by Joanna Scott
"Laura, what a way to talk. You must love him or you wouldn't have married him. You couldn't have married him for his money, you're just not that type of person."
"I know that and you know that, but just try to convince David of it. I had an antihistamine and several glasses of wine the night I married him and you know the effect they have on me. I don't remember anything. As for David, I know he wants me physically. Maybe he was under the spell of the wine that night too. Otherwise, I can't understand why he would marry me. He's not the marrying kind and even if he were, I'm certainly not the sort of woman he'd choose for a wife. He can't even stand my clothes. The entire thing is as much a mystery to me as it is to you."
"I don't understand the situation, Laura. But David is old enough to know his own mind, and I know you wouldn't take your marriage vows lightly. I'm sure things will work out. Just relax and let time take its course."
Laura laughed. "It's quite impossible to relax around David. But I did come here to relax. So let's not spoil the afternoon by discussing my unpredictable husband. Where are we going to have lunch?"
"Laura, I hope you don't mind. I've been so busy that I was hoping we could send out for some sandwiches, so I could work while we eat."
"I'd love that, Midge. In fact, it will give me a chance to get my hands on these beautiful plants again. I miss them more than I can say."
"Aren't you going to be decorating the atrium at Lattimer Lodge?"
"I don't know what I'm going to be doing. I haven't heard from Janine Hartmann and I'm afraid to call her. She'll never believe that I didn't know David was Jonathan Lattimer. I just haven't got the courage to face her. Right now, I'm just trying to adjust to my new surroundings. Everybody keeps telling me how important it is to please my husband, but I know that there's nothing I could ever do that would please him."
Midge shook her head as she studied Laura's unhappy countenance. "My wedding's next week, and I hope you're still planning to come. I couldn't be happy if you weren't there. Besides, Aunt Estelle would know something was wrong if you didn't come."
"Don't worry. There's nothing David can do to stop me from attending your wedding. I believe even he knows that. And I made sure to purchase a dress that would be suitable for a beautiful Carmel wedding. Miss Wentworth had no idea why I was selecting that dress, but I think she approved of my choice." A young man delivered the sandwiches Midge had ordered and the sisters ate them at the small table at the back of the shop. After lunch, Laura helped Midge water the plants and rearrange the display cases. The time passed quickly until the girls finally placed the last plant around the softly cascading waterfall in the center of the shop.
They looked up at the sound of the bell and the room was darkened by the hulking frame of Dan Smithers.
"I hate to disturb you, Mrs. Lattimer. But I was wondering if it would be convenient for you to leave now?"
Laura looked at the time and saw that it was six o'clock.
"Yes, of course, Dan. I had no idea it was so late. You should be getting ready to close the shop, Midge. I'll phone you tomorrow. Perhaps we can get together again."
Laura waited while Midge locked up. Then she accompanied Dan to the waiting limousine. Instead of heading toward the highway, Dan drove to Lattimer Corporate Headquarters and stopped the car, coming around to open the door for Laura.
"Why are we stopping here?" Laura asked.
"Mr. Lattimer asked me to bring you here. He's waiting for you in his office."
Laura felt the tension begin to rise. How like her husband to ruin a perfectly beautiful day by seizing this opportunity to upset her. Apparently, Dan had kept him informed about every minute of her activities. Not only was she subject to his demands, she was also his prisoner. Laura sighed deeply, wondering what new mental torture awaited her upstairs. She walked through the door and was greeted by her old friend, Mr. Leonardi.
"Miss Canaday, how good to see you." Then he shook his head as he remembered. "It's Mrs. Lattimer now, isn't it? I thought I heard you two talking that Saturday when you were here together, but I had no idea you knew each other that well. I'm real happy for you. Mr. Lattimer is a fine gentleman."
Laura smiled blankly and walked toward the elevators. Mr. Leonardi came over to her and motioned her toward the one marked executive offices.
"This is the one you'll be wanting. It will take you directly to Mr. Lattimer's office."
