WHEN SAM WALKED into his office thirty minutes later, he found Crow sitting in one of the chairs, his hat on his lap, staring into the fire. Sam removed his own hat and sat at his desk. “What’s wrong?”
Looking away from the fire, Crow shook his head. “Nothing I can confirm. More of a feeling.”
Sam didn’t comment. Crow would fill him in when he was ready.
“How was your day with Miss Green?” Crow asked.
Sam grimaced. “Confusing.”
Crow chuckled. “What happened?”
Sam filled him in on the events of the day, including the strange ending.
“Those women are different,” Crow said.
Sam frowned. “Who? Rayne?”
“And the Butler wives.”
“What do you mean?”
“They are different, Sam. I’m not entirely certain what it is, but the three of them are different.” He sighed. “So is Mrs. Madden.”
Sam leaned forward. “Emma? In what way?”
“I see things sometimes when I meet with the elders.” Crow stared back into the fire.
“That’s because you smoke things that perhaps you shouldn’t.”
Crow smirked. “Perhaps. What time are we expected?”
“Six.”
Crow rose to leave. “I’ll meet you there.”
“Where are you going?”
“I need to ride.”
With a grin, Sam nodded. “I’ll see you later. Don’t be late.”
Crow left and Sam turned to his paperwork. His thoughts quickly turned to Rayne and the effect she was having on him. He remembered Gwen telling him once that the woman who captured his heart would surprise him. At the time, he’d laughed at her observation, but now he realized his friend may have been more right than she could have ever known. He shook himself and forced himself back to the business at hand.
* * *
Rayne followed Victoria to a rare secluded area of the city that Victoria promised would afford them some privacy. They walked into the shelter of the small forest in their skirts and then removed the hoops to give them more range of movement. They wore breeches underneath and short-sleeved shirts. They pushed each other for over a mile, until it was time to pace themselves and start for home. They slowed to a jog, and as they got closer to where they left their clothing, they walked.
“That was awesome.” Rayne stretched her arms over her head.
“I know! Quinn hates it, but he’ll come on occasion if I’m really stressed out. If I could do this a few times a week, I’d be a much nicer human being, I think.”
“I’ll run with you.” Rayne laughed. “I’d hate to be the reason you’re a bit—” Without warning, Victoria grabbed her arm and pulled her behind a tree, causing Rayne to trip. “What’s wrong?”
Victoria held her finger to her lips. “Shhh. People.”
The girls hid as a man and woman walked past them, obviously looking for some seclusion. Waiting until the couple was out of sight, Rayne followed Victoria to where they hid their undergarments and got dressed. They walked from the trees, composed and appearing to be two ladies on a leisurely stroll.
“Do you know how to ride?” Victoria slipped a pin into her hat as they walked.
Rayne raised an eyebrow. “Ride what?”
“A horse.”
“No.” Rayne laughed. “I’m more comfortable on two wheels.”
“Bicycle?”
“Motorcycle,” Rayne whispered. “I own a couple.”
“Seriously?” Victoria’s mouth dropped open.
“Yes. It drove my mom crazy.”
“I’ll bet. How long have you been riding?”
“Years. It started as rebellion and turned into something I really enjoy. I love my Harley.” Rayne’s eyes turned wistful. “It’s a total biker bike, and people don’t always realize a chick’s riding it.”
“How much of what the tabloids write about you is true?”
“Some of it.” Rayne let out a quiet snort. “Most of it’s ridiculous. They write that Shaunessy is my lover and then that we’re fighting. They wrote just last month I was having his baby. I’ve only met the guy once, and although he’s gorgeous, he’s also a dick. He treats women like shit, and I’m not interested in someone like that. Not again, anyway.”
“He’s got such an incredible voice.” Victoria glanced over at her. “As do you, of course.”
“Thanks. He definitely has pipes. Not that you would know with all the Autotune on his vocals.”
“Autotune?”
Rayne scowled. “It’s a ‘tool’ used in the studio to help singers with their pitch. They used to use it to polish turds mostly, but now it’s used as an effect, and it’s everywhere. I refuse to use it. I just keep doing the take until it’s right, but Shaunessy thinks it sounds cool… he’s wrong.”
“Oh! Is it that echo kind of thing?”
Rayne nodded. “Sort of. When I listen to singers who aren’t particularly good, I hear almost a gulp sound. It’s annoying to me now. Country musicians are the worst offenders.”
Victoria giggled. “Could it be that you’re just biased because you’re a rock girl? I happen to love Trisha Yearwood and she’s country.”
Rayne raised a finger to drive home her point. “Ah, but she doesn’t over use autotune, if she uses it at all, because she can really sing.”
“Martina McBride?”
