Chapter 15
When they arrived back at the Douglas Ranch, Jeff was striding across the yard, heading toward the barn. Annette’s eyes lingered on him. It was a warm day, and he’d rolled the sleeves of his black button-up shirt over his elbows to reveal strong, muscular forearms. It fit loosely, but there was no doubt his body was in perfect shape beneath the material. The shirt was tucked into the waistband of snugly fitted jeans and a belt. She pushed the hair away from her face and forced a nonchalant expression to her face, suddenly wishing she would have at least worn a little makeup.
“I’ve just had a bowl of beef-barley soup and a sandwich,” he called as they hopped out of the vehicle. “Go inside and help yourself to lunch while I saddle up. I have a couple of hours to spend on another lesson. Okay?”
Annette was aghast. “No!” she shrieked.
Jeff stopped, a puzzled frown creasing his forehead. He tipped the battered black cowboy hat he always wore, back on his head. “No? You don’t want to try riding again?”
She forced herself to be calm, took a breath and answered. “I mean, I need to be with you because I want to learn everything about catching Pearl in the pasture, riding, and saddling her today.”
“Oh,” he said a grin flashing as he wiped a hand across his chin, dark with stubble. “I have other things I should do right now. Come find me when you’re ready. Actually, hang on a minute,” he fished a small phone out of his breast pocket and clicked it to life. “Can you use your phone in Canada?”
“Yes,” Gabrielle replied on Annette’s behalf. “I ‘elped ‘er with that since…uh, well, since she might be ‘earing from someone while she’s ‘ere. We ‘ave a limited number of texts to use, but…” she explained and shrugged, “we also ‘ave no one else except you or Sophie to use them with while we are ‘ere.”
Jeff and Annette exchanged numbers. He slid his small flip-phone phone back into his pocket and buttoned it closed. “Great,” he said, patting it as though assuring himself her number was safely guarded. “I use a phone that’s easily replaced when I’m working. In case it gets destroyed,” he explained a bit self-consciously. “Now it will be easy for you to shoot me a text when you’re ready and we’ll go out to the pasture for Pearl together.”
He turned away. “Jeff?” she called tentatively. He swivelled around and waited; eyebrows raised. “I want to thank you for taking the time to teach me. It really means a lot.”
A grin of pleasure eased the worry lines on his forehead. “You’re welcome,” he said, “It’s always a treat when I can help a beautiful artist from a foreign country learn to ride a horse.” Playfully he scratched his chin and squinted at the sky. “Actually, that’s never happened before, but I’m enjoying it now.” With a deep chuckle, he walked away, calling over his shoulder, “Text me.”
Annette rounded on her sister as soon as he was out of earshot. “Why would he say that?” she demanded.
“Say what? That you’re a foreigner?”
“No, of course not,” she snapped. “Why would he call me beautiful?” Just repeating the words brought a prickle of tears to her eyes, and she spun quickly away to hide them, blinking hard. No one had ever said that to her before. Was he mocking her?
“Why?” repeated Gabrielle, her voice rising to a squeak. “Because it’s true,” she said with conviction. She grabbed Annette and swung her around. Taking her by her upper arms, she leaned in and looked deep into her sister’s eyes. “I always tell you this, but you never listen. You. Are. Beautiful. I’m not going to list all your attributes, mainly because I’m hungry and that soup sounded good,” she giggled. “But you’re very, very pretty.”
“You have to say that,” Annette protested, her shoulders sagging. “You’re my sister. It’s the law.”
Gabrielle laughed. “See! Case in point. You never listen to what I have to say.” She dropped her hands and they both started walking to the house. “Maybe you’ll listen to Jeff,” she said slyly.
But that wasn’t worth replying to, so Annette ignored it. They mounted the steps to the front door and let themselves inside. Jeff’s house was becoming like home to her now. She kicked off her boots and walked through the huge living room, admiring the sunlight streaming through the massive windows on both sides, and how it took on a homey, comfortable feeling at every hour of the day. It must be so cozy to sit beside the roaring fire during the winter, when cold winds whistled down from the mountains and snow blanketed the land.
Together they passed through the space and into the kitchen. They heated the soup that was waiting in the fridge and found ham and cheese for quick sandwiches.
