“I know you won’t,” Leigh said, smiling. A smile that faded to an expression of puzzlement when Stewart returned.
He avoided her eyes as he said, “Chad, telephone for you.”
Chad laughed. “Dad, I’d just as soon you take a message.”
“It’s Grayson.”
It was as though the name had magic power to disperse a crowd, to eliminate a mood. The guests, as on cue, turned en masse and went quietly back into the living room from the hallway. Conversation, which had been jocular and animated, was reduced to little more than an ominous hum—as if in the aftermath of a funeral rather than a wedding.
Sarah batted at her mother’s suddenly chalky cheek. “Chad—” Leigh gulped hoarsely.
“I’m not on call, Dad. He knew I was getting married today. Is this a ‘good wishes’ call?”
Stewart looked down at the floor. “You’d better talk to him.”
Chad turned to Leigh and squeezed her elbow. “I’ll be right back,” he said with a quick smile. She wasn’t fooled. His eyes weren’t smiling.
She stood as though she had grown rooted to the floor, staring after the figure of her husband as he disappeared into the room at the back of the hall that she knew to be Stewart’s office.
“Why don’t you let me take the baby,” Amelia said in a low voice. Leigh never even noticed when she relinquished the child to her mother-in-law’s arms. She was still staring at the door. As though she had conjured him out of her thoughts, Chad appeared in the doorframe a few moments later.
“Leigh,” was all he had to say before stepping once again into the room.
She thought her feet would be too heavy to move, but somehow she managed to navigate the long hallway until she was entering the paneled, bookcase-lined room. Chad was standing at the window, his back to her. He had taken off his
coat and was now working at his necktie. Instinctively she closed the door behind her. The click of the knob brought Chad to rigid attention. Still, he stared out the window for a long, ponderous moment before turning to face her.
She knew.
“No!” she cried, cramming a fist against her mouth. “No!”
“I’m sorry, Leigh.” He plowed both hands through his hair, then covered his face with them, dragging them down over his eyes, nose, and mouth before letting them fall uselessly to his sides. “God, I’m sorry, but there’s nothing I can do. I’ve got to go.”
“You won’t, you can’t. I know you won’t.”
“Normally, no. But the circumstances demand that I do. There is a tank fire down in Venezuela someplace. The guy who would be going instead of me banged up his leg last night on a motorcycle. He’s in traction in a Dallas hospital. I’ve got to go, Leigh. Grayson apologized, said he wouldn’t have called if”
“Is that supposed to make me feel better? The fact that he apologized for calling you away from your honeymoon, from me? Does that make it all right?”
He sighed in exasperation. “No, dammit. I’m only stressing to you that it can’t be helped. It’s no one’s fault. I have no choice.”
She took two swift steps into the room. “As you told me once, Chad, there are many choices. You could refuse to go, for one.”
He was shaking his head before the words were completely out of her mouth. “I can’t do that, Leigh. You know I can’t.”
“You could if you loved me enough.”
His expletive was spoken quietly, more in agitation than in anger. Leigh knew she was being unreasonable, but she was beyond reason. Wasn’t a bride entitled to a temper tantrum if her bridegroom was called away before the honeymoon? Wasn’t she allowed to luxuriate in her hatred of bitter fate? She had promised to come to grips with the danger involved in his work. But not on her wedding day!
“This has nothing to do with my love for you, Leigh. Surely you must know that. I have a duty”
“Duty be damned. I’ve had duty up to here!” she screamed, slicing a finger across her throat. “First from Greg and now from you. Is that all men think about? Duty? Responsibility? Well, by God, you have a responsibility to me, too. You took it on not two hours ago when you said those vows.”
“Leigh, my God, listen to us,” he croaked. “I love you. I’m leaving for I don’t know how long and I don’t want to go with this anger between us. Please understand.”
Heartbroken but fighting for her sanity, her life, she pleaded, “Show me you love me. Stay with me. Don’t go.”
“You ask too much,” he said in anguish. “Don’t ask of me something I can’t give.” He took another step toward her. “Don’t be afraid. I’m not going to let anything happen to me when I know you’re here waiting for me.”