"If you like," Chloe said, exchanging a smile with Gaelan. They were lucky. Sophia had accepted Chloe as her new mother without hesitation.
Sophia rested her elbows on the table and supporting her face in her hands scrutinised Chloe across the table. Her face contorted into comical shapes as she mulled over the problem.
"I will call you Chloe until you and Daddy get married. Then I’ll call you Mommy," she concluded. She sipped her soup from her spoon, her busy mind at work over a new problem. "It's a good thing the wedding is not at a church," she said a few moments later.
"Why’s that?" Chloe asked.
"’Cause if it was at a church, Cookies wouldn't be able to come. I don't think they let cats into churches."
"We hadn't thought of that," said Gaelan with a wink at Chloe. "But it is a good point."
Sophia chewed thoughtfully on a muffin, and Chloe somehow knew she had an agenda in mind. "If I had a puppy, he could come to the wedding, too."
Gaelan and Chloe laughed together. So much for the wedding being the favourite topic of conversation. Sophia was not going to give up on the puppy, and Chloe knew she and Gaelan were going to have to discuss it. Sooner or later they were going to have to tell Sophia yes or no. Chloe liked the idea of making this decision with Gaelan, as she liked everything about her new role as mother.
Sophia continued. "You put the wedding rings on the pillow, and the puppy carries the pillow in his mouth. I saw it in a movie."
"What happens if the puppy chews the pillow and swallows the rings?" Gaelan asked.
Sophia dropped her spoon into her soup and shook her head at Gaelan in exasperation. "You have to train the puppy, you silly." she said with exasperation.
"Your Daddy silly?!" Windy exclaimed with mock indignation as she passed a slice of buttered bread to Sophia. "You're the one that's as foolish as old socks. Imagine a cat and a dog at a wedding! As if my nerves weren't skinny enough as it were!"
"You're an old sock," Sophia said to Windy as she stuffed the bread into her mouth.
"I think you're a pair of old socks," Gaelan said, regarding both of them with indulgence.
Sophia laughed at Gaelan's joke. "You're an old sock too," she hooted. "And Chloe. We're all old socks."
Gaelan got up from the table, shaking his head at Sophia. He had to attend a meeting in Puffin's Cove and was already running late. He had proposed a joint venture between Byrne Enterprises and the town to address the current unemployment problem. Fishing had once been a way of life on the island, but the stocks of cod were now depleted, and a generation of young people whose families had for centuries fished off Newfoundland's Grand Banks were continuing to face an uncertain future. Gaelan, whose love of the island extended to its people, was passionate about bringing them a more prosperous future.
Gaelan gave Sophia a goodbye hug. "Do you need anything while I'm in town, Windy?"
"No, thanks. My nephew Cullen is picking up groceries for me later."
"Chloe?"
"No, thanks," she said, getting up. She was on her way to the ballroom to see if Renée, the wedding planner, needed any help. "But I'll walk you to the door," she added.
"You didn't ask me if I needed anything," Sophia called after them.
"I'm sorry, honey," he said. "What would you like?"
"A puppy!" she announced triumphantly.
Chloe walked with Gaelan across the hall to the front door. "You know, we're eventually going to have to make a decision about that puppy," Chloe said.
"I know," he said. "How about we make it a wedding present from us to Sophia? That way she'll have something to amuse her while we're away on our honeymoon."
"Sounds like a great idea," Chloe said. They were going to Paris for their honeymoon. It was only for a week, but Chloe felt badly about leaving Sophia behind with Windy.
They kissed goodbye, and Chloe watched Gaelan drive out of sight. She was glad he was only going to Puffin's Cove. He would be back by dinner, and she looked forward to spending a quiet evening with him. Last week he had gone to Montreal for two days, and to Chloe it had seemed a century.
It was something she knew she would have to get used to. While she could sometimes accompany him on business, she knew it wouldn't always be possible, especially when she had Sophia to care for. She would have to get used to spending at least some time away from him.
She touched her lips where he had kissed her and felt a shiver of expectation for the evening ahead when they would end up in his bed - their bed - and find new ways to delight each other until they fell asleep in each other's arms.
She murmured another prayer of thanks for all the happiness that had befallen her. Gaelan as her husband, Sophia as her child, Widow's Cliff as her home. And there was one other thing. She touched her flat stomach with her hand and prayed too that it was true. Her usually regular period was now four days late. She would know for sure by the wedding day. It would be her wedding present to Gaelan. The best one she could possibly imagine.
* * *
It rained for more than a week. Rain and wind and fog so thick they could be cut with a knife. And while the day of the wedding dawned clear, the forecast was for snow. Snow - on the last day of May.
