really is? she thought. For in all she'd read and heard about him, his age hadn't been mentioned. At least she couldn't remember if it had. Perhaps he's much younger than he looks, she thought. Men who lived the kind of life Christian Barr was supposed to lead would surely age prematurely, she ' concluded smugly.
Toni shifted restlessly, annoyed with herself for allowing that man to dominate her thoughts. Hadn't she suffered the ultimate humiliation at Steven's hands?
And wasn't Steven a small-time version of Christian Barr?
"Of course he is," she muttered out loud. But the hurt and the anger were still there, still simmering behind the fagade of happiness and well-being she pre-
sented to the public.
It was easy to sit back and say she'd been lucky to rid out about Steven when she had. But as she looked :*ck on that evening when she discovered how little Se love had meant to him, Toni knew it would be a tang time before she would truly get over the pain.
The experience had left her wondering if she could e*er really trust a man again. She had trusted Steven.
She'd thought his love as unshakable as a mountain.
And she'd never been more completely wrong in her life. Perhaps part of the blame was hers, Toni thought .Prior to the accident her relationship with Steven had been fairly casual. She hadn't bothered to delve into emotional makeup because she hadn't been looking for a husband. She was young, happy with her life and the direction in which her career was headed. After the accident, however, she had wanted someone to take care of her, someone strong and kind and understanding. Steven had seemed to offer all the protection she was looking for.
She wondered if he had been aware of her needs and had taken advantage of them
for some reason of his own. His parents had been thrilled at the news of their
engement. Was it possible that they'd been urging him to get married and settle down?
If so, what better choice for a wife than one without any family to interfere
She also recalled his cutting remark during thatstormy exchange on her last day at work. He'd said, in effect, that being Mrs. Steven Crowell should make up for any embarrassment she might have suffered from his seeing Lea Simmons.
"The pompous ass!" Toni softly, exclaimed just as the telephone sounded. The harsh ringing seemed out of place, and after her initial start at the noise, she hurried to answer.
Her quiet "Hello?" was spoken rather breathlessly, considering that she had to run all the way to the kitchen and the only phone her aunt would allow in the house.
"Antonia?" a deep voice boomed in her ear. "This is Christian Barr. Thanks to that damn goat, I've got a roaring headache. I need to see a doctor, but I think it would be wise if someone drove me. Would it be asking too much of you to perform that small neighborly task?"
The combination of hearing his voice and the fact that he was ill threw Toni into a panic. Having decided that he was a thoroughly detestable man, she could just see him causing all sorts of trouble for Aunt Sara.
"I'll be right over," she said hastily.
After replacing the receiver, she stood undecided in the middle of the kitchen. If she were to go in and tell Mrs. D where she was going, Aunt Sara would have to be filled in on all the details. And knowing her aunt as she did, Toni could well imagine the confusion that that would bring about. She finally settled on leaving the housekeeper a note taped to the front of the fridge.
After that small matter was taken care of, she raced to her room where she exchanged the skirt and blouse she was wearing for a pair of jeans and a sweater. She grabbed a jacket and her purse, then retraced her steps to the kitchen and out the back door. As she hurried along the path that ran from the cottage and through the barrier of shrubs and trees to the big house, the only lights Toni could see were the ones in the rooms to the rear. So instead of going around to the imposing front
Toni shifted restlessly, annoyed with herself for allowing that man to dominate her thoughts. Hadn't she suffered the ultimate humiliation at Steven's hands?
And wasn't Steven a small-time version of Christian Barr?
"Of course he is," she muttered out loud. But the hurt and the anger were still there, still simmering behind the fagade of happiness and well-being she pre-
sented to the public.
It was easy to sit back and say she'd been lucky to rid out about Steven when she had. But as she looked :*ck on that evening when she discovered how little Se love had meant to him, Toni knew it would be a tang time before she would truly get over the pain.
The experience had left her wondering if she could e*er really trust a man again. She had trusted Steven.
She'd thought his love as unshakable as a mountain.
And she'd never been more completely wrong in her life. Perhaps part of the blame was hers, Toni thought .Prior to the accident her relationship with Steven had been fairly casual. She hadn't bothered to delve into emotional makeup because she hadn't been looking for a husband. She was young, happy with her life and the direction in which her career was headed. After the accident, however, she had wanted someone to take care of her, someone strong and kind and understanding. Steven had seemed to offer all the protection she was looking for.
She wondered if he had been aware of her needs and had taken advantage of them
for some reason of his own. His parents had been thrilled at the news of their
engement. Was it possible that they'd been urging him to get married and settle down?
If so, what better choice for a wife than one without any family to interfere
She also recalled his cutting remark during thatstormy exchange on her last day at work. He'd said, in effect, that being Mrs. Steven Crowell should make up for any embarrassment she might have suffered from his seeing Lea Simmons.
"The pompous ass!" Toni softly, exclaimed just as the telephone sounded. The harsh ringing seemed out of place, and after her initial start at the noise, she hurried to answer.
Her quiet "Hello?" was spoken rather breathlessly, considering that she had to run all the way to the kitchen and the only phone her aunt would allow in the house.
"Antonia?" a deep voice boomed in her ear. "This is Christian Barr. Thanks to that damn goat, I've got a roaring headache. I need to see a doctor, but I think it would be wise if someone drove me. Would it be asking too much of you to perform that small neighborly task?"
The combination of hearing his voice and the fact that he was ill threw Toni into a panic. Having decided that he was a thoroughly detestable man, she could just see him causing all sorts of trouble for Aunt Sara.
"I'll be right over," she said hastily.
After replacing the receiver, she stood undecided in the middle of the kitchen. If she were to go in and tell Mrs. D where she was going, Aunt Sara would have to be filled in on all the details. And knowing her aunt as she did, Toni could well imagine the confusion that that would bring about. She finally settled on leaving the housekeeper a note taped to the front of the fridge.
After that small matter was taken care of, she raced to her room where she exchanged the skirt and blouse she was wearing for a pair of jeans and a sweater. She grabbed a jacket and her purse, then retraced her steps to the kitchen and out the back door. As she hurried along the path that ran from the cottage and through the barrier of shrubs and trees to the big house, the only lights Toni could see were the ones in the rooms to the rear. So instead of going around to the imposing front
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