From the Torrid Past
Page 9
When the car screeched to the curb in front of her hotel some fifty minutes after leaving Adelaide and Henry, D'Arcy's own temper was simmering. She turned to look at the man next to her who stared through the windshield. "I should think if you find me so untrustworthy you would want to end this engagement fast," she snapped, stepping to the curb and slamming the door behind her.
The car shot back into traffic and disappeared.
By the time D'Arcy reached her rooms, her legs were shaking. She headed straight for the bed, throwing herself face down on the coverlet, kicking off her shoes as she hit the bed.
The ringing of the phone forced her to surface from the well of sleep. " 'Lo." She swallowed, trying to moisten her dry throat.
"Were you sleeping?" Keele's voice sliced into her sleepiness.
"Yes."
"You have an hour to get ready. We're meeting some associates of mine for dinner."
"If it's business, you don't need me. I'd rather have a tray in my room and an early night."
"Would you now?" Keele's voice was like raw silk. "If you are not in the lobby at the dot of eight, I'll come for you. And I'll dress you, D'Arcy. Make no mistake about that."
The slamming of the receiver echoed and reechoed in her head. She looked at the phone in her hand. "Mr. Keele Petrakis, I hope you fall down an elevator shaft." D'Arcy replaced the instrument on the cradle with great care.
Their morning shopping had completely left her mind until she opened her closet. Mouth agape, she stared at the purchases they had made that morning, all hanging there as though they had been there for years instead of hours. Who had arranged to have them delivered and hung there? The answer to the question mushroomed in her head almost as she thought of the question. Keele! Damn him! He was taking her over just as though she were a company he had purchased.
She fumed and railed at the absent Greek, taking great pleasure in wringing out her washcloth as though it were his neck. While she showered she tried out every nasty phrase she could dream up, picturing herself saying them to a cringing Keele Petrakis. Fat chance he would ever cringe, a mocking voice whispered deep in her mind.
She wasn't exactly calm as she donned her apricot colored underthings, but she was resigned. She faced the closet again and wondered what to wear. For long minutes, she fingered the blue jeans and sweatshirt that hung there. "They're new," she muttered to herself. "The sweat shirt would be such a nice touch at the dinner."
She giggled at the lovely thought, imagining Keele's open-mouthed chagrin.
She sighed and reached for the soft wool dress in a teale blue, that had the fine texture of silk. It had long sleeves that folded back at the wrist, a tight bodice that delineated her tiny waist, and a flaring skirt that showed her long slim legs to advantage. With it she wore a silk scarf ascotted in the arrow neckline. The scarf was geometric patterns of beige. She pinned a butterfly pin with turquoise wings and sapphire eyes to the scarf. The pin had belonged to her mother and was a favorite. With it she wore dot earrings of sapphire. The pierced earrings had belonged to Adelaide's grandmother. Her shoes and bag were beige suede, the heels medium high.
At five minutes before the hour of eight she stepped into the elevator, hoping that Keele would be late.
To her annoyance, he was propped against a pillar staring at the elevator, his watch hand held in front of him.
"My, my, you're on time." Keele took her arm, the steel fingers forestalling any attempt she might make to free herself.
"What did you expect? Your threat worked."
Keele barked a laugh but didn't deny it. "We're meeting my friends at a dinner club. I think you'll enjoy it."
"Would it matter if I didn't?"
Keele didn't answer her. Instead he led her to the chauffeured limousine that he preferred using at night.
Once in the car Keele turned to her and folded her into his arms. Before she could protest, his mouth had clamped to hers and he was taking her over as though she were a claim he had staked. She tried to struggle but it was as though he would not allow her to even consider resistance. She felt herself pulled into him as though he had absorbed her.
When he released her, his breathing was as heavy as her own. For a moment she thought she saw a strange flicker in the golden depths of his eyes, then it was gone. She was so groggy she might have imagined it, she mused, one hand going to her hair.
Keele didn't release her until they had reached their destination. D'Arcy recognized the name on the club as one which she never had even dared hope to enter.
The maitre d' led them to a table off to one side. When D'Arcy looked up she faltered, but Keele's steel hand urged her forward.
