“I don’t understand why you’re not married, Melissa,”

David said bluntly. “I mean, you love children, that’s obvious, and from the way the fellows at the fund-raiser were looking at you, I’d say you could attract about any man you wanted.”

“I guess that’s your answer.” She lightly tossed her head. “I haven’t found one that I wanted.”

“That picky, huh?” His grin teased her.

“Very,” she agreed. She disagreed with people who said you should compromise with life. Her faith wouldn’t let her willingly make a bad decision and throw the future away.

“What about you? There are plenty of eligible women who would be very happy to be Mrs. David Ardell.”

“But you’re not one of them,” he said lightly, as if teasing her.

LEONA KARR

A native of Colorado, the author has always been inspired by God’s magnificence and the delights in using mountain valleys, craggy cliffs and high, snow-tipped peaks as a setting for many of her books. She began writing professionally in 1980 and has enjoyed seeing more than thirty of her romance books in print. The theme of “love conquers all” is an important message in all her stories.

Even though Leona contracted polio the year before the vaccine was approved, the blessings in her life have been many. “Wheeling and dealing” from a wheelchair, she has helped raise four children, pursued a career as a Reading Specialist and recently, after being widowed for five years, found a new love and soul mate in her own “Love Inspired” marriage.

She strives to write stories that will enrich the spiritual lives of those who read them, and is grateful to the many readers who have found her books filled with warm, endearing characters that they can identify with.

Hero in Disguise
Leona Karr

www.millsandboon.co.uk

Call unto me and I will answer you, and will tell you great and hidden things which you have not known.

—Jeremiah 33:3

With thanks to Paul Fanshane,

a very special and delightful friend

Contents

Chapter One

Chapter Two

Chapter Three

Chapter Four

Chapter Five

Chapter Six

Chapter Seven

Chapter Eight

Chapter Nine

Chapter Ten

Chapter Eleven

Chapter Twelve

Chapter Thirteen

Chapter Fourteen

Chapter Fifteen

Chapter Sixteen

Letter to Reader

Chapter One

Let me say and do the right thing, Melissa Chanley prayed as she entered the Colorado State Capital.

It wasn’t going to be easy, no matter how she approached David Ardell. The contents of the folded note in her purse were going to shake up the handsome young attorney’s life the minute he laid his eyes on it.

How would he react? She’d never met him personally, but she’d seen his picture in the newspaper with the governor, and on television. He was in his early thirties, had wavy hair almost the color of old gold and dark brown eyes. In public he was poised, articulate and successful—but what kind of person lay under that successful political veneer? Was there a compassionate nature that she could appeal to?

As she opened the door to the outer office, Melissa hoped she wasn’t embarking on a fool’s errand. A middle-aged secretary with graying hair sat behind a computer. A wooden desk placard identified her as Elsie Shaw. She gave Melissa a practiced smile and an enquiring raise of her eyebrows. Curiosity was evident as her frank gaze assessed Melissa.

“May I help you?”

“I’m Melissa Chanley. I have a two o’clock appointment.”

When Melissa made the appointment, the secretary had enquired as to the reason for the meeting, but Melissa had sidestepped the question. In her capacity as freelance writer for Colorado’s Women of the West magazine, Melissa had learned to save explanations for the person she was interviewing, and even though her appointment had nothing to do with her professional occupation, she wasn’t about to share that with his secretary.

“Oh, yes, Ms. Chanley. I’ll let him know you’re here.” She spoke briskly into the intercom, listened a moment and then nodded. Turning to Melissa, she said, “He’ll see you now, but only for a few minutes. Mr. Ardell has a busy schedule this afternoon.” She left her desk, opened an adjoining office door, motioned Melissa inside and then quietly closed the door behind her.

Melissa hesitated just inside the office as her sweeping gaze quickly assessed the room, which was crowded with more furniture than any decent interior decorator would allow. Large windows were banked by bookcases and a collection of scenic western oil paintings was mounted on the opposite wall. A ring of chairs took up space in the center of the room as if left by a previous meeting, and a large executive desk was loaded with books and papers. The leather office chair behind it was empty.

“Please, come in, Ms. Chanley.” The masculine voice edged with a hint of impatience startled her.

She saw then that the lawyer was sitting on a dark leather couch in a far corner of the room. As he stood up, he put down some folders on an already loaded coffee table. His eyes traveled over her as she walked toward him.

“I’m David Ardell.” He introduced himself as if he wasn’t certain that she had come to the right office.

“Yes, I know.” She felt a smile hover on her lips. He was definitely more attractive in person than on television, even though a slight frown marred his handsome features. “Thank you for seeing me.”

What now? David thought. At any other time, he might have enjoyed the interruption of an attractive dark-haired woman, but the governor was waiting for a report that was only half finished, and he had to attend a committee meeting in a few minutes. He caught the waver of a smile and the confident lift of her head as she came toward him. Who was she, anyway? Some socialite wanting him to serve on a community committee as representative of the governor? Then he remembered his secretary had told him that she was a reporter for a local woman’s magazine. Great, he thought wryly.

“How can I help you?” he asked, already forming a routine dodge for handling the matter, whatever it was.

“I’m sorry to bother you, Mr. Ardell, but this is important.”

That didn’t surprise him. Heaven knows, half of what crossed his desk was stuff somebody at the capital thought was urgent and needed his immediate attention. Sometimes he felt like a firefighter with a dozen fires to put out. “Yes, Ms. Chanley?”

From his tone Melissa knew that he was ready to get rid of her as quickly as possible. Only the dire necessity of her visit stiffened her resolve to take as much time as she needed to make him understand the situation.

“I’m here at the request of someone else,” she said evenly. “And when you know who, I’m sure you’ll agree that my mission is important enough to take up a few minutes of your time.”

Something in her tone warned David that his intention to dismiss her in short order might be premature. For a moment he let himself appreciate the way she held her slender shoulders and kept her unbelievable pansy-blue eyes locked on his face. Even the trim summer suit couldn’t hide feminine curves or lovely long legs showing under a modest-length skirt as she stood in front of him, her head high, her eyes fixed directly on his as if she was the one in control of the situation.

“May I ask who sent you?” David’s involvement in the political world had made him appreciate a worthy adversary. He sensed that in some fashion Melissa Chanley was here to challenge him.

“This will take a few minutes,” she said smoothly. “Shall we sit down?”

“Of course. I’m sorry.” He chuckled to himself at how deftly she’d taken charge of the interview by that simple request. Maybe this was going to be interesting, after all. Her firm yet gracious manner was fresh and appealing, and in spite of himself he was intrigued with the reason for her visit. He couldn’t ever remember meeting her at any of the political fundraisers or rallies, and he was certain he would not forget a woman as attractive as she.

“Please, sit down.” He motioned her to the leather couch and he eased down into a chair opposite her. Moving a few things around on the coffee table, he said, “As you can see I’m trying to dig out from under some paperwork that the governor’s office unloaded on me. I’m sorry I don’t have time to offer you some coffee. Unfortunately, I have a meeting in a few minutes. Perhaps you’d rather make an appointment on another day when I have more time?”

“No. I’m afraid this can’t wait.” Melissa’s heart began to race. Speak into my words, Lord. Give me the wisdom I need.

“All right, Ms. Chanley.” He raised a questioning dark brown eyebrow. “I understand that you’re a writer for Women of the West magazine?” He allowed himself a smile. “I really can’t see that I have anything to offer in the way of material for your publication.”

“I’m not here in my professional capacity,” Melissa explained as she reached into her white leather bag and took out a piece of paper. “I have a message for you from Jolene McCombre.”

Jolene McCombre.

He stiffened and for one startling moment he wondered if he’d heard the name correctly, but something in the way Melissa Chanley was looking at him said that there had been no mistake. Just hearing the name jerked the scab off a wound that had never quite healed. Until that moment, he’d thought that he had successfully buried everything having to do with his high school sweetheart.

They had planned to marry as soon as he finished law school, but Jolene had jilted him a month before their wedding, disappeared from his life and married a serviceman who was home on leave. David had never gotten over Jolene’s cruel betrayal, and even though some protective instinct warned him not to open that door again, he knew better than to lie about knowing the woman who had left him at the altar.

“You have a message for me from Jolene,” he repeated in a tight voice. “What kind of message?”

