Paradise Found (15 page)

Chapter 23

After football practice, Justin lingered. He approached Coach Wells. “Mr. Wells can I discuss something with you? It’s important.”

“Sure,” Daemon said. He had observed that the boy wasn’t himself today. Justin had been quiet, lost in remote thoughts. Even his game was off. There seemed to be an unusual lack of energy and aggression in his moves. Daemon had brushed it off as a symptom of puberty but apparently there was more.

Justin sat on a wood bench on the sidelines of the grassy football field. Daemon joined him, meeting the boy’s tearful gaze.

“I trust you to keep a secret,” Justin said. “You’re the only one I can talk to. I’m sure you’ll understand.”

Daemon grinned. “Girl trouble, heh?”

Justin shook his head. ”Mom trouble.”

“Oh,oh, what has Jovanna done now?”

“It’s not
ma mere.
It’s Miss Montcherry.”

“Oh?” The mention of Victoria’s name made him sit up straight, his interest piqued. ”What about Miss Montcherry?”

“She says that she’s my real blood mother.”

Daemon gasped as if someone had socked him in the chest. He raked a hand through his hair, mussing it.
Victoria? Blood mother? What the hell?

“What are you saying?” Daemon stared at the boy whose face was flush.

“The other day,
ma mere
drove me to Miss Montcherry’s home and Miss Montcherry told me that as a teenager she gave birth to me and put me up for adoption. She wanted to get away from here. I guess I would have been in the way.” Justin swallowed hard.

Daemon placed an arm around the boy’s quaking shoulders as Justin broke into tears. Daemon shook his head. Victoria held more secrets than he could comprehend.

He looked at the boy. How come he never saw it? The resemblance between Justin and Victoria was uncanny. The same chiseled features, blonde hair and light skin. Very few natives in the Seychelles resembled them, yet he hadn’t noticed. Interesting how one can see only what one wants to see.

Victoria had a child. Not unusual in the Seychelles where teens have sex and children with regularity. Most keep their children, they don’t give them up. Of all the orphans on the island, hers had to be Justin. His beloved Justin. The boy Daemon had mentored like a son. This wasn’t fair.

Justin looked up at him, swiping tears from his cheeks. “Didn’t Miss Montcherry tell you? You dated her.”

“No, Justin, she never told me.” She hadn’t told him a great deal.

“Do you know that her father is Jacques LeGrande?” Justin asked. “He’s my grandfather.”

Daemon’s jaw dropped at the revelation. “No.”

Interesting that Bessye Montcherry was LeGrande’s lover and that Victoria was their love child. Love children, he surmised, ran in the family.

“LeGrande is a talented writer,” Daemon said, remembering how the man had appeared mysteriously at Bessye’s funeral. Now he knew the reason.

“I told
ma mere
that I don’t want to live with Miss Montcherry or be a part of her life. I have a good life with
ma mere,
my siblings, and with you.”

Daemon ruffled the boy’s hair. “I’ll always be here for you, Justin, no matter what. You know that. As for Miss Montcherry, don’t rule her out completely.”

“I used to lie awake at night wondering where I came from, who I looked like, what past I had. Now I have the answers and it doesn’t matter. It’s just not important.” Justin shrugged. “What’s important is the love of those who raised me. The past is over and done. I never want to see her again.”

“Never is a long time. Don’t say that. Life is too short and the past is an important part of who we are and who we become. You may be a bit too young to believe it but you will as you grow older. As for Miss Montcherry, I’m sure she has her reasons for what happened. We have to just trust her”

Justin reluctantly nodded.

Daemon lived most of his life alone, avoiding the soap opera like antics of those around him, only to meet a woman who put him in the center of one. First, she returns to the Islands with a hidden agenda of land banking and development deals, of joining forces with his father. Second, she has a son she gave up for adoption and after the passing years her maternal instincts all of a sudden kick in. Third, she’s the daughter of Jacques LeGrande, the recluse writer. What other secrets did the woman have?

There was cruel irony in his life. He’s the man who fell in love with her. As strange fate would have it, the only other person he’d ever loved turns out to be her son.

