Nephew's Wife, The (7 page)

Ellen dropped her head in her hand.  “Why won’t she leave me alone?”  She knew without reading the byline that the article was written by Robin Davenport.

Rand came around the table and sat beside her. 

              “I know people at the paper. Would you like me to talk to them about this reporter, see if they can convince her to drop this sensational storyline?”  The frustration in Rand’s voice matched Ellen’s.

              “No, but thank you.”  Ellen shook her head.  “I’m just going to keep a low profile.”

“All this attention really bothers you.”  Rand sympathized with Ellen. He’d been the target of a curious press after Lana had left him. Reporters dogged him everywhere.

              Ellen nodded. “I never asked for it.  I just hope my working here doesn’t bring trouble to you and Dolly.”

“What trouble?” Rand scoffed at her worry.  “You haven’t done anything criminal, which reminds me. Nothing showed up on your background check.”

Rand’s announcement didn’t relieve Ellen. The trouble she had referred to was the kind that erupted out of deception, lies, and secrets like a three-headed monster.

“Maybe I should call off this shopping trip today,” Ellen said, suddenly feeling down in the dumps. “I’d hate to cause a scene with Dolly.”

“Aunt Dolly would be miffed if you cancelled today,” Rand replied with a lopsided grin.  “Besides, you don’t look anything like that photo in the paper.  I don’t think you’ll be recognized.  Aunt Dolly will only take you to the exclusive shops where the employees and clientele are discreet.  Go and enjoy yourself.”

Ellen accepted Rand’s encouragement with a smile, but she didn’t share his confidence.  Her new look resembled her younger days when she and Paul had dated.  She’d have to be very careful.

Rand glanced at his watch and clicked his tongue. “I really have to go.”

              “Thanks for the support, Rand,” Ellen said, following him to the entrance hall.  “It means a lot to me.”

“Any time,” Rand replied. “I’ll see you at dinner tonight.” He smiled as he rushed out.  “Have fun,” he called out over his shoulder.

Ellen returned to the dining room to finish her breakfast even though her appetite was gone.  She’d not waste the food Celeste had prepared.  Swallowing around the mopey feeling weighing inside her was difficult.  Ellen shifted her thoughts to the day before.  It’d been so pleasant, she’d almost forgotten about Robin’s persistence.  Ellen closed her eyes around a silent plea for help.

Dear Lord, I can’t go through life running from the truth. It’ll wear me down and make me good-for-nothing. Please help me find a way to put this all behind me.  I need the kind of help only you can give—”

“Are you okay, Miss Todd?”

Ellen glanced up to see Celeste clearing up Rand’s dishes.  “I’m fine, Celeste.”

She rose and handed Celeste her dishes.  It was too early to fix Dolly’s breakfast tray.  Ellen strolled to the library to pray for guidance in her new position.  Dolly and Rand counted on her being capable.  She couldn’t give a hundred percent to her job if her own problems got in the way. 

When Ellen finally stopped praying and opened her eyes, the first thing she saw was a stream of golden sunlight.  It lifted her spirits.  The enthusiasm she’d greeted the day with when she woke that morning had returned.  She bounded to the kitchen to prepare a tray for Dolly then set off upstairs.

“Good morning, Dolly.” Ellen greeted her charge with a cheery smile that didn’t give away her worries.  “Are you ready for our adventure?”

“You betcha!” Dolly was scooting up in bed.  Ellen was glad to see she looked rested.

They left the house at nine-thirty with Edward at the wheel of Dolly’s old Town Car.  It was five after ten when they pulled into the mall.  Edward assisted Ellen with Dolly’s wheelchair then got back in the car and drove off to have the car serviced then washed.  They’d call him when they were ready to return home.

Ellen pushed Dolly to her favorite dress shop.  The owner and sales associates dropped everything to welcome Dolly as she came through the door.

Dolly returned the greetings, but got right down to business.  True to Rand’s words, Ellen was treated cordially and discreetly.  Ellen forgot her worries and had fun, selecting flattering outfits, but it all changed at their third stop.

Ellen noticed a woman around her age, staring at her.  The scrutiny made Ellen nervous. The woman acted as if she recognized Ellen, but wasn’t sure from where. When Ellen took a handful of items to the fitting room, the woman followed closely and chose the stall next to hers.  Ellen waited long enough for the woman to be in the midst of changing then hurried out and asked Dolly if they could come back later. 

