Shadow Mountain

As they waited, she rested her hand reassuringly on Danny’s shoulder but already the enveloping isolation was getting to her. Her mouth went dry.

What on earth am I doing here?

The massive door suddenly opened and Stella stood there, smiling at them. “Oh, good, I was hoping you’d get here before dark. Sometimes these mountain roads can be a little tricky at night.”

Caroline silently added, And in daylight. It was some kind of miracle she’d found the place at all.

“Please come in. I’ll send Shane to bring in the rest of your luggage.”

They followed her inside and the interior of the lodge seemed just as dark and intimidating as the exterior. Beyond a shadowy vestibule, they entered a large room with a high ceiling and a monstrous chandelier made of elk horns suspended from a high rafter. Several tall windows allowed muted sunlight to slightly relieve the shadows of high ceilings and dark-panelled walls. A massive stone fireplace dominated the far wall and a variety of furniture, mostly leather and dark walnut, was scattered about. An area rug of faded green covered a small section of a wide-planked floor. Some framed black-and-white photographs hung on the wall. They were group pictures as far as Caroline could tell. She wondered if this was one of the rooms Stella wanted redecorated. If so, simply introducing some color would be a step in the right direction.

“I’ll show you to your rooms first,” Stella said motioning toward a massive staircase mounting a far wall. “You’ll probably want to freshen up before meeting Wes. He was set to leave yesterday when one of his good friends, Dexter Tate, showed up unexpectedly. They’re out target-shooting but should be back anytime. Wes’s daughter, Cassie, is upstairs with her nanny, Felicia.” She glanced at her watch. “I’d better see that some refreshment is ready.”

As they mounted the steps to the second floor and walked a short distance down the hall, Stella said in a practiced hostess manner, “I hope you’ll be comfortable here. There’s a small sitting room, a bedroom with twin beds and a connecting bath. I’ve set up a workroom just down the hall. If there’s anything I’ve missed, just let me know.”

She opened the door and motioned them inside. They had just walked into the sitting room when Danny suddenly cowered beside her, hugging her leg.

“What is it?” She followed his frightened gaze to the walls of the room. Her breath caught. “Good heavens!”

Mounted on the walls were heads of wild animals—a fierce black bear, a threatening mountain lion and a snarling wildcat. She could tell from the raw fear in Danny’s expression that he thought they were alive and about to jump down on him.

“It’s all right, honey,” Caroline said quickly. “They won’t hurt you.”

“They’re dead?”

“Yes. Somebody killed them.”

“Why?” he demanded with childish bluntness.

“They’re like trophies,” Stella answered quickly before Caroline could. “Big men shoot them and then hang them on the walls to show how brave they are. I’m afraid you’ll find them all over the lodge.” Then she brightened. “But your mother and I are going to make some nice changes.”

Caroline didn’t say anything, but she wondered how easy that was going to be. Changing anything that had become a male tradition might be an uphill battle. If she were a gambler, she’d bet the mounted animals stayed despite Stella’s best efforts.

Fortunately the small bedroom was spared any hunting decor. Several scenic pictures hung on the walls. One window had simple green draperies hanging from a brass rod. Caroline was delighted with the hand-crafted aspen bedroom furniture. She immediately visualized how a little color and fresh wallpaper would add a pleasant warmth to the room.

“If there’s anything you need, just let me know,” Stella said, preparing to leave them. “Please come downstairs when you’re ready. There’s a small social room just past the main stairs and down the hall. I know Wes will be pleased to meet you both. He has a little girl about your age, Danny. Her name is Cassie. I know you’ll have fun playing with her while your mother and I are busy.”

Danny’s scowl plainly showed his reaction to the idea. Girls weren’t his thing.

Caroline silently sighed. A belligerent little six-year-old was all she needed to make this whole experience a living nightmare. Her son’s mood certainly didn’t improve when she insisted on a hands-and-face washing, a quick change of clothes and a brushing of his tousled brown hair. He flopped down on one of the beds while she freshened up.

Stella had warned her they’d need warm clothes as well as walking shoes and boots. Caroline had followed her suggestions and found some bargains for her and Danny that she could afford.

