I don't own any of Fushigi Yugi . . .if I did I wouldn't be sitting here
writing fanfictions, now would I???
Wild Angels
By Amiboshi-chan
Chapter Three Patricia might have been drinking muddy water, for all the enjoyment the chilled punch gave her. Tasuki was not coming home with them as she had hoped. He had revealed his intentions to remain in the Territory. She sighed heavily and tried to wipe away the sadness in her heart. Cyril was happily married, but the irrepressible Mr. McCarty was another matter altogether.
As much of a mother figure as Patricia was to Tasuki, she felt it hadn't been her place to interfere when he'd decided to come west. Violet Ashland had wounded him deeply, she knew, and he needed the space to heal. Patricia had hoped that the time spent here had accomplished that, but now she was beginning to wonder. Was he really intent on burying himself here in this cultural wasteland, or was he still pining for Violet?
"Patricia?" Donovan appeared at her elbow. His snowy white eyebrows were pinched with concern. "Are you feeling ill, my dear? All the color has drained from your face!"
Patricia glanced at Tasuki, who was standing near the punch bowl. "No—no, I am perfectly fine. I'm just a bit concerned."
Donovan frowned. "Surely you are not still concerned about Cyril? Ellen will make him a fine wife, and he is happy here."
"No it isn't that. I am worried about Tasuki."
"Tasuki?" Donovan said in surprise. "He is the very picture of health!"
Patricia brought her gaze up to her husband's. "On the outside, perhaps. But I am worried about him all the same."
"He is fine," Donovan rubbed the back of his knuckles over his wife's cheek. 'You worry too much. He is talking about buying some land to raise cattle here. That's all."
"Do you think it is really what he wants to do or is he still trying to get over Violet?"
At the mention of her name, Donovan's face became a mask of disapproval. "That is a subject best left alone, Patricia."
"But, Donovan . . . it would be a great mistake for him to stay here! Surely you can see that?"
"Patricia, what I see is a grown man. Whatever decision he makes and for whatever reasons, it is his business alone." Donovan turned her to face him and cupped her chin in his palm. "And I don't want you interfering."
"Oh Donovan, surely I could just—"
"No, darling." He placed both hands on her shoulders and gently drew her closer to him. "Promise me, Patricia." His voice was soft but stern. "Promise me this time you will leave things alone. You mustn't say a word to the boy about this. And I think it is best if you don't mention the fact that Violet had returned to New York."
Patricia sighed and leaned into his hands. "Oh, all right. If you feel so strongly about it, I will promise not to meddle."
He smiled and kissed her on the forehead. "That's my girl. Now let's show these youngsters how to do a proper dance."
~ ~ ~*~ ~ ~
Yui was breathless from all the dancing as she approached the punch bowl where Nakago and Missy were chatting
"You know, cousin, if Mother notices the glow in your cheeks she will have you staying in bed tomorrow," Nakago warned her. He nodded at Patricia and Donovan, who were now cutting a fine figure on the dance floor.
"I suppose I should be more sensible," Yui agreed wistfully.
A cowboy with a thatch of unruly blonde hair approached her for the next dance. Yui glanced at Nakago, her expression that of a child asking for just one more piece of candy. She frowned in disappointment at his imperceptible shake of the head, then turned to the eager cowboy. "Thank you, but I fear I must decline. I am a little out of breath." She smoothed the baby blue ruffles on her dress and sighed meaningfully.
The cowboy tipped his hat and backed away. "Maybe next time, ma'am."
"Yes, next time." Yui's eyes followed him as he disappeared into the crowd.
"Very wise, cousin." Nakago smiled. "It's most likely that you have saved yourself a stern lecture and a full day in bed. May I pour you and Miss Brooks a cup of punch?"
"Thank you." Missy took the cup he passed her.
"You are quite welcome. I should be thanking you, Miss Brooks. I have enjoyed myself tonight." Nakago poured a second cup of punch and passed it to his cousin.
"I'm glad you have had a good time, but I bet you have fancy parties like this all the time back in New York." Missy watched the couples swirling by in front of her and wished this night would never end.
