London Loves - Book 3 - Love's Great Adventure Series (18 page)

“You’re not eating. You look tired and need energy,” the child replied.

“Perhaps you’re right. Will you sit with me and share it?”

“I had cereal for breakfast, but I’ll sit with you. Daddy should be here soon to take me to school. Will you come with us, please?”

No matter how much Penny didn’t feel like eating or going out in public, she couldn’t say no to the little girl. “Yes, I’ll take you to school.”

“Yay!” Mattie spied the open issue of
Vogue
on Penny’s lap. “Can I look at this while you eat your breakfast?”

“Of course.”

Mattie sat on the floor, pulled the magazine onto the ottoman, and started flipping through the pages. Sebastian entered the room in his usual suit and tie. He smiled to himself as he watched Penny finally eat some solid food, Mattie keeping her company. “Good morning,” he announced.

“Hi, Daddy.”

“Are you almost ready to head to school?”

“When Aunt Penny finishes her breakfast, we can go.”

Tess entered the room. “Mattie, you better get ready to go,” she said, putting on her coat. “I might run a little late tonight. I’ll call you from the office,” she directed to her husband. “I love you. Good luck today.” Tess gave him a quick kiss on the lips. “Mattie—hugs?”

Mattie ran over to her mum and gave her a hug. “Have a good day, Mummy.”

“You too. I love you.” She waved to Penny. “Call me if you need anything.” Tess grabbed her briefcase and was gone.

Penny placed the empty plate on the coffee table. “Finished. Now let’s get you to school. You heard your mother—you shouldn’t be tardy.”

They took a cab across town and dropped Mattie at school.

“Let’s grab some coffees and take a walk in the park,” Sebastian suggested.

“Lead the way,” Penny agreed.

Sebastian popped into Pret A Manger and purchased two coffees with cream and sugar. They walked down the block and entered the quaint little park through wrought-iron gates. The leaves on the trees were brown, but still hanging onto their branches.

“I’m sorry about all the excitement at the castle yesterday. I could have strangled Lily and Martin for causing a scene.”

Penny brushed off the comment with a wave of her hand. “It wasn’t your fault, Sebastian.”

“I’m still raving mad at them.”

“Are you going to meet Martin today? Sigourney told me what happened. She’s eager to speak with him and get his side of the story.”

“He’s a liar. I’m not sure I can believe a word that comes out of his mouth. At the same time, I don’t want Sigourney and Victoria to go it alone.”

The corner of her lip turned up slightly. It was the first remnant of a smile he had seen in over a week. “Always the protector—it’s one of the things I love about you, Sebastian.”

“I swear if I could turn back time, I would change everything for you.”

“But you can’t. I appreciate that you want to, though.” Penny exhaled, her hot breath turning to fog as it hit the cold November air. She took a seat on a nearby wooden bench. “I had six months with Max. Everything was so wonderful. Why did it have to end?”

He wanted to say ‘maybe the best hasn’t happened yet,’ but that sounded crass and cliché, even to him. Why did Tess’ father have to drop dead of a heart attack when she was only fourteen? There was no reason. That’s the way it was, and this was no comfort at all. “I don’t know the answer, Pen.”

She looked down at the diamond and platinum engagement ring that Maxwell had given her, admiring its beauty. She set the half empty coffee cup on the bench and then removed the ring from her finger. Turning over Sebastian’s hand, she placed the ring in his palm.

“What are you doing?” he asked.

“This is yours now. It’s a family heirloom. I’ll have no children to pass it on to. It belongs to the Earl of Sutton. Maybe one day you and Tess will have a son.”

“Penny…”

“Please take it, Sebastian,” she pleaded, cutting him off. “You know I’m right. The longer I wear it, the harder it will be to take it off. I need to find the strength to move on.”

“Oh, Pen,” he muttered, placing his arm around her shoulder and pulling her close to his body.

“We should be going if you’re going to make your meeting.”

“Will you be okay?”

“I have to be okay, don’t I?”

The lobby of the Grosvenor House Hotel was opulent yet understated. The marble floor was shined to perfection. A large round mahogany table displayed an elegant floral arrangement. Sebastian noticed Victoria and Sigourney sitting in the plush red velvet chairs next to the fireplace. They looked up as he approached. Glancing at this Rolex, he noticed the time: it was noon. As if on cue, Martin Christopher Baker exited the lift and walked over to meet them.

