realized that she had fallen in love with her niece. But who wouldn’t? “Let’s see how you did,” she said, jumping up and following the proud little girl into the walk-in closet.
She thought about Lana again. She would not be the first woman to be jilted by her husband, and perhaps Elizabeth’s hostility was a result of her taking sides in a bitter divorce. If it were at all possible, tonight she and Lana would have a
huge
talk. Surely Lana would not agree to this divorce, surely she intended to fight for her marriage. If not, Kait intended to convince her to do so. She felt like pounding her sister on both ears, as if that might pound some sense into her so she might wake up. She had a beautiful home, a fabulous lifestyle, and the most adorable child in the world. Not to mention a to-die-for, sexy husband. How could she be so careless with such precious gifts?
“See? I hung up your suit and put the pajamas away, too.” Marni cut into her thoughts.
“What a great job!” Kait cried, bending to hug her again.
Marni flushed with pleasure. “You smell so good.”
Kait blinked at her. She had chosen not to wear any scent, because she favored soft, slightly sweet perfumes, and Lana had left Dolce & Gabbana in her purse, which was too heady and strong for Kait’s taste. “I forgot my perfume; you must be smelling tea rose soap, sweetie,” Kait said.
“I like it,” Marni announced. “Can we do more packing?”
Kait smiled and pulled her close. “I think we’re about finished,” she said.
At precisely four o’clock, Kait and Marni were at the stables, Marni as cute as a button in her riding breeches and jodhpur boots. Kait had found a pair of paddock boots in Lana’s closet, boots that had clearly never been worn. But she already guessed that her sister dressed to a T when she rode, unfortunately.
Kait wisely let Marni lead the way. The largest barn, she learned, had two dozen stalls and an indoor arena, and that was where she found herself. Trev stood in the aisle, in a navy blue polo shirt, tight tan breeches, and high field boots, the handsome snow-white pony already tacked and in the cross-ties. An older man was beside him. Kait recognized the pony from the photos on Trev’s desk. A big, handsome bay gelding with four white socks and a star was also in the cross-ties; clearly, he was Trev’s mount. Both men turned as they approached.
Kait was flooded with a tension she refused to identify. Trev’s eyes were on her—she quickly looked away. But not before wondering why he wasn’t an advertisement for Ralph Lauren.
“Hello, Lana,” the older man said with a warm smile. He had a male rider’s lean, wiry build. “How was your trip to the Big Apple?”
Kait was so surprised by this warm greeting that she could hardly speak. Then, “Fine.”
“Been working Pride so he won’t get too hot on you,” the man continued. “He should be pretty steady when we work tomorrow.”
It took Kait a quick second to realize that Pride was Lana’s mount, and that she was expected to school with this man, who had to be the trainer. Lana had omitted all details of her equestrian life in her letter. She smiled, her lips feeling frozen. She knew she was not half the rider that her sister was. Lana had undoubtedly chosen not to mention her training, for fear of scaring Kait.
“Jim, I helped Mommy unpack,” Marni announced proudly.
“Now did you?” The white-haired fellow grinned. “I hear your daddy’s taking you for a bit of a cross-country ride today.” He un-snapped the two leads and took off the pony’s halter, slipping on his bridle.
“Daddy? Mommy wants to see me ride. Can’t we school in the ring?” Marni pleaded.
Trev had untied his bay. He smiled at Marni, and did not look at Kait. “We’ll warm up in the indoor,” he said. “And your mother can watch you there.”
A few moments later, Kait was hanging on the rail as Trev and Marni rode side by side at a walk. As she watched her
She thought about Lana again. She would not be the first woman to be jilted by her husband, and perhaps Elizabeth’s hostility was a result of her taking sides in a bitter divorce. If it were at all possible, tonight she and Lana would have a
huge
talk. Surely Lana would not agree to this divorce, surely she intended to fight for her marriage. If not, Kait intended to convince her to do so. She felt like pounding her sister on both ears, as if that might pound some sense into her so she might wake up. She had a beautiful home, a fabulous lifestyle, and the most adorable child in the world. Not to mention a to-die-for, sexy husband. How could she be so careless with such precious gifts?
“See? I hung up your suit and put the pajamas away, too.” Marni cut into her thoughts.
“What a great job!” Kait cried, bending to hug her again.
Marni flushed with pleasure. “You smell so good.”
Kait blinked at her. She had chosen not to wear any scent, because she favored soft, slightly sweet perfumes, and Lana had left Dolce & Gabbana in her purse, which was too heady and strong for Kait’s taste. “I forgot my perfume; you must be smelling tea rose soap, sweetie,” Kait said.
“I like it,” Marni announced. “Can we do more packing?”
Kait smiled and pulled her close. “I think we’re about finished,” she said.
At precisely four o’clock, Kait and Marni were at the stables, Marni as cute as a button in her riding breeches and jodhpur boots. Kait had found a pair of paddock boots in Lana’s closet, boots that had clearly never been worn. But she already guessed that her sister dressed to a T when she rode, unfortunately.
Kait wisely let Marni lead the way. The largest barn, she learned, had two dozen stalls and an indoor arena, and that was where she found herself. Trev stood in the aisle, in a navy blue polo shirt, tight tan breeches, and high field boots, the handsome snow-white pony already tacked and in the cross-ties. An older man was beside him. Kait recognized the pony from the photos on Trev’s desk. A big, handsome bay gelding with four white socks and a star was also in the cross-ties; clearly, he was Trev’s mount. Both men turned as they approached.
Kait was flooded with a tension she refused to identify. Trev’s eyes were on her—she quickly looked away. But not before wondering why he wasn’t an advertisement for Ralph Lauren.
“Hello, Lana,” the older man said with a warm smile. He had a male rider’s lean, wiry build. “How was your trip to the Big Apple?”
Kait was so surprised by this warm greeting that she could hardly speak. Then, “Fine.”
“Been working Pride so he won’t get too hot on you,” the man continued. “He should be pretty steady when we work tomorrow.”
It took Kait a quick second to realize that Pride was Lana’s mount, and that she was expected to school with this man, who had to be the trainer. Lana had omitted all details of her equestrian life in her letter. She smiled, her lips feeling frozen. She knew she was not half the rider that her sister was. Lana had undoubtedly chosen not to mention her training, for fear of scaring Kait.
“Jim, I helped Mommy unpack,” Marni announced proudly.
“Now did you?” The white-haired fellow grinned. “I hear your daddy’s taking you for a bit of a cross-country ride today.” He un-snapped the two leads and took off the pony’s halter, slipping on his bridle.
“Daddy? Mommy wants to see me ride. Can’t we school in the ring?” Marni pleaded.
Trev had untied his bay. He smiled at Marni, and did not look at Kait. “We’ll warm up in the indoor,” he said. “And your mother can watch you there.”
A few moments later, Kait was hanging on the rail as Trev and Marni rode side by side at a walk. As she watched her
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