Alexander glanced at the couple exiting the room and the child walking shyly beside the mother. Tapping his fingers on the sofa arm, he said, “A word of advice, Alistair. Ashford is a jealous man and quite possessive of his things. He doesn’t like to share or to lose.”
“Things?” Alistair let the word roll on his tongue. “Do you consider her a thing?”
“I didn’t mean that. I just wanted to give you some advice. Use it as you wish. For her sake, if not for yours,” Alexander insisted.
“I think he’s right, Brother,” Alice concurred, quietly arriving at his side.
“You’re all seeing things that don’t exist. Heather and Nathalie have only been dead a year. For Christ’s sake!” Alistair rose and poured himself a large whisky in spite of the early hour. He swallowed it, feeling the burn in his throat as rage seethed in him. “I’ve met the woman before. She’s no novelty to me! I was just talking with her daughter.”
He swallowed the rest of the whisky, banged the glass on the table, and strolled out of the room, leaving an astonished audience to watch his exit.
Chapter 17
Saturday, February 13, 2010
10:00 a.m.
Alistair’s eyes were riveted to Sophia as she walked through the pool area in her Brazilian bikini with a white linen shirt that fell mid-thigh, but did little to conceal her body. He was entranced with the rise and fall of her breasts with each breath, the soft swing of her hair as her head moved, the nervous wetting of her lips with her tongue, the sway of her hips as she walked with her long legs and her firm round butt.
He felt someone looking at him and turned to see Ethan watching him through narrowed eyes. Fuck! No point in staring, in desiring. He nodded and looked away. She had warned him she was seeing someone else. She is Ethan’s.
Alas, his eyes seemed glued to her. Who am I fooling? Alexander is ogling her too. Even Leonard, who only has eyes for Alice is sneaking peeks at her.
He noticed the way she licked her lips and tapped her long nails on her hips. She’s nervous. Why? Doesn’t she know she’s the most beautiful woman here? Possibly in all of England? Curse Ethan and his sense of ownership. At least, he doesn’t seem jealous of Gabriela.
Alistair crossed the pool lounge and sat next to Gabriela and the other children.
Immediately, she smiled at him.
Thank Christ for children.
Ethan noticed the men’s lustful gazes aimed at Sophia. He narrowed his eyes, enraged. Why does she have to wear that bikini? She’s just showing off!
Sophia gave Ethan a smile that he didn’t reciprocate. She shrugged off her shirt, dropped it on a nearby chair, and gracefully dove into the pool. She swam underwater until she reached Ariadne, Alice, Leonard, and him, sitting on a pool step, draping some of her heavy wet hair over her scarred arm.
Ariadne and Gabriela had developed a fast friendship from their first meeting. Ariadne sat herself on Sophia’s lap and Sophia started to braid her long strawberry blonde hair.
Running her hand over Sophia’s left shoulder to her jagged scars, brushing aside her hair, Ariadne asked, “What is this?”
Sophia winced noticeably, as a fierce stab shot through her head, her fingers faltering on the braid.
“Ariadne!” Leonard chastised the girl.
Everyone stopped talking and looked over at them.
Sophia paled and gazed around. She knew. Deep inside, she knew. I can flee to Siberia, but the nightmare will stay with me forever, no matter what I do, no matter how much I try to hide. There’s no escape.
“Ariadne, we don—” Alice began.
“It’s okay, Alice. She’s just curious.” Sophia raised her hand, placating the anxious mother. Turning to the girl, she answered, “It’s an old scar.”
“And how did you get it?”
Sophia heard Alice’s breath hitch but she kept her eyes on the child. How? I don’t remember. “Some bad men shot me about two years ago.” And they killed my husband, destroying my life, and robbing me of my dreams.
The girl’s eyes rounded. “Why?”
“Why?” I don’t know. Sophia’s head pounded. She smiled sadly at the girl, finishing the braid. How can anyone explain this? “Ariadne, they were evil men and they didn’t know good from bad.”
From the corner of her eye, Sophia saw Alice and Leonard shifting uncomfortably. She tried to locate Gabriela but couldn’t spot her from where she was. Her daughter detested when people talked about her scars.
