Shadow Lover (9 page)
"And the portrait's fairly big. You'll need help with it."
"I don't need help with anything." The harshness of her words momentarily silenced the room, and Sally looked at her out of wide, hurt eyes.
"Carolyn!" Sally protested in shock. "You'll make Alex feel unwelcome."
"Of course he's welcome," Carolyn said through her teeth, and he was reminded of the phrase, 'spitting nails.' "I just think you'd be a lot happier with him keeping you company. After all, you have all those years to catch up on—"
"You won't be gone that long, Carolyn," Sally said with a long-suffering patience calculated to infuse Carolyn with guilt. "Just one night, or two at the absolute most. I'm not about to drop dead in the next few days, you know. It would mean a great deal to me." She didn't bother to wheedle. She knew she had Carolyn in the palm of her hand.
Carolyn caved, as he'd expected her to. Obviously, she was saving her fighting strength for him. "Of course I'll go," she said with deceptive calm. "And if Alex wants to drive, then I'm sure that will make things easier. I don't think we need to be gone for the night, though. If we leave early enough we can be at the Woods Hole ferry by midmorning, and be back here late the same night."
"I wouldn't want you to push. You've given up so much to take care of me—you've been at my beck and call for the last eight months. Enjoy yourself with a handsome young man."
Alex kept his face gravely composed, but she glared at him anyway. Before she could say anything, Tessa broke in.
"Carolyn's never been particularly interested in handsome young men, Aunt Sally," she said airily. "She likes them stuffy and intellectual. If you want I'll be happy to drive down to the Vineyard with dear Cousin Alex. It would give us a chance to catch up on old times."
Not what he wanted at all. Tessa was only a bit player in this particular drama. He couldn't care less whether she believed he was the real Alex
MacDowell
or not. Carolyn was a different matter, and he wasn't interested in wasting time. Looking at Sally's pale, pain-wracked face, he knew there wasn't time to spare.
"That's a wonderful idea!" Carolyn sounded positively exuberant at the thought of her reprieve. "I can stay here and make sure everything runs smoothly and Tessa—"
"No," Sally said, and there was no disputing the finality of her voice. "I may be dying, but I'm still in charge of this household. You aren't needed to run things, Carolyn.
Constanza
is entirely capable of seeing to matters, and besides, my sister and brother will be here. You've been cooped up with me all winter, and I want you to get out in the real world for a change."
"But I don't want to." She sounded like a stubborn child. "I'd much rather stay here with you."
Sally closed her eyes, suddenly looking very tired. "Don't fight me on this, Carolyn," she said wearily. "I really don't have the strength for it."
Game, set and match, Alex thought, as Carolyn's face flushed with guilt.
"When do you want us to go?" she asked.
Sally's smile was dazzlingly bright, but the wily old lady didn't overplay her hand. "That's my girl," she murmured weakly.
And Carolyn managed a weak smile in return.
* * *
Carolyn's hands were shaking so hard she dropped the bottle of tranquilizers onto the deserted kitchen floor. The small white pills spilled out over the wide oak plank, rolling under the huge refrigerator, and she watched them go with a blank expression. Sally's doctor had prescribed them, insisting she might need them during Sally's long, slow journey toward death.
She hadn't touched them until Alexander
MacDowell
had showed up. If things didn't take a sharp turn for the better she was going to need every one of
those
little white pills and more besides.
She knelt down, scooping them up, when she heard someone push open the kitchen door. There was never any question
who
it was, she thought bitterly. Of the nine people in the house, it could only be the one person she most wanted to avoid.
"What are you scrabbling around on the floor for?" George's faintly supercilious baritone startled her into dropping the pills she had.
She ignored them, rising gracefully, too distracted by the unavoidable knowledge that she was disappointed it wasn't Alex, when she'd been so certain it would be. "Can I help you, George?"
George, like his sister, had fashion-model looks and the personality to match. "I'm hungry. You want to rustle me up a sandwich?"
"No." She'd learned long ago how to deal with George. He was a user, adept at getting people to do what he wanted, and she had no intention of joining his mother and sisters in catering to his whims.
George shrugged, obviously expecting her answer, and slouched on into the kitchen. His tan was deep and perfect, the product of his top-of-the-line health club. It kept his body in excellent shape as well, and he had a tendency to close in on people, press that trim, well-muscled flesh against them. Carolyn kept the kitchen island between them.
"So what do you think of him,
Caro
?" he asked casually. "Do you think he's the real McCoy?"
"What do you think?"
"I haven't the faintest idea. It's no skin off my nose—I wasn't in line for any of Sally's money anyway, except indirectly, and I have more than enough for my needs."
"I find that hard to believe."
George's smile revealed small, perfect teeth. "Well, I will admit that the more money, the better. But I'm a patient man—and good things come to those who wait. You, on the other hand, have a very great deal to lose if this man is actually who he says he is."
She stared at him stonily. "Don't be ridiculous."
"Oh, I'm not talking about money," he said softly. "After all, we both know you aren't legally
family
. I'm sure Sally's left you a generous stipend, but you're a clever girl. You wouldn't be expecting more. No, you stand to lose something more important than money."
"I didn't think you realized there was anything more important than money, George."
But George was undeterred. "You'll lose Sally's single-minded devotion. For the last few months she's been totally dependent on you, and you've had her all to yourself. She won't need you anymore,
Caro
. She'll have Sonny Boy for love and affection. You'll be relegated to the position of unpaid companion."