Melissa fingered the letter in her hand, unsure how she should prepare him for the contents. His expression had become a closed mask, and hardness flickered in the depths of his brown eyes. She knew that the success of her mission depended upon how well she handled the next few minutes. “Before I give you the letter, I want to explain how I got it.”

David gave her a noncommittal nod and remained silent. Better not to say anything until he knew exactly why this woman was here and what her intent was. She was a writer, after all. Had Melissa Chanley stumbled into this juicy tidbit of his past and planned to use it for some nefarious purpose of her own? Busy with his life and career, he had lost all track of Jolene through the years. Why would she be sending him a letter through this stranger? A flicker of intuition warned that this meeting was going to challenge his determination to leave the past buried.

“My magazine does profiles on women, past and present, who have shown strength and dedication in a lifetime of helping others,” Melissa explained. “I was doing an article on May Bowers who founded the Denver Christian Shelter for homeless women and children. While spending time with May and collecting information for my article, I made friends with some of the women in the shelter, and they shared their stories of abandonment and poverty with me.” Melissa drew a firming breath. “Jolene was one of them.”

His eyes widened in disbelief. “She was one of the women at the shelter?”

Melissa nodded. “Yes. Penniless and homeless with two little boys. Apparently, the father of the boys died when they were two and three years old, and she raised them by herself until last year when she married a man who took her for everything she had. The scoundrel ended up in prison for fraud, and left her with huge bills and no money. She came to Denver, hoping to find a job and start again, but she became ill before she could find work and ended up at the shelter. I befriended her two little boys, Richie and Eric, and when Jolene was taken to the hospital she asked me to take care of them instead of leaving them at the shelter.”

“Is Jolene there now? In the hospital?” When she shook her head, he said, “Oh, I see. You took her home with you.” Now, he understood. Ms. Chanley was here to get money from him for Jolene and her kids.

“No, I’m afraid Jolene never made it out of the hospital.”

He swallowed hard. “She died?”

“Yes, I’m sorry. She gave me this letter in the hospital, and asked me to read and deliver it if she didn’t make it.” She handed him the folded sheet of paper.

David’s stomach took a sickening plunge as he focused on the familiar handwriting. Jolene had written him every week while he was in law school, and there was no doubt that she had penned this letter. For a moment he wanted to hand the note back without reading it. Then he took himself in hand. He was not the same person he’d been ten years ago.

Melissa watched as David read the letter written by a mother who knew she was dying. Jolene had simply reminded David Ardell of the love they had once shared and asked him to look after her sons now that she was no longer able to care for them. Her greatest fear was that they would end up in foster homes, and she begged David to use his resources to assure their care and happiness.

Melissa searched David’s expression as he read it, but his thoughts were hidden from her. Only his long fingers tightening slightly on the letter hinted at an inner turmoil. He was good at hiding his emotions, she thought. Jolene had not shared much about their past relationship, and Melissa only knew what was in the letter.

Slowly he folded the letter, and when he raised his dark eyes and looked at her, his gaze was guarded and his mouth set in a firm line. “I’ll have to check this out, of course.”

“Please do. May Bowers and St. Joseph’s Hospital can verify everything I’ve told you. I’m sorry to be the messenger in this situation,” she said sincerely, sensing a deep concern beneath his professional demeanor. She suspected that he tried to keep his personal hurts hidden from everyone.

“It isn’t that I doubt your integrity,” he assured her.

“I understand. Anyone in your prominent position has to be careful. You can check out the handwriting with May.”

“That won’t be necessary, but there are some other things that I want to verify. Where are the boys now?”

“They are still with me.”

“And how old are they?”

“Eric is six, and Richie is almost five. They’re very bright little boys.” She smiled. “Most of the time, they’re pretty easy to handle.”

“Unfortunately, it may take a little time to track down any relatives who could take them, but I’ll put an investigator on it right away.” David had recovered from his initial shock, and his agile mind had begun to search for ways to handle the situation with impersonal dispatch. If things were exactly as she had told him, he didn’t have much choice but to get involved, temporarily at least.

“I hope we can find someone soon. We need to get the boys settled as soon as possible.”

“I know that Jolene’s parents passed away some years ago—and I know nothing about the father’s relatives,” he added with a hard edge in his tone, referring to the man Jolene had chosen to marry. “Did she make any mention of family while she was at the shelter?”

“No, and I doubt that she would have been there with her children if she’d had any family to go to,” Melissa said. “I took the boys because there was no one else she could ask.”

“I see, and you’re willing to keep them until some other arrangements have been made?” He used a professional lawyer tone, as if he were taking a deposition instead of handling a very personal matter. He did not want to meet the children that under different circumstances might have been his.

“No, I’m afraid not. I’m not in any position to keep Eric and Richie at my place,” she said firmly. Where was a sign of compassion for the woman he had once intended to marry?

“If it’s a matter of monetary compensation, I’m sure we can come to some satisfactory arrangement. I’m willing to assume the expenses of the children’s care while you have them.”

“How generous of you,” she said with gravel in her voice. Obviously, his checkbook was as close as he intended to get to the sweet little boys who could use a caring man in their lives right now.

“You should be compensated in some fashion for their care,” he said, well aware of the sarcasm in her tone. A flash of anger in her lovely blue eyes startled him. She looked ready to light into him. What was the matter? His offer seemed reasonable enough. Was she after more money than just expenses for keeping the boys? “Did you have some specific arrangement in mind?”

“Although I would love to keep Eric and Richie, I can’t. And it isn’t a matter of compensation.” She didn’t want him to think she was trying to fleece him out of any money for keeping them. “I live in a studio basement apartment with a fold-down bed. We’ve been playing camping with sleeping bags. I’ve managed to keep Eric and Richie fairly entertained in the small space, but some other accommodations have to be made.” She eyed him frankly. “What kind of living space do you have?”

He knew the question was rhetorical. From the thrust of her chin, he could tell that she already knew from reading the society pages that he lived in Denver’s fashionable Cherry Creek district in a spacious family home, which was his residence now that his parents had retired and moved to Florida. He decided to deliberately sidestep the inference that he had a home large enough to comfortably house the two boys.

“Frankly, I’m not quite sure what Jolene expected me to do in this situation.” There was no way that he was going to become personally responsible for the care of Jolene’s two boys. He’d do his best to find a relative to take them, and he’d foot the bill for their care until then. That was it.

“I think it’s pretty clear that she wanted you to look after them, Mr. Ardell.”

“It’s David,” he said, brushing away her formality. “And I will do my best to get them placed.”

Melissa looked at him with a warning in her large eyes. If he suggested they call Children’s Services to take the children, she was ready to challenge that decision. “We need to do what’s best for the children.”

“Yes, of course, but we have to consider what would be better for them in the long run. Don’t we, Melissa?”

“The long run,” she echoed in disbelief. “You and I have the responsibility of deciding what should happen to them right now, today. We have two little boys that have just lost their mother. Sadly enough, their lives have been in a state of upheaval almost since the day they were born.” What they need is someone to love and take care of them now!

“What options do we have?” David didn’t like the feeling that she was personally attacking him. None of this was of his making. He sympathized with the homeless little boys and regretted that Jolene had made such a mess of her life, but the responsibility for the situation was not his. “My taking on the personal care of two youngsters is impossible.”

“Surely you know a nice family with children who would take Eric and Richie until a relative can be located,” Melissa insisted, knowing she had lost the first round. He wasn’t going to get personally involved.

“Honestly, I don’t.” He brushed back a forelock of dark blond hair and frowned. “My single life doesn’t include anyone close enough that I can call up and dump two strange kids on them. If you could just keep them temporarily—”

“I told you I don’t have the space. I wish I did, but I don’t. This afternoon I had to leave Eric and Richie with my landlady, whose apartment is almost as small as mine.” She refrained from telling him that the past two weeks had been an almost impossible challenge—trying to meet her deadlines at the various magazines she wrote for, while cooped up in a basement apartment scarcely big enough for one adult, let alone two rambunctious little boys. She fell silent, waiting for him to decide what he was going to do about Jolene’s request—if anything.

He was silent for a moment, then he asked, “And what about time?”

She looked puzzled. “What do you mean?”

“Have you had the time to care for them?”

“I’ve made the time,” she said flatly. “Since I’m a freelance writer, I can set my own work hours. That’s the only way I’ve been able to spend days at the park with the boys, and compose at night with my laptop computer on the kitchen table.”

