Magnificent Folly

  "Andrew!" Cassie grinned and waved. "Oh, great. You've come down from the cliff. Why didn't you come before?"

  Cassle was speaking to the man as if she had known him all her life, Lily realized with aston­ishment. Had Cassle not told her the truth about knowing him?

  "It wasn't time. How's the concerto coming?" The man was only a few yards away now, and Lily could see that his dark blond hair was sun-streaked and his golden tan had to have been acquired from a stronger sun than shone on this Oregon coast.

  "Fine." Cassle stood up and turned to face him. "How did you know that I was working on a concerto?"

  "Yes. how did you know?" Lily stood up also, and there was a hint of belligerence in her stance as

  she dusted the sand from her shorts before tak­ing a half step forward to stand nearer to Cassie. "You seem to be very well informed about my daughter's activities, Mr. . . ." She trailed off pointedly.

  "Ramsey. Andrew Ramsey." He smiled, and his lean face was suddenly lit with an inner radiance. "Just a guess. Cassie's last concerto made her an exceptionally famous young lady. It's only reason­able that she would be working on another one."

  "Is it also reasonable that a perfect stranger should recognize my daughter? Cassie isn't ex­actly a household name."

  "It's all right. Mom." Cassie said quickly. "He's not—" She broke off and grimaced at Andrew. "She doesn't mean to be rude". She only wants to protect me. There are all kinds of weirdos running around, you know."

  "I know," he said gravely. "And she's quite right to be careful of you. I'd react the same way myself."

  "I don't need you to apologize for me, Cassie," Lily said in exasperation. "I think you'd better go back to the cottage until I finish talking to Mr. Ramsey."

  "I told you he isn't a slime ball. You'd see that if you'd just—"

  "111 see you later, Cassie." Andrew Ramsey smiled down at the little girl. "Let me talk to your mother and straighten this out."

  "Okay." Cassie started reluctantly up the beach. "But don't let her chase you away. Make her understand."

  "I will."

  "You'd better," Lily said as she whirled back to face him. "I don't like what's going on. Dammit, Cassie knows you, and she told me she had never spoken to you. My daughter has never lied to me before, and I'm mad as hell."

  "Cassie didn't lie to you," Andrew Ramsey said quietly. "But yes, she does know me. Perhaps it's instinct. Haven't you ever met someone and felt you'd known him before?"

  "Deja vu? It won't wash, Mr. Ramsey. Why have you been watching Cassie? You won't deny that's what youve been doing for the last three evenings."

  He shook his head. "Actually, it's been five days. You didn't notice me for the first two nights." His brown eyes were suddenly twinkling. "Youve been a hell of a lot more patient than I thought you'd be. I expected to see you climbing up the path to my aerie after the second night."

  "That's exactly what I was going to do this evening."

  "I had an idea you might, so I thought I'd save you the trouble and come down to you. Tell me, do you realty think I'm a threat to Cassie?"

  "How do I know?" She met his gaze directly. "But I'm damn well going to find out. Just be­cause you look like the clean-cut all-American boy is no sign that's what you are. I hear there are several varieties of pretty wild flowers that will grow in a toxic-waste dump."

  He chuckled. "I'm glad you think I'm pretty, but i ve never been compared to a toxic-waste dump before. That's an original turn of phrase." His smile faded. "What would you have done if you'd

  found me to be the weirdo Cassie said you sus­pected me of being?"

  "Warned you off."

  "And if I wouldn't be warned off? Would you have called the police?"

  "The police aren't always effective until after a crime is committed. I would have handled it myself."

  He looked surprised. "How?"

  She smiled sweetly. "I have a .32 Smith and Wesson at the cottage. If I'd found you to be any sort of danger to Cassie I would have blown away that part of your anatomy on which most men place an exceedingly high value."

  He chuckled. "I'd say that would have proved effective."

  "Very." Her gaze searched his face. "But some­how I don't think you're a pervert."

  A smile tugged at his lips. "Thank you."

  "Still, you may be something almost as bad. What magazine do you write for?"

  "Ah, now I'm a member of the unscrupulous papparazzi?"

