Tempted. Laurel Ames

from the foolish scheme by laying in front of him the figures, before his brother leapt into what was bound to be a disastrous marriage.

      

      Judith rode with Evan as usual in the morning. Angel was not yet up, so Evan made Bose go with them. They went north to scout again the area where the canal was to go, the canal from nowhere. Where on earth was he to start from? There would be water aplenty to feed the thing from all the streams that ran through the district, but the point of origin was only vaguely sketched in on the map. The gap in the hills, he supposed. There was a group of buildings there, and he asked Judith what they were.

      “A factory village where they used to fire pottery. There’s still plenty of clay left, I hear, but since the owner died the place has been shut up.”

      “Then how can Father think this canal will be profitable?”

      “You think it’s a bad idea?”

      “I think it’s a disastrous idea. I’m just putting off telling him so.”

      “That will cause an explosion,” she said.

      Bose looked accusingly at Evan.

      “Bose, go scout about that village. You can catch up with us later.” Bose clenched his teeth and rode off. Judith followed him with her eyes but made no objection.

      “When you first came here you seemed to enjoy setting your father’s teeth on edge.”

      “I really didn’t do it on purpose, but he was so prepared to take umbrage it took no effort at all.”

      “In fact, you fell in to the way of it quite naturally. Was that what you were like when you were young?”

      “I can’t for the life of me remember if I used to bait him or not. That was all so long ago. If I was in the habit of discomfiting him on purpose, I would have thought I would have outgrown it.”

      “If you had grown up here, perhaps you might have.”

      “What do you mean?”

      “Even though Helen is a decade older than me and practically raised me, we relate as adults because I have grown into that role. Our relationship has changed because we have always been together. Your attitude toward your father has never changed, since you haven’t seen him in all this time.”

      Evan reined in his horse. “You’re telling me that I’m still playing the rebellious youth to his authority figure?”

      “Even though he has no authority over you at all.”

      “In other words, I should grow up,” he said with a grin.

      “Or at least strive to act as though you have,” she countered with a prim smile.

      Evan gave a crack of laughter. “You don’t pull any punches, do you, my dear?”

      “I am not your dear.”

      “That is what Father calls you,” he said, kneeing Taurus into a walk. “I’m merely trying to act grown-up, like him.”

      “If you want to do so by bantering at me instead of him, I am agreeable. At least it will be fair play.”

      “Meaning you are more able to defend yourself. Yes, I am well aware of that.” He felt his jaw.

      “Whether you seek to or not, you do hurt him, and I don’t like it. I care about him too much.”

      “Why do you care about him so much?” Evan asked, reining in his horse again. Judith pulled up beside him.

      “Because he is a kind and good man. That should be enough.”

      Evan stared at her, but the sincere look she returned convinced him to accept her assertion at face value. “Perhaps he has mellowed.”

      “Evan, he is embarking on the last great enterprise of his life. This canal project is the last thing he will have a chance to do that will make a difference in the world. I will not have you dashing those dreams. Can’t you just agree to build it?”

      “I suppose I have done more for lesser reasons. Very well, mon général,” he gibed, saluting. “I will do as you say. But I am doing it for you, not for him.”

      “Do it for yourself, for your sons.”

      “I won’t have any sons.”

      “Of course you will…eventually.”

      “But not by you?”

      “No,” she said with a shudder.

      He studied her face. Her expression was stubborn, but in defense of his father or in a determination not to cry?

      “Then I will do it for Terry’s sons.”

      “Don’t lay that at my door, Evan,” she snapped. “It’s not fair.”

      “No, it’s not. I’m sorry. But I don’t think I want sons, anyway. Not if they have to go through what I’ve gone through. It’s just not worth it.” He urged Taurus to a canter, and Molly fortunately followed him without command, for Judith was too numb to guide her.

      She could not always tell if Evan was joking. He did so often use a joke to turn aside her sympathy or concern. It was as though he could not handle someone caring about him, since he’d never been used to it. Instead of eating up attention, he shrugged it off very much like a little boy who feels he has outgrown the need for mothering. She had watched it happen with Ralph, and she was watching Thomas begin to spurn that sort of coddling. It broke her heart to steal a few moments alone with him, then have him get impatient when she only wanted to love him a little.

      She supposed men eventually grew mature enough to accept affection again and return it. But Evan had never known it, except from Gram, and she was gone now.

      They rode the rest of the way home in silence and stopped at the dower house out of habit, to walk the horses in the garden.

      “I’m sorry if I was cruel to you. I cannot imagine what you went through in Spain. It was very bad of me to rip up at you when you have already suffered so much.”

      “What gave you the idea I suffered? I had the time of my life.”