Diana understood his analogy perfectly. She was the rose who needed special attention from Lije in order to survive. Lije was her only reason for being here. Diana didn't comment. She knew Jim Two Pony was going to continue, despite his previous silences.
'There is a plant that grows wild on the ranch called a yucca. It thrives on this land. Its sword-shaped leaves have fibres that Indians previously used to make cloth and baskets. In the spring, its towering centre stalk is covered with waxy bell-shaped flowers. This plant contributes more than just beauty. It belongs.'
With that cold, unemotional statement, Jim Two Pony walked into the near corral, leaving Diana standing ashen-faced and alone. She had long guessed the way he felt about her, and now she knew why. Moreover, she recognized the logic and truth in his words. The argument that she did contribute by cleaning, cooking, and generally taking care of the house wasn't completely valid, because she did it for Lije. If it wasn't for her husband, she would never have ventured into this country. She had always believed that she was a city person. And Jim Two Pony had recognized that instinctively.
At the evening meal, Diana picked at the food she had so carefully prepared. She tried to follow the conversation between Lije and Jim, but there were too many terms that she didn't understand. Her fear of the widening gap with Lije stole her appetite. She kept wondering how long it would be before Lije noticed the differences between them.
Usually Diana waited until the men finished their coffee before clearing the table, but tonight she couldn't sit passively in her chair and wait. Grey eyes watched her thoughtfully as she made the trips back and forth between the sink and the table. Even after Jim left the kitchen to check on one of their mares who was sick, Lije stayed at the table, not retreating to his desk in the living-room as he usually did.
'Is anything the matter, Diana?' he asked quietly when the silence continued.
She became conscious of a tear slowly wandering down her cheek. She wiped it away with a soapy hand as she vigorously shook her head that nothing was wrong. There was the scraping of his chair on the floor and footsteps bringing Lije to the sink.
'Then what's that teardrop doing on your cheek?' A finger touched her other cheek. Diana moved her face against his hand, seeking the comfort of his caress. She turned her jewel-bright eyes to look at him.
'Why are you crying?' Lije asked gently.
She swallowed the lump in her throat, then smiled, 'Because I'm not a yucca plant, I guess.'
'What are you talking about, darling?' He smiled back at her, but there was a puzzled light in his eyes.
'Oh…' Diana hesitated. She didn't know whether or not she should tell him of her discussion with Jim. For some reason, she was afraid. 'It was just some silliness,' she laughed shakily.
'Are you sure?'
'Yes, I'm sure,' she nodded.
'Why don't youlet those dishes be for a while?' His arms circled her waist as he nuzzled her ear. 'We'll build a fire in the fireplace.'
'Don't you have paperwork to do?'
She was held tightly against him, but she continued to stare at the sink full of dishes. She was becoming over-conscious of taking Lije away from his work.
'Not tonight,' he whispered in her ear.
With those beautiful words, she turned in his arms to face him, her love shining brilliantly out of her eyes. She needed him so much.
'Hold me, Lije,' she murmured fervently.
Her happiness suddenly seemed like a very illusive thing.
Chapter Eight
AFEW days later Cord Harris telephoned and made arrangements to fly up in his private plane the following weekend. Lije and Jim both spent extra time with the yearlings he wanted to show Cord. When Cord had learned of their recent marriage, he stated that he would bring his wife Stacy with him. Not until Diana learned that Stacy was coming did she realize how much she had missed contact with other women.
When the
'There is a plant that grows wild on the ranch called a yucca. It thrives on this land. Its sword-shaped leaves have fibres that Indians previously used to make cloth and baskets. In the spring, its towering centre stalk is covered with waxy bell-shaped flowers. This plant contributes more than just beauty. It belongs.'
With that cold, unemotional statement, Jim Two Pony walked into the near corral, leaving Diana standing ashen-faced and alone. She had long guessed the way he felt about her, and now she knew why. Moreover, she recognized the logic and truth in his words. The argument that she did contribute by cleaning, cooking, and generally taking care of the house wasn't completely valid, because she did it for Lije. If it wasn't for her husband, she would never have ventured into this country. She had always believed that she was a city person. And Jim Two Pony had recognized that instinctively.
At the evening meal, Diana picked at the food she had so carefully prepared. She tried to follow the conversation between Lije and Jim, but there were too many terms that she didn't understand. Her fear of the widening gap with Lije stole her appetite. She kept wondering how long it would be before Lije noticed the differences between them.
Usually Diana waited until the men finished their coffee before clearing the table, but tonight she couldn't sit passively in her chair and wait. Grey eyes watched her thoughtfully as she made the trips back and forth between the sink and the table. Even after Jim left the kitchen to check on one of their mares who was sick, Lije stayed at the table, not retreating to his desk in the living-room as he usually did.
'Is anything the matter, Diana?' he asked quietly when the silence continued.
She became conscious of a tear slowly wandering down her cheek. She wiped it away with a soapy hand as she vigorously shook her head that nothing was wrong. There was the scraping of his chair on the floor and footsteps bringing Lije to the sink.
'Then what's that teardrop doing on your cheek?' A finger touched her other cheek. Diana moved her face against his hand, seeking the comfort of his caress. She turned her jewel-bright eyes to look at him.
'Why are you crying?' Lije asked gently.
She swallowed the lump in her throat, then smiled, 'Because I'm not a yucca plant, I guess.'
'What are you talking about, darling?' He smiled back at her, but there was a puzzled light in his eyes.
'Oh…' Diana hesitated. She didn't know whether or not she should tell him of her discussion with Jim. For some reason, she was afraid. 'It was just some silliness,' she laughed shakily.
'Are you sure?'
'Yes, I'm sure,' she nodded.
'Why don't youlet those dishes be for a while?' His arms circled her waist as he nuzzled her ear. 'We'll build a fire in the fireplace.'
'Don't you have paperwork to do?'
She was held tightly against him, but she continued to stare at the sink full of dishes. She was becoming over-conscious of taking Lije away from his work.
'Not tonight,' he whispered in her ear.
With those beautiful words, she turned in his arms to face him, her love shining brilliantly out of her eyes. She needed him so much.
'Hold me, Lije,' she murmured fervently.
Her happiness suddenly seemed like a very illusive thing.
Chapter Eight
AFEW days later Cord Harris telephoned and made arrangements to fly up in his private plane the following weekend. Lije and Jim both spent extra time with the yearlings he wanted to show Cord. When Cord had learned of their recent marriage, he stated that he would bring his wife Stacy with him. Not until Diana learned that Stacy was coming did she realize how much she had missed contact with other women.
When the
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