Paul was dressed in a light-blue suit, and a white ruffled shirt. He smiled and took Clarissa's offered hand. "The pleasure is all mine, Miss Patterson."
Victoria welcomed Dan. She kissed his cheek. "Now the party can begin. My best friend has arrived."
He beamed down at her. "It is not a friendship I take lightly, Victoria." Then he said seriously, "If you are ever in need, please do not hesitate to call on me."
"You are so serious tonight, Doctor," Victoria teased him. "This is a party; you are to enjoy yourself."
He grinned. "I intend to. Where is the food?"
"You know the way to the dining room," Victoria told him, smiling. Dan shook hands with Paul, and Victoria turned to her grandmother. Her heart skipped a beat as she saw Edward accompanied by a beautiful red-headed woman. Surely this was Edward's intended bride. She closed her eyes. I cannot bear it, she thought. She watched as Edward kissed her grandmother's cheek.
"Happy birthday, Mammaw. You do not look one day older."
"I guess love is blind," Mammaw quipped.
Edward reached into his coat pocket and pulled out a brown velvet box. He removed a golden brooch in the shape of a butterfly.
"Edward, you shouldn't have. I recognize that as your mother's brooch. I cannot accept such a valuable gift from you."
"My mother once told me you admired it. She always intended you to have it; I am merely carrying out her wishes. It would make me happy if you would accept it." He pinned the butterfly to the white collar of her gown.
Mammaw was overcome with emotion. Her blue eyes sparkled with tears. "I shall treasure it always."
Edward kissed her once more. "As I treasure you," he told her earnestly.
"I declare, I am jealous of you, Mammaw," the pretty redhead said.
Mammaw laughed. "I am no competition for you. May I introduce you to my granddaughter, Victoria Lee Farraday. Honey, this is Monica Webber."
"I am pleased to meet you, Miss Webber," Victoria said, hoping her voice had not betrayed the way she was feeling. The woman was beautiful. Her red hair hung to her shoulders; her blue eyes sparkled; her skin was creamy white. The blue dress she wore was lovely, and definitely expensive. Victoria felt the white dress Consuelo had made for her pale to insignificance beside the blue creation Miss Webber wore.
The redhead stared at Victoria long and hard. "You are something of a legend, Miss Farraday. It seems you rode on horseback from Georgia."
"It was not nearly as hard as you might think, Miss Webber. May I introduce you to my fiancé, Paul O'Brian?"
Monica brightened at the handsome man and offered him her hand. "I am delighted to meet you, Mr. O'Brian."
Paul took her hand and bowed gallantly. "Charmed, Miss Webber."
Victoria felt Edward standing in front of her. She knew the hardest thing she would ever have to do would be to try to act natural when she felt so crushed. "Thank you for coming to my grandmother's party, Mr. Hanover," she said, raising her head to look at him. Victoria was feeling vulnerable. She felt as though her thoughts were laid bare for Edward to see.
He was dressed in a black formal suit. His ebony hair seemed to shine in the soft light. He wore a white shirt with ruffles that accented his deeply tanned face. “I would not miss Mammaw's birthday celebration, Miss Farraday," he said formally. His voice was cold and detached.
Victoria knew she must avoid Edward's hypnotic eyes. She was aware that Miss Webber was talking to Paul, and her grandmother was greeting a newcomer. Edward stood silently before her. Victoria could think of nothing to say.
"You knew I would come, Victoria."
Her eyes met his and she, was lost. It happened as it had at their first meeting. She could neither speak nor look away. The air she breathed seemed charged with electricity.
"You look beautiful tonight, Victoria, but then you always do." His voice seemed to come to her from a long way off. She felt her pulse race. Victoria was totally unaware that there were other people around.
Monica reached for Edward's hand. "Have you met Mr. O'Brian?" she asked.
Edward looked down at Monica. "Yes, I have. How are you, Mr. O'Brian?"
The two men shook hands. "It is nice to see you again, Mr. Hanover."
"How are you liking Texas, Mr. O'Brian?"
"Tory has shown me around quite a bit and I like what I have seen so far."
