Man Who Loved Pride and Prejudice

by Abigail Reynolds

  "He doesn't want you to see him like that. He's always wanted you to be proud of him."

  Cassie bit her lip hard. She wanted to ask more, but it would make her cry. Instead, worried about leaving Calder for long with her father, she steered her mother back to the men, only to discover them engaged in a lively discussion of the White Sox's chances for next year. She blinked in astonishment, never having heard Calder so much as mention sports before. They seemed happy enough, though, so she left them to it, but when an opportunity arose later, she whispered to him, "So, when did you develop such an interest in the White Sox?"

  "I'm from a family of politicians. The first thing to do when going to a new city is to learn about the sports teams so you have something to talk about."

  She gave him an amused look. "It certainly seems to have worked."

  Dinner went relatively well; although the fare was simple, Cassie's mother had gone to an effort to fix her childhood favorite dishes. Ann Crowley kept the conversation going with no apparent effort, for which Cassie was eternally grateful. Calder, while quiet, seemed in good spirits.

  Cassie's mother had just served coffee when Calder's cell phone rang. With a look of annoyance, he flipped it open and glanced down at the caller ID. A shadow crossed his face for a moment. "Excuse me, please. It's my parents. I'd better talk to them." He walked into the living room before answering it. He had wondered how long it would take for his father to respond to the news in People. Apparently just a few hours.

  "Hello?" Calder could hear the conversation in the dining room continuing in the background.

  "Calder," came his mother's voice, and he relaxed slightly. His mother would say whatever his father told her to, but at least she wouldn't set traps for him. "Your father told me the news, and I just wanted to tell you how delighted I am. She sounds like a lovely young lady."

  "Thank you," he managed to say. "I'm very happy about it."

  "I hope I have the chance to meet her soon. Your father and I were thinking we'd like to have an engagement party for the two of you. All our friends will be anxious to meet her and to offer their congratulations in person."

  Damage control. He'd been expecting something like this. His father knew how badly it would reflect on him if he didn't approve of the marriage, so he was switching positions. For the moment, anyway. It would only last until he thought they were vulnerable again. Apparently there was to be no mention of his failure to tell his parents directly about his engagement.

  "I'll have to talk to Cassie about that," he said.

  "Is she there? I'd love to say hello to her," she said with an appearance of warmth.

  "Yes. We're having dinner at her parents' house."

  "You are? Oh, how very nice. Please do give them my best regards, and tell them I look forward to meeting them."

  "It's been very nice to meet them face to face, since I've only spoken to them on the phone before," said Calder. "Cassie's mom made us a wonderful dinner. I may not need to eat for a week." He wondered if his mother would notice he had more contact with Cassie's parents than with his own.

  "Just a second." He was uncomfortable handing her over to Cassie, but not willing to make an issue of it. Returning to the dining room, he spoke in Cassie's ear. "My mother is asking to talk to you. They want to have an engagement party for us."

  Cassie took the phone with a curious look and followed him back out of the room. "Hello?" She leaned back against Calder as he slipped his arms around her.

  Calder couldn't quite hear his mother's voice. Cassie's side of the conversation consisted mostly of pleasantries. After a minute Cassie put her hand over the phone and whispered, "She's asking whether we've set a date. What should I say?"

  He reached for the phone, and she said brightly, "Just a second. Calder wants to say something."

  "Hello again," he said.

  "Oh, Calder, she sounds charming. I was asking her if you'd set a date yet."

  He knew with a fierce anger that his father was behind the question, wanting to know how much time he had to put a spoke in the works. "Yes," he said deliberately.

  "How exciting! When will it be?"

  His first instinct was to prevaricate, but he was finished with that part of his life. He took Cassie's hand in his. "Saturday."

  His mother laughed graciously. "You'll have to give me a few more hints than that. There are a lot of Saturdays, after all."

  "Day after tomorrow. Four o'clock."

  He could guess at the hurried conversation between his parents in the ensuing silence. At last his mother said, "Are you quite serious, dear?"

  "Yes."

  She sounded injured. "You weren't planning to invite us to your wedding?"

  "After Dad insulted Cassie, slandered her, threatened her, and harassed her, you think I should invite him to my wedding?" he said in an icy voice. It was probably more words than he had said to her in any one sentence in years.

  "Why, Calder… I just don't know what to say."

  "Probably best not to say anything, then." He knew it was her strategy for survival as much as it had been his. "Tell him you can both come if you like, but there's no need. I won't have any problem explaining why he isn't there."

  "Well…" her voice sounded a little shaky. "Maybe you'd better tell me where it's going to be."

  He felt a certain guilt over putting his mother in the middle. After all, she still had to live with his father, and he hadn't forgotten what Dave Crowley told him about her. A little more gently, he told her the address.

  "I'll talk to your father," she said. "We'll call you back."