“She can sing.” Rayne laughed. “Don’t keep going, because then I’ll tell you that some of your favorite artists suck and use auto tune, and you’ll never be able to hear them again without it being ruined for you.”
“Um, he-loh, I’ll never hear them again, Rayne.” Victoria swept her arm in front of her. “Look where we are.”
“Right. Well, I’m still going to keep my opinion to myself. I’d like you to have your fantasies.”
“Fine.” Victoria grinned and then focused on something in front of them. “Did you really run away when you were younger?”
“Yes,” Rayne said quietly.
“I don’t mean to pry.” Victoria lowered her head. “You don’t have to tell me if you don’t want to.”
“No, it’s fine. It’s not like it was a secret. I was seventeen and my mom was drinking really heavily. Dad moved to New York with his fifth secretary/lover when I was fifteen. Mom moved us to San Jose in California and had yet another boyfriend who seemed to think he got two for the price of one, you know?”
Victoria grimaced. “That’s awful.”
“I got on my old Triumph with fifty bucks and a change of clothes in a backpack. I had no idea where I was going. I made it up to Portland and freaked out. I called Shaye, not knowing what to do. I couldn’t return home and had nowhere to go.”
“Couldn’t you stay with Shaye?”
Rayne laughed. “At the time, I didn’t feel I could. Her parents are these super religious people who I felt would never accept me.”
“Did they say that?”
Sidestepping a large pile of horse excrement, Rayne wrinkled her nose. “No, but Shaye has a pretty weird relationship with her mother.”
“In what way?”
“Well, let’s see. Shaye’s perfect, and somehow that’s not good enough.”
“Perfect, really?” Victoria smiled.
Rayne laughed. “She’s drop-dead beautiful, sweet, and a very good Christian, but somehow that just doesn’t seem enough for her mom.”
Victoria gave a mock shudder. “Shaye sounds like a rebel.”
“I know, right? The thing is, she’s friends with people like me, rather than the Christians her mother thinks she should be friends with, so they butt heads a lot.”
Victoria nodded. “I can relate to that.”
“Her mom’s a really nice woman, but kind of judgmental, although she says she isn’t and really believes she isn’t. Does that make sense?”
“Totally!”
“Shaye gets caught in the middle sometimes. You should have seen the blow-up a few years ago when she got involved with the Muskogee Indians. Her mom absolutely flipped her lid. I can’t remember how it all happened, but now Shaye volunteers a few times a year at their headquarters.”
“Are they in Seattle?”
Rayne shook her head. “No. Oklahoma. Shaye flies to them, at her own expense. At first her mother said she couldn’t go, but Shaye has her trust fund from her grandmother, so her mom couldn’t really stop her, since she’s over eighteen, but they were barely civil for several months.”
Briefly interrupting their conversation, Victoria waved to someone and then turned back to Rayne. “Did they work it out?”
Rayne nodded. “Yes, but there’s always something else that comes up. In the end, Shaye moved up from Cali and in with me. Their relationship seems to work better with the distance.”
“Mothers are like that.” Victoria smiled.
Rayne wouldn’t know. Her mother was too self-involved to care about what Rayne was doing day-to-day. As long as she had money, she left Rayne alone.
Rayne and Victoria arrived back at the townhouse to find a horse tethered outside.
“Whose horse is this?” Victoria wondered aloud.
“You don’t recognize it?”
Victoria shook her head and Rayne followed her through the front door and into the parlor.
A tall blonde woman stood in the parlor, and her mouth dropped open when they walked into the room. “No way!” She sat down quickly.
Rayne raised an eyebrow. “What’s wrong?”
Emma stood and then sat down again. “I am like a huge fan!”
Rayne smiled. “Oh. Thanks.”
Victoria removed her gloves and grinned. “Rayne, this is Emma Madden. Emma, Rayne Green.”
Emma snorted. “Yeah, like I didn’t know that.” She focused back on Victoria. “When did this happen?”
“Last week,” Victoria said.
Rayne moved to shake Emma’s hand, however, she was a little slow to respond. “I’m so sorry. I’m trying to wrap my mind around the fact that I’m meeting you, being a huge fan and all, but not only that, I’m meeting you in the past.”
Lowering herself into the chair across from Emma, Rayne smiled
“At some point, you must meet my sister.” Emma clapped her hands. “What I wouldn’t give to hear the two of you sing together! She’s amazing as well.”
Rayne realized she was still wearing her coat, so she removed it and laid it across the back of the sofa. She faced Emma with a smile. “So what did you do in the future?”
“I was a dancer,” Emma said. “I taught dance, toured on occasion, and in my spare time, I did graphic arts. Actually, I danced with Hannah. We dance together whenever we get a chance, but now that we’re both pregnant, we’ve had to shelve it.” Emma sighed. “Sorry, I’m rambling.”
Rayne smiled. “What type of dance?”