Seating herself in her usual spot at the table, Annette sank her teeth into the homemade bread and closed her eyes. “Sandra’s a marvelous cook,” she exclaimed with gusto. “Too bad I’m in a hurry and can’t dawdle over lunch.”
“You’re anxious to see Jeff again?” Gabrielle inquired innocently.
Annette grimaced. “You know that’s not true.” She slurped a spoonful of the piping hot soup and burned her tongue. Scraping back her chair, she hurried for a glass of water. “Want one?” she called.
Gabrielle nodded and Annette filled two large glasses to the brim before carefully shuffling back to the table so as not to spill. “This afternoon I want to learn everything I can about riding and getting ready to ride,” she said, feeling this explanation was unnecessary. She clunked the glass down in front of her sister. “You know why.”
“Yes,” her sister sighed long and loud. “I know why. I still don’t agree with this wild idea of yours, but I can’t let you go alone either…or I fear you would do just that.”
Annette nodded her head in the affirmative, too busy eating to answer. They both made short work of the meal, keeping talk to a minimum. Annette learned that Gabrielle intended to ask Jeff if she could take Panda out for a ride again.
“I might as well get accustomed to him if we have to go for an extended midnight ride,” she confirmed in a monotone voice.
As they cleared away their dishes and prepared to leave, Annette corrected her sister, “Not midnight. Remember, I’ll come to get you at about one, so we have time to catch the horses and saddle up before heading over at two. Get it?”
“Got it.”
“Good,” quipped Annette as they hurried back outside.
She fumbled with her phone to send Jeff a text. Hers was cumbersome compared to his small one and after it sent she wondered where it would be safe. Her only options were a back pocket or under her shirt held in a bra strap. Neither were good. Tonight, she’d have to bring a cross-body purse since she might need to take photographic evidence of the Danburys’ nighttime criminal activities.
Both women strolled toward the barn, knowing it might take a few minutes for Jeff to appear from wherever he was working. With Gabrielle’s help Annette slid open the big double doors and they stepped inside the barn.
“We might need a little encouragement for them to come to us,” Gabrielle suggested. “Something like a few oats in a small pail or in our pockets. And of course, we’ll have to take their halters and lead ropes too.”
“Okay,” Annette remarked uncertainly. “That’s the strappy thing that goes around their heads, right?”
Gabrielle tilted her head and rolled her eyes heavenward. “We’re in trouble,” she groaned. “Go look on the wall beside Pearl’s stall for the halter. She was likely wearing it the last time you saw her.”
“Right. Oh, it’s pink,” Annette remembered happily, and found it hanging on the wall. Attached to it was a long rope. Success. She heard footsteps approaching and swivelled around to see Jeff’s shadowy form fill the door with his broad shoulders and large hat. Well, not really, but it looked that way to her. She licked her lips and lifted the halter proudly.
“Found it,” she said.
Gabrielle appeared at her side with Panda’s in tow and they followed Jeff back outside into the sunshine. He was holding a small pail that he swished back and forth. Grain rattled against the sides.
“Pearl is usually good about being caught,” he said, “but Panda, not so much. So, we’ll take them a little incentive.”
“Where did you get it?” Annette blurted. Gabrielle rolled her eyes and Jeff narrowed his gaze quizzically.
“Out of that bin of oats over there.” He pointed. “Why? You need to catch them for a moonlight ride that I don’t know about?”
Annette’s startled gasp caused her to choke and splutter. Gabrielle slapped her on the back with a bit more vigour than was actually required. “Est-ce que ?a va ma s?ur?” she asked with exaggerated concern.
Coughing, Annette smiled through watering eyes and tried to smile. “I’m fine,” she croaked. “Must ‘ave been a crumb from lunch that went down the wrong way.”
Jeff didn’t question it any further. Instead, he led them to a small metal gate built into the fence. They passed through and stopped.
“Don’t we ‘ave to walk out there?” Annette asked.
“Naw,” he said. “Cover your ears.” Lifting two fingers, he placed them in his mouth and blew. A piercing whistle shattered the air and every horse, far away in the field, lifted its head. First one began to trot toward him, and then they all broke into a gallop and thundered toward them from across the pasture. It was quite a sight. Annette shrank behind Jeff for fear of being trampled.
He laughed. “It’s a fact that horses fight over oats,” he explained. “And without meaning to they could hurt you. Why don’t you and Gabrielle stand just outside the fence until I catch them?”
