Wanderlust (39 page)
Authors: Danielle Steel
I think the secret of a successful life is enjoying each moment. It's just so impossible to believe that Karl is gone though ' . She looked pensively into the fire and felt Charlie pull her closer.
Audrey ' She could feel him staring at her and she turned her eyes to his.
Yes?
Will you marry me when I get this business with Charlotte settled? He had thought about it all day, when to ask her, what would be proper, how long he should wait, and he had finally decided to throw caution to the winds and just ask her. And she was looking at him with a quiet smile. Being with Charlie was all she wanted.
I should have done that a long time ago. It would have saved us both a lot of trouble. But he was shaking his head. He understood her better now.
You couldn't have then. It's taken me a long time, but I do understand that. And then he looked at her very intently. You didn't answer my question. Will you?
Yes. It was a strong, quiet word, and as soon as she said it, he kissed her.
The matter of Charlotte did not resolve itself quite as easily as Charlie had hoped. She returned to London in early October, and as soon as he heard that she was back, he had his solicitor call her. But he ran into a brick wall when he did. Charlotte Parker-Scott, as she insisted on calling herself now, would not agree to a divorce, now or in the foreseeable future, ever as far as she was concerned. She put it down to religious reasons, but Charlie couldn't accept that explanation. In all the time they'd been together, she had never gone to church, except for their wedding.
Then what do you suppose she wants? The solicitor was puzzled. She's got all the money she wants, and she doesn't seem the sort of woman to cling. She had dealt with him like a man. In fact, she had been rather brutal about it.
Charlie couldn't figure it out, but Audrey and James and Vi all agreed. They thought she wanted to be known as Charlie's wife. It gave her the dignity she had been lacking, an old aristocratic name, and the cachet of being married to one of England's biggest authors. She wanted to impress her friends.
But she can't do that if I'm not there, can she? Charlie still couldn't see the reasoning behind it. But the others insisted.
Of course she can. All she needs is your name, and to give people the impression that you're married.
Fine. Then I'll let her keep the name. He said as much to his solicitor and told him to call her, offering to let her keep his name, as long as she agreed to a divorce, but once again she declined their offer. He even offered to give her the rights to both of his movies, since she had been so excited about them. But again she refused, and finally Charles went to see her father in desperation. And he found him just as unbending as his daughter, possibly more so.
But why? Why does she want a marriage in name only?
Perhaps she thinks you'll come back. And you might ' . The man sized him up with his eyes. She's good for your career, Charles. Charlotte will make you someone you will never be without her. But that only mattered to them and not to Charlie.
I'm quite content with the way things are. Professionally, I mean. And surely, she can't want a captive husband.
Her father smiled, but his eyes were cold. Almost as cold as hers. Perhaps that's all right. I've suggested to her myself that she could do better, but she's quite satisfied to hang on to you, Charles. And I don't expect this to change our business arrangements. Charles had another five years in his contract, and as he had said to Audrey only the day before, it could be damn awkward.
I assume you'll have the good taste not to expect me to work with her.
If you insist. But it was obvious that he would have preferred it, and then he narrowed his eyes as he looked at Charles. You know, she hasn't told me why you left her, but I suspect it's because of that woman you were in love with when you met her.
It had nothing to do with that. I can assure you of that. It has to do with a misunderstanding between Charlotte and myself. A misunderstanding. Another word for a lie. Fraud. Deceit. He still wanted to kill her when he thought of it. She can explain it to you herself, if she likes. I will not, sir.
Nor will she. She's too much of a lady. Like most fathers, he was blind to his daughter's flaws and Charles was half tempted to relieve him of his illusions on her behalf, but he would never have done that.
So where does that leave you, my love? Audrey asked him over dinner that night. They had been seeing each other almost every night, and frequently in the daytime, in the month that they'd been back in London. She was still staying with Vi and James, but she was talking about renting a flat for a while. She didn't want to impose more than she already had, although it was wonderful for Molly to be with the other children, especially Alexandra who treated her like a big doll and loved to comb her hair and dress her. Do you suppose she'll come around? Audrey was still asking about Charlotte.