She wanted to make a good first impression. After exchanging her jeans for a pair of tan slacks and her plain pullover for a variegated knit sweater in the red and orange colors of fall leaves, a quick glance in the mirror warned her she didn’t look very professional. Somehow her two tailored outfits didn’t seem right either. Besides, they were packed in the luggage she’d left in the car. She brushed her lips lightly with pink gloss, gave her short, wavy hair a quick combing and straightened her shoulders.

“I guess I’m ready,” she said as she came out of the bathroom. When she saw that Danny had fallen asleep, she groaned. Now what? She couldn’t leave him here asleep. If he woke up and was alone with all those animal heads, he’d freak out! But he’d be grumpy if he didn’t have a nap.

Stella would probably be waiting impatiently, but she didn’t have a choice. Caroline knew she’d have to wait at least a half hour before waking him.

As she looked at his sweet face, so angelic in sleep, her chest was suddenly tight with emotion. He was so precious. Her whole life now. He’d been only two years old when she was left to raise him alone. Even though Thomas’s medical career had dominated his time and energies, his unexpected heart attack and death had left her without any emotional support. There were no grandparents or close relatives to provide an extended family for either of them.

She turned away from the bed and walked over to the window to look out. Her view was of the wooded slopes behind the lodge. Already the sun had slipped behind craggy mountain peaks and she would have missed seeing the two horsemen moving through the trees if their movement had not caught her eye. Before she could get a good look at them, they disappeared beyond her view.

Wes Wainwright, no doubt, and the guest Stella mentioned who had gone target-shooting with him. She wondered what targets they’d chosen for their sport and doubted that she could even be polite to her Texas host after seeing the mounted heads.

She’d always had trouble controlling her temper when she encountered selfish, self-centered men. Bragging rich Texans who seemed to throw their weight around had never been very high on her list.

When she finally woke Danny, he was less than cooperative.

“When can we go home?” he said with a scowl as she brushed his hair once again.

“Not today,” she said with false cheerfulness. She couldn’t tell him when it would be because she really didn’t know the answer. Everything depended upon Stella and her redecorating plans. If they were superficial and limited, the job would only require a few weeks. If the entire lodge was to undergo a coordinated redecoration, several months might be involved.

“I bet you’re hungry.” Caroline said brightly. “Let’s go downstairs and have a nice dinner.”

She was glad a bedroom door led into the hall so they didn’t have to go through the sitting room with the overpowering animal heads. Danny needed time to adjust to this strange environment.

And so do I!

Their feet made a muffled sound on the bare steps as they descended the staircase to the main room. Someone had turned on a few scattered lights that played over the furniture, gloomy walls and stone fireplace. The bulbs on the ugly antler chandelier remained dark as it hung like a menacing threat overhead.

Following Stella’s instructions, Caroline turned down a dimly lit hall and, with Danny hugging her side, passed a series of doors opening into various sized rooms. She couldn’t tell what they were used for because they were all dark.

Caroline was beginning to wonder if she’d missed the right way when she heard the sound of voices and saw light spilling through double doors opening into the hall.

She tried for a composed smile when they entered the social room, as Stella had called it. Even though the decor was much the same as the main room’s—paneled walls and brown leather furniture—the warmth and lighting in the room was a sharp contrast to the rest of the lodge. The room gave off a surprising cheerfulness.

She held Danny’s tense little hand firmly as he started to pull back. She saw then he was staring at a black bear skin with an snarling, open mouth stretched out above the fireplace.

Stella immediately stood up from a chair next to a coffee table. “There you are. I was about to send someone after you. I want you to meet Wes.”

Caroline could tell she was nervous. Maybe as nervous as I am. “I’m sorry, Danny took a little nap and delayed us.”

Two men stood in front of a blazing fireplace with drinks in their hands. Which one is the Texas tycoon? Was it the overweight, round-faced fellow wearing leather trousers and a fringed jacket? The one doing all the talking and gesturing with his free hand?

The other man was taller, well-proportioned, wearing jeans and a denim shirt open at the collar and rolled up at the cuffs. A shock of brown hair with a glint of red hung low on his forehead and framed a strong, masculine face.

