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“But my brother keeps his nose clean.”
“What’s that supposed to mean?” Ashley demanded.
“Just that Jeremy has managed to follow pretty closely in my father’s footsteps. Daniels Logging Company has always worked within the law.”
“And my father didn’t? Is that what you’re implying?”
“I’m just stating the facts,” he replied coldly. “Jeremy has seen to it that Daniels Logging has been ahead of its time. We’ve never clear-cut, always participated in reforestation, even before it was fashionable, and always left a buffer zone near streams, to protect the rivers.” Trevor’s square jaw hardened. “And to my knowledge, the use of pesticides by Daniels Logging has been kept to a minimum, in order to protect the public.”
Ashley’s elegant brows raised scathingly. “You’ve implied some pretty heavy charges, Senator.”
“I’ve always called ’em as I see ’em.”
“Or so your campaign manager would like the public to think.”
Trevor scowled angrily, but didn’t offer a rebuttal. He noticed the bluish tint to Ashley’s lips and reluctantly he stood. After brushing the wet snow from his jeans, he said, “I think we’d better go back inside before you freeze to death.”
‘“Are you worried about me—or the scandal my demise would cause?”
Trevor’s admonishing stare was stern. “I wish for once, just once, you’d give me a break.”
“That works two ways, you know.”
They walked back to the cabin in silence, each wrapped in secret thoughts of the past that linked them, bound them together, and always kept them at sword’s length from each other.
In some respects, Trevor was right, Ashley decided. Daniels Logging had always had an untarnished reputation for working with the government, its employees and the environmentalists, instead of opposing them. While Stephens Timber was forever being gossiped about for being ruthless and unsympathetic to both employees and the public, Daniels Logging was considered a cornerstone of Oregon industry.
Ashley gritted her teeth in determination. All that was about to change. Then both Trevor Daniels and Claud Stephens would understand what it meant to deal with her. She intended to make Stephens Timber a model company, come hell or high water.
Ashley’s thoughts were grim, but she had trouble believing that Claud would actually try to force Trevor out of the campaign, either by the phony bribery charges or this last, unbelievable mishap with Trevor’s car. Claud was too much of a coward to do anything so bold. It wasn’t his style to take unnecessary risks. And none of the records indicated foul play, at least she hadn’t found anything out of the ordinary.
Ashley breathed a silent prayer begging that her instincts about her cousin were right.
* * *
Once back in the cabin, she managed to steer the conversation in any direction but on Trevor’s career or the past. Trevor seemed to be taking pains to avoid another argument as well. The afternoon faded slowly into nightfall.
It wasn’t a traditional Christmas by
any standards. No candles, roast goose, lighted tree or carolers gave the holy day the special traditions Ashley had observed in the past. However, being alone in the mountains, wrapped in the strong arms of the one man who had ever meant anything to her, made this Christmas more special and intimate than any she could remember celebrating. What better way to observe the holiday than to share it with the man she loved with all her heart?
That night, lying in the security of Trevor’s embrace, listening to the regular beating of his heart as he slept, Ashley cried soft tears of quiet happiness and whispered a silent prayer of gratitude for the special moments she had shared with him.
The cabin was illuminated only by the glowing, bloodred embers of the fire and the pale moonglow reflecting on the soft blanket of snow outdoors. The paned windows were frosted from the cold and the only sound breaking the stillness of the night was the occasional hiss of the fire as it encountered pitch.
Ashley closed her eyes and tried not to think that this night might be the last she would ever spend with him.
* * *
The sharp ring of the telephone brought Ashley out of a deep and trouble-free sleep. Trevor groaned, shifted on the bed and then continued to snore peacefully without even opening an eye. The last few weeks had exhausted him.
Carefully, so as not to disturb him, Ashley slipped from beneath the covers, grabbed her robe and hurried down the stairs to answer the phone in the kitchen. As she picked up the receiver, she pushed the tangled strands of her hair out of her eyes.
“Hello?”
“Ashley!”
With a sinking sensation, Ashley recognized the smug male voice of her cousin. “Good morning, Claud,” she replied quietly, careful not to awaken Trevor. After sneaking a careful glance up the stairs, she walked to the far side of the small room, stretching the telephone cord its full length.