Victoria turned gratefully to the guest who now greeted her. She wondered how she would ever get through this night. The party, which had started out so joyously, had now turned into a nightmare for her.
When all the guests had arrived, Victoria and Paul made their way to the dining room. The dinner was being served buffet-style, since the dining room could not accommodate such a large crowd.
Victoria noticed Edward and Monica Webber standing nearby. Monica was whispering in his ear. Victoria saw Edward throw back his head and laugh at whatever it was Monica had said to him. I cannot bear it, she thought. I do not have the strength to get through this evening. Paul handed her a plate that he had filled for her. She smiled at him. "I am not really hungry, Paul."
He cocked his handsome head to one side. "Eat, honey, it worries me when you do not eat."
She took a bit of the creamy potatoes to please him. Her eyes wandered to Edward once more. He was smiling down at Monica as she looked adoringly up at him. Victoria saw Edward offer Monica a drink from his own glass. Victoria closed her eyes, remembering the day he had shared his canteen with her. Did Monica know how faithless her future husband was? Then, to be honest with herself, she wondered what Paul would think of her if he knew how she had responded to Edward's kisses. In her defense, she argued that Edward had forced his attentions on her. But had he? Hadn't she wanted him to kiss her? The revelation only made her feel worse.
Later in the evening, as it often happened, the younger people sought their own age group while the older people occupied the house. The single couples migrated to the front porch, with the exception of Victoria and Paul, who were still circulating among the guests. Chairs had been placed for the guests' comfort.
Edward sat on the porch railing, his back braced against a supporting post; one long leg was drawn up beside him. His hand rested on his boot. Monica occupied a chair beside him.
Monica noticed that Clarissa and Dan were holding hands, and she dismissed Clarissa as a threat. She intended to take advantage of the time she and Edward would have alone together when he drove her home.
"I can see now why Victoria was so anxious for Paul O'Brian to come for her," Clarissa said. "He is so handsome and quite the most charming man I have ever met."
"How about me?" Dan asked.
"You are charming, Dan; we all know that," Monica spoke up.
Clarissa squeezed his hand. "You are handsome, Doctor." She smiled and then added, "Dan, don't you think Victoria and Paul are well-suited to one another?"
Dan looked at Edward. "They are both blond and blue-eyed; they come from the same background. Yes, I think they suit very well."
Edward gave Dan a disgusted look, but said nothing.
They were interrupted by Paul himself as he joined them on the front porch.
"Mr. O'Brian, please sit beside Dan and me," Clarissa invited, indicating the vacant chair beside her.
"Thank you, Miss . . . Patterson." Paul removed his coat. "You do not mind, do you, Miss Patterson?"
"Make yourself comfortable, Mr. O'Brian, by all means."
He placed his coat over the back of his chair, then unbuttoned the top button of his shirt. "It is rather warm," he told her.
"That is all the encouragement I need," Dan said, as he removed his coat and placed it over the back of his chair.
"Tell me, Mr. O'Brian, when do you and Victoria intend to be married?" Clarissa asked bluntly.
He smiled at her and sat down, crossing his long legs. "If I had my way, we would already be married."
"I hope you do not intend to take her to Georgia, Mr. O'Brian," Clarissa said. "She h
as become a good friend of mine, and I would miss her."
Paul was quiet for a moment. "One day, I shall take her to Georgia, Miss Patterson, but you shall have an invitation to visit us whenever you would like."
"You avoided my question, Mr. O'Brian, as to when you and Victoria will be married," Clarissa said, with her usual directness.
"Please call me Paul," he said, "and yes, I did evade your question, but only because I have not pinned Tory down to a date. You see before you, Miss Patterson—"
"Call me Clarissa."
He smiled. "You see before you, Clarissa, a man who is totally at the mercy of a woman who is undecided on a date. If you have any influence with Tory, I beg you to intercede on my behalf."
Clarissa laughed. "I shall certainly do so the first opportunity I get. I noticed the beautiful engagement ring she has on her finger, Paul. It would seem you have already half-convinced her."
Dan laughed. "It has been my experience with Victoria that nothing or no one can prod her into anything until she is ready."
