Hold Back The Dawn Read online

  "Mother?" Her voice quavered. The only answering sound was the mournful chiming of the antique grandfather clock in the library.

  "Mother?" Still no answer. Leslie checked the downstairs rooms, but Vivian wasn't there. She entered the kitchen just as Bertha, the stout German housekeeper, waddled in from outside.

  "Ach, child. You're home."

  "Hello, Bertha. Do you know where mother is?"

  "She's gone downtown to shop, then to meet Mrs. Martin for lunch. She said she'd be home around three o'clock. You need her?"

  "Oh no. I was just curious." Leslie felt weak with relief. That meant she had four hours before her mother returned.

  Bertha bustled over to the sink and rinsed her hands under the tap, then dried them. "I go for groceries, then run some errands. Do you want to come?''

  Leslie jumped guiltily and smiled. "Ah, no...no thanks, Bertha. I have some things I'd like to do here. But thanks for asking." Her smile turned into a genuine expression of amusement. Bertha's tactics were so obvious! The main reason the housekeeper had invited her along was to find out why Leslie was home at eleven o'clock in the morning. Bertha always knew exactly what was going on.

  The woman gathered up her coat and purse from the table. "Oh, well then. I will see you later, child."

  The door had barely closed on her heels when Leslie, with a sense of urgency, sprinted up the stairs two at a time. If she hurried, she could be out of the house before her mother returned. She hesitated at the top of the stairs, then dashed down the long hallway to the storage room at the end of the corridor. There she got out a large steamer trunk and dragged it down the hallway.

  She was taking the coward's way out, but she had to leave and she would prefer to do it without involving everyone in an ugly scene. And it would be an ugly scene!

  Three hours later she had packed everything that she wanted to take. She had even wrestled two trunks and her matching set of luggage down the stairs, and now they were stacked in the front hall.

  Her knees nearly buckled beneath her in panic when there was a loud knocking on the front door. Vivian! No, it couldn't be. Her mother would have rung the doorbell if she didn't have her key. Besides, it was only two o'clock—she wouldn't even have finished lunch yet.

  Still, Leslie's heart was beating a trip-hammer tattoo as she opened the door.

  "Hello, girl."

  She could have collapsed with relief. Ted McAllister was standing there, a half grin on his face.

  "Ted! What are you doing here?"

  "Can I come in?"

  "Of course!" She opened the door wide and motioned him in.

  Ted looked from her to the pile of luggage, then back again, his face solemn. He ran his hand through his hair as he sat down heavily on one of the trunks. "Does this mean what I think it means?"

  Leslie's face was sober, her voice quiet with distress. "Yes, it does, Ted. I can't continue to stay in this house any longer. My being here has always created a strain, and it will be absolutely intolerable now that I've publicly defied Luther." She smiled abjectly. "He never expected that from me."

  Ted shook his head, his eyes gleaming with humor and admiration. "To be quite frank about it, neither did I." He bowed his head and stared at the parquet floor for a long time as the cloistered silence of the house settled heavily upon them. "Where are you going to go?"

  "I've called a delivery service to pick up my things. I was going to check into a hotel until I could find a place of my own."

  "You're sure this is what you want?"

  Leslie swallowed against the lump in her throat and nodded weakly. "Yes. There's no other way. You know that, Ted." Her voice was barely audible.

  Ted looked at her, his face set with concern. "Leslie, I went home before I came over here. I told Maggie what happened this morning. She wants you to move in with us—in fact, she sent me over here to get you."

  "Oh, Ted! I can't impose—"

  "Now listen here, girl. Your grandfather and I were friends for a good many years. Besides, I'd like to think that this is my opportunity to repay him for the many times he helped me out." Ted held up his hand when Leslie opened her mouth to speak. "Maggie and I have wanted to do this for a long time, but we didn't want to interfere. Besides, you know that Maggie is really fond of you, and she's been feeling pretty lost ever since the kids left home. No argument, girl. I'm taking you home with me!"

  Leslie couldn't speak. She put her arms around Ted's neck and hugged him as she tried to smother the mixed feelings of overwhelming gratitude and an undefinable grief that choked her.

