Blackwood's Woman (16 page)

"What I see when I look at you is only the physical, and I like that just fine. What I want to get to know is the spirit, and that's the part of you that you keep hidden from F:/…/Beverly Barton - Blackwood's Wo…

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10/31/2009 to get to know is the spirit, and that's the par Blackwood's Woman t of you that you keep hidden from everyone. Even from yourself, I think."

"I'll read Annabelle's damned diary." J.T. marched across the living room, his bare feet slamming against the wooden floor. When he reached the hallway, he stopped and turned around. "And if it'll make you happy, I'll let Elena give me 'Navajo lessons,'" J.T. grunted. "But I'm warning you that reading some old diary filled with a lot of mush and learning more about my mother's people won't change me."

"Maybe. Maybe not," Joanna said. But in her heart she hoped that while J.T. was putting his life on the line to protect her, she could help him discover the man he really was beneath all the bitter cynicism—a man capable of giving and receiving love.

Chapter 8

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W
e have been in Trinidad a week now. Ernest is quite pleased to be here, although
the heat seems to bother him terribly. Yesterday's find, though not of prehistoric
origin, was enough to pacify him. He and his assistant, Horace Grisham,
discovered several items of Spanish origin—iron, copper, glass and porcelain.

Ernest says that finding these items at this site is a result of the Pueblo Indians
having taken refuge here with the Navajo after the revolt against the Spanish in
the late seventeenth century.

The boys are doing well, running and laughing and playing as boys their age
will do. They're quite a handful at eight and twelve. But they are the joy of my life,
my beautiful sons.

We met a most interesting man today. He is a Navajo silversmith, and without a
doubt the most handsome man I've ever seen. He came riding into our camp on his
big Appaloosa stallion. I must say that horse and rider were a spectacular sight.

His name is Benjamin Greymountain, and his father is a member of their tribal
council. Although he wore white man's clothing, his black hair, which he had tied
back off his face with a bandana, hung to well below his shoulders. He is young—I
suspect, a good ten years younger than I.

I feel extremely foolish admitting this, even to myself but the first moment I saw
Benjamin Greymountain, I thought I heard drums beating somewhere off in the
distance, and when he looked at me, the most extraordinary feelings spread
through me. I am a bit afraid of those feelings. I must, of course, control them.

Benjamin's father sent him to our camp to offer his services as a guide, if any of
our party should wish to take excursions about the countryside. It seems there are
some Indians here who hate the archaeologists who are poking and digging about
in their heritage, and the senior Mr. Greymountain hopes that he can prevent any
unpleasantness between his people and ours.

I cannot help wondering how I will handle seeing this young man every day for
the next two and a half months. I am a married woman of thirty-four, with
children. I must remember who I am. But the memory of those black eyes staring
at me, devouring me, almost, makes me think that Benjamin experienced the same
jolting emotions that I did.

"Joanna's mother is here," Elena called from the hallway. "Aren't you coming out F:/…/Beverly Barton - Blackwood's Wo…

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10/31/2009 anna's mother is here," Elena called from t Blackwood's Woman he hallway. "Aren't you coming out to meet her?"

J.T. closed Annabelle Beaumont's diary. An odd, queasy feeling hit him in the pit of his stomach. No wonder Joanna had become so engrossed in her great-grandmother's diary. The woman certainly had a captivating way of expressing herself. And it was apparent that she had been sexually attracted to Benjamin Greymountain from the first moment she saw him and had been determined to fight those feelings.

Placing her hands on each side of the doorframe, Elena leaned into J.T.'s study and gave him a hard look. "Well, are you coming or not? I'd think you'd want to make a good impression on Joanna's mother."

"I'll be there in a minute. Go on without me. By the time Alex escorts the senator into the house, I'll be there."

"Joanna could use a little moral support," Elena said. "She's waiting in the living room, pacing the floor. She really didn't want Mrs. Beaumont to come out here.

When Joanna lived in Virginia, her mother tried to run her life. From what Joanna's told me, the woman is a first-class manipulator."