“Thank you for meeting me,” Martin said, rubbing his thumb against his palm.

“We’re curious to hear what you have to say,” Sigourney announced.

“Maybe we could move into the bar and sit at a table.”

“Fine by me,” Sebastian muttered, eager for a scotch even though it was only noon.

They sat at a round table with high-backed seats to give them privacy. The girls ordered mimosas while Martin requested scotch—neat. Sebastian begrudgingly ordered the same. After the drinks were delivered, Martin was the first to take a sip. He glanced up at his children and sighed. “I’m sorry for Max’s loss. It’s never easy to see someone die young, and it is even harder when it’s your child.”

Victoria almost snorted her champagne in a very unladylike manner. “Pardon me, but you made the decision to leave us. I don’t think you have any right to mourn or ask for our sympathy.”

Sebastian sat back in his seat, surprised by his sister’s outburst. She sounded a little too much like Lily, and it unnerved him. The only consolation was that Sebastian actually agreed with Victoria.

Martin wearily ran his fingers through his graying hair. “I am truly sorry for the pain I caused you children. I didn’t want to leave you. I had no choice.”

“You always have a choice,” Victoria seethed.

“I wish there was a way to turn back time, but what’s done is done.”

“Precisely. And I choose not to listen to your excuses anymore. What you did only shows you are a coward, and I have no respect for you.” With that, Victoria stood from the table and left the room.

Martin turned his attention to Sigourney. She gazed back, her mouth in a hard line and her eyes unreadable.

“I’ve not been a perfect father, Sigourney. I know this. I’m just asking for an opportunity to get you know again.” He swallowed hard and extended his hand. “Hello, I’m Martin.”

Sigourney reached for his hand and accepted his greeting. “Hello, Martin.”

Sebastian smiled at his sister. She always was the easygoing one—the peacemaker; it didn't surprise him that she would be the one to extend the olive branch.

“So tell me about your life, Martin?” she asked with great curiosity.

And so Martin began to tell the story of how he became an ex-pat, living in Greece, meeting his partner, Colette. He admitted that he kept tabs on the children as they grew, attended university, and sought careers. He finished his scotch as he finished his commentary and pushed the glass away. “Victoria was right: I am a coward and I do have a choice. I want to make this up to you both, if you’ll give me the chance.”

“That’s a little difficult to do from Corfu,” Sebastian reminded.

Sigourney reached over and touched Sebastian’s hand. “Everyone deserves a second chance, Sebastian.”

Sebastian conceded with a nod of his head. He had changed his life, and it wouldn’t have happened without people who were willing to give him the opportunity to change. Maybe now was the time to pay it forward and give someone else the benefit of the doubt. Sebastian leaned forward and shook Martin’s hand. “It’s nice to meet you, Martin.”

Sebastian and Tess lay in bed talking about their day. “I miss you guys,” Tess admitted. “I’m sorry things have been so crazy at the office and I have to work late. Thank God I have you to take care of Mattie.”

“Are you happy?”

“I’m happy. I just miss you.” She snuggled closer. “I worry about you, Bas. With everything that is happening: Max, your father, the earldom…Are you happy?”

“As long as I have you and Mattie, I’m happy.” He kissed the top of her head. “I do admit I’m feeling a little overwhelmed at the moment.”

“How so?”

“The will is read tomorrow. Martin wants absolution. Penny is grieving. I have to make a decision on what to do with Max’s office and secretary. Ugh, I could really use your organizational skills right now. I don’t see any way to handle this other than to quit my job at the gallery.”

“But you love it there!” she exclaimed, propping her head up on her hand to make eye contact with her husband.

“I suppose I’ll know more after tomorrow. I have no idea what it takes to run an estate and support the charities that Max did. How can I possibly do it all and care for Mattie? I won’t hire a Nanny, Tess. You know how I feel about that.”

“I wish I could go with you to meet the lawyer tomorrow.”

“You’ve missed too much work already. I’ll be fine.”

Tess tilted her head and kissed Sebastian on the lips. “It seems the only time we get to talk anymore is in bed, late at night.”

He let out a long, slow breath and his chest contracted under Tess’ touch. “We’ll figure this out, right?”

“Of course we will. We’ve dealt with worse. We can handle this, too,” she reassured him.

