by Anna Mara
Christina was becoming confused. The intimacy of the restaurant, him being nice to her, the diamond pin, the honesty about his drinking, her attraction to him—everything—was making her confused about her feelings for him.
She looked at him and he smiled—one of his lopsided, devastating smiles. "Thank you for that," he said.
"What happened—that you stopped drinking, I mean?" her words came out in a breathy whisper. He was having a hypnotic effect on her and she couldn't seem to snap out of it.
Bill pulled back emotionally, as he was forced to recall Jake's accident. "Eighteen months ago, a very good friend of mine smashed into a tree while driving home drunk. He was paralyzed and he'll spend the rest of his days in a wheelchair and it was my fault." Christina could see the raw pain in his eyes and she had the strongest urge to wrap her arms around him. But she didn't. She just sat there.
"But you weren't in the car?" Christina already knew he hadn't been.
"I almost was. Jake had just dropped my drunken ass off home and in fact, that night, I'd been insisting on driving but Jake wouldn't let me. He felt I was drunker than him." Bill gave a harsh laugh. "So you see, I have to take a lot of the blame for him not walking again. And when I saw him in the hospital with all those tubes—and he almost died, I knew it was over—my drinking. I had to change." He looked up at her then and his eyes were shining with unshed tears. "Dance with me?" he asked softly.
Bill needed to feel her again, to have her arms wrapped around him so that her goodness could wash away all the pain he was reliving at this moment. "Please?"
Christina knew he was asking her to help him forget the pain of Jake Monroe's accident and the part he'd played in it. He was asking her for comforting and for absolution. Could she give it to him? She didn't want to—but the tormented way he was looking at her now, she couldn't help herself.
Before she had a chance to rationalize her actions, Christina clasped his hand and led him to the dance floor.
Wrapped in each other's arm, they slow danced for the next half hour—oblivious to where they were. In their own private world, they clung to each other, each washing away their past sins—hers as well as his. When the music finally stopped, they walked back to their table, hand in hand.
The rest of the evening, including the food, was wonderful—almost magical. Their conversation was light and funny—and Bill was charmed by everything she said. He was also thrilled because he knew that somehow he'd gotten through to her, on some level.
And Christina?
She was confused and astounded. What had happened? She'd actually enjoyed herself with him tonight. They'd talked and laughed, and had seemed to have a lot in common. Her feelings toward him had made a drastic 180-degree change. Something in her had been washed away and she couldn't quite get her bearings. She felt lost.
They drove home and he walked her to her bedroom door.
"Goodnight, Christina."
His head lowered to her lips and he gave her a very gentle, sweet kiss. Sure, Bill wanted more from her but he wasn't going to do anything that might push her away. He raised his head, smiled and disappeared into his own room, closing the door behind him.
Christina was stunned. She'd expected another pass from him but was she relieved that it hadn't happened or disappointed? Slowly, she walked into her room and shut the door.
Suddenly, she stopped as realization dawned on her. The 'Bill Havenwood' she'd had dinner with tonight wasn't the 'monster Bill Havenwood' from her nightmares.
Jenny had been right. He'd changed. He wasn't the same drunken kid he'd been. Tonight, she'd seen how sorry he was for his past mistakes and she'd felt for him—she'd wanted to forgive him.
And she had. She'd forgiven him for what he'd done to her all those years ago. She didn't hate him anymore. In fact, was she falling for him? Was she in love with Bill Havenwood? But how could that be?
Oh God—she was in love with him. She was in love with— the bastard!!!!!
Christina ran to her bathroom and spent the next half hour hunched over the toilet, throwing up her $250 a plate dinner.
At that same time, Bill was next door in his own bathroom taking the longest cold shower he'd ever taken in his life.
Chapter 39
Christina had spent the next morning hiding in her room until 'he' had left for work. She just couldn't face him—not after she'd admitted to herself that she was in love with him.
After she'd been sick last night, she'd crawled into bed. Emotions always affected her like that and admitting such a soul-debilitating thing as her being in love with Bill Havenwood had turned her world upside. But how had this happened?
Looking back, she realized that her feelings for him had been slowly changing these past few weeks. She'd come to see that he was a human being—with faults and flaws; and with sweetness and kindness and a sense of humor, and as Eudora had told her, a good heart. He wasn't the two-dimensional childhood creep whose image she'd carried in her heart all those years. He was a man—a very attractive man who laughed and smiled and charmed—and who hurt and felt pain and regret.
Tears started to fall down Christina's cheeks. Loving him was the most horrendous thing that could have happened to her. She didn't want to love him—but she did.
And he didn't love her.
Sure, he wanted her but so what? That was lust, not love. She was just the means for him to keep his rich lifestyle, and to amuse himself with for the course of the month. She'd leave here in a little over a week's time and he'd never think of her again. After all, he'd have his father's money again and he'd have Stephie—so what would he need her for?
Christina stood at her bedroom windows and looked out over the manicured grounds. Everything was set for the engagement party tomorrow night—guests would be arriving, champagne would be flowing, and she'd have to accept congratulations while standing by his side with a phony smile pasted on her lips—and it would all be pretend. How was she going to get through it?
