Magnificent Folly

"All right." Andrew held up his hand as she started to speak. "But there are conditions."

  "Conditions! My daughter is—"

  "You do what I tell you to do." Steel edged An­drew's voice. "No questions, no arguments."

  "And if I don't?"

  "Then you don't go with me."

  "I could follow you to this Eidelweiss place."

  "And if you did, I'd use any method at my dis­posal to make you do as I said. There'd be no option then."

  All trace of boyishness had vanished from An­drew's demeanor, and the hard-edged toughness of which Lily had caught only fleeting.glimpses had come to the surface. "I could lie to you." She paused. "As you lied to me."

  "1 never lied to you."

  "The hell you didn't. You came here and conned me while persuading Cassie you were the greatest thing since sliced bread, and all for some purpose of your own."

  "I didn't con—" He stopped, and then broke out with violence, "Lord, you don't even know what conning is. I could have shown you. I could have—" He halted again and then shook his head wearily. "There's no use trying to convince you while you're so worried about Cassie. Will you give me your word you'll let me lead, if I take you?"

  She gazed at him, frowning. "Okay," she said

  slowly. "But if I think you're moving too slowly I may change my mind and go my own way.

  He smiled crookedly. "Why doesn't that surprise me?" He turned to leave the room. "Ill go down to your cottage and pack your bag and get a few things for Cassie. Should I bring anything in particular?"

  "No, anything will— Wait, there is something. Her music box." Lily felt the tears sting her eyes. "It's a little-girl pianist sitting at a baby-grand piano that revolves and plays a Bach prelude. I bought It for her when she was only three, and she takes it with her everywhere she goes. She plays It every night before she goes to sleep, and She stopped and tried to steady her voice. "It should be on the nightstand beside her bed."

  "Ill get it." He glanced back over his shoulder. "Will you keep still and rest? IH help you get to the bathroom to clean up and brush your teeth when I get back."

  "Ill lie here." Lily closed her eyes. "And 111 let you help me.. I'm not about to waste my strength on a useless gesture of independence, when I may need it later to help Cassie."

  "Very sensible. I hope to hell you continue in that vein."

  She heard Andrew's retreating footsteps, then the closing of the door.

  He was gone. She was alone. The knowledge sent a surge of depression through her that she knew was completely unreasonable. Except for Cas­sie, she had been alone for many years, and this was no different. The closeness she believed to

  have been forged between her and Andrew she now considered a mirage that had vanished. She had to accept the fact. Thank heaven she hadn't fallen completely under his spell. Yet if she hadn't come perilously close, then why was the hurt of his betrayal such a throbbing wound?

  Good heavens, she was worrying about a rela­tionship that had scarcely started to bud, when she should have been thinking only of Cassie. In her mind Andrew and Cassie seemed bound to­gether, and she was having trouble isolating one from the other. Andrew had given her Cassie, and now because of him Cassie had been taken away. What horrible mess had Lily become involved in when she had walked into Henry's office nine years earlier? Stolen files, kidnappings, international in­trigues centered around Cassie?

  No, it wasn't Cassie who was the center of the plot; it was Andrew. He had said Cassie had been taken because she was his daughter, so that meant he would be walking Into greater danger than Cassie faced.

  She would not worry about him. Andrew was an adult, and no doubt responsible for this episode. Cassie, on the other hand, was the innocent vic­tim. Poor baby. Those thugs probably terrified her. The scar-faced man had looked like some­thing out of a horror—

  Lily's eyes suddenly flew open. How had Andrew known what the man had looked like? Or, for that matter, what had taken place at the cottage at all?

  She had fallen unconscious before she had been able to tell him anything.

  Yet Andrew had mentioned the scar-faced man she had seen, and Gunner had taken off on the kidnap­pers' trail before she had regained consciousness.

  Madness. Everything was madness. So many questions, and Andrew would answer none of them.

  "Why would a Middle-Eastern national name his hotel Eidelweiss?" Lily asked as the helicopter sluggishly began its descent in the center of a small glade.

