“I discount each and every argument,” Seth said summarily. “In the first place, the store has survived decades of holiday seasons, and as valuable as you are, we’ll survive this one without you. There will still be almost two weeks before Christmas when you get back. You know as well as I do that Theron is perfectly content to stay under Alice’s watchful care. He’ll miss you, but he’ll get over it the minute you return and won’t even remember that you’ve been gone.”
“But, Seth, I don’t…” She was grasping at straws. Think! she commanded herself. “I’m not ready. My passport… clothes… I couldn’t—”
“Your passport is in perfect condition. You had it renewed last year when you and Eliot went to England to buy those woolens. Alice can get your clothes ready in time. When do you leave, Erik? Thursday?” At Erik’s nod, he said, “There, you see, you have three days in which to get things together. Eliot can help you pack the clothes and accessories to be used in the commercials.”
Kathleen wondered with a detached part of her mind what the two men would do if she started screaming uncontrollably, as she felt she might do at any moment.
“Erik, what do you think? This is your project, after all,” Seth said.
Erik’s manner was subdued while Seth and Kathleen waited expectantly to hear his answer. “Naturally, she would be a tremendous help. However, I’d never presume to interfere. This is between the two of you. Much as I could use her, Kathleen has to make the decision.”
“Kathleen,” Seth urged gently, “I need you to do this for me. I’d go myself if I could.” He wheeled up close to her chair and took her hands. “I feel that we need a representative from Kirchoff’s there. You know the merchandise better than anyone. It’ll be hard work, but think of it as a vacation to a tropical climate in December.” He smiled and squeezed her hand. “Do this for me.”
Put that way, how could she refuse?
* * *
The next three days passed in a hazy blur of disjointed recollections. Without Eliot’s help, Kathleen could never have coordinated the commercials wardrobe in time and had the clothes packed and ready to board the chartered plane.
Eliot griped petulantly, whining that she couldn’t do without him. Why didn’t she insist that he go along?
“Because I need you here, Eliot,” she answered for the dozenth time. “To look after things.”
“It’s not fair,” he grumbled. “I’d go without salary just for the chance to look at Gudjonsen for a whole week.”
“I’m sure Tamara will take care of him.”
“That bitch,” Eliot scoffed. “I hope he’s more discriminating than that. She’d screw anything walking. Four-legged or two.”
“Oh, Eliot,” Kathleen sighed, and rubbed her forehead wearily. It was a characteristic gesture of hers these days.
Hazel didn’t let her go without adding to her anxiety about leaving. One day when everyone else was out to lunch, she slipped into Kathleen’s office. Kathleen didn’t see her standing in the doorway until she spoke. “So you’re winging off to the sunny tropics with the handsome photographer.”
Kathleen controlled her suddenly racing heart, schooled her features and answered levelly, “If you’re referring to the trip to shoot the commercials, yes, I’m going—at my husband’s request.”
“Seth is a fool! Doesn’t he see how cozy, how easy, he’s making it for you and that hulking Gudjonsen? When will you be dropping another bastard on my stupid brother? Hmmm?”
Kathleen had bristled with anger, then quaked with fear. Could Hazel know? No. She was only taunting her. Coolly, Kathleen replied, “I don’t have to justify to you anything I do, but I have never been unfaithful to Seth. Nor will I be.”
“Ha! Given the opportunity, you would. And he’s giving you a perfect one. He thinks that by giving you free rein, he’ll keep you. He’s weak.”
“What you regard as weakness is really unselfishness, something totally foreign to you, Hazel. I know where your bitterness comes from. Seth told me about the man who left you standing at the altar. I might be able to sympathize with you if you weren’t one of the most hateful people I’ve ever met. As it is, I can only pity you for the loneliness you bring on yourself.”
“Shut up. How dare you pity me! Me!” Her face was terrible with hatred. Her whole body quivered with suppressed rage.
Kathleen threw caution aside. She was too wound up, her emotions too raw, to weigh the wisdom of the words she flung at Hazel. “And don’t think I don’t see through your concern for Seth. It isn’t generated by love or even mild affection.
“You resent him because you want to control Kirchoff’s. As firstborn, you thought the presidency should have rightfully been passed to you when your father died. He had discounted Seth because of his disability and you because of your sex. When your uncle died and the helm was once again up for grabs, you didn’t dare fight Seth for it. It would have been unthinkable for you to engage in a power struggle with your paraplegic brother.
“But perhaps you should have, Hazel. You should have either battled him for it then or learned to live with your decision. You are your own worst enemy, not me. I had nothing to do with your being jilted, or being passed over by your father. Seth loves you. Why, I can’t imagine, but I don’t intend to interfere with or alter your relationship.”
Hazel’s eyes narrowed and her nostrils flared when she threatened, “I’ll trip you up yet. And the day’s coming. When I do, my brother will have to see you for what you are. That will destroy him, and when he’s down, I’ll get mine. I’ll be in control of Kirchoff’s.” She spun around and stormed from the office, leaving Kathleen more afraid of the woman’s mental imbalance than ever before. Hazel was out to win in a contest of wills and would risk anything for victory.
The evening before they were scheduled to leave, Kathleen spent every moment with Theron. Erik had come by earlier and played with him on the living room floor, much to Hazel’s disgust and everyone else’s delight.
Kathleen watched their tussles with pride in her son and fear that Erik would try to steal Theron from her. It was evident in everything he did that he loved the boy. They were carbon copies of each other. Kathleen only hoped that to everyone else the likeness was less obvious.
Erik left, saying that he would see them in the morning at the airport. Kathleen went up with Alice and tucked Theron into his bed. She would see him again before she left, but there was something special about kissing him goodnight.