"They are rarely this much fun, though." Yui fanned herself with a delicate, lily-colored hand. She smiled at Missy, batting brown lashes over eyes the color of cornflowers. 'How I wish I could wear my hair loose and flowing and have sun-kissed cheeks like Miss Brooks,' she thought, with gentle envy. 'Just once I would like to be the picture of health.'
"That is a fact," Nakago agreed. "New York Parties are—stuffy."
"You're teasing me." Missy felt a blush working its way up her neck.
"No, I am not teasing. I leave that to Tasuki." Nakago placed his hand over his heart to emphasize his sincerity.
Yui eyed Missy with speculation, as a wild idea popped into her head. "Why don't you come and visit us in the city to see for yourself? It would give me a perfect excuse to have lots of dances like this one."
"Tokaki might have something to say about that." Patricia told Yui, as she and Donovan joined the group by the punch bowl. With a gentle smile, she studied the two girls standing side by side—near in age but as different as light and darkness. Yui looked frail and too pale, even by current fashionable dictates. And Missy . . .well, Missy was a little too wild, a little too exuberant, but the glowing picture of a woman in the bloom of youth. Chichiri had explained about her growing up without a mother and father, how he and Nuriko had raised her and Suboshi since their deaths. It did account for much of her behavior.
For a mad, impetuous moment Patricia wondered what it would be like to take the girl under her wing and help her become a proper lady. No, no... the idea was silly, and Donovan would have a proper fit.
"I would still like for Missy to come and visit, whether Papa would allow me to have a party or not!" Yui said stubbornly. "It would be fun to have someone my own age around again." Tokaki had kept her secluded, and so her cousins had been her major source of companionship. With all the girls married and gone, the last couple of years had been extremely lonely. A visit from Missy would truly be a godsend. "And we could all go shopping together, Aunt Patricia. It would be fun- you know it would be fun!"
The older woman cast a sidelong glance at her spouse. Yui was right- having Missy around would be fun. Patricia missed having a daughter to fuss over as much as Yui missed chatting with her cousins.
"I do think it's a good idea, Yui." She blurted with enthusiasm. "We must do our best to persuade Miss Brooks to come out as soon as possible."
"I agree, Mother," Nakago said heartily, in spite of Donovan's growing frown. "After all, Missy is family now."
"It would be kinda nice to be somewhere that I could dress up like this more often," Missy said wistfully.
"You are charming no matter what you are wearing," Patricia assured Missy. "Isn't she, Donovan?"
"What? Oh yes... she's charming." Donovan replied absently. Patricia had purposely avoided his suggestion about interfering. She knew well Donovan was not as enthusiastic about the idea as his family was.
"Oh, Missy do say you'll come! You would have a lovely time in the city." Yui's face brightened with every word. "We could have some new gowns made for you as well. It would be great fun and I would love the company."
"Yes, my dear, we insist." Patricia smiled inwardly. The girl was always clomping around in men trousers and boots—she would be a challenge. But she did have good bones, and with a little work . . .
~ ~ ~*~ ~ ~
Curiosity nipped at Tasuki as he watched the O'Bannion family. He allowed himself one more gulp from the whiskey flask, before threading his way across the floor to the group. Sidestepping to avoid dancing boots and whirling skirts, he finally reached the other side of the room.
"That's awful nice of you, ma'am, but . . ." Missy began.
"What's going on?" Tasuki whispered to Nakago.
"Yui has almost persuaded Miss Brooks to come to New York," Nakago replied. "I think it would be a marvelous idea for Yui to have some female company."
"What? You can't be serious!"
His loud exclamation brought Missy's head around with a snap. "Is something wrong, Tasuki?" She frowned as he swayed a little. It was obvious he'd been hitting the drink again.
"Nothing, nothing at all." Tasuki shook his head.
"Are you sure?" She asked pointedly. "I thought you might be upset about my invitation from the O'Bannions."