“I see.” He surprised her by suddenly getting up from his chair and easing down beside her on the couch. “Well, Melissa, we may have a solution, after all.”

She caught a whiff of spicy men’s cologne as she steadied herself against his nearness. Careful, she warned herself. David Ardell’s ability to deftly manage people was evident in the disarming smile he gave her.

“Let’s look at the problem this way. You have the time to care for the children but not the space. I have the space but no one to care for the children. Doesn’t the answer seem obvious?” He raised a questioning eyebrow.

“What are you suggesting?”

“A businesslike solution. While I hire an investigator to find the boys’ relatives, you could move into my house temporarily to care for them.”

“I couldn’t do that,” she said quickly. “Move in with you, like that. It wouldn’t be proper.”

“You wouldn’t be moving in with me.” David was amused by the indignant spark in her eyes. Her reaction told him a great deal about her moral fiber, and he hastened to reassure her that his offer was strictly based on the children’s welfare. “This arrangement would have nothing to do with me, no more than if I hired you as a live-in nanny for the children. And I’m willing to do that, make it purely a business arrangement. Just consider it a temporary job until this thing is settled. You can still keep up your obligations at the magazines. I think it’s a perfect solution all around.”

“I don’t know. It seems very…irregular.”

He saw a flicker of indecision in her eyes. “You don’t have to be afraid that you’ll have to suffer my company,” he assured her. “I’m rarely at home. Believe me, we would scarcely see each other.”

When she remained silent, obviously weighing what he was saying, he stressed the point that the arrangement would be a good one for Eric and Richie. “The place is large enough for you and the boys to be perfectly comfortable staying there. There’s a lovely fenced-in backyard with plenty of grass for running and jumping. You could even set up your work on the covered patio while the boys are playing.”

Melissa found the idea of living in a place that must be ten times bigger than any place she’d ever had, to be a little frightening. “And we would be alone in the house, except when you’re there?”

“No, I have a wonderful couple, Inga and Hans Erickson, who take care of the cooking and housekeeping. They’ve been with my family since I was in grade school, and they’ll be delighted to have some youngsters in the house.” Inga was always lamenting the fact that David wasn’t married and raising his own children by now. “You’ll like them. And I’ll bet they’ll like you.”

Melissa hesitated. The offer was unconventional, to say the least. She had hoped that David would respond to Jolene’s request and see to the boys’ care, but she hadn’t expected to be part of the package.

Was this the answer she had been praying for? Would it be the best arrangement for Eric and Richie? She had already grown so fond of them. She knew she couldn’t have the boys permanently, but turning them over to strangers pulled at her heartstrings. The possibility of keeping them in her life a little longer was tempting.

“Well, what do you think?” David asked, surprised at how much he wanted her to say yes.

“How long do you think it will be before we find the right place for the boys? And will the authorities let us keep them until we do?”

“I can take care of all the legal matters. That’s no problem. We’ll just have to wait and see what an investigator turns up and then decide our next step.” He smiled. “Maybe I ought to give you time to think about it.”

“I don’t see any better solution at the moment,” she said honestly. Eric and Richie deserved to live in a nice place for a change. Some of things they said about being hungry and cold when they were homeless made her grateful that they’d have the chance to live in a nice home and play outside in the beautiful Colorado summer weather.

“All right.” She was taking a leap of faith that she was doing the right thing. “We’ll consider it a nanny job with no pay except board and room for the three of us,” she said firmly. She’d spent one summer as a hired companion to a disabled little girl, and this situation wouldn’t be much different—if David Ardell kept his distance as promised. “I’ll stay at your house with the children until your investigator locates some relatives and we find a proper home for them.”

“Good. It’s a deal,” he said. “When do you want to move in?”

“Tomorrow morning. I’ll need the rest of the day to make arrangements for the move.”

“Fine.” He suddenly realized that having her around would be a definite boost to his lonely life—then he caught himself. He’d promised her that he would make himself scarce if she moved into the house. Now, as he looked into her soft blue eyes and at her appealing smile, he realized that it might be the hardest promise he’d ever had to keep.

Chapter Two

Melissa’s heart sank as she viewed the spacious white brick mansion and beautifully landscaped grounds set back from the road. What business did she and two rambunctious youngsters have living in a place like that?

“Are we lost?” Eric asked with childish anxiety as he sat stiffly beside her in the front seat. The large brown eyes in his thin, pinched face were filled with apprehension. He was a small-boned child and terribly underweight. Wiry sandy hair hung longish over his ears and narrow forehead, and freckles dotted his slender nose.

“No, we’re not lost,” she quickly assured him as she turned into the curved driveway that led to the front of the house. The upheavals of Eric’s young life had already left its mark. He had just begun to trust Melissa and was opening up a little to her. Guarded and solemn, the young boy was the protector of his little brother, who was sitting in the back seat happily munching a fruit bar.

“This is Mr. Ardell’s house. It’s pretty, isn’t it?” she said brightly as she braked in front of marble steps leading up to a terraced veranda and double wooden doors with etched glass windows.

“Are we going to stay here a long time?”

A long time? She knew what Eric was really asking. Is this home? She hated to think about how many times the small boys had moved around before they ended up at the homeless shelter.

“We’re going to stay here until we find someone in your mommy’s or daddy’s family who want you two lovely boys to come and live with them,” she said brightly. “Then you won’t have to move anymore.”

“What if we don’t find anybody?”

“We will. You wait and see.” Ask and it shall be given, seek and ye shall find. Never had the scripture seemed more reassuring than it did in this situation. The grandmother who had raised Melissa had lived by that promise, and her faith in God’s guidance had been instilled in Melissa from an early age.

“But what if they don’t like us?” Eric insisted with childish pugnaciousness. “Some people don’t like kids.”

“Maybe not, but I know they would love you and Richie.” Impulsively, Melissa gave him a quick hug, and was rewarded with a weak smile. “Now, let’s unload our stuff and see what the inside of this place looks like. I bet you guys won’t have to sleep on the floor anymore. How about that?”

“Goody,” Richie said with a four-year-old’s enthusiasm. He had a mop of dark brown hair, a bone structure that was heavier than his sandy-haired brother’s and the same large dark eyes. “I want a bed—a big, big bed.” Then he giggled as if a thought tickled him. “And I’m going to jump up and down on it lots.”

“No, you’re not,” Melissa corrected quickly, trying to blot out a picture of two playful boys turning some elegant bed into a trampoline. “There’ll be a nice backyard for you to play in. Now, let’s get out of the car and take a look at this place.”

She hoped they couldn’t see her nervousness as they unloaded the trunk and set the luggage on the front step. The pile included only two small suitcases, her laptop computer and a brown sack containing a book and old baseball that Eric wouldn’t let out of his sight.

The boys had few clothes, and they were wearing the one new outfit of jeans and summer shirts that Melissa had bought them. She’d return to her place to pick up things for herself if their stay lasted more than a week.

When she’d talked to David last night and arranged to arrive about ten o’clock in the morning, he told her that Inga and Hans Erickson would help them settle in. He also assured her that an excellent investigator in Denver had agreed to conduct a search. The man expected to have something to report within ten days.

Ten days.

As they stood at the elegant front door and waited for someone to answer the bell, Melissa had the feeling that ten days could be a lifetime.

“Maybe nobody’s home,” Eric said with his usual worried expression. Before Melissa could stop Richie, he reached up and pushed the button a half-dozen times.

“Don’t, Richie.” She pulled his hand away, just as the door swung open. David stood there, a slight frown on his handsome face.

“The doorbell works,” he said wryly.

“I’m sorry, Richie got carried away,” she apologized. Great, she thought. Off to a great start. David was obviously on his way out, in a beige business suit that did great things for his dark blond hair and tanned complexion.

“Usually Inga answers the door, but she’s busy in the kitchen and I was just leaving,” he explained. “Come on in. Hans will bring your luggage.” He opened the door wide and stepped back.

Melissa motioned the boys to go in ahead of her. Richie bounced through the door with his usual childish eagerness, and Eric followed more slowly, hugging a brown paper sack as if it were his only anchor in a threatening world.

“Say hello to Mr. Ardell, boys,” Melissa prompted, but when neither responded, she said quickly, “This is Eric.”