Laura smiled once more as the elevator stopped and the operator stepped aside to let her enter. They went directly to the twelfth floor and the doors opened, delivering Laura into the thickly carpeted, glassy elegance of the expensively furnished executive offices. Miss Wentworth smiled and rose from her desk to greet Laura. She was dressed in a smartly tailored gray business suit and Laura felt strangely out of place in her brightly colored slacks.
"Mrs. Lattimer, how nice to see you again," she said with a forced, insincere smile. "Mr. Lattimer is in a meeting, but he said to bring you in as soon as you arrived." Miss Wentworth rapped lightly on the door before opening it.
About ten men were seated around a large rectangular table; David sat at the head. He rose as Laura entered. His appearance, as he stood in his charcoal worsted suit and white silk shirt, was so imposing that Laura felt a painful surge of pride blossoming in her chest when he smiled at her. He left his seat and came to her, placing his arm around her waist as Miss Wentworth turned and left the room. Laura felt her skin begin to tingle where his possessive fingers touched her body.
"Gentlemen, I have the pleasure of introducing my wife, Laura." Laura smiled pleasantly as each man greeted her in turn, gently shaking her hand. Then David suggested that they'd best adjourn the meeting until the following morning. When the men had gone, he guided Laura into his private office and moved her to the large brown leather couch.
"I'll be just a minute. There are a few things I'd like to take with me to work on at home. Then we can be going." He started to go through some papers on his desk, while Laura sat quietly on the couch, feeling strangely out of place in her casual outfit. "Did you enjoy your day with Midge?"
"Yes, very much. I hope you have no objection to me seeing Midge. I wouldn't want to do anything to anger the prominent Mr. Lattimer."
David looked up from the papers he was gathering. An amused lilt lifted the corners of his mouth and glinted from his dark eyes.
"Do I detect a note of sarcasm in your voice? Can it be that the bloom has left our marriage in so short a time?" He disregarded Laura's vocalized sneer and continued. "No matter. You'll have to make the best of it. You're my wife and will remain so until I tire of you. It's about time someone taught you a lesson and I intend to do it." His voice had turned harsh and cold. "As for you seeing Midge, I have no objection whatsoever. She's a fine young woman; it's too bad some of her high moral principles didn't rub off on you." He took his collection of papers from his desk and left the office, signaling for Laura to follow.
After saying goodnight to Miss Wentworth, who looked at him adoringly, he guided Laura toward the elevator. Dan was waiting by the car when they exited and took David's papers, then held the door open so Laura and David could enter the back seat. Laura sat close to her side of the vehicle and waited for Dan to take the roads leading to Pacific Heights, however, she soon realized that they were heading for the Bay Bridge.
She looked quizzically at David who had closed his eyes and was half-dozing beside her. "Where are we going? This isn't the way to Pacific Heights."
"Who said we were going to Pacific Heights? When will you learn to stop taking things for granted, Laura? We're going to Piedmont. My mother has invited us to dinner. She's leaving for Europe in two days and is anxious to meet you before she goes."
Laura sat bolt upright in her seat. "Your mother! You never mentioned your mother!"
"I never saw any reason to, until now. Anyway, I assumed you would be anxious to meet her, considering the way you were studying my family photographs, yesterday."
"I
have no desire to meet anyone in your family. In fact, I wish I had never met anyone by the name of Lattimer. In addition, if you ever took the time to look at me, you would see that I'm not dressed for a dinner party. It's bad enough that I had to tolerate the condescending stares of the devoted Miss Wentworth but I'm in no mood to be degraded by your mother."
"Laura, I'm quite sure you're being unfair to Miss Wentworth. I know she treats you with the proper respect because she knows any other course of action would displease me. You are my wife and will be treated with all the dignity which that position demands. I trust that your own behavior will be in keeping with your marital status. As for my mother, I have explained all about you to her and she realizes you are most comfortable in casual attire. In any case, my mother is a very gracious lady and would never make any guest in her home feel uncomfortable."
