Mystique (17 page)

"I swore off all
men."

"Lord, what a close call I
had," Luc teased, kissing her lightly.

They walked back to the
living room, where Alice announced, "Lucas, the girls have decided to
come with me. They'll be starting school soon, and there will be riding and
music lessons and of course we must begin to prepare them for their
debut."

"Debut?" the three
girls and Misty said in unison.

Luc looked accusingly at his
brother-in-law. "Don't glare at me, Luc," John said mildly, returning
his pipe to his pocket when his wife gave him a long-suffering look.

"A debut isn't necessary,"
Misty began.

"Don't be silly,
Mystique, dear," Alice said. "And you mustn't worry about the money.
Lucas has scads of money, and I intend to bill him for everything." Alice smiled, unrepentant.

"Of course," Luc agreed dryly.
"But the fuss is what I hate. I'll be damned if I'll wear white tie and
tails to a debutante cotillion. It isn't necessary," he told his sister.

"How like you to act the village
idiot, Lucas," Alice commented. "Well, if you don't wear tails, you
shall be the only one who does not." She rolled her eyes at Misty, who
smiled back weakly. "How can you think of shaming your new wife that
way?"

Betsy giggled. "Misty's not ashamed
of Luc. Are you, Misty?"

"No, of course not."

"Well of course she's not ashamed
now, but think how she'll feel when you arrive at the club without any clothes
on."

"I could put a jewel in my
navel," Luc offered.

"Fig leaf would be better,"
John said, then coughed behind his hand.

"Come, girls, this is getting us
nowhere. We have to get you some clothes. We'll go to Saks. We'll get your
shoes at Lord and Taylor. I like their shoes." Alice's voice floated
behind her as she urged the girls to kiss Misty good-bye and herded them into
the foyer.

"John," Luc said in a warning
tone.

John held up his hand, palm out.
"Don't start with me, Luc. She's your sister. Besides, I wouldn't
interfere if I could. Alice is having a marvelous time. She's sunny in the
morning, and she greets me at the door in the evening with a smile."

"What? No rose in her teeth and
martini in her hand?" Luc teased, reaching out to pull Misty to his side.

"Ummm? Not a bad idea. I'll suggest
it while I'm following the group through Saks. I relish the thought that all the
bills will be going directly to you."

"Pirate," Luc accused mildly as
he and Misty followed John to the front door. "Don't forget that they'll
need recreational clothes, not just ball gowns."

"I'm sure Alice has a list."
John laughed and closed the door after himself.

Misty turned at once to confront Luc.
"Wait until we're back in the living room, darling," he said.
"You can ring for more coffee before you berate me." He chuckled and
chucked her under the chin.

"Luc, it isn't funny! You can't let Alice run up big bills for my sisters. They have enough clothes." Misty bit her lip.

"Would you mind buying wardrobes for
them if you had the money to do it?" He sat down on the couch and pulled
her into his lap, cuddling her close.

"Stop. Mrs. Wheaton will come in any
minute." She pushed against him, laughing. "And, no, of course I
wouldn't mind buying clothes for my sisters." She paused as he chuckled.
"You tricked me," she accused, pulling gently on his hair.

"Maybe a little. The point is,
darling, we're well able to pay for any number of wardrobes Alice thinks
necessary. If you like, I'll arrange for your accountant to pay the bills
instead of mine."

"I have an accountant?" Misty
asked, her voice faint.

"Of course. A very good man from the
same firm the family has always used. You won't mind that, will you?"

"Huh? No, I guess not.
Oh, here comes Mrs. Wheaton." Misty's voice failed as the older woman
entered carrying a silver coffeepot, which she put on the serving cart. She
smiled at Misty and Luc.

Misty wriggled on Luc's lap, feeling
embarrassed, but he held her still with a minimum of effort.
"Darling," he whispered in her ear as the housekeeper replenished the
cream and sugar, "you're arousing me."

"Eeek!" Misty squeaked.
"Stop that!" she hissed, giving Mrs. Wheaton a weak smile when the
older woman looked up in query. "Ah, nice weather we're having,"
Misty said.

Mrs. Wheaton looked momentarily puzzled.
"There's a travelers' warning out, and the snow has turned to sleet, but I
guess you like cold weather, don't you, Mrs. Harrison?" Mrs. Wheaton
lifted the empty silver pot and left the room.

"Yes, you do like cold weather,
don't you, Mrs. Harrison?" Luc teased, burying his nose in her neck.
"In fact, the next time we go to Sweetgum, I'm going to make love to you
in the snow."

"You'll be arrested," Misty
said, trying not to laugh. "You're much too sure of yourself."

"I'm sure of the way I feel about
you." He settled her more comfortably on his lap. "Now, I talked to
Mother this morning, and she's inviting us over on Saturday to introduce the
new Mrs. Harrison to some friends. I told her I thought we could make it, but
that I had to check with you first."

Misty stiffened. "How many
friends?"

"Just a few. She doesn't like to
seat more than thirty in her dining room, even though she has room for
sixty."

"Thirty? Sixty? Oh, my
goodness," Misty groaned.

"If being the guest of honor bothers
you, I'll tell Mother we can't come."

"We can't do that to your
mother." Misty raised her head from his chest. "Doesn't your family
ever do anything on a small scale?"

"I guess not," Luc said
thoughtfully.