"Alas, Doctor, you know my Tory very well. When she was small she had me twisted around her little finger. I adored her even then. I am five years her senior; yet it was always she who had the upper hand. I can remember the first time I saw her, she was only two months old. As I looked down into her cradle, saw her golden ringlets and blue eyes, I knew I had lost my heart, even at the age of five."
"How romantic," Monica said, leaning forward. "Tell us more."
"Well," Paul said, "when Tory was six and I was eleven, she demanded that I have no more birthdays until she caught up with me in age, so we could be married."
Monica laughed. "Continue, Mr. O'Brian, this intrigues me."
Edward watched, his dark eyes smoldering. He felt murderous rage well up inside him. This new emotion, jealousy, did not set well with him. It was a feeling so foreign to him, and he did not know how to deal with it. In the past when he had tired of a woman, he never gave her a second thought if she turned to another man. But then, he was not tired of Victoria; nor would he ever be. He tried to swallow the rage that threatened to overwhelm him. He gritted his teeth as Paul continued speaking.
"Well, being eleven," Paul said, "it was not popular to be fond of the opposite gender, as all my friends thought girls were dumb. So I began to think of Tory as something of a nuisance."
"Then what happened?" Clarissa asked.
"Well… when Tory reached fourteen, I was a young man of nineteen. I began to notice the attention she was receiving from all the other young men of the county. I was horrified that my feelings were so strong for a mere child. Tory was a minx, but she had already blossomed into a beautiful young lady. I felt jealous of all the attention showered upon her. Unconsciously, I had begun to think of Tory as my property. The war came and I had to leave. I was plagued by doubt and uncertainty. Tory was too young for me to tell her of my feelings. I wondered if she would still be free by the time I returned home. When I received my first leave, Tory was fifteen. I attended a ball at a neighboring plantation. When I saw Tory, she was surrounded by young men. I worried over how to approach her. She seemed totally unaware of me, while I could not keep my eyes off her. She was beautiful. She was still too young to be married, but I could not leave without telling her of my feelings."
"Did you tell her?" Monica asked.
"Yes." Paul smiled. "And that is as much of the story as I am willing to share with you. It is enough for you to know that I am here now, and Tory wears my engagement ring."
"Being engaged does not always lead to marriage, Mr. O'Brian," Edward said acidly.
"It is my belief that the one usually follows the other, Mr. Hanover, but maybe you speak from experience." Paul wondered at the hostility in Mr. Hanover's voice.
Edward swallowed the anger that threatened to choke him. His hand gripped the porch railing. He looked at Dan, who knew Edward well enough to recognize the danger signs.
Clarissa reached for Dan's hand. "Whoever said romance was dead did not know Paul and Victoria. I would say that romance is alive and well."
"Hello," Victoria said, coming out onto the front porch. All eyes turned to her as she stood in the doorway. Her golden hair fell about her face and spilled down her shoulders. Her white silk dress made her look angelic. She looked so lovely standing in the halo of light, that everyone seemed speechless as they watched her.
Victoria was totally unaware of the impression she created as she walked gracefully toward Paul. "Did I hear the subject of romance being discussed?"
Everyone laughed except Edward. He did not find any humor in her statement.
Paul took her hand and seated her in the chair he had just vacated, while he sat on the porch railing beside Edward. Victoria noticed Paul's coat hanging on the back of the chair. Not wanting to wrinkle it, she held it in her lap and gently ran her fingers over the material.
The gesture was not lost on Edward. He wanted to order her to remove Paul's coat from her lap, and to remove his ring from her finger.
"Tory, I have just been telling your friends how we grew up together," Paul said.
"Did you tell them how I trailed after you, never giving you any peace?"
"I concentrated more on the fact that you bossed and bullied me as a child, Tory."
"That's not true, Paul. I never bullied you!" Victoria said indignantly.