Chloe took a long hot bath, wrapped herself in a bathrobe, and sat at her dressing table drying her hair. Not in the master bedroom suite she now shared with Gaelan, but her old one, the one she had stayed in when she first arrived at Widow's Cliff. She glanced at the full-length mirror and remembered how she had stood in front of it in her long black negligée, thinking how she would sacrifice everything to have one night in Gaelan's arms. Back then, it had never crossed her mind that she would stand at the same mirror in her wedding dress. Not one night but until death do us part. And she was not sacrificing anything but rather gaining everything. Gaelan, a home, a daughter, and, she thought, placing her hand over her stomach, this new life, conceived on the first night they’d made love. She had found out for sure yesterday. She had gone to the clinic in Puffin's Cove, and her heart had leapt with joy when the doctor congratulated her on the test findings. It had been so hard not to call Gaelan right then and there, but she was determined to keep this as a surprise for the night of their wedding.
Downstairs, caterers were busy preparing food in the kitchen, flowers were being delivered, last-minute decorating was taking place while Renee went around giving orders with military precision. But despite all this activity, it was strangely quiet. Windy and Sophia had gone to Windy's sister's house where they were getting ready. They could have prepared just as easily at Widow's Cliff, but Sophia was so excited she was constantly in the way.
Gaelan had flown to his San Francisco office a couple of days before to deal with an emergency. She had been disappointed he had to leave so soon before the wedding. Just think, he had said, the next time you see me I'll be waiting for you to come down the aisle. It was a lovely image, and she comforted herself with it as she lay in the big empty bed at night. His trip had one practical element. He promised to arrive in his private jet at the same time as her parents’ flight was due in from Boston via Halifax and drive them in his Rolls. Chloe glanced at the clock on the dressing table. They would be more than halfway to Puffin's Cove by now. Renee had booked a bed and breakfast for Gaelan and Chloe's family, and they would dress there before heading out to Widow's Cliff.
The three hours before the wedding stretched ahead of her like an eternity. She didn't need any longer than twenty minutes to get dressed. Twenty minutes to do her makeup, and another ten for her hair, which she had insisted on doing herself. Renee had told her to be ready at 1:30 sharp when Marcus's girlfriend, Kathryn, her maid of honour and only bridesmaid, would join her before they came downstairs together. She still had two hours to kill.
Her dress was hanging on the front of the wardrobe. Unlike the elaborate fairy-tale creations in Sophia's pictures, it was simple and elegant in creamy silk. She knew she looked wonderful in it, and she couldn't wait for Gaelan's reaction.<
br />
Chloe heard a knock on the door and called out for whoever it was to come in. She had expected Renée, but the woman standing in the doorway in a long fur coat and tall black boots was a complete stranger. About thirty-five, tall, rail thin, and while she looked to be naturally blond, her hair was bleached almost white from the same sun that had left her looking too tanned for a Newfoundland spring. Marcus's girlfriend? She had not yet met her bridesmaid, and she had no idea what she looked like, but she hadn’t imagined her looking like this. "Kathryn?" she asked hesitantly. She approached the woman, ready to hold out her hand and introduce herself, but the woman shook her head.
"No, I'm not Kathryn," she said a little impatiently. "Who's Kathryn?" Chloe felt the woman look her up and down, and she held the dressing gown tightly around her.
"My maid of honour. I've never met her before. So I thought…"
"Isn't that that a little unusual? Having a woman you've never met before as your bridesmaid?" The woman closed the door behind her, and Chloe caught the heavy scent of her perfume.
"She's the best man's girlfriend," Chloe explained. She wanted to say that it was none of this woman’s business, but she didn't want to offend one of Gaelan's business associates. At least she assumed this woman was one of his business associates. She couldn't imagine him having a friend this rude.
"I see," the woman said without any particular interest, her icy blue eyes now taking in the room around her.
Chloe didn't know why, but the woman immediately unsettled her. Perhaps it was because wealth hung around her like an aura, and Chloe felt suddenly like the poor country cousin. Strange, really, she should feel this way when she was about to marry one of the wealthiest men in North America. But then, it wasn't his wealth she had fallen in love with, and she still hadn't quite grasped the idea of being rich. Sometimes she wished Gaelan didn't have any money - at least then he wouldn't have to go away as often on business.
"I almost thought that French woman wasn't going to let me see you. She's pretty possessive of this whole affair," the stranger said with a sudden hint of humour. She looked much more human when she smiled.
Chloe attempted a smile. "Renée's our wedding planner. She just wants everything to be perfect."
"Well, the dress sure is perfect," she said, examining the wedding gown with an experienced eye.