  "It computes, doesn't it? You know who Cassie is and youve been stalking her for almost a week."

  "I haven't been stalking her."

  'Then what do you call your stake-out on the cliff?"

  "Pleasure." His gaze shifted to Cassie's small figure, climbing the steps of the cottage. "Enjoy­ment. She's pretty wonderful, isn't she?"

  "Yes."

  His gaze moved back to Lily's face. "You still

  think I'm here to put her face on the cover of the National Enquirer?"

  "You know too much, Mr. Ramsey, and I don't believe in coincidences."

  "Andrew." He studied her face for a moment. "Poor Lily, I guess I can't blame you for acting the fierce .mother tigress. Life hasn't been easy for you, has it?"

  She stiffened. "And just what have you dug up in your morgue files about me?"

  He shook his head, his gaze warmly sympa­thetic. "I'm no reporter, Lily. You're never going to see your face on a scandal sheet again. I promise -" you."

  Again? He did know. She felt as if she had been punched in the stomach and had the breath knocked out of her. "Who are you?" she asked hoarsely.

  "Andrew Ramsey. Would you like to see my identification?"

  She gestured Impatiently. "Ill accept the fact that you're telling me the truth about your name. Why are you here?"

  "It was time for me to come. YouVe had to fight too long by yourself. I wanted to come before, but I didn't think you'd be ready for me." He shook his head. "But now it doesn't matter. Something's happened that's tossed all those reasons out the window."

  Lily frowned. "You're not making sense. Are you going to tell me why you're here or not?"

  He made a face. "I'm trying. I feel as awkward as hell about this. I think you're intimidating me."

  She didn't believe him. She had never met any­one who displayed such serene self-confidence. "Bull."

  He laughed. "I can be intimidated by people I care about."

  His gaze on her face was tender, almost caress­ing, and she suddenly felt breathless. She took an Instinctive step back, her dark eyes blazing fiercefy in her taut face. "That has no bearing. I'm a stranger to you."

  He shook his head wearily. "Lord, you're wary. I may be a stranger to you, but you're no stranger to me." He paused. "And neither is Cassie. I could never be a danger to Cassie, Lily." Fine words. How can I know that?"

  He hesitated, and then answered simply, "Be­cause I'm Cassie's father."

  Two

  "You're crazy," Lily said blankly.

  He shook his head. "Cassie is my child. Shall I prove it? You were artificially inseminated nine years ago, In October, in the offices of Dr. Henry Slodak at Franklin University. Cassie was born May twenty-eighth of the next year. The doctor helped steer you to someone who supplied false documents showing you had been married to one Joel Deslin and that he had died.

  She gazed at him in shock. "How did you find that out?" She broke off and ran her hand dis­tractedly through her chestnut hair. "Henry Slodak is ethical. He never would have told you. I trusted him."

  "You were right to trust him, Lily. After the insemination was successful, he told no one."

  "He told you. How did you get him to do so? Money?"

  "You know better than that. I realize it's not

  easy for you to trust anyone, but Henry Is an honorable man and a true friend to you." His tone was gentle. "He told no one after he gave you his word. As the donor I was required to give my consent. It was the arrangement we made with Henry before we set up the grant
at the university

  "The Clanad." He hesitated. "It's a sort of cor­poration that maintains a research foundation."

  "A foundation that hires college boys to im-pregnant women? Lord, you must have been only seventeen or eighteen."

  He chuckled. "Four years younger than you, but don't feel as if you were robbing the cradle. I was very mature for my age." He grimaced. "If it hadn't been necessary, I wouldn't have made the sperm donation. I have no liking for the clinical approach to sex."

  "Henry said his donors were usually students who needed the money for tuition." She felt dazed as she tried to sift clarity from the wild Jumble of thoughts whirling through her mind. "But I somehow thought you'd be . . . older."

  "I'm older now. I had to play catch up."

  "That's absurd. I'm almost thirty, and that makes you only twenty-five or twenty-six. You can never catch up."

  "I was afraid you'd feel that way nine years ago." He added gently, "But I think you'll find I'm very mature for my age how, Lily."

