Born Innocent Read Free Page B

tissue and prepared to begin again. “You know what I mean. You’re my daughter, the substitute hostess in my absence. We shouldn’t both be back here at once.”
    Claire decided to drop the relatively unimportant question of her responsibility toward her mother’s guests. She went straight to the real issue. “Why did you invite Alan Henson tonight?”
    Ella reapplied the lipstick and blotted it with great care. “I thought you liked Alan. After all, you are dating the man.”
    “ I am not dating him.” Claire watched her mother as she smoothed the gray wings of her hair. “He’s a casual acquaintance, that’s all.”
    “ So you say. But everyone in town says...”
    Claire gritted her teeth. She’d had about enough of people jumping to conclusions about herself and a man she hardly knew. “Who cares what everyone in town says, Mother? If you want to know who I’m dating, the best person to ask is me.”
    “ Well.” In the mirror, Ella’s reflection wore a wounded look. “I certainly didn’t think you’d mind if I invited him. He’s such a nice man, after all.”
    “ You were matchmaking, Mother. Just admit it.”
    Ella turned then and faced her daughter. ‘ ‘And what if I was? I can’t see how my creating a pleasant opportunity for you to enjoy the company of a decent man is going to hurt you.”
    “ I’m not interested in him, Mother. Get that through your head.’ ’
    “ Oh, no? And why not?”
    “ I’m just not.”
    “ That’s no answer.”
    “ It’s answer enough.”
    “ Oh, stop this. Let’s be honest, at least, just between you and me. Let’s have it out in the open. You’re not interested in a nice, respectable man because—”
    “ Mother, don’t start,” Claire warned.
    But it had no effect. Her mother finished triumphantly, “You’re too busy waiting around for a single glance from that no-good bounty hunter, Joe Tally!”
    Claire said nothing for a moment. She was trying to keep from defending Joe, because defending Joe would only play into her mother’s hands. But, in the end, she couldn’t stand the unfairness. Joe was a good man who’d never had a single break in his whole life. And Claire wouldn’t stand by and let people run him down. She softly advised, “Don’t call Joe names, Mother.”
    “ Names? What names? I suppose you’re going to try to tell me he isn’t a bounty hunter?”
    “ You know what I mean. You said he was no good.”
    “ It’s only the truth.”
    “ It is not. Joe is...” Claire contained herself, reminding herself of the true issue here. “Joe’s got nothing to do with this discussion.”
    With a snort of pure disdain, Ella waved her hand in front of her face. “Good heavens, how you do delude yourself. But you can’t delude me. Joe Tally has everything to do with why you won’t give a decent man a chance. I’ve watched you since you were little more than a baby, chasing after him, following him around like a lovesick calf. And even though you tell me there’s nothing between you, I know what’s before my eyes.”
    “ It’s none of your business, Mother.” Claire tried to sound strong and purposeful, but her mother became nothing short of an emotional battering ram once she got going. Claire found herself wishing she’d kept her mouth shut about Alan Henson. She should have just left well enough alone and ignored her mother’s embarrassing attempts at matchmaking.
    But it was too late. Ella, who was a tall woman, anyway, drew herself up even taller. “None of my business? How can you say that? My only daughter is ruining her life and she tries to tell me it’s none of my affair?”
    “ I’m not—”
    “ Don’t tell me what you’re not doing. I can see. And don’t fool yourself. I know what’s best for my own child. And what’s more, I will never stop providing opportunities for you to get to know nice men — any men—as long as they’re not that trouble-making loser, Joe Tally!”
    Claire was reaching the