Laura shifted uneasily in her seat. "I don't like the idea of you having to apologize for my clothing. In fact, it's really not even my own clothing. It's the clothing Miss Wentworth selected to help me fit the image you think your wife should have. An image, I might mention, which is not of my choosing."
David heaved a sigh as he closed his eyes again. "I'm tired, Laura… I've had a busy day… I don't need these arguments from you. You know the situation, you brought it upon yourself, so just make the best of it. There's nothing you can do about it until I have decided a course of action."
Laura watched as the car drove up a wide boulevard and turned into a long winding driveway. Huge oak trees guarded the house at the end of the driveway. Then, suddenly, the house loomed before them like a forbidding gray granite castle. Dan stopped the car and got out to open the door for them. Laura waited while David gave her his hand and helped her from the car. An elderly butler opened the door just as they reached the head of the steps.
"Ah, Master David, so good to see you, sir. And this must be young Mrs. Lattimer. She's pretty as a picture, if I may say so, sir. Madam is in the library. Please follow me."
They followed him through the richly brocaded halls until he motioned them into the darkly paneled library. A small gray haired woman was seated on a damask sofa. She rose as they came into the room.
"David, I'm so happy for you." Then, taking Laura's hands between her own, she said, "I've always wanted a daughter, and now at last I have one." She grasped Laura in an emotional embrace, while David stood by with a surprisingly sincere grin.
Laura was completely taken aback by this welcoming gesture. She had prepared herself for another Miss Wentworth and was greeted instead by this display of overflowing affection. Mrs. Lattimer offered them before dinner drinks; David made himself a gin and tonic and gave his mother a small glass of sherry. Laura shook her head negatively when he glanced in her direction, making David smile once again. When they had finished their drinks, they left the library and went into the dining room.
All through dinner, Mrs. Lattimer spoke with Laura, questioning her about Carmel, Midge and the plant shop. After dinner, David announced that they had to be leaving, because he still had work to complete at home. Mrs. Lattimer admonished him that he had better stop taking work home now that he was married, then she walked them to the door.
"I wish you had told me about your plans; your marriage caught everyone by surprise. I could have postponed my European trip and made you a suitable wedding reception, if I had just known about your plans. No matter, it will be just as suitable a reception when I give it on my return, two months from now." Turning to David, she said, "I can see why you were in such a rush to marry Laura. She's a rare girl indeed. She'll make a fine mother for my grandchildren. Mind you, treat her well and take care of her properly or you'll answer to me. Don't let him bully you, Laura, sometimes he takes his corporate image too seriously." She kissed them both and watched as they entered the car, waving to them as it started down the driveway.
"I like your mother," said Laura. "She's a very warm person."
"I'm glad you like her. She obviously liked you very much, too; you play the sweet young thing quite well. But we know the truth about you, don't we? But now you see why we can't be divorced; it would break Mother's heart and I won't allow that. So you'd better continue to play the part of the sweet young thing and I shall play at being your devoted husband."
Laura looked at David as he glowered at her. Now at least she knew why he wouldn't let her out of the marriage. She could understand his devotion to his mother, and she knew from this short meeting that the divorce of her only child would cause Mrs. Lattimer great distress, just as his marriage had brought her great happiness. And Laura knew already that she would never do anything to make Mrs. Lattimer unhappy if she could help it. But she wondered how she was going to live with the hatred of the man who now scowled at her from the opposite side of the car. On his side of the smoked glass partition, Dan was silent, his eyes kept strictly on the road.
Chapter 8
No sooner had they entered the apartment than David excused himself and took his work into the library. Laura escaped to her room, grateful for the opportunity to flee his overpowering presence. She changed into a blue silk nightdress and lounged in bed, reading a magazine she had found in the room. For some reason, she was unable to fall asleep and decided to venture into the kitchen for a glass of warm milk. Since it was well past midnight, she was quite sure that she wouldn't meet anyone on the way. She slipped into the lacy robe that matched her nightdress and left the room. When passing the open door of the library, she noticed that the lights in the room were still burning and peeked in, wondering if David had forgotten to turn them off when he went to bed.
