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Lorraine sighed wearily. "I suppose you're right."
Dana was sitting quietly, listening. Layn must have been the woman who had walked out on nun when
he was blinded. According to what they were saying, he must have cared for her very much. She
stared into her plate.
Against a woman like that, what chance would a plain woman have with a man like Gannon van der
Vere? She blinked. Why should she have such an odd thought? She didn't care about him, so what did
it matter about the woman from his past?
She became aware suddenly that Dirk was watching her, but when she looked up, he grinned.
"Deep in thought, Miss Steele?" he asked. "How in the world did Gannon manage to find such an
attractive nurse? This is a pretty dull place."
She flushed at the unexpected compliment. She'd thought the scar down her cheek would detract from
what slight beauty she possessed, but Dirk hadn't
seemed to notice it. "You're very kind," she murmured, "but I love it here."
"Dana isn't like Layn, my dear," Lorraine said with a gentle smile. "She's managed to get your brother
out of the house, out of his shell. He's even allowing me to have a small party next month for his
birthday—-just intimate friends, you understand, but isn't it a big step in the right direction?"
Dirk chuckled. "Yes, indeed. Miss Steele must be a miracle worker of sorts," he added, winking at her.
"Well, let me go and face the dragon. Then perhaps we can sit down to a peaceful meal."
He wandered off toward the study. The door opened and closed, and there was a loud discussion
behind it.
Lorraine laughed softly as Dana's head lifted curiously.
"Nothing to worry about, Dana," she said. "They argue constantly, especially when it comes to
company policies. Gannon would like to expand the business; Dirk is cautious. Gannon believes in the
generous approach to labor negotiations; Dirk is conservative. They're very different."
"I suppose most brothers are," came the quiet reply. "I've always hated being an only child. I used to
hope for a brother or sister when I was little."
"Your parents couldn't have other children?"
Dana shifted uncomfortably. "No," she said simply, letting it go at that.
"I'd better have the maid get a room ready for Dirk. No doubt he'll be here at least overnight. I never
expect quick solutions when my stepsons start discussing company politics." She patted Dana on the
shoulder and left the room.
It was another hour before the men joined them at the table, and Dana was starving. The beef and
scalloped potatoes had been kept warm, and now fresh rolls and asparagus with hollandaise sauce was
being brought in by the cook.
"That smells like asparagus/' Gannon remarked as he slid cautiously into his chair at the head of the
table. He looked out of humor, but Dana noted that he wasn't scowling as fiercely as usual.
"It is," Lorraine said. "Everything settled?"
Dirk only laughed. "If you believe that, I've got some oceanfront property in Arizona I'd like to talk to
you about"
"In the middle of the Painted Desert, no doubt," Dana murmured, tongue in cheek.
Dirk's eyebrows lifted. "However did you guess?"
Gannon was listening to their conversation, and his face darkened. "How long are you staying, Dirk?"
he asked curtly.
"Oh, a couple of days, I suppose—now mat you've phoned Dobbs and gotten the union off my back,"
the younger man added wryly.
Gannon made a gruff sound and waited for Dana to fill his plate and tell him what was where. The
others watched the small ritual with careful amusement. It was so new for them to have Gannon
docile.
Her eyes ran over his hard face like silk, liking its rough contours, the broad forehead and jutting
brow over his gray eyes. He was a handsome man. Dana could almost picture him in evening clothes;
he'd stand out anywhere.
Dirk, watching, smiled at the look on her face. "Dana, how would you like to drive up to Savannah
with me tomorrow and see the city?"
She jerked her eyes up, astonished at the unexpected invitation. She wasn't the only one, because
Gannon's eyes darkened menacingly.
"I can't spare her," Gannon said shortly. [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]
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Lorraine sighed wearily. "I suppose you're right."
Dana was sitting quietly, listening. Layn must have been the woman who had walked out on nun when
he was blinded. According to what they were saying, he must have cared for her very much. She
stared into her plate.
Against a woman like that, what chance would a plain woman have with a man like Gannon van der
Vere? She blinked. Why should she have such an odd thought? She didn't care about him, so what did
it matter about the woman from his past?
She became aware suddenly that Dirk was watching her, but when she looked up, he grinned.
"Deep in thought, Miss Steele?" he asked. "How in the world did Gannon manage to find such an
attractive nurse? This is a pretty dull place."
She flushed at the unexpected compliment. She'd thought the scar down her cheek would detract from
what slight beauty she possessed, but Dirk hadn't
seemed to notice it. "You're very kind," she murmured, "but I love it here."
"Dana isn't like Layn, my dear," Lorraine said with a gentle smile. "She's managed to get your brother
out of the house, out of his shell. He's even allowing me to have a small party next month for his
birthday—-just intimate friends, you understand, but isn't it a big step in the right direction?"
Dirk chuckled. "Yes, indeed. Miss Steele must be a miracle worker of sorts," he added, winking at her.
"Well, let me go and face the dragon. Then perhaps we can sit down to a peaceful meal."
He wandered off toward the study. The door opened and closed, and there was a loud discussion
behind it.
Lorraine laughed softly as Dana's head lifted curiously.
"Nothing to worry about, Dana," she said. "They argue constantly, especially when it comes to
company policies. Gannon would like to expand the business; Dirk is cautious. Gannon believes in the
generous approach to labor negotiations; Dirk is conservative. They're very different."
"I suppose most brothers are," came the quiet reply. "I've always hated being an only child. I used to
hope for a brother or sister when I was little."
"Your parents couldn't have other children?"
Dana shifted uncomfortably. "No," she said simply, letting it go at that.
"I'd better have the maid get a room ready for Dirk. No doubt he'll be here at least overnight. I never
expect quick solutions when my stepsons start discussing company politics." She patted Dana on the
shoulder and left the room.
It was another hour before the men joined them at the table, and Dana was starving. The beef and
scalloped potatoes had been kept warm, and now fresh rolls and asparagus with hollandaise sauce was
being brought in by the cook.
"That smells like asparagus/' Gannon remarked as he slid cautiously into his chair at the head of the
table. He looked out of humor, but Dana noted that he wasn't scowling as fiercely as usual.
"It is," Lorraine said. "Everything settled?"
Dirk only laughed. "If you believe that, I've got some oceanfront property in Arizona I'd like to talk to
you about"
"In the middle of the Painted Desert, no doubt," Dana murmured, tongue in cheek.
Dirk's eyebrows lifted. "However did you guess?"
Gannon was listening to their conversation, and his face darkened. "How long are you staying, Dirk?"
he asked curtly.
"Oh, a couple of days, I suppose—now mat you've phoned Dobbs and gotten the union off my back,"
the younger man added wryly.
Gannon made a gruff sound and waited for Dana to fill his plate and tell him what was where. The
others watched the small ritual with careful amusement. It was so new for them to have Gannon
docile.
Her eyes ran over his hard face like silk, liking its rough contours, the broad forehead and jutting
brow over his gray eyes. He was a handsome man. Dana could almost picture him in evening clothes;
he'd stand out anywhere.
Dirk, watching, smiled at the look on her face. "Dana, how would you like to drive up to Savannah
with me tomorrow and see the city?"
She jerked her eyes up, astonished at the unexpected invitation. She wasn't the only one, because
Gannon's eyes darkened menacingly.
"I can't spare her," Gannon said shortly. [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]