When the Heavens Fall (35 page)

Eden kissed her mother on the cheek. “You and Father have made life so wonderful for me.”

As if on cue, the door opened, and John Fairfax walked in. He came over to Eden at once. “Is that another new dress?” he exclaimed with feigned surprise. “I don't remember being with you when you chose that fabric.”

“I chose it all by myself, Father.” Eden had developed a wonderfully close relationship with her parents, and as she saw the love in their eyes, she felt a profound sense of gratitude.

“I have a surprise for you, Daughter.”

“Oh, good. I like surprises. What is it?”

“We're going to visit Queen Mary.”

“Really, John? You never told me that,” Barbara said.

“Why, I only found out today. Of late time spent at court has been more of a burden than a joy, but I do believe you two will enjoy this visit. And you'll find lots of young men there,” John said to Eden. “What about your suitors? Which one has the lead in the race for your hand now?”

“I don't think much of any of them,” Eden said with a gentle smile. “They are all rather boring.”

“You're far too exacting, but you're too beautiful not to find a husband.”

“Most of them are only after your money, Father.” She shrugged. “If I were a poor girl, the line would be considerably shorter.”

“Not so! Not so! Well, I'll be telling you more about our visit to the palace later. Now I must go.” He kissed Eden and then his wife. “Two beautiful women in my house—how could I be so fortunate?”

As the door closed behind him, Eden said, “He's such a good man, Mother.”

“The best I know.” Barbara's brow furrowed as a thought came to her. “I am a bit concerned about your future. You must marry at some point, Eden.”

“I am not at all sure about that.”

“Well, what a thing to say! What else is a woman to do but marry and have children?” Barbara stood close to Eden, looking into her eyes. She was not as tall a woman as her daughter, but she still retained traces of early beauty. “Sometimes I think that you judge men rather harshly. Is that because of your time in Spain, because of what you endured there, darling?”

Eden lowered her head, and when she lifted it, her teeth were clenched. “I've told you how Brandon Winslow deceived me.”

“But, Eden, that was two years ago!”

“It doesn't seem like it to me. He made me believe that he loved me, and I—I believed that I loved him. He deceived me, Mother!”

“But, dear, not all men are like that. Look at your father. Besides, he did what he had to do to get you away from that awful place. Don't you feel some gratitude to him for that?”

Eden shook her head. “He tricked me into loving him. I'll never trust a man again, Mother, as long as I live!”

On the last day of May, a messenger brought a disturbing message to Brandon's lodging in Dover. A small, swarthy man in his late forties appeared at his door and said in a rumbling bass voice, “Lord Fairfax wishes to see you right away Mr. Winslow.”

“Do you know why?”

“No, sir. He simply asks you to make your way to him as swiftly as possible. I'll ride back with you, if you like.”

“Oh, that won't be necessary. I can find my way.” Brandon pulled a coin from his pocket and handed it to the servant. “Thank you,” he said, then turned away, ignoring the man's speech of gratitude. He had found himself extremely restless of late. He led an easy enough life, making plenty of money at the gambling tables, but an emptiness left him dissatisfied.

He left at once, riding hard. Still, the shadows were growing long when he brought his steed to a halt before the Fairfax mansion in Rochester. He said to the groom “Rub him down and see that he's grained.”

“Yes, sir.” The groom led the horse away, and Brandon ran up the steps. He had no idea what Sir John wanted. He had not seen him since bringing Eden home from her captivity. Sir John had sent him money twice, urging him to accept his reward, but he had returned it.

His nerves were tense. Eden was in this house. Would he see her? Speak to her? He had thought about her almost every day
of the two years since he had reunited her with her family. England had buzzed with the story of how she had been rescued from captivity in Spain, and over and over, he was asked to tell the story, making it impossible for him to forget her. The country's distrust of Spaniards made Eden Fairfax into something of a national heroine.

A servant came to the door.

“I am Brandon Winslow. Lord Fairfax sent for me.”

“Yes, sir. He's in his study.”

Brandon followed the servant down an ornately decorated hall, glancing at the pictures of Fairfax men—all prominent, all wealthy—and felt oppressed.

Brandon found Lord Fairfax standing beside a tall window. “I came as quickly as I could, sir.”

“I'm glad you made such good time, Brandon,” Fairfax said, a troubled expression on his face. “I have rather bad news, I'm afraid.”

“What is it, my Lord?”

“I'm afraid I can no longer keep your uncle from danger. You must speak to him at once!”

“What has transpired?”

“Nothing new. I simply cannot hold back the tide.” Fairfax's eyes grew stormy, and he said, “The queen is getting worse. More and more people are being sent to the stake, even women and young people, because they don't fall in with her Catholic doctrine.”

“What about you and Lady Barbara? Will you be safe?”

