The Happiest Day Page 3

  Rachel noticed the edgy way Helen acted around her and knew the older woman was nervous Rachel would expose her affair to Norris. She smoothed her hands over her dress, brushing at imaginary lint then sighed loudly.

  “Rachel, Hughes complained of mud on the back staircase,” she said, referring to the head housekeeper. “Have you been wearing your boots inside again?”

  “I’m sorry,” Rachel said tonelessly. “I’ll be more careful.”

  “It’s not me you need to apologize to,” she said icily. “I expect you to apologize to Hughes before the evening is over.”

  “Correct me if I’m wrong,” Norris said, swirling ice in his glass. He had traveled by train and car all day but looked as crisp and sophisticated as if he was on his way out for an evening at the opera. “Isn’t that the reason we have household staff? To clean up any messes the family might make?”

  Helen slipped a fur stole around her shoulders, tilting her chin up defiantly. “Yes, that is true. We have staff to clean up after family.”

  “Helen,” Peter bit out angrily. “Don’t start.” He moved to stand behind Rachel and laid a hand on the small of her back comfortingly. “Why don’t you go ahead and leave?”

  “Where are you going?” Norris demanded. “The children just got home.”

  “They’re going to be home all summer,” Helen dismissed them with pursed lips. “I’ve had this evening planned for months.” She pulled a cord on the wall, ringing for the chauffeur. “I have a feeling, though, I won’t be missed.” Her laser dark eyes landed on Rachel. “Unless you’d like me to stay, dear?”

  Rachel felt Peter’s hand tighten on her back, signaling her not to respond. She remained quiet.

  “See? I’m not wanted here. Good night.” She left behind a cloud of cloying perfume as she left the house.

  “Well…” Norris said, setting down his glass. “I guess some things never change. I wonder if she’ll come to the wedding Saturday?”

  “Daddy,” Maryanne admonished. “Please don’t.”

  “Sorry,” he said on a sigh. “I suppose I’m tired. I think I’ll retire and let you young folks enjoy the evening.”

  Rachel laid a hand on his arm. “May I speak with you? Of course, if you’re too tired…”

  His eyes were gentle as he smiled at her. “I’m never too tired for you, my dear. What can I help you with?”

  “Could we speak privately?”

  He looked mildly surprised but nodded. “Let’s go to my study.”

  “May I come?” Peter asked from where he stood by the fireplace, one arm resting on the mantle. He was frowning, unhappy that Rachel had a problem she didn’t want his help solving.

  Rachel shook her head. “Not tonight, Peter.”

  If it was at all possible, his frown darkened and he took a large drink from his glass, his jaw tight.

  Norris ushered her into his study and motioned for her to sit on the settee. He sat next to her, loosening his tie. “Is everything all right?”

  “No, something happened when you were away on business last month. I haven’t told you about it but I don’t know what to do.”

  He realized that something was seriously wrong and he took her hand in his. “What is it? Has someone hurt you?” His eyes had become steely, determined to protect his brood.

  “No. Norris, I discovered that Frederick is having an affair.”

  He stared at her in momentary disbelief before a dark cloud covered his face. “That son of a bitch! How did you find out?”

  “I walked in on him.”

  “Where?”

  She took a deep breath. “Here. Norris, it was Helen.”

  She saw that he was stunned. Long moments ticked by as his mind tried to assimilate the news. Finally, he said, “Rachel, I’m sorry. I truly am sorry that you had to see that.”

  “I’m sorry, too, Norris. For you.”

  He waved his hand, dismissing her sympathy. “I know that it’s probably hard for you to understand, but Helen and I don’t have a traditional marriage. But for her to engage in this affair with your fiancé is something that I never thought even she would do.”

  “I tried to break it off with him and he told me that he wouldn’t allow it. He said that we’re getting married no matter what I say or do.”

  The reaction she expected didn’t happen. Instead of insisting that she break it off and that he would handle Frederick, Norris was silent. He stared down at their clasped hands and then asked, “What else did he say?”