Tasuki gave her a lopsided grin. "Nothing to be upset about- the whole idea is ridiculous. I know you are too sensible to even consider such a thing."
"Why is the idea of me goin' to New York so ridiculous?" Missy pressed.
"Why?" Tasuki shook his head, trying to clear the buzz the whiskey had brought to his head. "Well for one thing, little lady, wearing boots and Stetsons in New York drawing rooms is not the thing this year." Laughter bubbled in the back of his throat as he imagined Missy sitting down to tea in her form-fitting chaps.
"So you think I ain't got sense enough to learn how to act like a lady, is that it?" Missy's dark eyes narrowed with anger.
"Not exactly." Tasuki blinked a couple of times and tried to clear the cobwebs from his brain.
"You learned how to be a cowboy . . . ."
"That's different." He blinked and steadied himself.
"What's so consarned different about it?" She shot back. "If you could learn to be a cowboy, why is it so hard to believe that I could learn to become a lady?"
Even in his half-looped state, Tasuki was intelligent enough to recognize a loaded question when he heard one. "You just can't go, and that's all there's to it. Now let's stop all this silly talk."
"I can't? Did I hear you right?" Missy shook her head in disbelief. "Did you just tell me that I can't go to New York?"
Tasuki sucked in a deep breath, trying to catalog his thoughts into a proper order as he looked at Missy. Indignant fire burned in her green eyes- they were lovely when she was spitting mad. A part of him wanted to tell her that, but that kind of talk was the sort of thing that got men tangled up, so he bit back the compliment. He was determined not to do anything that would break his vow of no entanglements, no commitments. He just had to keep a cool head, then he could remain as free as the wind. "Now, Missy . . ."
"Don't you 'now Missy' me! And just when, Mr. oh-so-mighty McCarty, did you think you could start tellin' me what I can or can't do?"
To Tasuki's utter astonishment, he retreated a step as Missy advanced on him. He couldn't help noticing, as she raised herself up on her slippered toes, that even then the top of her head barely reached his chin. She was narrow eyed with fury, and he felt a undercurrent of excitement humming between them. This was what he wanted, what he liked—this hot channel of interest running between them like a river of fire.
"I know you have an overblown notion of your importance, but I didn't think it went so far as to include the whole of New York City!"
"That wasn't exactly what I meant," Tasuki began, a smile tugging at the corners of his mouth. The whiskey was dulling his senses and slurring his words, but he was still acutely aware of her.
He wanted to tell her that she would be bored in a brownstone instead of under a wide, azure sky, and that Patricia and Yui, and especially women like Violet, could never understand the restless energy of Missy. He wanted to tell her that her spirit would wither without the wind in her face and the sun at her back.
'You would be unhappy.'
"I should'a known you'd have something nasty to say." Missy sucked in a long breath. "I was goin' to say no, but since you seem so all-fired determined that I can't go, I've changed my mind." She lowered herself back onto the soles of her feet, still glaring at Tasuki, then turned once again to face the O'Bannions. "Thanks for invitin' me, Mr. and Mrs. O'Bannion. I'll be ready to leave with you at the end of the week."
Tasuki scowled and tried to steady himself. Until this moment he had not realized how many toasts he had drunk to his best friend's marriage, but the shock of Missy's words had begun to sober him up—real fast. This whole thing had gotten out of control.
"Now, Missy, calm down a minute." He reached out and put his hands on her shoulders. "I meant to tell you—"
"Don't touch me, you sidewinder!" She shrugged his fingers off, turned on her heel and stomped away in a flurry of peacock blue satin.
Tasuki stared at the rigid set of her shoulders as she left, and decided not to attempt to go after her. The best thing he could do now was wait until she cooled off before he tried to talk to her. Surely, Missy would be her old self in the morning, and by noon they would be back to their usual thrust and parry. There was nothing for him to worry about.
He had it all figured out. He had the perfect arrangement.
~ ~ ~*~ ~ ~
Safe within the walls of her bedroom, Missy tore at the tiny buttons running down the front of her dress. The touch of the beautiful fabric against her flesh was suddenly hateful to her, reminding her of the disdainful look in Tasuki's jade eyes.