  Calder hung up and dropped the phone back in his pocket. Cassie slipped her arms around him and laid her head on his shoulder. He let himself breathe in the light scent of her hair until he began to relax.

  Half an hour later his phone rang again. It was his mother. "If your invitation still stands, dear, we'd like very much to come," she said.

  "It still stands. I'll add you to the list. There's a dinner to follow the service."

  "Your father has arranged for us to fly out first thing tomorrow morning. We'll be there by eleven o'clock."

  He was fairly certain his father would behave in public. In private was a different question, one he didn't plan to explore.

  "Cassie and I are tied up tomorrow with the rehearsal and the rehearsal dinner."

  "Speaking of the rehearsal dinner, I understand you must have made arrangements for that already, but I hope you will let us take the usual responsibility as groom's parents," she said delicately.

  He smiled sardonically. "Thanks, but that's not necessary. It's all been taken care of."

  "Oh, but this is important to us. Please do let us reimburse you."

  "I'm not the one taking care of it. Dave and Ann Crowley are hosting it," he said with a certain grim satisfaction.

  He could hear the shocked silence. Finally his mother said tentatively, "Dave Crowley?"

  "Yes. He and Ann have helped us enormously. They've known Cassie for years."

  There was a rustling at the other end, and his father came on the line. "Calder? I don't know what you said to upset your mother, but I'll thank you to stop it. She's quite hurt enough by hearing about your engagement from the media."

  "I was just telling her the Crowleys have known Cassie for years." Calder didn't for a moment think his father was truly concerned for his mother's welfare, but he was surprised she had been so upset by what he said.

  "Nevertheless, you could make an effort to be kind to her. We'll call you later when we've made arrangements."

  When he returned to the others and announced his parents would be coming after all, there was a moment of silence, and then Cassie's mother said brightly, "Oh, that's nice. I'm glad they can make it."

  Apparently his family wasn't the only one that could ignore unpleasant realities.

  It had been at least five years since Cassie last set foot in the church where she had once attended Sunday school. It hadn't changed at
all. The cushions on the pews were perhaps a little more worn, and the stainedglass windows were just as grimy as when she had spent many bored hours studying instead of listening to the sermon. But she did not regret coming back for her wedding, although once the thought would have horrified her.

  Still, she must have been out of her mind to agree to a formal wedding, however small. At the time it made sense. Now she wondered if they would all survive the rehearsal. In the vestry, Scott made a labored attempt at conversation with Cassie's parents, glancing occasionally at Erin, while Erin, never moving from Cassie's side, pretended Scott didn't exist. Calder was silent and radiated stress, whether from all the people around him or the thought of seeing his parents at the rehearsal dinner she couldn't tell.

  Cassie hoped desperately that Ann would finish her arrangements with the minister so they could start the rehearsal. At least then no one would have to talk to each other.

  There was a stir as the doors opened to admit an older woman dressed with casual elegance, followed by Senator Westing. Just what they needed to make the occasion perfect. Cassie turned to Calder to say something sharp about not warning her that his parents would be attending the rehearsal, but recognized the grim set of his jaw. This must be another case of his father turning up uninvited.

  "Calder," his mother said calmly, leaning in to kiss his cheek before turning to Cassie with a warm smile. "And you must be Cassandra. I'm delighted to meet you."

  "It's my pleasure, Mrs. Westing," said Cassie. Calder had talked about his mother much less than he did about his father, almost as if she had been an invisible part of his past.

  "Please call me Caro."

  "Thank you." Cassie noticed Mrs. Westing didn't make a move to kiss her or shake her hand. Something about her stance suggested perhaps she didn't like to be touched.

  "You know my father, of course," Calder said.

  "Indeed." Cassie was damned if she would say she was pleased to see him. "Good afternoon, Senator."

  He flashed his politician's smile. "Joe, please."

  "I think I'll stick with Senator, actually." She didn't bother to hide a slight bite in her voice. "It'll keep me from getting above myself."

  She had reason to be thankful for Calder's excellent public manners as he stepped in to make the rest of the introductions. If Cassie's mother had seemed stiff before, she looked rigid now.

  Finally the minister called them to the altar and began running through the order of the service. Cassie wondered if he had ever married a couple whose attendants conspicuously ignored each other before.

  They made it through the first part of the rehearsal without any difficulties, but when the minister instructed Scott to give Calder the ring, there was no response. Sneaking a peek over Calder's shoulder, Cassie saw Scott was staring Erin.

  Calder touched his arm. "Scott, the ring!"

  "Oh. Sorry." Scott rummaged in his pocket and produced the ring. Erin raised her eyes from the floor just long enough to hand the other ring to Cassie.

  Cassie wished the minister would hurry so she could put Erin and Scott on separate sides of the room again. Then again, given the number of people at this rehearsal she'd like to keep apart, she doubted any room could have enough sides.