Eventually someone else will come along, someone much more important, and she'll be anxious to get rid of me. As fast as possible, I hope.
Maybe we could introduce her to someone. She looked at Charles ruefully and he laughed as he pulled her into his arms to kiss her. And afterward she told him of what she had done that afternoon, but he wasn't as excited as she had hoped he would be. She had spent the afternoon looking at flats, big enough for herself and Molly and one servant. You don't look very pleased. There was disappointment in her eyes and he shrugged.
I suppose I'm not. I want you here in London, of course. He was glad that she had nothing to rush home for, but he had hoped to be rid of Charlotte by then, officially as well as physically. And for the moment, there was still no relief in sight. I have a better idea. But he wondered what she would think of it. He was almost afraid to ask her. I never use my guest room. Fortunately, no one is stupid enough to want to stay with me.
She laughed. And you're going to rent me a room?
He smiled but shook his head. It was second best to what they wanted, but it would have to do for a while anyway, and he was tired of visiting her at Vi and James's. He wanted what they had once shared in China, waking up side by side every morning, falling asleep in each other's arms, feeling her silky mane cast over his arm, as he felt her soft breath on his chest. I'd like you to move in with me, Audrey. We could give the guest room to Molly, and put her nurse in the dressing room. And if that doesn't work, we could rent another flat. I wouldn't mind doing that actually ' . His face lit up as he looked at her, and half an hour later, they were talking animatedly about renting a house somewhere near Vi and James, and then suddenly he stopped and looked at her. You know I still want to marry you, don't you? This is just until I get the divorce, however long that takes. You do understand that?
Yes, my darling. She smiled at him and melted into his arms. She had never been happier in her life, married or not. And she could hardly wait until they moved in together.
They went everywhere together socially. Charles introduced Audrey to all his friends, and she was welcomed with open arms by everyone, all of whom were relieved to see that he had dispensed with Charlotte Beardsley. They went to parties, operas, balls, and she appeared everywhere with Charles, including a costume ball where they ran into Charlotte dressed as Der Rosenkavalier, all done up in satin pantaloons, making a very handsome man, as Lady Vi pointed out nastily. As they sailed past her, Charles's eyes had only met hers briefly and then she had turned away. It was beginning to annoy him that she was clinging so steadfastly to his name. He read about Charlotte Parker-Scott in business columns everywhere, and he would have much preferred sharing his name with Audrey. But thus far, Charlotte had not agreed to the divorce, and by Christmas, Audrey and Charles were settled in a new house, only five blocks from Vi and James. They gave a housewarming party on New Year's Eve, and the last guest didn't go home until eight o'clock the next morning.
It was only three weeks later when King George died, succeeded by Edward VIII, who was a handsome man of forty-one. And it amazed Audrey to realize that she had met him on the Riviera only a few months before, and now he was the King of England. She wondered what would happen to his romance with Wally Simpson now, the American divorcee he had been so blatantly involved with. But what was tolerated in a prince would be forbidden a king, and she suspected things weren't going to be easy for them. The English were violently opposed to his being involved with a divorced woman.
But the country's focus turned away from them, as Hitler marched into the Rhineland in the spring. It turned Charlie and Audrey's thoughts to Europe again, and after sending a dozen letters to Ushi with no reply, Audrey finally called her parents, and was shocked at the explanation she got for their friend's silence.