David smiled at him. “I’m glad to meet you, Eric.” The solemn-faced little boy only nodded slightly.

“Richie, say hello to Mr. Ardell,” Melissa said, but a black glass fountain in the middle of the spacious foyer had already caught the little boy’s attention.

Ignoring everyone, Richie bounding over to it, squatted down and stared into the pool of water. Then he looked up at David with a frown. “No fish?”

“No fish,” David echoed.

“Did you already eat them?”

The humor in the innocent question was tempered by the child’s honest bewilderment, and David held back a laugh as he shook his head. “No. I don’t think real fish would like a little pond like that.”

“Not like a big, big lake,” Richie agreed solemnly, and then, before Melissa could react, his little hand picked up one of the colorful pebbles decorating the fountain display. He threw the rock so hard that it made a resounding splash in the water against the glass bottom.

“Richie!” Melissa gasped.

Dear God, no. They had been in the house less than five minutes, and already…disaster.

David grabbed Richie’s arm before he could pick up another pebble. He jerked the boy back from the fountain and said harshly, “No! Don’t throw rocks. Understand?”

Richie let out a frightened whimper, and Eric’s normal passiveness shattered. Fiery color rose in his freckled face, and he threw himself at David. His little fists pounded David. “Let my brother go!”

“Eric! Eric, stop it.” Melissa pulled him back and held his arms firmly. “No one’s going to hurt Richie.”

At that moment, she felt cold water easing into her open-toed summer sandals and knew her worst fear was realized. The rock had cracked the glass pool, and water was leaking out on the foyer floor.

She heard someone in the doorway behind her draw in a breath. Melissa turned and saw a large-boned woman with a round face, yellow hair braided in a coronet around the top of her head and blue eyes widened in disbelief. “What is going on?” she demanded with a slight Swedish accent.

Richie wiggled away from David and ran to Melissa. She stood there with both boys hugging her, not knowing what to say to David or the housekeeper.

“The fountain is leaking,” David said shortly. “Get Hans.”

The woman nodded, gave one last look at the growing pool of water in the middle of the foyer, turned on her heel and left, muttering something under her breath.

“I am so sorry,” Melissa said. “Richie didn’t mean any harm.”

David started to say something, but seeing her standing there, defensive and ready to meet his anger with the protectiveness of a mother bear defending her cubs, and two boys glaring at him as if he were some kind of ogre, he couldn’t find the right words. He swallowed back the urge to launch into a lecture about proper behavior while under his roof. At the moment, he would rather have addressed a belligerent jury than his houseguests. He finally settled for a brisk, “We’ll talk tonight.”

Melissa nodded, and her hands tightened on the boys’ shoulders in a reassuring squeeze. She could feel the tremors in their little bodies as they hugged her sides.

“Inga will help you get settled. She’s prepared two adjoining bedrooms on the second floor, and there’s a small lady’s parlor off the breakfast room that you can use as a working office. If the arrangements are not satisfactory, let me know and we’ll work out something else.”

“I’m sure they’ll be fine,” she answered in the same businesslike tone, trying to ignore the widening spread of water about to reach his expensive, polished shoes.

“Well, then, I have to get to the office.” He glanced once more at the draining pool, wondering how many more catastrophes two little boys could create in the space of a few days.

Melissa saw his frown. “I’ll keep a close rein on the boys,” she promised.

As he nodded and turned toward the door, his shoes squeaked wetly with each step, and she wondered if the governor’s counselor was going to work with damp socks. Melissa put a hand up to her mouth and suppressed a giggle.

When Inga returned with Hans and his mopping equipment, she indicated that they were to follow her, and led the way into a spacious front hall. It was obvious that the house was a decorator’s dream, a fact that Inga didn’t hesitate to point out. “This house is filled with nice things. Very nice things.”

“It is lovely,” Melissa agreed as she glimpsed beautifully furnished rooms opening off the main corridor. She felt as if she were someone viewing a showcase home, instead of someone who was about to be a resident in such luxurious surroundings.

Holding tightly to the boys’ hands, she followed the housekeeper up a wide central staircase. A massive grandfather clock on the landing chimed the hour just as they passed it. Startled, both Eric and Richie missed the next step, stopped and stared at the clock in wonder.

Melissa smiled at their wide, rounded eyes. Obviously the boys had never heard anything like the resonant Westminster chimes. They begged to wait and hear the clock again, but Melissa shook her head, promising that it would chime many more times while they were there.

“Mr. David said to put you in the front bedrooms,” Inga said in a tone that indicated it wouldn’t have been her choice for the temporary houseguests.

Nor mine, Melissa thought as they accompanied Inga down the hall to the front of the house. The size and fashionable decor of the two front bedrooms made ready for her and the boys was unbelievable. Her room alone had more living space than her small studio apartment, and the boys’ bedroom was only slightly smaller. Even Eric and Richie were subdued by surroundings that were completely alien to their experience. Both boys stayed close to Melissa as if she were some kind of life preserver, as they walked through the bedrooms and peeked into the large adjoining bathroom.

“Very nice,” Melissa said, nodding her approval. She wasn’t about to show any uneasiness or awkwardness, but she knew that Inga was wondering why a temporary nanny was being given one of the best rooms in the house. Melissa couldn’t help but wonder the same thing. She would have been much more comfortable with accommodations in line with those of Inga and Hans.

The housekeeper’s manners had softened when she realized the little boys weren’t going to turn into hooligans. “Mr. David said you are to use his mother’s sitting room for your work,” Inga told Melissa. “He didn’t say what kind of work.”

“I’m a writer for a magazine, and I can set up my small computer anywhere. I really don’t need a special room.” She glanced around the bedroom and failed to see anything that might serve as a desk, but she wasn’t about to ask Inga or Hans to start moving in furniture. “Thank you, Mrs. Erickson, for your help—”

“Inga,” she corrected.

Melissa held out her hand. “Nice to meet you, Inga. And I’m Melissa.”

A softness touched the woman’s blue eyes. “Melissa. Pretty name. Mr. David says it is a nice thing you are doing, taking care of the children. You are a good lady.” Then she eyed Richie and Eric. “And they are good boys, ya?”

“Yes, they are very good boys,” Melissa echoed, smiling at the obvious combination of question and warning in Inga’s tone.

Just then, her husband came in with the small suitcases and Melissa’s computer. Hans Erickson was a broad-faced man with huge shoulders, thick arms and brown hair lightly highlighted with gray. He just nodded at Melissa when she thanked him for bringing up the luggage.

“I’m sorry about the fountain,” she told him. “It was just an accident. Richie didn’t mean to break it.”

“I know. He’s a good boy. I can tell that.” He smiled down at Richie. “Mr. David give you a bad time? You ask him about throwing a rock through the kitchen window, eh?” He winked at Melissa and then walked out of the room, chuckling.

“Boys,” Inga said with undisguised fondness in her smile. “They never grow up.”

Melissa laughed, suddenly feeling that Hans and Inga had given them a pardon for the fountain incident. Maybe David would have second thoughts about the whole thing, and they could start again on a harmonious footing.

It took all of ten minutes to “settle in.” The beds in the boys’ room were twins. Eric seemed satisfied, but Richie ignored the beds and immediately scrambled up in the middle of Melissa’s queen size bed.

“No jumping,” she warned him. From the sparkle in his eyes, she suspected the first time she turned her back, he’d get on his knees and bounce.

Her stomach tightened. How could she keep them corralled in this fashion-plate house? There wasn’t anything in the two bedrooms that would keep the boys occupied and happy, and the few things she’d brought like crayons and coloring books wouldn’t last for very long.

Somehow, in some way, she had to make the next few days a comforting and healing time for the boys.

“No doubt about it, you’re the governor’s fair-haired boy,” Stella Day told David with a pleased smile as they lunched at Denver’s fashionable Cherry Creek Country Club. “We all know he’s schooling you for big things. If you keep focused, you’ve got a wonderful future ahead of you, David.”

He was pleased with this optimistic projection from the governor’s executive assistant, but he knew he had a long way to go. “Right now, I’m just learning the ins and outs of government.”

“Well, your father and mother are going to be very proud of you one of these elections when you run for Colorado’s attorney general.”

David knew that his parents held high expectations of him. He was used to the pressure they’d put on him as he was growing up. As their only child, there was never any question about David following in their footsteps. His father had been a state senator until he retired, and his mother had been a political activist. It was clearly due to their influence that the governor was promoting David’s legal career, and they were expecting him to make his mark in politics.

