Fate's Intervention (46 page)

“
I see,
”
Matthew said thoughtfully.
“
In a way, I
rather
hoped that things would have worked out, but after what he and Mark did, I just couldn
’
t see . . . ,
”

“
I know, Son,
”
Lilith smiled sadly,
“
a
nd
you don
’
t have to explain a thing to me. I
’
m on your side in this, remember?
”

“
Thank
s, Mom,
”
Matthew said, then placed a light kiss on his mother
’
s cheek.
“
Now, if you will please excuse me, Mother dear, I need to fire off a telegram to Marcelle and let
her
know
I
’
ll be returning much sooner than previously thought.
”

“
How long did you tell them that you
’
d be away?
”
Lilith asked as he made his way toward the door.

“
Months, but thanks to the board
’
s decision to purchase the company, I won
’
t have to spend time searching for a
buyer,
and I can be out of here before the end of the week. Should I include that you
’
ll be accompanying me?
”

“
Not if you plan
to leave
at the end of the week!
”
Lilith screeched.
“
I can
’
t possibly be
ready to travel in one
-
week
’
s time!
”

“
Oh, mother!
”
Matthew laughed,
“
I
’
m sure if you start packing now, you
’
ll be ready at least an hour before the train departs.
”

“
Oh, pooh,
”
Lilith snapped, pushing her son out the door,
“
go send your telegram and leave your old mother alone
,
and
yes, tell them I
’
ll be joining you. I wouldn
’
t miss meeting your
fiancé
for anything in the world! I just wish you
’
d given this old lady more time to plan.
”

Matthew headed for the front door, his laughter increasing as he heard his mother shouting for the maid to bring her trunk in from storage
–
l
eaving him to wonder whether it would indeed
take her a week to pack.

“
Father
, I received Matthew
’
s telegram,
”
Marcelle said, running into the study.

“
Marcelle, dear, you really do need to learn to curb your enthusiasm,
”
her
father
chided. He replaced the china
teacup
on the saucer sitting
at
o
p the desk,
and
then retrieved the linen napkin from his lap and dabbed up the tea that splashed over the mahogany top at her gregarious intrusion.

“
I
’
m sorry,
Father
. It
’
s just I
’
m glad to hear from him is all,
”
Marcelle said.
“
Would you like me to clean that up for you?
”

“
No, I want you to read the telegram before you have apoplexy.
”

Marcelle giggled and unfolded the document
that only moment
s
before arrived via a private messenger.

“
Wow! This is a long one,
”
she said.
“
It must have cost a fortune to send.
”

“
Would you read it already?
”

“
Oh, sorry,
”
she grinned and then started reading,
“‘
Have arrived safely. Stop. Have interesting news to relay. Stop. Will be returning much sooner than first thought. Stop. Bringing Mother with me. Stop. Train arrives next Thursday. Stop. Love Matthew. End.
’“

“
Love, Matthew, eh?
”
Her
father
said, and grinned at the blush that filled his daughter
’
s alabaster cheeks.
“
So
, that
’
s the way of it, is it?
”

“
Well, truth be told,
Father
,
”
Marcelle said, folding the telegram and sliding it in her skirt pocket,
“
I don
’
t know the way of it
yet
. Matthew merely said that he
’
d discuss things with me when he returned.
”

“
A
h, I see.
”

“
Well, I
’
m glad you do, because the only clue that I have that he holds any affection for me at all is in this telegram,
”
Marcelle blushed, knowing that she wasn
’
t being entirely truthful with herself, or her
father
. Matthew had clearly shown his affection for her the morning he left for
New York
.

“
A
nd
if you believe that, my darling daughter, then you
’
re daft in the head.
”

“
You do realize that you
’
ve just insulted me,
”
Marcelle said, matter-of-factly.

“
Well, if you can
’
t see that the boy is smitten with you, then you
are
daft in the head.
”

Marcelle lowered her head and gazed at her
hands. She clasped them
nervously in her lap,
“
I can see it,
Father
,
”
she admitted softly.
“
I only hope he doesn
’
t keep fighting it the way he has been or I
’
ll go insane before he gets up the gumption to propose
,
and
for the record
–
he
’
s far from being a boy.
”

“
Well, if you want my sound bit of
reason
ing, that
man
isn
’
t bringing his mother here for her health, darling dear, so you best be pulling your mother
’
s wedding dress out of storage, and getting it all spiffed up.
”

“
Don
’
t you think it
’
s a bit premature for that,
Father
?
”
Marcelle
’
s blush
intensified
.
“
A
fter
all, he hasn
’
t even hinted at marriage, so to presume he intends to propose could prove disastrous.
As
for his mother, she could very well be coming for a visit.
S
he
is
a widow now.
”

“
S
tubborn girl!
”

Marcelle smiled,
“
I do get it from somewhere, you know.
”

“
That
you do,
”
her
father
laughed.
“
So
, Thursday is a whole week away. What do you plan to do with yourself until then?
”

“
Well, first, I thought I
’
d pull Mother
’
s wedding dress out of storage . . . ,
”
Marcelle ducked as her
father
’
s china cup flew toward her head, and with a laugh, she ran from the room.

Her
father
smiled as he heard her whistling softly to herself. He picked up the tune and began whistling as well.
His whistling turned into a happy humming when he replayed the visit to his doctor
’
s just that morning . . . .

“
M
m
m, your heartbeat sounds exceedingly strong, and
skin
color has improved to the point of normalcy,
”
the doctor murmured thoughtfully.

“
What are you telling me, doctor?
”
Peter asked, pulling his clothing back on.

“
How have you been feeling lately?
”
The doctor hedged, unwilling to give him a spontaneous diagnosis without running more tests.

“
I
’
ve felt better these past few weeks than I have for the past few years, I
’
ll tell you that much.
”

“
Well, you certainly look better than you have the past few years.
A
mazing.
”

“
What
’
s amazing, Doctor? Would you stop
two stepping
around the subject and get to what has you all pudding
headed?
”

The doctor laughed,
“
S
it down, Peter. I think I have some good news for you. . . .
”

Peter stood up and moved around the side of the desk, picking up pieces of the china cup that he
’
d hurled at his daughter.
If the doctor had been right, he was going to live to a ripe old age. The only request the doctor had made was
th
at
Peter allow him
to run a few more tests to confirm his diagnosis and then he could share the news with the world, he said, but the only world Peter was interested in was standing upstairs
–
singing.

“
I may get to enjoy some grandchildren after all,
”
he said softly,
and
then he picked up the tune that drifted to his ears and began singing along.

A
loud banging noise resounded through the manor, startling Lilith,
“
Good heavens! What is that racket?
”

“
I
’
d have to say that your son has arrived,
”
Matthew said, downing the remainder of his bourbon in one swallow. He shuddered
violently
, wondering vaguely if the fiery liquid hitting his empty stomach caused the reaction
, or if it were because of his brother’s visit
.

“
Does he have to break the door down to announce his arrival? Why not just come in, for heaven
’
s sakes?
”
His mother said, covering her ears against the incessant pounding.

“
Because I confiscated his key when we were on the train,
”
Matthew grinned slyly
,
“
a
nd
was mindful to lock the front door when I returned from the attorney
’
s office this afternoon.
Jeremy, would you mind answering that, please?
”

“
Very good, sir,
”
the butler bowed, leaving Matthew alone with his mother for a moment.

“
A
re
you trying to anger him unduly, Son?
”
Lilith whispered, leaning close to Matthew
’
s chair.