Broken Angel

by Nona Mae King

  “Is this still yours?”

  Robert nodded. “Father doesn’t know what to do with the land and feels the building isn’t worth the effort.” He looked to her. “I was hoping we could think of something.”

  Rachel’s lips twitched as she turned away to perform a slow and complete walk-through. Robert, in turn, accepted the picnic basket from the driver and then set it up on a rug placed on the ground in the center of the main room. When Rachel returned, he offered her a plate of fruit and a napkin. She carefully kneeled across from him before accepting it.

  “So tell me,” Robert pressed. “What do you think? Please don’t say we must tear it down.”

  Rachel shook her head. “The foundation seems firm enough, and the walls are sturdy. The roof has seen better days, but…. This would make a handsome summer getaway, if you were so inclined. It’s secluded. The floor plan allows easy access to all rooms.” She accepted a glass of chilled juice with a nod of thanks. “All in all, I believe it will do nicely.”

  Robert hid a smile behind his napkin.

  “Don’t snigger at me,” Rachel said shortly. Her eyes fairly twinkled with mischief, though.

  “So sorry.”

  She arched an eyebrow. “I question your sincerity, but never mind.”

  Robert began to peel an orange, and Rachel watched him from the corner of her eyes. Her distant attitude intrigued him, for this one was different than the others, but he kept himself from commenting. “I had actually hoped to contract the building of an addition,” he confessed.

  “Oh?” A smile tickled her lips just before she dropped the last morsel of strawberry into her mouth with a sidelong glance in his direction. “For what reason?”

  Robert leaned back onto his elbows and forearms, stretching his legs out in front of him. “I thought of having this be my home once… once I am wed.”

  Rachel held his gaze for the merest moment before looking to her plate to choose another bit of fruit. “I see.”

  Robert lifted an eyebrow as he attempted to gauge her expression. It had appeared almost playful. A shadow of the portrait from his room at the hotel. He smiled. “You don’t believe it wise? Being so secluded with someone of my… charm could definitely be… overwhelming.”

  “Yes, I don’t doubt that it could be. You’ve an innate talent for tweaking people’s tempers.”

  Robert laughed. “But, seriously, Rachel,” he pressed, “I believe this would make a fine estate, be it a bit simple. I understand it’s a long jaunt from practically everything, but the land has so many different possibilities, as does the house. I would hate to have it continue to sit here unused.”

  Rachel again regarded the house, this time nibbling on the end of her fingernail as the thoughtfulness and intelligence worked together within her green eyes. Robert enjoyed watching her. She was so entrancingly lovely and exquisite. Sophisticated. Dramatic. Complex. Yet there hovered a sensitivity just beneath her exterior that drew him, pushing him even to ask those questions that should be labeled dangerous.

  The sensitivity that he believed she blamed for being sent away.

  That sensitivity should be welcomed back, Lord, and what a prospect to help her do just that! Terrifying and yet… He could feel the eagerness rising within. The opportunity to know the sensitive Rachel as well as the firm was tremendously attractive.

  “Do you have schematics of your different plans?” she asked, her gaze finally focusing on his face.

  Robert dragged his focus back. “Of course. The plans are in my room at the hotel, if you would be interested in offering your opinion.”

  The expression of surprise that darkened her green eyes wasn’t expected. “But this is your property, Robert. Why would you want me to interfere?”

  “Interfere?” Robert laughed. “Rachel, I value your opinion. Why do you think I brought you out here?”

  “But isn’t the remodeling of this house your passion? Aren’t you concerned I wouldn’t have the same affinity for the perfection of it?”

  His expression softened. “The remodel isn’t my passion, Rachel. It’s close to my heart, yes, but that still leaves room for treasured and valued opinions.” Robert looked around the house at the memories there as well as the expectation of those waiting to be created. “You always offer honest insight into possibilities to be had, and so I wanted to have that for this as well.”

  “Robert?”

  “Hm?” he responded absently.

  “What is your passion?”