  “He said he has a secret about you. He said if I don’t marry him, he’ll expose you and it will ruin the family. He said we’ll lose everything we’ve ever known. Norris, is it true?”

  Norris had paled at her words. He jumped up agitatedly, running his hands through his slightly graying hair. “My God…my God…”

  Rachel was suddenly frightened. She had never seen Norris look less than in complete control. “How bad can the secret be? Tell me he’s exaggerating the situation.”

  Norris turned and looked at her in despair. “I wish I could, my darling. But it’s true.”

  “That’s impossible. You’ve never done anything wrong, I know it.”

  Despite the situation, Norris smiled. “Is it any wonder I love you as much as I do? You’ve always made me feel like a king.” He grew serious again. “I did do something wrong. Many years ago; it was a horrible mistake. I’ve tried to make it right, though, and I swore that no one would ever find out.”

  “How does Frederick know?”

  He shook his head in disgust. “I’m not sure. I guess I just trusted the wrong people. Stupid, stupid decisions, but I can’t undo them now. Did he say whether or not he had told Helen?”

  She shook her head. “He didn’t say. Helen wouldn’t want to risk everything either, would she?”

  “Helen is always on the lookout for something bigger, something better. She was poor when she was married to Peter’s father and nothing terrifies her more than losing all of this wealth and status. If she thinks she can benefit by helping Frederick blackmail me, she will.”

  Rachel sat as still as a statue, trying to assimilate all Norris had told her. Finally, she looked up at him. “Then there’s nothing we can do, is there? I have to marry Frederick.”

  “I’m sorry,” Norris said hoarsely. “We have time. I can try to figure something out.”

  “We could never risk Frederick exposing your secret. Could it really destroy this family?”

  Norris nodded. “I’m sorry. It could. We would lose everything.”

  Rachel inhaled deeply and stood. “Then the decision is simple. Ten years ago, you saved Laurie and me. I’m going to do the same for you now.”

  “Rachel,” he cried in a broken voice. His arms came around her in a bone-crushing grip and he buried his face in her hair. “You and your brother are everything to me. You remind me of better days, when your parents were still with us. I miss them so much.”

  “So do I. Every day.”

  She knew he was crying and she felt tears pressing her own eyes. She tried to comfort him by stroking his hair. He lifted his head and looked down on her face, his eyes searching every detail. “God, you’re so much like her. Sometimes…sometimes when I look at you, my mind drifts, and it’s your mother I see. I loved her, Rachel.”

  “I know,” Rachel whispered. “And she loved you. So did my father. You were his best friend.”

  An unnamed emotion crossed Norris’ face and he released her, running a hand over his wet face. “I’m going to go to the chapel. Would you like to go with me?”

  Rachel averted her eyes in discomfort. Soon after she and Laurie had to come to live with Norris, he had ordered the conservatory to be converted into a chapel. She still remembered the arguments between Norris and Helen regarding the project, but Norris had been adamant. He spent many hours in the chapel in silent reflection and often required the family to join him. Rachel didn’t object to Norris’ devotion but at times his fervent prayers seemed m
ore desperate than faithful.

  “If you don’t mind, it’s been a long day. I’m going to go to bed.”

  “Of course, my dear.” He kissed her lovingly on the forehead. “Tomorrow will be a new day and I will be able to think more clearly. Good-night.” He pulled his bible off of the corner of his desk and left the study, headed for the chapel.

  Rachel stood in the study by herself for many minutes, her arms wrapped around her waist. She was stunned at Norris’ revelations. She had always held him up on a pedestal, believing him to be the bravest man she had ever known. Tonight, though, she could see the fear in him; the fear of discovery. She couldn’t let him down. She owed him her life for all he had done for her and Laurie. She would marry Frederick.