“I think we should have lunch,” Ellen answered Dolly’s befuddled expression.

Instead of going to the food court, Dolly suggested a pricey restaurant away from the high traffic areas.

“The broccoli-cheese soup is delicious,” Dolly said as Ellen pushed the chair along with her head down.  No one else seemed particularly interested in her, but Ellen remained on high alert.

“Would you like a window table?” The hostess asked when they entered the posh eatery.

“No,” Ellen answered quickly. “The back would be nice.”

“What’s the matter, Ellen?” Dolly asked after they were seated.  “You seem nervous.”

Ellen mentioned the lady in the last dress shop.

“Maybe she was just checking out your flattering hairstyle.”  Dolly attempted to soothe Ellen. 

“I don’t think so, Dolly.” Ellen turned pale.  The woman had followed them into the restaurant and was sitting alone at a nearby table.  “She’s here. Don’t turn around. I don’t want her to know I’ve spotted her.”

They took their time, hoping the woman would leave before them, but she seemed to be pacing her movements with theirs.  Ellen’s appetite had dissipated, but she ate the soup to please Dolly.

“I’m sorry the day has been ruined,” Dolly said. 

“It hasn’t been, Dolly.” Ellen forced a lift in her spirits.  “This may all be a coincidence. I’m just being overly suspicious.”  Ellen told Dolly about the newspaper article that morning.  Dolly whipped out her phone and called Edward.  She told him where to pick them up.

“We’ll go somewhere else to shop.” Dolly put her phone away.  “I know a few out-of-the way places.”

“Thank you, Dolly.”

After paying, they made their way to the exit where Edward was to meet them.  Ellen was moving quickly.

“Calm down, Ellen,” Dolly said.  “You don’t know if that woman recognized you. Your imagination is playing tricks on you. I’m sure she was just curious and will forget the whole matter once the day’s over.”

Ellen knew Dolly was wrong.  Out of the corner of her eye, she spotted the woman rounding a corner, heading toward them. 

“We won’t have to wait.  Edward’s here!” Dolly announced to Ellen’s relief.  Ellen pushed the automatic door button then rolled Dolly outside.  Edward had parked in a handicapped spot like before, and Ellen pushed the wheelchair over to it.  A nonchalant glimpse over her shoulder confirmed what she had suspected.  The strange woman had reached the doors and was watching their every move.

Ellen tossed her bags in the trunk while Edward helped Dolly into the car. As they drove off, Ellen slid a casual sideways glance toward the mall door.  The woman was still there, and she had a scowl on her face.

Even though Dolly made sure the rest of the afternoon was pleasant, Ellen couldn’t shirk the feeling that something bad was about to happen to her.

Chapter 6

Ellen’s fears dissipated after three weeks passed and nothing out of the ordinary happened.  Things had settled into such a routine, she barely gave the mysterious woman a thought.  She chalked her dread up to an overactive imagination.  For all Ellen knew, the woman’s focus might have been Dolly.

Things seemed to be dying down in the press, too, which allowed Ellen to relax her guard even more.  Ida called less and less with less and less news about reporters and other interested parties searching for her. 

“I think they’re finally losing interest,” Ida had told her during their last phone call. “They realize you’re not seeking fame and fortune so they’ve moved on to another subject.  There’s plenty of publicity hounds out there wanting their fifteen minutes of fame. They’ve probably latched on to one of them.”

“I hope you’re right, Ida.” Ellen had felt relieved and bolstered by Ida’s assessment.  She turned all her attention to Dolly. 

It was the beginning of her fourth week on the job, and she and Dolly were having lunch in the sun room.

“Randolph needs a wife!” Dolly slapped her small hand on the glass table.  “I’m tired of him moping around this house, looking like he’s lost his best friend.”

“Rand’s focused on his work, Dolly,” Ellen told her.  “He’s not interested in finding a wife.  He’s told me several times, he enjoys the single life.”

“I don’t pay any attention to that.”  Dolly whipped the air with her hand.  “Rand has always been and will always be a romantic at heart.  He enjoyed sending flowers and cards and going to candlelight dinners in quiet, romantic places.  He just has to find his way back, and that’s where we come in, Ellen.  We have to find him a wife. Rand was made to love someone.”

