The Letter (33 page)

“
Victoria? Married to you?” Mandy was outraged. “After everything you did?”

“
Well, that is the first decent thing you have done in all of this,” the older man said gruffly.

“
Unfortunately, she doesn’t see it that way,” William replied in a harsh voice.

Victoria couldn’t listen anymore. She quietly crept away from the door and back to her bedroom. She was feeling weak again from the emotions that cascaded through her.

Did William really love her?

He had said he did. He had told her that for days, but she had not believed him.

Back in her room and lying in her bed again, Victoria waited. She knew it was only a matter of time before everyone descended on her.

Who was that man talking to William? And why was he so interested in her?

A few moments later, her door burst open and Mandy, followed by Johnny and an elderly couple burst into her room.

“
Oh Victoria!” Mandy flew to the bed and grasped her. Both of them sobbed with joy and relief.

After an extended, emotional embrace peppered with murmured words of scolding and relief, Mandy let go of Victoria and turned to the elderly couple who were smiling fondly at the sisters. “These are our grandparents — Ma’s parents from New York.”

The older handsome gentleman with a full head of snowy-white hair and an imposing presence smiled at her warmly. The graceful woman with silver, gold hair pulled back in a lose bun and eyes that bore a startling resemblance to Mandy’s eyes smiled with equal warmth as she moved forward.

They both looked at her with such love, that Victoria immediately opened her arms to accept a simultaneous embrace. When they parted, everyone had tears shining in their eyes.

Victoria immediately liked both of her new-found grandparents. It was obvious that they were terribly happy to see her. Whatever the reason for their absence in their mother, her and Mandy’s life, it was not for lack of love or concern.

Then everyone’s attention was caught by the twins who stirred from sleep. The room broke out into a roar of excitement and laughter as the twins were jostled from their bassinetts by eager hands and loving kisses.

“
Dear Lord Victoria, I simply cannot believe this, they are so beautiful!” Mandy exclaimed, tears shining in her beautiful eyes.

After everyone had thoroughly handled the babies, they pulled up chairs next to Victoria’s bed. When everyone was seated, her grandparents caught everyone up in the story of what had happened so many years ago between her mother and father, and finished with how they had found out about her parents’ deaths and came to fetch Victoria and Mandy back to New York.

“
We wrote to your mother, but she was so mad at us that she never returned our letters. We were heartbroken. Then when we found out about your father’s passing, we came straight away.”

“
I cannot believe mother never told us,” Victoria said quietly.

“
Well, it is the past now and we all have so many regrets…I am sure your mother did also. But when you are well enough dear, we shall take you home, if you wish. This bastard got a special license for your marriage while you were in labor, but you don’t have to stay here with him if you don’t want to…we can spend his money well enough in New York,” her grandfather finished glancing at William, his bushy gray eyebrows drawn together in a dark scowl.

Everyone looked at Victoria expectantly. William’s face was impassive, but his eyes, burned into hers.

Home?

Would she, or could she ever call any other place besides here, home?

She could finally escape him for good. Tearing her gaze from William’s, she smiled weakly at her grandfather. “I am so grateful to you, and I will consider your offer. Thank you.”

“
The poor dear is tired,” her grandmother fussed breaking up the uncomfortable quiet that had settled over everyone. In unison everyone except William stood and bustled from the room, each one giving her another warm hug before departing.

It felt wonderful to be surrounded by love again, Victoria thought, as she watched them leave and smiling warm goodbyes. Seeing Mandy who apparently had settled into married life well and looked glowing gave her so much joy.

William was the last to stand, lingering near her bed for a moment before he walked to the door.

“
Rest darling,” he said before closing the door behind him. She wondered what he was thinking. Was he already plotting how to trap her here with him again?

Could he make her stay?

Should she stay for the sake of the babies?

Could she really and truly leave him now that her grandparents had given her the opportunity? Could she live as his wife using his name to establish herself in society but never see him again?

Or did she love him too much to leave despite all that he had done?

*****

There was a party this evening. It was Victoria’s first real encounter with the world since the birth of the twins and her marriage to William.

William had insisted that her grandparents, Mandy and Johnny stay at his home despite the rift between her family and his. Surprisingly, considering all that had happened and the issues that lie between the families, life quickly settled into a comfortable pattern.

It had been impossible for Victoria to keep her distance from William even as much as she tried. Her heart-thoughts invariably wandered to him even when he wasn’t present.

Tonight, as she prepared for the party in her and Mandy’s honor and to introduce them into society, mixed emotions weighed on her mind. Her grandparents and Mandy and Johnny were going to leave soon for New York, so her own decision of leaving weighed heavy in her heart.

There was a light knock at the door.

“
Victoria? Are you ready?” Mandy called.

“
No, I am not ready, I haven’t even thought about what to do with my hair yet.”

She had been daydreaming again and not keeping track of time. Kim Su, who would have bustled her along, was staying with her ailing mother in Chinatown — leaving Victoria to take care of her own hair. Of course there were other maids in the house who offered to help Victoria, but she had refused. She had spent her lifetime taking care of her own hair and right now having decided what she must do she really just wanted to be alone.

“
But I can get there quickly.” Pinning up the sides of her hair with gold, jeweled combs, she brushed it out to full length in the back.