  Would he continue his affair with Helen after they were married? She suspected that he would. She also feared what their own marital bed would bring. Maryanne’s exuberance over her intimacy with Bert made her realize that she would be missing out on much in her physical relationship with Frederick. She didn’t love him, he certainly didn’t love her and even more than that, he didn’t respect her enough to feel remorse at her discovery of his infidelity.

  Feeling the weight of the world on her shoulders, she avoided the front parlor where the others sat talking and headed up the winding staircase to her bedroom. She slipped out of her dress and into a nightgown without even turning on a light. She was emotionally exhausted. She lay in her bed, pulling the blankets around her comfortingly. She felt very alone.

  She had just begun to doze when she became aware that someone was in the room with her. She turned on her side and opened her eyes to see Peter staring broodingly down on her. As always, he felt her despair and loneliness. Only this time, he couldn’t help. He just didn’t understand that yet.

  “Should I be frightened?” she asked, trying to lighten the mood. “Have you come to strangle me in my sleep?”

  That elicited a rare chuckle from him and he sat down on the edge of the bed. “Am I your Rochester? Do you fear me as much as you desire me?” he teased her.

  “You are like Rochester,” she declared softly. “A tormented soul, an unhappy marriage-”

  “Who said my marriage is unhappy?” he interrupted. “My marriage is exactly what I expected.”

  “Well, that’s the saddest thing I’ve heard all day and that’s saying a lot.” She sat up and drew her knees to her chest. “Peter, I’m going to marry Frederick.”

  His silence was long and filled with unspoken emotion. “You don’t have to.”

  “I do. I spoke with Norris and…well, there’s no way around it.”

  “I don’t understand. Please tell me what I’m missing.”

  Rachel didn’t answer his question. Instead she said, “I also made a decision. You’re not going to like it, but I’m going to have an affair with Toby before I get married.” She didn’t dare look up at him as she continued. “Watching Maryanne and Bert today, and how excited they are to be together and to share everything…just once, I want to feel that. I want to be with someone who finds me exciting and desirable. I want to feel treasured and special. Frederick doesn’t treasure me; I’m just some kind of prize for him and a pawn in a game he’s playing with Norris. When I do marry him, I’ll always have that memory of Toby and it will make things better.”

  “You can’t expect me to give you my blessing.” Anger laced his voice. “Jesus, Rachel, I don’t even know where you are coming from anymore.” He grasped her upper arms. “Talk to me, open up to me. You know I can fix this but you have to trust me.”

  “I do trust you,” she whispered. “Please don’t push me on this. This isn’t fixable, not in the way you’re thinking. There is no way out of marrying Frederick. I have no control over that. What I can control, however, is how I enter the marriage.” She reached up and touched his face, rough with whiskers. “I’m tired. Let me sleep now.”

  He captured her fingers and brought them to his mouth. He didn’t kiss them, he simply held them against his lips, his head bent. “I have to be in court all week. I won’t see you again until the rehearsal dinner.”

  “I prefer to think of it as my birthday dinner,” she teased.

  “Double celebration. What would you like for your birthday?”

  “I already have it. We’ll all be together then. That’s all I want.”

  He did give her fingers a kiss then and released them. Standing, he said, “Sleep well, Rae. I’ll see you at the end of the week.”

  While Rachel slept, Peter made his way out to the stables and up the steps to the stable manager’s apartment. Phelps looked surprised when he opened the door. “Mac, is something wrong?”

  “Not yet. But I need a favor from you. There’s a horse auction in Kentucky next week. I want you to send someone ahead to do some scouting.”

  Phelps nodded. “Sure thing, Mac. We’ve got plenty of men with a good eye.”

  Peter leaned against the door frame, deceptively casual. “How about Toby?”