Suddenly, she couldn't wait for the engagement party to be over with. After that, she could avoid Bill for the following week and then their deal would expire. She'd be able to leave here, go back to her own apartment and forget all about him.
From her vantage point at the window, Christina saw Eudora down below in the gardens. Maybe she'd go have a chat with her? She desperately needed to talk to someone right now.
Outside, Christina approached Eudora who was on her knees in the dirt planting herbs.
"Good morning, Eudora," she smiled at the older woman.
"Good morning, mum; I'm just planting herbs for the kitchen," she replied in her Irish accent.
"But doesn't Tom, the gardener usually do that?"
Eudora cackled. "I don't trust Tom with my herbs, Miss Christina. No sir; I do this myself."
"Let me help you," Christina said, as she too got down on her knees.
Eudora was aghast. "No mum, you shouldn't be doing this type of work. You'll get all dirty, you will."
"Nonsense; dirt can be washed away," Christina was adamant.
Eudora smiled. She liked this sweet girl a lot; now if only things would smooth themselves out between her and Master Bill. She'd heard all about their huge fight the day before—the screaming and the yelling. Why, the whole house had heard it and had been talking about nothing else. Jealous, he was, they all said. And why shouldn't he be? He was in love with this girl. Of course, he should be jealous.
And if there was another man involved in her life, then he should be putting his foot down and causing a scene. A little screaming and yelling was good for a relationship, if love was behind it. And she knew her little Billy loved Christina. Now, if they would only show each other how much and sleep together, she thought to herself. Even though they'd gone out together last night, they'd both slept in their own beds when they'd come home. As head maid, Eudora knew it all.
For the next twenty minutes, Eudora showed Christina how to make a hole in the soil and place the herb plants
inside. And Christina enjoyed herself immensely. It was nice being out in the sun, getting some fresh air and forgetting about her predicament.
Christina sheepishly looked over at the matronly maid. "Eudora?"
"Yes, mum?"
"You've been here a long time, haven't you?"
"Since I was a wee lass myself."
"About Bill's other girlfriends…"
Eudora sat back on her haunches and gave Christina a cautionary look. "Are you sure you want to go there, Miss Christina?"
Christina looked Eudora square in the eyes with a determined look of her own, "Yes."
Eudora shook her head from side to side. "All right, but I don't gossip, you see. I'll only answer questions I think you should know as Master Bill's future wife; you understand?"
Christina nodded respectfully. "Yes, ma'am."
"All right, then. What is it you want to ask?"
"Bill's last girlfriend… I think her name was Stephie?"
Eudora raised her eyebrows, not confirming or denying.
Christina quickly continued before she lost her nerve. "Did you ever meet her?"
"He brought her here a few times, yes."
"And what did you think of her?"
"She was very beautiful but she was all wrong for my little Billy."
"Why was that?"
"My personal opinion, mind you, but she was selfish and cold. She was more in love with the Havenwood name and money than she cared for Master Bill. I didn't like her at all."
"Do… you think he loved her?" Christina anxiously bit her lip.
Eudora suddenly realized that the girl didn't know how much her Billy loved her. "Master Bill loves you, dear," she reassured.
"I know that…" Christina awkwardly smiled, trying to cover up the truth that he didn't love her at all… "But do you think he loved her back then?"
Eudora folded her arms across her chest. "No, I don't. Master Bill did not love her, mark my words."
"But she was very beautiful." Christina stated it as a fact.
"Yes, but not as beautiful as you. And I know Master Bill thinks so too."
Christina smiled at the old woman. If she only knew the truth of how things really were between her, Stephie and Master Bill.
"Do you think he still sees her? I mean… as a friend?"
So that's what this was about, Eudora thought. Miss Christina thought Bill was still seeing the tramp.
"No, mum, he does not. That evil woman is out of his life for good. And he has you now. He loves you and he's going to make you his wife. Of all the women he's had over the years…oh… excuse me, madam…" Eudora stopped talking, suddenly embarrassed at how much she'd revealed.
Christina smiled, "That's all right, Eudora, I know Master Bill was always popular with the ladies." She gave the old maid a wink.
Eudora giggled. "Yes… well… he never asked any of them to be his wife and that says alot about his love for you."
Christina smiled again at her. Eudora was so sweet—and such a romantic—and had no idea of what was really going on. "Thank you, Eudora. You've been a big help to me." No, she hadn't.
"My pleasure, mum."
For the next half hour, Christina and Eudora finished planting the herb garden together. When Christina stepped back into the house, she realized that her hands were dirty from digging in the soil, so she went into the main floor powder room to wash her hands.
After turning on the taps, she removed her engagement ring as she always did when washing her hands and put it on the sink counter. But her mind wasn't on what she was doing. It was on Master Bill and Stephie—still sleeping with each other behind her back—and she washed her hands automatically without thinking.
After drying them on the guest towel, she left the bathroom—and left her $250,000 diamond ring behind on the counter, forgetting to put it back on—in fact, forgetting all about it.
* * *
Later that afternoon, William was working in his office when his secretary, Charlotte buzzed him on the phone.