The women did so, Annette arching her eyebrows at her sister. How was this going to work in the middle of the night? It posed yet another issue she hadn’t considered. Twenty horses hurtling toward them in the middle of the night wasn’t ideal. She’d have to think about this.
Meanwhile, Jeff caught three horses and beckoned to them. Hesitantly, the sisters stepped through the gate, and each took a lead rope.
“Are we all going for a ride?” Annette asked. Pearl looked bigger today and she was beginning to feel the first flutters of fear.
“I don’t think Gabrielle will want to hang around with us,” he said with a grin. “She can go for a ride on her own. You and I will start off in the pen. If you feel comfortable, we’ll go for a little ride in the closest pasture to the yard. Okay?”
His eyes searched her face. She knew she must look tense and made an effort to smooth her features into a brave smile. At least she hoped it resembled confidence and not a grimace of pain.
“Sure. That sounds good.” They led the horses inside the barn.
It took half an hour to brush, saddle, and bridle Pearl. Jeff stood back and directed while Annette did everything herself. There were a few mishaps like when she clanked the bit against the horse’s teeth and she flinched, or when Annette didn’t lift the saddle high enough and plowed it into the side of Pearl’s stomach. Though overall, it went well. She stepped back and surveyed her efforts with pride.
“I did it,” she exclaimed, as though there had been grave doubts about it.
“You did,” Jeff said, patting her on the back. “Now, lead her out into the same round pen we were in before. I’ll get you started and then I’ll saddle my own horse.”
She led Pearl out the big barn doors, around the corner, and through the open gate of the round pen.
Annette felt a good deal of apprehension when she placed her foot in the stirrup and prepared to mount. She had no desire to take another tumble. Memories of lying on top of a handsome gasping man in the dirt caused her to blush all over again. Still, she took hold of her courage, seized the saddle horn, hopped three times on her left foot, and threw herself up and over the saddle.
It worked! She felt like a pro. No, it wouldn’t do to get too cocky. Settle down.
“Perfect,” Jeff said with another pat, this time to her leg. She was happy, but realized these innocent little pats were messing with her senses. Each time he did it, a trickling sensation of awareness went through her body. It was as though he’d left his imprint on her since, even later, she could still feel his hand.
Shaking her head to rid herself of these wayward thoughts, she concentrated on the job at hand. She would learn to ride today if it killed her. And it very well might.
He watched as she gathered her reins and moved Pearl forward by the slight pressure of her heels to the horse’s sides. They walked sedately at first. Annette struggled to remember all that Jeff had taught her: don’t slouch, relax your back but sit straight, hold reins gently, heels down and balance your weight in the stirrups, toes in, be aware of your horse.
By the time Jeff left the barn with his own saddled steed behind him, she was feeling almost ecstatic. Everything had gone according to plan so far. She’d even tried trotting and put her weight in her stirrups, rising up and down in rhythm like Jeff had directed her. She spoke to Pearl as they went round the pen. The horse’s ears flicked back and forth as though she were listening to every word. The steady, rocking rhythm of Pearl’s gait, the warmth of the sun beating on her back, and the connection she felt to the beautiful animal was surprisingly enjoyable.
“Tu es une jolie fille,” she said, leaning down to rub a hand along Pearl’s smooth neck. It was an exhilarating feeling to be atop such a gorgeous animal. How lucky she felt.
Jeff leaned his arms on the top rail and watched her. When she got close to him he called, “How is it going? Feel like taking her out for a little spin in the field?”
“Oui, merci,” she responded, concentrating so hard on riding procedures that she forgot to speak in English.
“Great” he said with a grin. “You’re looking good up there. I must be an excellent teacher.” He polished his fingernails on his chest with a laugh. “I’ll go get Champ.”
Annette made a few more circles in the round pen while waiting for him. She giggled, feeling a freedom and joy she’d never felt before. She was riding a beautiful horse in the gorgeous Canadian Rockies with the most handsome man she’d ever known. Could it get any better?
When he returned with his big chestnut gelding, something triggered her memory. “You named your ‘orse after the one your father rode didn’t you?” she asked curiously. “It could not be the same horse.
He smiled, but his eyes looked sad. “Yes.” He stroked the animal’s neck with obvious affection. “When he was born, he reminded me so much of Dad’s old horse that I couldn’t help myself.”
