"Or what, Seth?" Agnes asked coolly.

356 Fern Michaels "This is supposed to be a party, and here we are discussing family problems. Our children have minds of dieir own and they'll do whatever they feel is right for them. I, for one, support them. That's my last word on the subject Here-come the girls. I guess I should say here come the young ladies since they aren't girls any longer. That does make us older, doesn't it, Agnes?"

"Yes it does. I, for one, like being a grandmother," Agnes said.

"And I love it too," Sallie said.

"Mother, are you enjoying yourself?" Billie asked.

Agnes smiled weakly. "Of course. Where's Moss?"

"I have no idea. He doesn't tell me where he's going or what he's going to do, as you well know. Why don't you ask Seth, he knows everything," Billie said with a bite to her voice.

"I'll be right back, I want to check on something in the house,*' Fanny said.

Fanny blinked as she walked dovm the corridor toward the kitchen, blinking again so her eyes would adjust to the dinmess inside after the bright simshine. She stopped outside the study door when she heard Moss Coleman's voice. She did something then that she'd never done in the whole of her life: she eavesdropped, her heart flip-flopping inside her chest at what she was hearing.

"Alice, I had to come, the old man said it was one of those mandatory things. I couldn't get out of it You know I do. I can top that, I count the hours. Fm leaving tomorrow. Fll tell Pap tonight I can catch the first plane to New York around ten-thirty. You'll be in my arms by six-thirty. Trust me, Fm real good at explaining things to Pap. BiUie will stay on here with her ftiends. When it's time for a divorce, you'll be the first to know. Now, tell me again what it is you're going to do to me when we . . ."

Fanny turned and fled in the other direction. At the end of the hall that led into the sunroom, she bumped into BiUie.

"My God, Fanny, what's wrong?"

"No. . . nothing. I think coming in fi-om the bright sunlight made me . . . light-headed for a moment Fll be all right in a minute."

'*Well, well, what have we here?" Moss Coleman said jovially. *1 hope you don't mind, Fanny, but I had to use the phone. What's up, honey?" he said addressing his wife. "Did Thad get here yet?"

"No, not yet," Bilhe said, eyeing the hallway and the room Moss had exited, and where it ended.

"I think Fll check on Pap and wait for him. Great peuty, Fanny. Fm glad I could get away. I heard Birch organized a baseball game for three o'clock, guys against the gals. The bets are going to be heavy so think about that. See you later, honey." A moment later he was gone.

"He's gone, Fanny, now tell me what you saw or heard and don't expect me to believe that sunshine story."

"Billie, it's just the way I said it was."

"It's okay, Fanny, I know what he's 2dl about. Isn't it better for me to know than to have me speculate, and perhaps be wrong? You were going down the hall toward the kitchen and Moss was in the study making a phone call. It wasn't business, it was monkey business, right?"

Fanny nodded miserably. "I never eavesdropped before in my life, Billie, I swear on my children."

"It's all right, Fanny. Now, tell me."

"He was talking to someone named Alice and . . . and he said he was leaving in the morning and would . . . would be in her arms by six-thirty. He said ... he said Seth made him come here today. That's all. I'm so sorry, BiUie. You should know, but I hate it that I was the one to tell you. Do you know Alice whoever she is?"

Billie nodded. "She's a Broadway playwright. Moss has been having an affair with her for years. I found some letters recendy. It's hard to believe I didn't know. Years, Fanny. My God, how could I have been so blind? He knows I know. At least now he's being a little more discreet, or I thought he was. We are not going to let this ruin our day. We are going outside and act like the ladies we are. I'll deal with this in my own way in my own time. Wipe that awful look off your face."

"I'm so sorry, Billie. I know how bad it hurts. I know," Fanny repeated.

"Their loss," BilUe said.

"Their loss," Fanny said, echoing her friend's words.

17.

The baseball game was over. Mazie and her crew of cousins had cleared away the dishes and silverware. Now, Chue turned on the colored lanterns, and the band laid down the portable dance floor. Music echoed across the mountain.

358 Fern Michaels "I don't see Sunny anywhere, and where's Sallie?" Fanny asked. "I haven't seen either one of them for almost an hour. I just love listening to music and watching the kids, don't you, Billie? I'm sorry, how thoughdess of me. I keep forgetting . . . well not really forgetting, I just never seem to know what to say about your daughters, Maggie and Susan."

"It's all right, Fanny. Maggie will make it when she's ready to stop fighting the world and her father. Susan wanted to go to England with Amelia to study her music. I guess it was meant to be. I have Sawyer and Riley. I just checked on Sawyer, and she's sleeping soundly. Oh, oh, you wanted to know where Sunny was. Weil, Fanny there she is."

