Manhattan Merger

“That’s three out of four. Rainey? Does the idea appeal?”

Under other circumstances she couldn’t imagine anything more exciting than going out on the ocean with him, but not now. Not ever.

While Diane was still in earshort she said, “If we’re going to work together later, I’d better finish my greeting card project while you’re gone. The deadline for the artwork is coming up soon.”

Payne’s niece turned to her with an interested expression. “What are you working on?”

“Right now, a bon voyage card showing a saucy Siamese cat with diamonds around her neck and red silk gloves up to her shoulders. She’s stretched out on top of one of those mansard rooftops in an elegant arrondissement of Paris waving goodbye with her tail to a rascal of a mutt.”

“Oh how cute!” Catherine cried.

“He has a hobo’s stick over his shoulder. There’s a little bag tied to the end with a Provençal print scarf. His beret is set at a jaunty angle.” Rainey closed her eyes and shook her head. “They’re in love.”

The girls burst into laughter. So did Payne.

“Can we see it?” Linda sounded as excited as Catherine.

“Of course. When you get back from sailing, come to my room. Have fun everybody.”

Grateful the girls were there to provide a buffer against Payne, Rainey left the dining room without looking at him. She hoped it didn’t seem like she was running a marathon to get away from him.

For the next three hours she worked steadily on her sketches, but her body broke out in perspiration more than once anticipating the moment when she had to join Payne in his study.

Those had been hellish moments downstairs with his fiancée. She’d practically accused them outright of having an affair.

Tears filled Rainey’s eyes. The poor thing had tried to handle her pain and outrage in a dignified manner. It was an awful experience. Rainey refused to put Diane through that again.

From here on out, Payne would have to deal with his fiancée on his own. Rainey would remain in the background a little while longer to work on his maps before she left for Colorado. That was it.

Eventually she heard footsteps in the hall. Payne had come back with the girls. Rainey invited them inside and let them look at her drawings.

Before they left to ride their bikes to Catherine’s house, Rainey told Linda to come over on Tuesday morning after Payne left for Paris. Before she got to work she’d do a sketch of Linda and her dog, Hannibal, playing on the beach.

The three of them went downstairs together. Rainey saw them out. When she came back in the house Betty told her Payne had driven his fiancée home and would be back at one to get busy.

Rainey glanced at her watch. She had one hour. Now would be a good time to make a credit card call home and tell her parents what was going on.

Tomorrow she would buy herself a good cell phone. Then she could call her friends and give them a phone number without them knowing her new address. She would ask the post office to hold her mail.

For security reasons as well as personal ones, no one could know she was living temporarily at Crag’s Head.

CHAPTER NINE

“DID you really have a good time out there, or were you putting up a front for the girls?”

The limousine would be pulling up in front of the Wylie estate before long.

Diane shot Payne a piercing glance. “Why do you bother to ask me a question like that when you know I hated it.”

Payne rubbed his forehead. “Then why did you come sailing and put yourself through misery?”

“To please you. To spend some time with you.”

“I realize we haven’t had much time alone together lately, but I promised Phyllis I’d watch out for Catherine while they were away. They’ll be home tomorrow night. Once I’m back from Paris next weekend, I’ll be free for you. We’ll do whatever needs doing to get ready for the wedding.”

“How would you feel i

f I flew to Paris with you?”