“Everything, but mostly lyrical. I’ve choreographed several over the years. Even a couple, I’m embarrassed to say, for Britney Spears. I charged her double.”
Rayne laughed. “Why?”
“Because she’s so terrible!” Emma bit her lip. “I worked on a routine with my best friend, Mark. But ended up here before I could find out if he made your group. Did he?”
“Mark Battaglia?” Rayne asked.
Emma nodded.
Rayne’s eyes widened. “Wait, your maiden name isn’t Wellington, is it?”
Emma nodded. “Yes, it is, why?”
“We’re doing one of your routines during this tour.”
“Shut up!”
Peeling off her gloves, Rayne smiled. “Yeah. Mark did make the group, and in fact is our main choreographer. He showed us your routine and I insisted we use it.”
Emma grinned. “The sneak! Isn’t he the most amazing partner?”
Rayne nodded. “Yeah, I won’t partner with anyone else. He catches me every time. I haven’t always been that lucky.”
“Imagine what it’s like for someone my height!” Emma shivered. “It’s scary… this really is unbelievably surreal.”
Rayne grinned.
“Did you ever pay me for the routine?” Emma joked.
Rayne laughed. “I’ll get right on that.”
“Em, are you and Clay joining us for dinner?” Victoria interjected.
“Oh, right! I almost forgot why I stopped by.” Emma rubbed her forehead. “My brain is fried with this pregnancy. Anyway, Andrew and Gwen aren’t arriving until tomorrow. So yes, Clay and I will be here, but they won’t.”
Victoria nodded toward the window. “Whose horse is that out front?”
“Mine. Clayton surprised me with him yesterday. Isn’t he gorgeous?”
Victoria grinned. “Yes, he’s beautiful.”
Emma sighed. “I wondered if you wanted to grab Rocky and go for a ride, but it would appear you’re otherwise engaged.”
Victoria nodded. “We just went for a run, actually. But what about tomorrow?”
“Tomorrow would be great. Shall I swing by at ten?”
“Yep, sounds good.”
“Cool.” Emma rose to her feet.
“Did you ride here alone?” Victoria asked, her brows puckering in concern.
Emma chuckled. “What do you think?”
Victoria raised an eyebrow. “I didn’t see anyone with you.”
“That’s because Walter snuck back to the kitchen for some of Mrs. Putnam’s pie. Just don’t tell Hattie.” Emma pulled her gloves on. “Well, I better go. Dinner at six?”
Victoria smiled. “Yes. Come hungry.”
Emma shrugged. “When don’t I?”
“True.”
Rayne followed as Victoria led Emma to the front door.
“Walter, I’m ready if you are,” Emma called.
A stocky man came jogging up the hallway, wiping his mouth with a handkerchief. “I’m ready, Mrs. Madden.”
“Hm-mm, sure you are.” Emma turned and hugged Rayne. “It was really nice to meet you, Rayne.”
Rayne nodded. “You, too, Emma.”
Walter followed Emma out the front door and Victoria closed the door behind them.
Turning to Rayne, she asked, “How about a bath and then we’ll dress for dinner?”
Rayne nodded. “Sounds perfect.”
Victoria left her alone and Rayne spent a little longer than she expected relaxing in the tub. She heard a knock on the door just as she stepped out of the water and wrapped a towel around herself. “Who is it?”
“It’s me. Are you decent?” Victoria called.
“I’m in a towel, but come on in.” Victoria opened the door and walked in. She wore a violet gown, off the shoulder, with a V at the waist. Rayne’s eyes widened. “You look gorgeous.”
“Thanks.” Victoria smoothed her skirts. “I find a lot of this color in my wardrobe of late.”
“Oh?”
“Yes, Quincy orders them and they just show up.” Victoria snapped her fingers. “He feigns complete innocence.”
Rayne smiled. “It matches your eyes.”
“So he says.” Victoria got a faraway look in her eyes. “His favorite color used to be blue, but he said ever since meeting me, he’s become fond of amethyst.”
Rayne could see Victoria’s love for her husband written all over her face and it pulled at her heart.
Victoria shook her head and raised an eyebrow. “Are you ready?”
Rayne shrugged. “Sure.”
The dress Victoria pulled out of the armoire was a deep-blue velvet gown, low cut and like hers, off the shoulder. “This is exquisite.” Rayne gently ran her hand across the skirt.
“Just wait until we do your hair. The whole effect is going to knock Sam over.”
Rayne felt a familiar heat creep up her neck. “I’m really not sure I want to knock him over. He’s already intense enough as it is around me.”
“He likes you, Rayne. Just go with it.”
Rayne smiled and sat down to let Victoria do her magic. Victoria styled Rayne’s hair into a chignon, but wove a ribbon across her crown twice and around the bun, leaving a trail to stream down her back. The effect softened her face and brought out the shape of her eyes, deep set, with long dark lashes.