“It’s a little premature to think anything like that,” he answered evenly, and turned the conversation back to the business that had brought them together. David was used to these working lunches. In fact, he couldn’t remember very many meals when he wasn’t conducting some kind of business for the governor.

Stella had an appointment waiting for her right after lunch, so she didn’t tarry. After she drove away in her car, David sat for a moment in his luxurious sedan, trying to make a decision about whether to drop by his house since he was so close, or head back to his office downtown.

He hated to admit it, but he hadn’t been able to put the morning’s fiasco out of his mind. A nagging sense of guilt plagued him when he remembered Richie’s frightened face and Melissa’s eyes sparking fire.

Better mend some fences, he decided as he drove out of the parking lot. Even though he’d probably be a little late for his afternoon appointments, he wanted to swing by the house for a few minutes and try to set things right. He didn’t want Melissa Chanley upset with him. Something about her steady, totally feminine, and yet uncompromising personality challenged him. Even dressed as she had been that morning in jeans and a simple white pullover, she could hold her own with any of the stylishly dressed women who had lunched at the club. She intrigued him, and he knew that if the boys didn’t accept him, it wasn’t likely that she would, either.

He parked his car at the house and was about to enter a side door, when squeals and laughter coming from the backyard stopped him. Curious, he walked down the narrow sidewalk, opened the gate and came around the back of the house.

Then he stopped short. “What in the world?”

Both boys and Melissa were on the ground, rolling over and over down a grassy incline that led away from a terraced patio. When they reached the bottom of the slope, they ran back to the top and, shouting and giggling, started rolling down again.

The boys always beat Melissa to the bottom and sat up, squealing, “You lose. You lose.”

Melissa laughed as she pulled dry grass from her tousled hair. “All right. I give up.” Then she glanced up and saw David standing a few feet away. The expression on his face was one of incredulity.

As she got to her feet, her first impulse was to give in to total embarrassment. Instead, she managed a smile and gave him an airy wave of her hand. “Hi, there. Would you like to enter our contest? The Best Roller Down the Hill?”

At first, he didn’t answer, then he surprised Melissa by returning her smile. “I might. What are the prizes?”

“There aren’t any,” Eric said flatly. Both boys had moved to Melissa’s side and were glaring at him as if he had no right to intrude upon their fun.

“Well, I guess I’ll pass, then,” David said. “Maybe I’ll join you in a different game sometime.”

“Nothing else to play.” Richie scowled at him.

“He doesn’t have kids’ stuff because he doesn’t like them,” Eric told his brother with his usual solemnity.

Melissa didn’t look at David’s face, and held back from saying anything. She hadn’t found anything in the house that would keep two lively boys happy and occupied. Now she sensed an instant tightening in David’s body as he stood beside her, but it wasn’t her place to correct the boys. Maybe Eric told the truth. Maybe David didn’t like kids. It was hard to tell about things like that, and his beautiful home and lifestyle didn’t give a clue. In fact, she hadn’t seen any evidence during her earlier tour of the house that the young boy he had once been had ever lived here.

“Maybe we can find some stuff for you, boys,” David said, ignoring the remark about his not liking kids. He’d been too busy in the world of lawyers and politicians to know whether the remark was closer to the truth than he was willing to admit.

“That would be nice, wouldn’t it, boys?” Melissa said, but their expressions didn’t change.

“Sorry, I have to run. I just dropped by to see if Inga and Hans were being helpful,” he lied. He knew the Swedish couple would rally to the cause, no matter how much extra work it created.

“Oh, yes, they’re wonderful. Inga fixed us a nice lunch, and the boys ate every bit of it.”

“Good. And you’ve found working space?”

“The small sitting room will be fine. It’s lovely with the windows overlooking the garden.” She knew the sitting room had been his mother’s, and Melissa was curious about the woman who had raised such a purposeful, solitary son.

“I have a late meeting tonight so I’ll have dinner in town. If you need to reach me, tell Inga and she’ll pass the message along.” He turned to say something to the boys, but his usually articulate tongue failed him. All he could come up with was a quick “So long. See you guys later.”

Later that afternoon, the boys were down for a nap when the delivery truck arrived with a bright red swing set, jungle gym and small merry-go-round.

Melissa was working in the sitting room when she saw Hans and another man setting up the playground equipment in the backyard. Who would believe it? David must have stopped at a store on his way back to the office, bought everything and paid extra to have it delivered that very afternoon.

She was delighted, and totally surprised. Maybe he was bent on hiding from everyone what a softy he really was.

She remembered how he’d smiled at her as she sat on the ground with blades of grass caught in her hair. Why had he come back to the house? He’d warned her that he would hardly ever be around, but he had been here when they arrived this morning and he had shown up again after lunch. Even though she was pleased by his attention, she wasn’t comfortable with it. Maybe this whole arrangement had been a big mistake, she thought—until she reminded herself that this was the perfect place for the boys until the right home was found for them. She knew that Eric and Richie would be ecstatic with the playground equipment, and she was relieved that the boys could play outside, while she worked and kept an eye on them through the sitting room windows. The only sad part about the gift was that it would never replace the male companionship David could have given them.

Chapter Three

“Burning the midnight oil, are you?” David teased later that evening as he leaned up against the door frame of the sitting room and smiled at her.

“Just a little.” She saw that his tie hung loosely, his white shirt was wrinkled, and he was carrying his summer jacket. “You look as if you’ve had a full day.”

“It’s been a long one. How did things go with you? Did the play stuff get here?” He walked over to the back window and squinted out into the night. Decorative patio floodlights spilled out into the yard, and she could tell that he was satisfied by what he saw.

“Yes, they’re great. The boys loved everything. Especially the jungle gym. You should have seen them. They looked like a couple of monkeys, climbing and swinging—and scaring the daylights out of me.” She laughed. “They’re working up some tricks to show you.”

The tired lines in his face eased. “Really? I mean, after that little episode this morning I thought I rated number one Grinch.”

“Children are very adaptive and forgiving, if you give them a chance.” She almost added that they were great teachers, too. She suspected that David could learn a lot about himself if he spent a little time with Eric and Richie while they were here.

“I’m sorry I reacted so strongly about the fountain. It’s just that it was one of the things that my mother prized, and I felt protective of it.”

“I understand. You have a lovely house, and the boys need to respect that. Thank you for taking them in while we find someone who will give them a good home.” She got up from the desk. “Well, I think I’ll call it a day. How about you?”

He sighed. “I have some briefs to look over, and I’d best get started. Of course, you could agree to try some of my famous hot chocolate and give me an excuse to procrastinate a little longer.”

An automatic refusal was on her lips. “No telling how early the boys will be up and about. I really should get to bed.”

He nodded, as if he had expected her refusal. “Yes, of course. Good night, then.”

Somehow she sensed that his brisk tone was protective and a cover-up for lonely feelings he didn’t want her to see. His obvious need to talk with someone touched her.

“Come to think of it, a warm drink does sound good,” she mused. “Maybe I’ll change my mind. That’s a woman’s prerogative, you know.” She laughed and met his steady dark eyes.

“So I’ve been told.” David smiled. He liked the way she was able to change her mind without any long drawn-out justification. She seemed to be perfectly at ease with herself, and he realized that there was no need for him to play a role or keep his guard up when he was with her. “Come on, then. We’ll mess up Inga’s kitchen and get bawled out for it in the morning.”

He led the way into the kitchen, and Melissa perched on a high stool at the breakfast counter while he prepared the cocoa. A shock of hair drifted across his forehead, and his rumpled appearance made him seem less formidable than usual. She wondered if he ever relaxed enough to wear something comfortable, like jeans and knit shirts.

She was surprised at how efficient he was in the kitchen. He had two steaming cups of hot chocolate ready in no time, and sat on the stool beside her as they sipped the hot drink.

“Mmm, delicious. You’re a man of many talents, I see.”

“Hot chocolate is about the peak of my culinary art,” he admitted. “And now that I’ve revealed my hidden expertise in the kitchen, it’s your turn. What secret talents are you hiding from the world?”