  Ted patted her back, then ruffled her hair as he stood up. "So let's get this show on the road. Is this all you want to take?"

  "Well, there's my ski equipment and things like that. I really would like to keep them but—"

  "Where are they? I'll load them up."

  "Out in the garage. Come on. I'll show you."

  Ted smiled knowingly. "I think Maggie knew what she was talking about when she told me to bring the half-ton truck. We'll end up with a full load."

  Leslie grinned at him as she led him into the garage. "You had it all planned out, didn't you?"

  "Sure did. Say, Les, you'd better give that express company a call before their van gets here."

  "Oh, damn. Right."

  Ted caught her by the shoulder as she turned to go. "Are you going to leave your mother a letter?"

  Leslie's smile faded and was replaced with a look of despair. "Yes."

  "Are you going to tell her where you're going?"

  Leslie shook her head as she stared blindly at the ground. "No," she whispered.

  Ted sighed, then raked his fingers through his hair. "Perhaps that's best." He paused as he mulled the situation over in his mind, then shrugged. He patted her affectionately on the cheek. "Now show me what you want to take from out here, then make that call."

  The letter hadn't been easy to write. In fact, there had been several painful attempts before Leslie managed to convey what she wanted. After making her call she propped the envelope on the mantel of the library fireplace, then hitched the strap of her handbag over her shoulder, walking out of the house without a backward glance.

  She found Ted loading the last of her things into the back of the truck. He looked at her, his face solemn. "Ready?"

  "Yes, I'm ready." She slipped on her sunglasses, then called to Ted. "Don't close the garage door."

  He threw her a questioning look. "Is there something else?"

  "No. I'm just going to put my car in the garage."

  His eyebrows shot up in surprise. "Aren't you going to take it with you?"

  Leslie looked at the sleek powerful Mercedes that her mother had given her. "No, I don't want it. I never did."

  Ted wisely said nothing. There wasn't much he could say anyway. Vivian had always tried to force her daughter into the mold of a cool, sophisticated socialite. And Leslie didn't fit.

  An awful ache engulfed Leslie as she climbed into the truck. She leaned her head back against the headrest and closed her eyes. It would be better for everyone this way. She would build her own life, in her own way. Somehow. After all, loneliness was not something unknown; it had been a grim silent companion all her life.

  IT WASN'T UNTIL MUCH LATER that evening that Leslie found out what had happened in the board meeting after she'd left. Ted, Maggie and she were sitting around the table in the McAllisters' spotless kitchen, indulging in a bedtime treat—steaming mugs of hot chocolate and massive wedges of sponge cake. Ted finally relented to her persistence and told her what had happened.

  There had been a very heated debate after she had left. A few members of the board had felt that they should consider the possibility of reopening Redwillow. But Luther had managed to bring the dissenters under his unyielding control, as usual. The fiasco had then developed into an imbroglio between Ted and Luther. The whole nasty incident had ended with Ted tendering his resignation and storming out.

  Leslie felt terrible. S
he grasped the heavy hot mug with both her hands as a surge of remorse swamped her. She had not wanted to entangle Ted in her problems.

  He was watching her pale solemn face. "Hey, girl, don't get yourself in a twist over what's happened."

  Leslie felt so guilty, so responsible, for the situation that she had great difficulty in meeting his gaze. He reached out and patted her shoulder reassuringly. His weathered face creased into a big grin as the corners of his eyes crinkled into familiar laugh lines.

  Her voice wobbled treacherously. "Ted, I didn't want to drag you into this—"

  Maggie snorted as she refilled the mugs. "Leslie, dear, my Ted has always enjoyed a good fight, be it barroom or boardroom. So don't spoil his fun!"

  "But—"

  Ted chuckled, his eyes merry. "Damn it, Les, Maggie and I are well enough off that I don't have to work another day in my life. Your grandfather saw to that. But neither Maggie nor I are the type who can sit in one spot and go all mildewy. I love the oil patch—yes I do—but I was getting fed up with Luther's attitude. He's in the business for the big money, the prestige, the recognition. I'm in it because I like the challenge of drilling, the excitement. I was getting bored. I needed a change."