"Has Mrs. Beaumont ever visited Joanna before?" J.T. asked.

"No, not once since she moved to New Mexico. Joanna goes back to Virginia two or three times every year." Dropping her hands from the doorframe, Elena stepped into J.T.'s private domain—the study that had once belonged to old John Thomas. J.T.

had changed it very little, adding only the modern conveniences of a computer and a fax machine. "But Joanna's life has never been threatened before. I believe Mrs.

Beaumont loves Joanna and is genuinely concerned."

"I'm sure she is." J.T. sat down on the edge of the huge oak desk. "But she must know Joanna wouldn't be any safer back in Richmond than she is here in Trinidad.

At least, not any safer from Lenny Plott."

"What are you not saying, big brother?"

"I don't know what Mrs. Beaumont suspects is going on between Joanna and me, but whatever it is, she doesn't like it. My guess is the senator's visit to New Mexico has more to do with my presence in her daughter's life than with Lenny Plott's escape from prison."

"Just what
is
going on between you and Joanna? You're my only brother and she's my best friend. You already know I'd like nothing better than to see you two get together, but… You seem to mix like oil and water."

"If you're so interested in Joanna's relationship with me, why haven't you asked her?"

"I have asked her," Elena admitted. "She said you were her bodyguard, and when I asked if there wasn't more to it, she said to ask you."

Hearty laughter rumbled from J.T. Elena's eyes widened; her mouth fell open.

"Joanna and I aren't lovers. Not yet, if that's what you're asking, nosy little sister."

J.T. stood straight and tall, the remnants of a smile still on his face.

"Don't you dare hurt her." Elena slipped her arm through her brother's. "She's very special, you know."

"Yeah,
I'm beginning to see just how special."

J.T. led Elena out of his study and down the hall, pausing when they heard voices coming from the foyer.

"I'm almost as nervous as Joanna," Elena said. "I want Mrs. Beaumont to like us.

I've planned a wonderful dinner, in the dining room, for this evening."

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10/31/2009 lanned a wonderful dinner, in the dining roo Blackwood's Womanm, for this evening."

"Come on, then, let's go meet the queen bee." J.T. hoped, for Elena's sake, that Mrs. Beaumont proved his suspicions wrong and didn't show herself to be the "just-slightly prejudiced" person she was.

When they entered the living room, they found Alex preparing Mrs. Beaumont a drink, while mother and daughter seated themselves on the sofa. Joanna glanced up, a tentative, strained smile on her face.

"Please, come and meet Mother."

Joanna stood and held out her hand to Elena, who rushed across the room. Helene Beaumont looked directly at J.T., who waited in the arched doorway. She sat up just a bit straighter, squaring her shoulders. When she turned her head to greet Elena, her chin-length, salt-and-pepper hair flared outward. Impeccably dressed in a neat little red designer suit, she looked every inch the wealthy, successful woman she was.

"Mother, this is Elena." Joanna clasped her best friend's hand.

Helene lifted her hand, offering it to Elena, who accepted the older woman's firm handshake. "I'm simply delighted to meet you, my dear. Joanna just raves about you and your Alex. You can't know how pleased I was when she finally made some friends out here in this wilderness. In all honesty, I didn't think she'd end up staying out here permanently. Joanna's always been a city girl, you know."

"Well, we've pretty much turned her into a country girl," Elena said, her smile warm and genuine. "We're glad she decided to make Trinidad her home. Like Alex, she's found this land an inspiration for her work."

"My, yes," Helene said. "I'm so proud of my little girl's success. Of course, with talent like hers, she would have been a success anywhere."

J.T. glanced down the hallway when he heard the back door open and then slam shut. Before he could go check on things, Alex called out to him.

"That's just Willie bringing in Mrs. Beaumont's luggage," Alex said.

"Did you tell Willie where to put her things?" Elena asked.

"I'm staying here?" Helene turned to Joanna. "I thought you'd told me you had two bedrooms in your house."

"You'll be very comfortable here with us, Mrs. Beaumont," Elena told their guest.