She laughed. “No secrets. My life is an open book, but that’s not the one I want to write.” She hadn’t intended to talk about the goal she had set for herself, but the way he was looking at her invited an explanation. “Since I’ve been writing for the magazine, I’ve run into some wonderful accounts of strong, spiritual women who helped settle the Rocky Mountain west. I’m trying to organize their stories in a book. I started it before my grandmother died, almost three years ago. She was the one who raised me after my parents died in a car accident when I was eight years old. She told me true stories about courageous women who held on to Christian values while they raised families in wild, frontier towns. I was fascinated by their devotion to family values and faith in God, and I decided to write a book about them.”

“Well, if you believe in something, I guess you should do it,” he said. It wasn’t an enthusiastic endorsement.

His tone left Melissa wondering why she was sharing her passion with this man who probably thought she was some dewy-eyed female, wasting her talents on a book that would have limited marketing appeal. “I don’t expect to make a lot of money at it.”

“And are you happy writing for your magazines?”

She nodded, a little piqued that he had been less than encouraging about her book. “Are you happy working for the governor?”

“Sometimes. On the whole, he’s a pretty good boss.”

The way he said it, she knew that professional ethics would keep him from discussing his real feelings. Anyway, it wasn’t any of her business. “Do you like being an attorney?”

“Most of the time, but trying to find a way through all the legal mazes isn’t always rewarding. Sometimes I think law is like looking for a black cat in a dark room.” He smiled wryly. “You know it’s there, but you can’t find it.”

“If you weren’t an attorney, what would you be?”

He shrugged. “Frankly, I’ve never given that possibility a thought.”

“Not even when you were a little boy?”

“Truthfully, I can’t remember back that far. It seems to me that my name was submitted to the University of Denver Law School when I was born.” He laughed but there was no mirth in it.

Melissa resisted the temptation to ask about his parents and his boyhood. Prying into his personal life was out of order. He’d made it clear that he was willing to offer the use of his house for a few days, but that didn’t include delving into his personal history.

She quickly finished her drink and slipped off the stool. “Thanks for the cocoa. I’m ready to hit the pillow and get prepared for my cherubs tomorrow. Thanks again for the playground equipment. It will make the next few days much easier.”

He walked with her to the kitchen door. “I’ll call Mr. Weiss, the investigator, tomorrow. Maybe he’s turned up something and we can get the boys placed in quick order. Then things will get back to normal.”

“We’ll try to keep out of your way,” she said firmly. His tone had made it clear that he was ready to have them gone as soon as possible. “With luck, we won’t overstay our welcome.”

“I just meant that it can’t be easy for you or the children to be in limbo like this,” he added quickly, apparently recognizing he’d said the wrong thing.

“I agree it’s important that we get the children settled as soon as possible.”

He wanted to tell her how much he’d enjoyed her company this evening. Her candor and natural manner were refreshing. There was nothing pretentious or false about her, and she allowed him to drop the mask he wore most of the time. If he hadn’t promised to stay his distance from her, he would have confessed that he was looking forward to more of her company.

“Let me know if there’s anything else that will make your stay more comfortable. I’m going to be gone for a couple days. The governor is scheduled for several events in eastern Colorado and wants me to go along. We’ll fly out tomorrow. The Ericksons know how to get in touch with me if something comes up. Just make yourselves at home, please.”

She knew that he was doing his best to make things go as smoothly as possible for her and the boys. Having two kids like Eric and Richie running riot in a beautiful home like this would test anyone’s Christian charity.

“We’ll behave like guests whether you are here or not,” she assured him. “Don’t worry. Everything will be in one piece when you get back, I promise. Have a safe trip.”

He smiled at her. “Thank you. I can’t remember the last time someone said that to me.”

She turned away quickly, sensing something in the situation that could pull them across the line they’d drawn between them.

David left early the next day, and while he was gone the boys settled into a routine of outdoor play, naps and quiet time. Melissa finished two articles and put them in the mail to her magazine editor. She liked to write two months ahead on her assignments, which gave her some leeway to research her book. There were moments when the uncertainty of the boys’ future worried her, but she firmly lectured herself: “Let go and let God.” Everything was in His hands. Lord, give me patience, she prayed, and then added with a chuckle, “And, please, give it to me right now.”

Inga seemed happy to have her company when she popped in the kitchen for a cup of tea. The housekeeper liked to chat, and Melissa’s curiosity was satisfied by some of the stories Inga told her about David, his parents and their hope that he would be governor someday.

David leaned back in his seat as the governor’s private plane climbed into the air and headed northeast. They were scheduled to arrive in Denver about four o’clock, and the cabin was filled with tired members of the governor’s staff. They had been on the go for two days, and David had a briefcase filled with more work when he got back. Not tonight, he thought, anticipating getting home before dark for a change.

“David, I’m handling the reservations for next week’s fund-raiser,” Stella Day said as she stopped beside his seat with a pencil and pad in her hand. “We need to know how many tables to reserve for the governor’s staff. I’m putting you down for two places.”

“Two?” David raised an eyebrow, but he knew what was coming. His unattached status was never overlooked when it came to these political affairs.

“The governor wants you to escort the daughter of one of the speakers. Not bad-looking, I hear. Should be more of a pleasure than a chore,” Stella promised.

“Sorry, I’ve already asked someone,” he lied, deciding that when he showed up alone, he could say the lady had been indisposed. “You’ll have to find another escort to do the honors.”

“Who is she?”

“You don’t know her.”

Stella studied him. “You’re lying, David.”

“Am I?” he asked with a challenging smile.

She let out an exasperated breath. “You know how important these contacts are. An eligible bachelor like you should venture out of that shell you’ve put around yourself and start dating. I could give you a list of charming eligible women a mile long. Why don’t you let yourself go? Get out and do some socializing?”

“I don’t have time,” David said flatly.

“Make time,” Stella told him, and walked away sighing.

He knew he’d have to attend the elegant affair, which was to be held at one of Denver’s fashionable hotels. Stella was right: it wouldn’t sit well if he showed up alone when the governor wanted him to escort another lady. David didn’t know when the idea struck him to ask Melissa to be his date, but almost immediately he dismissed it. Of course she’d refuse. She’d hesitated even to move into his house until he’d made it clear that he would hardly be around. Still, the prospect of spending an evening with her kept nagging at him. He didn’t doubt for a moment that she would be a delightful dinner partner and could hold her own conversationally with anyone at the table.

By the time the plane landed and he drove home, he had decided to wait a few days before mentioning the social affair. In the meantime, he’d try to get more involved with the boys, a sure way to win her approval.

His good intentions were almost immediately reduced to ashes, when he came into a small utility room off the garage and nearly tripped over a mangy, flea-bitten, stray dog. The mutt was as startled as David. He lurched up on skinny legs, peered at him with round dark eyes through a tangle of dirty brown hair, and backed away from David, barking and growling.

Eric and Richie came bursting through a door that led to the back hall. “Scruffy! Scruffy!” Falling to their knees beside the straggly, long-haired dog, they engulfed him in a protective hug and glared up at David.

As Melissa hurried into the room, David demanded in a sharp tone, “Explain this, please.”

She moistened her lips. “I’ll try. Boys, go outside with the dog for a little while.”

“He’s ours,” Richie yelled at David.

“We adopted him,” Eric added fervently. “He’s like us. He ain’t got a home.”

Melissa didn’t look at David as she scooted the boys and the dog into the backyard. She knew that her weakness over the stray dog was going to create friction all the way around. Obviously, David was going to put his foot down about keeping the mutt, and the boys didn’t need one more heartbreak in their young lives. She silently prayed for the right words as she went back inside the house to face a glowering David.

He was in the kitchen with Inga, and she was talking to him about dinner. “I baked some stuffed pork chops and potatoes, just in case you made it home in time to eat. The kind of meals you have at those political junkets of yours don’t fill up a man the way they should.”

“Actually I’m not all that hungry,” he said, allowing a wave of weariness to sweep over him. It had been an exhausting trip and all he wanted was to come home to some peace and quiet. He had already decided to put off the confrontation about the dog until later when his nerves weren’t so raw. He liked to handle problems in a detached way, and he felt anything but detached about keeping a mangy stray dog—boys, or no boys!

“Why don’t you go upstairs and freshen up,” Inga coaxed like a mother hen. “I can set the dining room table for you and Melissa, and feed Eric and Richie in the kitchen. Both of you look as if you could use some quiet time. And you need to settle this dog thing, ya?”

