regan until a loud crashing sounded in her ears. After minutes, hours it seemed, she turned on her heel and, skirts flying, fled back toward her office.
Farrell wasn’t sure what was going on between Regan and this man, but he had a good idea. He didn’t like this kind of reaction from her. Losing no time in following her, he was inches behind her.
“Regan, love,” Farrell said as he put his hands on her shoulders. She was shaking so badly she could hardly stand.