Elizabeth's Choice

by Lyle, Linda;

  “Well, I never thought I would see the day when a woman could tame my son. You must be quite a lady.” He held his water glass in salute.

  “That she is, Father.” Alex raised his glass in return. The ladies joined them, and they toasted their marriage. Dessert and coffee were blended with congratulations and questions about the future.

  “Have you thought about a date?” his father asked.

  Elizabeth was opening her mouth to answer no, when Alex said, “We were thinking about the first of the year.” Elizabeth hid her surprise and her rising anger.

  “Do you think that’s enough time, Alex?” His mother looked skeptical.

  “Of course it is, Mother. I’ve been looking for Elizabeth all my life, and I don’t want to waste another moment.” Alex looked at Elizabeth across the table. She swallowed her anger, fear replacing it as she counted the days. “Speaking of time, I think we’d better head back.”

  Elizabeth went through the formalities of thanking his parents and saying good-bye, but her mind was on Alex’s announcement. She waited until Alex turned onto the main road before she spoke.

  “Why did you say we had discussed the first of the year? We haven’t even talked about a date, yet.”

  “We didn’t? I was sure we had, darling.” He stroked her hair, but she pulled away.

  “You know we didn’t.”

  “I guess I got ahead of myself a little.”

  “A little!” Alex pulled off the main road onto what could barely be called a track and turned off the car and the lights. He reached across the car and pulled her into his arms. Before she had time to think, he was kissing her. His lips held hers until she gasped for a breath.

  “I want you so much, Elizabeth.” His voice was husky and his eyes were filled with a look that frightened her. “You want to wait until we get married. Fine, but I can’t wait much longer.” He kissed her tenderly and then released her, putting his hands back on the wheel. “Do you understand?”

  She nodded, but said nothing. He started the engine and they drove home in silence. Something in the way he had looked at her sent a shiver of fear along her spine. She tried to imagine herself married to Alex in five weeks, but she couldn’t comprehend what that would be like. Did she really know this man? The silence was heavy as each pondered their own thoughts. Alex gave her a quick kiss on the cheek and then hurried off without even walking her to the door. She stood on the sidewalk watching until his brakelights disappeared. A cold wind sent her for the warmth of her townhouse, but even the comfort of home couldn’t dispel her fears

  nineteen

  Elizabeth didn’t have much time to think about her fears. She was soon immersed in a flood of activity. Alex was planning a huge engagement party for the following week, to be held at his house, with Elizabeth as the hostess. Engagement parties weren’t usually given by the couple, she had argued, but Alex brushed her off, saying he liked to be different from the crowd. Elizabeth felt she was in over her head. She had never dealt with caterers or maids before, and to top it off Alex had invited fifty guests. Elizabeth had to take two days off of work to deal with all the arrangements. She mentioned to Alex that she was getting behind at work because of the party, and he had merely mentioned that she could quit once they were married. At the time, she had resented the remark, but if this was going to be the norm in their marriage, something would have to be done. Somehow she managed to get everything ready with the help of a brilliant and very helpful caterer, who even managed to find time to help her pick out the floral arrangements and organize the staff. Looking around, Saturday morning, she was proud of the way the house looked. She gave her approval and left the rest in Judith’s capable hands as she went home to get ready.

  She hadn’t even had time to think what she would wear to this affair. Maybe Judith could help. She hesitated to call on her again for advice. She mentally walked through her closet as she drove home and pulled into her driveway. She was so lost in her thoughts that she almost knocked over a delivery man as she walked up the path. She stopped short of bumping into him.

  “Excuse me.” She stepped back to avoid stepping on his heels.

  “Quite all right, madame.” His words sounded humble, but were delivered in a tone that was almost arrogant.

  “Can I help you?” she asked as he turned to go up her walk.

  “I’m to deliver this to Miss Elizabeth Jordan.” He held a dress bag draped carefully over his arm.

  “I’m Elizabeth Jordan.” She reached for the bag, but he pulled back.

  “I’ll carry it, Miss.” She pulled her hand back as if stung and preceded him to the door. She unlocked the door and stepped inside. The little man carried the dress inside and hung it on the coatrack in the corner. He gave a quick little bow and was gone.