David allowed himself a weak smile. “Ya.”

“Good. Now, out of my kitchen, both of you. Dinner in half an hour.”

David and Melissa exchanged smiles as Inga banished them from her kitchen.

When David came downstairs, he was surprised to see Melissa already seated at the dining room table. She had changed into a simple pink dress revealing her tanned arms and shoulders, and her raven-dark hair glistened in the soft light from an overhead chandelier. She looked lovely. Pleasure sluiced through him and his evening took a brighter turn as he looked at her.

“Sorry to keep you waiting,” he said quickly, taking a chair opposite her.

“You didn’t. I was trying to get the boys settled in the kitchen, and Inga ordered me out.” Melissa laughed.

“Inga insisted they eat with her and Hans tonight. She put Hans at the table between them, so I guess everything’s under control.”

“We can always hope,” he said dryly, and then quickly changed the subject. He wasn’t ready to spoil the evening so soon. The subject of the dog could wait a while, but there was no “question” in his mind about it—the dog had to go.

“How is the writing coming?” he asked politely.

As they talked for a few minutes about her current assignment, she realized what a polished dinner companion he was. He kept the conversation moving, asking questions and listening to her answers with a soft smile on his face.

As he leaned toward her, his slightly damp hair was burnished by the light’s glow into shades of golden brown. He wore tailored brown slacks and an expensive chambray shirt open at the neck.

“I decided to go freelance because I felt called to write my women’s book,” she told him as she reached for a crystal water glass and took a sip.

“‘Called’?” He raised a skeptical eyebrow. “That’s an interesting word.”

“Yes, I believe that there is a divine pattern in our lives. If we will only let go and let God, surprising things will happen. Haven’t you ever felt that a coincidence is not that at all?”

Inga’s entrance with a loaded tray saved him from getting into any discussion of her naive beliefs. As he looked at her, Melissa’s eyes were sparkling with such sincerity, he didn’t have the heart to argue that it was up to an individual to make things happen in his or her life, not some far-off deity.

As expected, the meal was delicious, perfectly prepared, and the beautiful dining room with its richly paneled walls lent a kind of magic to the whole evening. Melissa had trouble believing that she was sitting there in the company of a handsome and entertaining host who took all this elegance for granted. She hid a secret smile as she imagined him sitting at her marred Formica table on chairs that were losing their stuffing.

Once in a while she could hear Eric’s and Richie’s childish voices in the kitchen, and, although she missed them, she was grateful for the reprieve from their less-than-polished eating habits.

By the time they had finished their deep-dish apple pie and their after-dinner coffee, they had grown more comfortable in each other’s presence. Once again the idea came to David to ask Melissa to be his companion for the fund-raiser. He knew she’d be a perfect companion for the evening. Undoubtedly it would be a different experience for her, with all the handshaking and back-slapping, but she would charm them with her lovely eyes and sweet smile. And if tonight was any test, for a change he would finally enjoy himself at one of these political affairs.

He wondered why he suddenly felt more self-conscious asking her to go with him than he would have approaching a formidable dignitary. “I would like to ask a favor of you, Melissa.”

Melissa waited, wondering why he suddenly seemed ill at ease. This private time together had gone well, hadn’t it? Had she missed something? Was he going to ask her and the boys to move out of the house?

“Please, feel free to say no. There’s an important political fund-raiser next weekend. It’s a reception, banquet, and a national dinner speaker. I have to go.” He cleared his throat. “And I’m expected to take someone with me. I was wondering—hoping, really, that you might consider going as my dinner partner. The food will be lousy, I can promise you that, but you might find the political circus entertaining.”

She had to smile at his not very persuasive presentation. “It sounds interesting, but I wouldn’t be comfortable at that kind of thing. Sorry.”

“As a writer, I would have thought you’d be open to new experiences.” Her flat refusal didn’t surprise him but he wasn’t about to accept it without an argument.

“My life is already full of new experiences,” she countered. Sitting here in this elegant dining room with him was one of them. She pretended interest in her coffee as she took another sip. She knew it wasn’t the challenge of spending an evening with Denver’s rich and influential that was making her say no. It was the idea of going out with the esteemed David Ardell as his date that brought an instant refusal. He moved in elite social circles. The society pages were filled with the kind of women and social events that were a part of his life. She didn’t belong in that kind of society whirl, now or ever.

“Thank you for the invitation.” She shook her head. “I’m sorry.”

“I’m sorry, too.” He could tell from the finality in her tone that further discussion was pointless. “All right, then, I guess we’d better move on to the problem at hand. The dog.”

She met his eyes. “Yes, let’s talk about the dog. I want to explain what happened.”

He leaned back in his chair. “Please do. Never in my life have I seen a more disreputable creature. It is really beyond me why you would allow the boys to have anything to do with it.”

“I really didn’t have much choice. The boys were playing in the backyard, and I was keeping an eye on them through the window. Inga set out a plate of sandwiches and some drinks on the patio table, and I intended to join them as soon as I finished what I was working on. The next time I looked out, I saw Eric and Richie on the grass with this dog, feeding him their sandwiches.” She drew in a deep breath. “Apparently he came to the gate, whined and wanted in. You can guess the rest. The poor thing was starved.”

“Why not feed him and then call Animal Control?”

“How could I? Before I knew it, the boys were pouring love on the stray as if they’d found something to make their lives less bleak. I told them the dog was the scruffiest-looking thing I’d ever seen, and they started calling him Scruffy. I think they identify with him because they’ve been hungry and alone. I just couldn’t take the dog away from them.”

“Well, I can,” David said firmly. He’d never had a dog. Never wanted one. His mother had said they were nothing but nuisances and he agreed. “No dogs.”

“We could keep him in the backyard and utility room. With a bath and trim, he might even look presentable,” she argued.

“Be sensible about this, Melissa,” he said as gently as his irritation would allow. “We’ve got two children to place, and so far, the investigator hasn’t come up with any relative who might take them. As long as the children are here, there’ll be no dog.”

She looked at him with a stubborn set to her chin. “Let’s make a deal. I’ll go with you to the fund-raiser if you’ll let the boys keep the dog.”

He wanted to laugh. The idea that he would even be open to such an absurd bargain was ridiculous, and he couldn’t believe that he didn’t flatly reject the offer. “What kind of a deal is that?”

“A good one, don’t you think? You get what you want, and the boys get what they want.”

“And what do you get?” he asked with a teasing smile.

She grinned. “A chance to wear the new dress I just bought.”

As his gaze swept over her animated, smiling face, he knew that, dog or no dog, he wasn’t about to turn down the trade she’d offered. “It’s a deal. Shall we shake on it?”

“Is that how you lawyers seal important deals like this one?” she asked.

“Absolutely.” As she slipped her hand in his, he was tempted to let his fingers lightly stroke her soft smooth skin but he knew better. She wasn’t the kind to engage in any casual dalliance, and he wasn’t going to jeopardize the chance to spend an evening with Melissa instead of some boring debutante.

He couldn’t quite figure out why she intrigued him so much, but he suspected that once the boys were placed, there was little chance their paths would cross again.

Chapter Four

The next morning when Melissa and the boys went down for breakfast, the dog was gone.

“Gone?” Melissa said in disbelief when Scruffy was nowhere to be seen. The boys began to wail loudly.

“You lied!” Eric clenched his little fists. “You said we could keep him.”

Richie’s dark eyes suddenly filled with tears. “I liked Scruffy. He was a neat dog. Why did you let someone take him away?”

“I’m sure there must be some mistake,” Melissa soothed, trying to keep her own anger under control. She’d heard David’s car leave early, so he must have decided to dispose of the dog before the boys got up. He’d skipped out of the house before the ax could fall. She couldn’t believe that he’d gone back on the deal they’d made. Apparently he’d decided her company at the fund-raiser wasn’t worth the hassle of putting up with a scrawny mutt for a few days.

Inga came into the breakfast room with a puzzled look on her face. “What’s all the fuss about?”

Melissa tried to keep her voice even. Nothing would be gained by lighting into the housekeeper. “What did David do with the dog, Inga?”

“Oh, he told Hans to take him to some dog place.”

“The dog pound?” Melissa asked, almost choking on the words.

“No, not the pound. You know, one of those place where they give dogs baths and trim them up nice. Hans was supposed to take the dog to the vet for some shots, too.”