A slight frown creased his forehead as Stella brought Caroline across the room and introduced her. “Wes, this is Caroline Fairchild and her son, Danny. She’s the decorator,” she added as a reminder.

“Oh, yes. Pleased to meet you,” he replied politely and Caroline sensed a decided lack of enthusiasm in his manner.

“Did you kill that?” Danny demanded, thrusting a pointing finger up at the mounted bear skin.

“Nope. My grandpa killed that one.”

“Why?”

“Well, that old bear was looking around for something to eat. You can see his sharp teeth. Grandpa didn’t want him to have his dog, Shep, for dinner. My little girl says he looks mean. What do you think?”

“I don’t like him,” Danny answered flatly.

“Smart boy.” He nodded approvingly. “How old are you, Danny?”

“Six.”

“Really? What do you know? I have a little girl the same age.” He turned to Caroline. “They’re a handful, aren’t they?” She could tell he was forcing himself to be congenial so she smiled and nodded.

Obviously, he wasn’t all that pleased about having an interior decorator under foot. Something warned her that she’d better tread softly and keep her distance. If he was going to pay her the exorbitant amount Stella had promised, she couldn’t afford to antagonize him. She remembered Stella had said he had intended to be gone before she arrived. Caroline suspected that under those good looks there was probably plenty of barbed wire.

Despite Wes’s lack of enthusiasm, Stella seemed to be determined to proceed full speed ahead with the project. “We’ll be looking over the lodge and deciding where to begin—”

“Just leave my suite and the gun room alone.” His tone brooked no argument. The lines and planes in his face suggested a firm control of his thoughts and feelings. Even when he smiled his eyes held a certain glint, as if his mind were functioning on many levels. He was worth millions and his casual attire didn’t fool Caroline a bit. She suspected only a fool would judge him by outward appearances.

The robust man still standing by the fireplace chuckled as he took another drink from his glass. He must be the old friend Stella said had arrived unexpectedly. As the man’s assessing eyes traveled over her, Caroline mentally stiffened against his open appraisal. They hadn’t even met yet and she didn’t like him.

At that moment, a little girl bounded into the room, blond pigtails flapping. She was wearing jeans and a plaid shirt. A red cowboy hat hung by a string down her back. When she saw Danny, she stopped short.

“Who’s that?” she demanded, scowling.

Danny’s little mouth tightened as he scowled back.

“This is Danny Fairchild, Cassie,” Stella answered quickly in a warning tone. “He’s going to be a guest at the lodge and you’ll want to make him feel welcome.”

“What if I don’t like him?”

Oh, no, thought Caroline. This could turn out to be a real nightmare.

“What’s not to like, honey?” her father asked as he motioned Cassie over to his side. “You’ve been complaining about not having anyone to go horseback-riding with you. How about it, son? Would you like to take a ride on one of Cassie’s Shetland ponies?”

As Danny’s scowl instantly faded, Caroline stiffened with sudden irritation. How dare this man make such an offer without knowing whether her son would be safe riding a horse—pony or otherwise.

Danny’s eyes were already sparkling with anticipation as he looked up at her. “Mom…?”

“We’ll see.”

“Spoken like a true mother,” quipped the man in leather trousers before Wes had a chance to say anything. As he stepped forward, he held out a pudgy hand. “Dexter Tate. Wes didn’t warn me that we were going to have feminine company or I would have shaved for the occasion.” He rubbed a growth of dark whiskers on his full cheeks and chin.

“Dexter thinks of himself as a ladies’man and we try to humor him,” Wes said with a chuckle. Dexter took a playful swipe at him and they both laughed like good friends who enjoyed ribbing each other.

Cassie had moved closer to Danny. “You want to go see my ponies?”

“Not now, Cassie,” her father said before Danny could respond. “It’s almost time for dinner.” He turned to Caroline. “I imagine it’s been a long day. Traveling is never easy.”

“Not unless you have a jet plane, helicopter and a slick foreign car,” Dexter quipped and added with pointed emphasis, “Not that Wes ever travels alone.”

“Cut it out, you two,” Stella said quickly, obviously wanting to change the conversation.