George was not the brightest of men, but he had a certain animal instinct shared by the rest of his family, and he had an uncanny ability to draw blood. Fortunately, Carolyn was expecting it.
"I'm not worried about it, George. My apartment's still waiting for me back in
Boston
, and I shouldn't have any trouble finding another job. Though it's very nice of you to be so concerned about me."
He blinked, and then his smile widened as he recognized the irony. "If he's an imposter, Carolyn, it's up to you to expose him."
"Why me?"
"Because you're here, for Christ's sake. You knew him better than any of us, and you'll be around him day and night. This little visit to Edgartown will give you the perfect time to get to know him better. See if you can trip him up in some of his lies."
"Lies?" she echoed. "You don't believe he's the real Alexander?"
"I didn't say that. I'm a careful man. I watch, and I listen. As I said, it's not my money, but since it belongs to my beloved aunt, I don't want to see her handing it over to some criminal."
"Noble of you," Carolyn said lightly.
He moved closer. "Listen,
Caro
, why don't you come down to
She stared at him in disbelief. "Why would I do that?"
"You can tell me what you've found out about Alex. And you know I've always liked you. You're a very attractive woman, Carolyn." He dropped his voice to a husky note that was obviously supposed to sound seductive.
The swinging door opened, and Tessa strode in, breaking up the awkward moment. "I've been looking for you, Carolyn. You're needed. Warren, Mother, and Grace want to play bridge, and I'd rather slash my wrists."
"No." It was the second time she'd told a
MacDowell
no, and the experience was heady. "Sorry, I have too much to do. They'll have to play three handed."
"Don't be absurd. I'm sure whatever you have to do can wait," Tessa said grandly.
"No." Number three. Carolyn was so pleased with herself she even managed a gracious smile. "They'll have to entertain themselves."
And she scooted around the kitchen island, leaving the pills scattered over the wooden floor, making a graceful escape.
* * *
Despite the extensive remodeling, the
MacDowell
family compound wasn't large enough to comfortably encompass the entire extended family. With the newcomer in Alex
MacDowell's
remodeled bedroom, and Tessa and Grace sharing, albeit unwillingly, Carolyn's old one, she was officially dispossessed. Patsy, Warren, and George had claimed the three self-contained suites, and there was no moving them, short of using dynamite.
Which left Carolyn with a fold-out sofa in the library.
Normally she didn't mind. But these weren't normal times. George was getting odd ideas.
Warren
was far too chummy, and worst of all, there was a lying stranger in the house.
On top of that, the library was the room equipped with a large-screen TV and a bar, and at least two of the younger
MacDowells
had taken up residence there.
At least Alex had made himself scarce. Probably sucking up to Aunt Sally, Carolyn thought bitterly. She didn't know how she was going to survive the next few days, the next few weeks. The very thought of being trapped in a car with him for untold hours filled her with dread. He disturbed her, in ways she didn't even want to think about. He was a liar and a cheat and possibly far worse, and there was nothing she could do or say to stop him from using the
MacDowells
for his own nefarious purposes.
It was a huge, rambling house, but she had nowhere to hide. The older generation was in the living room, the younger in the library. She didn't dare go back to the kitchen, even to retrieve her scattered pills, and it was a bitterly cold night. She wasn't in the mood for another moonlight stroll, especially considering who she'd run into last time.
It was after one in the morning when Tessa and George finally decided to vacate the library. Carolyn waited until the house was still and quiet, secure in the knowledge that everyone was asleep, before she crept back to the kitchen to find her tranquilizers.
They were gone. Some helpful soul had cleaned up, and there was no sign of the scattered pills or the empty bottle. She could only hope
Constanza
had returned to the kitchen to make certain everything was cleared away after
raids and the like, but she doubted she'd be so lucky.
Constanza
had moved most of her clothes to the bedroom Tessa and Grace now occupied, but at least she'd managed to grab an armful and stash them in the little-used storage room. She threw on an enveloping flannel nightgown and headed for the dubious comfort of the fold-out sofa, travel alarm firmly in hand. Most of the
MacDowells
would be sleeping late, but she wasn't about to be caught in bed by any of them.
There were no shades or curtains on the library windows, and the moon was bright and clear, reflecting off the melting snow, shining in Carolyn's eyes no matter how much she shifted.
It was after four when she finally fell asleep, the deep chime of the grandfather clock still echoing in her head.
It was after six when she awoke in the dark, murky stillness of the room. Dazed with sleep, disoriented, she couldn't remember where she was, and she blinked groggily, wanting nothing more than to settle back beneath the soft down comforter and forget all the things that lay ahead of her.
"Rise and shine, beautiful," a low, seductive voice whispered in her ear. "It's time to hit the road."
She struck out, in sudden, inexplicable panic, connecting with solid bone and flesh. Alexander
MacDowell
was leaning over her, and he caught her arm as she tried to hit him.
"Calm down, angel," he said. "I didn't climb in bed with you. I just thought you'd want to make an early start, since you're hoping to do this in one day."
She yanked her arm away from him, shivering in the early-morning stillness as she tried to regain her shattered equilibrium. "Today?" she said in a voice of horrified disbelief.
"Why put it off? You'll just dread it all the more," he said.
She didn't deny it. "Go away," she said sharply.
He didn't move. "How long will it take you to get ready?"
She wanted to tell him till hell froze over, but she was neatly trapped. She'd promised Sally, and she never went back on her word. Sally asked very little of her—she should welcome the sacrifice.