  Andrew shrugged. "Why not? Said Ababa hasn't gained a squeaky-clean reputation on the world scene, and what's better than an alpine image? The Said Ababans are seldom original. As I said, they prefer to acquire what someone else has cre­ated or developed." He nodded at a figure stand­ing on the perimeter of the woods. "There's Gunner."

  "Why isn't he watching the bungalow where they're keeping Cassie?" Lily's hands clenched the arms of the seat. "What if they take her away while—"

  "Gunner will have left a watch," Andrew inter­rupted. "He knows his job."

  The helicopter settled on the ground, and Gun­ner started toward them.

  The young pilot cut the engine and turned toward Andrew. "Will you need me for the return trip?"

  Andrew shook his head. "No return, Jake."

  Lily's gaze flew to Andrew's face. "What do you

  mean? When we get Cassie well need a way to return to the cottage."

  Andrew otiened the heavy metal door. "No re­turn," he repeated as he jumped down from the helicopter and turned to lift Lily to the grass beside him. "It's too late to go back. We can only go forward now."

  "Cryptic nonsense." she said succinctly. "It may be too late for you, but Cassie and I will certainly go back."

  Andrew took their two small suitcases from the cockpit and closed the door, waving the pilot away. "Well see. It's not the time to talk about it now." He picked up the suitcases. "Let's find out if Gun­ner has any new information."

  She was immediately distracted, and turned and hurried to Gunner. "Cassie, is she well?"

  He nodded, his gaze raking her face. "You look like death." He turned to Andrew. "You couldn't keep her from coming?"

  "Not without putting her in a straitjacket and locking her in a dungeon." Andrew shrugged. "And even then she'd probably have found a way to follow me. I thought it would be better to have her under surveillance."

  Gunner nodded. "Quenby said that Lily wouldn't stay behind."

  "Where is Quenby?" Andrew asked.

  "WeVe rented a bungalow at a hotel near the one where they're holding Cassie. Quenby's wait­ing for us there." Gunner took Lily's elbow and urged her toward the woods. "Come on. I have a rental car parked a few hundred yards on the

  other side of the woods. Let's get you to it before you collapse."

  "I'm, all right," Lily said impatiently as they en­tered the woods. "When are we going to be able to free Cassie?"

  "Soon. I didn't want to move on this one with­out Andrew's sanction. Cassie is his daughter, and he has the right—"

  "Cassie is my daughter," Lily said fiercely. "I raised her, I'm the one who cared for her when she was sick and shared—"

  "No one's disputing your right to her," Gunner interrupted. "That's why you're here." He paused. "But you may not be able to help her, in this case. She may need Andrew."

  "Why?" Andrew asked sharply. "You said she was all right."

  "Physically, she's fine," Gunner said. "They haven t touched her, but naturally all this has been a shock to her. She saw Lily lying oh the floor and thought she had been murdered."

  "Of course it's been a shock," Lily said. "For heaven's sake, she's been kidnapped."

  "And she's very sensitive." Gunner met Andrew's gaze. "More sensitive than I first thought. We may have a problem."

  "Lord," Andrew whispered. "That's all we need right now."

  "What kind of problem?" Lily asked. "What's wrong with Cassie?"

  They had reached a gleaming dark blue Buick, and Gu
nner opened the rear door of the car. "I'm jumping the gun. It's too early to tell if there's

  even a problem. Well worry about her mental state once we have her away from these jokers."

  "And when will that be?"

  "Tonight," Gunner said. "If Andrew thinks Cas­sle can take it."

  "Cassie's tough." Andrew said, frowning. "I never thought she'd react this way."

  Lily got into the back seat of the car. "It's my decision, not Andrew's. We go after Cassle tonight."

  "No, Lily." The softness of Andrew's voice failed to hide its steely determination. 'The operation goes forward when I say so, and not before. I won't rush In and risk tearing Cassle to pieces. Ill make a decision after I've studied the situation this afternoon."

  Before she could speak he slammed the door, went around to the front of the car, and climbed into the passenger seat beside Gunner.

  Six

  "He won't talk to me," Llry said in despair as she plopped herself down in the chair across the din­ing table from Quenby. "Andrew just sits in that damn bedroom staring out the window at the chalet where they're keeping Cassie. I want to do something."

