Revelation of Hearts (Stacey and Shane Mcleod, #3) (13 page)

Lora sat stunned; this was the most beautiful diamond ring she had ever seen. This wasn’t what she was expecting.  She said, “But I thought you were leaving.” 

“Why did you think that?” he asked.

“Well, you didn’t say anymore about England.”

Richard frowned and said, “You told me to let you think about it. I was trying to do that, but I could not wait. I love you Lora. I don’t ever want to be without you again.  If you don’t want to give up your career, I’ll move to Houston.  We don’t have to live in England.  Whatever you want my darling is fine with me. I know your family is all here.”

“Richard, will you stop talking long enough for me to answer you.  Yes, yes of course, I’ll marry you, and yes, I’ll be happy to quit my job and go live in England with you.  As Stacey told Shane, wherever you are that’s where I wanna be.” 

Richard put the ring on her finger and said, “I was so afraid you were going to say no.” 

“Well, now I’ve said yes, so can we have dinner and go home and make love?”

“We don’t have to eat.” 

“Yes, we do,” Lora, said. “You promised me dining and dancing. Besides, remember we’re old. We need nourishment to sustain us.” 

Richard chortled and said, “With you my darling, I feel anything, but old.”

When Lora woke, she lay there for a while remembering last night. A part of her asked, was it a dream or was it real?  She looked beside her, and Richard was there sound asleep.  She looked at her hand. The ring Richard had put on her finger was still there. Yes, she said to herself; it was all real, not a dream. Richard had asked her to marry him.

Lora propped on her elbow with her head on her palm. She looked at Richard with a smile on her face.  She said to herself; oh yes, I could wake up looking at this man for the next hundred years. A bit of sadness clouded her eyes as she thought; we don’t have a hundred years.  All we have is now and whatever years lay ahead.  She told god, “I don’t mean to sound ungrateful, but why couldn’t you’ve sent this man to me a decade or so earlier when we could’ve still had a family?”  No, Lora thought, I’m not gonna think that way. We have now, and now is surely better than nothing.  I must remember to be thankful for what I have and not regret what I haven’t had.

Lora looked at her ring again and kissed it.  She had a wedding ceremony to plan. She would need to go to the hospital, put in her resignation, and apply for her retirement, then to the castle to tell Brad and Jackie that she and Richard are getting married. She must call Jessie and tell her. A thousand things were going through her mind at once. She told herself; just settle down and take this one thing at a time. There’s no great hurry, Richard is right here with you. When Lora came from the shower, Richard was awake smiling at her. She sat on the side of the bed and kissed him. He took her hand, kissed it and said, “This is the way I want to wake up for the rest of my life.”

Lora smiled and said, “From your lips to god’s ears,” and kissed him again. By the time Richard had showered and dressed, Lora had breakfast ready and on the table. As they ate, Richard asked, “What’s on the agenda for today?”

They made a list of what they needed to do. First, go to the hospital and resign, then go to the courthouse to get their marriage licenses. The day was busy and flew by. They went to the castle for supper and to break the news. Jackie and Bradley didn’t seem surprised. Bradley laughed and said, “Two of our nosey daughters have been calling and speculating.” 

Lora smiled and asked, “Oh they have, have they?  Were we that obvious, that they knew before we did?”

On Wednesday, Lora called Jessie to tell her about the coming marriage. After giving her and Sam’s heartfelt congratulations, Jessie said, “Stacey called last night to say, “Hello,” and asked about Sir Richard.  They had called his number with no answer since Sunday. They were getting worried. His butler was no help. I told her he was still here and not to worry.  May I tell her the good news?”

“No darling, I’ll call and tell her. She’ll wanna come back for the wedding. I’ll need to talk her out of it.  She and Shane have waited so long to be together, I don’t want them parted because of us we’ll be in London in a matter of weeks.  We’ll have plenty of time to be together and talk then.”

Richard looked at his watch and said, “It’s six ten in London, shall we call now?” 

Stacey answered the phone.  Lora talked for a bit then told her the news.  Richard could hear Stacey’s enthusiastic reply from where he sat.  Lora moved the phone from her ear and said to Richard, “Why must young people get so shrill with their excitement?” 

Lora talked a while longer telling Stacey why she didn’t want her to fly all this way, when they would be in London in a matter of weeks. 