"Bentley is here to see you, sir," Charlotte said.
William was very surprised. What was his head butler doing here? "Send him in."
The door opened and Bentley stoically walked in. Worried, William arose from his chair.
"Bentley? Has something happened?"
"No sir, not to worry."
"I thought you'd already left to visit your sister in London."
"No sir, my flight's in two hours. In fact, I'm on my way to the airport now."
"Then why are you here?"
"Well sir… I have a delicate matter to discuss with you."
The butler reached into his pocket and pulled out Christina's engagement ring. "I found this in the first floor powder room this morning." He handed it to William and continued. "Madam must have forgotten it there; and by the time I found it, she'd already left the house. I came here to give it to Master Bill but he's not here and I have to go to the airport to catch my flight so I'll give it to you instead to give to Madam."
A wicked smile played on William's lips as he fondled the expensive ring. "Does anyone at the house know that you found this?" he asked.
Bentley was taken aback. "Why no, sir; I didn't tell anyone. I wouldn't want to embarrass Madam and I felt that as head butler, this is something I should personally take care of myself."
"You did well, Bentley. I don't want to embarrass my daughter-in-law either. Thank you for bringing this to me. I'll see that she gets it." William's scheming brain was already putting two and two together—and coming up with a marriage.
Bentley continued, "Again sir, I'm sorry to be leaving you at such a time, what with your son's upcoming wedding but my sister's in the hospital and I have to go to her."
"Of course, Bentley; think no more of it. And in fact, instead of a two week leave of absence why don't you take four—all paid for, of course."
Bentley was thrilled. "Why, thank you, sir; I appreciate that." He shook William's hand. "I'll be off, then."
William smiled at his head butler, "Have a good flight, Bentley."
"Thank you, sir." And with that, Bentley left.
William held the bauble up to the light. The diamond cuts in the ring sparkled like fireworks.
Yes—the gods had answered his prayers. He didn't need to come up with a plan to marry those two. Fate had done it for him. All he had to do was seize the opportunity.
William knew that Christina was liable for the ring's value should it ever be lost. It was all in that blasted agreement she'd signed with his son. And if she hadn't been able to pay for the car damages, how could she ever repay $250,000 for the ring?
She couldn't—unless she married his son, of course, and the debt was forgiven. But would Bill use this to get her to marry him?
Yes, William reasoned. The boy wanted the girl that badly.
William walked to his secret wall safe, opened it and plopped the ring inside. Of course, he would tell no one he had the ring, not even his son. The only other person who knew was Bentley and he was off to England for four weeks and by the time he returned, his son and the girl would be married. For all intents and purposes—the $250,000 engagement ring was lost—and Christina was liable for it.
Yes—things were going his way and he didn't even have to play dirty this time.
Chapter 40
Christina had run a few errands that afternoon including meeting Mindy at the couture house for her engagement party dress fitting. The seamstresses had finally performed their magic and the dress was to be delivered to the house that evening. Christina had changed back into her street clothes and had met up with Mindy in the lounge area.
Mindy was frowning. "My dear, I must ask you something. I noticed you're not wearing your engagement ring. Is everything all right between you and Bill?" The question had been bothering Mindy since Christina had walked in.
Christina brought her left hand up and suddenly realized her ring was missing. "Oh, my god…" she squeaked, as panic fla
shed in her eyes.
"My dear, are you saying you don't know where it is?" Mindy was worried. Weddings had been called off because of things like this.
In a frenzied state, Christina shook her head 'yes'. That ring was worth a quarter of a million dollars and she was responsible for it. Where was it? Quickly, she scanned her memory. Had she lost it here, at the couture house? Or at the mansion? Or at any of the ten errands she'd run today? Oh no!
She was in trouble again—big, big trouble.
Mindy put a comforting arm around Christina's shoulders and pushed her down on the couch. "Honey, let's stay calm. Now, I know you didn't have it on when you came here because I noticed that right away. Did you have it in the car?"
Christina closed her eyes and tried picturing her left hand on the steering wheel when she'd driven to all her errands.
"No, I don't think I had it on."
"Good. Did you have it on when you left the house?"
Again, Christina tried to picture what she'd done this morning. "No," she excitedly told Mindy. "I'm positive; it wasn't on my hand when I left the house. But I did have it on this morning because I remember taking my shower and then putting it back on… or was that yesterday? Oh Mindy, I'm not sure." Her voice was desperate.
"Then it's at the house. Call the staff and start an immediate search. I'll drive you home."
"Thank you." Christina hugged the wedding planner. What would happen if they couldn't find the ring and she had to pay for it, like it said in that damned contract? Where would she get that kind of money? She didn't even have $500 in her bank account.
This was bad—really bad!
On the way home, Christina called the house and spoke to Eudora. The maid said she and the staff would immediately begin a search, leaving no cushion unturned.
Christina asked if maybe the ring had fallen in the dirt when she was helping Eudora plant the garden. Eudora said she didn't know but if they couldn't find it in the house, she would uproot every plant herself, if she had to.
Christina hung up and her heart was beating wildly. She just had to find that ring; she just had to.