  "I won't find you any way at all." Her voice

  was shaking. "I want you to go away and leave us alone. Cassie is mine."

  "And I gave her to you."*

  "No." She drew a deep breath and tried to steady her voice. 'There was nothing personal about it. You have no right to Cassie. Henry said there was no danger of the donor's ever trying to claim her."

  "I'm laying no claim to Cassie. She's yours, Lily."

  "Thank you. How very kind." Irony layered Lily's voice.

  "I want to be kind to both of you. Let me help, Lily. I'm not trying to take Cassie away. I under­stand that I have no rights you don't give me."

  "Good. So go away."

  "I can't go away."

  "Why not?"

  "Because Cassie has rights too." He paused. "Cassie has a right to anything I have to give her, if she decides she wants it."

  "She doesn't need you. / don't need you."

  He didn't answer.

  "Have you been meeting Cassie behind my back and trying to influence her?"

  Hurt flickered across his face. "I said I hadn't spoken to her. Perhaps when you get to know me better, you'll find I don't lie."

  "I have no intention of getting to know you bet­ter." Her hands clenched into fists at her sides. "I've gotten along without help from anyone for the last nine years, and I certainly don't need any

  help now. Henry never should have told you where to find us."

  "Henry had no choice. Besides, he likes you. He hated to see you struggling all these years." An­drew lifted one shoulder in a half shrug. "But he knew you wouldn't accept any help. Your wounds had to heal first, and you had to be sure you didn't need help before you could allow yourself to accept it."

  Be quiet. I don't know what you think you're doing here, but I wish you'd go away. Neither Cassie nor I need or want you." She turned and started down the beach.

  "I hope you're wrong." Andrew's voice held a note of wistfulness as it followed her. "Dear Lord, I hope you're wrong."

  Her steps quickened until she was almost run­ning as she fled up the path toward the beach house.

  "She wouldn't listen?"

  Andrew turned his gaze from Lily, to see Gun­ner Nilsen coming down the cliff path. Andrew smiled ruefully at his friend. "I knew she wouldn't, but I had to try. She was getting frightened, and I couldn't stand it. She's had enough fear and hurt in her life."

  "And you haven't?" Gunner asked. "The pain is so great that just one of those sessions you go through would traumatize any member of the Clanad."

  Andrew shook his head. "That's different. I'm not the victim. It's my choice."

  . .

  Gunner was silent a moment. "You could go underneath."

  "No!" Andrew said violently, "It has to be on her terms. She deserves fair treatment. Honesty."

  "I suppose she does." Gunner clapped a hand on Andrew's shoulder. "Come on, Quenby will be waiting, and you promised to call Jon this eve­ning. You can't do anything more tonight. Lily's been among the walking wounded for the last ten years, so you can't expect her to trust you right away. Give her a chance to absorb what you've told her. You can see her in the morning."

  "If she's still here In the morning." Andrew's gaze went back to the beach house. "She's fright­ened. Why is she so damned scared of me?"

  "You know why," Gunner said. "Cassie. You should have let someone else be the donor."

  "I couldn't. Not from the first time I saw Lily." Andrew turned away and fell into step with Gun­ner. "She's different now."

  Gunner nodded. "She's a damn beautiful woman."

  Lily was more than beautiful, Andrew thought. The first time he'd seen her she had been nine­teen years old, a girl with long, gleaming chestnut hair, huge dark eyes, and an appealing, dewy-eyed freshness. Her hair was shorter now, barely reaching her shoulders before turning under In a shining bell. She had ripened and matured and, though she had lost that youthful sheen, she had gained character, humor, understanding. Her tail, slim body seemed more lithe and womanly, and she moved with decision and purpose. Her breasts

  wore more voluptuous, her long, slim legs tanned and shapely.

  Andrew felt a familiar stirring In his groin and tried to stop it. Not now. He mustn't let sex inter­fere with what he had to do. His lips twisted. Easy to say when Lily was out of sight, but it hadn't been so simple when he had been standing in front of her and imagining what it would be like to have her beneath him in the sand. To watch her face as he moved between her thighs, to have those long legs clasp him lovingly, desperately, in a fever of—

  "Andrew."