"Oh, my God, that . . . that . . . beautiful creature is my daughter. Ah, so that was where SaUie was, fixing her up. That looks like one of your dresses, Billie."

BiUie laughed. "It is. I sent it to Sallie a month ago. I thought Sunny might want a party dress for when she goes off to school. You know, a fancy one that isn't too fancy. She looks beautiful. Look how everyone is staring at her. Be careful what you say, Fanny, this look she's showing off is very important to her."

"A couple of hours ago she was just a kid with skinned knees and a fat pigtail down her back. Oh, my!"

"Mom, what do you think?" Sunny asked, twirling around for her mother's benefit.

"I like it, honey," Fanny said. "The pearl combs in your hair are just the right touch. They match all those seed pearls on your dress. Summer white with your tan is glorious. If you had a dance card, it would be full. You look so grown-up. Sunny."

"Ah, Mom, you aren't going to cry, are you?"

"Of course not. Can you dance, you never told me."

"Mommmmm."

"Go!"

Go she did. She was all over the dance floor, smirking at the girls as the boys lined up to dance with her.

"She's flirting. I never did learn how to do that," Fanny said.

"Me either," Billie said.

"She's taking center stage," Sallie smiled. "It was worth it just to see the twins' faces. Look at them-they can't believe it either. Tonight will make a wonderful memory for Sunny. It's better than a debutante ball. I hope you aren't upset, Fanny. Sunny enlisted my aid a month or so ago. Actually, she got the idea the day the dress arrived. We practiced with the makeup and hairdo for hours and hours. She couldn't make up her mind. Then she practiced her dancing until she got blisters. When that girl puts her mind to something, she accomplishes it. She takes after you, Fanny."

Fanny beamed as her daughter danced her way over and whispered in her ear. Fanny smiled. Sunny glowed.

"She said," Fanny lowered her voice to a bare whisper, "Ted Alexander said she looked like a Greek goddess. A first year cadet at West Point, no less."

Suddenly Fanny felt a hand on her shoulder. "Your daughter is making a spectacle of herself out there, Fanny. I don't see anyone else dressed like that, even the older girls. What were you thinking of? She looks like a goddamn floozie. Take her in the house and wash her face."

"Ash, don't be ridiculous. You've been drinking, and you're going to spoil everything. Leave it alone."

"Ash, Fanny is right," Sallie said quietly. "There's nothing wrong with the way Sunny looks, and there's nothing wrong with her having a good time. She's being a proper young lady."

"Well, you should know a thing or two about proper young ladies, Mother."

"That will be enough of that kind of talk, young mam. Now, go inside and get some coffee," Agnes said.

"Who do you think you are to give me orders in my own house?" Ash blustered.

"Whose house, young man?" Agnes demanded.

"Nasty old biddy," Ash snarled.

"I'm going to take that as a compliment," Agnes said as she took his arm and forcefully turned him around. "There will be no scenes at this party. Good night, young man."

"Mother," BiUie wailed.

"Mother, what? Did you think I would allow him to talk like that about Sunny? Sallie and Fanny have to be tolerant, but I don't. I apologize for my . . . take-charge attitude, but lately I find myself doing it with Seth. If I don't, he walks all over me. I don't like it when men demean women. Sometimes it appears that I do, but I don't. I hope I haven't offended you."

"I feel like giving you a medal, Aggie," Sallie said. "I don't think anyone has ever taken Ash to task quite like that."

Agnes knew she'd just endeared herself to the Thornton women.

360 Fern Michaels Men were so incredibly stupid sometimes the way they underestimated women.

"Mom, we're turning over the dance floor to you guys. We're going into the tent to get our cake and open the presents. They're gonna play that old fogy music you like. Boy, this was some party, thanks, Mom, Grandma. Sunny was a knockout. Mom. You're gonna have to watch her, she's all grown-up now. Ted Alexander is going to ask her to go to West Point for his Christmas formal. Don't let her go, she's too young."

"Okay."

"Mrs. Thornton, would you do me the favor of having this dance with me?" Simon said as he bowed low in front of Fanny.

"I'd love to, Mr. Thornton."

"I like this song," Simon said, leading Fanny onto the dance floor. "No one can sing 'Because of You' like Tony Bennett."

"Hmmnn," Fanny murmured as she settled herself in Simon's arms to ghde across the dance floor. She couldn't ever remember feeling this good.

"You smell good," Simon said.

"Thank you, so do you. Did you have a good time, Simon?"

'*You throw a hell of a party, Mrs. Thornton. Everybody had a good time. All you have to do is look around. I never saw such a bunch of happy kids. This was my first read family gathering. It was nice, Fanny. I still can't believe you girls beat us at baseball."