  Robert focused on her. “Pardon?”

  Rachel motioned to him with her closed fan. “Your passion. You mention a desire to champion the less-fortunate children using your knowledge of law, and you show a deep desire to nurture these children. Yet you also show an intense interest in business and law… What is your passion?”

  “Lately, the children.”

  “As you confessed on the train, of a growing desire for family,” she reasoned.

  “Yes.”

  “Then why do you continue to study business and law so tenaciously?”

  “Due mostly to the fact business is an ever-changing world. A subtle, often mysterious adventure into an avenue few travel.”

  Rachel began lightly and rhythmically moving her fan - almost like a tap - as she processed his answer. The intensity within her eyes and on her face never ceased to move him. “Life in business,” she offered.

  Robert smiled. “Yes.”

  She motioned to him yet again with the fan. “You take a type of pride in succeeding in the business world, don’t you?”

  Robert shook his head, and Rachel arched an eyebrow. “I don’t take pride in my accomplishments simply for the accomplishment’s sake. It’s a pride… Perhaps pride is the wrong word.” He pursed his lips to one side as he absently frowned at the toes of his leather loafers. Then Robert gave a nod and again met her gaze, noticing her slight smile with a tightening of his chest. “There is a satisfaction in succeeding because God receives His glory. After all, He’s the reason I’m successful. The moment I take the credit from Him, I fail; both in the business world and in my personal walk with Christ.”

  Rachel again raised the fan to a tap of her lips. “So, you attribute all the successes you’ve had to a supernatural intervention?”

  “Not quite so vague as that. God blessed me with an intellect and instinct in regard to business. When I use it, I must remember to give Him the credit. The way I do that is to bequeath the wealth I’ve earned to those who need it more. That way God receives more glory than I do.”

  The fan paused its tapping, and the expression within her green eyes became an even deeper level of intrigue and thought. “Am I recompense for your obedience?”

  Robert sat up, swiftly reaching his hands out toward her. “Rachel, you’re considered no such thing! My obedience to God has given me personal wealth, yes, but that doesn’t mean He’d offer a human spirit as a reward. My payment is the joy received from helping others. I…” When he noticed her blink of surprise rather than anger, he cleared his throat and rubbed at his neck. “I apologize for that outburst. I thought you were angry.”

  The expression within her green gaze changed slightly. “I do seem to easily fall prey to temper at times,” she confessed.

  Robert chuckled and adjusted his position so that he could sit slightly closer to her right, enjoying the scent of flowers that seemed to hover around her. “I would hazard that you have cause more than you do not, and would likely have surrendered to my own temper had roles been reversed,” Robert offered. He took up one of her hands resting in her lap and smoothed the skin of her hand with his palm. “Hence the reason I argued against your betrothal. I didn’t want you to believe that the man married you for your money, or simply because your fathers had ‘decreed’ it to be their will for your lives and for the life of their companies. You deserved to have the compliment of being sought out and pursued. Of being discovered and appreciated. That was one of the reasons I decided to ask your father p
ermission to court.”

  Rachel regarded him. “But there was a contract,” she reminded.

  Robert nodded. “I know, and I considered that. But had you been involved in that decision? Did you sign your name to that contract?” Robert shook his head. “No, and I wanted to give you this freedom, and I was willing to sacrifice my wealth and position to give it to you. I still will.”

  Rachel suddenly cupped his jaw and lifted his face, urging his eyes to meet hers. At the expression in her green eyes, his heart beat against his chest. For the expression gave him a hint to what the words must have meant to her whom had sacrificed everything and had nothing sacrificed for her.

  “Thank you,” she whispered. A tear escaped her control and slid down her cheek as she freed her hand from his hold to cup his face. “Thank you so, Robert.”

  A warm and terrifyingly strong emotion rose within as Robert watched her cry for the first time since meeting her. The showing of such an extreme emotion of vulnerability tightened his chest and urged forward an emotion he hesitated to give voice. For what it would do to their relationship. To her tender and delicate trust… Yet he couldn’t deny it. It was true.

