Free No Red Roses: A Loveswept Classic Romance (Santa Flores) by Iris Johansen Page B

the blue willow platter.
    “Hunger makes the best sauce,” Aunt Elizabeth quoted, then she frowned. “I see you didn’t touch the tuna salad.”
    “I forgot,” Tamara murmured guiltily.
    “You always do.” Her aunt sighed. “You’dstarve to death if there weren’t someone around to remind you to eat.”
    “Well, you are around,” Tamara said, grinning. “And you can’t say I’m not a healthy specimen. Did you enjoy yourself at Reverend Potter’s?”
    “Oh yes, it was very pleasant,” Aunt Elizabeth said vaguely, still gazing at Tamara with a frown. “I do hope that young man makes sure you eat properly.”
    Tamara’s hand, in the act of reaching for the ladle of the soup tureen, froze for a brief instant in midair before completing the action with careful precision. “Young man?” she asked casually, lowering her lashes to veil her eyes. “What young man?”
    “Why, the one with the music, dear,” her aunt said matter-of-factly. She lifted her spoon to her lips and tasted the soup, and a pleased smile lit her face. “I tried a dash of paprika in this recipe tonight. I believe it gives the soup a nice lift.”
    Tamara sighed as she put the ladle back in the tureen and looked up to meet her aunt’s serene gaze. At times there were definite disadvantagesto living with an honest-and-true psychic. “Okay, Madame Zara, how much do you know?”
    “Oh, not very much, dear,” Aunt Elizabeth said. “It wasn’t a complete revelation, you know. It was more of a very muddled, fleeting impression. When are you going away?”
    “In about a week,” Tamara answered cautiously. She’d decided there was no way she was going to burden her aunt with the entire story that led to her acceptance of Rex’s proposal and she’d constructed a half-truth she hoped was fairly plausible. “I decided I’d like to try something new, so I resigned from Bettencourt’s and I’m going to take a temporary clerical position touring with an entertainer. It will only last a month and then I’ll return and consider my other career options.” She smiled brightly. “I have a little money in the bank. Perhaps I’ll just take a few months off and work on my book.”
    “A week? I received the impression that it would be much sooner than that,” Aunt Elizabeth said, frowning. Then her face clearedand she added, “Oh well, perhaps I was mistaken. What’s the young man’s name, dear?”
    “Rex Brody,” Tamara answered. “He’s Margaret Bettencourt’s nephew and evidently very well known. It will only be for a short while and I’ll be perfectly safe. You mustn’t worry, darling.”
    “Oh, I’m not worried,” her aunt assured her tranquilly. “I have nothing but good vibrations about this move of yours, dear.” A tiny frown wrinkled her brow. “Though there was some disturbance about the blood.”
    “Blood?”
    “Oh, it was all quite mixed-up. There’s nothing to worry about I’m sure,” Aunt Elizabeth said comfortingly. “It was just a bit puzzling. I’m certain all the details will come in much clearer next time.”
    Tamara hoped ruefully that some of the details would remain permanently blurred. How could anyone hope to practice even a well-meant deception when her aunt knew more than she did about her own future?
    “I’ll call you as soon as we arrive in each city,”Tamara said gently. “You won’t be too lonely, love?” It was the first time they’d ever been separated and Tamara was already feeling a bit misty about the parting.
    Her aunt shook her curly white head briskly. “I’ll miss you, of course, dear, but I don’t believe I’ll be lonely.” Her blue eyes twinkled. “You’re very lucky, you know, Tamara. There’s such music in that young man!”
    “Music?” Tamara asked, puzzled. “Yes, I believe that he’s a very accomplished musician. Janie tells me he’s quite a famous composer as well.” She shrugged. “I really wouldn’t know. He’s in the pop field, and I don’t