Fall from Grace

by Danielle Steel

  He had an enormous marble bathtub in a huge bathroom, and they soaked in it together before they went to bed. He poured her more champagne, and she was already half asleep before she climbed into his big comfortable bed and put her arms around him, with pure happiness in her eyes.

  “I love you,” she whispered, and fell asleep instantly, as he turned off the light and smiled. His life was perfect with her there.

  —

  Sydney woke up late the next morning. Bob had gone to the office and let her sleep. She had to rush to meet Ed at the hotel at noon to choose the models. There were a fleet of assistants he’d hired already unpacking the clothes, which had arrived in good order, and Kevin was directing two young assistants, while a dozen seamstresses waited to fit the clothes to the girls.

  They had just finished choosing the models, when Ed’s mother stopped by to thank them again for doing the show for the benefit. Sydney was struck again by how beautiful she was, and how young to have a son Ed’s age. She and Sydney were almost the same age. He and his mother looked like brother and sister. She had exquisite skin, and she was incredibly chic. She wore French haute couture. Ed had learned all about fashion from her, and from going to couture shows with her as a child.

  —

  They were finished with what they had to do by six o’clock, when Bob came to pick Sydney up. He invited Ed to join them for dinner, but he said he had to have dinner with his parents. He and Sydney agreed to meet the next morning at nine to go over details before a dress rehearsal at ten. The models they had chosen were all pros. A few didn’t speak English but Ed spoke to them in Mandarin. They were all beautiful girls and wore the clothes well.

  “Half the room will be my relatives tomorrow night,” Ed commented, laughing. “My parents have four tables for the family and two of friends.”

  “I have a table too,” Bob said. He had invited his favorite people and closest friends, so Sydney could meet them. As they got into his car, he said they were having dinner at home that night. She was relieved to hear it, she was tired and jet-lagged. It had been a long day, and she couldn’t wait to relax and soak in his huge tub. “My kids are coming to dinner tonight,” he said casually. Sydney sat up straight in the car with a look of terror, and he smiled. “Except for the one in medical school in England, of course. But Charlotte is coming in from Shanghai. They all want to meet you, Sydney,” he said as he glanced at her. “Don’t look like that. They’re not going to eat you, I promise.” But it was obvious she didn’t believe him, based on past experience with the twins. She had hoped to wait a while to meet his children. But he wanted to get it over with quickly, so she could relax. He knew how worried she was about it. She had dreaded it for months. Her fears about his children were a huge stumbling block for her to commit to him.

  “When are they coming?” she asked nervously.

  He checked his watch. “In about half an hour. It’s very casual. You don’t have to change.” She was wearing jeans. “I had a local restaurant cater it. So all you have to do is eat and relax.” She felt like Daniel walking into the lion’s den when they got to his apartment, and she went to put on a fresh blouse, brush her hair, and wash her face. She was brushing her teeth when the doorbell rang, and she wanted to throw up. She was sure it was them.

  She walked anxiously into the living room and saw Bob with his arm around a spectacularly beautiful girl, prettier than any model they’d hired that day. She was wearing a chef’s jacket, checked pants, and clogs, so Sydney guessed easily which one she was. And Bob was very proud when he introduced his oldest daughter, Francesca, to Sydney. She had a warm, open smile and looked instantly apologetic.

  “I’m so sorry I’m a mess. I was helping a friend out at his restaurant, and I came right from work.” She shook Sydney’s hand politely. She looked almost like a Eurasian version of Sabrina, and they were about the same age.

  “I came right from work too.” Sydney smiled at her cautiously and felt foolish for being so worried. Francesca couldn’t have been nicer or more gracious and modest. She had none of that nasty foxy-eyed “I’m going to eat you for dinner or stab you in the back” look of the hateful twins and their mother. Francesca was as gentle and friendly as her father.