"We have tons of room and if you'd like breakfast in bed, all you need to do is ask."

"Why aren't I staying with you?" Helene tilted her sharp little chin upward, glaring at her daughter.

"Well, Mother, you see, it wouldn't be convenient. There just isn't enough room right now."

"I'm afraid I don't understand. I took time away from my work to come out here to be with you, Joanna." Helene glanced up, smiling at Elena and then at Alex. "As much as I appreciate the Gregorys' offer to stay here, I'd much prefer staying with you."

"Mother, that's impossible. If you stay with me, you'd have to sleep on the sofa."

"Why would I have to sleep on the sofa?"

J.T. strolled into the room. "You wouldn't, if you have no objections to my sharing Joanna's bed."

Joanna sucked in a deep breath. Elena gasped. Alex covered his mouth to hide a chuckle.

"J.T. is staying in the second bedroom at my house," Joanna said. "He moved in last night, after I received a telephone call from Lenny Plott. J.T. is going to be with me twenty-four hours a day until Plott is back behind bars."

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10/31/2009 enty-four hours a day until Plott is back behi Blackwood's Woman nd bars."

"I see." Helene glowered at J.T., then quickly centered all her attention on her daughter. "If Plott knows where you are, if he's found you here in New Mexico where you thought you might be safe, there's no reason for you to refuse to come home with me."

"Let's discuss this later. Please." Joanna knew she would have to stand her ground with her mother or she'd be run down like a steamroller. Helene Beaumont liked things her own way, and she was happiest when she controlled the lives of everyone around her.

"Very well," Helene said. "Perhaps, you'll stay long enough to show me to my room."

"Here you are." Alex handed Helene the vodka collins she had requested.

"Thank you, Alex." She sipped her drink, then smiled with approval. "Perfect, simply perfect."

"Mother, I'll be staying here until after dinner," Joanna said. "Elena is preparing something special, just for you."

"How delightful." Helene's campaign smile returned in full force, brightening her dull gray eyes and softening her sharp features. She took another sip of her drink, then stood. "I'm dreadfully tired after my plane ride. Why don't you show me to my room, dear, and then stay and we'll have a little talk while I rest?"

Joanna grimaced, dreading the upcoming confrontation with her mother. The only time she had ever won a battle with the formidable Senator Beaumont was when she had decided to move to New Mexico four years ago.

"Dinner will be at six," Elena said. "So there's plenty of time for a nap, if you'd like."

Helene blessed everyone in the room with her gracious smile, even J.T. Slipping her arm through Joanna's, she held the vodka collins in her other hand. "I'm looking forward to dinner. We'll see you around six, then."

Joanna gave Elena a pleading look, asking for her friend's understanding. Helene tugged on Joanna's arm, the action so subtle, no one else noticed.

"I'll be with Mother for a while," Joanna told J.T. as they walked past him. "I won't leave the house."

"I'll be close by." J.T. looked directly at Joanna, avoiding eye contact with her mother.

The minute the Beaumont ladies were out of earshot, Alex blew out a huffing breath. "Well, well, isn't she something! I can see why Joanna doesn't want to go back to Virginia."

"You're being unkind," Elena said.

"Unkind, my rear end." J.T. crossed his arms over his chest. "Instead of giving Joanna her complete support and understanding, Mrs. Beaumont is here to create problems. It's obvious she doesn't give a damn what Joanna wants, and she certainly doesn't like me."

The corners of Elena's mouth twitched. "You deliberately baited her with that comment about sharing Joanna's bed."

"I'm wealthy. I'm successful. I'm highly trained to protect her daughter. What could the woman possibly have against me?"

The partially-formed smile on Elena's face vanished. "You're half Navajo. You think that's the reason she doesn't like you, that she's prejudiced because of your Navajo blood."

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Blackwood's Woman

"If the shoe fits," Alex said, as he slipped his arm around his wife's shoulders.

"Kind of makes you wish you hadn't planned such a special dinner for her tonight, doesn't it?"