Lora said, “Yes darlings, I’ll tell him.”  Then Lora laughed and told her niece, “Young lady, you’d better mind your P’s and Q’s, you’re not too old for a spanking, you know.  Yes, yes, I’ll tell him.  We love you too.  We’ll see you soon.  Bye.”

When Lora hung up the phone, she told Richard, “Stacey and Shane send their congratulations and love to us.  They are very excited and looking forward to our coming to London.”

“What was the spanking thing all about?” Richard asked.

Lora started laughing and said, “Would you believe that great niece of mine said, “If she hadn’t met Shane first, she would’ve set her sights on you.” 

Richard threw his head back and had a hearty laugh.  Lora sat down on Richard’s lap and said, “I can see I must keep an eye on that girl.” Now they both were chortling and kissing.

Chapter-21

Happiness at last

On Friday, June twentieth, Richard took Lora Beth Flemming along with Bradley and Jackie to celebrate her fifty-ninth birthday at one of Houston’s finer restaurants. The taboo of the month of June had finally been broken.  Before they left the condominium, Richard gave Lora a beautiful velvet covered box.  In it was a breath taking diamond and pearl bracelet.  Lora was so happy she cried. 

“Don’t cry darling. If you don’t like it, I’ll take it back,” Richard said.

Lora stopped crying and said, “You’ll have to fight me for it.  I love it, I’m crying because I’m so damn happy.”

Richard took her in his arms and said, “Well, my darling, get ready to shed a multitude of tears.  I’m going to make you the happiest woman in the world.”

“I already am!” Lora said.

On Saturday, June twenty-eight, Sir Richard Bothwell Heath married Lora Beth Flemming at St. Luke’s Episcopal Church.  The whole tribe was there except for Stacey and Shane. The bride was dressed in a white silk suit that came just to her knees.  White high heeled pumps, a jaunty little white hat with white netting just covering her eyes. She carried a bouquet of yellow rosebuds. Richard was dressed in his gray morning suit.

Bradley walked Lora down the aisle. Jessie was her matron of honor and Sam was Richard’s best man. Lora and Richard left for a two-week honeymoon.  First a week in New York City and then a romantic week in Paris.  Lora had a long talk with Brittany and Brandi, and then gave them the keys to her condominium and her car.  This would give them the freedom for which they had been longing.

On July, twelfth, Richard and Lora flew into Heathrow airport, and then took a taxi to Richard’s town house.  As the taxi stopped in front of the town house, the butler came out to help with the luggage.  Richard introduced him to Lora, as Lady Heath. 

Lora put out her hand and said, “How do you do, Mr. Wilkes.” 

Wilkes was a bit taken aback and said, “Quite well, thank you madam.”

The house was quite beautiful. Lora guessed Richard was well off, but now she suspected he was wealthy. Wilkes knocked on the door and asked, “Sir, would you care to take tea in the upstairs sitting room?” 

“Yes, Wilkes, that will do nicely.”

Lora could tell Richard was accustomed to this catered life, but for her it was going to take some getting used to in deed.  After tea, Richard showed Lora the house. He told her, he along with his older sister had been born and raised here.  Lora sensed he had been lonely here. Well, she was here now and he would be lonely no longer and neither would she. After tea, Lora called Stacey and Shane.  Stacey said, “Stay were you are, we’ll be right over.” 

Richard smiled and said, “Your niece is certainly impulsive.” 

Lora warned him, “You better get used to it, she doesn’t stand on formality.”

An hour later, Stacey and Shane arrived.  Stacey hugged her aunt and Sir Richard. Shane kissed Aunt Lora’s cheek and shook hands with Richard.  They congratulated them again and Stacey said, “Your wedding was so lovely.” 

“How do you know?” Lora asked.

“Mom sent me a tape,” Stacey said.

“Oh, I’m so glad sweetheart. We wanted you both there, but we didn’t want you to travel all that way when we would be here in a matter of weeks.”

The way Stacey was smiling, Lora knew there was something her great niece was dying to tell her.  Later, after tea was served, Lora asked Stacey and Shane, “Now what’ve you two been up to? I can always tell when Stacey has big news. So give.” 

“Okay,” Stacey said. “Shane is going to Dallas in October. He can tell you why.”

In layman terms, Shane explained about a set of conjoined Egyptian twins in Children’s Hospital in Dallas, Texas.  They were born joined at the top of the cranium. A group of neurosurgeons were going to separate them in October.  They have invited me to observe. 

“That’s wonderful,” Lora said. “Are you going with him Stacey?” 

