With her bed made, she crept down the stairsand across the family room floor. A sliver of light under Cade’sdoor suggested he was already awake. She quietly crossed to thekitchen and put some water on the stove for coffee. Scruffy wasmeowing at the kitchen door. Taking a zip-lock bag of scraps fromthe refrigerator, she opened the door and stepped out into the cooldawn. Scruffy limped to the bowl and she kneeled beside him.
“Come here, kitty. What’s the matter withyour foot?”
She lifted the cat to her lap and turned sothe light from the doorway would fall on the foot. One of the clawswas ripped almost completely out. She shuddered.
“Poor little thing. What happened? Did youget caught in a trap?”
A tall figure darkened the doorway and shelooked up to find Cade watching her. He knelt beside her andreached for the cat.
“Let me look at him.”
To her surprise, the cat gave him noresistance. Cade examined the claw and stood. “I have some salve inthe barn. Let’s go put some on it.”
“Should we bandage it?”
His features twisted into what might havepassed for a wry smile. “Bandages are for humans, not animals - notfor things like this, anyway. He’ll limp around for a week or soand then he’ll be fine.”
She smiled up at him. “You like him, don’tyou?”
He eyed her sourly. “I hate cats.”
“Right. That’s obvious. “Her smile broadenedinto a grin as she reached for the cat. “Come on scruffy. Daddywants to fix your foot.”
Cade handed her the cat and cuffed herplayfully. She giggled and cuddled the cat close. “He’s so soft.Don’t you think he’s cute?”
“Yeah,” he commented dryly as they turnedtoward the barn. “You’ve been around that furry thing so long thatyou’re beginning to look like him.” He reached out and brushed herhair away from her face. “You’re even getting hair in yourears.”
She made a face and he smiled. Not a twitchof the mouth or a brief glimpse of teeth, but a regular smile. Shecaught her breath, realizing for the first time that he wasactually an attractive man. How sad that his smile was so rare.
“Do you realize that’s the first time I’veever seen you smile? You have a lovely smile, you know that?”
“Get out of here.” The smile was replaced bya surge of color as he jerked the barn door open. “Let’s get thatpaw fixed and then go in. I’m about to starve to death.”
CHAPTER SIX
By the end of the second day, she had adaptedto the guests and felt completely at ease - a state that Claudetteapparently wanted to shatter. Cynthia was peeling potatoes whenClaudette wandered into the kitchen. Cynthia glanced up and smiledwarmly.
“Can I get you something?”
“No. As a matter of fact, you’ve spoiled usboth and we’ll never be able to get along with our presenthousekeeper again.”
Cynthia laughed. “Oh, she can’t be thatbad.”
Claudette shrugged. “No, you’re just thatgood.”
“Thanks.”
Claudette laced her fingers and leanedagainst the counter, eyeing Cynthia with a puzzled expression.
“You know, I’ve never seen Russie look sofit. You two seem to get along well together.”
“Most of the time.”
Claudette arched well maintained brows. “Howwell?”
Her intent was obvious, but Cynthia decidedto play dumb. “Oh, we disagree now and then, but we never come toblows.”
Claudette rolled her eyes. “No, that wasn’twhat I meant.” She moved away from the counter. “Of course, whatgoes on between you two in this big lonely house when no one elseis around is between the two of you.”
It would be disrespectful of Cade for her todo anything but defend his honor. She rinsed a potato and droppedit in the kettle.
“Mrs. Lander,” she began in a cordial tone.“There is nothing going on between Mr. Cade and me that anyoneisn’t welcome to watch. I am the housekeeper, not hismistress.”
Claudette's laugh was short. “Maybe so, butI’ve seen the way you look at him when you forget yourself. You’dlike to be his housekeeper all right - and more, I suspect.”
Cynthia didn’t dignify her statement with ananswer. Any denial would be immediately detected as a lie, anyway.At the moment, it was her honor at stake, not Cade’s. She completedpeeling another potato and rinsed it before Claudette finally gaveup on a response with an audible sigh.
“Well, it doesn’t matter anyway, I suppose.Russie is a lost cause. I mean, he isn’t interested in women.”
Cynthia jerked her head around and stared atClaudette. What kind of comment was that to make about her brother?And what, exactly, did she mean?
Claudette frowned. “Surely you’ve heard. Helikes guys. He’s gay.”
Confusion flooded Cynthia’s mind, drowningher in doubt and questions. Was it possible? No. It didn’t fit inwith anything Mary had said. And yet, Claudette was his sister.Maybe...no.
“Your brother’s sexual preferences are noneof my business.”
Claudette stared at her. “Russie? He’s not myreal brother. He’s not even a Cade. You mean you didn’t know that,either?” She shook her head and clicked her tongue against the topof her mouth. “Russie has been keeping secrets from you. I wonderwhy?”
Cynthia picked up another potato andeviscerated an eye. “No, I didn’t know. And it’s none of mybusiness. And Mr. Cade has done nothing to make me think he isanything but a normal man who simply enjoys his solitude.” She feltsick to her stomach. Was it possible that Cade actually was ahomosexual? Was it wishful thinking that made her so certain thathe wasn’t?
Claudette shrugged her lovely shoulders.“Well, he did spend a lot of time with his mother. She was such astrange woman - just like Russie. I never did understand why Dadmarried her. Did you know she actually spun the wool to knitsweaters? I mean it wasn’t like we didn’t have the money to buyclothes or anything like that. And that old furniture she broughthere. Dad would have given her anything she wanted. He was crazyabout her. She hated this house, though. Not that I blame her.” Sheglanced at Cynthia. “Oh, you have it fixed up nice, but don’t youthink it’s a monstrosity?”
“No. As a matter of fact, I think it hascharacter.”
“Anyway,” Claudette continued. “When Daddied, he left this ranch