  Leslie's expressive face mirrored her misgivings as she groped for words. "Oh, Ted, I just wish it hadn't been over me—"

  "Now, girl, don't think like that. Your being involved made the whole nasty business worthwhile. Besides, your grandfather would have enjoyed every minute of it!''

  Leslie tipped back her head and laughed. She had a sudden vision of her grandfather hovering over the conference table, angel wings flapping leisurely, a broad grin on his face as he nursed his beloved pipe. Yes, grandfather would have enjoyed every minute. He had always felt that Luther was an overbearing pompous ass who needed to be taken down a peg or two. It would have delighted him to no end that his granddaughter had done it.

  Leslie sighed, then grinned at her friends. "Well, Mr. McAllister, what do we do now? Start our own exploration company?''

  It was not an idle suggestion. Leslie had inherited the bulk of her grandfather's immense fortune. The old man had astutely camouflaged her wealth with various trust funds and vast corporate holdings, so that only a select and trusted few were aware that Leslie was probably one of the wealthiest women in Canada. Ted, as an executor of her estate, was one of them.

  He stroked his chin and chuckled as he winked at his wife. "Well, we might have to, girl, if we really want to try out our deep-basin theory. But before we do that, there's one possibility I'd like to explore first."

  Leslie looked questioningly from Ted to Maggie. Obviously they had discussed this already, but he wasn't prepared to tell her about it just yet.

  He took Leslie's hand in his big one, his expression one of sincerity. "Whatever happens, Les, we're in this together. I want you to know that."

  She fought down the tide of emotion that once again threatened to strangle her and rapidly blinked away the burning sensation in her eyes. 'That's good enough for me," she managed to grin at him.

  Ted stood up and stretched. "I sure wish I could have scoffed one of those Redwillow reports before I left, but I was very considerately ushered out of the building by the security guard."

  Leslie's eyes widened as her hands flew to her face. She had completely forgotten about the report! It was still tucked in the sleeve of her coat. She bounced out of her chair and darted from the room.

  The couple exchanged looks of bewilderment at their guest's unexplained behavior. Ted shrugged. "She must have forgotten something."

  Maggie nodded as she started to clear away the table. "Poor little thing. She's been bullied in one way or another all her life. She's never had anyone, except Mac, and he kept her so isolated."

  "He had to, Maggie. He had to keep Leslie's existence a secret. She would have been a prime candidate for abduction if it was public knowledge she was Mac Kairns's granddaughter."

  "I know. Luther detested her, and Mac isolated her. She never even had any close friends. A child shouldn't have to grow up like that. I feel so much happier now she's here with us."

  Ted hugged his wife affectionately. "So do I, Maggie. So do I!"

  "You've set up an appointment with Steve McRory for tomorrow, haven't you?'' she asked him.

  "Yeah. That was Steve who called just before supper."

  "He isn't going to be too thrilled when he finds out Leslie is a girl, you know."

  Ted looked at his wife, an amused look on his face as he considered some private thought. "Well, there'll be sparks, all right, of one kind or another."

  Just then Leslie came dancing back into the kitchen, her hands tucked behind her, an impish grin on her face. "Which hand do you want?"

  Ted shook his head. "What are you up to, Leslie Jordan Kairns? I know that look."

  "Which hand to you want?" she persisted.

  He scrutinized her face, his eyes narrowing speculatively before a look of disbelief dawned on his face. "You didn't!"

  Leslie's brown eyes were dancing with glee as she stood before him, barely able to contain her excitement.

  "Leslie Kairns, you didn't!"

  With an exaggerated flourish, she handed Ted the blue manual. "I did! I pinched it off Luther's desk."

  A loud shout of laughter exploded from Ted as he caught her up in a bear hug and swung her around the kitchen. "We're going to make Luther Denver eat crow, girl, and I don't think it's a dinner he's going to enjoy!"

  LESLIE WASN'T FEELING QUITE SO CONFIDENT the next day as she stood before the mirror in the front hall, halfheartedly studying her appearance. She was experiencing the same doubts she had the first time she'd tried to fly a kite—would it really fly or would it crash?

