Forcing herself to look at Mrs. Delano's face, Felicity found herself even more intimidated. She saw milk-white skin contrasting vividly with gleaming ebony hair piled high in a cascade of curls. On top of the curls sat a ridiculous confection of a hat which exactly matched the gown and sported ostrich plumes so long they swooped down to brush against Mrs. Delano's fantastic breasts. Lively green eyes stared out of her round face, and too red lips formed a winning smile.

Felicity's photographer's eye told her that Blanche Delano was not a beauty, was not even conventionally pretty, but Felicity doubted anyone would ever even notice that deficiency. Most people would have judged her to be gorgeous.

Green eyes took in Felicity from head to toe. "My lands, is this her?" Mrs. Delano asked in patent disbelief. Her radiant smile flickered and died. For a moment the two women simply stared at each other across the threshold.

Never, in all her years of feeling insignificant, had Felicity felt more so. Compared to this woman, she was a mere shadow, a pale imitation of a woman. She wanted nothing more than to run away and hide where no one would ever see her again. Only her fierce pride kept her rooted to the spot, her chin high, her expression unintentionally defiant.

After a long, uncomfortable silence, Blanche Delano turned to Josh, who had accompanied her up to the door.

"Well, she's a beauty, Joshua. I'll have to give you credit for good taste. But can she talk?"

Long accustomed to Blanche's outspoken behavior, Josh calmly introduced them. "Felicity, this is our neighbor, Mrs. Blanche Delano. Blanche, this is Miss Felicity Storm."

"How do you do?" Felicity heard herself mumble, convinced that this whole episode must be some sort of a dream. Not only was this the most magnificent woman Felicity had ever met, but she had just said that Felicity was a beauty. None of this could possibly be real.

Mrs. Delano's smile glittered to life again. "Why, I'm fit as a fiddle, although you look as if you could use a little more meat on your bones. Hasn't Joshua been feeding you?"

Felicity could think of no response to such an outrageous question, so she simply said, "Won't you come in?" Since Mrs. Delano was already in, having surged by while Felicity was gathering her voice, she added, "And please sit down."

Felicity watched in amazement as Mrs. Delano made a little ceremony out of seating herself on the settee and artfully arranging her quantities of skirt. By the time she had settled herself enough to have removed her orchid-colored gloves, Felicity was itching to go for her camera. The woman was posed perfectly!

"Gome sit here, honey," she commanded Felicity, patting the space beside her with one perfectly kept hand. "I want to look at you."

I want to look at you, too, Felicity thought, but of course she didn't say it out loud. She took the offered seat instead.

Candace had been right, Felicity realized. Mrs. Delano was going to take care of the conversation.

"I could hardly believe my ears," she was saying. "I was no sooner off the stage than folks started telling me all about how Josh Logan had found himself a girl at last and was going to marry her on Saturday. I declare, Joshua, I can't hardly leave you alone for a minute! That'll teach me to go running off to Dallas." She paused as if expecting Josh to make some comment, but he only glared at her from the wingbacked chair where he had seated himself.

Undaunted, Blanche turned back to Felicity. "Where on earth did you come from, Miss Storm?"

Uncertain exactly how to answer such a question, Felicity hesitated a moment. "Everywhere, I guess you could say," she began, prepared to stop in case Mrs. Delano launched into another subject, but surprisingly, the woman simply waited, listening intently.

"My father was a traveling photographer, you see, and we moved around a lot. He… he passed away a few weeks ago, leaving me alone and lost. I wandered onto Mr. Logan's property and he found me." Felicity amazed herself with the way she had mentioned her father's death with no unseemly display of emotion.

Once again Mrs. Delano surprised her by not replying for several seconds. She sat very still, watching Felicity, studying the girl's expression as if listening to the words she had not spoken and reading from her face all the tragic details of her story. At last she nodded slowly, as if she had reached some sort of decision about Felicity. "And what's all this about a thunderstorm?"

Felicity opened her mouth to reply, but Josh interrupted her. "It started raining while we were bringing her back to the ranch. That's all there was to it," he said brusquely, effectively blocking any mention of the flash flood or his heroism. Felicity would have liked to tell Mrs. Delano the story. Perhaps she would at some other time.

Mrs. Delano smiled slyly, as if she knew a private joke. "How delightfully romantic," she remarked to no one in particular. "Practically love at first sight. I never would have guessed you could be so impulsive, Joshua." She ignored his scowl. "And is the wedding really going to be on Saturday?"

Felicity sat silent in an agony of embarrassment over Mrs. Delano's mention of the word "love." Mr. Logan had made it perfectly clear he did not love her, and she had the oddest feeling that Mrs. Delano knew it, too, regardless of what she said. After a long, awkward moment, Felicity realized no one had responded to Mrs. Delano's question. "Yes, the wedding is Saturday," she said quickly. "We'd be honored if you and Mr. Delano would attend."

Mrs. Delano's eyebrows rose. "Oh, my Sam would love to come. He always enjoyed a good wedding. Unfortunately, he's dead and gone these three years and more."

"Oh, I'm sorry," Felicity said hastily, suddenly realizing this was the "widow woman" Mr. Logan had spoken of. Now that she thought of it, she even recalled the name, although it had meant nothing to her at the time. For a second she reflected on how differently things might have turned out if Mrs. Delano had been at home last week to take her in.

"I'm sorry, too," Mrs. Delano was saying. "I still miss him. Of course, I hope to be lucky enough to marry again." She east Mr. Logan a meaningful look. "Or at least, I thought I would. But now…"

Felicity easily caught her meaning. The woman had intended to marry Mr. Logan! Felicity hazarded a glance at him. Plainly, he understood her meaning, too. He was furious, although Felicity did not want to guess why he was so angry. Perhaps this was the first he knew of her willingness. Perhaps now that he had seen the two women together, he regretted his choice. Felicity could not imagine why any man would want her if he could have a woman like Mrs. Delano.

Pain clenched at her heart, a pain she recognized as jealousy even though she had never experienced the emotion before. She knew a second urge to flee from this woman, and this time she thought of a legitimate reason to leave. "Would you like some tea?" she asked, recalling that Candace was already making it.

"I'd love some," Mrs. Delano replied cheerfully.

With all the dignity she could muster, Felicity rose and left the room. She was barely out of sight when she heard Mrs. Delano addressing Mr. Logan.

"You know, Joshua, I always wondered why you never tried to bed me."

"Blanche!" Mr. Logan's voice sounded outraged. Felicity froze in stunned surprise, knowing she should not eavesdrop, but unable to resist the temptation to hear the rest of this astounding conversation.

"Don't sound so shocked," Mrs. Delano chided him. "You knew I'd say yes, too, but you never asked. I've always wondered why, and now that I've seen your intended bride, I know. I'm too much woman for you, aren't I?"

Mr. Logan said something Felicity did not catch, and Mrs. Delano laughed delightedly. "Oh, I don't mean physically. That way I think we'd be a perfect match. I mean I'm too independent for you. You've been waiting for a woman you thought you could control, a meek little thing you could keep under your thumb, haven't you? Don't bother to deny it," she added when he started to reply.