[Desert Roses 03] - Beneath A Harvest Sky (6 page)
Mrs. Gordon went to Duncan as Sonny left the room. “It’s always good to meet new friends. Please know you’re welcome to join us anytime. Raymond would agree with me.”
“Because I know better than to argue with her.” His Scottish brogue hung thick in the air. Duncan relished the sound with a bit of homesickness for the land of his childhood. “Now, if you’ll excuse me,” Mr. Gordon continued, “I need another cup of coffee and I see Rainy has already moved it to the kitchen.”
“Good night, Mr. Gordon. I truly appreciate the meal.”
“As Edrea said, you’re welcome anytime.” Raymond Gordon headed off in the direction of the kitchen.
“Oh, dear,” Edrea suddenly said. “Your jacket is in the other room. Why don’t you go tell Rainy good-bye and I’ll fetch it for you.”
Duncan nodded, happy for the excuse to see Rainy. He walked toward the kitchen door and paused as he overheard Rainy say something to her father.
Duncan glanced over his shoulder to make certain Edrea had gone. Seeing that the room was empty, he delayed his entrance long enough to eavesdrop.
“They’ll never believe me. No matter what I do. No one cares what really happened or why.”
“Now, daughter, God is with you. We’ll be finding a way.”
“But it’s been three years,” Rainy argued. “I don’t want to take this guilt with me the rest of my life.”
“I know, darling. I know.”
Duncan knew he couldn’t wait any longer. He pushed open the door and peeked inside. “I just wanted to tell Rainy good-bye.” He smiled at the surprised woman. “Your mother told me to and I didn’t want to appear the disobedient one.”
Rainy smiled at this. “It’s for the best. Mother would never brook any nonsense. I’ll see you in the morning. If you’ve never slept at the Alvarado, then you’re in for a treat.”
Duncan nodded and headed back through the dining room just as Edrea brought his jacket. “I hope to see more of you, Mr. Hartford.”
“I hope you will too.”
Duncan pulled on the jacket and made his way to the car. Sonny stood outside, leaning against the driver’s door, staring up into the night skies.
“Caught you daydreaming,” Duncan teased.
Sonny laughed. “That isn’t hard to do.” He jumped into the driver’s seat and started the car while Duncan took the seat Rainy had used all day.
“So what were you thinking about just then?” Duncan asked, knowing he was being more personal than their brief time together allowed for.
Sonny Gordon didn’t seem to mind. “Oh, I guess my mind was in faraway lands. I have some interest in Alaska. Sometimes I contemplate taking a trip north.”
“Sounds fascinating,” Duncan admitted. “I hope you’ll get a chance for it.”
“I hope so too,” Sonny said, maneuvering the car toward town.
Duncan thought of what he’d overheard Rainy saying, wishing fervently that he had the right to ask what she meant. He supposed it would just have to wait. Perhaps toward the end of the trip he and the Gordons would be much closer and then Rainy wouldn’t mind such an intimate question.
S
onny finished securing the last of the Van Pattens’ ten pieces of luggage in and on the touring car. Mrs. Van Patten had been particularly difficult that morning, haranguing Sonny about the care of her matched pieces.
“This is an exceptionally expensive collection of leather luggage,” she told Sonny. “See to it that you do not allow it to be scratched.”
Sonny had smiled, poured on the charm, and assured her that he was used to handling such pieces. Mrs. Van Patten looked down her nose at him in an expression that suggested Sonny must surely be mistaken . . . or lying.
Once she’d gone, Sonny’s thoughts drifted to the night before. He knew his sister enjoyed Duncan’s company. He also suspected that his sister would probably love nothing better than to secure a more permanent position in Duncan Hartford’s life.
If I could manage to get the two of them together,
Sonny mused,
I wouldn’t feel so bad about my own plans
. And his plans were extensive. He had just received word from two college chums who had teamed up for a government exploration trip to Alaska. The government was assessing the area to discover its potential for farming and relocating poverty-stricken families. All very new ideas, his friends assured him, but ones that held great promise—especially as drought seemed to be gripping various areas of the country. His friends droned on about the possibilities as if they needed to sell Sonny on the idea. Then they finally mentioned needing a third member for their team, a geologist, and wanted to know if he was interested.
Interested didn’t begin to describe Sonny’s feelings on the matter. This venture would fulfill a lifelong dream of his. Geology was a passion to him. He could only imagine the thrill of exploring the frozen north. Now his only problem was how to break the news to Rainy. Sonny knew she depended on him for companionship on the tours. She had said more than once that she might never have taken the job with the Detours if Sonny hadn’t been hired on as her driver. Now his plan was to resign his position by the end of summer, and he still hadn’t found a way to break the news to his sister.
Thoughts of Duncan Hartford came to mind again. With Duncan training to drive the tours, Sonny wondered if he couldn’t arrange it so that Duncan could take over his place with Rainy. He wondered even more seriously if something romantic might develop between the couple. He’d seen the way Rainy had looked at Duncan—heard her talk about him too. There was no denying her high regard for him.
If Rainy and Duncan would fall in love and marry,
Sonny thought,
my troubles would be over. Rainy wouldn’t
need me anymore. She’d have a whole new life, and her interests
would lie with Duncan rather than me and Mom and
Dad
.
He thought about this as he double-checked the Van Patten luggage one final time. Rainy certainly had expressed her interest in finding a husband and settling down, though Sonny knew she’d also love to be working in archaeology. Since they’d been young her heart’s desire had been to work on great archaeological digs. She’d even thought for some time she might go abroad to the great pyramids of Egypt. The Middle Eastern countries were certain to be full of mystery and intrigue from the past.