“Martin and Colette want to have dinner at The Ivy before they fly out on Saturday. Do you think you can make an eight o’clock dinner on Friday night? I’ve asked Penny if she’d watch Mattie.”

“Yes, I should be able to do that. I can always work on Saturday. Are you sure it’s a good thing to leave Mattie with Penny?”

“I think it’s probably the best thing for her right now. Pen interacts with Mattie and Mattie gets her to eat. They’ve become quite the team.”

“How much longer do you think we should stay here in her house? I want to be here to support in any way I can, but I miss our home.”

“I know, darling. I need to talk with Pen. I’ll do it tomorrow after the will reading.”

At ten o’clock the next day, Lily, Sebastian, Victoria, Sigourney, and Penny sat in the lawyer’s conference room awaiting the reading of the will. It brought back memories of Nanny, and Sebastian longed to have Tess by his side, but she was at work. There was no time for self-pity; Penny needed him to be strong. The lawyer shuffled into the room, impeccably dressed in a gray pinstriped suit and flanked by an assistant.

“Thank you all for coming,” he said, sitting down at the head of the table and opening a file. Without further ado, he began to read the will.

All shares of Irons Electronics where bequeathed to Victoria. This now made her equal partners with Lily. Sebastian was more than grateful to not have anything to do with the company, and it was fitting for Victoria to have them since she would one day run the company.

Lily was bequeathed the Mayfair townhouse. Sigourney was bequeathed the cottage in the South of France.

As the lawyer began to read the part of the will that involved Penny, she nervously reached for Sebastian’s hand. “To my loving wife Penelope, I leave the sum of one million pounds.”

Lily held her head high, annoyed at the announcement.

Penny leaned her head on Sebastian’s shoulder. “I’d rather have Max back instead of the money,” she softly whispered to Sebastian.

“Lastly, to Sebastian Irons, I bequeath Sutton Castle, my collection of cars, all heirlooms and family positions of the Earl of Sutton, and the sum of three million pounds to run the estate and care for its workers.”

Sebastian’s mouth opened in disbelief. If Lily seemed annoyed before, now she looked downright indignant. Penny glanced at Sebastian and gave him a slight smile while squeezing his hand.

The lawyer had papers for each person to sign and then they were free to go. Sebastian almost made it out the exit before Lily cornered him. “You must be very pleased,” she said, her voice dripping with disdain.

“I’m not pleased at all. I never wanted any of this, but now it’s my responsibility.” He buttoned his coat as the cold December air blew through the open door. “You can have a wing of the castle, but I don’t want you to step foot on the grounds when I’m there. I’ll have Max’s secretary ring your secretary to set up a schedule.”

“You can’t do this to me. Sutton castle is my home.”

“It’s my home now, and you are no longer welcome there when my family is present. If you can’t live with that, I’ll call a mover today and have your things removed at once,” he coolly replied. Threading Penny’s arm though his, he said, “Are you ready to go?”

She silently nodded and they walked out onto the street and hailed a cab before Lily could utter another word.

Inside the warm cab, Penny turned to Sebastian and said, “I’m so sorry this all falls on you now.”

He shrugged, resigned to his fate. “Would you be up to helping me sort through all this mess? The estate, the charities, the staff—you must have some idea how to handle it.” He sighed and then quickly added, “But if it’s too painful, I understand.”

“Of course I’ll help you. What else do I have to do?” she replied, full of melancholy. “By the way you just put Lily in her place, you’ll be fine.”

It was a short cab ride to Westminster and Max’s office. They disembarked and entered the building. Max’s secretary was dutifully seated at her desk, opening correspondence. Sebastian didn’t know if he would continue to need an assistant but didn’t want to put the poor woman out of a job, so he kept her on—business as usual. “Mr. Irons and Mrs. Irons, can I get you some tea or coffee?”

“Tea, please,” Penny replied.

“Same here,” Sebastian agreed. “After tea, we need to talk about Max’s schedule. Bring your notes and calendar.”

The secretary nodded and began collecting the information while Sebastian and Penny walked into Max’s office. Taking the seat behind Max’s desk, he looked out over the desktop, neat and organized, with no clutter. That was Max. His wedding photo stood on the corner in a sterling silver frame, recalling happier times. “If there is anything here you want to take, Pen, it’s yours.”