  Whatever could it be? she wondered. She didn’t remember ordering anything. There was a card with her name on it pinned to the garment bag. It read: To my darling, love Alex. Unzipping the bag, Elizabeth gasped in admiration. She reached out to touch a black velvet evening gown which bore the name of a prominent designer. The diamond necklace that Alex had given her would complement the deep V-neck. It had a fitted bodice that flared gracefully to the floor. It looked just like a dress that Audrey Hepburn or Deborah Kerr would wear. In the back of the garment bag there was a pocket and Elizabeth discovered a matching pair of velvet pumps. Alex had thought of everything.

  She carried the dress to her bedroom and hung it carefully on the closet door with the shoes underneath. She hummed a little tune as she started her bath, adding lilac salts to the water. Her frustration at the week’s work vanished as the bathroom began to smell like a private garden. She sank into the hot water and felt her muscles relax. She spent extra time on her toilette, doing her nails and taking extra time with her hair. By five o’clock she was dressed and took a turn at the mirror. The black velvet bodice fitted like a glove and complemented her figure. Then at the hips it flared into a silky material that seemed to float to the ground. She had her hair up in a French twist with little curls around her face that softened the look. Last of all she put on the diamond necklace and earrings. It was perfect. She whirled around the room feeling like a princess.

  Alex picked her up a little after five and his expression said it all. He looked her over from head to foot, and she felt a blush steal up to her cheeks.

  “Will I do?”

  “You will most definitely do.” He took her hand and gazed at her again. “We’d better go or we may never make the party,” he whispered in her ear. A shiver went up her spine and she hurried to grab her purse and wrap.

  “Then I guess we’d better go.”

  “I guess so.” His answer was rather vague as though his mind was on something else, and he seemed hesitant to go. Then he snapped back and held out his arm to her. “Shall we?” he said with a bow.

  “Let’s,” she replied with a curtsy.

  ❧

  The guests began arriving at six o’clock sharp. Elizabeth stood by Alex’s side, greeting guests until she thought she would go mad trying to remember everyone’s name. The McClintock’s arrived and Katherine gave her a sympathetic squeeze before heading off to make sure all was well in the kitchen. Matthew McClintock made a beeline for the living room where one of his best clients was talking to a prominent senator. Everything was going smoothly until the last guest arrived. Elizabeth caught her breath at the sight of Scott McClintock in a black tuxedo. He seemed at home in it, even though he had admitted to feeling more comfortable in jeans that day at his house. She didn’t want to think about that day. He was escorting Claire who was flawless in a short red dress and high heels. She made Elizabeth suddenly doubt her own appearance.

  “Hello, Golden Boy.” Alex slapped his brother on the back.

  “Hello, Alex. I think you’ve both met Claire.”

  “Yes, of course.” Alex was playing the charming host. He pulled Elizabeth to his side. “Glad you two could make it. Why don’t you go on in and enjo
y yourselves.”

  Scott nodded curtly at Elizabeth and then moved into the living room and disappeared in the crowd. The crowd had spread from the living room to the library and on into the ballroom where a string quartet had begun to play. Elizabeth made the rounds at Alex’s side, but her confidence was now gone and she felt claustrophobic. There was a wonderful buffet set up in the dining room, but she couldn’t force herself to try any of Judith’s delicious food. A knot had begun to grow in her stomach, choking any desire to eat.

  Every once in a while she would spot Scott talking or eating, but always with Claire. Her eyes seemed to search for him constantly. She noticed how his broad shoulders looked in the dinner jacket. She watched his hands holding a glass or gesturing to make his point. Alex’s hand on her shoulder made her jump as though she had been caught robbing the cookie jar.

  “Everything all right? You look a little pale.” His voice sounded concerned.

  “I guess I’m tired. It’s been a long day.” She gave him a wan smile and he massaged her shoulders.

  “It won’t be much longer and then we can finally be alone.” His eyes held a hint of mischief. He leaned in close to her ear as he spoke and then pulled her to him in a brief embrace. Elizabeth looked over his shoulder and her eyes locked with Scott’s across the room. He was staring at her—she could have sworn he was angry.