  “Your show tomorrow sounds amazing,” Francesca said, visibly impressed. “Dad invited me, but I have to work. I had already signed on to fill in for a friend before he asked me. Besides,” she said shyly, “I don’t have decent clothes. I spend my life in the kitchen.” She was totally unassuming like her father, and much less sophisticated than Sydney had expected. She could have been anyone’s daughter, not one of the most successful men in Hong Kong. They were talking quietly about the bistro she wanted to open when Bob’s son, Dorian, walked in. He beamed the minute he saw Sydney, as though he had been waiting to meet her all his life. He had them all laughing half an hour later with the description of his recent visit to his sister in England and masquerading as a doctor so he could make rounds with her, and almost finding himself in a delivery room by mistake. He was funny and very welcoming to Sydney and wanted to know all about Sophie and Sabrina. He said they sounded very glamorous, and she assured him they were down-to-earth but with jobs in fashion, and worked very hard.

  “I never wear the right thing,” he said awkwardly. “Dad took me to some fancy event a few months ago. I lost my dress shoes somewhere so I had to wear sneakers, and he was very upset.” He smiled at his father, who rolled his eyes at the memory of it.

  “I was only upset because the shoes you lost happened to be mine, and I had lent them to you.”

  “Oh, that,” Dorian said, and grinned guiltily at Sydney, who laughed. He was an adorable young guy, with an aura of mischief and innocence about him that was hard to resist.

  And as they were talking, a little elf wandered in wearing what looked like pajama bottoms, a paint-splattered pink sweatshirt, and pink high-top sneakers. She apologized profusely for being late, and said her flight from Shanghai had been delayed. She had pink streaks in her hair.

  “And they stole your clothes on the flight?” her father asked disapprovingly.

  “No, these are mine. I was working on a painting till the last second before I left. But they did lose my bag. They’re bringing it later.” She was smaller than the others and looked a lot like her father, and reminded Sydney a bit of Sophie when she was younger. She had the same self-deprecating way about her, and surprised, innocent eyes, and a permanently childlike aura about her.

  “My daughter Charlotte, otherwise known as Charlie,” Bob said to Sydney, who was totally at ease by then, and smiled at her. She looked like a ragamuffin, but a totally endearing one, and had her pink-streaked hair in pigtails.

  “She always dresses like that,” Dorian explained to Sydney. “Your daughters in fashion would never approve of any of us, and my sister Aimee wears hospital pajamas all the time. We’re a disreputable lot,” he said, smiling broadly, and his sisters laughed.

  “We’re a mess sometimes too,” Sydney said honestly. “Sometimes I wear my nightgown all day when I’m drawing, and so do my girls.”

  “At the office?” Charlotte looked impressed. “I go to the bank sometimes in my pajamas, and Dad gets mad. But I like painting in them.” Bob glanced at Sydney ruefully, and she couldn’t help laughing. They reminded her of Peter Pan’s lost boys, and none of them seemed to care about clothes, which was fine with her. They were each charming in their own way, and she could see why Bob said they all had fun together.

  “Actually, I wear my nightgowns at home, but I’d love to wear them to the office,” she responded to Charlotte. They told her about the family dogs then, who had all misbehaved, and one ate an entire buffet of food before the guests came, which inspired more stories. She was enjoying them enormously when dinner was announced, and they walked into the dining room to see a beautiful spread set out on china and crystal, with gleaming silver and flowers on the table. Despite their mischievous tales and haphazard style, she saw that they
all had beautiful manners, were kind and polite to her, and were close to each other and crazy about their father, who adored them. It was a family full of love and good feelings, and rather than excluding her, like the twins, they all welcomed her warmly into their midst. She felt totally comfortable with them.

  The food was delicious from one of the best restaurants in town. Bob had planned it carefully for her and had gone all out. And the conversation during dinner was warm and funny. They teased each other and their father, but without malice, and seemed perfectly happy to include her. They were the opposite of everything she had experienced with the twins.

