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his eyes almost reluctantly appreciative of her slim graceful figure
moving down the hall. Then as she paused and glanced curiously
back, he gave a small, wry shrug and smiled as he joined her. She fell
silent as he approached.
'You look beautiful,' he told her softly, touching one cheek with a
finger. 'But then you look beautiful every day. Really, though, was
black absolutely necessary?'
'What is this?' she cried, laughing up into his face. 'Everyone thinks
my black dress has some sort of deep symbolic significance! I
honestly put it on because I like how it looks.'
One brow cocked, thoughtfully, and his eyes travelled leisurely down
her entire length, making her flush delicately. 'Yes, well,' he drawled,
'I do see what you mean. Is it new?'
'Mm, yes. I splurged and bought some new clothes last week. Talk
about feeling guilty!' she gurgled merrily, swinging away and
travelling around the room they had entered, unable to keep still. 'I've
learned thrifty habits in Ohio. It was a chore and a wrench to see all
my hard-earned money go on clothes when I was trying so hard to
save money for college, and the feeling stuck! Oh, well, it's a nice
habit to get into, I suppose!'
He had a curious look on his face, she saw, as she turned a smiling
glance his way. 'Strange indeed. I'm sure the money you spent
wouldn't even make a dent in the inheritance you receive today.'
Sensitive on the subject, Dee flushed again, but this time from
annoyance. 'That's all you can think about, isn't it?' she demanded,
upset. 'My stupid money. That's all anyone can think about, it seems!
God, just when I think I've found someone who'll like me just for
myself and nothing else, they catch a whiff of that filthy rich stink
that somehow hovers around me like a poisonous gas, and suddenly
that's all they can think about! You're like all the rest --' Unable to go
on, she turned and stared stonily at the wall, her slim foot tapping out
her temper on the hard wood floor.
'Will you just stop it!' In two strides Mike was right beside her,
turning her forcibly around and shaking her slightly. A thrill of shock
and something else rippled through her at his obvious agitation. 'I
meant nothing of the sort! I merely made a comment on how ironic
your reaction was when today is the day you come into a fortune! It's
an obvious subject, not something I dwell on day and night!' The
frustration welled up in his eyes and two grim lines cut down the
sides of his mouth. His hands tightened on her and then he made an
obvious effort to relax. His hands fell away. 'Don't let's quarrel on
your birthday, Dee. It shouldn't be. You should be happy. Look,' and
his hand went to his pocket to pull out a small wrapped package, 'I've
brought you a present.' He offered it to her.
Unable to resist his gesture of peace and his coaxing smile, Dee
smiled and reached out, but instead of taking the present that lay in
his hand, she cupped his hand with both of her own and squeezed
affectionately. 'I told you not to buy me anything,' she scolded, but
the scolding was a gentle one accompanied by a glance she couldn't
quite resist at the gaily wrapped parcel.
He laughed deeply and pressed it into her hands. 'Now, I knew that to
be obviously insincere. What woman in the world doesn't like to open
a present? Go on open it. I think we have the time now.'
She looked at the package and then peeped up into his face with the
beginnings of a twinkle. Then, giving up to the delight of the special
unknown quality that wraps every present with the magic of delight,
she laughed. 'Oh, all right! But you didn't really have to, you know. I
was just happy to have you here today.' Then her fingers went nimbly
to the package's edges, coaxing the paper apart with a careful
anticipation that made the man beside her smile to himself. The
wrapping was off and discarded without another glance, and she
turned the velvet box over and over in her hands with a pleasant
puzzling. Jewellery? Her fingers went to the side and pulled the box
open gently, and as she saw what was inside, she gave a gasp of
horror and delight. Nestled in the brown velvet inside the box was a
glittering, dazzling pure green emerald pendant necklace. The stone
was not so large as it was simply perfect, and it seemed to catch the
ray of the sunlight that filtered into the airy room, throwing them back
again with a magnificent glow. 'Oh, dear lord, Mike! This is well,
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