  Robert gathered her hands from his face to kiss her wrists and palms before drawing her close with a kiss to her temple. “It was my honor, Angel.”

  Though Robert could feel the rigidity of her wavering control as he continued to hold her, she didn’t pull away. Robert closed his eyes, releasing a soft and silent breath as he prayed Lord, please give me wisdom and patience. She was such an extraordinary woman… and he wanted so desperately to do his best to protect her from whatever it was that tortured her soul.

  “I don’t understand why you would risk your inheritance and future for me,” she confessed softly.

  Robert again fought back the press of the confession why. “I hope I haven’t caused fear,” he said instead, voice soft and low. Lord… She elicited such a strong emotion of attraction that she terrified him.

  His statement caused Rachel to slowly push back, revealing an expression of confusion in her emerald eyes that he hadn’t seen before. Not like this.

  “Am I afraid?” she whispered absently, eyes closely examining his face as she sought the answer within. “Why would I be? You are always compassionate. Gently pressing. Forgiving and understanding…” Rachel lifted a hand to smooth his hair from his forehead.

  Robert swallowed hard and yanked back his desire.

  “Afraid of you? Of the eyes that hold such tenderness?” Her fingers traced his jaw to hover near his lips. “Of the lips that laugh? Of the mouth and voice that speak encouragement and… and…”

  Rachel leaned slightly closer, the whisper of her breath against his face causing a barely registered sigh before her lips gently touched his. Tender in a way he had never thought possible. Delicate and… hesitant… “Rachel…” Robert drew her close, caressing her lips again and again as he accepted this sensitive side of a passionate woman.

  Twelve

  Engagements

  “Lunch is served, Miss Rachel,” Oliver reported as Rachel reached the bottom of the stairs. Dressed in a traveling habit of navy blue, there was definite purpose in her graceful descent.

  “I’m sorry, Oliver, but I won’t be dining here until this evening. Set it aside and I will eat it cold when I return.” Rachel fully faced the elderly butler, who stared down at her in mild surprise. Rachel’s seriousness of expression and tone continued as she informed, “I’m on my way to town to make arrangements for the announcement of Mr. Trent and my engagement and impending nuptials. Please have the men search the attic for my hope chest. I believe it is in the northeast corner. Also, have Maggie search out my mother’s wedding dress and gauge the damage and need for repair. If she must send it out to our tailor, by all means have it done.”

  Rachel turned away long enough to take up her gloves and hat. Oliver mutely stared on. “Please have Cook begin to list different options for possible reception dinners - the wedding will be in three months, I understand - and have Louisa begin planning the decorations for the announcement party, the wedding, and the reception. Nothing too dramatic, yet sophisticated enough to show that the Samson’s understand how to design an affair of this magnitude.”

  The hat was placed and secured while Rachel continued to direct. “Oh. Contact the local papers via messenger and have them contact me as soon as possible to arrange interviews. If asked, inform them I plan to arrange a single interview time for all. If they don’t work with me on the scheduling of it, they simply won’t be allowed to participate. Also, warn them that the final draft of the interview will be approved by me before being submitted to press--”

  The front door opened then, drawing Rachel and Oliver’s gazes as Robert Trent peeked his head around with the same boyish expression of curiosity and hesitancy as before. He met her gaze and offered her a smile as he straightened and closed the door behind him.

  “Robert,” she said before he could greet her, “perfect timing. I need you to come with me to choose the decorations for the invitations to the Announcement Party as well as to the wedding itself. Then we had best secure you a suit. If we’ve the time, we’ll need to stop by the jeweler’s and decide upon the ring. At school a friend mentioned a supposedly romantic idea of having a set exchanged rather than a single band given. I would like this to be performed at the ceremony. Dinner will be here this evening once we’ve secured the set. We can decide upon ushers and groomsmen over our meal. I’ll be sure to have Maggie there for notes.”