  Chapter 4

  The day of the wedding arrived and it was a glorious late spring day. The sky was crystal blue and there was a gentle, warm breeze from the south. The ceremony was held in the early afternoon, after which the bridal party returned to the Thornton estate for a luncheon and a few hours of rest. In the early evening, they attended the reception at a downtown location with a spectacular view of the Ohio River. It was a magical night, Rachel thought, as she stood on the terrace outside, watching the river slide silently past her. She still wore her bridesmaid dress. It was a mid-calf length silk dress with fringe starting at her hips. Sleeveless and beaded on top, it was a daring dress for Rachel, and she had felt Frederick’s eyes on her throughout the ceremony. She knew a confrontation with him was coming.

  “You’re being anti-social, my dear.”

  She froze and stiffened. She had been successful in avoiding Frederick this week, claiming wedding duties were keeping her busy. Now, however, there was no running away. The next wedding to plan was her own.

  “Just getting some fresh air.” She turned and looked at her fiancé. He was handsome, there was no denying that. But there was cruelty to his face and a tightness to his body language that set her on edge.

  “You’re very beautiful tonight.” He came closer and ran the back of his fingers down her face. “We haven’t had a chance to talk for several days.”

  “What would you like to talk about?”

  “Did you have a conversation with Norris?”

  “Yes.”

  “Did he confirm or deny what I told you?”

  “He confirmed it. I’m going to marry you Frederick. I won’t hurt Norris.”

  Frederick laughed but there was no humor in it. “Your white knight. Even now, when you know he’s done something horrible, you’re protecting him. If only he cared as much for you as you do for him.”

  “Don’t speak against him. He saved my life. He saved my brother’s life.”

  This time, Frederick threw his head back and laughed. “You are innocence personified. God, it turns me on.”

  A shiver ran through Rachel. “Frederick…”

  “Come on, don’t freeze me out.” He cupped her breast through her dress. “You are gorgeous tonight. It’s been weeks since I’ve been able to touch you.”

  “I don’t think you were suffering for company.”

  He raised his eyes from her breasts to look her in the face. He didn’t look remorseful. “This thing with Helen…it’s just physical. If you would just-”

  “No. We agreed we wouldn’t do anything, at least not until we’re married.”

  His hand squeezed her breast painfully. “I’m tired of waiting, Rachel.” She tried to pull out of his grasp but he yanked her closer. “What do you think of making our first time right here? Every time we come to the club, we’ll look at the terrace and remember.

  “Frederick, let me go. Now.”

  He reached down and snaked his hand up under her dress, not hesitating befor
e reaching into her underwear and stroking her intimately. “God, yes,” he groaned. “I’m already hard. Undo my pants.”

  Rachel tried to squirm away from him but he held her in a vise grip. “Stop it! Let me go!” she cried, her voice shaking.

  He used one hand to jerk her head up by the chin and stared down into her eyes. “Listen to me. The game is over. I am making the rules now.”

  “You can’t force me.”

  “Then how about I walk into that party right now and make an announcement? I’ll sit back and watch the Thornton family fall like a house of cards.” He felt the fight leave her body and he chuckled in response, and then resumed stroking her. “Undo my pants. Now.”

  With trembling hands, she reached between them. She felt his substantial erection against her fingers and he groaned.

  “Hurry,” he muttered. “I’m going to come before you ever get me out if you don’t hurry.”

  “Let her go.”

  A wave of relief washed over Rachel. She had not talked to Peter since she had discovered that he was behind sending Toby away. She had been beyond angry with his heavy-handed interference but right now she had never been so happy to see anyone. She tried to pull her hand away from Frederick but had her locked in place against his body.

  He looked over his shoulder. “Get the hell out of here, MacGregor. What I do with my fiancée is my business.”

  “Fiancée or not, she obviously doesn’t want this. Let her go.” No one moved for long, tense moments then Peter said, “Now, before I rip your fucking head off.”

  Frederick removed his hand from Rachel’s underwear and turned to square off with Peter. “You’re like her watchdog, aren’t you? What are you going to do when she’s my wife?”

  “If I have my way, that’s never going to happen.”

  Frederick’s eyes narrowed. “You have no power to stop it. Now, why don’t you go back to your wife before she finds someone else to entertain her?”