“No,” Stacey said. “Shane will be at the hospital most of the time. I have school, so I’ll be busy here.” 

“Not to worry,” Shane said. “I’ll be staying with Alan and Tracy on my off time. The operation will take a number of hours.  I want to observe as much as possible. This is a once in a lifetime opportunity.”

Sir Richard congratulated Shane and said, “I certainly hope these twins are more fortunate than the young Iranian women that went to Singapore for their separating surgery.” 

“Yes,” Shane agreed. “That was tragic, but I have good feelings about this surgery.  About fifty surgeons will make up the operating team on these two little boys.” 

“That’s very good,” Aunt Lora, said, “They’ll be in our prayers and we’ll look forward to hearing all about it when you return.”

“We’re not gonna stay any longer,” Stacey said. “We know what it’s like getting home after traveling, but we just had to see you and tell you both how happy we are for you and how happy we are for us, that you’ll be living right here in London too.”

Stacey turned to Sir Richard and said, “I haven’t forgotten about our appointment. I’ll call you soon. You can talk to Aunt Lora about it; she knows some of it already.”

After Stacey and Shane left, Richard closed the sitting room door.  He sat down on the sofa beside his wife, took her hand and asked, “How much has Stacey told you about this unusual connection of ours?” 

Lora was surprised and said, “I didn’t realize you were a link in her dream. I only know Shane has a resemblance to the man she was married to in her dream.  How do you fit into her dream, Richard?” 

Richard rubbed his forehead and said, “It would seem I was her husband’s half brother.”

Lora took her husband’s hand and asked, “What makes you think this is anything other than an incongruous, but vivid dream?”  Lora stood up; walked to the window and back, then said, “I know Stacey went to Yorkshire and found the ruins of the old castle where she dreamed she had lived and raised a family.  Don’t forget, she has been obsessed with archaeology since she was a very young girl. I know, I toured many of those places with her.” 

“What was your theory when she confided her dream to you?” Richard asked.

“The same as Alan’s, I suppose,” Lora said.

“Alan is Tracy’s husband?  He’s a psychiatrist, right?” 

“Yes, he is and a very good one, I might add. You met him at both weddings.” 

“Yes, I remember him, however, I wasn’t aware he was a psychiatrist at that time.

So, he thinks this whole past life thing was nothing more than a bad dream after Stacey’s fall?”

“Yes, something along those lines,” Lora said.  “We all know Stacey is a level headed, strong minded young woman.  Then of course, finding the ancestral and matrilineal connection to the McLeod’s helped her to deal with her unanswered questions.” 

“Come with me darling, I have something to show you.” Richard took Lora to the drawing room.  He opened the portieres and walked her to the back of the room, then flipped a light on over a large portrait of a man and a woman with five children. 

Lora studied the portrait of the family from the medieval period. In astonishment, she turned to Richard and said, “Good lord Richard, that woman looks like Stacey, but more mature. Has Stacey seen this?” 

“No, not yet,” Richard said. “There’s more, come look closely at the man and Imagine him without the beard.” 

“I don’t believe this,” Lora said. “Who are these people?”

“They are the Earl and Countess of Dun-Raven with their children. What will you wager my darling wife, that Stacey will know the name of each child,” Richard said.

Lora put her hand on Richard’s arm and said, “Maybe it would be best for Stacey not to see this. She and Shane are so much in love and happy.  Why take a chance of stirring up, god only knows what?” 

Richard put his arms around Lora and said, “It’s too late for that, my darling. Shane has seen it and there is no way he will keep Stacey in the dark.” 

“Does he have memories too?” Lora asked. 

“No, he doesn’t, however, he has been with Stacey from the beginning of this phenomena. Shane loves and respects Stacey far too much not to be honest and forthright with her. Shane told me that Stacey knows these memories belong to someone else, not her. That so far, only good has come from them.  Stacey seems to be able to separate fact from fancy, so far.”

“Do you have memories of the past also, Richard?”

“No, I do not, my father died from a brain tumor six years ago. I was having peculiar dreams, nothing I could remember when I woke up, just fragments here and there, so I went to see Doctor McLeod. As I was leaving his office, this lovely young woman was entering. Shane introduced her as his fiancée. There was something so familiar about her. I asked her, “Have we met before, somewhere?”  She smiled at me and said, “My feelings precisely sir, but another place and another time.” I had no idea what she meant by that.