“Well, we are cowardly people, I suppose. We adopt the Catholic line, but it's a matter of form with us. But you must get your uncle out of the country.”

“My father would be the one to do that. And believe me, we've tried to talk him into it before.”

“I know, Master Stuart Winslow has told me that his brother
won't listen to him. Go to your uncle, Brandon. I realize he is stubborn, but he must leave the country.” Fairfax paused and then put his hand on Brandon's shoulder. “I have such kindly feelings for you, my boy, as does my dear wife. You saved my daughter in order to spare your uncle, and I can never forget that. I'll do everything I can, but the Tudors are stubborn and they can be cruel. I thought Mary would be different after growing up with the cruelty of her father, but she is not. You must do what you can.”

“Yes, sir. I'll try.”

Fairfax hesitated and seemed to hold back words that were in his heart. “May I have a more…personal word with you, my boy?”

“Why, of course, Lord Fairfax.”

“Your parents are wonderful people. Your father is one of the most honorable men I've ever met, and your mother is such a gracious woman.”

“You need not say it,” Brandon smiled bitterly. “I am well aware, sir, that I am the black sheep in the family.”

“But you don't have to be, my boy. You can have a better life. I hear stories of your gambling and your dissipation, and it hurts me. I would do anything at all to help you be the son your parents can be proud of.”

Brandon lowered his head, unable to meet the eyes of the older man. “I've thought about it often, sir. I hope you'll keep me in your prayers. I don't know why I behave so badly. It's almost like I'm a bad seed.”

“Nonsense! God loves you as he loves all sinners. Find God, Brandon, and be the man that God made you to be.”

“Yes, sir. I'll try.”

“You'll stay for the night?”

“If I may. It's too late to find my uncle now.”

“I'll have a servant show you to your room.”

“Thank you sir. I'll leave very early, so we won't see each other—but I'm grateful for your concern for our family.”

The morning sun was making a thin line of light in the east when Brandon left his room and descended the stairs. A movement to his right caught his eye. He saw that it was Eden and stopped abruptly.

Her eyes widened, and she exclaimed, “What are you doing here?”

“Your father asked to see me.”

Eden's face was flushed. “Are you here to extort more money from him for saving me from the Spaniards?”

Brandon did not answer. A shock ran along his nerves, for the sight of her stirred up feelings that he had long kept buried. Although he knew that she hated him, excitement ran through him. “You're looking well, Eden.” When he saw that she did not mean to answer, he added, “I hope you're happy in your new life.”

“Oh, I'm certain that is a concern for you.” Bitterness flared in Eden's eyes, and her voice was cold as she said, “I had hoped never to see you again!”

“I know you despise me.”

“Why shouldn't I? You betrayed me. I'm surprised you didn't complete your conquest and bed me.”

“I couldn't find another way to get you free, Eden.”

“Liar! You must have enjoyed making a fool out of me!” Suddenly she struck him a ringing slap on his cheek. “Be gone! Never come here again!” she cried. She whirled and ran away.

Brandon touched his cheek, staring after her. He was more shaken by the encounter than by any battle he'd fought. He was startled when a thought came to him.
Did I really feel something for her two years ago?
He could not answer the question,
but neither could he get Eden out of his mind. Bitterness took him as he thought of his life and what John Fairfax had said about becoming a better man. He knew it was useless for him to see his uncle, but he was also grimly aware that he must try.

Eden had looked forward to the ball and seeing Nonsuch Palace. The occasion was interesting enough. She met the young ladies of the court, and one of them said, “Miss Fairfax, if you'd care to be one of us, I am sure that Her Majesty would be glad to have you as one of her maids.” The offer held no attraction at all for Eden, for life at court, at least what she had heard of it, was rife with immorality and seemed somewhat like what she had endured in Spain.

Now, as she entered the banquet hall, she saw that it was crowded. Her parents were already there, seated at one end of a long table, and when they smiled at her, she returned their smile.

She heard her name called, and turned to see a couple moving toward her. The resemblance of the man to Brandon was striking. He was an older edition, very handsome, but with a much sweeter expression than she had ever seen on Brandon's face.

He said, “Pardon me for introducing myself, Miss Fairfax. I'm Stuart Winslow, and this is my wife, Heather.”

Eden made her curtsy and tried vainly to think of something to say. “I am happy to meet you.”

“Brandon has told us so much about you,” Heather said. “We're so happy that you were delivered from the kidnapper.”

“Yes,” Stuart put in. “Your parents are as happy as I've ever seen them.”

Eden managed to carry on a conversation with them, although her knees trembled from being so near Brandon's parents.
She remembered clearly that Brandon had told her that his parents were more in love than any people he had ever seen. He had said,
They're like a young couple on a perpetual honeymoon. I've never seen love so true, so strong.
She believed it when she saw Heather look at Stuart with obvious affection.