“Thank you. Is there anything in particular you’d like to try on, Miss Rathbone?”
“Mrs. Rathbone.” Her emerald gaze focused on Maggie. “Davis hasn’t mentioned me before?”
Not really. Except that he was married to you some years ago, and he was unfaithful. He does seem to be sorry about that.
Victoria waved her hand in the air. “Doesn’t matter. Sounds just like my ex-husband. Always keeping secrets. No doubt he’s kept a few truths from you, too.”
Nausea crept up Maggie’s throat. She really did not wish to have this conversation. And she didn’t have to.
“Is there something you’re interested in?” Maggie walked over to the showcase that had held Victoria’s attention.
Distraction. Distraction.
“Yes, Miss Blume, in fact there is. You.”
“M–me?”
“Come, come, darling, don’t be coy.” She raised a perfectly penciled eyebrow with her smile. “You know very well that you and Davis have captured the nation’s interest. Why not mine, as well?”
Where was she going with this?
“However, unlike the rest of the country who are ignorant to what that man is capable of, I’m not here to cheer on this relationship. I’m here to prevent you from making the biggest mistake of your life.”
*
Like unexpected weather, the day had turned dark and gloomy. Maggie didn’t want to believe all the venom that Victoria had spewed for over an hour, but her stories were hard to ignore. Even harder for Maggie to forget, now that they’d wormed their vile way from her ears to her heart, and plagued her for the rest of the afternoon.
Perhaps she should call Davis and cancel their date tonight. She could say she was sick. She certainly felt a little poorly. Maggie quickly dismissed the thought. He would want to come over and pamper her, and then he’d see she wasn’t sick at all.
How would she get through the evening with the images Victoria painted keeping her mind company? Oh, Davis, have you really changed?
Maggie put little effort into getting ready for Davis’s arrival. She freshened her lipstick, dabbed on some blush, and ran her fingers through her hair. That was it. She had no desire to get all spiffy. For what?
Hearing the Ferrari pull up outside her door, Maggie closed her eyes. Now she really did feel ill. Lord, give me strength to get through tonight.
The knock at the door only aided her malaise, her pounding heart not helping the situation. Forcing a smile to her face, she opened the door.
“Maggie, you don’t look good. Are you all right?”
Did he know her so well already?
She shook her head. “I don’t feel great. Do you mind if we don’t go out tonight? I—”
“Of course I don’t.” Scooping her into his arms, he carried her to the living room and laid her on the three-seater couch. Then he hurried out, soon returning with a damp cloth which he placed across Maggie’s forehead. She wasn’t sure how that would help her queasy stomach, nevertheless, his attention was endearing. How could this be the same man Victoria Rathbone described this afternoon? Surely people changed, especially when they came to Jesus?
Pulling up an ottoman, Davis sat beside Maggie. He leaned closer and trailed his fingers through her hair.
She blinked back the tears as she looked away. “I’m sorry, I’ve spoiled the evening.”
Davis cupped her face then pressed his lips against her cheek. “No time with you is ever spoiled, Maggie. Just being here, sitting beside you…it’s enough for me.” His warm breath brushed her ear.
Is it? He seemed so genuine.
“Do you know how deeply in love with you I have fallen?” His finger traced her jawline as his gaze searched hers.
Finally, his lips found Maggie’s, and his kiss was as magical and passionate as she had imagined it would be.
Then her thoughts drifted to the scores of women who had felt the same magic, the same passion. She tried to stop the images, but they remained stubborn. She couldn’t do this. She couldn’t let this relationship go any further. It had to end. Tonight. The ex-Mrs. Rathbone’s visit had changed everything.
*
So this was how love between a man and a woman really felt. Davis could quite safely say he’d never been in love. Until now. Not with Victoria. Not with any other woman he’d ever been with, ever felt attracted to. If only I’d met you years ago, I could’ve prevented so many mistakes.
An ache formed in his chest. He’d left too many broken hearts in the wake of his search for love. If not for the assurance of sins forgiven, he wouldn’t be able to live with himself—not since he’d found God’s amazing grace.