  Quenby smiled sympathetically as she poured coffee into Lily's cup. "I know how you feel, but believe me, Andrew is doing something."

  "Thinking." Lily shook her head. "That's not enough. We have to help Cassie. I can't bear . . ." Her voice broke. "I can't stand this, Quenby. I don't understand It. It doesn't make any sense."

  "You won't have to wait much longer. Andrew's very good at what he does."

  "And just what does Andrew do so well?" Lily asked with a mirthless smile. "Is he a spy or a mysterious troubleshooter like Gunner? He's cer-

  talnly never confided In me about his past—or his present either, for that matter."

  "He would If he could," Quenby said gently. "He's never wanted to keep anything from you. Andrew has always been afraid you couldn't ac­cept him for what he is."

  "It might help if I knew what that entailed." Lily looked into the depths of her coffee. "Or maybe it wouldn't. It's too late now."

  "Don't say that." Quenby's expression was trou­bled. "The situation is too complicated for you to make decisions, when you don't have all the facts."

  "Then give them to me."

  "I wish I could. It's not my—"

  "You needn't give Quenby the third degree." An­drew stood in the doorway of the bedroom. "You'll know everything soon enough." He turned to Quenby. "Where's Gunner?"

  "He went to the lodge to see about getting a waiter's uniform. Do you need him? I can go get him."

  Andrew shook his head. "Just so we move fast. I want to get Cassie out of there right away."

  "At last we agree," Lily said.

  "It won't damage her?" Quenby asked hesitantly.

  Andrew's lips tightened. "I doubt if shell even know we're there."

  "Oh, my Lord," Quenby whispered.

  "What are you saying?" Lily asked, gazing from Quenby's horrified expression to Andrew's stem one. "How can you know any—" She stopped, trying to gain control. "This isn't fair. I need to know."

  Andrew nodded. "I know it's not fair, but Cassie will be all right. I promise you, Lily."

  "And I'm supposed to believe you? I don't want to have to rery on anyone's word. I want to help. I want to go with you."

  Andrew shook his head. "They'd recognize you, and that would endanger Cassie. Gunner can han­dle it."

  "Gunner's only one man." Lily turned to Quenby. "Aren't you afraid for Gunner?"

  "Not against only two men." Quenby smiled. "It took me a long time to accept Gunner's vocation, but IVe finally come to terms with it."

  "But these are violent men." Lily raised her hand to her cut. bruised temple. "Gunner should have help.'

  "Ill be along," Andrew said quietly. "Did you think I'd let him go alone?"

  Fear sleeted through Lily. "No!"

  "You want to go yourself but you'd deny me the pleasure?" Andrew smiled sadly. "Perhaps you don't resent me as much as you think you do."

  "I don't want anyone hurt."

  "I assure you Gunner won't let me do anything interesting. He's very selfish when it comes to adventures like this. Ill just go along to run inter­ference with Cassie. She may need someone to block ..." Andrew's voice trailed off. "Gunner is planning to take them when they call room service for dinner."

  Quenby nodded. "He has someone in the kitchen waiting for the call. They phoned for lunch at

  three, so it will probably be eight or nine before they order dinner."

  "So we wait," Andrew said wearily. "Will you tell Gunner when he comes back that 111 need a uni­form too?"

  Quenby nodded. "He's probably already arranged to get you one. You're going to rest?"

  "I have to try to relax. Cassie can't stay like this. We have to bring her back right away." Andrew turned and went back to the bedroom and closed the door.

  "I don't want him to go without me," Lily whispered.

  Quenby smiled. "Hell be safe with Gunner."

  Lily gazed at Quenby in helpless silence.

  "Why don't you admit to yourself that you care for him." Quenby said gently. "It would make it so much easier for you."

  "I don't love him. I don't love anyone but Cassie."

  "Then why are you all tied up in knots at the thought of anything happening to him?" Quenby reached over and covered Lily's hand with her own. "Listen, Andrew is very special, and he's worth loving, dammit. I don't know anyone who gives more to others than he does. He deserves to get something for himself, for once."

  "I told him I couldn't give him what he wants."