Tonight when he had held her close she had allowed herself to think there was a feeling of tenderness between them. Now she realized it had simply been the whiskey, the sound of fiddles and the allure of firelight.
'Damn him.'
The expression on his face when he'd heard she had been invited to New York had told her the truth of his feelings. He considered her an embarrassment. It was obvious he thought his friends were setting themselves up for humiliation by inviting a bumpkin into their home.
Missy unlaced the hard boned corset and flung it into a corner. The springs creaked and groaned as she flopped down on her bed. Her pride had been badly bruised. She had tried to wear the clothes of a lady, and act like a lady, yet it had not been enough.
'It had not been enough—for him.'
"Why do I let him get to me?" She asked aloud. "He's nothing but a greenhorn, a dude. His opinion isn't worth a hoot in hell to me."
The words helped her vent her frustration, but in her heart she knew she lied. Tasuki McCarty had become more than a greenhorn or a dude. Though out of his league, he had set out to prove he could ride shoulder-to-shoulder with any man on the Circle B.
And that was the hell of it all, she realized with a ragged sigh. Against all odds, he had succeeded- and brilliantly.
Could she do what he had done? Did she have enough courage, smarts, and determination to change? Could she learn to be a proper lady?
Missy flopped over on her back and stared at the ceiling. Tonight when he'd taught her how to dance she had felt attractive and feminine. But when she looked at his face and saw his true feelings etched in every sun-browned line, she'd wanted to rip him to shreds like a riled cat.
"Damn and double damn him!" She swore, as she tightened her fist into a tight ball and used it to pummel her pillow. "I'll show him! I'll show Mr. High-and-Mighty McCarty that I can learn to be a proper lady and still stand on my own two feet, and he'll have to admit he was wrong!"
Giving the pillow one last thump, she buried her face in the down ticking and cried like a baby.
~ ~ ~*~ ~ ~
Heehee . . . I would pride myself on getting the main character drunk in the first three chapters but when it is Tasuki, that isn't all that unusual . . .^^;
Wild Angels
By Amiboshi-chan
Chapter Three Patricia might have been drinking muddy water, for all the enjoyment the chilled punch gave her. Tasuki was not coming home with them as she had hoped. He had revealed his intentions to remain in the Territory. She sighed heavily and tried to wipe away the sadness in her heart. Cyril was happily married, but the irrepressible Mr. McCarty was another matter altogether.
As much of a mother figure as Patricia was to Tasuki, she felt it hadn't been her place to interfere when he'd decided to come west. Violet Ashland had wounded him deeply, she knew, and he needed the space to heal. Patricia had hoped that the time spent here had accomplished that, but now she was beginning to wonder. Was he really intent on burying himself here in this cultural wasteland, or was he still pining for Violet?
"Patricia?" Donovan appeared at her elbow. His snowy white eyebrows were pinched with concern. "Are you feeling ill, my dear? All the color has drained from your face!"
Patricia glanced at Tasuki, who was standing near the punch bowl. "No—no, I am perfectly fine. I'm just a bit concerned."
Donovan frowned. "Surely you are not still concerned about Cyril? Ellen will make him a fine wife, and he is happy here."
"No it isn't that. I am worried about Tasuki."
"Tasuki?" Donovan said in surprise. "He is the very picture of health!"
Patricia brought her gaze up to her husband's. "On the outside, perhaps. But I am worried about him all the same."
"He is fine," Donovan rubbed the back of his knuckles over his wife's cheek. 'You worry too much. He is talking about buying some land to raise cattle here. That's all."
"Do you think it is really what he wants to do or is he still trying to get over Violet?"
At the mention of her name, Donovan's face became a mask of disapproval. "That is a subject best left alone, Patricia."
"But, Donovan . . . it would be a great mistake for him to stay here! Surely you can see that?"
"Patricia, what I see is a grown man. Whatever decision he makes and for whatever reasons, it is his business alone." Donovan turned her to face him and cupped her chin in his palm. "And I don't want you interfering."