From scarlet to snow.
He desperately wanted to ask the question again, convinced Maggie would say yes this time. Her reciprocal kiss told of her feelings.
Without warning, she pulled away from him, breaking their kiss. She pushed herself upright, eyes wide like a scared puppy cowering in a corner. Moisture filled her baby blues, and their surfaces shimmered.
“You should go.”
“I’m sorry.” What had he been thinking—their first kiss when she wasn’t well? One mistake for the evening was enough, he wouldn’t make another. Asking her again to marry him was out of the question tonight. He tucked a strand of hair behind her ear. “Let me help you upstairs to bed. You should rest.”
“No!” Standing, she stepped away from him. “You need to go. I can’t do this Davis. I’ve tried, but today I realized that I can’t take a chance on you. You’ve too much baggage.”
Baggage?
He reached for Maggie but she pushed his hand away.
“What’s wrong? I don’t understand—”
“Just go. Please.” She turned her back to him.
“Maggie, what changed between this afternoon and now?” Between our kiss and now?
“Your ex-wife paid me a visit.”
Victoria. Anger brewed in his gut like Macbeth’s witches brew. She’d probably had nothing good to say. And from Maggie’s change of heart, it was clear that Victoria only told her what she wanted heard.
His fists clenched at his sides then relaxed as he pushed the thoughts of retribution away, thinking about it as bad as carrying out the deed. Like adultery. If he hadn’t turned his life around…
“Maggie, I’m certain you only heard half the truth.”
“Really? Victoria warned me that you’d try to worm your way out of the blame, put it all onto her.”
What had that woman told Maggie? Even after all this time, shame washed over him. Shame that Maggie had to know the dirty details. But she should hear the rest, the mitigating factors, even though they did not excuse his behavior.
Davis’s cheeks puffed as he blew out a heavy breath. “Did she remember to tell you about how she tri—”
Maggie covered her ears with her hands. “Stop. Please.” Tears spilling over, she stomped across the living room into the entrance then yanked open the front door. “Just leave.” She swiped at the tears, her eyes begging. “Please.”
She needed space. It wouldn’t help to try and discuss this with her now. He’d leave. And he’d wait, and pray, for God to vindicate him.
*
The lounge lit only by a single lamp in the far corner of the room, Maggie curled up on the couch in the semi-darkness and allowed her tears to soak into the cushion she hugged. He’d barely gone and already she missed Davis at her side. She missed his laugh, the smoothness of his voice, those blue eyes that cut right into her soul, and his strong hands that held hers tight, making her feel safe and loved these past few weeks.
Until this afternoon.
Why had she entertained Victoria Rathbone and listened to her stories? She shouldn’t have allowed the woman to rob her of more than just her time.
Davis’s aftershave still clung lightly to the air, and the aroma of it sent a fresh wave of tears flowing onto the cushion. She should have allowed him to speak when he tried. What if he wasn’t as guil
ty as Victoria had painted him? But Davis would likely not be bothered with her after the way she’d treated him. She’d literally kicked him out of her house like an unwanted dog.
Maggie wiped her cheeks with the end of her sweater. She chewed on her bottom lip as the questions pummeled like angry bees. Was the man she’d come to know and love a lie, or was the liar the one who’d sown doubt across her garden of love? Would she ever know?
Grabbing the throw from the couch’s armrest, Maggie spread it over her body and snuggled into its warmth. If only she could shut out the cold reality of her actions as easily as the coolness in the air. As Grandma Daisy always said: “You’ve made your flowerbed, you’ll need to harvest whatever you’ve sown in it.” Maggie could not shake the feeling that she’d be left with a ginormous bouquet of weeds. Best she set out her biggest and most beautiful crystal vase—something to distract from the ugliness of her crop.
Or she could send a prayer heavenward.
Father, help.
Chapter Nine
That one’s a real beauty.
