Faron by Joan Johnston

Author:Joan Johnston [Johnston, Joan]
Language: eng
Format: epub
ISBN: 9781488025587
Publisher: HQN Books
Published: 1993-11-08T05:00:00+00:00

CHAPTER SIX

BELINDA MANAGED TO AVOID FARON until her sisters left. She knew he was giving her space. Fiona had told her so—and a lot more besides—while they were sitting at the Casper airport. Dori’s and Tillie’s flights had already come and gone. She was waiting for Fiona’s plane to depart.

“You can’t judge every man by your husband,” Fiona had said.

“What other gauge would you suggest I use?” Belinda demanded.

“Your heart.”

“I don’t have one.”

Fiona laughed. “Don’t you wish! You’ve got one all right. Maybe a little bruised and battered, but it’s in there beating away. And if what I suspect is true, beating a whole lot faster whenever a certain cowboy is around.”

Belinda was helpless to control the flush that rose on her cheeks. “All right, so I’m attracted to Faron Whitelaw. He’s a handsome man.”

“And charming.”

“And charming. But he’s also my stepson.”

“A fact that makes absolutely no difference.”

“How can you say that?”

“It might be different if Faron had grown up at King’s Castle, if you had stood in the role of stepmother and he had been your stepson. But that wasn’t the case.

“You know what I think, Belinda? I think the fact Faron is technically your stepson is just an excuse.”

Belinda laughed nervously. “An excuse for what?”

“An excuse not to fall in love with him. Which you already half are, if I’m not mistaken.”

That nervous laugh escaped again. Belinda lowered her eyelids to hide her expressive eyes, but Fiona exercised the prerogative of younger sisters the world over to ignore her elder sister’s tender sensibilities.

“Look,” Fiona said. “I say you ought to go for it.”

Belinda gasped. “Go for it? What kind of thing is that to urge your sister to do?”

“Look, you like the guy, right?”

Fiona didn’t wait for Belinda to respond.

“And he likes you.”

Again Fiona didn’t wait for Belinda to respond.

“So go for it. Give the relationship a chance. Get to know Faron. Let yourself fall in love—I mean, if that’s what happens.”

“And if nothing happens?”

“Then you’re no worse off than you were before,” Fiona said philosophically.

Fiona’s flight was called. She rose and hugged Belinda, then picked up the cat carrier that held Tut. “Be happy, Belinda. You deserve it. Call me, okay?”

“Okay.”

Belinda waved as Fiona turned and smiled over her shoulder. Before Fiona even got to the door, she had met a man traveling on the same flight. Belinda shook her head in disbelief at her sister’s easy way with men as she turned and headed for the parking lot. But she used the drive back from Casper to think about Fiona’s advice.

Be happy, Belinda. You deserve it.

It was wonderful advice, actually. If only Belinda knew what would make her happy, she would do it. The problem was, Belinda had no idea what she wanted. She had been honest with Faron the day she had met him. She hadn’t ever allowed herself to dream. Right after her parents were buried, she had needed to work to support her sisters. After she had married Wayne, whatever hopes she’d harbored had died a sure, if not precisely sudden, death.

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