"Why didn't you tell me Madame Davos was going to be here? And Elena and Gregor Arfos?" she mumbled.
Keele shrugged, leading her to a chair and beginning to introduce the other people at the table.
D'Arcy knew she would not remember their names.
At once Keele seemed to be drawn into a discussion with the two men across from him.
"It is nice to see you again, Mrs. Kincaid," Madame said through wooden lips.
Keele's head swiveled around, his face granite. D'Arcy had the feeling she smelled brimstone. "Call her D'Arcy, Anna. She is my affianced wife. She will be treated that way."
D'Arcy gasped, pulling at his arm, not wanting him to turn his family against her by his threatening manner.
"What is it you want, my dove? Your kiss? Very well, but then you must let me discuss business." He leaned over her open mouth, hard amusement in his eyes. The kiss was long and intimate. "There. Now let me try to concentrate."
D'Arcy could feel the heat in her face, sure that she would go up in a cinder of embarrassment. She wanted to draw and quarter Keele. "I'm just fine, Madame Davos." D'Arcy's voice was husky, her eyes not quite meeting the other woman's. "I hope you are enjoying your stay in New York."
"Elena and I have shopped." The woman shrugged.
"Neither Anna nor I consider the stores here the equal of Paris." Elena spoke while pushing a brown cheroot into a long holder.
"Then by all means go to Paris," D'Arcy snapped.
The gasps of the two women were masked by Gregor Arfos's shout of laughter.
Keele turned back to look at her, his narrowed eyes taking in the affronted look of his aunt and the two coin-sized red spots on Elena's cheeks. "Now what have you said?"
Gregor spoke before she could open her mouth. "Your lady has the quick answer, Keele Andreas Petrakis. She is like your mother. Ahhh, there was a lady."
Keele nodded to Gregor and gave D'Arcy a hard smile.
D'Arcy looked away from him and leaned toward Gregor. "Tell me about Keele's mother."
He nodded his head, like a bull shagging flies. "She was tall and her hair was like wheat and she could do anything. I was jealous of my friend Andreas, I tell you that." A smile flickered over his face, then he sighed. "She became more beautiful every day and my friend Andreas was at her feet."
"My brother was never at any woman's feet," Anna Davos hissed, her face pale.
"Awww, you were always jealous of her, Anna. Yes, you were, so don't look daggers at me. Andreas shared everything with her. She knew more about his business than he did, I think. She was smart, that one, but always a woman. It is good that they died together. Andreas could not have lived without her." Gregor stared at Anna and gave an assured jerk of his head.
Both Elena and Anna glared at Gregor, but he paid no heed as he told D'Arcy anecdotes about his friend and his friend's wife.
D'Arcy noticed that Keele had stopped talking to his business associate and was listening to Gregor as intently as D'Arcy was.
When dinner was served, all the people at the table with the exception of Elena and Anna were hanging on Gregor's words.
"You will now eat your dinner before it gets cold, Papa," Elena announced.
Gregor shrugged but turned to D'Arcy and winked.
For a few moments silence reigned.
Keele signaled for the waiter to bring another.
"It seems you are always causing problems at the table." Elena tittered, bringing a small smile to Anna's face.
"Do not be silly," Gregor thundered. "Anyone can drop a fork. I do it all the time." He turned to look at a white-faced D'Arcy and reached to pat her hand. "You will like the place I have leased on the Island. It is big and on the water. Greeks like water." He roared at his own joke.
"Mr. Arfos..." D'Arcy cleared her throat. "I had not..."
"What D'Arcy means," Keele interjected, "is that we are delighted that you have invited her son, but from now on you must call him my son as well. I have had my lawyer draw up the papers for adoption so that when D'Arcy and I are married, Sean will become my son."
Chapter 6
D'Arcy had no real awareness of the rest of the evening. She made responses when queries were made of her. She had a bemused knowledge of the hard-eyed looks Anna and Elena gave her. She felt a nervous irritation at the amusement in Keele's eyes when he looked at her. Yet there was a cloudlike feeling to the whole night and she was glad when Keele took her to her door and kissed her good night, not once but many times.
