Love With A Stranger

by Taylor, Janelle

  She was delayed for ten minutes while speaking with Linda who had phoned to see how she was doing. After Cass revealed her plans, Linda said she wished she could join her but she was packing to head for a new assignment this afternoon.

  After telling a surprised Inez she was going shopping, Cass drove to a fine furniture store in Brunswick and selected a new bed with an intricately carved walnut headboard, which would match the other furniture in her suite. The store agreed to deliver it that afternoon to Cass’s delight. She went to Glynn Place Mall on the Golden Isles Parkway and purchased new bed linens and accessories at one of the four large department stores located there, all in a feminine Victorian pattern in shades of pinks, mauves, creams, and greens. She knew her choices would make her suite look different from the blacks, browns, and beiges of the English Manor design which the decorator had used and Tom had loved, but not her.

  While she was at the mall, she visited several other stores and shops and made more purchases to enhance the look she had in mind. Before heading home, she splurged on a late lunch of a hamburger with all of the trimmings, french fries, and a diet 7-up.

  Cass was glad Inez had left at two o’clock for a dental appointment because it prevented the woman from witnessing her actions and annoying her with questions and comments. The new bed arrived at three o’clock, and she paid the deliverymen extra to disassemble the old headboard and store it in the garage for her until she decided what to do with it. As soon as the men were gone, she carried the boxes loaded with old linens to the garage and placed them there, too.

  Afterward, Cass made the bed with a new mattress pad, sheets, pillows, coverlet, and dust ruffle. She placed an assortment of decorative shams and throw pillows on it in various sizes and shapes. She stood on a ladder to hang the matching swags and ivory sheers, then added a painting over the bed of a Victorian lady sitting on a window seat and reading a book of poetry. Where she had removed souvenirs of Tom’s from past holidays, including the Atlas statue he had given to her, she set other items here and there: miniature pictures of flowers, a ceramic Lenox rose, a candleholder with a pedestal-style base with tiny pale-pink and dark-mauve roses and ivy draped over it, and a handpainted oval ring box.

  When she finished, she walked around the room and paused in several places to admire the striking and soothing results. Now this bed would be hers, and no ghosts of Tom and his lovers would trouble her at night.

  There was no need to redecorate her bath and dressing room, as Tom had had his own bathing and grooming area on the other side of the bedroom.

  She headed down the hallway to do a few things downstairs, but halted at Tom’s old office to close that door until she could redo it into a sitting room or an office for herself.

  Using a laundry basket, she removed pictures and other reminders of Tom in the living room and den. Where a large picture of Cass and Tom had been sitting on a fossil stone mosaic console in the formal room, she placed the Goad silk mini-screen. She stepped back and eyed the replacement. She smiled because it was lovely; it was hers; it was perfect for that spot.

  Where Tom’s portrait had hung over a fireplace in the den, she suspended the new painting she had purchased this week, a serene watercolor featuring the local marsh view. She packed the portrait in the painting’s box to protect it against damage until she could give it to Peter, if he wanted it.

  Since it was past six-thirty, Cass took a break to eat some raw carrots, a ham sandwich, no-fat yogurt, and an apple, washing down the food with a caffeine-free cola. As she snacked, she watched the last twenty minutes of the national news and the first ten minutes of a talk show. Concentrating on the television allowed her to stop thinking about Tom and her impending chore.

  After she finished and cleaned up the kitchen and breakfast room table, Cass headed upstairs to begin her next task. She decided not to box up Tom’s clothes until she asked Peter if he wanted to go through them. The men were almost the same size and Tom’s garments were expensive ones from top designers, so Peter might want some of them. While she had privacy, she went through every pocket of every item to make certain Tom hadn’t left a revealing note or item there for his son or another person to find, but discovered nothing. Using a stepladder, she did the same with the shoe boxes and other containers on the closet shelves, then checked the drawers of the built-in chest.

  Cass then went to Tom’s office and sat a box on the floor. She placed his scrapbook and photo album in it to give to Peter. She examined the contents in every drawer, file folder, and on every shelf. Once more, she decided to ask Peter to go through them to see if there was anything he wanted to take for himself.

  As she worked, Cass recalled the diary that she had placed in her closet safe until she was in the mood to break the lock and read it. If there was nothing scandalous written there, she would give it to Peter. But if dark secrets were exposed, she would destroy it, as it would be cruel and unnecessary to subject Peter to the same kind of torment she had endured upon learning the bitter truth.

  It was almost eleven o’clock and she had accomplished a lot, so she showered and put on a shiny emerald nightgown, its satin material feeling sensuous against her bare flesh. As she lay down between the new sheets, she thought how good it felt to be in a bed that the traitorous Tom hadn’t slept in. She smiled and enjoyed her new and clean surroundings. Even the smell in the room was different, fresh and invigorating. Her head was clear now that she didn’t have to take medication, but she was drowsy and relaxed and calm despite her exertions and excitement.

  Thursday morning, the housekeeper asked in horror, “What have you done, Mrs. Grantham? Where are Mr. Tom’s pictures, his treasures, his bed, and his linens?”