Paul laughed. "Let your friends be the judge." He stood up and folded his arms across his chest. "Ladies and gentlemen of the jury, picture if you will, a fourteen-year-old boy. He is meek and mild-mannered. He prepares to sneak off to the Savannah River for a few hours of solitude and an afternoon of fishing, when he is approached by a nine-year-old golden goddess who asks 'Where are you going, Paul?' Well, Tory, says I, I am going fishing. 'Take me with you, Paul,' says she. Not today, Tory. A boy needs time alone sometimes. Besides, girls make too much noise and scare all the fish away. 'If you will let me come, Paul, I promise to be as quiet as a little mouse.' Well, I, being kind-hearted, finally agreed to let her accompany me. For the first five minutes, I was not sorry, for true to her word, Tory was quiet. After that, she began to squirm and ask all kinds of questions. Tory, I scolded, you gave me your word you would remain silent. 'Let me fish, Paul,' she begged. No, Tory, says I, fishing takes a lot of patience, and one must remain perfectly quiet. 'Oh, please, Paul,' she pleaded. All right, I told her, handing her my fishing pole grudgingly. 'Paul, will you bait the hook for me? I could never touch that awful worm.' I, never being able to refuse her anything, did as she asked. Tory sat down on the riverbank and dropped the line in the water. Now, picture if you will, my day had been completely ruined. I had given up my solitude, as well as my fishing pole. I became bored just watching Tory, and wanted to talk. I had hardly opened my mouth to speak, when Tory demanded I remain silent or I would scare the fish away. There was nothing for me to do but lie on the bank and watch. Before long Tory had a nibble. She jumped up, becoming very animated. 'Paul, I have caught a fish. Aren't you proud of me?' Let me help you pull it in, Tory, I volunteered. 'No, I caught it, I want to bring it in.' Well, she did. It was a good catch, at least a five-pound catfish. I watched as the smile left her face, and a look of horror replaced it. She began to cry loudly. 'Paul, please take the hook out of the fish; it is hurting, can't you see?' But Tory, that is the only way you can catch a fish, says I. She began beating me on the chest with her fist. ‘I said release it, Paul. You do it right this moment.'
"I ask you gentlemen, what would you have done?" He paused. "Doctor, what would you have done in my place?"
Dan smiled. "I am afraid I would never have allowed a girl to accompany me fishing when I was fourteen. You did ruin his day, Victoria."
"And how about you, Mr. Hanover?" Paul asked, turning to Edward.
Edward looked at Victoria. "Most probably, I would have released the fish, Mr. O'Brian. I doubt that I would have been able to deny her any request."
"That is exactly what I did, Mr. Hanover, much to my r
egret, and to Tory's delight."
"Is that story true, Mr. O'Brian?" Monica asked.
"Tell them, Tory. Did I speak the truth or not?"
Everyone had been listening intently as Paul talked. All eyes turned to Victoria, who could not keep from smiling. "To this day," she said, "I have not let catfish pass these lips."
"Miss Farraday," Monica said, "if Mr. O'Brian was mine, I would not wait too long to marry him, lest someone steal him away from me."
Victoria smiled at Paul. "Should I be worried?"
Paul said nothing; instead, he let his eyes answer for him.
Clarissa watched Edward. Since the day of the picnic they were coolly polite when they met. She still felt a pang of regret that he would never be anything in her life except a neighbor. "Speaking of marriage," she said, "I have heard that you have decided to take a wife, Edward."
Dan leaned back in his chair and poked his hands in his pockets. "Yes, Edward, tell us about your plans," he said lazily.
Music was drifting to them from the house. Edward stood up and took Monica's hand. "Let's dance," he told her, leading her down the steps and onto the front lawn.
Victoria watched as Edward swung Monica into a dance step. She wondered if anyone had ever felt such pain as she was feeling. If only this night would end. Seeing Monica in Edward's arms was like a knife thrust in her heart.
"Edward," Monica asked, "what did Clarissa mean when she said you were to be married?"
"Clarissa talks too much," Edward told her curtly.
"Then it is not true?"
"Monica, have I ever told you that I am partial to blue eyes?"
She smiled at him. "You like my eyes?"
"I am haunted by blue eyes," he told her honestly.
"What else do you like about me, Edward?"
How easy it was to distract her, Edward thought. "I am glad you came with me tonight; you are helping me retain my sanity."
"I do not think I understand."
"Don't think, Monica, just dance." She did not understand the anger in his voice.
Clarissa and Dan joined the dancers on the front lawn.
Ecstasy's Promise (Historical Romance) Page 21
