Page 11 of Conail

"Colin and your mother are left with the day-to-day running of the place and it's too much for them. They need help. We need to hire more people, but we cannot afford it." He swung his gaze to look at her. "And you've been sending your hard-earned money to try and fill the gap."

"I want to do more." Yasmine felt the guilt burning a hole inside her. "I have money saved up--"

"Oh, honey." He laughed weakly and squeezed her hands. "It's going to take much more than savings to get things up and running." Pulling his hand away, he patted hers awkwardly and rose unsteadily. "Let's go downstairs before your mama decides to come up and see what's keeping us." He turned to stare at her. "It's good to have you back home."

Dinner was a somber affair with her mother carrying on most of the conversation. Her dad had never been a talker, but he seemed to have gotten more taciturn, responding briefly to questions thrown at him and bending his head to his meal.

Colin stopped in and collected a covered dish to go, muttering that he still had some work to do. He looked so tired and defeated that Yasmine wanted to ease some of his troubles. Pasting a bright smile on her lips, she answered her mother's questions and forced herself to eat the delicious pot pie and garden-fresh vegetables.

Declining the rich chocolate mousse and coffee, she excused herself and went up to her room.

Closing the door as soon as she stepped inside, she hovered there and took in the bold red and apple green coloring and shabby furnishings. She had redecorated when she turned sixteen and was exploring her independence. Her mother had given her freedom to choose the colors, and she had gone for the eye-poppers.

A lovely quilt was draped over the bed and pillows were propped against the solid mahogany headboard. The posters she hadcollected as a teen still hung on the walls and her bookcase was loaded with books of every genre. Her brother had placed her cases at the foot of the bed.

Hefting the largest one, she placed it on the bed and opened it. A shower was sorely needed and then she was going to find Colin and drag some answers out of him.

*****

It was cooling down and the scent of rain was heavy in the air. They needed the rain, but he was afraid there would be some flooding accompanying it.

He had taken the horse out to exercise it and just get away. He could have stayed for dinner, but he was afraid of the conversation around the dinner table. His sister was going to be the sacrificial lamb, and he was not certain how he felt about any of it.

He had brought a six-pack of beer with him and was on the second one. He would chill here under the old oak tree and allow the trickle of the stream to wash over him. He also refused to think about Maddy or the fact that he had taken her virginity right here. An old blanket and a thermos of lemonade filched from the kitchen. They had been eighteen years old and had been ready. Or so they believed.

Lifting the bottle to his lips, he swallowed the Bud, trying to wash away the bitterness.

An irritated sigh escaped him when he heard the canter of hooves and knew exactly who it was. His sister always knew where to find him.

"There's a full moon." He did not turn around when she dismounted and draped the reins over a sapling. "It's beautiful."

She wandered towards him when he did not respond. "This has always been our favorite spot." She sat next to him and stretched her legs out. Lifting her head, she gazed at the velvety sky with its scattering of clouds and stars. "Everything is so big. This is one of the things I missed when I was away."

"I came out here to be alone. You really should take the hint."

Plucking out a bottle, she twisted the cap and tossed it into the bushes. Taking a sip, she grimaced and had his lips curving slightly. "It's not wine."

"I've been known to knock back a Bud or two." She flickered a glance at him. "You taught me how."

He shrugged and went back to his drinking.

"The parents were acting weird at dinner, anything I should know about?"

He was careful not to look at her for fear of revealing what was on his mind. He had thought they would have mentioned the plan to her around the dinner table.

"Why didn't you ask them?"

"I'm asking you."

"I wasn't there."

"And you're evading the question."

He used anger as a defense. "That's the same bloody reason I'm out here by myself. To get some damn peace."

"I'm sorry."

He turned his head to stare at her, a frown marring his brow. "For what?"

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