“Does it hurt?”
“Sometimes, a bit.” Oh, it hurts a lot. Every day that I wake up alone. Every night that I go to bed on my own. It hurts every single minute of my goddamned life. But she couldn’t tell this to a child. She noticed Ethan staring at her with a creepy expression. “There. Your braid is done.”
“Thanks.” Ariadne kissed her and moved to sit between her parents. Then she stretched her leg and pointed to a scar on her ankle, which was red still. “I fell from the swing. It’s an ugly scar.”
Sophia smiled at this. “Oh, no, it’s not. Mine is ugly.”
“It’s hideous!” Ethan laughed darkly at her. “It disfigures you.”
Sophia gasped and whispered, “What has gotten into you, Ethan?”
“Does the truth upset you, darling?” he looked angry again.
“Better scarred on the outside than on the inside,” she fired back through clenched teeth without thinking.
“What do you mean by that?” he asked in a menacing voice.
She didn’t answer and got out of the pool with as much composure as she could muster, her head pounding so much she thought she would be sick. She grabbed her shirt, and yanked it through her arms.
Ashford, you son of a bitch. Alistair’s mood had turned thunderously dark as he listened to Sophia and Ethan’s argument and noticed Gabriela watching the scene wide-eyed while sucking her thumb.
Sophia saw Gabriela with Alistair and approached them, her eyes glazed by the pain in her head, the bitter memories, and Ethan’s words.
Without thinking, Alistair transferred the child to Sophia’s extended arms and embraced both of them, saying, “Easy, everything is okay.”
Neither of them noticed when Ethan got out of the pool, hot on her trail. “Take your hands off her!”
Alexander came into Ethan’s path. “There, Ashford. I think you could use a drink.”
“Sophia, dear,” Elena intervened as Leonard flung Alistair a towel for her. “I have to tell you about the event I’m hosting.”
Sophia and Gabriela left the pool in Alistair’s embrace, with Elena leading the way and Leonard at the rear, leaving an enraged Ethan behind.
Coffee and liqueur were served in the square Blue Drawing Room, which faced the gardens. Sophia sat beside Ethan. Although the food was delicious, the lunch was a tense affair for Sophia. She hardly ate, pushing the food around on her plate. Even the wine tasted like acid, but fortunately, Ethan had once again calmed down, as if nothing had happened.
She gradually relaxed, with Ethan’s arm on her shoulders, his hand caressing her left arm, no longer bothered by the scar he said he found so hideous.
Gabriela and Ariadne entered the room through the garden doors, each one running to their mom. Behind them, came Alistair, Andrew, and Domitila, with satisfied smiles on their faces.
“Mamãe, flowers for you.” Gabriela showed a bunch of daisies to Sophia.
“I can make a crown for you with them.” Sophia smiled tenderly at Gabriela. “You’ll be the fairy queen. What do you think?”
“All those fairy tales are bullshit,” Ethan said in a severe voice and turned to Sophia. “Don’t encourage such nonsense. The girl has had enough of them already.”
You stupid man, we don’t say such things to a child. “Ethan,” Sophia hissed.
Gabriela stopped dead in her tracks, blinking. She looked at Ethan, then at Sophia and the flowers, then started to back away.
Immediately, Alistair picked her up in his arms, exclaimin
g, “A fairy! Surely, you are the most adorable fairy queen I’ve ever seen.”
“You’re beautiful, you know?” Gabriela put her free hand on Alistair’s cheek, looking at him adoringly.
Alistair chuckled. “Beautiful is for delightful girls like you. Men are handsome—”
“No. You’re like uncle Felipe, beautiful.” she interrupted, firmly. “Because you’re handsome, funny, and kind. Ethan is handsome, but he’s mean.”
In a blur of a movement, Ethan jumped from the sofa, heading toward Gabriela and Alistair like an enraged bull.
Christ! Alistair put his hand over Gabriela’s head and stepped back.
“Oh, my God!” Sophia got up quickly and grabbed Ethan by the back of his sweater.
“You insolent—”
“STOP!” Sophia shouted. “Stop right there, right now. Don’t you dare say another word to my daughter.”
