Nora by Diana Palmer

that her mother might relent a little about the unsuitability of Mr. Barton, but her mind was made up. Poor Nora. If she had any contact at all with the handsome foreman, it would have to be done discreetly and in a clandestine fashion. Melly’s eyes flashed as she thought about the unfairness of it all. But, then—perhaps she could help!

Chapter Five
    N ORA WASN’T CERTAIN WHETHER to be happy or sad that she wasn’t able to dance even once with Cal Barton. His impatience with her made her miserable. If only he were someone of wealth and station, someone she had the right to care about, to be seen with. Aunt Helen had made it quite clear how she felt about division of the social classes. It made Nora sad to admit that her mother would have felt exactly the same. No one was going to approve of Nora getting herself involved with a poor cowboy.
    Melly was also subdued, after her unsatisfying confrontation with the abominable Mr. Langhorn. She had known his plans to marry the widow Terrell, of course she had. But to have him tell her so brutally… It didn’t bear thinking about. He seemed intent on breaking her poor heart in as many ways as possible. Nora seemed to sense that hurt, because she reached out a glovedhand and touched Melly’s arm affectionately. It was a comforting gesture, and it eased the pain a little.
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    I T WAS A LONG RIDE HOME in the surrey, with Cal taciturn behind the reins, and Chester and the others talking in low, subdued voices. When they arrived, Chester helped Helen and Melly down, so Cal had to lift Nora down from the high step.
    His big, lean hands contracted gently at her waist as he lowered her slowly to the ground. He didn’t release her at once, and her heart began to race as she stared at his firm mouth and remembered unhappily how hungrily it had kissed her own that once.
    In the soft moonlight, he looked down pointedly at her mouth for several seconds. His hands caressed her waist gently before they fell and he moved slowly back to take the surrey on to the barn. That look was magic. It took away Nora’s pain and all her fears, because she knew then that he felt something just as powerful as she did. She didn’t think about all the reasons why it was impossible, not the least of which was her own infirmity, which might recur at any time. All she knew was a thrill of ecstasy that Cal Barton desired her!
    Chester lit lamps for the girls before he and Helen called good-night and went on down the hall to their bedroom.
    â€œI’ll be along in just a minute, Melly,” Nora said as she went to the front door. “I dropped one of my gloves.”
    Melly wasn’t fooled. She called back a reply and went to her room with a smothered grin.
    Outside, Nora walked briskly down to the barn, where the flickering kerosene lantern gave Cal enough vision to unhitch the sleek buggy horse and bed it down for the night.
    He had just finished when he saw Nora standing in the doorway, watching him. His face hardened. He latched the horse’s stall and grabbed the lantern from its nail with subdued fury.
    â€œAren’t you out of place, Miss Marlowe?” he asked coldly. “A barn is hardly your setting, is it?”
    She nodded toward the lantern. “Could you put that out, please?”
    He hesitated, but only for a minute. “Why not?” He humored her, curious.
    â€œAnd could you put it down, as well?” she persisted.
    He shrugged. He set the lantern on the ground and straightened.
    â€œThank you,” she said softly. And she moved forward, right up against him. She went on tiptoe and looped her arms around his neck.
    Cal caught her by the waist, breathing in her perfume, and pushed while he still had enough sense to resist her.
    â€œDon’t do that!” he said angrily.
    But she wouldn’t budge. Her arms tightened, in fact. “Why not?” she whispered. It delighted her that he was so quickly responsive. She