Victoria helped Rayne get into her corset and then her gown.
Rayne made her way to the mirror and gasped. “Wow. I love my hair, Victoria. Thank you. And this gown is unbelievable. It’s almost as though it were made for me.”
“I know, right? You and Hannah must be exactly the same size. Hannah had her housekeeper lower the hem, but nothing else.”
Rayne turned to the side and back again. “It’s gorgeous.”
“So, would you agree there are some enjoyable things about this century?”
“I never played dress-up as a little girl, so I have to admit, it’s kind of fun.” Rayne laughed. “I love my video shoots for the same reason.”
“Are you ready to go downstairs?”
Rayne took a deep breath. “As ready as I’ll ever be, I suppose.”
The girls ran into Hannah in the hallway. Victoria frowned. “Hey, HoBo, are you okay?”
Hannah sighed. “I’m cramping a little.”
Victoria pointed to Hannah’s room. “Then you should lie down right now.”
“I’m going.” Hannah rolled her eyes. “Jeez, you’re worse than Chris.”
Victoria’s gaze swept the hallway. “Where is he?”
“On his way up.”
“Rest, okay?” Her eyebrows drew together in concern.
“I will,” Hannah promised and then turned to Rayne. “You look beautiful in that dress.”
Rayne smiled at her. “Thanks, Hannah, it’s exquisite.”
“Christopher had it made for me when we got married, but I got pregnant so fast, I never got a chance to wear it. I’m glad you’re going to get some use out of it.”
“Hannah,” Christopher growled.
Rayne turned to see Christopher step onto the landing, with a frown on his face.
Hannah sighed. “I’m going, Knight.”
“All right, beautiful, into bed.” He pushed his wife into their room.
Victoria took Rayne’s hand and led her downstairs. Sam stood in the foyer and grinned when he saw the ladies. He wore tan breeches with a dark brown jacket and vest. His white shirt was starched just enough, and his dress shoes finished the ensemble perfectly.
“Sam. I’m proud of you for staying down here.” Victoria chuckled and then turned to Rayne. “I’ll see you in there.”
Rayne nodded and focused on Sam. He took her hand and led her down the rest of the stairs. “You are beautiful.”
Rayne felt the heat creep up her neck. “Thank you.”
He kissed her palm and the annoying shiver found its way down her spine again.
“How was the rest of your day?”
Rayne smiled up at him. “It was great. What about yours?”
Sam sighed. “Filled with paperwork.”
Rayne wrinkled her nose at the thought. “Yuck. I’m sorry.”
“Yuck?”
“Oh, it’s an expression from home. It means unpleasant.”
Sam squeezed her hand. “Well, it’s over, and I now get to spend the evening with the most beautiful woman in the world.”
Rayne groaned. “Good God.”
He raised an eyebrow. “You don’t believe me?”
“That remains to be seen. Just keep in mind, I met you just over a week ago and have yet to determine your ability to lie.”
Sam chuckled. “Fair enough. Now, come and meet Crow.”
He led her down the hall and into the parlor. The men stood and Rayne almost laughed out loud when she saw Crow. Shaye would fall in love at first sight with this man.
“Is he Creek?” she whispered.
Sam’s eyes widened in surprise. “How would you know that?”
“I’ll explain later.” She disengaged from his arm and walked over to Crow. Extending her hand to him, she smiled brightly. Crow obviously didn’t know what to do or how to react, so he shook her hand but said nothing.
“It’s really nice to meet you.”
Crow nodded. “It’s nice to meet you as well, Miss Green.”
“Please call me Rayne.”
Crow smiled and then looked pleadingly at Sam, who was already moving toward them.
Victoria beat him to it. “Don’t look so frightened, Crow.”
Sam grinned as Crow raised an eyebrow. Victoria laid her hand on his arm. “I will loosen you up one day and you will truly be Laughing Crow.”
“Oh?” he challenged.
“Yes. I will make you laugh—out loud.” He smirked and Victoria grinned. “See, you’re already loosening up. This time you didn’t look as scared.”
Clayton and Emma arrived a few minutes later and after quick introductions, dinner was served. The group moved to the dining room and took their seats.
“Where’s Han?” Emma asked.
“Not feeling so hot,” Victoria said.
Emma frowned. “How bad?”
“Not bad.” Victoria sipped her wine. “Christopher made her go straight to bed.”
Emma let out a quiet breath. “I’ll go and see her after dinner.”
“She’d like that.”
Emma turned to Rayne. “Will you join us for Thanksgiving in Harrisburg, Rayne?”
Rayne shook her head. “I’m going home, actually.”
Emma’s fork dropped to her plate with a clatter. “You are?”