She looked at Jeff, emotion flooding her heart. He was a complex man. Who would have thought he was so sentimental? He opened the gate and stepped back as she and Pearl joined him.
Jeff closed the gate behind her. This would be her first true riding test. She took a deep breath and willed herself to be calm. Jeff mounted his large chestnut gelding, and led the way along a narrow corridor beside the barn. He dismounted to open one last gate as they passed a series of pens, several sheds, and a small outbuilding.
He swung himself effortlessly into the saddle, not even bothering with the stirrups. She was impressed.
“Okay,” he said, his voice changing to instructor mode. “I want you to keep a close rein on her. Not tight,” He added hurriedly, as she pulled back in alarm. “I just mean you need to be aware of your horse and unexpected situations that may arise, so you can correct her.”
“Situations?”
“A sudden movement, an unfamiliar noise, that sort of thing. Horses will shy away when startled and you could be unseated.” He looked at her with narrowed eyes, evaluating her comfort level. “We aren’t going to progress past a walk. Not today. And we’ll stay in this pasture. Try to enjoy yourself—relax and get to know Pearl before we try anything further.”
They walked a few paces and Annette asked, “What do you mean by ‘correct ‘er?’ I ‘ave so many things to think about already, I don’t think I can ‘andle anything else.”
He laughed. “Maybe I’m trying to tell you too much at once. Just relax. I’m here with you and nothing bad will happen.”
“No, that’s not ‘ow this works,” she said tensely. “I need to know what to do, because you won’t always be with me.”
His expression sobered. “True. Okay, you remember how to let Pearl know you want to stop, right?”
She nodded.
“That’s all I mean by correcting. If a horse gets spooked or frightened, their first instinct is to run. You have to be ready, and prevent that from happening by stopping them using what I told you about how you sit, your legs, the words you use, and pressure on the bit in the horse’s mouth.”
This was valuable information indeed and Annette soaked it up. Now she could try to relax.
The bit jangled as Pearl tossed her head and snorted, protesting at the swarms of pesky flies that buzzed around her in lazy circles. In the distance, the jagged peaks of the Rockies stood tall and proud like silent sentinels guarding the humans and wildlife below.
Everything but the brilliant blue sky was a vibrant shade of green; from the tall grass swishing with each steady step of the horse’s hooves to the trembling leaves of the nearby aspens that shimmered in the warm breeze.
Annette couldn’t help but revel in the beauty of her surroundings, feeling small yet somehow connected to this picturesque scene. Pearl’s horsey smell only added to the perfection of the afternoon. The sun warmed her shoulders, and she lifted her face to it, smiling. What a wonderful day!
If she lived here, she’d wear a cowboy. The image of herself dressed head to toe in denim with an enormous hat pulled down to her ears, made her smile. Could she ever look like that? The girl to whom fashion was like a religion. Perhaps—if the conditions were right. Inadvertently, she looked across at Jeff. He caught her eye and held it, swinging his horse in closer.
“Did you have a nice visit at the Triple T?” he asked as his leg brushed hers and she flinched, but he didn’t notice. Champ walked faster than Pearl and they stepped into the lead immediately.
“Yes,” she called, raising her voice. “Sophie gave us a little tour and then we watched Rosa take a horse through the barrels. It was interesting.”
“I’m glad. Rosa wins a lot of competitions on the rodeo circuit each year. She’s gone most weekends. If you’re here long enough maybe you could go see one.”
“That would be fun.”
They fell into an awkward silence. His horse walked so fast that every five minutes Jeff would stop and wait for Annette and Pearl to catch up.
The second time this happened, Jeff was using the cuff of his jacket to polish the saddle as she pulled up beside him. Casually he asked, “So, are you waiting for a call from your boyfriend?”
Annette was so taken aback that her mouth fell open. She shook her head. “Waiting for—what did you just ask me?” She stopped Pearl and swivelled in the saddle to look at the man.
“Your boyfriend,” he repeated slowly, turning his attention to his horse, who also halted. A tiny piece of dead grass was tangled in Champ’s mane and painstakingly Jeff worked to get it free. “Gabrielle said you were waiting on a call and that’s why she made sure your cell phone worked. I was just wondering if that was why.” He tossed the grass to the ground as though it had been a manoeuvre vital to his horse’s well-being.