  Cass witnessed a look of shock on Inez’s face. She continued to arrange the flowers and greenery she had gathered from outside in a lovely vase. “I made a few changes yesterday after you left to help get rid of the gloomy atmosphere in the house. Don’t they look wonderful?”

  “Oh, my heavens, it’s awful! What is Mr. Peter going to say?”

  Cass halted her task, looked at the woman, and asked, “Why would he have anything to say, Inez? This is my home, not his.”

  “But Mr. Tom would be terribly upset! He would—”

  “Tom is dead, Inez, gone forever. I only removed things that were painful reminders of him, so—”

  “But you shouldn’t forget him! Not this soon, ma’am!”

  It was obvious to Cass that Inez was not thinking clearly or she would remember that she was the employee and was speaking offensively to her boss! “It’s been over a month since Tom’s death, Inez. If I want to keep my sanity and find some happiness again, I can’t mourn him day and night. I can’t let this house become a memorial to him; I must put away my past with him and get on with my life. That’s what Peter told me to do several times.”

  “But I’m sure Mr. Peter didn’t mean for you to act so foolish. You even took down Mr. Tom’s picture over the fireplace and others in the den.”

  Inez’s last statement sounded as if the woman was accusing Cass of committing a crime. “Would you want your dead husband staring down at you every day after he was gone? How can I relax in the den with that constant reminder of him?” and his blasted treacheries!

  “I would cherish my husband’s memory and look at it every day.”

  “I guess that’s where we differ, Inez, and people do have different ways of grieving, recovering, and starting a new life. Don’t worry, Tom’s memory won’t fade; several donations were made to charities and foundations in his honor.”

  “But you’ve shoved him out of his home, ma’am. That’s wrong.”

  “This is no longer Tom’s home, Inez; it’s mine; you work for me now, and Peter. I have to do what I think is best for me, so I’ll make any changes that are necessary for me to do so,” she added in a tone of warning to silence the irritated and brazen woman. “The old bed and its linens are in the garage. If you would like to have them, they’re yours.” Cass n
oted that the woman looked as if she had slapped her in the face.

  “Oh, no, ma’am, I couldn’t sleep on Mr. Tom’s bed!”

  Nor could I, you old witch! “Then I’ll donate them and Tom’s clothes to a local charity or church fund to help the unfortunate. As soon as Peter goes through them to make certain he doesn’t want any of them, I’ll box them up and deliver them myself. Since these changes so obviously annoy and anger you, I wouldn’t dream of asking you to run that errand for me.” Cass hoped that pointing out how the woman’s conduct appeared to her would cause Inez to grasp her unacceptable behavior and correct it. “Now, is there anything else you want to say or ask before you return to your chores?”

  “No, ma’am, nothing.”

  Cass deduced that her ploy worked, because Inez didn’t argue with her again before she left the room, but neither did the sullen housekeeper apologize for being impolite and bossy.

  Cass was delighted when Jason phoned later in the evening to see how she was getting along since Linda’s departure. She told him she was feeling fine and had been doing a little redecorating. She even whispered into the receiver that Inez was most displeased with her for making those changes. She also told him that Peter was away, and she missed Linda’s company. “I could have used her help carrying packages while I was shopping yesterday.”

  “It’s good to hear you’ve been going out and you’re staying busy. I have this afternoon off, so why don’t I stop by at one to check on you before my golf game?”

  “That would be nice. I have appointments with our lawyer and accountant at three and four-thirty, so your timing is perfect. And would you check to see if Mary Ellis still has an opening? I’ll need to make a change in housekeepers soon.”

  “I’ll be happy to do that favor. You’ll find Mary delightful to be around and she’s a wonderful worker, honest, dependable, good-natured.”

  “Anything and anybody would improve my current situation, but she sounds like a treasure.”

  At twelve-forty-five, Cass sent Inez to purchase a few items at the grocery store so the woman wouldn’t be there when Jason arrived. As she showed him the changes she had made in the house, she queried him about Mary Ellis.

  “She said she could come on Mondays and Thursdays if that would be sufficient for your needs,” Jason revealed. “Today is the last day with her other employer because they’re moving soon, so she can start next week.”

  “Two days a week will be perfect. I don’t need a daily housekeeper; that was Tom’s idea. He insisted that I not do any cleaning or cooking, or even laundry and errands. But I don’t mind doing some of those things and I did them before we married. All I need is for Mary to clean the house thoroughly, and I can take care of the rest. In fact, it will give me worthwhile things to do with my time.”

  “That sounds like a good idea to me. And, yes, you can stop taking any medication, but continue with the exercises and relaxation techniques that Linda taught you. And make sure you eat three well-balanced meals a day.”

  Cass laughed and quipped, “Don’t worry, Doctor, I can cook. I may be a little rusty, but I’m sure it will come back to me with practice.”

  Jason grinned as his blue gaze drifted over her. “You look and sound wonderful, Cass, and I’m pleased with your progress. No, your recovery. In my opinion, you’re totally well.”

  Cass made a mock half-bow and said, “Thank you, Jason, because I feel wonderful, better every day.”