Maggie smiled as she placed her latest creation inside the display cabinet. Not that it could compare to the ‘Garden of Love’. Sadness filled her, forcing liquid to her eyes yet again. She’d shed countless tears over Davis the past fortnight. The media, too, were crying—they’d milked this story dry. All that was left was to mop up the memories of Davis Rathbone and Magnolia Blume. For Maggie and the press.
At the sound of the doorbell, Maggie turned, catching her breath.
“L–Lord Rathbone?”
“Maggie, it’s good to see you, too.” He gave a mischievous smile, so like his son’s, and then greeted Jayne.
Maggie blinked hard, swallowing the tears that demanded an audience.
“Now, what is this Lord Rathbone nonsense? It’s been Hadley for the past few visits. Even though it has been a little while since we’ve seen you at Levens Hall, let’s not get all formal again, shall we?”
He opened his arms. “Come here, and give me a hug.”
She managed to put a smile on her face, albeit a nervous one, as she walked into his arms to greet him. If only it were Davis’s embrace.
Keeping the encounter brief, Maggie stepped back. “Is there something I can help you with? A new necklace for Anita, perhaps?”
Hadley Rathbone shook his head and shoved his hand inside his jacket pocket. He pulled out a familiar piece of jewelry and placed it on the glass counter.
Good grief. What is it with these Rathbone men that they handle this ring so carelessly? It should be safely tucked away in its box, in a safe.
Maggie focused her gaze on the piece. The emeralds and diamonds sparkled under the lights, as they’d done the day she’d shown the final product to Davis. She’d missed it. And to think it could have been sitting on her finger. More than that, she missed Davis. A lump formed in her throat. It was not to be.
But why had Lord Rathbone brought the ring back. “Is there something wrong?”
“Yes.”
Moving to the other side of the counter, she retrieved her jeweler’s loupe from the drawer. She lifted the ring to the handheld magnifying glass and examined the stones and gold clasps for flaws. Nothing.
She looked up at Hadley as she set the loupe and ring down, the expression on his face unreadable.
“I’m sorry, Lor— I mean, Hadley, but I see nothing wrong with the piece. Everything looks fine.”
He pressed his hands onto the glass, his fingers turning white, and leaned forward. “Everything is not fine, young lady.” Was he angry with her?
“B–but then what’s the problem?”
“The problem, Maggie Blume, is that this ring should be sitting on your finger, not hidden away in a cushy little box beside my son’s bed.”
“Davis keeps it beside his bed? Why?”
“A constant reminder of you, I’d guess, although the Lord knows he doesn’t need it. He thinks of nothing else. Perhaps this is some tangible hope to hold onto while he waits for his prayers to be answered.”
“W–what prayers?”
“That he’ll still win your heart. That you’ll come to believe in him.”
Oh, Davis. You have my heart, and there’s not a thing I can do about that.
Hadley took Maggie’s hand in his. “Maggie—”
Uh-oh, looked like this conversation was about to get serious. Maggie’s eyes flitted to her assistant. “Jayne, would you mind—”
“Going for coffee?”
Maggie smiled. Jayne was a fast learner. “It’s on me again.”
“Oh, I fully intend to bring you back the bill. At this rate, I’ll either be broke or a caffeine addict before the month is out.”
Hadley chuckled. “You’ve kicked her out before?”
“Only once, two weeks ago when—” Maggie swallowed her words. He didn’t need to know about Victoria’s visit and all that she had revealed. “Jayne, would you mind on the way out to—”
“Flip the sign to closed.” Jayne’s mouth tipped up on one side. “I haven’t forgotten.”
The moment they were alone, Hadley motioned to the two white leather low back tub chairs. “Let’s sit. I have some things I need to tell you.”
Maggie’s gaze flitted to the chairs. The last conversation she had there sent her world crashing down. What would this one do?
Hadley pulled back one chair for Maggie. “Starting with the fact that Victoria Rathbone is not everything she pretends to be. And Davis isn’t all he’s portrayed as being—by the media or by his ex-wife. You need to hear his side of the story, Maggie. Yes, it’s not always pretty, but there are a lot of redeeming qualities along the way.”
“There are?”
Hadley cocked an eyebrow.