  Ted had left the house early that morning before she was up. He had stuck a message on the fridge door, informing her he had gone downtown to meet with someone about Redwillow, and that he would give her a call around ten.

  He had phoned as he'd promised and told her she was to meet him downtown for lunch at one o'clock. He had been very businesslike on the phone, but Leslie could tell from the tone of his voice he had good news. She assumed that he was calling from someone's office, and that he couldn't elaborate on the details then. He had, however, stressed that it was a "business lunch," so Leslie had dressed accordingly. Now she stood before the mirror, trying to see herself through a stranger's eyes.

  She wasn't impressed. A wisp of a girl stared back at her, with solemn dark eyes that overwhelmed her elfin face. Her thick sweeping lashes and gently arching brows accentuated the enormous eyes that dominated her face. For some reason, it all left her looking like a lonely street urchin.

  Her thick dark hair hung to her shoulders, making her face seem even smaller. The style didn't particularly suit Leslie, but Vivian had been adamantly opposed to a "fadish cut." Leslie had given in to her mother rather than fight over it.

  She sighed heavily. Why couldn't she have been tall and elegant like Vivian? She grinned weakly at herself and groaned. She must remember not to smile. When she did, a deep dimple appeared in either cheek, and her age was immediately reduced by half. Why did she have to look like such a baby, she bemoaned inwardly.

  The suit was perfect, though. It was a sleekly tailored pearl gray wool outfit, with a mandarin collar and a slim-cut skirt. She had on plain gray suede boots, and carried a matching gray suede clutch purse.

  She analyzed her reflection a moment longer. No, the hairstyle would not do. She whirled and ran lightly up the stairs to her room, where she grabbed her shoulder bag off the dresser and dumped its contents unceremoniously in the middle of the bed. Rummaging through the pile, she found a handful of pins, then she snatched up her brush. The cab would be here any moment, but she had to change her hairdo.

  She brushed her hair straight back from her face and twisted it into a chignon at the back of her head. She had just finished pinning it securely when there was a blast from a car horn outside. Picking up her purse ag
ain, she dashed down the stairs. She hesitated for a moment before the mirror. That was better, but not much. Now she looked like a melancholy ballerina.

  During the drive Leslie concentrated on organizing her thoughts, trying to predict some of the questions she would be expected to answer. There was a flutter of nervousness that she tried to ignore as she mentally went over the data concerning Redwillow. She had an excellent memory, and seldom needed to refer back to source material. She was definitely grateful for that ability now.

  By the time the cab pulled up in front of the restaurant, she felt prepared and reasonably composed. She paid the driver and stepped out into the bright September day, pausing to take a long slow breath, and savoring the clean crisp smell of autumn. It was a day to play hooky, a day for walking through a park and letting her imagination soar like a kite on beams of sunshine.

  She grimaced guiltily and shook her head. She was dawdling again. She took another deep breath of resignation, squared her shoulders and walked briskly into the restaurant.

  After the brightness of the clear autumn sunshine, the dim interior seemed to smother her. She paused for a moment to allow her eyes to adjust to the artificial light, then approached the reservation desk.

  She smiled warmly at the woman behind the desk. "I'm to meet Mr. McAllister for lunch. Could you show me to his table, please?''

  The hostess returned the smile and nodded. "Certainly. Follow me, please."

  Leslie smoothed back a stray tendril of hair as she followed the woman into the dining lounge. Ted looked up as they approached the table, and Leslie flashed him a brilliant smile, completely forgetting her resolution about not smiling.

  Ted stood up, a broad grin on his face. "Hello, girl."

  The other man seated at the table rose as well, and Leslie turned to smile at him, certain that he was the person who was interested in Redwillow.

  But as she looked up, she experienced the most unbelievable sensation. She was suddenly unable to breath, and it seemed like the room was going into a lazy spin as her gaze collided with the most piercing blue eyes she had ever seen. She felt as though she was being drawn into their blue depths by the sheer magnetic power that surrounded the man.