As a surge of relief swept over Melissa, she was surprised at her own quick reaction to think the worst. In fact, she was a little ashamed. David had been more than gracious to put up with this invasion of his home and privacy, and he had every right to protest keeping the dog. Melissa felt guilty about the way she had judged him, when, instead, he was spending money on the dog for grooming and shots. She was as bad as the boys.

“What happened to Scruffy?” Eric demanded, not understanding Inga’s explanation and looking as worried as ever.

“It’s all right, boys,” Melissa assured them. She explained where Hans had taken the dog and why. She joked that they might have to change Scruffy’s name to fit his new looks. “David just wanted to make sure the dog was all nice and clean and healthy.”

“He must like Scruffy,” Eric said, suddenly happy, his lips curving in a soft smile.

“David’s a good guy,” Richie agreed, in an instant change of heart.

Inga just shook her head. “Wonders never cease. A dog in the house. Heaven help us. I don’t know what’s gotten into David to allow it.” Her clear eyes held a knowing glint as she looked at Melissa and added, “And then again, maybe I do.”

The way the housekeeper was looking at her made Melissa stiffen. Surely the housekeeper didn’t think that there was anything personal in allowing the boys to keep the dog. While she was trying to decide how to respond, Inga gave a teasing laugh.

“David spoke to me about keeping the boys on Friday night while you two go out,” she said. “He wants his tux put in order and his silver cuff links polished. My, my, such a to-do.” Inga’s eyes held a merry sparkle as she asked solemnly, “Will you be needing my help getting ready for the special occasion? Your dating the governor’s counselor will raise a few eyebrows.”

All of a sudden Melissa wondered what she’d let herself in for by agreeing to accompany David to this political affair. She’d be on display as his companion. What in the world had she been thinking of? Maybe she should back out now before she embarrassed them both.

“It’s really not a date,” she corrected the housekeeper.

“Of course not,” Inga agreed much too readily to be sincere. “David explained that you were just helping him out. He’s always getting pressured to take someone—many times a woman he doesn’t know—to these affairs. It’s nice that you’re willing to go along with him.”

Melissa sighed. “I don’t know if he’ll think so when I get all tongue-tied with some of his fancy friends, or say the wrong thing. Reading the society page is as close as I’ve ever gotten to this kind of shindig.”

“David wouldn’t be taking you if he had any doubts about you. Just keep your head high and show them that pretty smile of yours, ya?”

“Ya,” Melissa agreed with a chuckle.

Hans came back with the dog, who was all bathed and clipped. Scruffy still looked like a skinny, long-haired mutt, but the boys thought he was absolutely handsome. Now that Scruffy had had a bath, his coat was more caramel-colored than dirty brown. He couldn’t have been more than two years old, and looked as if he might grow another head taller. His mixed heritage gave him long legs, a stubby body and long ears, but his friendliness made up for his ungainly appearance.

As the boys tumbled in the grass with him, Melissa prayed that a family could be found for the boys that would also include an affectionate young dog. Every time she started to worry about what was going to happen to Richie and Eric if a relative couldn’t be found to take them, she reminded herself, Let go and let God.

Melissa made a quick trip back to her apartment while the boys were down for their naps. She needed other things that she hadn’t brought with her the first time. Certainly, attending a fancy function hadn’t been in her thoughts when she packed her clothes for a few days’ stay at the Ardell home.

With some misgivings, she drew her new summer dress from the closet. Somehow, it didn’t look as chic as Melissa had remembered. At least she had two pieces of her grandmother’s jewelry to wear with the lilac, floor-length dress. The amethyst necklace and earrings were as lovely as any offered in the modern stores. She touched them lovingly and murmured, “Granny, I’m going out on the town.”

Go get ’em, girl.

Melissa could almost hear her beloved grandmother’s voice as clearly as her own breath. Even after her death, the loving woman who had raised her never seemed far away, and her strength of faith and her courage were still guiding forces in Melissa’s life. She knew that her grandmother would approve of the steps she’d taken to find a home for Eric and Richie. And even though her grandmother might not totally approve of David Ardell and his worldly lifestyle, Melissa knew that she would have applauded his willingness to suffer the presence of two playful children and an energetic dog in his home.

“What’s this I hear about you making reservations for two at the fund-raiser?” Stella asked, breezing into David’s office with a smile on her face. “Don’t tell me you broke down and invited some lucky lady to go with you?”

“I don’t know whether lucky is the right word,” David countered, amused at Stella’s open curiosity. “But yes, I’ve invited someone to attend the affair with me,” he admitted, and then purposefully let his eyes drop back to the paper he held in his hand, as if the subject was closed.

“Well, who is she?” Stella demanded, not the least bit put-off by his dismissive manner. “Did you finally ask Senator Wainwright’s daughter? It’s plain to anyone with eyes in his head that Pamela’s been giving you the green light every time you’re in the same room together. She’s the perfect one for—”

“It’s not Pamela Wainwright.” David cut off her monologue of the attractive young woman’s virtues. He was well aware that everyone, including the governor, had decided that Pamela Wainwright would be good for his political future. Her father had been in state politics for years, and Pamela was at ease in the fast-paced climate of elections and candidates. But David had found her company rather tiring and shallow. He’d avoided spending any more time with her than was necessary, and had resisted pressure to make them a twosome.

Stella raised an eyebrow. “Who, then? Do I sense some reluctance in your choice?”

“Not at all.” David met her eyes directly. “I’m very pleased that she has consented to go with me.”

“Well, do I know her?” Impatiently, Stella settled her hands on her hips. “Really, David, I don’t understand what’s going on here. Are you planning on making a grand entrance with some famous supporter on your arm? Is some movie star coming that I don’t know about?” Her eyes sparkled. “That would be just like you—waltzing in with Hollywood’s latest diva.”

David silently groaned. He should have been open about taking Melissa and avoided all this unnecessary speculation. Now he would have to bring Stella up-to-date on the arrangement he’d made to keep two little boys and their temporary nanny.

“Have a seat, Stella,” he said reluctantly. “I have some personal business that I suppose you ought to know about.”

She listened without interruption as he explained how he had become responsible for finding a home for Jolene McCombre’s two children. “The boys are staying at my house in the care of a young woman, Melissa Chanley, while an investigator searches for a relative to take them in. I talked with him this morning. Unfortunately, so far he’s come up empty searching for relatives on the mother’s side, but he is hopeful that something positive will break on the father’s side.”

“And what if it doesn’t?” Stella asked bluntly. “Really, David, I think you’ve let yourself be drawn into a situation that’s exploiting your good intentions. This Melissa Chanley sounds manipulative to me.”

“Really? Well, I guess you’ll have a chance to decide for yourself. She’s the one I’m bringing to the fund-raiser.”

Stella lost her voice for a moment and then sputtered, “You…you have to be kidding. How did this woman manage to get you to agree to such a thing?”

“You wouldn’t believe it if I told you,” David said, laughing.

“Don’t you know how important it is for you to be seen with the right people, David? What is everyone going to think when you walk in with this woman?”

“They’ll probably think that she’s the most poised and beautiful woman in the room. Trust me, Stella, I won’t have to make any apologies for Melissa Chanley, but I’m not sure how the rest of the company will measure up in her eyes.” He frowned. “I don’t think all the superficial folderol will impress her in the least.”

Stella rose. “Let’s just hope she doesn’t make the kind of fool of herself that hits the papers.”

Even though Melissa had covered some of Denver’s social events when she was just out of college with her journalist degree and working briefly for one of the local newspapers, she’d never been a guest at any of the governor’s affairs. Not in her most fanciful dreams had she pictured herself walking into a sparkling banquet hall with an escort as polished and suave as David Ardell.

As Melissa dressed for the important evening, she was filled with misgivings, and her hands trembled as she applied light makeup. What if she made some terrible faux pas? She couldn’t bear to think that she might embarrass David in some way. When she was ready, she was almost afraid to go downstairs.

The boys were in the Erickson’s apartment, playing a game with Hans while Inga was preparing dinner. Inga had promised to get them to bed early, and Melissa hoped they wouldn’t give her a bad time before settling down.

As she walked down the stairs and across the foyer to the front parlor where he was surely waiting, she hoped he wouldn’t be able to tell how rapidly her heart was beating. This was worse than going on a first date, she thought, but she put a smile on her lips and went on.

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