Free My Darling Melissa by Linda Lael Miller Page A

pointing in the same direction as his ass” was Jeff’s immediate response.
    Keith grinned at that image and gave his mother a reassuring wink. He perched comfortably on the edge of her desk and folded his hands. “Now, if everybody has expressed his shock and concern, maybe we can talk about what we’re going to do.”
    Katherine wondered what any of them could do, if Melissa was actually married to this man, but she spoke up. “I won’t know a moment’s peace until I’m satisfied that Melissa is safe,” she said.
    Adam waved the wire in a delayed fit of agitation. “What the devil does she mean, ‘I’m discovering life’?”
    Keith held up both his hands, palms out, and order was momentarily restored. “I think,” he began calmly, “that Mama and I should take tomorrow’s train over to Port Riley and find out what’s going on.”
    Jeff was standing at the liquor cabinet. He poured himself a brandy, which was appropriated by Adam before he could raise it to his lips. After giving his elder brother a scorching look he filled another glass. “This is no job for Mama,” he said. “After all, she’s a woman.”
    Katherine felt the beginnings of a headache throbbing in one temple. “Jeffrey,” she replied, “I will not be treated to one of your idiotic masculine diatribes. If you cannot assist us in our dilemma, then kindly leave this room.”
    Jeff sank into the big barrel-back chair that had been his father’s favorite. He looked most put-upon, but he held his tongue.
    “What Jeff was trying to tell us, in his awkward way,” Adam pointed out with wry sarcasm, “is that he wants to be there when Melissa explains this mess she’s gotten herself into. And so do I.”
    Jeff nodded somewhat sullenly and took a sip of his brandy.
    Katherine sighed. “Good heavens, if you all go storming over there, you’ll overwhelm her,” she said, rubbing her temple with the fingers of one hand. “Not to mention her poor husband.”
    “Husband.” Jeff huffed the word out in a mockery of the very idea.
    Keith spread his hands. “We know where Melissa is, and that she’s all right. The rest is academic.”
    “I intend to find that out for myself,” Jeff insisted, and he still sounded surly. He’d been patently impossible lately, and Katherine wished that he could be transformed back into a little boy again, just for a few minutes, so that she could spank him.
    Adam was still glaring down at the telegram. “ ‘Discovering life’?” he repeated.
    Katherine stood up, feeling weary. At times like this she missed Daniel all the more poignantly. “It’s settled,” she said. “We’ll all travel to Port Riley on the morning train.”
    With that she left the study.
    * * *
    At the end of the day Melissa still had a job, although just barely, if the lecture she’d gotten from Mr. Rimley was any indication. She was so tired that she stumbled off in the direction of Quinn’s house, and if she hadn’t had to pass Kruger’s Mercantile on the way, she would surely have forgotten to buy gloves.
    When she arrived at home Quinn met her in the middle of the walk. He was wearing no tie or coat, and his shirt was open halfway down his midriff. “Where have you been?” He bit out the words.
    Melissa lifted her gaze from the matting of dark gold hair on his chest to the snapping annoyance in his eyes. “I’ve been working,” she answered, almost too tired to say the words. “You were right—it’s very hard.”
    His manner softened at her answer, and he muttered her name in a tone of despairing frustration before reaching out to take her hands. When she winced in pain he drew back far enough to look at them, and a soft but explosive curse word escaped him.
    “I’m all right,” Melissa said woodenly, starting around him.
    Quinn shook his head in bewildered wonder and ushered her quite solicitously toward the front door. Once inside he led her into that exceedingly masculine room where she’d planned to read the