Chloe Read Free Page A

man of distinction, of breeding.”
    “Maybe she doesn’t want a man of . . . of breeding.” As if from a distance, Chloe heard the words come out of her mouth. Shocked, she fell silent.
Why did I say that? Why didn’t I keep my mouth shut?
    “Chloe,” her mother began in a scandalized tone.
    “Miss Chloe’s got a point,” Jackson interrupted. “This is the twentieth century.”
    “Jackson’s right,” her father cut in. “I wouldn’t want my daughter going to college, but McCaslin’s no fool. If he thinks Kitty needs college, college is what she’ll get.”
    “He knows,” Jackson continued, “that men
and
women are going to be judged by their education in the future.”
    “You’re both mistaken,” Mrs. Kimball said haughtily. “Men don’t like brainy girls and never will. A man of breeding gets an education but does not want his future wife getting her head turned by all these modern ideas. Voting, indeed. Soon you’ll tell me that you want Chloe to learn how to drive a car.”
    Chloe kept her eyes lowered. Would they go back to the usual routine? Had mother finished at last?
    Her father laughed. “Now that’s a flight of fancy. Why stop with an automobile? Why not fly an airplane?”
    Jackson laughed, too.
    “Why not?” a new voice interjected, startling the occupants of the dining room into silence. Grinning, Kitty McCaslin walked into the dining room. She winked at Chloe. “I think being a pilot would be fun.”
    Chloe fumbled with her water glass and rescued it just before it spilled onto the tablecloth. “Kitty, I didn’t expect to see you tonight.”
    “My apologies for comin’ in unannounced. We’re all such old friends and I was sure Haines would be busy servin’ dinner. I’m home just for a long weekend and wanted to see y’all.” Kitty advanced on Mr. Kimball. “Mr. Kimball, how’s the election going?”
    “I’m going to be the first elected senator in this state,” he said as he rose and accepted Kitty’s polite kiss on his cheek.
    “Good evening, Miss Lily.” Kitty nodded to the other woman. “Mr. Jackson.”
    Chloe wondered if Kitty had overheard anything her mother had said about her. She hoped Kitty had just arrived.
    Jackson had risen and now waited for Kitty to be seated. Kitty eyed Chloe. “Mr. Kimball, Miss Lily, I’ve come to steal your lovely, speechifying daughter away with me. Roarke’s out in the car. We’re on our way to the Palace. We’ve got to hurry or we’ll miss the first evening showing.”
    “But Chloe hasn’t had her dinner yet,” Mrs. Kimball objected.
    Rejoicing at this chance of escape, Chloe popped up. “Daddy,” she began, knowing she needed his support.
    “You go right ahead, sugar,” he said without glancing at his wife. “Take a wrap. It’s still chilly at night.”
    “Wait—” Mrs. Kimball held up a hand.
    “You best hurry, sugar.”
    With a smile, Chloe’s father waved her and Kitty out of the room. Behind them, an undercurrent of angry, slurred words poured from her mother.
    In the hallway, Chloe tugged on her hat and gloves in front of the mirrored hall tree as Haines appeared with a light coat. And then she was running after Kitty down the front steps, between the white, ivied columns into the deepening twilight. Roarke’s new Model-T was parked in front. Roarke, also a good friend, was leaning against its driver’s side door, waiting with a smile. Beside him lounged the dark stranger.

CHAPTER TWO
    R oarke stepped forward, removing his hat. “Evening, Miss Chloe.” He towered above her, broad-shouldered and large, unassuming and familiar. And, at the moment, totally overshadowed by the stranger. But with a conscious effort, she looked up at her friend and smiled. “Evening, Roarke.” Then, of their own accord, her eyes drifted back to the stranger.
    “Chloe.” Kitty took her arm, tugging her forward. “This is Theran Black. Theran, this is Miss Chloe.”
    “Are you kidding me?” For the moment, the