“You can’t be sure of that.”
“Brady’s a big talker, but physical violence isn’t his style, especially against his own daughter.”
“There’s always a first time.”
“I heard Sheba talking to him just before we went inside. She’ll guard Heather like a mother lion.”
“Trusting Lizzie Borden to protect her doesn’t comfort me one bit.”
“Sheba’s only selectively vicious.”
“She certainly hates me.”
“She would have hated anybody I married.”
“Maybe. But not the way she is with me. When I first came along, it wasn’t so bad, but lately . . .”
“It was easier on her when everybody disliked you.” He rubbed her shoulder. “I’m sorry you had to get caught up in this war Sheba’s fighting with her pride. She was so talented, even as a kid, that people made allowances for her they shouldn’t have. Her father worked her hard, but he also inflated her ego, and she grew up believing she was perfect. She can’t accept the fact that she has human frailties like everybody else, so she has to blame other people.”
“I guess it’s never easy to face your own shortcomings.”
“Oh, no, you don’t. Don’t you start feeling sorry for her. You keep your guard up when she’s around, do you hear me?”
“But I haven’t done anything to her.”
“You married me.”
She frowned. “What happened between the two of you?”
“She thought she was in love with me. She wasn’t—she loved my lineage—but she still hasn’t realized that. There was an ugly scene, and she fell apart. Any other woman would shrug it off as an unpleasant memory, but Sheba’s not like that. She’s too arrogant to blame herself, so she has to blame me for seeing her like that. Our marriage was a huge blow to her pride, but as long as you were in disgrace, I don’t think it was too bad for her. Now, I’m not sure how she’ll react.”
“Badly, I imagine.”
“She and I know each other pretty well. She could live with the past when she had something to hold over my head, but now it’s going to start all over again. She’ll want to punish me for being happy, and I only have one weakness.” He gazed at her.
“Me? I’m your weakness?”
“If she hurts you, she hurts me. That’s why I want you to stay alert.”
“It seems like such a waste of time to expend all that energy trying to convince the world you’re better than everyone else. I can’t understand it.”
“Of course you can’t. You like nothing better than to point out all your character flaws to everyone who’ll listen.”
She must have found his exasperation amusing because she smiled. “They’ll discover those flaws for themselves if they’re around me long enough. I just save them the effort.”
“What they discover is that you’re one of the most decent people they’re ever likely to know.”
An expression that almost looked like guilt flashed over her face, although he couldn’t imagine what she had to feel guilty about. It was quickly replaced with worry. “Are you sure Heather will be all right?”
“I didn’t say that Brady’s going to punish her for sure.”
“Since I was the person wronged, I should decide on the punishment.”
“Brady won’t see it that way, and neither will Sheba.”
“Sheba! That’s so hypocritical! She loved believing I was a thief. How can she punish Heather for giving her her dearest wish?”
“As long as Sheba believed it was true, she was satisfied. But he has a strong sense of justice. People in a circus have to live close together, and there’s nothing anyone hates more than a thief. When Heather stole and lied, she violated everything Sheba believes in.”
“I still think she’s a hypocrite, and nothing’s going to change my mind. If you don’t do something about Brady, I will.”
“No, you won’t.”
She opened her mouth to argue, but before she could say a word, he leaned down and kissed her. She resisted for all of two seconds trying to prove she wasn’t a pushover, then she grew pliant.
God, he loved kissing her, feeling the sweep of her tongue, the gentle crush of her breasts. What had he ever done to deserve this woman? She was his own private angel.
An undercurrent of frustration swept through him because she hadn’t demand the pound of flesh she deserved. Vengeance wasn’t part of her nature, and because of that, she was vulnerable.
He drew back just far enough to speak, and he had to force the words past an unaccustomed tightness in his throat “I’m sorry, sweetheart. I’m so sorry I didn’t believe you.”
“It’s not important,” she whispered back.