  Andrew glanced at Gunner and then grimaced as he saw his friend's amused smile. "Dammit, stop grinning like a gargoyle."

  'Then stop being so blasted transparent." Gun­ner chuckled. "You're so hot for her, it's obvious you have no guard at all." His gaze shifted point­edly to the lower part of Andrew's body. "Very obvious."

  "Maybe I shouldn't have brought you with me. I m not that transparent to everyone."

  "A blind man could read you, at the moment." Gunner sobered. "If you hadn't asked me to come, Jon still would have sent me. This isn't your per­sonal business only, Andrew. Cassie belongs to the Clanad, and the Clanad protects its own."

  "I can protect Cassie."

  "Maybe. But it's not your job. I'm the trouble-shooter. Your value extends in other directions."

  "You can't believe the possibility of danger is very strong if you brought Quenby along."

  "Quenby can be stubborn. She cares about you." Gunner added, "And, since she's very good with children, I thought it might be just as well to have her nearby if we have to take Cassie away from Lily for a while."

  "We cant do that."

  "We will, if It means keeping Cassie safe." Gun­ner's tone was implacable. "And you know damn well that youll sanction it if it comes down to the wire."

  "Maybe it won't," Andrew said as he started up the cliff path. "If I have enough time."

  Gunner didn't answer as he followed Andrew up the trail. He didn't have to state what they both knew as fact.

  Time was running out.

  "Cassie, I'm not going to discuss it. Mr. Ramsey's not going to be invited here and, if he comes to the beach again, you're not to speak to him." Lily tried to keep her voice from trembling. Lord, this was hard. Why wouldn't Cassie give up? Ever since Lily had walked through the door, Cassie had been like a terrier clinging to a slipper, on the subject of Andrew. Now, after a long argument with 'many tears. Cassie's disappointment had turned to anger. "You don't even know this man. There's no reason for this temper tantrum."

  "Why?" Cassie asked. "It's stupid of you not to tell me why. You've never shut me out like this before. You've always explained."

  "Youll just have to accept that I'm doing what's best."

  Cassie shook her head so hard, her brown braid bounced. "You're not doing what's best, Andrew won't hurt me. Andrew won't hurt either of us. Why can't you see it?"

/>   "Cassie, that's enough. Now, go take your shower while I fix supper."

  Cassie glared at her across the room.

  "Cassie!"

  Cassie whirled on her heel and strode toward her bedroom. "I don't want any supper."

  Lily couldn't stand it. "Wait." She swallowed to ease the tightness in her throat. "I realize this is difficult for you to understand, but you know I'd never do anything to hurt you. Andrew Is a stranger. He can't be all that important to you." She forced herself to smile. "Suppose I let you stay up an extra hour tonight to work on your concerto."

  Cassie glanced over her shoulder, her hazel eyes glistening with tears. "I don't want to work to­night. There's no music." She entered her bed­room and shut the door behind her.

  But she had been hearing the music earlier, while she had been sitting in the surf, Lily thought. Before Andrew Ramsey strode down from his damn eagle's perch, she and Cassie had been serene and happy. Now there was nothing but anger and turbulence. Why the hell hadn't he stayed away from them? The last thing Lily needed in her life was a kid who had suddenly decided he should embrace the responsiblitles of fatherhood. Ramsey

  couldn't be long out of college, and, in spite of the tough virility of his physique, there was some­thing radiantly youthful about him. His confi­dence seemed founded on an inner strength rather than worldly experience. Well, Andrew Ramsey could just go get his worldly experience some­where else.

  Pain tore through Lily as she remembered how Cassie had glared at her a few minutes before. Dear heaven, Cassie had never looked at her like that. She felt almost sick with misery. Cassie would get oyer it, she told herself. By the next day her daughter would have forgotten Andrew Ramsey.

  No, she was lying to herself. Cassie wouldn't forget. Cassie seldom forgot anything, and she was always steadfast in her loyalties. By an odd quirk of fate she had fixed her loyalty on Andrew Ramsey, and she would cling to it even if it meant being torn between Andrew and her mother.