  She was sorry when all three of Bob’s children left at midnight. Charlotte was staying in the apartment downstairs, Francesca was going home to her boyfriend, and Dorian was meeting up with friends. Sydney told them she hoped to see them again before she left, and meant it, but Charlotte said she was going back to Shanghai the next day. Francesca and Dorian promised to come by the next night. They all hugged her warmly when they left. She was stunned.

  She turned to Bob when they were alone in the apartment again with a look of amazement. “You have the nicest kids I’ve ever met.”

  “They’re good kids, but I wish I could get them into decent clothes. Dorian’s right, they look a mess.” They were all slightly eccentric but in a very appealing way. And Bob had obviously let them be themselves.

  “No, they don’t,” Sydney disagreed with him. “They just look like kids, and they don’t have jobs you have to dress up for. I think they’re wonderful.” They were smart and affectionate and unpretentious. “I haven’t had this much fun in ages. Sophie and Sabrina would love them. I wish we could get Dorian and Sophie together. She’s kind of a bumbler about guys. You missed the last one, who was a total neurotic mess.”

  “I don’t know why, but Dorian can never find decent girls. They’re always crazy, or just out of rehab, or homeless, or have some huge problem he thinks he can fix.”

  “That’s Sophie too. She always ends up playing psych nurse to some basket case.”

  “Dorian too, and he borrows my shoes and loses them every time,” he said, laughing. “I think he hands them out to homeless people or gives them to his friends.” They both laughed, and Sydney felt as though a thousand-pound weight had been lifted off her shoulders.

  “I was terrified to meet them,” she confessed.

  “I know,” he said gently. “That’s why I invited them here tonight. I wanted to put you out of your misery quickly. They’re not a very scary group. I knew they’d like you. I just didn’t know how you’d feel about them. They’re not as glamorous as your girls. Dorian is right about that too. You should read his novel. It’s actually very good,” he said with fatherly pride.

  “I’d like to. And Sabrina always disapproves of the rest of us, but she can let her hair down too. I think Steve will relax her a little. And it’s her job to look like that.” She had acted like the fashion police since she was a little girl.

  “They all told me how much they love you when they left. They think you’re really ‘cool.’ ” He was pleased, and proud of Sydney too, not just his kids.

  “Well, I think they’re ‘cool’ too. Very, very, very cool. And so sweet.”

  “Well, that’s over. Now you can enjoy them the next time you see them,” he said, pleased and relaxed. The evening had been a success.

  “I enjoyed them tonight.” She smiled, and he walked over and kissed her.

  “Let’s go to bed,” he whispered to her. “I gave up tonight for them, now I want you to myself.” She laughed and followed him into his spectacular bedroom, and he closed the door and they fell into bed with each other, smiling and laughing and talking and teasing until passion overtook them, and they forgot about his children, and thought only of how much they loved each other. It had been a perfect night. And now she could relax and spend her time with him in Hong Kong. She had nothing to fear. The monsters she had been so afraid of had turned out to be charming, funny, loving, bright young people. They had overcome a huge obstacle that night, and it only made her love their father more.

  Chapter 20

  Sydney told Ed about meeting Bob’s children the next day while they set up the benefit together, checked the room, did a sound check, and went through the rehearsal with the models.

  “You were right, they’re adorable,” she said, looking totally pleased with the evening. She was still coasting on it, and had seen Charlotte at breakfast before she went back to Shanghai. She had come to Hong Kong just to meet Sydney, and said she was glad she had. She gave her a big hug before Sydney left for work, and told her that she had to come to her next art show.

  “I told you so,” Ed said, pleased with himself. “They’re a terrific family. They’re all regular people. There isn’t a snob in the bunch. Bob isn’t a snob either. He’s just a very successful guy, and he likes the good life more than they do. You should see the cars they drive. Dorian drove a ten-year-old mail truck all through school. They’re all kind of hippies. Maybe it’s a reaction to the money.” But she liked that about them, and Ed did too. It made them seem younger than they were. There was an honesty about them that was very appealing. And Sydney complimented Bob on them again that night before the benefit. She had come back to the apartment to change, and was wearing a beautiful evening gown Ed had made for her for the event. It looked like vintage Chanel. It was finely pleated black silk with pale pink satin panels, and was spectacular on her slim figure.