A tall, lanky youth with a tanned narrow face and longish unkempt dark hair appeared in the doorway. He was wearing cowboy boots, a Western shirt and low-slung jeans held in place by a leather belt with a huge silver and turquoise buckle.

“Come in, Shane,” Stella said with a wave of her hand.

“Cook says grub’s on. Come and get it,” he said as he ambled in with his hands in his pockets.

“Shane, that’s no way to announce dinner. I want you to meet Mrs. Fairchild. This is my seventeen-year-old son, Shane.”

“Nice to meet you,” Caroline quickly responded. “This is my son, Danny.”

Shane gave a quick bob of his head at the introductions and as if to ward off a lecture from his mother, he told Caroline, “I took your suitcases up to your rooms.”

She quickly thanked him and was rewarded with a fleeting smile that didn’t quite meet his light-brown eyes.

“Shane’s a big help around here,” Wesley said as he put his arm around the adolescent’s shoulders.

Caroline could tell that Shane was pleased with the attention. He ducked his head and shuffled his feet as if a little embarrassed by his uncle’s attention.

“Shane’s only going to spend a year here in Colorado before going to college,” his mother said quickly as if there might have been some heated discussion about it. “His late father would have wanted him to fill his shoes, being responsible and taking care of family business. That means some brain work and study.”

Caroline could tell from Shane’s expression that he’d heard this lecture before. His eyes darkened. The young man’s suddenly stiff posture hinted at an explosive emotion close to the surface.

Wes murmured, “Easy does it.”

There was something threatening and unsettling about Shane Wainwright. Caroline decided then and there to keep Danny as far away from him as she could.

Chapter Three

Caroline was relieved that dinner was a casual affair served in a square room that resembled a café more than a formal dining area. The walls were knotty pine and undressed windows with open shutters overlooked a rocky slope and the lake below. Small maple tables and chairs were scattered around the room with no sign of the traditional long table. She suspected the lodge’s main dining room was closed off when so few people were in residence.

Stella had told Caroline that usually only relatives and close friends made use of the lodge, but Wes invited business associates and acquaintances to be guests a few times during the year.

Wes and Dexter had stayed behind to finish their drinks and the only occupant in the room when Caroline, Stella and the children entered was a woman with graying dark hair and strong Spanish features sitting at one of the tables. Her dress was a bright, exotic print with a matching fringed shawl and a stream of different colored beads hung around her neck. Large silver hoops dangled from her ears.

“Nanny, here’s another kid,” Cassie exclaimed as she bounded over to her. Pointing a finger at Danny, she added with a frown, “I don’t like him much. Does he get to play with all my things?”

The woman slowly set down her cup and rose to her feet. She was tall with a rather regal posture. Caroline guessed her to be in her fifties.

“No, sit down, Felicia,” Stella ordered, but the woman remained standing as Stella drew Caroline forward. “I spoke to you about Mrs. Fairchild and her son being with us for a few weeks. Well, this is Danny. He’s the same age as Cassie.”

Felicia’s dark eyes narrowed and she seemed to stiffen as she looked at Danny. Caroline wondered if she had already decided that the boy’s presence spelled trouble.

“I’m sure having someone for Cassie to play with will be a help,” Stella told her.

Caroline spoke up rather defensively. “Danny’s preschool teachers have found him easy to manage. He plays well with other children. If there’s any problem, I’ll want to know about it.”

“Such beautiful brown eyes, round and clear,” Felicia said, her expression softening as she looked at him.

Cassie shook her finger at Danny in a warning manner. “You have to do as she says.”

Danny stuck his tongue out at the bossy little girl.

To Caroline’s surprise Felicia laughed deeply, her earrings jingling as she nodded. Apparently, Danny’s rejection of Cassie’s bossiness amused her. “He’s a nice boy. You bring him to my rooms. We’ll all play and learn together.”

“Good. That’s settled then,” Stella said, just as Wes and Dexter came into the room.

“Mmm. Smells good,” Dexter said. “I’m hungry as a bear. Grrrr,” he said patting his stomach as he made a play move for Danny. He laughed when Danny backed up and gave him a wide-eyed stare.

“That’s enough, Dex,” Wes said and motioned Caroline and Danny toward a built-in buffet along one wall. “We don’t stand on formality here. We serve ourselves except for drinks.”