  "Cassie, Calder, now you turn together and face the congregation, then proceed down the aisle. Good. Mr. Dunstan, you offer your arm to Miss McKinley. No, turn the other way. The other way. That's right."

  Cassie and Calder had almost reached the doors when Cassie heard a sound. It was Erin, still at the altar, her hands over her face, while Scott stood by looking helpless.

  Dropping Calder's arm, Cassie hurried back and put her arm around Erin, directing a glare at Scott. "Oh, sweetie. I'm so sorry." She should have followed her instincts and chosen a different maid-of-honor, but that would have hurt Erin's feelings, too. She was acutely conscious of the number of eyes on them.

  The minister cleared his throat. "Perhaps Miss McKinley would be more comfortable in my office."

  Cassie steered Erin toward the side of the altar and into the office where she and Calder had met earlier with the minister. Scott trailed after them, despite her glares. Cassie placed the tissue box from the minister's desk in Erin's hand. Cassie made a point of standing between Erin and Scott, who hovered just outside the door. She was tempted to close the door in his face.

  When the minister joined them a few minutes later, Erin looked up just long enough to choke out a few words. "I'm sorry."

  "Weddings are very emotional occasions, Miss McKinley." He seated himself across from her.

  Cassie turned to Scott. "I think we can handle this from here."

  "I'll stay." Scott wove past Cassie to stand next to Erin's chair, placing his hand on her arm. "I'm sorry, Erin. I shouldn't have said anything. I didn't know it would upset you."

  Erin dabbed at her face with a tissue, which made little difference since tears continued to run down her face. "You didn't know? What do you think I am?"

  The minister pointed to a chair. "Mr. Dunstan, perhaps you should have a seat as well."

  Scott looked guilty. "I'm sorry. She's upset because of something I said."

  "I heard what you said." The minister spoke in a calming voice. "But I'm not the one you need to explain it to."

  Scott squirmed, as if trying to find a place to hide in the chair, but he didn't let go of Erin's arm. "I couldn't stand it, Erin. Listening to them going through their wedding vows. We couldn't even get them to admit they breathed the same air, much less that they liked each other. Remember? You and I had everything going for us, but now you'll barely speak to me. I'm not blaming you, I just can't help thinking that it should be the other way around. This should have been our wedding."

  Cassie fumed as she watched Erin cover her eyes with the tissue. She couldn't believe Scott would do this.

  Finally Erin choked out a few words. "I don't want to talk about it."

  The minister spoke in a kind voice. "The ability to communicate is God's gift to us. Where would we be if we never spoke to each other? That's how wars and hatred start. Charity and forgiveness begin with understanding, and for that we have to talk. Even when we don't want to." He rose stiffly to his feet and laid his hand on the doorknob. "Cassie, I'm sure they're waiting for you at the restaurant. We'll manage here."

  Cassie found herself shuffled out of the office and facing a closed door. Her first instinct was to charge back in, but what could she do there anyway? Erin was a big girl and could take care of herself. She made her way back into the church. It was empty except for Calder, sitting in the back pew.

  He stood and took her hand. "Is Erin okay?"

  "She's upset. Is Scott religious?"

  "Not particularly. Why?"

  Cassie couldn't help but see the humor in the situation. "Neither is Erin, and I have the feeling they're both about to get a lecture from the minister. I wish I could watch."

  "Maybe he can do some good where we couldn't. I wouldn't mind that."

  "Me either." But she thought it unlikely. "Where is everybody?"

  Calder released her. "At the restaurant. Ann herded everyone out. My parents took the girls with them."

  "Oh, no." The idea of Calder's parents with her nieces was a more dangerous proposition than the minister with Scott and Erin. "We'd better get over there before somebody's killed."

  Astonishingly enough, everyone seemed to be conversing amicably when they arrived at the dimly lit Italian restaurant Ann had chosen. Cassie had to hide a laugh when she heard Joe Westing ask her father whether he thought the Sox could take the pennant this year.

  Alicia ran between the tables and skidded to a halt in front of them. "Cassie, look what Uncle Joe gave me!" She pointed to a gold locket around her neck. "It's to wear at the wedding, and it's got a diamond. Teresa has one, too. Wait till Mom sees us!"

  "Uncle Joe? I hope you thanked the Senator nicely." Cassie wondered how he had managed that. Calder's father couldn't have known who was in the
wedding party. Perhaps he came with his pocket full of potential bribes and improvised. Cassie wouldn't put it past him.

  "We did, and we got to ride in their limo. It has a refrigerator in it, and he gave us pop."

  Joe Westing turned to look their way. Cassie wondered if it were possible to be any more mortified. She couldn't imagine what Calder was thinking, especially when Joe started to amble in their direction.

  Alicia lit up even more at his approach. "It has a TV in it, too, don't it, Uncle Joe?"