  Moments later, Scott made his way toward the door, giving Alex a quick nod and then disappeared. Elizabeth stared at the door with a mixture of relief and regret. What was she doing? She was going to marry Alex. She would just have to make peace with Scott, although she had never really been sure what the problem was in the first place. She sighed, and Alex slipped his arm around her in a protective gesture. She leaned her head back on his shoulder, grateful for the support.

  Two hours later, the last of the guests took their leave. It was another half hour before the caterers and extra help were gone. Elizabeth looked around at what had once been a spotless room. Now, glasses of wine and plates of half-eaten food and napkins were scattered over every flat surface. The flowers, which had begun to wilt in the heat of so many bodies, had dropped their petals and the countless parade of shoes had embedded them in the carpet. Cigarette smoke hung in the air, giving Elizabeth a headache.

  “You look done in, darling.” He pulled her into his arms holding her close. “Why don’t you stay here tonight?” She started to pull away from him. He held her tighter. “I didn’t mean it that way. You just look so tired.”

  “I think it would be better if I went home. Besides, I want my own bed tonight.”

  “You mean it would be safer,” Alex whispered in her ear.

  “That too.”

  He sighed and then reached to help her with her coat.

  “You’re probably right.”

  He dropped her off at the door with a tender kiss and a “sleep well.” She kicked her shoes into a corner and shed the beautiful clothes. It was way past midnight and Cinderella was tired of the ball gown. She hung it carefully in the garment bag and did a quick toilette. She expected to be asleep before her head hit the pillow, but sleep was slow in coming. Images of the party filtered through her mind until one image blotted out all the others. Scott’s eyes locked on hers. As she fell asleep, she could still feel his eyes on hers.

  ❧

  Scott watched Elizabeth as she greeted the guests. Her eyes were lit up with excitement, and he couldn’t help noticing how beautiful she looked tonight. He positioned himself in the corner where he could see her without other people noticing. He tried to concentrate on the conversation at hand, but found his mind and his eyes continually wandering toward Elizabeth. The evening was straining his nerves to the breaking point. All these people with their cigarette smoke and reeking of alcohol made him want to escape, find some fresh air, but he knew he couldn’t leave, at least not yet.

  Scott mingled with his father’s business associates. He introduced Claire to everyone because she was always at his elbow. He sometimes forgot that she was there. She was like a ring—he knew she was there, but he don’t think about her. He was beginning to tire of taking her to all these parties and functions. The construction project would soon be completed and she would go back to New York, and he could go back to the farm for some peace and quiet. It seemed like years since he had had an entire weekend to relax or work on the farm. He tightened his grip on the glass of cola until it threathened to crack under the pressure.

  Scott glanced at his watch and decided that he had fulfilled his brotherly duty. Looking around the room, he spotted Claire ensconced in the corner with some of his mother’s friends. He hadn’t realized she had left his side. As he tried to catch her eye, his glance landed on Alex whispering into Elizabeth’s ear. The intimacy of the act caused a knot to form in his stomach. As Alex’s arms encircled her waist and pulled her close, anger welled up in Scott’s heart. For an instant, Elizabeth’s eyes locked with his over Alex’s shoulder and their gaze seemed to be held by invisible bonds. The connection was broken the instant Alex released her. Then Scott crossed the room to Claire. He had had enough for one night. Taking their coats to the door, he motioned to Alex that he was leaving.

  The cold air felt good after the stuffy, smoke-filled house. He dropped Claire off at the hotel and headed for home. But even the peace of home was disrupted by images of Elizabeth in his brother’s arms. He knelt by his bed and prayed for guidance, pouring out his pain and confusion to God. He didn’t understand the turmoil in his heart, but he knew he couldn’t handle it alone. After several minutes in prayer, he felt God’s peace steal over him and he crawled into bed. Sleep soon claimed him, but his last thoughts were of Elizabeth.

  twenty

  From the night of her engagement on, Elizabeth’s life was a roller coaster. The engagement party was only the beginning. When they weren’t attending a party in their honor, Alex was taking her to the ballet, the opera, or more art museums. It was as if he was showing off a new sportscar to all his friends. Part of Elizabeth swelled with pride, but the rest of her was in rebellion. If it didn’t stop soon, she was going to have to have a talk with Alex. Three weeks after the engagement party, Alex and Elizabeth were having lunch at Mario’s when he dropped the next bomb.