"Oh Donovan, surely I could just—"
"No, darling." He placed both hands on her shoulders and gently drew her closer to him. "Promise me, Patricia." His voice was soft but stern. "Promise me this time you will leave things alone. You mustn't say a word to the boy about this. And I think it is best if you don't mention the fact that Violet had returned to New York."
Patricia sighed and leaned into his hands. "Oh, all right. If you feel so strongly about it, I will promise not to meddle."
He smiled and kissed her on the forehead. "That's my girl. Now let's show these youngsters how to do a proper dance."
~ ~ ~*~ ~ ~
Yui was breathless from all the dancing as she approached the punch bowl where Nakago and Missy were chatting
"You know, cousin, if Mother notices the glow in your cheeks she will have you staying in bed tomorrow," Nakago warned her. He nodded at Patricia and Donovan, who were now cutting a fine figure on the dance floor.
"I suppose I should be more sensible," Yui agreed wistfully.
A cowboy with a thatch of unruly blonde hair approached her for the next dance. Yui glanced at Nakago, her expression that of a child asking for just one more piece of candy. She frowned in disappointment at his imperceptible shake of the head, then turned to the eager cowboy. "Thank you, but I fear I must decline. I am a little out of breath." She smoothed the baby blue ruffles on her dress and sighed meaningfully.
The cowboy tipped his hat and backed away. "Maybe next time, ma'am."
"Yes, next time." Yui's eyes followed him as he disappeared into the crowd.
"Very wise, cousin." Nakago smiled. "It's most likely that you have saved yourself a stern lecture and a full day in bed. May I pour you and Miss Brooks a cup of punch?"
"Thank you." Missy took the cup he passed her.
"You are quite welcome. I should be thanking you, Miss Brooks. I have enjoyed myself tonight." Nakago poured a second cup of punch and passed it to his cousin.
"I'm glad you have had a good time, but I bet you have fancy parties like this all the time back in New York." Missy watched the couples swirling by in front of her and wished this night would never end.
"They are rarely this much fun, though." Yui fanned herself with a delicate, lily-colored hand. She smiled at Missy, batting brown lashes over eyes the color of cornflowers. 'How I wish I could wear my hair loose and flowing and have sun-kissed cheeks like Miss Brooks,' she thought, with gentle envy. 'Just once I would like to be the picture of health.'
"That is a fact," Nakago agreed. "New York Parties are—stuffy."
"You're teasing me." Missy felt a blush working its way up her neck.
"No, I am not teasing. I leave that to Tasuki." Nakago placed his hand over his heart to emphasize his sincerity.
Yui eyed Missy with speculation, as a wild idea popped into her head. "Why don't you come and visit us in the city to see for yourself? It would give me a perfect excuse to have lots of dances like this one."
"Tokaki might have something to say about that." Patricia told Yui, as she and Donovan joined the group by the punch bowl. With a gentle smile, she studied the two girls standing side by side—near in age but as different as light and darkness. Yui looked frail and too pale, even by current fashionable dictates. And Missy . . .well, Missy was a little too wild, a little too exuberant, but the glowing picture of a woman in the bloom of youth. Chichiri had explained about her growing up without a mother and father, how he and Nuriko had raised her and Suboshi since their deaths. It did account for much of her behavior.
For a mad, impetuous moment Patricia wondered what it would be like to take the girl under her wing and help her become a proper lady. No, no... the idea was silly, and Donovan would have a proper fit.
"I would still like for Missy to come and visit, whether Papa would allow me to have a party or not!" Yui said stubbornly. "It would be fun to have someone my own age around again." Tokaki had kept her secluded, and so her cousins had been her major source of companionship. With all the girls married and gone, the last couple of years had been extremely lonely. A visit from Missy would truly be a godsend. "And we could all go shopping together, Aunt Patricia. It would be fun- you know it would be fun!"
The older woman cast a sidelong glance at her spouse. Yui was right- having Missy around would be fun. Patricia missed having a daughter to fuss over as much as Yui missed chatting with her cousins.
