She left the room and Kenny turned to grin at Charity, who was feeling definitely overwhelmed. Not only was she not good enough for Ross Carrington, it seemed she was being thrown to the wolves. Cousin Kenny's sharp blue eyes certainly had a familiar wolf-like sparkle. She'd seen the type before-and hadn't cared for it.
But she had to remember that this was a cousin who was very close to Ross. She tried to smile.
"Let the games begin," he drawled suggestively. "The question is, which ones appeal to you? Outdoors-" He nodded his head in the direction of the tennis courts where people were already beginning to knock balls around. "Or indoors." His handsome face leered.
Charity had a quick intuition that she was not going to like Kenny, no matter how much Ross did.
"Outdoors, please," she said simply. "I just need something to wile away the time until Ross gets here."
"Ah, Ross." He sighed heavily and she wasn't sure if this was some elaborate hoax he was putting on to amuse her, or if he was serious. "So you're true to your lover, are you? How boring."
She didn't deign to answer that, but walked ahead of him outside. The green lawns spread out from the house like long carpets, perfect and impeccable. Beds of flowers glistened with yellows and reds in the sunlight. And the sound of tennis balls being lobbed echoed between the house and the stand of trees on the other side of the courts.
Tables had been set out all around the edge of the lawn. White linen displayed shining silver and glimmering crys tal. Potted violets were centered on each table. Charity had never seen anything so lovely before.
Kenny did take her around for introductions. The grounds were crawling with show business personalities and elected officials of local and state government, as well as industry executives and sport figures.
The Carringtons seemed to draw a rather rarefied crowd. It was fun at first, to meet people she'd read about in the paper. But she missed Ross. Where was he, anyway?
In the meantime, Kenny was a total pain in the neck, leading her here and there, trying to steal a kiss or put an arm around her shoulders. She had to get cool to him a couple of times, and she was getting ready to tell him exactly what she thought of him.
Mrs. Carrington insisted that Kenny and Charity play tennis. "My dears, you must play, Steve and Muffy Mc Innes are waiting." She drew them toward the courts, then smiled at Charity.
"Now, do you play at all?" she asked in a tone that caused Charity to suspect she'd hoped to see her son's girlfriend humiliated. But she was ashamed of the thought the minute it entered her mind and she banished it.