O'Brien's Lady - By Marsha Doss Page 0,44

had noticed her entrance and eased herself toward the entry way, the feline eyes watching her every expression.

"Sondra what is the meaning of this?"

Pierre was by her side in three large strides, his body directly in front of her as if he were trying to hide her appearance.

"What are you talking about?" Sonny's words were spoken slowly, and she suddenly felt very sick. Coming in from the cool air, with the smell of sweat and fear still in her nostrils, she could barely stomach the warm, sweet odors of a conglomerate of perfumes and colognes that lingered.

"How dare you leave my party and come back looking like this." Pierre's voice was peculiarly high-pitched and the vein in his neck stood out. His quietly, suave manners were gone and now he exuded anger and disgust.

"You don't understand. Lady was so sick, I thought I might lose her."

Ernestine joined them, holding the long-stemmed glass carefully in her hand. Her thin eyebrows arched and she smiled wickedly at Sonny. "My goodness, you look like you've been hit by a train."

Sonny glared at her and Pierre seemed to have heard nothing, nor been even remotely aware of her unexpected presence.

"Sondra, you can buy another horse…but my gown, my beautiful gown is ruined."

Sonny's cheeks flushed with color and her blue eyes burned with anger. The group of men and women stood smugly, watching her, whispering among themselves as they waited for her response. The pretense was over, and now she saw herself in so many of their faces.

Their lives were dependent upon whom they were with and where they were seen, and she had been just like them. She had frequented all the best places and worn the finest clothes and never been in touch with who she was or where she was from.

"Pierre, is that all you care about…this gown…these people?" Sonny gestured with her handand her eyes were suddenly filled with fire and determination.

Pierre's unyielding expression told her that she had just answered her own question. The things that he held most dear in life were the things that really didn't matter at all. How could it have taken her this long to understand?

"I'm very ashamed, Sondra. Now, go upstairs and change into something quickly, and I'll try to explain this outrage."

"Just a minute, Pierre," she said, her temper enraged. "This is my house and if there's an announcement to be made, I'll do it."

He stepped back ceremoniously, a snide expression covering his face. "Go right ahead."

Sonny cleared her throat, looking squarely at the group that had become suddenly very quiet.

"Ladies and gentlemen, I'm afraid you'll have to leave my house. You see, my horse Graceful Lady was taken ill this evening, and I have to go back to her."

An audible gasp filled the room and Pierre's eyes bulged with indignation as he looked on, helpless to defend her outburst.

"Thank you all for coming," she added with a smile.

Turning to Pierre, who was still in a mild state of shock, she took the ring from her finger and handed it to him. "Here, I have no need for this anymore."

"You've gone mad," he blurted.

"Have I Pierre?"

Sonny picked up the hanging lace, and walked to the back door. As she went back out into the dark night, she looked over her shoulder. "About the gown…send me a bill!"

CHAPTER 13

Sonny closed the door behind her, leaning heavily against the wood frame as she breathed in the sweet smell of pine.

There was a whole new world waiting for her at the bottom of that hill, for she had just bid farewell to the old one. She smiled contentedly as she recalled the look on Pierre's face. The utter disbelief that had creased those flawless features would remind her always what a fool she had been.

Her father had once said, if you can't find happiness in your own back yard, you won't find it anywhere else on earth. How wise he had been.

It suddenly occurred to Sonny that the very conditions of his will had forced her to face something that she would not have otherwise found. It had forced her to find herself.

Maybe for the first time.

As she made her way down the slope and to the barn where Graceful Lady was kept, her heart stilled, until she was certain it had stopped. Nothing else in the world mattered now, except keeping Pinebrook.

How would she explain all of this to Michael? She had fought so hard to keep her distance from the farm, and now she