He spun around. “You’re my lover. She must respect me.”
“Respect?” Sophia glowered at him. “You don’t know the meaning of the word.”
A small voice broke into their argument, “Mamãe, what is a lover?”
Jesus, Mary and Joseph. Alistair glanced at Sophia, and answered Gabriela, “A lover is someone that loves.”
“But my mother doesn’t love him,” she insisted. “She loves my father.”
Sophia’s heart shattered in a thousand pieces and she sighed profoundly. She glared at Ethan, her eyes flashing, daring him to make a move toward her daughter.
She nodded in thanks to Alistair as she picked Gabriela up in her arms, speaking softly, “Come with me, Angel. I’ll explain it to you.”
Alistair’s control was hanging by a thread as he watched Sophia stroll to the gardens with Gabriela perched on her hip. He narrowed his eyes at Ethan and left the room, shaking his head.
Sophia left Gabriela in the TV room with Elena and the rest of the children and climbed the stairs to her room, praying she could avoid Ethan. Her iPhone vibrated.
“Hello, Edward.” Damn. As if things couldn’t get any worse. “Oh, God. I’m in Essex but I’ll return now. Tell me everything.”
In her room, she put the call on the speaker and as Edward explained the situation, she packed in a hurry. “Call everyone and set a meeting. Thanks, Edward, you’re the best.”
A few minutes later, Sophia entered the library where everyone had gathered, her overcoat draped over her arm, with Gabriela holding her hand. “I’m sorry, everyone, but I have to go back to London. There’s an emergency. I hope you understand.”
“Of course, my dear,” Leonard said.
“Promise me you’ll come back soon, Sophia. Ariadne and Gabriela are the best of friends now.” Alice smiled. “She’ll be disappointed.”
“I promise, Alice. Thank you for your hospitality.” She smiled back. “Next time your husband says I’m the one keeping him out of your bed, don’t believe it. He’s too good of a lawyer to be disturbed by my beginner’s tactics.”
“Beginner’s tactics?” Leonard laughed. “I want to avoid you when you become experienced then.”
“Gabriela, Angel, why don’t you go kiss your new friends goodbye and wait for me in the hall while I say my farewells?”
Gabriela kissed Alice and Alistair on the cheek and shyly waved a goodbye to the others.
Sophia felt Alistair’s gaze searching her face as he lightly put a hand on her shoulder and kissed her cheeks.
“It was a pleasure seeing you again,” he murmured.
She returned the smile. “Likewise.”
Ethan stood by the mantel, transfixed, watching the love of his life slip through his fingers.
“Ethan.” She approached him, stood on her tiptoes to kiss him on the cheek, with a hand on his chest. “I’m working straight through Tuesday. Why don’t you call me then?” I’ll tell you then that we’re over.
“Make a polite excuse and I’ll forget this stupid little act,” he whispered.
“I didn’t lie. I really must return to London,” she answered.
He pretended to kiss her cheek and gripped her arm to keep her from walking away. “Don’t you dare walk through that door. You’ll regret it.”
“Will I?” She smiled darkly at him. Tapping two fingers at the side of her forehead in a salute, she turned. “Watch me.”
He tightened his grip and yanked her back.
She lost her balance and her hand pushed onto his chest hard.
Startled, he released her arm.
Sophia fell sideways and hit her head on the marble mantel with a loud crack.
Blood cascaded down her face as a gash opened over her eyebrow and her vision went black.
She fell backward, but strong arms and a firm chest provided her with a safe haven before she plunged into complete darkness, without uttering a sound.
Alistair, who had run to catch Sophia, maneuvered her in his arms and placed her down on the sofa, sitting down by her waist, hot anger surging through him. I’ll kill the bastard. With my bare hands.
John jumped from his place, kneeling by Sophia’s head, and put his handkerchief on the gash on Sophia’s brow to stop the flow of blood. “Ice, Alice. And clean cloths.”
“Jesus! How could this happen?” Ethan immediately moved to Sophia’s side and attempted to shoo away Alistair.
“I’ve got her, Ashford,” Alistair staked his claim but Ethan hovered nearby. He drew in a steadying breath, trying to calm the adrenaline that buzzed through his veins. This isn’t the time to punch Ashford. Focus on Sophia.
