“I remember it.“
“You never told anyone I didn’t stay with you in that damned cave.“
“No point.“
“Guess I never thanked you for keepin’ your mouth shut about that.“
“Forget it, Eddy. That was a long time ago. It doesn’t matter now.“
“That’s kind of what I figured. It doesn’t matter much now. Nothing does.“
Diana stood staring up at Chained Lady Falls. The billowing mist dampened her hair as well as the oxford cloth shirt she was wearing with her khaki trousers. The rocks at the base of the falls were slippery. She’d almost fallen once or twice, trying to get close enough to see the hidden entrance to the cave. She still couldn’t spot it through the thundering water.
And she still wasn’t sure why she had driven out here to take another look at the falls this afternoon. Something about the place had drawn her back for another look. She peered upward, trying to envision a path behind the white veil. The cliff behind the falls looked sheer, offering no obvious footholds.
But Colby had said he and Eddy Spooner had climbed up to the cave the time they had dared each other to spend the night in it. There must be a path. She just couldn’t see it.
The legend of Chained Lady Cave had begun to fascinate her. She’d awakened this morning thinking about it, and now she couldn’t seem to stop.
At her side. Specter whined softly. Absently, Diana reached down to pat his mist-dampened coat. “What’s the matter? Don’t like getting wet, do you? You’ve never been real big on taking baths. Well, come along, then. I think we’
ve seen enough.“
Diana made her way carefully over the wet rocks toward the car. “I wonder if Colby would agree to show me the inside of that cave?“
She pondered her own curiosity all the way back to her cottage. It wasn’t until Specter gave a sharp, warning bark as they pulled into the drive that she realized someone was sitting patiently on her front porch.
“Hello, Brandon. I didn’t expect to see you here. How are you today?“
Brandon got to his feet and smiled tentatively. “Hi, Miss Prentice. I walked over to see you. Dad’s gone to see an old buddy of his. Didn’t know if you were gone for the day or what.“
“I just went for a drive. Come on inside. I think I’ve got some beer in the refrigerator. And please call me Diana.“
“Thanks. I could use a drink. It’s hot today.“ He followed her into the house, idly patting Specter who was tolerant of the caress.
“My dog seems to like you. You should be flattered.“ In the kitchen Diana opened the refrigerator and found a can of beer. “He doesn’t think much of your father, you know.“
“Is that right?“ Brandon looked surprised. “Dad’s usually pretty good with animals. We always had pets around when I was growing up.“
“For some reason Specter and Colby have agreed to disagree. They have their own private war going. I try to remain neutral.“ She handed Brandon the beer and poured herself a glass of iced tea. “Have a seat.“
Brandon dropped into a kitchen chair, his casual sprawl reminiscent of his father’s easy masculine grace. His young face was set in serious lines as he spent a few seconds groping for the right words. “I came by to ask a favor, Miss… I mean Diana. A big favor.“
Diana’s heart sank. “If this has anything to do with family matters, Brandon, I would prefer to stay out of it. After all, I’m just a friend of your father’s.“
Brandon’s eyes widened. “You’re more thana friend. I can tell by the way Dad looks at you.“ A dull red tinged his cheeks. He looked away. “Sorry. I didn’t mean to be rude. It’s just that I know he likes you. A lot. And, well, I thought maybe you could talk to him. God knows I can’t.“
“Have you tried?“
Brandon nodded wearily. “I tried again last night after Robyn went to bed. It was a disaster. We ended up yelling at each other. I’ve always been able to talk to him until now. But his mind is absolutely closed on the subject.“
“He’s got his reasons, Brandon.“
Brandon grimaced. “He thinks history is going to repeat itself. He won’t even listen to me. Heck, all I want to do is talk to him about it, you know? I want to explain about Robyn and her folks.“
“What about Robyn and her folks?“ Diana asked.
“They’re always on her back. Always telling her what to do. They scream at each other, and then they scream at her. They won’t let her do anything on her own.“
“How did she get permission to come up here with you?“
Brandon’s mouth tightened. “They think she’s with a girlfriend on the coast.“
“Oh, brother.“
Brandon stared at her helplessly. “You see what I mean? I’ve got to talk to Dad. And fast. I want to ask him some questions. If I could just get him to be reasonable, maybe I could decide what to do.“
“Brandon, I don’t think anyone could get your father to be reasonable about something unless he wanted to be reasonable about it. And in this case, where he feels he’s right, I suspect the chances of me being able to influence him are absolutely zero. I think your best bet is to just back off for a while. You and Robyn are going to be together at school next year, aren’t you?“
“Yes.“
“Well? It’s not as if someone is going to pry the two of you apart. Why rush into marriage? Give it some time. Let your father see the relationship is solid and for real, if indeed it is solid and real.“
Brandon looked down at the can in his hand. “Robyn doesn’t want to wait. She wants to get married so that she can get away from her parents.“
“What about you? What do you want to do?“ Diana asked gently.
“I… care for her. A lot. I kind of feel sorry for her. If she wants to get married right away, then I guess that’s okay with me.“
“Are you sure, Brandon?“
He looked up, dark eyes almost fierce. “I’m sure!“
“All right. Calm down. I was just asking. The decision to marry is a very big one. Look at me, I was never able to make it,“ Diana quipped.
Brandon looked puzzled. “You’ve never married?“
“No.“
“No kids?“
“No kids.“
“Don’t you want any?“
Diana laughed. “Even if I did, it’s a little late to start having them now,“