off guard by the intensity of his declaration, but struck by the absolute sincerity of it. Love was a myth to him, yet the things he wanted couldn’t be achieved without it.
Thoughts of her aunt Petula’s loveless marriage to Charles filled her mind. Uncle Charles had never been faithful to Aunt Pet and had never provided anything for Pet that hadn’t originally come from her large inheritance. Because Charles had never loved her aunt, he’d never been interested in having children with her. Because he’d never loved her, their home was anything but warm and loving.
Allison’s memories of her own parents, killed when she was only nine, were of two people completely in love who doted on each other and on the child their love had created. Allison hungered for that kind of love, that kind of marriage.
The alternative, represented by Charles and Petula’s coldly formal relationship, was unacceptable. No matter how wonderful Blue’s pledge sounded now, how long would it take for the loveless union he wanted to go wrong?
Allison made herself look directly at Blue as she spoke. “Those are honorable goals, Mr. Sumner. I think you must be quite a good man to have them.” She hesitated, clenching her handbag in front of her to keep her hands from fluttering as wildly as her insides were fluttering. “But I can’t marry a man who doesn’t value love.”
Blue didn’t blink, didn’t seem to even take a breath before he drawled, “Then your answer is no.”
Allison somehow maintained eye contact with the burning probe of his gaze. “My answer is no.”
Blue glanced down briefly, his eyes hidden by the brim of the Stetson he’d worn during their tour of the house. At just the moment Allison felt a strange tug of sympathy, the black hat brim lifted to reveal the determination in his gaze.
His low, “Then I’ll have to find a way to change your mind,” came out in a raspy drawl that sent a flood of heat through her. The way he was looking at her now—as if he were about to grab her up and carry her off to a cave somewhere—made his declaration as much a threat as a promise.
A confusing mix of dismay and excitement sent color into her cheeks and a flush over her skin. Allison couldn’t speak, couldn’t move. The peculiar attraction she’d felt toward Blue in the past suddenly escalated to something breathlessly sensual and compelling. The notion that he meant to change her mind about marrying him was dizzying.
But the fact that he might somehow be successful terrified her. Surely she could never be seduced into marrying a stranger who didn’t believe in love. But as she stood there frozen, unable to look away from Blue Sumner’s ruggedly handsome face, she realized she might be in danger of doing just that.
Somehow, she regained her composure. Her stiff, “Good afternoon, Mr. Sumner,” and her abrupt turn and stilted exit from the huge kitchen did nothing to break the sensual pull between them. Though she was aware that Blue’s booted stride echoed hers down the long hall to the entry and the front door, she managed to maintain a dignified pace.
She didn’t breathe normally until she was safely out the door and was halfway down the graveled driveway to where she’d left her car.
CHAPTER TWO
ALLISON’S nerves were still jittery by the time she returned to town. To her surprise, Uncle Charles had come home early from the bank, and he was waiting in the formal living room with Aunt Petula when she came in.
“Hello, dear,” Aunt Pet called as Allison walked into the tastefully appointed room. Petula was sitting on one of the three white sofas that were grouped around the low crystal coffee table. Charles stood near the liquor cabinet, his face expectant. A bottle of champagne rested in a silver bucket of shaped ice on a sofa table.
Allison’s soft, “Hello all,” was cautious as she stopped at the sofa and rested a hand on its back. She saw at a glance that Aunt Pet’s expression was tense. Charles was almost never home in the middle of a banking day. The bucket of champagne and the warm look Charles was giving her combined to send a tiny arrow of alarm through her.
Charles didn’t hesitate. “We trust you and Mr. Sumner have set the date.”
Allison stared a moment as a feeling of unreality slipped over her. Charles was clearly pleased and excited. A swift glance at Aunt Pet caught Pet’s nervous smile. All at once she realized that both of them must have expected her to accept Blue Sumner’s astonishing marriage proposal.
Though Charles had already made it clear, in spite of her objections, that he was strongly in favor of her accepting Blue’s proposal, until that moment she hadn’t realized how eager he was for a marriage—and how certain he was that she’d accept. Which was amazing because she and Blue Sumner were complete strangers with almost nothing in common!
She answered hesitantly, “Well…no, Uncle.”
“But you went out and spoke to him, saw the house,” Charles prompted cheerily. “I’m certain he’ll allow you to decorate it as you like. Most men are inept at that sort of thing,” he went on, oblivious to Allison’s growing look of alarm. “Sumner might have a lot of rough edges, but he’s filthy rich now, and I doubt there’s anything material he would deny you, as long as you’re willing to make him a proper wife.”
Allison quickly said, “I’ve rejected Mr. Sumner’s proposal, Uncle.”
Charles hesitated in the process of opening the champagne bottle to glance over at her, his wide smile faltering. “What was that?”
The silence stretched. Suddenly she was hesitant to repeat the words. Her mouth went dry. “I’ve rejected Mr. Sumner’s proposal. I was as diplomatic as possible,” she assured him when she saw the pleasantness drain from his face. “I’m certain he sees, as do I, that it would be better for him to wait and marry someone he’s in love with.”
Charles eased the bottle back down into the ice. His face flushed and his mouth flattened to a harsh line. He glared over at Petula, who was staring down at her clasped hands.
“I thought I made it clear to both of you—” his angry glance included Allison “—how important this marriage is. I’d hoped to avoid reminding either of you of the reason Chaney Bank is on the verge of insolvency, but I can see now that I should have been more direct.”
A sick feeling swept Allison. The bank was struggling and Charles blamed her. Her college friend, John Blake, had worked at the bank until three weeks ago. Because he’d been so bright and capable, Charles had rapidly advanced him. Later, when an internal audit showed a huge amount of money missing from the accounts, Charles had suspected John right away.
He claimed that her reluctance to believe John capable of embezzlement had made him look elsewhere for a culprit, which resulted in the loss of an even greater sum. Days later, John Blake abruptly quit his job and left town. It was shortly after that when Charles realized not only the extent of the embezzlement, but that her friend was undoubtedly the thief.
“I never would have hired John Blake were it not for my affection for you, Allison, and my regard for your wishes,” he said, his cultured voice arrogantly smooth, though he was clearly very angry. “Now, I think you should feel obligated to honor mine.”
Allison felt as if a subtle trap were closing on her. She rallied to evade it. “Have you notified the authorities?” She still couldn’t believe that John was a thief, and Charles’s certainty in the