Had she looked as cynical as she sounded? Her question was unfair. Although Davis didn’t speak much of his past, she had glimpsed some of those redeeming qualities over the past few weeks. He did seem to steer clear of speaking of his failed marriage, and the times their discussions had moved to spiritual matters, he’d preferred to focus on God’s grace.
Clasping his hands together, Hadley leaned forward and rested his arms on his thighs. “What has Davis told you about Victoria and his marriage to her?”
“Nothing much. Only that he was unfaithful to her. Many times. I gathered he didn’t really want to be in the marriage, hence the affairs. I never realized that arranged marriages still existed in modern society.”
“Oh, yes, they do. Very much. However, Davis’s marriage wasn’t arranged. Forced is more the word.”
“Forced? I don’t understand.”
Hadley sank back into his chair. “What is your impression of Victoria?”
“She’s really beautiful. I can’t believe that Davis would be interested in me after—”
“Never sell yourself short, Maggie. You are absolutely beautiful, too. The difference between you and Victoria is that your beauty is not only external, it runs deep within you. Victoria on the other hand— Let’s just say she’s not a nice person.”
“But—”
“She tricked Davis into marriage. When he found out there was no baby, he was devastated. Their infant marriage took a one-way trip downhill from then on out, with Davis eventually seeking love and company in the arms of others.”
“He married her because—”
“He thought he was doing the honorable thing. Certainly what he did thereafter was by no means honorable, and I don’t condone his behavior in the slightest, but he was so hurt by Victoria’s lies. And then she denied him the pleasures of their marriage bed. He never said so, but I could tell from their body language. That’s why I confronted him on the issue. It’s no wonder he went looking for love in other places.”
“I–I didn’t know. Davis never said, and Victoria told me an entirely different story.”
“She would. She’d love to destroy anything good that happens in Davis’s life. When it comes to Davis, she’s just wicked.”
; Maggie dabbed her eyes with the tip of her finger. She’d been so wrong, and had judged him unfairly. Would he ever be able to forgive her?
She turned to Hadley. “Who was the ‘Garden of Love’ commissioned for?”
“The ‘Garden of Love’?”
“Yes. The ring Davis had me design. The one he slid on my finger at the Spring Ball. The same one you just brought to me.” She smiled. “You know what I’m talking about?”
“Ah yes… Davis hasn’t told you?”
*
Maggie steered her BMW down the A591 toward Kendal, willing the car to go faster. Come on. She smacked the steering wheel as if the action would get her to Levens Hall any quicker. She’d lost two whole weeks with Davis—she didn’t want to spend two minutes more without him.
Gray-blue lakes and green-colored countryside whizzed past in a blur. Finally, the A590, and then the long-awaited A6. Stopping at the gates of Levens Hall, Maggie blew out a breath. That had to be the longest trip ever. She let down her window and smiled. “Afternoon, Elliot.”
The gatekeeper grinned. “Miss Magnolia. How good to see you again.”
“You too, Elliot.” Releasing her grip on the steering wheel, she stretched her fingers. Tension drained away with the action. “Is Davis here?”
Elliot nodded. “Lord Rathbone is at home. Go right on up, Miss Magnolia.” He opened the gate, allowing her access to the estate.
Maggie’s heartbeat quickened as she drove up the driveway and parked beside Davis’s Ferrari. She scurried out of her car and up the stairs to the front door. Her knock had barely echoed inside when the large door opened. Disappointment filled her as she stared into the face of Levens Hall’s trusted butler. It was stupid to think that Davis would be on the other side.
“Miss Magnolia.”
“Hello, Reginald.”
“Lord Rathbone isn’t in right now.” His face remained stolid.
“Oh.” She turned toward the Ferrari, pointing. “But his—”
A smile cracked his features. “He took off on Excalibur some hours ago. Same as he has every day the past fortnight.”
Maggie hurried down the stairs and across the drive, turning her head as she passed between the cars. “Thanks, Reginald.”
Love Blossoms: 7 Spring-Fresh Christian Romances Page 54