  "I think you'll change your mind." Quenby's clasp tightened affectionately. "You're not as tough as you pretend, and there will come a time when you'll want to be able to reach out and help An­drew." Her expression clouded. "If you can. Heaven

  knows, weVe all tried to help him. He's so damned alone."

  "We're all alone."

  "Within ourselves, maybe. But sometimes some­thing wonderful happens." Quenby's face was sud­denly glowing. "Someone special comes along and the loneliness goes away. And when that happens you're a fool if you don't reach out and grab it, then hoid on tight." She sat down and leaned back in her chair. "And you're no fool, Lily."

  Lily's gaze went to the doorway of the bedroom. "I don't know. I thought I was a fool to trust him. Now you say I'm a fool If I don't."

  "What do your Instincts tell you to do?"

  The faintest smile touched Lily's lips. "Not you too? Andrew's very big on instincts. I'm afraid I can't afford to trust my own. I don't have a very good track record, and the consequences are too high when they fail you."

  "Lily, you can't—" Quenby stopped as she saw Lily's expression become guarded. "You're wrong, but you'll have to learn that for yourself." She reached for the carafe of coffee. "Let me refill your cup. You're going to need the caffeine. I think it's going to be a long night."

  "Andrew?" Lily knocked softly and then opened die door to the bedroom. "Are you awake? It's eight o'clock. Gunner says Kalom should be calling for room service soon, and it's time for you to dress."

  There was no answer from the bed across the room.

  "Andrew?" Her hand fumbled for the light switch on the wall beside the door. "Don't turn on the light."

  Andrew's voice came from the direction of the leaded casement windows across the room. Sil­houetted against the glass his dark shadow sud­denly reminded Lily of those first days when she had known him only as a mystery figure on the cliff. Not that he was any less mysterious now, she thought ruefully. "Gunner says there's still a little time, but he thought we should alert you. He s brought you one of those Tyrolean-style uni­forms the waiters wear." She tried to smile. "You should see him. With his fair hair he really looks the part."

  "Ill get dressed in a minute. Come in and close the door."

  She opened her lips to protest and then closed them without speaking. There was something ter­ribly lon
ely about that lean silhouette framed against the window. She took a step forward and closed the door. "Did you sleep? Quenby seems worried about your getting rest. I guess that's the nanny syndrome."

  "I slept. I can usually force myself to sleep when it's necessary."

  "Good. For someone so easygoing Quenby was positively fretting. She and Gunner really care about you."

  "Does it surprise you that I can occasionally inspire affection in others?"

  "Of course not. I knew you could be very charm­ing when you—"

  'Tve been standing here thinking about you."

  "You should be thinking about Cassie."

  "You're part of her and she's part of you. One leads to the other." He paused. "Ive been think­ing about you and your mother."

  She stiffened. "I don't want to talk about my mother."

  "I know. It still hurts you. It's natural that it should, but not that the wound should still be so raw. IVe been trying to puzzle it out. Tell me, do you think your mother would blame you for mak­ing the mistake of trusting Baldor?"

  "Who wouldn't blame me?"

  "Lily, did she love you?"

  "Yes ..." Lily's voice thickened. "Yes, she loved me."

  "Then don't you think she would have forgiven you for being fooled by Baldor?"

  "Yes, but I—"

  "Then why can't you forgive yourself?"

  "This isnt about forgiveness."

  "I think it is. I think that's why the wound hasn't healed all these years. You were bitterly sorry, but it was too late for you to teH her, to ask to be forgiven. You needed to ask someone for forgiveness, and there was no one there."

  He was right, she realized with astonishment. Until he had put it into words, she hadn't known how desperate had been that need.

  "Are you sorry, Lily?" he asked gently.

  "Of course I'm sorry."

  "There, you've said it now. Your mother would have forgiven you for your mistake, so let it go,

  Lily. Forgive yourself and be as happy as she would have wanted you to be."

  Something incredible was happening Inside her; something cold and tight was loosening, warm­ing. "She was . . . my best friend."

  "Then don't condemn the memories of your best friend to live side by side with bitterness. She deserves better than that."