He knew she meant it, and his heart felt as if it would burst.
20
Sheba stood in the shadows of the marquee fighting back her misery as she watched Alex and Daisy laughing together by the floss stand. He picked a blade of straw from her hair and then touched her face, the caress as intimate as if he’d stroked her breast.
Bitterness spread through her like a parasitic vine, choking everything else. It had been four days since they’d learned the truth about the stolen money, and she couldn’t bear watching his happiness. Somehow it had been earned at her expense, and he had no right to it.
“Give it a rest, Sheba.”
She spun around to see Brady coming up behind her. Ever since the night they’d spent together, he’d been strutting the circus grounds like a rooster. She half-expected him to tuck his hands under his armpits and crow. In typical Brady Pepper fashion, he’d also decided that having been her lover once entitled him to run her life.
“Leave me alone.”
“That’s the last thing you want from me.”
She hated the look of pity he gave her. “You don’t know anything.”
“Let him go, Sheba. Alex is part of your past. Just let him go.”
“It figures you’d say something like that. You’re a champ at letting things go, aren’t you?”
“If you’re talking about Heather—”
“You know I am.”
She glanced toward the elephant truck where Heather was trying to wrestle a wheelbarrow loaded with manure through the doorway. They had given her the worst duty, the one Daisy had been assigned to. Sheba regarded it as a fitting punishment, but Brady wasn’t satisfied. He’d made arrangements to send her back to his sister-in-law Terry, just as soon as Terry returned to Wichita from a visit with her mother.
“Heather’s my business. Instead of worrying about her, why don’t you think about how good we were the other night.”
“Good? We almost killed each other!”
“Yeah. Wasn’t it great?”
He grinned at the memory, and she felt a traitorous warmth inside her. It had been good: the excitement of it, the thrill of coming together with someone as hot-tempered and demanding as herself. She couldn’t wait to make love with him again, so she planted one hand on her hip and curled her lip at him. “I’d rather have a root canal.”
“And, baby, do I ever have the drill to do the job.”
She nearly smiled, and then she saw Alex lean down to kiss the tip of Daisy’s nose. How she hated him. She hated them both. He had no right to look at her like that.
“Just stay out of my way, Brady.” She pushed past Brady and stalked away.
Three days later, Daisy made her way to the menagerie with bag of produce treats she had bought when she and Alex had stopped for groceries. Tater trailed behind, and both of them stopped to admire the somersault Petre Tolea’s three-year-old son was doing for his mother, Elena. The Rumanian flyer’s wife spoke little English, but she and Daisy exchanged greetings in Italian, a language in which they were both fluent.
After speaking with Elena for a few minutes, Daisy went on to the menagerie where she spent a few minutes with Sinjun.
Tell him.
I will.
Now.
Soon. She turned
away from the reprimand she was almost certain she saw in Sinjun’s eyes. Alex had been so happy lately, like a kid really, and she hadn’t been able to spoil it. She knew it would be difficult for him to adjust to the idea of a baby, so it was important for her to pick her time right.
She carried the plums she’d brought for Glenna into the tent only to discover that her cage was missing.
She hurried outside. Tater abandoned his hay and trotted happily behind her as she made her way to the truck that carried the menagerie animals. Trey napped inside, and she leaned through the open window to shake his arm.
“Where’s Glenna?”
He hit his battered straw cowboy hat on the rearview mirror as he jerked upright “Huh?”
“Glenna! Her cage is missing.”
He yawned. “Somebody came for her this morning.”
“Who?”
“Some guy. Sheba was with him. He loaded Glenna into a van and drove away.”
Stunned, she released her hold on him and stepped back. What had Sheba done?
She found Alex inspecting the big top for tears. “Alex! Glenna’s gone!”
“What?”
She told him what she’d learned, and Alex regarded her grimly. “Let’s go find Sheba.”
