Blue Mist of Morning Read Free

head was bent so he didn't
notice she was watching him.
    "I'm tempted to throw a snowball at him," she murmured,
mainly to herself, then smiled apologetically as Ty looked down at her.
"But I guess that wouldn't be a very dignified thing for an executive
secretary to do, would it?"
    "I am surprised at you, Miss Fairchild," he answered quite
solemnly, though there was a barely perceptible glint of amusement
dancing in his blue eyes. "Considering your very proper, sedate
behavior in the office, I wouldn't have imagined you'd ever be tempted
to throw a snowball at anyone."
    "All of us have our moments of madness, even we sedate
secretaries," she retorted mischievously, but her expression almost
immediately sobered. "I'm really sorry about your car, Mr. Manning.
Mike was right. Hitting the brake was a stupid mistake."
    "Accidents happen, Miss Fairchild. If you drove like a
maniac the way my sister Jenny sometimes does, I'd have reason to be
angry. But you're a competent driver. I blame the icy conditions for
this mishap, not you."
    "I know, but I still feel terribly guilty about scraping
up your car. I'm sure the repairs will be expensive, but perhaps if you
kept part of my salary every month, I…"
    "Don't be ridiculous," he responded tautly, the contours
of his lean face hardening with something akin to impatience. "I don't
expect you to pay the repair bill. I have insurance."
    "Yes, but I still feel responsible."
    "Enough," he commanded softly but very emphatically.
"Let's just be glad that no one was hurt."
    The no-nonsense look in his eyes silenced her effectively,
though she might have thanked him for not exacting payment from her if
he hadn't become so cool and remote again. As it was, she said nothing
else at all while they trudged up the hill.
    At last they reached the crest and waited for Mike to
catch up before walking on through the grove of bare oak trees. The
wind rattled the branches and swayed the tall, full spruces planted in
a row before them. When they stepped between two of those bordering
evergreens, Ty's house stood before them. Anne liked it. A two-story
structure covered with wood shingles, it complemented the surrounding
woods rather than detracted from their natural beauty. Gray wisps of
smoke drifting from a stone chimney welcomed them as they walked
through the wind-driven snow to the stone steps leading to the veranda.
Before they could reach the front door, however, it was opened from
inside. A tall angular woman with graying hair and a broad friendly
face smiled with obvious relief at Ty, as she smoothed her hands over
the voluminous white apron she wore.
    "Well, I'm glad it's you, Mr. Manning," she announced.
"Didn't hear the car and couldn't think who it might be out here
stomping around on the porch."
    "We were just trying to knock the snow off our shoes,
Ellie," Ty said, indicating with a gesture that Anne should precede him
into the house. After they were all in and the door was closed behind
them, he smiled at Ellie. "Sorry if we startled you, but we walked up.
Had a little accident with the car."
    Ellie demanded details, and after she had heard exactly
what had happened, she shook her head and clicked her tongue against
her teeth. "Ain't that a shame. Well, it's just a blessing nobody got
hurt. Now, I bet some hot coffee would taste good after that long walk
up here. Wouldn't it?" As she herded them along the wide entrance
foyer, she smiled sympathetically at Anne. "That wind must be mighty
cold. Your cheeks are rosy red, honey."
    "Ellie, this is Anne Fairchild, my new secretary," Ty said
as they approached the winding staircase that led up to the second
floor. "And I don't think you've ever met Mike Bennett. He's one of the
lawyers with the firm. Anne, Mike, this is Ellie Caldwell, my
housekeeper."
    As Ellie gave both visitors a genuine smile of welcome,
Anne extended her hand. The housekeeper clasped it firmly, but her warm
brown eyes widened and she shook her head and clicked her teeth