"We cheated," Fanny said.

'*What?"

"Sure. Sunny figured out that you guys were drinking, and she said sun and edcohoi didn't mix. We stalled for an hour and then, voilar "I'll be damned. I'd like to come back, Fanny, if that's okay."

"Of course it's okay as long as you come for the right reasons. I don't need you to be a buflfer between Ash and me. If you want to come because you like being here with us, that's fine. We'd love to have you, and I know SaUie will be dehghted. Your dad will like having you here too."

"I'll call you ft"om New York. I have a few things I want to set in motion. When I go away I like to go with a clear mind. Mom said you wanted to talk to me about something. Is it something we can talk about over fined egg sandwiches and cocoa?"

"That sounds like a great idea. It's business. You're a good dancer."

"So are you." Fanny felt herself being drawn closer. She allowed it because it felt good, and right. The song ended and the band swung into "I Love Paris." "Have you ever been to Paris, Fanny?"

Fanny laughed. "The extent of my travels is Pennsylvania, Texas, and within the state of Nevada. I guess I'm not very cos-mopoHtan. Do you ever have the fear that you'll somehow change and you won't be the same person? I guess that sounds kind of silly to you."

"The truth is, yes. I lived with someone else's identity for a long time. That isn't exacdy the same thing, but yes, there are days when I wake up and I know I changed while I was sleeping. It's not a good thing, to try and hold back change. You don't strike me as the timid type."

"I know. But, when you stick your neck out, someone is out there waiting to chop it off."

"Are you talking about Ash?"

"It always comes back to Ash," Fanny said wearily. She told him about Agnes and Ash, laughing in spite of herself "That lady has some grit. It worked, and Ash is probably asleep. I watched him today, and he drank a lot. Dad tried to cut him off, but Ash has a mind of his own. When he started pounding Kentucky bourbon with Seth, I gave up. Want to take a walk in the garden?" Simon asked as the band set aside their instruments to take a break.

On the periphery, SaUie nudged Devin, a smile on her face. She inclined her head in her son's direction. "It's beginning."

"I see that. It's a can of worms, SaUie. A very big can of worms."

"I know. Fanny is a woman now, Devin. She's not the starry-eyed young girl who married Ash. I prayed every night that it would work because Fanny loved him so much. He didn't love her enough, if indeed he ever loved her at all. Fanny stayed married to Ash for the children. Children cannot save a marriage. I know this firsthand.

"Look. The guests are starting to leave. I'll not disturb Fanny. Agnes will stand in with me to say our good-byes. She's a feisty lady, Devin. I like her. At first I didn't. She was too austere. Today she let us see who she really is. I like it when a person lets you see what makes them who they are. I won't be long, Devin. By the way, did anyone say what happened to Admiral Kingsley?"

"He called earlier and asked for Moss. Seems some type of emergency came up. That's all I know."

"It's enough to tell me why Billie became so quiet. She's very fond 362 Fern Michaels of Admiral Kingsley. We all make such messes of our lives, don't we, Devin?" Sallie said sadly.

"We do the best we can. Everyone makes mistakes. One needs to learn from those mistakes. If you don't, it's a screw up you can't fix. Say your good-byes."

In the garden, Simon led Fanny to a bench. "Tell me what I can do for you."

She wanted to tell him to kiss her, to take her in his arms and hold her. She wanted to tell him to whisper things in her ears, things only lovers said in the darkness. Her lips tingled when she said, "When I first arrived in Nevada ..."

A long time later, Simon said, "Remarkable."

"That money wasn't mine, Simon. I still feel guilty about borrowing it even though I paid it back with interest. Sunny's Togs owes its success to Jake. I don't know what the statute of limitations is."

"The money is yours, Fanny. Statutes usually run seven years. I can invest it for you."

"I don't feel right about it. I swear to you, I tried everything to find Jake. I didn't tell anyone but Sallie and Billie. I... I never told Ash. I don't know why. I guess I thought he would try and talk me into spending it. I could be doing him a disservice by thinking such a thing."

"What are you going to do, Fanny?"

"I was supposed to meet Ash in the garden after the party. He wanted to talk about us. There is no us. I told him I wanted a divorce. As usual, I'll take it one day at a time. Right now all I can think about is tomorrow, when the twins get in the car with you. Next week Sunny and Billie leave. I have a feeling Ash wants to come back, knowing the children will be gone."

Simon clenched his fists. "And ..."

"And I don't want that to happen. Ash can be . . . what he can be is . . . forceful. No one knows better than me that I have hard decisions to make."