“No. I don’t have a boyfriend,” she said at length. Why was he asking her such a thing? She was flustered now and began to babble. “I think I told you I applied for work at several art galleries before I left Paris and if one of them should try to reach me, I want to be available.”
“Ah, of course. That makes sense.” They set off in a companionable silence.
The horses rounded the far end of the pasture and Jeff, in the lead again, stopped to wait before turning Champ toward home. Everything had gone well, and Annette was as relaxed as Pearl. Looking toward the distant mountains, she saw a herd of Jeff’s white cattle lying contentedly on a hillside. It was a peaceful scene, the white animals a stark contrast against the green. Champ swished his tail at flies. Annette thought that the picture Jeff made on his horse, hat low over his eyes against the sun and gazing out across his land, deserved to be captured on canvas. She etched the image in her mind, thinking that later she would paint it. Perhaps that was something she could do to repay all of his kindness. The thought made her both happy and sad.
As she approached he swivelled and grinned at her, before moving off toward home. The brush was thicker on this side of the field with a stand of trees ahead and Jeff indicated that they should keep away from the bushes and stay more to the center.
“Keep a good grip on Pearl, since she’ll be anxious to get home,” he called over his shoulder.
Without warning, a flock of frenzied prairie chickens erupted from the tall grass, their wings flapping wildly as they scattered directly in front of her.
Pearl snorted and went up on her hind legs. She lunged to the left, narrowly avoiding the chaotic birds, and charged into the underbrush in a blind panic. Annette lurched sideways, screaming. She dropped the reins in a wild attempt to grasp the saddle horn. Frantically she hauled herself upright and clung to the saddle for dear life as Pearl hurtled herself under the low-hanging limbs of the poplars. The animal was terrified.
Branches smacked Annette in the face and chest as Pearl plunged through the undergrowth. Twigs scratched her, branches and twigs snapped, and then one supple branch drove into her long curls, lodging itself, tight.
Annette screamed. She let go of the horn and grabbed for her hair, the momentum of the horse’s plunging stride laying her flat back against Pearl’s rump. With a loud crack, the branch broke. But thankfully the horse had come to a stop.
Annette groaned in pain and her heart pounded with fear. She could hear Jeff’s calm voice speaking to the animal, reassuring both her and the horse. Pearl shifted her hindquarters side to side and Annette moved with her, almost slipping off, the movements wrenching at her snarled hair. Slowly she pulled herself upright to see that Jeff was off Champ and holding Pearl’s bridle. The horse’s breath was laboured, her body heaved and quivered, but she didn’t move.
A moment later, Jeff was at her side, his fingers working gently to free her. Twigs snapped, and branches broke as he struggled to release her hair. Clearly he was trying to cause her as little further pain as possible.
“Hang on, my sweet,” he soothed. “You’ll be free in a moment. Don’t move. Be patient. It’s almost there.”
How kind he was to the horse, Annette thought. Tears stung her eyes, from the pain and a sudden, irrational longing to hear those same words spoken to her.
Jeff eased the last branch free and put a strong hand beneath her back to help her sit up. She felt her head. Her scalp hurt as though hair had been ripped out by the roots. She moaned again.
“Th-thank you, J-Jeff,” she sniffled. “Could you please ‘elp me down from ‘ere? I—I need to stand on the earth for a moment.”
Without a word, Jeff placed his hands on her waist and lifted her away from the saddle. Setting Annette on the ground beside him, he pulled her close and held her shaking body against him. One hand softly stroked her back. She laid her face against his torso and leaned on him. Her arms crept around his waist, and she let out a shuddering sob.
“I—I was s-so scared.”
“I know you were,” Jeff’s deep voice reverberated in her ear. “You’re safe now.” And tenderly, his hands glided up to cradle her face. He tipped her head away and searched her eyes, his own dark and unfathomable. His thumb followed the delicate curve of her cheek, then slowly dropped to boldly trace the fullness of her lips. He bent to touch his mouth to hers.
His lips were soft and sweet as they moved against her own. She sighed with pleasure. In a moment though, a fire ignited and the kiss was deepened. They moved closer, clinging to one another, until Pearl stepped sideways, crushing Jeff’s toes.
“Ouch!” he yelped, breaking away and giving the horse a shove. His breathing ragged. Annette lifted a hand to her heart, willing it to stop its frantic racing. She stepped away and turned from Jeff to run a hand down Pearl’s neck.