"I do think it's a good idea, Yui." She blurted with enthusiasm. "We must do our best to persuade Miss Brooks to come out as soon as possible."
"I agree, Mother," Nakago said heartily, in spite of Donovan's growing frown. "After all, Missy is family now."
"It would be kinda nice to be somewhere that I could dress up like this more often," Missy said wistfully.
"You are charming no matter what you are wearing," Patricia assured Missy. "Isn't she, Donovan?"
"What? Oh yes... she's charming." Donovan replied absently. Patricia had purposely avoided his suggestion about interfering. She knew well Donovan was not as enthusiastic about the idea as his family was.
"Oh, Missy do say you'll come! You would have a lovely time in the city." Yui's face brightened with every word. "We could have some new gowns made for you as well. It would be great fun and I would love the company."
"Yes, my dear, we insist." Patricia smiled inwardly. The girl was always clomping around in men trousers and boots—she would be a challenge. But she did have good bones, and with a little work . . .
~ ~ ~*~ ~ ~
Curiosity nipped at Tasuki as he watched the O'Bannion family. He allowed himself one more gulp from the whiskey flask, before threading his way across the floor to the group. Sidestepping to avoid dancing boots and whirling skirts, he finally reached the other side of the room.
"That's awful nice of you, ma'am, but . . ." Missy began.
"What's going on?" Tasuki whispered to Nakago.
"Yui has almost persuaded Miss Brooks to come to New York," Nakago replied. "I think it would be a marvelous idea for Yui to have some female company."
"What? You can't be serious!"
His loud exclamation brought Missy's head around with a snap. "Is something wrong, Tasuki?" She frowned as he swayed a little. It was obvious he'd been hitting the drink again.
"Nothing, nothing at all." Tasuki shook his head.
"Are you sure?" She asked pointedly. "I thought you might be upset about my invitation from the O'Bannions."
Tasuki gave her a lopsided grin. "Nothing to be upset about- the whole idea is ridiculous. I know you are too sensible to even consider such a thing."
"Why is the idea of me goin' to New York so ridiculous?" Missy pressed.
"Why?" Tasuki shook his head, trying to clear the buzz the whiskey had brought to his head. "Well for one thing, little lady, wearing boots and Stetsons in New York drawing rooms is not the thing this year." Laughter bubbled in the back of his throat as he imagined Missy sitting down to tea in her form-fitting chaps.
"So you think I ain't got sense enough to learn how to act like a lady, is that it?" Missy's dark eyes narrowed with anger.
"Not exactly." Tasuki blinked a couple of times and tried to clear the cobwebs from his brain.
"You learned how to be a cowboy . . . ."
"That's different." He blinked and steadied himself.
"What's so consarned different about it?" She shot back. "If you could learn to be a cowboy, why is it so hard to believe that I could learn to become a lady?"
Even in his half-looped state, Tasuki was intelligent enough to recognize a loaded question when he heard one. "You just can't go, and that's all there's to it. Now let's stop all this silly talk."
"I can't? Did I hear you right?" Missy shook her head in disbelief. "Did you just tell me that I can't go to New York?"
Tasuki sucked in a deep breath, trying to catalog his thoughts into a proper order as he looked at Missy. Indignant fire burned in her green eyes- they were lovely when she was spitting mad. A part of him wanted to tell her that, but that kind of talk was the sort of thing that got men tangled up, so he bit back the compliment. He was determined not to do anything that would break his vow of no entanglements, no commitments. He just had to keep a cool head, then he could remain as free as the wind. "Now, Missy . . ."
"Don't you 'now Missy' me! And just when, Mr. oh-so-mighty McCarty, did you think you could start tellin' me what I can or can't do?"
To Tasuki's utter astonishment, he retreated a step as Missy advanced on him. He couldn't help noticing, as she raised herself up on her slippered toes, that even then the top of her head barely reached his chin. She was narrow eyed with fury, and he felt a undercurrent of excitement humming between them. This was what he wanted, what he liked—this hot channel of interest running between them like a river of fire.
