Twin of Ice (Montgomery/Taggert 6)

“If he’ll have me,” Houston whispered, her back to her sister. After last night, Houston thought, he may have changed his mind, and the prospect of life without Kane’s moods—as well as his kisses—made a barren-looking future. She pictured herself sitting quietly in a rocker with her crochet hook.

“Do you want to help me with the wedding arrangements?” Houston asked, turning back to her sister. “Or would you rather leave everything to me?”

“I don’t want to even think of marriage, not mine to Leander, and especially not yours to Taggert. Lee’s just angry about what happened and I’m sure that if you—.”

“Leander and I are dead to each other!” Houston snapped. “Can’t I make you see that? Lee wants you, not me. It’s Kane . . . ” She turned away. “I’m going to marry Mr. Taggert in ten days.”

Blair jumped out of the bed. “You may think that you failed with Leander, but you didn’t. And you don’t have to punish yourself with that overbearing oaf. He can’t even handle a plate of food, much less—.”

Blair stopped because Houston slapped her across the face.

“He’s the man I’m going to marry,” Houston said, anger in her words. “I’ll not let you or anyone else denigrate him.”

With her hand to her cheek, Blair’s eyes filled with tears. “What I’ve done is coming between us,” she whispered. “No man anywhere means more than sisters,” she said before leaving the room.

For a moment, Houston sat on the bed. She wanted to comfort Blair but didn’t know how. What was Kane doing to her that would make her slap her own sister?

And the next question was, did Kane still want to marry her?

With shaking hands, she sat down at her desk and wrote a note to her fiancé.

Dear Mr. Taggert,

My behavior last night was unforgivable. I’d understand if you’d like the return of your ring.

Sincerely,

Miss Houston Chandler

She sealed the letter and had Susan give it to Willie to deliver.

When Kane received the letter, he snorted.

“Bad news?” Edan asked.

Kane started to hand the letter to Edan but, instead, slipped it into his pocket. “It’s from Houston. You know, I don’t think I ever met anybody quite like her. Weren’t you goin’ into town later?”

Edan nodded.

“Stop by one of the jewelry stores and buy a dozen rings, all different colors, and send them over to Houston’s house.”

“Any message?”

Kane smiled. “No, the rings oughta be enough. Now, where were we?”

At four o’clock, Mr. Weatherly, of Weatherly’s Jewels and Coronation Gifts, came rushing up the steps of the Chandler house.

“I have a package for Miss Houston,” he said excitedly to Susan, who answered the door.

Susan led him into the parlor where Opal and a subdued Houston sat, surrounded by lists of wedding, preparations.

“Good afternoon, Mr. Weatherly,” Opal said. “Could I get you some tea?”

“No, thank you,” he said, looking at Houston, lights dancing in his eyes. “This is for you.” He thrust a large, thin black velvet box at her.

Puzzled, but with a glimmer of hope blossoming within her, Houston took the box. All day had been miserable as she tried to plan a wedding that might not happen. And to make things worse, at noon, Mr. Gates had come home for dinner and privately informed her that he’d made an appointment for her to meet with Marc Fenton tomorrow morning. He was holding her to her promise to ask questions about Kane.

When Houston opened the box and saw the rings, she had to blink back tears of relief. “How pretty,” she said with outward calm as she looked at each one: two emeralds, a pearl, a sapphire, a ruby, three diamond rings, an amethyst, one ring with three opals, a ring of carved coral and one of jade.