“Wait for me at a table, Danny,” Caroline told him. “I’ll bring you a plate.”

The choices were unbelievable and Caroline decided there were enough steaming dishes set out to feed a harvest crew. She had a choice of chicken, roast beef or barbecue pork ribs. There were several vegetable casseroles and potatoes oozing with butter. A platter of fruit was about the only thing that didn’t shriek calories.

Caroline selected a piece of chicken, modest servings of two kinds of vegetables and sliced oranges for both her and Danny. Wes, Dexter and Shane were in line behind her, filling their plates to the fullest.

Stella and Cassie took their plates to the table where Danny was sitting and as Caroline followed, she noticed that Felicia had left. She wondered if it was the nanny’s habit not to eat with the family.

As the two men and Shane sat together at another table, a murmur of conversation and laughter filled the small room. Almost immediately, as if there’d been some kind of signal to the kitchen, a rather plump, redheaded woman in slacks and T-shirt came into the room to serve the drinks.

“Trudie Benson, our housekeeper,” Stella told Caroline. “Her husband, Hank, is our wonderful cook and the two of them keep the place going. They’re recruits from the Texas ranch. Been with the Wainwright family for years. Wes brought them to Colorado when he was first married.”

“How long ago was that?”

“Before I was born,” Cassie piped up. “Daddy told me. Him and Mommy were lonesome until I came along. When she went to heaven, he was glad he still had me.”

“My daddy went to heaven, too,” Danny said as if he wasn’t going to be outdone. “And my mom’s glad she has me.”

Both Caroline and Stella choked back smiles. Competitive natures, both of them.

Caroline begged off staying downstairs after dinner. It had been a long day and both she and Danny were tired. To her surprise, Wes invited her to have an after-dinner drink before retiring, but she politely refused. She knew better than to fraternize with the boss.

After they were settled in their beds and Danny had said his prayers, she wearily closed her eyes and courted sleep. None came. After an hour of turning and tossing, she was still awake. The dynamics of her new situation and the people she’d met kept her mind whirling.

Wes Wainwright certainly had perfected an image of devoted father and unpretentious millionaire. But was it just a facade? What was he like, really? She doubted that he’d stay around long enough for her to find out. Even if he did, she was pretty sure he’d make his presence scarce while the redecorating was going on.

And what about Stella and her son, Shane? Stella must have been much older than the younger brother, Delvin, to marry and have a son of seventeen. She wondered what Wes’s wife had been like and what had happened to her. Caroline tossed all of this around in her mind until she finally fell into a restless sleep.

The room was filled with morning light when she came awake with a jerk. Danny was bending over her, his breath warm on her face. “Are you awake?”

“Almost,” she said and smiled as she cupped his face with her hands and kissed his forehead. “Are you?”

“Can we go home, now?”

“Not today.”

“When can we?”

“I’m not sure,” she answered honestly. Taking one day at a time was the only way she could cope at the moment. She wasn’t at all sure how this decorating job was going to play out. Stella’s temperament was certainly a question mark. Conceivably, the woman could throw her hands up at any time and fire Caroline without much cause.

Obviously, her brother-in-law, Wes, had no emotional investment in the project. Caroline suspected he’d be glad enough to have the whole idea scrapped.

And then there was Cassie. If Danny got crosswise with her in any serious way, her father would promptly show them the door to keep her happy. And Felicia wasn’t exactly the kind of nanny Caroline would have chosen. She didn’t seem the type who easily related to children.

WES WAS the only one in the room when they came down to breakfast. He watched as Caroline and Danny moved along the buffet. When she gave him a hesitant smile, he was glad he’d made the effort to come down early. He stood up and motioned for them to join him at his table.

He thought she looked trim and neat in light-blue slacks, matching jacket and simple white blouse. The first thing he’d noticed about her was her eyes. They were as blue and clear as a summer’s sky. Her brunette, wavy hair was short, casual and carefree. He liked that. He couldn’t stand women who were always fussing with their hair. His late wife, Pamela, had been the worst. She’d been a Texas beauty queen when he’d met and married her. Her appearance had always been uppermost in her mind. It got a little wearying at times.