Part 6 (2/2)
He was not in the mood to deal with anything but his own self-pity. ”Go away!”
”It's only me, Papa. I promise I won't bother you long.”
d.a.m.n. Only Little Alice, as if there were anything only about her. Edward pinched the s.p.a.ce between his brows. At the rate all this was going, he'd wear his skin away. ”Come in, then.”
His daughter peeked around the door. Two dark braids framed her long face, the childish hairstyle at odds with her great height. ”Are you angry about something, Papa?”
”Nothing you've done.” He'd never liked either of the d.a.m.n Georges, not that he'd utter such treason. A Christie would never be such a cretin. ”Come in, sit. Li-Allie, what may I do for you this fine day?”
”It's raining again, Papa.”
”I meant-it's just a turn of phrase, Allie. It's not necessary for the sun to be s.h.i.+ning to be considered a fine day.”
His daughter looked on solemnly, no doubt thinking he certainly was a cretin. ”I should like to make an appointment with you to discuss a very serious matter.”
”Good heavens. If it's so serious, we must deal with it now.” He ignored the shooting pain that pierced his skull. His daughter needed him, and he could not fail her.
”I know you've said eavesdroppers get just what they deserve.” She twisted her slender fingers, embarra.s.sed.
”I eavesdropped-quite by accident-and overheard Neddie and Jack talk about something disgusting.”
Oh, G.o.d. Surely she wasn't going to ask about the birds and the bees. Beth or her governess should have that subject in hand, should they not? He kept his mouth firmly closed, but nodded.
”I just can't believe it,” she continued. ”A Christie wouldn't do such a thing, bring such shame upon the family.”
Ah. Ned must have bragged about his drunken, debauched night, rubbing Jack's nose in the fact that he breached Jane Street's defenses. ”Young men are often very foolish, Allie, most especially your elder brother. You must pay no mind to what they do or say.”
”You're not young, Papa, you're old!”
The pain cleaved his head in two. ”I beg your pardon?”
”Neddie said you're going to divorce Caroline. We'll be in all the newspapers. And I'll never get married, not that anyone will ever want me anyway.”
There were simply too many ideas to respond to, but he seized upon the one that gave him the most concern. ”Allie! You're not to say such things. You are a lovely girl and will grow into a lovely woman.”
”Pooh. You have to say that. You're my father. But don't change the subject. What about Caroline?”
”You are too young to understand. You never liked her anyway. I should think you'd be delighted that I'm seeking to formally end my ties with her.”
” 'What therefore G.o.d hath joined together, let not man put asunder.' It's in the Bible, you know.” Her lips pursed primly.
”A great many things are in the Bible. There is, as I recall, an entire pa.s.sage dedicated as to how a father can sell his daughter into slavery,” he teased.
”That has to do with a betrothal contract, I believe.”
Maybe Allie could become an Anglican nun. He cleared his throat. ”I am aware this is indeed a serious matter. It is not a decision I've come to lightly. Caroline and I have been separated for five years. She-I-we made a mistake after too brief an acquaintance, which is why it is so important to not jump into things. When it comes time, I will not expect you to marry at the end of your first season. You should be courted long enough so you are comfortable with your intended. Know his character, his tastes and opinions.”
”Just as he should know mine.”
”Why, yes. Of course. I knew your mother very well before we were married. We were ideally suited.”
”Do you still love her? Is that why you and Caroline couldn't stay married? I know I should hate to live in another woman's shadow with another woman's children.”
Edward was amazed at his daughter's conclusion, but oddly enough, Caroline had never once complained about her role as stepmother. ”Of course I still love your mother, and always shall. But you children were not in any way to blame for what went wrong with my marriage to Caroline,” he said firmly.
”I was horrid to her.” There was some regret in her voice.
”You were just a little girl. You weren't used to having a mother at all. You had run quite wild. My fault. I had hoped my second marriage would settle the family. It proved to do just the opposite.”
