But she forced herself to calmness as she went down stairs to greet her guest—for there might have been some excuse for the lapse of propriety—some accident—something, anything.
“I expected you last night,” she said as she met Hester at the door. “You were delayed I presume. Has anything happened?”
“Nothing, dearie.” Only the bold significance of Hester’s smile hid its deliberate maliciousness. “Trev was so glad to see me that he simply wouldn’t let me go. And it was daylight before we realized it.”
The girl gasped. And now, looking at the woman, she saw what Trevison had seen—staring back at her, naked and repulsive. She shuddered, and her face whitened.
“There are hotels at Manti, Mrs. Harvey,” she said coldly.
“Oh, very well!” The woman did not change her smile. “I shall be very glad to take advantage of your kind invitation. For Trev tells me that presently there will be much bitterness between your crowd and himself, and I am certain that he wouldn’t want me to stay here. If you will kindly have a man bring my trunks—”
And so she rode toward Manti. Not until the varying undulations of the land hid her from view of the Bar B ranchhouse did she lose the malicious smile. Then it faded, and furious sobs of disappointment shook her.