Later, she wondered if it had been merely the shock and adrenaline of the accident that had fueled this intense connection. Though in that moment she hadn’t cared. It was a perfect storm of passion bringing an antidote like honey to the chaos that surrounded her.
Taking a deep, restorative breath, she reached for the reins that Jeff had looped around a branch. “Thank you for saving me…again,” she croaked. Clearing her throat she continued, “I’m sorry I wasn’t prepared like you said I should be.” She shot him a watery grin. “It was one of those famous ‘situations’ you spoke of earlier.”
Jeff’s arm snaked out and caught her wrist as she unwound the reins. “Are you okay? How’s your head?” Without waiting for an answer he said, “You don’t have to ride again if you’re hurt. We could lead the horses back to the buildings, no problem. I’m so sorry that happened.” He ran a hand through his dark hair. Somewhere along the way he’d lost his hat.
“No.” Annette couldn’t look at him. She had this wild urge to run back into his arms. Turning her gaze to Pearl, she focused on the purpose of this lesson. She had to accustom herself to riding, so that she could go out tonight. It was not supposed to end in disaster, or an illicit tête-à-tête among the bushes. Jeff had no business kissing her. He was dating someone else, and she was leaving for Paris in a few days where her fabulous life and career awaited her. At this moment it didn’t feel so great, but she knew it would be.
“No,” she repeated. “It’s important that I get back on the horse and face my fears after a fall. Didn’t you tell me that was a popular saying in this country? And besides, I didn’t fall, I was swept off the horse.” She’d meant that last remark to be humorous, but all it did was serve to remind her of Jeff’s powerful hands around her waist.
She led Pearl out of the trees and stopped, listening as Jeff pushed his way clear of the underbrush to come stand nearby.
“If you’re positive,” he said, “I’ll make sure you’re safely on and then I’ll follow from behind the rest of the way back to the barn.”
Annette waved away his offer to help her mount. Having Jeff touch her again was the last thing she needed right now. After a couple of tries, she made it onto Pearl. She took her time to adjust her feet in the stirrups and steeled her confidence. Thankfully, Pearl was well-trained and stood still for these operations as opposed to Champ who danced around them—throwing his head up and down, and prancing sideways, eager to get started for home.
“You would think we’d been gone for weeks, the way this guy acts,” Jeff laughed, but his voice sounded strained and not at all like his usual self.
They rode in silence back to the barn. Jeff opened the gates, and she filed through, leading the way back to Pearl’s stall. When she arrived, she slid off and patted Pearl.
“You’re a good girl,” she murmured into the horse’s ear. “It’s not your fault those silly birds flew out in front of you.”
“Are you and Gabrielle interested in riding tomorrow morning?” Jeff asked, stopping in the alleyway behind them. “If so, why don’t you both leave Pearl and Panda in the barn overnight? It’ll make things easier.”
“Quelle bonne idée.” Annette couldn’t believe her ears. With a shake of her head, she amended. “I should say, what a good idea. Thank you, Jeff. For everything. You’ve been more than kind.”
“I’m happy to do it,” he shrugged. “But are you really alright? You have a nasty scrape on your cheek and I’m sorry to say your hair looks like a nest.” He reached out as though to soothe the scratch, but thought better of it and hastily withdrew his hand. “I’ll see to Pearl. You go inside and take care of yourself.”
Annette shook her head emphatically. “No. This is all part of learning. I’ll do it.”
With a shrug, Jeff looked at her in admiration. “Okay. Just take her tack off and brush her like I showed you. I’ll be back.” He led his horse down the alley then called over his shoulder, “Don’t forget to tell Gabrielle to keep Panda in, too.”
“I won’t forget. Merci.”
Jeff disappeared and Annette sagged against the wall of the box stall. What began as the perfect afternoon had turned into…what? She didn’t even know what that had been. Lifting tentative fingers to her face, she felt dried blood and knew she must look like a wild woman. Of their own volition, her fingers slid to her lips, still sensitive from Jeff’s mouth and the roughness of his beard. What happened out there? Yet, there were no answers that she could understand. Pushing herself away from the wall, she sighed heavily.
She would take care of Pearl and then herself, so that she’d be ready for whatever the rest of the night threw at her. The hard part was yet to come.