who's steel right through," she said.
"And you were out of the country when it
happened."
She lifted her eyes to his hard face. "Yes. I was in
Nassau with Charles, having a lovely time!"
His eyes seemed to blaze up at her.
Before the confrontation could escalate, Lillian
diplomatically got between them. "Have you had
time to look around?" she asked Simon.
"Oh, we've seen most everything," Jill answered
for him. "Even the bust of Simon that Tira did. I was surprised that she was willing to sell it," she added in an innocent tone. "I
wouldn't part with something so personal, Simon
being such an old friend and all. But I guess
under the circumstances, it was too painful a reminder of...things, wasn't it, dear?" she asked Tira .
Tira's hand automatically drew back, with the remainder of the champagne, but before she could toss it, Simon caught her
wrist with his good hand.
"No catfights," he said through his teeth.
"Jill, wait for me at
the door, will you?"
"If you say so. My, she does look violent, doesn't
she?" Jill chided, but she walked away quickly
just the same.
"Get a grip on yourself!" Simon shot at Tira under his breath. "Don't you see the reporters staring at you?"
206
Beloved
Diana Palmer
207
"I
don't give a damn about the reporters," she flashed at him. "If she comes near me again, I swear I'll
empty the punch bowl over her vicious
little head!"
He let go of her wrist and something kindled in his pale eyes as he looked at her animated face.
"That's more like you," he said in a
deep, soft tone.
Tira flushed, aware that Lillian was quietly deserting her, stranding her with Simon.
"Why did you come?" she asked
furiously.
"So the gossips wouldn't have a field day speculating
about why I didn't," he explained. "It
wouldn't have done either of us much good,
considering what's been in print already."
She lifted her face, staring at him with cold eyes at
the reference to things she only wanted to forget.
"You've done your duty," she said. "You might as well
go. And take the Wicked Witch of the West
with you," she added spitefully.
"Jealous?" he asked in a
sensuous tone.
Her face hardened. "I once asked you the same
question. You can give yourself the same answer that
you gave me. Like hell I'm jealous!"
He was watching her curiously, his eyes acutely alive in
a strangely taciturn face. "You've lost
weight," he remarked. "And you look
more like a widow than a celebrity tonight. Why wear black?"
"I've decided that you were right. I should have
mourned my husband. So now I'm in mourning,"
she said icily and with an arctic smile. "I expect to be in
mourning for him until I die, and I'll never
look at a man again. Doesn't that make you happy?"
He frowned slightly. “ Tira ..."
" Tira !"
The sound of a familiar voice turned them both around.
Harry Beck, Tira's father-in-law, came forward, smiling, to embrace Tira . He
turned to shake Simon's hand. "Great to see you both!" he said enthusiastically. " Dollface , you've outdone yourself," he
told Tira , nodding toward two nearby
sculptures. "I always knew you were talented,
but this is sheer genius!"
Simon
looked puzzled by Harry's honest enthusiasm for Tira's work, by his lack of hostility. She'd killed his only son, didn't he care?
"I'm glad to see you, Simon," Harry added with a
smile. "It's
been a long time."
"Simon was just leaving. Weren't you?" Tira added meaning fully.
"Someone's motioning to you," Harry noted,
indicating Lillian frantically waving from across the
room.
"It's Lillian. Will you excuse me?" Tira asked, smiling at Harry. "I won't be a minute." Simon, she ignored entirely.
The two men
watched her go.
"I'm
glad to see her looking so much better," Harry said on a sigh, shoving his hands into his pockets.
"I've been worried since she went
to the hospital."
"Do you really care what happens to her?"
Simon asked cu riously.
Harry was surprised. "Why wouldn't I be? She was my
daugh ter-in-law. I've always been fond of
her."
"She
"And you were out of the country when it
happened."
She lifted her eyes to his hard face. "Yes. I was in
Nassau with Charles, having a lovely time!"
His eyes seemed to blaze up at her.
Before the confrontation could escalate, Lillian
diplomatically got between them. "Have you had
time to look around?" she asked Simon.
"Oh, we've seen most everything," Jill answered
for him. "Even the bust of Simon that Tira did. I was surprised that she was willing to sell it," she added in an innocent tone. "I
wouldn't part with something so personal, Simon
being such an old friend and all. But I guess
under the circumstances, it was too painful a reminder of...things, wasn't it, dear?" she asked Tira .
Tira's hand automatically drew back, with the remainder of the champagne, but before she could toss it, Simon caught her
wrist with his good hand.
"No catfights," he said through his teeth.
"Jill, wait for me at
the door, will you?"
"If you say so. My, she does look violent, doesn't
she?" Jill chided, but she walked away quickly
just the same.
"Get a grip on yourself!" Simon shot at Tira under his breath. "Don't you see the reporters staring at you?"
206
Beloved
Diana Palmer
207
"I
don't give a damn about the reporters," she flashed at him. "If she comes near me again, I swear I'll
empty the punch bowl over her vicious
little head!"
He let go of her wrist and something kindled in his pale eyes as he looked at her animated face.
"That's more like you," he said in a
deep, soft tone.
Tira flushed, aware that Lillian was quietly deserting her, stranding her with Simon.
"Why did you come?" she asked
furiously.
"So the gossips wouldn't have a field day speculating
about why I didn't," he explained. "It
wouldn't have done either of us much good,
considering what's been in print already."
She lifted her face, staring at him with cold eyes at
the reference to things she only wanted to forget.
"You've done your duty," she said. "You might as well
go. And take the Wicked Witch of the West
with you," she added spitefully.
"Jealous?" he asked in a
sensuous tone.
Her face hardened. "I once asked you the same
question. You can give yourself the same answer that
you gave me. Like hell I'm jealous!"
He was watching her curiously, his eyes acutely alive in
a strangely taciturn face. "You've lost
weight," he remarked. "And you look
more like a widow than a celebrity tonight. Why wear black?"
"I've decided that you were right. I should have
mourned my husband. So now I'm in mourning,"
she said icily and with an arctic smile. "I expect to be in
mourning for him until I die, and I'll never
look at a man again. Doesn't that make you happy?"
He frowned slightly. “ Tira ..."
" Tira !"
The sound of a familiar voice turned them both around.
Harry Beck, Tira's father-in-law, came forward, smiling, to embrace Tira . He
turned to shake Simon's hand. "Great to see you both!" he said enthusiastically. " Dollface , you've outdone yourself," he
told Tira , nodding toward two nearby
sculptures. "I always knew you were talented,
but this is sheer genius!"
Simon
looked puzzled by Harry's honest enthusiasm for Tira's work, by his lack of hostility. She'd killed his only son, didn't he care?
"I'm glad to see you, Simon," Harry added with a
smile. "It's
been a long time."
"Simon was just leaving. Weren't you?" Tira added meaning fully.
"Someone's motioning to you," Harry noted,
indicating Lillian frantically waving from across the
room.
"It's Lillian. Will you excuse me?" Tira asked, smiling at Harry. "I won't be a minute." Simon, she ignored entirely.
The two men
watched her go.
"I'm
glad to see her looking so much better," Harry said on a sigh, shoving his hands into his pockets.
"I've been worried since she went
to the hospital."
"Do you really care what happens to her?"
Simon asked cu riously.
Harry was surprised. "Why wouldn't I be? She was my
daugh ter-in-law. I've always been fond of
her."
"She
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