“Someone has to see to Gabriela,” Leonard said, looking around for his sister. “Domitila, put her with Mother and the children. Don’t forget to pay and dismiss the taxi.”
Alice came rushing back into the room. “Here, John. Is she still out?”
“Yes.” John assessed the wound and gave Leonard a worried look. “She’s going to need stitches. Quite a few.”
“Can you do it?” Alice’s face twisted with concern. “We have a complete first-aid kit here.”
“I’ll need the kit.” John exchanged his soaked handkerchief for a thin cloth and put some ice on the towel Alice gave him, gently pressing it over Sophia’s forehead. “Honestly, I would prefer that a plastic surgeon does it. She should also get an X-ray and an MRI. She’s been out for too long. We need to take her to a hospital.”
“No,” came a faint sound from Sophia. “No hospital.”
“You need stitches, Sophia.” As always, John looked calm and collected, but deep inside, his eyes shimmered in anger.
“Oh, baby, I’m so sorry.” Ethan squeezed in next to John. He braced his left arm on the back of the sofa. “I’ll take her to the hospital straight away, Walter. Which one do you recommend?”
“No, I hate hospitals. John can patch up me here, can’t you, John?” She tried to open her eyes, but the towel was blocking them. “Make room, Ethan. You’re crowding me.”
“Please, Walter, could you call a plastic surgeon?” Ethan said. “The best one.”
Alistair didn’t budge from his place on the sofa; his big hands resting protectively on Sophia’s hips, the wide expanse of his chest looming over her.
“Gabriela?” she asked, worried.
“Don’t you worry, she’s with Elena, Domitila, and the other children. Do you want me to check on her?” His deep voice soothed her and he put his hand over hers.
She brushed the towel aside and looked at him, bewilderment in her eyes. “No, thank you,” she murmured. “They’ll keep her distracted. She didn’t want to leave yet anyway.”
“Ethan, can you please hold this for me? Apply pressure.” John rose from his kneeling position on the floor. “I’ll see if one of my colleagues can attend to you at the nearest hospital, Sophia.”
“I’ll take her anywhere he deems fit, Walter.”
“No.” Her hand gripped Alistair’s and squeezed it nervously. “I’m not going to any hospital.” She looked at the doctor, her eyes begging, “John, you can do i
t here.”
“I could, but I’d prefer if you did this with a plastic surgeon, in a hospital where you could also have the necessary tests.”
“Leave this to me, Walter, just call the doctor. And I’ll take her to the hospital. It doesn’t matter the cost.” To Sophia, Ethan ordered, “Don’t behave like a child, Sophia. Walter is a great doctor, but this is not his specialty. I don’t want you to have another scar. The sickening one your husband gave you is more than enough.”
“What?” Sophia looked astonished for a heartbeat before her temper boiled and spilled. She swatted Ethan’s hand away with force, flinging the towel far across the room, scattering ice on the rug. “How dare you mention my husband! It’s over between us. Over!” She turned to John, blood flowing over her eye and on the side of her face. “John, please, call the best plastic surgeon who can come here. I will pay for his services.”
All this to defend a dead man. Alistair was impressed with the spirit of defiance and show of strength in someone so much smaller than Ethan. If only Heather had shown half the same loyalty and love for me.
“Ashford, make room.” John shoved Ethan away and pressed a hand to her shoulder, laying her down again. “And you, Sophia, keep calm and stay down. I’ll call a friend, but you have to promise me you will stop by the clinic for a check-up.”
“I will.” She closed her eyes, calmer now since John had recalled her problem with hospitals, and let him again clean the blood.
Ethan paced away from the sofa, unsteady and dizzy. He poured himself a whisky and downed it in a gulp. “Jesus!”
John picked up a clean towel and looked up at Alistair. “Help me here, hold this, and if she moves, hold her down.”
Alistair leaned over her, pressing down the towel, and pushed her hair away in a caress, commanding, “Stay still.”
Ethan poured himself another drink and rolled it around in the glass. “Oh, come on, darling. Let me pay for it. These kinds of services aren’t covered by health insurance—”