Caprice by Amanda Carpenter Read Free Book Online

persuading her to come this weekend.
    She bent at random, and picked up a twig, and then she strolled to the
    end of the pier and sat, leaning against an end post. About ten
    minutes later, Pierce found her there, staring broodingly into the
    water and breaking off bits of the twig to toss out. She heard him
    come out of the lodge, it was so quiet, and her face set into
    expressionlessness when his footsteps first sounded on the pier's
    boards.
    He came to stand beside her silently. She could see out of the corner
    of her eye the. lean, lower part of his leg, and the tip of his shoe.
    After a moment, when she refused to look up or acknowledge his
    presence as she flung her pieces of bark into the lake, he said quite
    casually, 'Our first date, and you've stood me up. Not a very
    auspicious beginning.' He squatted beside her, and then said, 'Here.'
    She turned her head. He held two cups of coffee, steaming hot and
    suddenly pungent as the aroma hit her. 'Thank you,' she said, taking
    one from him. She refused to let her gaze linger on him too long, and
    so after a quickly flicked glance, she turned back to the water. He
    was lean and elegant in grey slacks and sweater. Suddenly mocking,
    she continued, 'Besides, I don't remember saying I'd show.'
    'Is that why you're out here?' He sounded idle, bored, as though she'd
    done a petty thing, and she was fiercely glad she didn't care.
    'No,' she told him flippantly, and sipped daintily from her cup. 'I just
    couldn't make up my mind whether I would or not, that's all.'
    'I don't believe you.'
    It was several seconds before she realised he had said that without
    any mockery, amusement, or anything else that would detract from
    the quiet impact of the simple words. When it finally registered, she
    was angrier than ever. He wasn't supposed to have reacted that way.
    He was supposed to either be amused or confused, either attracted or
    repulsed, and she could have felt a safe contempt for him. 'Well,' she
    said then, thrusting to her feet. 'You should. I have a terrible time
    making my mind up about anything.' She looked down at his
    upturned, self-contained expression, and added drily, 'Everybody
    knows that of me, sooner or later.'
    Caprice turned to walk away, escape. He looked away, over the calm,
    mirror-smooth lake, and then said softly, as though he'd never seen
    her exit bid, as though they were having a leisurely conversation,
    'You see, everyone has a basic reason for doing something.
    Sometimes, with the more twisted or fanatic mind, you need to
    search deeper for the reason, but it's always there, deep, underlying
    actions and thought like the still waters under the surface of this lake.'
    He had caught her as effectively as if he'd reached out his large,
    slender hand and curled his fingers around her ankle. She felt an
    inner lurch, and then was frightened. Foolish, foolish, for this man
    was a stranger and he didn't matter any more than the others
    mattered. She shouldn't fear him. He didn't know her, couldn't know
    her. She was glittering brightness, she was cool fire, she was laughter
    and gaiety, and malicious gentleness, she was Caprice. Underneath
    that, she was untouchable.
    Laughter bubbled up from her throat. She bent and set her half empty
    cup down carefully, and then danced away from Pierce. He
    swivelled, then stood, as she' whirled back to face him tauntingly. 'I!'
    she cried, extravagantly, bowing to him from the waist, one hand
    held gracefully curved outward. 'I don't need a reason for doing
    something. I do it because I want to, like a spoiled child.' She
    pirouetted lightly, silver blonde hair flying. Then she faced him
    again, mockingly. 'In short, I know myself for what I am. I am a
    social butterfly! I flit from place to place! I flirt, hook the fish, reel
    them in bit by bit, and let go of the line when I grow bored! I have
    fun. I do what I wish. Finis!'
    She bowed again. Laughing applause from behind her, and she
    turned to find Jeffrey, Lane,