Page 32 of Kiss an Angel

Daisy felt doubly chastised: first for keeping a sloppy kitchen, then for tardiness. She wouldn’t add to those sins by being inhospitable. “Would you like a cup of tea? Or perhaps a soft drink.”

“No.” The woman picked up a dish towel and dried her hands. “I’m Sheba Quest, but I guess you already know that.”

On closer inspection, Daisy saw that the circus owner wore her makeup in brighter shades than Daisy would have chosen to use herself. Not that she looked gaudy. Instead, her colorful and somewhat provocative clothing, combined with her rather flamboyant accessories, simply made it apparent that her beauty standards had been influenced by a lifetime as a performer.

“I’m Daisy Devreaux. Or rather Daisy Markov. I haven’t gotten used to the change.”

Some profound emotion flickered across Sheba’s face, a deep revulsion combined with a hostility that was almost palpable. Instantly, Daisy knew she had found no friend in Sheba Quest.

She forced herself to remain still under Sheba’s cold scrutiny. “Alex likes to eat. You hardly have anything in the refrigerator.”

“I know. I’m really not very well organized.” She didn’t have the courage to point out that Sheba shouldn’t be snooping in her kitchen.

“He likes spaghetti and lasagna, and he loves Mexican food. But don’t waste your time making him big desserts. He doesn’t have much of a sweet tooth, except at breakfast.”

“Thank you for telling me.” Daisy felt slightly ill.

Sheba flicked her hand over the chipped counter. “This place is terrible. Alex started out with a newer trailer, but last week he got rid of it and picked up this one even though I offered to get him something better.”

Daisy couldn’t quite hide her dismay. Why had Alex insisted they live like this if they didn’t have to? “I’m planning to fix it up,” she said, although until that moment, the idea hadn’t occurred to her.

“Most men want to bring their brides to someplace nice. I’m surprised Alex didn’t take advantage of my offer.”

“I’m sure he had his reasons.”

Sheba surveyed Daisy’s small figure. “You don’t have any idea what you’ve gotten into with him, do you?”

Sheba seemed eager to prod her into a catfight, but since Daisy was fairly certain she’d come out the loser, she tilted her head toward the two costumes draped over the back of the chair. “Am I supposed to try those on?”

Sheba nodded.

Daisy picked up the top one and found that it made little more than a puddle of midnight blue spangles in her hand. “It seems awfully skimpy.”

“That’s the general idea. This is the circus. The audience expects to see a lot of skin.”

“Does it have to be mine?”

“You’re not fat. I don’t see what the problem is.”

“I’m not exactly a hard-body. I’ve never been very good about following an exercise program for more than a few minutes.”

“You just have to learn some self-discipline.”

“Yes, well, I’ve never been very good at that, either.”

Sheba regarded her critically, obviously expecting Alex Markov’s wife to display a little more backbone. But from having lived with her mother, Daisy knew not to engage in gamesmanship with a master player. Honesty was the only defense against experts at guile.

She went into the bathroom and removed her clothes down to her panties, but as she dressed in the scanty costume, she realized that the leg was cut so high they showed. She stripped them off and started all over.

With the costume finally in place, she looked at herself in the mirror and felt like a trollop. Two blue spangled scallops covered her breasts while a larger scallop covered her below. The body of the costume was made up of nothing more than a thin veil of tacky silver net. Sheba hadn’t even included a pair of tights.

“I don’t think I can wear this,” she called out through the door.

“Let’s see.”

She stepped out. “It’s a bit too—” Her words broke off as she saw Alex standing by the sink in his Cossack costume. She wanted to run back into the bathroom, and if Sheba hadn’t been standing there she would have. Why did he have to show up now when she looked like this?

“Step out so we can see you,” he said.

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