Chloe nodded, feeling irrationally pleased that this unknown woman approved. She held out her hand to the woman and introduced herself. At least she had someone to talk to for a while. It would make the time go faster.
The woman took her hand briefly. Her hands were manicured to perfection, and she wore a large opal on her ring finger. "Cassandra Belcaro." Chloe didn't remember the name from the guest list, but then there were so many unfamiliar names on it she was hardly surprised.
"How do you know Gaelan?" Chloe asked.
"Oh, Gaelan and I go a long way back," she said with a dismissive wave. "I must say, I was surprised to hear he was marrying again. How long have you two known each other?"
Chloe blushed slightly, recalling her mother's reaction to their very brief acquaintance. "About two months," she said.
"Rather quick, don't you think? Are you sure you know him well enough?"
Any feeling of friendship toward the woman quickly evaporated.
"Gaelan and I have the rest of our lives to get to know each other," she said a little haughtily.
The woman arched her well-shaped eyebrows. "Spoken like a true woman in love," she said with a sigh and a sad nod of her head. “Or maybe lust.”
Suddenly Chloe felt very angry. What gave this woman the right to cross-examine her like this, business associate of Gaelan's or not? Chloe was very close to asking her to leave.
Cassandra continued. "I was hoping to speak to Gaelan before the wedding, but I was informed by that French woman he is en route from the airport with your parents."
"Yes. He was returning from a business trip to San Francisco at the same time and kindly offered to drive them."
Cassandra nodded dismissively. She walked to the loveseat in front of the fireplace where a small fire burned on the hearth and sat down. She unbuttoned her coat, revealing a short black dress. Then, taking out a compact from her bag, she checked her flawless makeup.
"It doesn't matter," she said, putting her compact away. She looked at Chloe and shook her head slowly at her. "It's probably better that I talk to you anyway."
Chloe felt suddenly uneasy. She had felt nauseous that morning but put it down to the excitement of the wedding or even a touch of morning sickness. Now she felt it again. She knew that whatever this woman was about to say to her wasn't going to be good. She wished she had the nerve to tell her to leave.
"I'm assuming that since you don't know your own maid of honour, you don't know a whole lot about Gaelan?"
"I know enough," Chloe said staunchly.
"Has he ever mentioned that he was married before?"
"Yes."
"What did he tell you about her?"
Suddenly Chloe didn't care if she offended one of Gaelan's friends or business acquaintances. This woman had no right to interrogate her, and she was sure Gaelan would not tolerate this if he were here. "I don't know if it's any of your business," she said firmly.
"Maybe not," Cassandra said with a slight shrug, "But I do think you have a right to know the truth."
"I do know the truth," she said confidently.
"You mean Gaelan's version of the truth."
"Of course," she said. "Who else's? Bowen's?"
Cassandra looked surprised. "So you know Bowen? I can't imagine Gaelan telling you Bowen's side of the story."
"Yes, I've met him," Chloe said warily.
"And did he tell you about himself and Colleen?"
Chloe didn't answer. She felt trapped in her own room. The clock on the dressing table ticked away the seconds as it counted down to her wedding. She was approaching what was to be the happiest moment of her life. So why did she feel this impending sense of doom? She glanced at the door and wondered if maybe she should just walk out herself.
Cassandra clearly took Chloe's discomfort for a yes. "I suppose Gaelan disputed everything Bowen told you."
"Of course," she said. She remembered the day she had met Bowen and how she had at first thought he was a nicer version of Gaelan. He had told her about Colleen and how Gaelan had stolen her away from him. She recalled how he insinuated that Gaelan had played a role in Colleen's death.
"Did it ever occur to you there might have been a grain of truth in Bowen's version?"
"No," Chloe said sharply.
"I think the lady doth protest too much."
"Look," said Chloe, genuinely angry now. "Did Bowen send you here? Because if he did, I want you to leave right now. I don't want to hear any more of his lies."
Cassandra laughed. "Bowen didn't send me here. I haven't seen Bowen in years. And to tell you the truth, I'm not sure what Bowen made of Colleen's death. Although I'm sure he didn't agree with the official verdict of an accident."
Chloe went over to the window and looked out over the ocean unseeingly. It was clear Cassandra had come to tell her something about Gaelan, and she had the impression she was not doing it out of kindness. She would hear her out only because she didn't know how to make her leave, and when Gaelan arrived she would tell him what had happened. She couldn't believe that he would invite this woman to their wedding.
Still standing at the window, Chloe spoke. "Why don't you just tell me why you're here? Because in case you hadn't noticed, I'm getting married, and I have to get ready." No matter what this woman said, she was not going to let her ruin her wedding. She turned to face her.
The Billionaire's Secrets Page 14