Ellen secretly agreed. She wished she was
the someone
.  Lately, she and Rand had become closer than Ellen had intended to be with her boss.  They’d made a ritual of engaging in long conversations after Dolly retired at night.  At first, it was a just a time set aside for Ellen to go over Dolly’s progress.  Somewhere along the way, the nature of their discussions changed and expanded into much more than reports on Dolly.

Ellen found Rand easy to talk to.  They stayed away from painful subjects like his illness and disastrous engagement and her life with Paul.  Everything else was free game.  Most evenings, they’d end up in the gazebo, discussing faith issues.  Rand’s knowledge of the Bible impressed Ellen.  Whenever she mentioned a spiritual area she was weak in, he’d quote Scripture to help her.  When she’d return to her bedroom at night, she’d reach for her Bible and turn to the passages Rand had given her.

He had a lot to do with her faith growing stronger.  Her prayer life had grown, too.  It had become more than just a recorded message for God, planted in her heart for Him to listen to daily.  Ellen started pouring her heart out to God each night, seeking redemption for hurting Paul and for living as a fraud.  It was all thanks to Rand. He truly cared for her spiritual battles even though she’d never confessed them to him.

The next phase in restoring her faith would be harder though.  God was convicting her to be honest, to tell the truth about what had happened the night of Paul’s accident.  Ellen had tried on several occasions, but each time she had lost courage. Something she couldn’t put a finger on was holding her back.  The more she prayed about it, the more Ellen became convinced that there was more embedded in the night of Paul’s accident than she’d ever considered.  It started out as an itch then spread into a nagging rash inside her head.  Something about that night had her tangled in confusion.

Ellen wondered if she was just looking for justification.  Paul had run the stop sign because he was distraught and heartbroken.  It was her fault.  That was all there was to it.  End of story.  One day, she’d admit it to someone and then deal with the consequences.  Only then would she have peace and closure even though she’d never have Paul’s forgiveness.

Ellen turned her thoughts back to Dolly and the lovely day.  A bright blue, late winter sky, filled with hope and promise, covered the bay.  Ellen felt inspired by it.  Dolly was right. Rand deserved a loving wife.  Ellen had no chance whatsoever with him.  Too much baggage and confusion eliminated her from any list of would-be wives. If she couldn’t have him then she could at least help his aunt find a good wife for him. Her decision came at the right moment.

“I have an idea, Ellen,” Dolly’s bubbly voice scattered Ellen’s thoughts.  “I think we should have a dinner party next Saturday night. I’ll invite several of my closest friends and have each bring an eligible lady in their family.”

Ellen cocked her head.  “Won’t Rand be suspicious of the guest list and run for cover?”

“He’ll be too thrilled about my giving a party to even notice,” Dolly said, swishing a hand in the air.  “I used to give dinner parties all the time. He’ll just see this as another sign I’m getting better.  I am, thanks to you.  Planning a social affair will be fun and very therapeutic.”

“I’ll do whatever you want, Dolly.”

Ellen made good on her word.  Organizing a dinner party was new to her, but she managed to pull it off without going insane. All the busy work kept Ellen’s mind off Rand and the eligible women he’d be entertaining.  She just reminded herself over and over that she couldn’t have him, and he deserved to have someone.  By the day of the dinner, Ellen’s emotions were trudging a fine line. She wanted to help find Rand a wife, but her heart was no longer in it.

Rand was taking the whole affair in stride, but Ellen sensed he knew what his aunt was up to and wasn’t that pleased.  On the afternoon of the party, Ellen found him moping in the gazebo.

“The magnolias are budding early this year,” he said when Ellen strolled inside and plopped down on a chair.  “You should smell this place in the spring and summer.”

“I can’t wait.” Ellen slipped off her sandals and put her bare feet on another chair.  “I love magnolias.  They’re actually my favorite flower.  Whose idea was it to plant so many trees around the estate?”

“Probably my great-grandmother. These trees have been here since the house, but you didn’t follow me out here to discuss magnolia trees.”  His crooked grin told her he knew why she was there.

Ellen smiled.  “No, but I’m enjoying it. I wish all my conversations could be about God’s beautiful handiwork.”