"I know you have an overblown notion of your importance, but I didn't think it went so far as to include the whole of New York City!"
"That wasn't exactly what I meant," Tasuki began, a smile tugging at the corners of his mouth. The whiskey was dulling his senses and slurring his words, but he was still acutely aware of her.
He wanted to tell her that she would be bored in a brownstone instead of under a wide, azure sky, and that Patricia and Yui, and especially women like Violet, could never understand the restless energy of Missy. He wanted to tell her that her spirit would wither without the wind in her face and the sun at her back.
'You would be unhappy.'
"I should'a known you'd have something nasty to say." Missy sucked in a long breath. "I was goin' to say no, but since you seem so all-fired determined that I can't go, I've changed my mind." She lowered herself back onto the soles of her feet, still glaring at Tasuki, then turned once again to face the O'Bannions. "Thanks for invitin' me, Mr. and Mrs. O'Bannion. I'll be ready to leave with you at the end of the week."
Tasuki scowled and tried to steady himself. Until this moment he had not realized how many toasts he had drunk to his best friend's marriage, but the shock of Missy's words had begun to sober him up—real fast. This whole thing had gotten out of control.
"Now, Missy, calm down a minute." He reached out and put his hands on her shoulders. "I meant to tell you—"
"Don't touch me, you sidewinder!" She shrugged his fingers off, turned on her heel and stomped away in a flurry of peacock blue satin.
Tasuki stared at the rigid set of her shoulders as she left, and decided not to attempt to go after her. The best thing he could do now was wait until she cooled off before he tried to talk to her. Surely, Missy would be her old self in the morning, and by noon they would be back to their usual thrust and parry. There was nothing for him to worry about.
He had it all figured out. He had the perfect arrangement.
~ ~ ~*~ ~ ~
Safe within the walls of her bedroom, Missy tore at the tiny buttons running down the front of her dress. The touch of the beautiful fabric against her flesh was suddenly hateful to her, reminding her of the disdainful look in Tasuki's jade eyes.
Tonight when he had held her close she had allowed herself to think there was a feeling of tenderness between them. Now she realized it had simply been the whiskey, the sound of fiddles and the allure of firelight.
'Damn him.'
The expression on his face when he'd heard she had been invited to New York had told her the truth of his feelings. He considered her an embarrassment. It was obvious he thought his friends were setting themselves up for humiliation by inviting a bumpkin into their home.
Missy unlaced the hard boned corset and flung it into a corner. The springs creaked and groaned as she flopped down on her bed. Her pride had been badly bruised. She had tried to wear the clothes of a lady, and act like a lady, yet it had not been enough.
'It had not been enough—for him.'
"Why do I let him get to me?" She asked aloud. "He's nothing but a greenhorn, a dude. His opinion isn't worth a hoot in hell to me."
The words helped her vent her frustration, but in her heart she knew she lied. Tasuki McCarty had become more than a greenhorn or a dude. Though out of his league, he had set out to prove he could ride shoulder-to-shoulder with any man on the Circle B.
And that was the hell of it all, she realized with a ragged sigh. Against all odds, he had succeeded- and brilliantly.
Could she do what he had done? Did she have enough courage, smarts, and determination to change? Could she learn to be a proper lady?
Missy flopped over on her back and stared at the ceiling. Tonight when he'd taught her how to dance she had felt attractive and feminine. But when she looked at his face and saw his true feelings etched in every sun-browned line, she'd wanted to rip him to shreds like a riled cat.
"Damn and double damn him!" She swore, as she tightened her fist into a tight ball and used it to pummel her pillow. "I'll show him! I'll show Mr. High-and-Mighty McCarty that I can learn to be a proper lady and still stand on my own two feet, and he'll have to admit he was wrong!"
Giving the pillow one last thump, she buried her face in the down ticking and cried like a baby.
~ ~ ~*~ ~ ~
Heehee . . . I would pride myself on getting the main character drunk in the first three chapters but when it is Tasuki, that isn't all that unusual . . .^^;