  Rachel turned back to Oliver, missing Robert’s collection of amazed blinks. She slipped into her gloves. “Leave the dinner plans on my desk in my room. I will look over them later. Have Louisa report to me tomorrow morning over breakfast to discuss details on decorations and needed supplies. Oh. See if you can determine the exact arrival date and time of Mr. Thadius Thorne for my trousseau. I’m of the mind three months won’t be enough time. I might need to instruct him to work with Mr. Belding in town.”

  “Yes, Miss. Of course,” Oliver finally said.

  Rachel smiled and then faced Robert, whose expression seemed a bit… odd. Hm. She took his arm and then guided him out the front door. “If the friend you mentioned before has any desire to participate, you should have him come as soon as he is able. I will need to have him and the other groomsmen we decide upon meet the bridesmaids so that they will be more at ease when doing their part. Also, you will need to contact your parents and inquire whether or not they want to be involved with the planning of the reception. I wouldn’t want them to take offense. In either case, they will more than likely wish to be here for the Announcement Party. I will try to arrange it with enough time for them to come down from Virginia--”

  Rachel’s voice and step both halted when she finally noticed Robert’s expression of mild shock and confusion. He almost seemed dazed.

  “What’s the matter?” she pressed.

  “I… er…” Robert cleared his throat and looked down at his hat he held in his hands before again meeting her gaze. “Rachel, isn’t this premature?”

  “Premature? How so? Father has no intention of delaying the pre-determined date for the nuptials, and I’ve no wish to be caught unprepared.”

  “Rachel, we’ve only kn--”

  “Of course I realize that,” she acknowledged, tone surprisingly patient, “but what choice do we have?”

  “An announcement of our own in our time,” Robert insisted. “What can he do when he knows I’ve wealth enough to support you no matter my father’s decision? Besides, he doesn’t have another heir to his place on the Board. Much as he would hate to admit it, it limits his actions for retaliation.”

  “I appreciate the thought, Robert, but Father has suspended the meetings of the Board until after the wedding holiday, allowing two months for that. I’d rather not put too much burden on the financial stability of the business than what Father deems necessary, much as I hate to admit he is in more of a place to know fe
asibility than I myself. Surely three months is time enough to become familiar with each other. Goodness knows I’ve heard horror stories of ladies knowing their intended for longer than that and still being miserable after their wedding.”

  Robert released a deep breath, still worrying his hat in his hands as he held her gaze. “I don’t like this, Rachel. I feel rushed into something that is more important than society’s view of it. Marriage is for a lifetime, and I’d rather not step into it with you not knowing whether or not you can rely on me as ‘partner’ and ‘friend’ in addition to the role of ‘husband’.”

  “Again, I appreciate the consideration, but I truly believe allowing the marriage to happen by Father’s schedule is best for the business.”

  “But I don’t care about what’s best for the business, Rachel.”

  She blinked at him.

  He cleared his throat. “Rachel, I care for what’s best for you and for us first and foremost. Of course I’ll do my utmost to continue the stability of your legacy once we’ve married, but I won’t sacrifice our relationship for it. Now or later.”

  The expression of soft insistence in voice and eyes pressed against the numbness that bolstered her calm and fed her determination. Deference to her choice. Care of their relationship rather than the priority of business…

  Rachel turned away and continued toward the carriage, Robert falling into step beside her. “I’m sorry, Robert, but the answer is ‘no’. You may, of course, approach Father with the same request, but I highly doubt he will relent his date. He seems to be adamant of reminding me that he’s had this future planned for me without my knowledge. That and he dislikes you more even than Todd.”

  “Three more months before the wedding, Rachel. That’s all I ask.”

  “I told you. I would rather not risk it.” She accepted his help into the carriage, giving a surprised blink when he moved to sit beside her and lean close, expression still gently insistent. Her gaze met and held his.

  “Rachel, please,” Robert said in a gentle yet pressing voice. He took her hand in his. “Don’t let your father manipulate you into cutting short this time. We need it.”