The circus owner was in the red wagon, sitting at the desk doing some paperwork. She wore her hair down, and the scooped neck of her persimmon cotton-gauze jumpsuit was outlined with Mexican-style embroidery. Daisy pushed past Alex to get to her. “What have you done with Glenna?”
Sheba looked up. “Why do you want to know?”
“Because I’m in charge of the menagerie. She’s one of my animals, and I’m responsible for her.”
“Excuse me? One of your animals? I don’t think so.”
“Stop it, Sheba,” Alex snapped. “Where’s the gorilla?”
“I sold her.”
“You sold her?” he said.
“You know Quest Brothers is up for sale. None of the potential buyers want to fuss with the menagerie, so I’ve decided to sell it off.”
“Don’t you think you should have told me about it?”
“It slipped my mind.” She got up from the desk and carried a packet of papers to the file cabinet.
Daisy stepped forward as she slid open one of the drawers. “Who did you sell her to? Where is she?”
“I don’t know why you’re so upset. Aren’t you the one who likes to tell everybody how inhumane our menagerie is?”
“That doesn’t mean I wanted Glenna shipped away to just anyone. I want to know where she’s gone.”
“To a new home.” She slid the file drawer closed.
“Where?”
“I really don’t feel like being cross-examined.”
Alex settled his hand over Daisy’s shoulder. “Why don’t you go on back to the menagerie and let me take care of this?”
“Because I want to know where she is. And, Alex, there are things I have to tell the new owner about her habits. Glenna hates loud noises, and she’s afraid of people in big hats.” Her throat began to tighten as she thought about never seeing the gentle gorilla again. She wanted Glenna to have a new home, but she’d also wanted to say good-bye. She remembered the way the gorilla liked to groom her and wondered if any of her new keepers would let her do that. To her dismay, her eyes fill with tears. “She loves plums. I have to tell them about the plums.”
Alex cupped her arm. “Give me a list of everything, and I’ll make sure the new owner gets it. Go on, now. I need to talk to Sheba.”
She wanted to protest, but she realized Alex would have a better chance of getting Sheba to cooperate if they were alone. She made her way to the door, pausing only long enough to look back at the circus owner.
“Don’t do anything like this again, do you hear me? The next time you sell an animal, I want to know about it in advance. I also want a chance to talk to the new owner.”
Sheba lifted her eyebrows. “I can’t believe you have the nerve to give me orders.”
“I’ve got the nerve all right. You just make sure you’re paying attention.” She turned away and left them alone.
For a moment, neither Sheba nor Alex spoke. He doubted that Daisy’s speech had intimidated Sheba, but he was still proud of his wife for standing up to her. He gazed over at the woman who had once been his lover and felt only disgust.
“What’s happening to you? You’ve always been tough, but you weren’t cruel.”
“I don’t know what you’re complaining about. You hate the menagerie nearly as much as she does.”
“Don’t play dumb. You wanted to hurt Daisy and picked this way to do it. You’re using her to get to me, and I won’t have it.”
“Don’t flatter yourself into believing you’re that important to me.”
“I know you, Sheba. I understand how you think. Everything was fine as long as people believed that Daisy was a thief, but now that everyone knows the truth, you can’t stand it.”
“I do what I want, Alex. I always have, and I always will.”
“Where’s that gorilla.”
“None of your damned business.” With a glare, she swept from the trailer.
He refused to go after her, and he wasn’t going to give her the satisfaction of asking the question again. Instead, he got on the phone.
It took him a day to locate the private dealer that Sheba had sold the gorilla to. The dealer charged him twice what he’d paid Sheba for the animal, but Alex didn’t quibble.
He spent the next few days finding an acceptable home for Glenna, and by Wednesday of the following week, he was able to tell Daisy that her gorilla was on her way to becoming the newest resident in the excellent primate facility at Chicago’s Brookfield Zoo, although he didn’t tell her his money had made it possible.
Daisy burst into tears and told him he was the most wonderful husband in the world.