David was stretched out on the leather sofa, one hand still clasping the papers he had been reading before he had fallen asleep. Laura walked over to him and looked down at him as he slept. In repose, his face had the innocent look of the child in the photograph albums. Gone was the arrogant demeanor she had come to dread. Her heart filled with love and compassion for the man before her, whose cold hard features had been softened by the warmth of sleep. She took the papers from his hand and placed them on the nearby table. Then she walked across the room and gathered up a heavy woolen afghan that was draped across a chair by the fireplace. She smiled down longingly at the sleeping man before her. If only he would always be like this, she could be so happy. But she knew that once he awoke he would turn back into the man whose presence she had come to fear. Sighing softly, she gently placed the colorful afghan over him.
Suddenly he jumped up, his hands tightly grasping her wrists. Laura tried to move back, startled by the abrupt violence of his actions. Then, his eyes softening in recognition, he lay back on the sofa again. He loosened his grip on her wrists, sliding his hands down to hold her hands in his. His eyes, still drowsy with sleep, looked into hers, then traveled the length of her body, taking in every gentle curve revealed by her silky blue negligee. She was aware that the robe clung to her body with all the sinuous softness of silk. David's eyes lingered at the low vee of the neckline, outlined by several tiers of lace. His voice was low and husky when he spoke.
"What are you doing here, Laura? Isn't it past your bedtime? What time is it anyway?"
"It's twelve o'clock. I couldn't sleep, so I was going into the kitchen to make myself some warm milk. I saw you dozing in here and thought you might be more comfortable with something covering you. I'm sorry if I disturbed you."
She tried to remove her hands to leave, but she felt David's grip tighten once more, preventing her escape. His eyes were soft and the arrogant fire had left them as they stared into hers. Laura felt the spring of love well within her heart as she sat there, intoxicated by the nearness of him. She knew that his hatred for her would flare anew once he was fully awake, but now, still under the languid spell of sleep, he looked at her with a warm compassion she could not resist.
"Don't go yet. Just stay here with me for awhile. I'm too tired to think about anything or to fight with you and I find your presence very relaxing. You don't have to talk
or do anything, just stay near me, please."
Laura sat quietly at the edge of the sofa until David dozed off again. Finally, his grip on her hand relaxed and she realized he had fallen into a deep sleep. She rose and shut off the lights before leaving the room. Then she went to the kitchen and sat down to drink her warm milk. She would never understand David. He could be so warm at times, yet on other occasions he frightened her with his frosty arrogance. If only she could cut through the cold exterior and convince him that she hadn't married him for his money and was not the gold digger he thought she was. But that was probably an impossible expectation, and she could never risk intensifying his contempt by letting him know how much she really loved him.
She looked in on David when she passed the library on her way back to her bedroom and found that he was still asleep. Silently, she closed the door and continued on to her bedroom. After tossing and turning fitfully for what seemed like an eternity, she finally fell asleep.
She awoke the next morning to the incessant ringing of the telephone. Laura reached for her bedside extension and answered it sleepily. It was Miss Wentworth, David's alterego.
"Mr. Lattimer asked me to call and remind you that the household help is off duty today. Please manage breakfast as best you can and he'll see you in the evening. If you have any difficulty, please call me and I'll see what I can do to help."
"Thank you, Miss Wentworth, but I'm perfectly capable of caring for myself without the aid of a houseful of servants. I'm sure I'll have no trouble managing today."
"I'm sure you won't, Mrs. Lattimer. I am just following Mr. Lattimer's orders."
Laura hung up the telephone and got out of bed. She showered and dressed in a bright red pant outfit with a striped red and white overblouse. Then she walked into the kitchen to make herself some breakfast. She enjoyed the quiet coziness of the room as she made some coffee and toast. She doubted that she would ever feel truly comfortable in the presence of servants, a condition David had taken for granted all his life.