The door swung open.

“
You look gorgeous!” Mandy exclaimed as she glided gracefully into the room. Wearing a lavender gown, Mandy looked like a fairy princess.

“
And you look like a dream,” Victoria returned, smiling.

“
I like your hair down, you should wear it like that more often,” Mandy commented, touching her sister’s hair. “Red really becomes you. Who would have thought so, it is such a bold color and would completely wash me out, yet is so perfect for you.”

Red -- the color of passion. William had once told her that she embodied the color red. Would he still think so tonight?

“
Oh Mandy, I am but a shadow next to you, of course you could wear red and you would look beautiful in anything you wore.”

“
Pish, posh,” Mandy giggled running her hand over her new gown. “I am so excited and so is Johnny, let’s get downstairs before Grandmother gets worried. Johnny is waiting to escort us.”

She was nervous about tonight having come to a decision.

She was more than nervous…she was scared half out of her wits. Scared of the words she wanted to say, scared of how he would receive them.

Did he truly love her?

She would soon find out. And that would determine where she went from here.

And tonight was the night.

Her grandparents had put it together this party to introduce their granddaughters to polite society and to celebrate their wedding. Society was a small world that spanned New York to San Francisco. Victoria was amazed at how many friends her grandparents had here.

Victoria also knew they were doing this in some secret hope that she would stay with her new husband, even though they would warmly welcome her in New York.

Over time, it seemed that their opinion of William had completely turned around. His charm, she was certain, was a major contributor to that change. Or perhaps it was also his solicitous attention to her and the babies. Or it could have been his utter sincerity in regret for his previous behavior. Whatever it was that William had done, it had worked to convince her grandparents that he meant to be a good husband and that it was in Victoria’s and the children’s best interest for her to stay with William.

Even Mandy had gone over to his side.

This party was the formal bringing out of Mandy and Victoria into San Francisco society.

To the outside world, establishing the young women as upstanding members of the Harrington family and heiresses to the considerable fortune that went with it, erased some of the scandal and established Victoria and Mandy as having important New York connections, which had a way of erasing any taint on the previous relationship between Victoria and William. In fact, the story had become a romantic tale involving old families finally coming together again.

It was ironic being introduced to society considering that a year ago she had been a mistress and shunned by that same society. She and Mandy now had ties to one of the most powerful and blue-blooded families in New York.

How amazing and unpredictable life was to bring them from the brink of utter starvation to this moment.

William would, that was who. He loved her in red, he had told her so often. That was why she had worn it. The memories washed over her in a warm, dreamy wave.

“
Where is William?” she asked.

“
William didn’t want to overly upset you, he wasn’t sure you would want him to escort you.” Mandy bit her lip.

Victoria didn’t respond as they left the room.

Johnny dressed in a black tail-coat, looking more handsome than Victoria could ever remember him, waited for them at the bottom of the steps. He stared at Mandy with awe and love shining in his eyes and Mandy stared back at him with equal measure. They were so young, happy and in love and it was wonderful to be near their glow.

When they reached the bottom of the stairs, their grandparents joined them. There was already a throng of guests milling about. Before long they were being led all over the room and introduced to the guests.

She recognized some of the people from the first ball she ever attended. However, everyone pretended she had never been in society before and thus, had never met them.

When the dancing started, Victoria stood in a crowd of matrons and watched the room with nervous interest. Where was William anyway? If he hadn’t have wanted to upset her, he should have considered escorting her as a good husband would have!

Her grandmother came to stand by her and make small talk.

A strange prickling of awareness skipped over Victoria’s skin. When she looked up, she saw William, standing just a few feet from her. Their eyes met and locked.

Tonight she would lie to rest all of her questions.

Did he really love her? She so desperately wanted to know before she could decide the future.

Now, meeting his gaze, time was suspended again to the day when she first met him.

For an instant she stood with her feet embedded in the floor. The world around them became remote. His eyes flared, still having the power to touch her and draw her to him sending her heart to a shattering pound.

God, how she loved him. No matter what his reasons for marrying her, she wanted to be with him.

William gazed lovingly at his beautiful wife.

It had been the longest two months of his life. He had tried to resign himself that she would go back to New York with her family, while he harbored hope against hope that she would change her mind and stay with him. He couldn’t let her go, any more than he could the first time he saw her. She was an obsession — she always had been and she always would be his reason for existing.

No one else could ever take her place. He loved her more than he had ever loved anyone in his life.

She was his wife, but he couldn’t have her. He could no longer make her do as he pleased. He only hoped that she would decide to stay with him because it was what she wanted.

To his complete and exhilarating surprise, she began to move toward him. There was something different and new in her eyes that gave him hope.

He moved toward her slowly his heart accelerating with anticipation. The crowded room faded away and there was only the two of them in the world. When they stood only a yard from each other she stopped.

“
Hello, Mrs. Worthington,” softly he greeted her, his voice husky and low.

“
Hello, Mr. Worthington,” she answered as his eyes raked over her like a starving man.

“
How are you?” he asked. In his gaze, she saw it — the love that gleamed as bright as the sun. It has always been there, that love — she just hadn’t seen it before. Perhaps neither of them had.