  Everything had gone smoothly at the hotel that afternoon, and was in good order when she went backstage before the show. Ed was wearing a tuxedo and looked very elegant, and Kevin was wearing one too. The guests had started arriving. Ed and Sydney checked all the models themselves. His mother came backstage a couple of times. And then everyone was seated at the tables, and the show started. They had rolled out a carpet for the models to walk on, which wended through the room, so everyone could see the clothes. It was perfect, even better than the New York show, because it was more relaxed. Ed and Sydney got a standing ovation when they took their bows, which were always quick.

  And then dinner started and an orchestra played and people danced. They had paid a fortune for their seats, for a good cause, and they got their money’s worth. Sydney enjoyed meeting Bob’s friends, more than she’d expected to, and had a good time with them at dinner. He had invited four couples, bankers, lawyers, a doctor, and a journalist. They were accomplished people, and warm and welcoming to her. And when Bob danced with her, she was pleased to discover he was a wonderful dancer. They were among the last to leave the event at two A.M. The assistants had already packed up the clothes, with Kevin’s supervision. And from then on, Sydney was on vacation and had nothing to do except play tourist with Bob around Hong Kong.

  They sat on his terrace again until three in the morning and talked about what a success the benefit had been and then went to bed. In the morning, he was dressed when she got up, and anxious to show her around. They took the tram up Victoria Peak, above the Chins’ home. He took her to the famous Ladies’ Market, and shopping at Causeway Bay, where all the best stores were. They went to the best restaurants for lunch and dinner. Finally, after four days of visiting Hong Kong, he got up the courage to ask her what he had wanted to since Valentine’s Day, and before. They were having dinner at Caprice, and were drinking champagne. He didn’t want to wait till the last night to ask her.

  “I want to ask you something, Sydney,” he said cautiously, and she could see that he was nervous. She hoped that he didn’t give her an ultimatum, or offer her something she couldn’t accept. She had a feeling she knew what he wanted. “I know what happened and how badly your life has been shaken up for two years, but I have to ask you this, so I know where we stand.” She almost winced when he said it, not wanting to hurt him or turn him down. “Is there any chance that you would ever consider retiring again, leaving New York and moving to Hong Kong with me, with or without marriage, your choice?” She look
ed at him sadly after he asked her. She didn’t want her refusal to end what they had. It was too precious to her to lose. But she couldn’t lose herself again either. She couldn’t ever let that happen, even for him.

  “No, there isn’t,” she said gently. She wanted to be honest with him. “I don’t want to give up my career again. I love what Ed and I are doing, and I don’t want to lose that. But I don’t want to lose you either. I just can’t do what I did before, give up working, become dependent on a man, and risk everything I am. If anything went wrong with us, I’d be screwed all over again.” He nodded, and understood. It was the answer he had expected, and the question he felt compelled to ask, in case her response was different from what he thought.

  “I would never let that happen to you,” he said kindly. He didn’t want to be critical of Andrew, but they were very different men, and he would never leave the future to chance. He was even slightly younger than Andrew had been. He told her that he knew that one day he would die, and he wanted to leave his affairs in order, and those he loved well cared for, and even protected from each other, if necessary. “I can promise you that.”

  “I’m sure you would. But if I give up my job for you, I’d be totally dependent on you. If I didn’t work, I’d have no money. I did that once. I can’t do it again. It would be a terrible mistake. And I don’t want to be beholden to you. I want to be with you because I love you, not because you support me.” She had loved Andrew too, but he had supported her completely and very generously. And when he died, it all ended. She didn’t want to be in that situation again. “I’m not even fully back on my feet yet. I’m just getting there. I want to make my own money, not live on yours. I’d only marry again if I could be responsible for myself. It doesn’t have to be equal, but I have to make enough to take care of myself.” She had never realized how important that was until she lost everything.