Free Denim and Lace by Diana Palmer

relationship. But he hadn’t meant to hurt her.
    He started after her, flaming with frustration and bad temper. “Damned circumstances,” he muttered to himself. He hated making apologies. Not that he intended to make one now. But maybe he could rub a healing balm on the wound he’d inflicted.
    But when he stepped out into the long hall, he found Bess halfway down it, sobbing into his mother’s shoulder.
    Elise looked at her tall, angry son with knowing, soulful eyes. That look was as condemning as Bess’s had been. Worse. He glared at her, then at Bess’s rigid back, and went into his office again. But he didn’t slam the door. Oddly enough, he felt as if he’d just made the biggest mistake of his life.
    â€œThere, there,” Elise murmured softly, smoothing Bess’s soft hair as it fell out of the bun down her back. “It’s all right, darling.”
    â€œI hate him,” Bess whimpered. She clung, even though she’d sworn on her arrival that she didn’t need sympathy. Yes, she did, desperately. Gussie had none for anyone except herself, and Bess had nobody else.
    â€œYes, I know you hate him.” Elise hugged her close with a sigh. Poor little thing, with only Gussie for company at Spanish House. Elise and Gussie had been friends once, until Cade had made an accusation that had broken their friendship and made them enemies. Elise held no grudges even now, but Gussie hated Cade for the accusations he’d made and the way he’d embarrassed her in front of Elise. Bess didn’t know about that scandal, and there was no reason to tell her. It was better left in the past, to her mind. It was only Cade and Gussie who kept it alive, and Elise had long since given up hope that the two of them would ever bury the hatchet.
    All the same, she worried about Bess. At times like this she could have picked Gussie up and shaken her. Didn’t she care enough about Bess to see that she was taking her father’s death badly? The last thing she needed was to be here, letting Cade upset her. Elise, who’d wanted at least one daughter, had to content herself with the hope of daughters-in-law. Someday. Maybe.
    Bess wept slowly, enjoying the luxury of tears. She was going to get over Cade Hollister if it killed her, now that she knew how he really felt about her. And she’d pay him back someday. It was going to be her goal in life. So it was a pity that no matter how hard she pictured her revenge, it always ended with his arms around her.

CHAPTER FIVE
    B ESS HAD HERSELF under control by the time she went upstairs to say good-night to Gussie. She’d wiped the tears away and even forced herself to smile as she carried her mother a cup of herbal tea and some cheese for a bedtime snack.
    â€œFeeling better?” she asked Gussie.
    The older woman stretched lazily. “A little, I suppose. It’s very lonely without your father, Bess.”
    â€œYes, I know,” Bess said gently.
    â€œI thought I heard the car leave while I was napping,” Gussie said, eyeing her daughter. “Did you go out?”
    â€œJust to the store for a minute, to get some more tea,” she prevaricated.
    â€œOh. Well, you really should tell me when you’re going out. I might have needed something.”
    Bess felt herself bristle. This was going to be unbearable. Now that her father was gone, she could already see Gussie’s attention turning inward, to her own comfort. Bess was going to be trapped, just as Cade had said.
    â€œNow listen, Mother—” Bess began.
    â€œI’m so tired and sleepy, darling. I simply must rest,” Gussie said with a weary smile. “Sleep tight, baby.”
    Bess almost stood her ground, but that smile cut the ground out from under her. She stood up. “You, too, Mama.”
    â€œAnd don’t forget to lock the doors.”
    â€œNo, Mama.”
    â€œYou’re such a nice child, Bess.” She