Instead, he’d watched Rainy develop a deep love for the American Southwest. She had a passion for the desert and the Indians who lived there. He was amazed at the quick and easy manner in which she’d learned various Indian dialects. Furthermore, he knew she had grown to care deeply about the Indian people.
“The Van Pattens will be out shortly,” Rainy called as she came from the hotel. “I left them to conclude their breakfast.”
Sonny looked up and smiled. Rainy always brightened his day. They were as close as a brother and sister could be, and being twins, they felt they could very nearly read each other’s minds. Given that, Sonny wondered if Rainy had any clue as to his desire to leave the Detour business. He was waiting for just the right time to tell her—praying that the timing would come neither too soon nor too late. She wouldn’t be happy with him, for they always discussed major plans and changes with each other. He supposed they filled the void in each other’s life where a spouse might have offered counsel. But this time he hadn’t shared his plans, and he knew she’d be hurt.
“We need to head out as soon as possible if we’re going to make Gallup by suppertime and still see everything in between,” he replied.
Rainy straightened her serviceable brown skirt. “I know that. They were nearly finished. If they aren’t out here in five minutes, I’ll go get them.”
“So, Rainy, I saw you eying Duncan Hartford. I think you like him,” Sonny said, grinning from ear to ear.
Rainy shrugged. “He’s a very nice man. Of course I like him.”
“No, I mean you
like
him. As in, you’re interested in him for more than friendship.”
Rainy’s head snapped up at this. She came to stand directly in front of him and lowered her voice considerably. “What makes you say that?”
“Rainy, don’t forget I can read you better than most,” Sonny replied, leaning casually against the glossy black frame of the car. “I know you want to marry and have a family, and Duncan Hartford has many of the qualities you’re looking for.”
“Oh, really? And how would you know what I’m looking for?” Rainy asked defensively.
Sonny laughed. “Maybe because I’m your twin brother, or maybe it’s because we work together and spend a good deal of our time together, and maybe because you’ve told me about a million times.”
Rainy gave him a sheepish smile at this. “I’m pretty bad, eh?”
“Not bad—just specific.” He sobered a bit and took hold of her shoulders. “Look, sister of mine, I want you happy. I know you’re putting your future to prayer, but like Mom would say, you have to be willing to leave it in God’s hands in order for Him to be able to do anything with it.”
“I know. But some things are harder than others to leave behind. I’m fast becoming an old maid. I don’t want to spend the rest of my life regretting my earlier choices for school and an education. I don’t want to come to the end of my life and find out I was wrong— maybe I can’t balance pursuing my passion for archaeology with the demands of a family.”
“That’s not going to happen. God has been the one guiding your life. I remember how hard you prayed about college—about when to go and when to stop. Remember how much that one professor of yours wanted you to go for your doctorate, but you said no because that’s what you felt God leading you to do. Have you regretted that choice?”
Rainy shrugged and Sonny dropped his hold on her. “I can’t say that I regret it because I’m confident it was the right thing at the time.”
“Then trust that God has this issue under control.
Duncan Hartford may well have come into our lives through the Detours in order for you to know his character even better than before. You’ve known the man for three years, Rainy. You’ve seen him conduct the museum tours and have spoken to him on hundreds of occasions. He’s always appeared respectable and upright—now maybe God’s giving you the opportunity to spend your days with him on the tour so you’ll know for sure whether or not his personality fits yours.”
Rainy smiled. “And when did you figure this all out, little brother?”
“You’re never going to let me live down the fact that I’m three minutes younger than you, are you?”
“Not when it serves my purpose so completely.” She smiled.
“Well, it serves my purpose not to give you an answer,” Sonny said, laughing. “I suggest you run ahead and get our guests. While you do that, I’ll find out what’s happened to Duncan, and hopefully we can get on the road within the next few minutes.”
Rainy went in search of her charges, realizing that Sonny had gotten out of telling her when he’d given time to plotting a romance between her and Duncan.
She had to admit he made a good point. She had prayed long and hard about all of the details regarding a man to love and spend her life with. And Duncan had been a constant in her life for the past three years.
He was there for the tours she brought to the museum. He was often in La Fonda for his meals, and when she managed to be in town on Sunday, she saw him at the little community church not far from the Plaza. And now he was going to be on their trip to the Grand Canyon. Maybe God would— Running into the rock-hard wall of another human being caused all thoughts to fly out of Rainy’s mind.
She felt herself falling backward. As she fought to regain her balance, she looked up to catch Duncan’s stunned expression change to one of intense concern. He reached out to take hold of her but missed her by inches. Rainy smacked down hard on her backside.
“Making friends with the floor?” he questioned good-naturedly. The look of amusement changed to concern, however, as Rainy frowned. “Are you all right? I tried to catch you but . . .”
“I’m fine,” Rainy said, trying to gracefully get to her feet. He reached down to help her up and kept his hold on her while she steadied herself. She rubbed her lower back.
“I’m so sorry.” He gently rubbed her upper arms.
Rainy momentarily lost herself in his dark brown eyes, his tenderness her undoing.
Could he be the one,
Lord? Could he be the man I’m to spend the rest of my life
with?
“It was all my fault,” she said, finally finding her voice. “I wasn’t watching where I was going. I was a bit preoccupied.” Rainy’s words sounded foreign in her ears.
What’s wrong with me? I’m acting so silly
. She straightened and pulled away. With a much more serious tone, she added, “Sonny’s looking for you. He’s out at the car. I need to get the guests out there as well.”
Duncan’s manner became quite formal, almost as if she’d somehow offended him. “Very well. Mind your step.”
He moved around her with little fanfare and walked toward the door. Rainy watched him momentarily.
Oh, Father, please show me what to do. Help me to be
patient, because I’m not at all sure I have it within myself to
keep from charging ahead
.