"I was afraid of that," Daddy said after he sucked in his breath and held it a moment. "Your mother's going to be devastated."
"He told her he would gladly pay any bills you might have incurred. She threw his engagement ring out of the window," I added quickly so he wouldn't wonder if there was any chance of reconsideration.
"She did what? Threw it out the window? Did they find it?"
"No," I said.
"My God. That ring was worth twenty-five thousand dollars, Olivia. McGil was bragging about it to me just the other day.'
"That's Belinda," I said and shrugged.
"She's a madwoman. We'll never find anyone for her now, not after that story gets out."
"Maybe not, Daddy," I said. "Maybe we'll have to face that fact and do the best we can."
"Yes," he said. "Perhaps so." He stared down at his desk and then he raised his tired, sad eyes at me. "Well, I guess I had better put my mind and my energy toward your well-being, Olivia. I'll have a better chance at success."
"I'll be fine, Daddy."
"I know you will. That's my consolation," he said. "But I can't neglect you because she's a failure in every way and in everything I try to arrange for her."
He rose.
"I guess I'll have to go up and break the news to your mother. I might wait until the morning if she's still asleep," he said.
"You probably should anyway, Daddy. Give her a chance to get a good night's sleep so she can recuperate from that stomach problem."
"Yes. Yes, you're right again, Olivia."
He paused in front of me and kissed me on the forehead.
"Good night, and thanks for being my little general," he said.
He was so distraught, I nearly shed some of those tears that had formed under my lids, but they stayed where they were. I watched him leave with his shoulders slumped, his head down. He was so depressed; Mother was sick upstairs, and Belinda was chatting happily on her phone, quite recovered from her dramatic breakup with Carson. In a day it would be as if he never existed.
Yes, I thought, one of these days, perhaps years from now, Carson McGil would meet me. He would nod, maybe take off his hat, and say thanks.
I was as sure of that as I was of tomorrow and the promises Daddy would make to me.
7
A New Beginning
.
Daddy waited until the morning to tell Mother
of Belinda's aborted wedding. She took it very badly and in fact, was unable to come down to breakfast. It was a gray day, the cloud ceiling low and ashen with a stiff breeze blowing out toward sea. Daddy thought we were in for a nor'easter and went out with Jerome to make sure things were securely tied down. Winter had been so mild this year that we were all somewhat complacent. It seemed ages since the last real storm. However, as the day progressed, Daddy's predictions for it became more and more of a reality.
I went upstairs immediately to visit Mother when Daddy informed us she wasn't feeling well enough to come to breakfast.
"She's not hungry at all," he added. "I'll have a cup of tea brought up."
"I'll take it," I said and went into the kitchen to have it made. Belinda had already made plans to spend the day at Kimberly Hughes' home where I was sure she would be joined by her other bubble-gum girlfriends who had nothing to do but hear all about her broken love affair with Carson. I could just imagine the exaggerations and the histrionics Belinda would perform. She really enjoyed being the center of attention. In fact, she was so absorbed in her plans, she barely asked about Mother.
It nearly broke my heart to see Mother pale and teary-eyed, the redness around her eyelids so bright it looked as if some of the rose coloring had dripped off her glasses. Her lips started to tremble as soon as I approached the bed. She reached up for me with her limp, cold hand.
"Olivia, what happened? Winston's making no sense. Why is the wedding off? All the plans we've made, the guest list, the decorations and . . ."