Allie's dark brows scrunched. ”I do not see why we cannot just go on as we are. You are too old to marry again, and you already have an heir. Although”-she sniffed in disdain-”he is a grave disappointment at present. But there is always Jack, should something, G.o.d forbid, befall your firstborn. Jack's much less of a loose screw. If you go through with this divorce, you will ruin our lives. We'll be shunned. Snubbed. Cut by everyone who counts.”
Edward bit back his irritation. His daughter was out-Christie-ing him, reminding him of all his earlier reservations, and sanctimonious as only a child could be. Life was complicated. And he most certainly was not too old for anything and longed to tell her so. But that was hardly a fit subject to discuss with one's precocious thirteen-year-old daughter.
”My mind is made up, Allie. Caroline is in agreement as well. Imagine for a moment how this state of limbo has affected her. She might prefer to live quietly in the country, perhaps even get married again. She is not nearly so old as I, you know,” he added, slightly sarcastic.
”Then buy her a house in the country! Let her live at Christie Park, for that matter. The house is so huge you never need see her.”
Caroline under the same roof-disastrous. As if he could confine her to a wing like some mad aunt. ”You do have an answer for everything. I expect Miss Linnet is very pleased with your schoolwork.”
”She thinks I am a dunce. Don't try to change the subject, Papa.” She looked at him earnestly with her mother's large brown eyes, her lower lip quivering. ”If you proceed along this course, I shall not be responsible for what I do.”
He nearly smiled. ”Alice Elizabeth Christie, are you threatening me? Since we're tossing the Bible about, what about this? 'Honor thy father and thy mother, as the Lord thy G.o.d hath commanded thee; that thy days may be prolonged, and that it may go well with thee, in the land which the Lord thy G.o.d giveth thee.'”
”I won't want my days prolonged if you divorce Caroline! I shall run away!”
All traces of his good humor disappeared. Edward rose like an Old Testament figure, towering over his daughter in somewhat righteous wrath. ”Go to your room. You're too young to have sufficient understanding of this matter, and I refuse to discuss it with you any further. I believe I know what's best for this family, and you will abide by my judgment.”
”Very well, Papa. 'All go unto one place; all are of the dust, and all turn to dust again.' Some of us are dustier than others,” she said cryptically. ”Don't say I didn't give you warning.” She flounced out of the room, pigtails flying.
Really! The impudence! Perhaps it was time to put his foot down and send her to some girls' school in Bath where she could bedevil complete strangers.
Well, he'd heard from two of his children. Neddie was all for the divorce, a.s.suming he could weasel out of his betrothal. Allie seemed very much opposed, more on social than Biblical grounds. Jack might understand, but somehow Edward was not eager to ask him at the moment.
He sat back down and put on his spectacles. Opening up his appointment book, he noted there were six hours until he found relief in Caroline's arms. That simply wouldn't do. Caroline might view his early arrival more favorably if he arrived early with some token-some jewelry, for example. Caroline had a weakness for jewelry. Like a redheaded magpie, she was very fond of s.h.i.+ny things. He would stop at Garrard's on the way.
Maybe he should get Allie something there too, for the crime of banis.h.i.+ng her to her room. It was clear she was growing up, whether he liked it or not.
Chapter 8.
Violet would tell the truth at last, though no one, least of all Sir Rupert, would believe her.
-Ravis.h.i.+ng Revenge.
Edward was snoring gently beside her. Caroline supposed she should wake him so he could go home to his family in time to have breakfast with them, but she didn't. She rather jealously put a protective hand on his muscled chest, the better to examine the pearl and diamond ring he'd placed upon her finger when he arrived yesterday afternoon. She had not been at all ready for him. Caroline had been ink-smudged, wearing her oldest daygown-it was not one of her naughty new red dresses-her hair a veritable nest, but he had swept her into his arms and covered her with hungry kisses. Kisses that flashed across her skin like lightning. Kisses that made her knees buckle and her womb ache. Kisses that made her forget everything, including why she hated him.
<script>