"Don't think I'll allow you to be so detached when we're man and wife, my sweet." Keele's voice was chipped glass. "I fully intend that you will have all your concentration on me."
"Sean occupies much of my thoughts," D'Arcy answered woodenly. "Am I supposed to deny my son because I'm to be married?"
"Not at all. Sean and I will share you, but we will be the only men in your life." He pulled back from her to look down into her face. "And I want the meeting between me and my son to be soon. Do you understand me, D'Arcy?"
"What?" she squawked, feeling her face sag, then somehow getting control of herself. "Yes, yes, I understand."
"Good night, my love. Let's hope you'll be more responsive tomorrow."
"I'm going home tomorrow. I promised I would take Sean to a friend's party. I won't be able to see you." D'Arcy tried to keep her voice even.
The pause was long.
"All right, D'Arcy. We don't see each other until Monday. This is the last time you'll pull that. Clear?"
"Clear." D'Arcy was so relieved she forgot to tell him that she thought his tone was arrogant.
Alone in her hotel bed, she tried to shut the future from her mind. No matter which way she approached it, she could only envision chaos.
When she finally fell asleep, her body and mind ached and the gray tinge of predawn was coating the New York skyline. Her last thought was that at all costs she must protect Sean, that no matter what weapons a powerful man like Keele Petrakis could call into play, she would fight him and she would win.
Saturday was warm. Sailboats dotted the Sound as last-ditch hopefuls tried to hold back the cool autumn weather. You could swim in a heated pool today, D'Arcy mused as she steered her battered car away from the railroad station and headed home.
She arrived at Henry and Adelaide's while Sean was still breakfasting and Adelaide was trying to argue Mushroom out of sharpening her claws on the drapes.
"Why doesn't she do that at your house, D'Arcy?" Adelaide moaned, toting the big cat, which looked more like a fur boa, to the kitchen.
"I don't know." D'Arcy tried to glare at the yawning cat.
"Mommy," Sean roared. "Rag is going to have puppies. Mr. Bidwell said so." Sean smiled at the three open-mouthed adults who looked from him to the snoozing dog under the table.
"Don't be silly," D'Arcy admonished in a reedy voice.
"Rag is spayed, isn't she, Henry?"
"So I thought when I bought her from the Fergusons." Henry was staring at the dog as though the scruffy creature had turned into a piranha.
"Didn't anyone check?" Adelaide whispered, rubbing her hands down the front of her apron.
"Mr. Bidwell says that her teats are swelling nicely and she'll have three or four," Sean announced, still panting slightly from his headlong charge through the door, the space in his mouth gaping wide with pleasure.
"Is that so?" Adelaide replied, sinking into a chair. She looked at D'Arcy, reproach in her eyes. "You might have warned us, dear. I'm not sure I know the procedure for this. What do we feed puppies?"
"The mother takes care of that... at first," Henry said, still staring at Rag. "God, D'Arcy, you should have had a dog when you were little. Then we'd know more than we do."
D'Arcy shrugged. "I was perfectly happy with my parakeet."
Adelaide frowned at D'Arcy. "That was always your trouble. You were never ambitious enough, dear. You should have been more forceful, told us you wanted a dog. I'm sure I wouldn't have minded." Her face crumpled just a bit. "But this... a gaggle of puppies."
"Geese," Henry mumbled.
"What?" Adelaide was horrified. "Surely she'll have puppies. I'm sure that I read somewhere that animals..."
"A gaggle of geese, not puppies. I don't know what they call a group of puppies."
"A herd, Uncle Henry?" Sean offered.
"No, dear, that's a herd of elephants and we don't want that. I suppose we should feel grateful that Rag isn't an elephant. I think the zoning here would not..."
"Adelaide, for God's sake," Henry interrupted.
D'Arcy started to laugh, a soft helpless sound that she couldn't control. All at once she knew that she was both laughing and crying and that Henry was leading her from the room and Adelaide was telling Sean that she would pour him some more milk and some for Rag as well.