Brady stood at the TWA gate at the Indianapolis airport with Heather at his side waiting to board the plane to Wichita. She hadn’t spoken a word to him since they’d left the lot that morning, and he didn’t like the guilt feelings gnawing away at him. Sheba had already called him every name in the book, and yesterday Daisy had backed him up against one of the concession wagons and read him the riot act. They made him feel like a heel. Neither of them knew what it was like to have a kid you loved so much that you’d do anything for her.
He glared down at his daughter. “You mind your Aunt Terry, you hear me? And I’ll call you every week. If you need money, you let me know, and I don’t want you dating yet.”
She stared straight ahead, her backpack clutched in her hands. She looked so pretty, fine-boned and delicate, that his heart ached. He wanted to protect this baby girl of his from everything bad, to keep her safe and make her happy. He’d give his life for her.
“I’ll send you plane tickets for Christmas vacation so you can come down to Florida with us,” he said gruffly. “Maybe you and me’ll go over to Disney World or something. I’ll bet you’d like that.”
She turned to him, and her chin trembled. “I don’t care if I ever see you again.”
Something terrible ripped into his gut. “You don’t mean that.”
“I wish you weren’t my father.”
“Heather . . .”
“I don’t love you. I didn’t ever love you.” Dry-eyed and stony-faced, she gazed straight at him. “I loved Mom, but not you.”
“Don’t say that, honey.”
“You should be happy. It means you don’t have to feel bad about not loving me.”
“Who said I don’t love you? Damn it, did those boys tell you that?”
“You told me.”
“I never did. What the hell are you talking about?”
“You told me in a million ways.” She shifted the backpack onto one shoulder. “I’m sorry about what happened with the money, but I already told you that. I’ve got to get on the plane now. Don’t bother calling me. I’ll be too busy with my schoolwork to talk to you.”
>
Turning away, she flashed her boarding pass at the flight attendant and disappeared down the jetway.
What had he done? What did she mean he’d told her in a million ways that he didn’t love her? Jesus, Mary, and Joseph, he’d screwed up bad. All he’d wanted was the best for her. It was a hard world, and you had to be tough raising kids or they’d turn out to be a bunch of bums. But he’d never wanted this.
He knew then that he couldn’t let her go. Sheba and Daisy had been right all along.
He pushed past the flight attendant and bellowed down the jetway. “Heather Pepper, you come back here right this minute!”
The alarmed flight attendant stepped in front of him. “Sir, can I help you with something?”
The passengers directly between him and Heather turned to see what the commotion was, but Heather kept walking. “You come back here! You hear me?”
“Sir, I’ll have to call security. If there’s a problem—”
“You go ahead and call them. That’s my daughter, and I want her back.”
Heather had nearly reached the door of the plane by the time he got to her. “No daughter of mine is going to talk to me like that! No way!” He pulled her to the side and gave her the piece of his mind she deserved. “If you think you’re going off to your Aunt Terry’s with that kind of attitude, you’re wrong. You’re getting your butt back to the circus, young lady, and I hope you liked cleaning up after those bulls because that’s what you’re going to be doing all the way back to Florida.”
She stared up at him, and her eyes were so large they looked like blue mint candies. “I get to stay?”
“You’re damn right you’re staying, and I don’t want to hear another word of disrespect.” His voice broke. “I’m your father, and you damn well better love me the same way I love you, or you’ll be sorry.”
The next thing he knew, he was grabbing her, and she was grabbing him, and all the bozos coming down the jetway trying to get past them were jabbing them with bags and briefcases, but he didn’t care. He was holding tight to this daughter he loved so desperately, and he wasn’t ever going to let her go.
It was Monday night, the show had a rare evening off, and Alex had asked Daisy out for a date. Soft music filtered through the dimly lit dining room of the expensive downtown Indianapolis restaurant, where they were tucked away in a corner banquette.