'Sunset!' Jamie said. He seemed to growl the word. And he didn't give
her another second to protest, but slammed his way out the door. It
closed with such a bang that even Dolly jumped, but then she smiled
benignly.
'I do just love that man!' Dolly said.
Tess stared at her blankly.
'Why?' she demanded. 'Oh, you'll see,' young lady. You'll see. And that
Jori! He does like to stir up trouble.
But then, maybe it's not trouble this time. Jon can be plain old silent
as the grave when he wants, too. I think that he's just delighted to put
Miss. Eliza's nose out of joint. She thinks she just about has her claws
into Jamie, and who knows, it is lonely out here. But she isn't right
for him, she just isn't fight at all. You'll see.'
'Miss. Simmons' -- 'Dolly. We're not very formal out here.
'Ceptin' the men, when they're busy playing soldier, that is.'
'Dolly, I have no intention of going to a dance with Lieutenant Slater.
I don't really like him. He's self-righteous and hard as steel and cold
as ice' -- 'Hard maybe, cold, no. You'll see,' Dolly predicted. 'But' --
'Come on, I've got a steaming bath over there in the corner . You just
hop in, and I'll make you some good strong tea, and pretty soon dinner
will be ready, too. And you can tell me all about yourself and what
happened, and I'll tell you more about Lieutenant Slater.'
'I don't want to know anything more about Lieutenant Slater,' Tess said
firmly. But it was a lie. She wanted to know more about him. She wanted
to know everything about him.
And she did want to go to the dance with him. She wanted to close her
eyes and feel his arms around her, and if she thought about it, she
wanted even more. She wanted to see him again as she had seen him that
morning with his shirt hanging open and his hair tousled and his bare
feet riding the rocks with confidence and invincibility.
'Let me help you out of those dusty travel clothes,' Dolly said. She was
quick and competent, and Tess felt immediately at home with her, able to
accept her assistance. In seconds she was out of her dirt-coated
clothing and into a wooden hip tub with a high back that allowed her to
lean in 55 comfort. Dolly tossed her a bar of rose-scented soap and a
sponge, and she blissfully squeezed the hot water over her knees and
shoulders.
'What did you do to your hands, young lady?' Dolly demanded.
Tess looked ruefully at her callused palms.
'Driving. I can do it, of course. It's just Uncle Joe usually did most
of the driving.'
She didn't know what it was about saying his name, but suddenly, tears
welled in her eyes.
'You should cry it out,' Dolly warned her.
'You should just go right on ahead and cry it out.'
Tess shook her head. She couldn't start crying again. She started
talking instead.
'He raised me. My parents died when I was very young, both caught
pneumonia one winter and they just didn't pull through. Joe was Father's