The door to Henry's study closed behind him and D'Arcy sank into a chair, covering her face with her hands, trying to stop the shuddering of her body.
"D'Arcy, this farce has gone on far too long. I am going to bring it to an end before you have a breakdown." Henry lifted a hand, palm outward, forestalling any remark from her. "Don't bother trying to talk me out of it, D'Arcy. I'm telling Petrakis that Sean is his natural son. All this deceit is taking a terrible toll on you and I won't allow it to go on."
"Henry, please." D'Arcy stumbled over the words, trying to control herself. "I'm going to tell him myself, but at the right moment. He's a powerful man, Henry. If he decides to fight me for Sean, it could mean trouble. I won't risk losing Sean, no matter what I have to do. He's mine," D'Arcy finished, threading her fingers together.
"He damn well won't take Sean from us," Henry roared, walking to D'Arcy and pulling her head against him. "We'll fight him, D'Arcy. I'm not without influence. People in this town know you and know what a good job you've done with Sean. We have ammunition too, D'Arcy. We can fight and we will—if we have to. No one is taking Sean away from us. But do you really think Petrakis would do such a thing?"
D'Arcy turned in her chair and pressed her face into his vest, her sobbing muffled, the sound of her own crying shocking her. She had not cried since the early days of her marriage to Rudy.
Missy Winslow's party had a clown and D'Arcy and Jimmy's mother, Jen Sturmer, were urged to stay and see the show. For almost four hours, D'Arcy was able to put Keele in a shadowy compartment of her mind, delighting in Sean's delight and the lighthearted chatter of the other women.
On the way home, Sean bounced against the restraints of the seat belt. "I want a clown when I have my birthday and a pony too... and balloons and a red drink."
"How would you like a father instead?" D'Arcy asked, her tones light.
"Instead of a clown?" Sean asked warily. .
"Oh no, we might have the clown too." D'Arcy smiled, glancing quickly at her son.
"Awright, but if I have to choose, I think I'll have the clown."
"Once we have your father in the house, we'll have him always," D'Arcy said in measured tones.
"You told me this once, Mommy," Sean said in a resigned voice. "I'd like a daddy like Jimmy has, but I want a clown too."
"Clowns are pretty special," D'Arcy agreed.
T
hat evening D'Arcy invited Henry and Adelaide to dinner so that Sean could describe in detail the entire party.
Adelaide agreed that Sean should have a clown at his next party. "I do not believe in one-upmanship, but, perhaps we could have two clowns," she mused.
"Adelaide," D'Arcy and Henry chorused.
"Well, after all..." she began.
"S'awright, Auntie Adelaide, one clown is good." Sean patted her cheek with a tacky hand, making Adelaide beam.
The phone rang and D'Arcy was still laughing as she answered it.
"You sound happy." Keele's silky accusation sobered her. "Who is there?"
"Who's calling?" D'Arcy quipped.
"Gambling on the distance between us, my love? Don't." Keele grated into her ear.
"Don't threaten me, macho man!" D'Arcy shouted.
"Calm down, my little firecracker." Real humor edged his voice. "You know damn well that I'm never going to threaten you with physical or mental harm, but I still don't want you in the company of any men but myself."
"Henry and Adelaide are here for dinner so that Sean can tell them all about the party he attended today."
"And didn't you think that I would be interested in the party?" Keele's voice was Antarctica. "Doesn't it stand to reason that I would be interested in my future son's day?"
"Would you like to go to Show and Tell?"
"What? What the hell are you talking about? D'Arcy, if you're trying to play games with me..."
"Sean said that if he had a daddy he would take him as Show and Tell one day ." She swallowed. "Would you go?"
"Tell him to name the day," Keele chuckled, nearly knocking D'Arcy out of her shoes. "All you have to do is make sure he gives me enough notice to clear my calendar," Keele continued as D'Arcy was silent.
D'Arcy felt like a fish, gaffed and boated. Surprise had left her breathless. "You don't mean it," she choked.
"Put Sean on the phone."
"No... I mean, that's not necessary..."
"Put him on the phone, D'Arcy." The order was sizzled into her ear.