Victoria sat poring over photo albums in her mother’s home. She had set the leather bound volumes on the coffee table in front of her. Her heart was pounding so fast she thought it would leap from her chest. She couldn’t wait to share family history with Justin. Her son.

Though the initial meeting hadn’t gone as well as she had hoped, Justin did learn that she was his mother. He had a biological grandfather as well. After having met her own father, telling Justin had been easier. She just hoped he would accept her as well as she had accepted Jacques.
Le bon heure.
In due time.

The nausea that had been causing her distress was once again rising in her throat. She wanted to deny the feelings and the reality of what was physically happening. The last time she felt so wretched was when she was a teenager. Feelings of denial had been a part of her life than as it had become now. From past experience she knew that

D
enial wouldn’t work. In less than nine months, whether she wanted it or not, she would be giving birth to a baby. An illegitimate baby. History was repeating itself and there was nothing she could do about it. Except this time she wouldn’t give the child up for adoption. Of that she was certain. This child would be raised with all of her love and support.

So far she was able to hide her secret. Shortly, that would be impossible. The thought of having to admit an out of wedlock pregnancy frightened her. Even though she lived in a society where unwed mothers were more common than not, having to openly admit that she was no better than a common island woman embarrassed her. After all, she was the woman who escaped island life and was worldly wise. She was supposed to be above island ways. How ironic that she would return to be no better off than she was when she
left. Her mother was undoubtedly looking down at her shaking her head with an, “I told you so.”

She looked at her watch. What interesting timing Daemon Wells had. He had called, asking her to meet him for lunch. In a few hours he would be hearing some interesting, life-altering news.

Chapter 24

Victoria sat across from Daemon at his favorite secluded table on the deck of the Shangri La. A mellow breeze blew up from the ocean, filtering the humid air

with the scent of sea and sand. They had just exchanged pleasantries and Victoria pondered the right time, if there was such a thing, to tell Daemon the news. Having to inform a man that he was the father of her unborn child was one of the most difficult times of her life. Her decision was to keep and nurture the child regardless of his response. Of that she was certain.

“Your drink order?” Daemon asked, taking her from her thoughts.

Victoria glanced up at a waiter standing nearby. “Orange Seypearl,” she ordered.

“Too early for alcohol?” Daemon asked with a tilt of his head. He ordered a scotch and soda.

After the waiter left, Daemon crossed his hands on the table and gazed at her. “So tell me, Victoria, how is life as an employee of Eden Resorts?”

“My position officially begins in two weeks, though I’ve been in the office reviewing my employment contract and paperwork and making preliminary plans. I have several trips scheduled.”

“Has my father offered additional perks and benefits?” he asked with a smirk.

“Only those afforded every executive in his employ.” She knew what he was thinking. After their last encounter, the elder Wells had remained at a distance. Their telephone conversations had been cordial yet professional.

“I just don’t understand how you could accept such a position at Eden. Hasn’t your return to the Islands changed your opinion of development and the resort industry?”

“As a matter of fact it has,” she began. She had been giving things a great deal of though lately. Being pregnant made her think of her children and their future. When she arrived, she had only herself to consider. “By being an insider at Eden, I have influence on all decisions regarding land acquisition and development. I do believe development and conservancy can work hand-in-hand. Perhaps, while developing one new resort on Mah’e, I can get Eden to donate land to the Vallee de Mai on Praslin.”

“You’d actually do that? If it’s possible.”

“I can be very persuasive.” She smiled.

“I’ve tried and failed.”

“Animosity runs deep between you and your father. I think he’d shoot down anything you’d suggest and you’d do likewise.
Non?”

He chuckled. “You know my father quite well.”

“Not
that
well, Daemon.”

The waiter arrived with their beverages.

“Does my father know of your intent to incorporate philanthropy into his business?” Daemon sipped his drink.

“Not yet. I thought, with us working together, he’ll have to accept it.”

“Us working together?”

“After all, we’re after the same goal of preserving the Islands for future generations.”

“Am I hearing you correctly? Seems to me, you’ve changed your entire business plan.”

“We have our children to consider.” She took a sip of her soft drink.

Daemon cleared his throat and lowered his voice. “Victoria, I know that Justin is your son.”

She gasped and stared at him.
He knew
. “How?”“Justin told me.”