  “What you’re doing with the house and for yourself is good for you because you look radiant and relaxed. I remember when I had to pack away reminders of the past. It can be difficult, but theraputic. New surroundings help the healing process. I resisted making those needed changes for too long after Joan died because of the children; it was their home, too, and I didn’t want them to think I was discarding her memory too fast; but I moved a year later.” Jason decided to drop a few facts about himself in case they made a difference to her and could hinder a future relationship. “Actually, I remarried, but it was too fast and we weren’t compatible, so it didn’t work out. I’ve been divorced for thirteen months. I bought the new house a few blocks down the street from here and completely refurnished it after the divorce. I’ve been happy there.”

  “I’m sorry to hear you had such trouble, but as you said about me, you look and sound as if you’re doing great now.”

  “It was a mistake for both of us, but we corrected it quickly. Thank goodness we didn’t have a child, so I don’t have any ties to her. She’s long gone and far away from Sea Island. Now, back to Mary. I’ll give you her phone number. She’ll probably want to meet with you to check the size of your house and duties you want her to perform before she gives you a price, but she’s very reasonable.” Jason glanced at his watch and said, “Well, I best get going and get changed so I won’t be late for our tee-off time. I do want you to come to my office in a couple of weeks and get a complete physical. Call my receptionist and make an appointment for around the twenty-fifth. But call me at home or the office if you have any problems before that date.”

  As Cass escorted him toward the door, she said, “I will, and thanks for everything you’ve done for me.”

  “It’s easy to do things for you, Cass, because you’re a special person.”

  Cass smiled in gratitude, but didn’t respond in like kind. If he didn’t leave soon, she was going to melt under that fiery blue gaze! She could hardly keep from staring at him, from touching him! He was just too enchanting and irresistible, too darned tempting! She opened the door and said, “Thanks for stopping by, Jason.”

  He paused in the doorway, turned, and asked, “Would you like to have dinner with me tomorrow night at the Cloister? Maybe take a scenic drive afterward? We could both use a diversion after a hard week of work.”

  Cass accepted before comtemplating whether or not she should, “That sounds nice. I love the Cloister. What time?”

  “I’ll pick you up about six-forty-five and we’ll eat at seven. Okay?”

  “Perfect. I’ll see you then. Good luck with your game today. Goodbye, Jason.”

  She watched him get into his car, start the engine, and leave. Luck was on her side today, she decided, because Jason was out of sight before Inez returned, still in a belligerent mood. With other and more important matters on her mind, Cass ignored the woman and went to freshen up for her two appointments.

  Before leaving the house later, Cass not only let Inez leave early that afternoon but also gave her Friday off, which the housekeeper protested to no avail. If luck stays with me tomorrow when I meet with Mary, you’ve seen your last day here.

  As she drove to the two meetings, Cass recalled that both would be brief ones because she had given the men such short notice when she’d made them yesterday. In fact, she still was surprised they had agreed to see her so soon after contacting them. She was dressed in a lovely pale-green suit by Oberon, low heels, and simple jewelry. She had worn her wedding rings out of what she considered propriety for this occasion. Her hair was clean, shiny, and wavy from hot rollers. Her makeup had been applied with a light, but flattering, touch; as had Chanel #5 perfume.

  She waited only five minutes before she was shown into the lawyer’s office and seated before his large burled walnut desk. She was greeted with courtesy and received an advanced apology for the impending rush. She smiled and said it was unnecessary and she appreciated him taking time from his busy schedule to see her.

  Tom’s lawyer got down to business immediately and went over the will with her, but there was very little to discover, as Peter had covered almost everything in their past discussion. She learned that all of the dispensations either had been handled or were still in progress. He gave her the deed to the house, now in her name, for which the loan balance had been paid off as per Tom’s instructions. The trust fund had been set up at Tom’s local bank and was functioning to support her. She took the file Simon Johnson handed to her containing a list of her holdings, due dates for payments of
interests and earnings, and other legal papers, and was told to keep it in a safe place. He explained the remarriage stipulation, saying she could keep anything she had collected from the trust fund to that point in time; any balance would be turned over to Peter on the day of her remarriage. And, the bloodline will returned all Grantham monies and properties to Peter or his heirs following her demise, no matter if she rewed or the ten-year timetable had passed and she had collected the entire inheritance.

  Simon also explained that although she had a forty-nine percent interest in the eight companies, Peter was in control of running them. At that point, he asked her if she had any questions. Cass thought the man looked uneasy. She told him no, but suspected he was withholding facts in that area. Since he was Peter’s lawyer and the eight companies’ lawyer, she reasoned, no doubt he valued those clients and was trying to protect them from interference by a woman ignorant of business matters. As long as no problems arose and she received her earnings from them, Cass decided, she would not intrude on Peter’s decisions.

  The lawyer went on to explain the donations to certain charities and foundations, all in the name of Thomas Ethan Grantham: a small wing at a hospital, several college scholarships, a free clinic for the poor, funds for the arts and for conservation and ecology.

  Perpetual fame and gratitude from people and organizations who don’t realize what a terrible and wicked man you were! At least you did a few good things with your life and money!