She is in a convent in Austria, my dear. Her father sounded old and tired on the phone. Germany wasn't a pleasant place to live anymore. And when Audrey asked for her address, the Baron explained that it was useless. She had joined a cloistered order and could receive no mail from anyone, not even her parents. Even they were not allowed to contact her. She had renounced the world and all of them with it. And Audrey was profoundly shocked. She couldn't get the memories out of her mind when she took Molly to the park that afternoon. She remembered how desperately Ushi had wanted to get pregnant. They had said they wanted six children ' and now Ushi was a nun ' a cloistered nun ' they would never hear from her again. The thought brought tears to her eyes and she stopped in to see Vi that afternoon, and she was equally shocked. It seemed a terrible thing to both of them, and a terrible waste of her youth and charm and beauty. And it brought home to Audrey again how deeply Ushi had loved Karl, and how meaningless her life had become without him. It reminded her in some ways of what she felt for Charlie. Charles and Molly were her whole life now. It was frightening sometimes, frightening to realize how much she loved them both and that they were her whole life. They meant more to her than anything. It was difficult to remember sometimes that technically Charlie was married to someone else. It seemed as though she and Charlie had been together forever. It was hard to remember now that someone had come between them, even briefly, and that someone had no importance to them.
Does it bother you, Aud? Violet had asked her once, and she had honestly told her it didn't.
I suppose it should bother me more than it does. It's shocking of course, but no one we know seems to care, and we don't. The only thing that's difficult is that we can't have children. But Molly keeps us busy enough right now. Vi smiled at her words. Molly was the sweetest child and she loved her almost as much as her own children.
And Audrey took hundreds of pictures of her, as she did of Alexandra and little James. She loved taking photographs of the children. And Charles was working on a new book now. He had refused to go back to America to negotiate another movie deal, hoping to discourage Charlotte's interest in him, but she had closed the deal for him anyway, and made him a small fortune, hoping to woo him back perhaps by impressing him. But if that was her intention, it didn't work. Charles was completely indifferent. He loved only Audrey, and little Molly who now called him Daddy, which was music to his ears.
The year rolled past them all too quickly, with Charlotte never relenting for a moment, and Audrey and Charles busy with their own lives. She was planning to do the photographs for his new book, and world events concerned them both. It was a year rife with ominous political events, as Hitler kept stretching out hungry fingers. Rome and Berlin made an agreement in the fall. And in November, Hitler made an agreement with Japan as well, agreeing to join forces against Russia if need be.
But it was in December that they had the most shocking news of all. Its implications were far less important than the political intrigues of Adolf Hitler, yet like the rest of the country, Audrey was completely shocked as she stood in her kitchen on December tenth, and listened to King Edward speak on the radio, as she watched Molly playing with her favorite dolly.
She stood riveted to the floor as she heard him speak, the man she'd seen in Antibes with Wally Simpson, and tears washed silently down her cheeks as she heard the words that would rock the entire nation, and then the world. I have found it impossible to discharge my duties as King ' without the help and support of the woman I love ' . Giving up a kingdom what more could one ask of a man? She had a moment of thinking how lucky they were to love each other so much, and she found herself looking back at the memory of the woman she had met, wondering what in her had inspired so great a love. The poor man sounded anguished as he spoke, and after less than a year on the throne, he was abdicating to marry this twice-divorced American woman.
And even though he was not her king, her heart went out to him, for the agony that must have come before the decision ' and in an odd, remote way, it reminded her of their situation with Charlotte ' in the face of all odds, they had chosen to be together, legitimate or not ' but their life was certainly simpler than King Edward and Mrs. Simpson's.
Long after the radio went off, she stood in the kitchen, looking down at her child, and thinking of what he had done ' giving up his kingdom for the woman he loved ' . She knew she would never forget it, and she smiled through her tears as she thought of how much he must love her.
All of England cried over the abdication of King Edward VIII. And he was succeeded by his brother, younger by only a year, George VI. But somehow he didn't present quite as dashing and romantic a figure as Edward, giving up all for the woman he loved. Audrey always defended him to her friends who were shocked by the abdication, and Charlie teased her that she just liked Wally because she was an American. But there was something deeply moving about what he had done that touched them both. He had been willing to give everything up for love, and that meant a great deal to both Charlie and Audrey.