She tightened her arms around his neck.
"Luc, it rather frightened me that my sisters made no move to kiss my
parents, or express a wish to go with them. It makes me think I've been blind
all these years not to have seen that they were going through the same thing I
did." "I don't think they suffered as much as you did. Truly, honey,
I mean that. The three of them are close in age, so they could support one
another, while you, being consi

derably older, had to face it on
your own. I watched your sisters while your parents were here. I saw the same
pity in their faces that I saw on yours, but not the same anxiety."

"Oh, Luc." Misty sobbed into
his neck.

He held her for long minutes, comforting
her. Then he stood and pulled her up to face him. "Now we're going to
change and go to see a designer I know."

'One that you used with your mistresses,
you mean," Misty teased. She punched his arm, feeling buoyant with
happiness because she was with Luc.

"Mrs. Harrison! I'm shocked,"
he exclaimed with mock indignation. "Insinuating such a thing about your
husband." He cupped his hands on her bent elbows, and hoisted her up his
body until they were mouth to mouth. "Shame on you," he whispered
against her lips. "My feelings are hurt. Kiss me and make it better."

"You fool." Misty's laughter
faded as his mouth claimed hers. They kissed deeply, their mouths moving on
each other as though they were seeking the secret of life.

Luc pulled away first, breathing hard.
"Lord, wife, we'd better go now, or we'll be up the stairs and in bed
before you know it." He let her slide down his body.

"So? Who's arguing?" Misty
stretched up and licked the corner of his mouth.

His face flushed, his eyes narrowing on
her. He placed his palms on either side of her face. "Siren," he
whispered.

"Yes."

"When we come home, we're going to
have a nice, leisurely soak in a hot tub, then—"

"Let's do it now," Misty urged.

"No. You're just trying to turn me
away from my objective."

"But, Luc, Morey designs all my
clothes. I like his work."

Luc regarded her for long
minutes. "All right. But let's just see if Charine has anything that would
suit you. Then we'll drive to Morey's place and take a look."

Misty nodded. "But please don't buy
me too much. I'd like to give some of what I have to the poor." She
paused, watching him. "I... I can use the money I earn at the Terrace—ah,
I know you give to many charities..."

"Darling, I'll write out a check to
any organization you name." He shook his head. "Just when I think I
have you figured out, you show another unexpected facet of yourself."

They freshened up, changed
their clothes, and went down to the garage after Mrs. Wheaton informed them
that Melton had arrived.

"I asked the chauffeur for the Rolls
to come over today," Luc explained. "I thought it would be easier if
we didn't have to fight traffic." He held open the door for her, nodding a
greeting to Melton. "Comfortable?" Luc asked Misty.

"Luc..." Misty had pressed a
switch that opened up a small bar with a desk and a telephone. "A person
could practically live in here!"

"Great place for a seduction."
He grinned when she glared at him. "No, I have never seduced a woman in
the back seat of the Rolls. Would you like to be the first?"

"Yes." She laughed when his
mouth dropped open. It delighted her to catch him off guard for once. He was
always taking her by surprise.

"Next time I'll drive the Rolls,
we'll park it someplace, and we'll see what we can do," Luc promised.

"Not in the middle of Manhattan!"

"And why not?" he teased.

They were still bantering when the sleek
vehicle pulled up in front of a posh shop on Madison Avenue.

"It looks very expensive,"
Misty said as they got out. She watched over her shoulder as the Rolls merged
into traffic.

"Just take a look at a few
things," Luc urged. "We won't buy much. We can get most of your
things at Morey's. In fact, how about suggesting to Alice that he make your sisters'
debutante dresses? Alice would be bound to tell her friends about Morey."
Luc shrugged as they approached a glass door bearing the name Charine in gold
scrollwork. "Come on, darling."

The salon was lavishly decorated in cream
and turquoise colors. Misty was a little nervous. She didn't feel comfortable
in places like this, where the salespeople were often patronizing. Although she
had learned to handle that sort of behavior at the Terrace Hotel, she preferred
to avoid such places.

A tall woman with black hair in a French
twist and wearing a beige silk dress came toward them, smiling. "Mr.
Harrison, how nice to see you. I'm afraid Charine isn't here today, but may I
help with something?"

"Hello, Lois." Luc smiled. He
spoke quietly to the woman, and she nodded agreeably and walked toward the back
of the shop.

Misty felt as if she'd just received a
hard blow. Unreasoning anger and jealousy swept over her because her husband
had just smiled at the woman. She sucked her breath in sharply, trying to
control her irrational emotions.

"Darling? What is it?" Luc bent
over her.

"I'm going to sock her if she smiles
at you again. How did you know her name? How many women have you brought
here?" The questions tumbled from Misty's mouth. She pressed her lips
together in an effort to stop them. Luc grinned, and her temper flared.
"And don't you dare laugh, Lucas Harrison," she fumed, which made him
laugh out loud. Just then Lois and another woman arrived carrying several
dresses over their arms.

Still chuckling, Luc turned to face them.
"Would it be possible for someone to model them for my wife?"

Lois looked momentarily overcome by
surprise. "Your wife? Well, congratulations, Mr. Harrison. I didn't see an
announcement in the paper."

"No doubt it will appear this week
sometime."

Lois nodded. "Won't you both follow
me?" She led them into an inner room with several Louis Quinze chairs
arranged in a semicircle in front of a tiny stage one step up from the floor.
In minutes the curtains parted, and a model glided forward wearing a low-cut
flame-colored dress.