Country Roads(104)

Her uncle sent her a baffled look before he took the penny, standing with it in his hand.

“Give it back to me now,” she said, holding out her hand palm up, just the way she did when she fed carrots to Darkside.

He laid the penny on her palm with the same dubious expression, and she brought the sword around to present to him. “I found this in an antique store here and thought of you,” she said. She’d had to ask Claire to vouch for the check she used to purchase it, since the weapon was expensive and she didn’t want to put it on her credit card.

Carlos took it in both hands, saying, “But you were angry with me.”

“More sad than angry, and you are still the uncle I love.”

Relief chased the confusion from his face and he gave a little bow. “Thank you. From my heart.”

“Open it!”

He placed it on a heavy oak sideboard and carefully peeled the tape off, unfolding the paper from around her gift. The sword lay gleaming against the dull brown wrapping, its brass hilt and iron sheath showing the unmistakable patina of over a century’s age. “It’s a light cavalry saber from 1860,” Julia said, reciting what the proprietor of the store had told her.

Carlos touched the hilt. “This is a gift of great generosity.” His voice had a hitch in it and he blinked several times.

“You deserve it. Do you like it?” His profile was to her, and Julia couldn’t read his expression. She was worried he might already have something similar in his collection.

He turned and she thought she saw the sheen of tears in his eyes before he swept her into a bear hug. “It is perfect, mi querida. Like you.”

They held each other for a long moment, her uncle’s arms wrapped around her so tightly it was hard to breathe. Julia knew this was her uncle’s way of communicating his regret and his love for her without the words he found so hard to say.

He released her and dashed the back of one hand against his eyes. “But why did we need to exchange a penny?”

“My lawyer says the gift of a blade is symbolic; it means you wish to sever the relationship, which is the opposite of what I wanted the sword to do. So I couldn’t give it to you as a present. You had to buy it from me.” She kissed him on the cheek. “We should go.”

He rewrapped the saber with painstaking care and carried it outside to the sleek sedan he’d hired for the day, carefully supervising as the driver stowed it in the trunk. Once she and Carlos were settled in the back, her uncle said, “You mentioned a lawyer.”

Julia didn’t want to discuss Paul with her uncle. “I needed someone to draw up the agreement between Claire and me for the exhibition.” It was partially true.

“There are many kinds of lawyers, not all of them good.”

Julia waved an airy dismissal. “Oh, mine’s the best lawyer in town, a former two-term mayor.”

“Humph, a politician. Perhaps I should examine the agreement he drew up.” He was frowning and tapping his finger on the armrest between them.

She put her hand over his to still it. “Tío, this is my business now.”

He grunted but allowed her to change the subject to Sharon’s many equestrian accomplishments, including her Olympic gold medal. She hoped he would be so dazzled he would believe Sharon could teach a total beginner to control Darkside in six days. She didn’t mention she’d only ridden the stallion once, at a walk, with a lead line.

“Ms. Sydenstricker is not aware of your epilepsy?” her uncle asked, as the tires crunched over the gravel in the parking lot at Healing Springs Stables.

Julia glared at him as she gestured toward the driver and hissed, “No, and I don’t want her or anyone else here to know.”

Carlos had the grace to look guilty, and she knew he hadn’t considered the driver’s presence. He didn’t apologize but he did drop the subject.

She exploded out of the car, nearly bowling over the driver when she flung open the door he was attempting to hold for her. “Sorry,” she muttered, giving the man a grimace of a smile and hoping professional drivers had a code of confidentiality similar to lawyers and priests.

Her uncle came around to stand beside her and survey the immaculately maintained buildings and fences with obvious approval. “Your friend keeps her place well.”

“She’s a pro,” Julia said, starting toward the indoor riding ring.

When Julia had explained she was bringing her uncle, Sharon insisted on a controlled environment. “It’s bad enough to have Taggart breathing fire about you riding Darkside. I don’t need a family member on my back too. I’ll have him tacked up and ready so we keep it simple.”