  “I told Mother that we would spend the week of Christmas and New Year’s at the house.” He spoke the words between bites of fettucinni as though he were announcing the weather.

  “The whole week?” Elizabeth’s fork stopped halfway to her mouth and hung suspended.

  “Of course. It’s a family tradition. Scott and I always come home for the week. It’s our ‘family’ time.” He continued to eat while reading a fax he had picked up from the office.

  “What about my family?”

  “Darling, you told me that you didn’t have any close relations.” He continued to read as he spoke.

  “I do have friends.” Her cheeks began to flush with anger.

  “Of course, darling,” he murmured without looking up. She slapped the fax onto the table with the palm of her hand.

  “Don’t ignore me. I said I have friends that I would like to visit over Christmas and New Year’s.” He looked at her hand and then slowly panned to her eyes.

  “I wasn’t ignoring you.”

  “Yes, you were. You had your head stuck in that fax.”

  “I heard every word that you said.” His voice was calm and even, but she could sense that he was irritated by her action. “Maybe we should talk about this when one of us isn’t being childish.” He raised his hand and called for the check. “I’ll get you a taxi back to the office. I have some errands to run.”

  All the way back, she seethed. The nerve of him! Who did he think he was? God? She replayed the scene over and over in her mind, getting angrier with every passing second. She fairly stomped back to her office and closed the door with a loud bang.

  By the end of the afternoon, Elizabeth had cooled down somewhat. She realized that Alex was just used to getting hi
s own way, and getting angry wouldn’t solve anything. She would have to approach him in a calm and reasonable manner. The chance never came, though, because Alex sent word by his secretary that he would be out of town for the next two days and that he would be there in time for the anuual office Christmas party. He wanted her to be packed and ready to go to his parent’s house that night.

  Her face was set in a grim line as she cleaned up to go home. He had made sure that there would be no time for her to argue about it. He hadn’t even left a number where he could be reached. She argued with the air all the way home, slapping the steering wheel for emphasis.

  A good night’s sleep calmed her and she began to rationalize the incident. He had probably been in such a rush that he hadn’t had time to get a message to her and had thought the whole thing was settled. His mind had obviously been on business. She convinced herself that this was the truth and settled down to work.

  That night she packed her bags, gathering together all the presents she had picked out for his family. There was an antique white vase that would look perfect in Katherine’s kitchen and a gold tie clip with the image of a cross etched in the center. She had found both gifts in an antique store near the office. Scott’s gift had been easy. She had been browsing in a used bookstore when she had come across a first-edition, leatherbound copy of Dwight L. Moody’s sermons. Instinctively she knew that he would enjoy it. Alex’s gift, on the other hand, had been a nightmare. He bought whatever he wanted and she was unsure as to what he would prefer. She finally settled on a painting he had admired at one of the art exhibits. The price tag had made her cringe, but then again who was she to judge art?

  She loaded the trunk with her treasures and fell into bed exhausted. She comforted herself that tomorrow was the last day of work before the holidays, but somehow that only made her more tired. She drifted off to sleep with visions of Scott holding his gift and smiling at her.

  ❧

  The office was filled with Christmas cheer the next morning. The prospect of two weeks of vacation would make anyone happy. There were more smiles than usual as Elizabeth made her way down the hall. She found herself humming “Deck the Halls” as she typed out the last report of the year. There was great satisfaction in finishing the reports and filing away case files marked “closed.” By mid-afternoon, her office was spotless. She locked the filing cabinets and her desk and looked around. A sudden feeling of dread washed over her; perhaps this would be her last day in this office. She shook it off, chalking it up to nervousness about the upcoming holidays and her upcoming marriage. Come the new year there would be lots of changes in her life. No wonder she was nervous.