Authors: Shirley Wine
Piper greeted them as they walked in through the door. "I thought you were never coming?"
Am I late?
Victoria glanced at her dainty marcasite watch.
"Ooh, what a darling watch." Piper caught her arm and bent her fiery head to examine it more closely.
"It was my mother's." Victoria smiled at the younger woman. "My Dad gave me my mother's entire jewelry and china collection when she died."
Piper pulled a grimace. "You're so lucky. One of my friends lost her mother and now the stepmother and step-sisters are wearing her mother's jewelry."
"That stinks. I was lucky that way. Before Dad remarried, Daphne insisted I visit with her and Dad, and take anything from the family home that held precious memories for me."
"She sounds like a very nice woman."
"Daphne's the best thing that ever happened to our family."
"And your father didn't object to her giving you permission to take what you wanted?" Piper stared at her in amazement.
"He couldn't very well," Victoria frowned, once again invaded by bleak memory. "When my mother was ill, he insisted I continue with my planned summer holiday."
"And?"
"Her mother died. And Victoria was denied the chance to say goodbye," Keir said from behind her shoulder.
Victoria gave a start and half-turned, hand over her heart. His response made it obvious he'd overheard their conversation. "Keir, I didn't see you there."
His smile showed a flash of white teeth in his tanned face.
"I guessed that. You don't have a drink." He signaled a passing waiter. "What would you like?"
"I'll have a white wine." She took a glass from the tray.
"Piper? Logan?"
"Orange juice for me."
"I'll have a beer." After Logan took a glass from the tray, the waiter moved on, circulating among the guests.
Keir leaned closer to Logan. "Can I borrow Victoria for a few minutes? There's someone here she should meet."
"By all means."
Logan winked and heat flooded Victoria's cheeks. She avoided meeting his smug look. Now, in the midst of this gathering of the local glitterati, was not the time or place to tell Keir about Connor. That disclosure demanded privacy.
"Victoria?"
She wanted to ignore him but knew she couldn't. With a regal nod she acceded.
"This way." Keir touched a hand to her elbow as he guided her past chattering guests. "Have you met Cameron Bennett?"
She halted mid-step and looked up at Keir, eyes wide with surprise. "The chairman of Bennett & Bennett?"
At Keir's nod her heart skipped a beat.
"He's here?" she asked, giving him a look of pure disbelief.
Bennett & Bennett was a global firm that specialized in the import and export of flowers.
"He is."
"Do you know how difficult it is for a small outfit like mine, to get the big suppliers to even notice me?"
"I thought that might be the case," he said, expertly guiding her across the room. "When I learned he was on Muriel's guest list I thought you'd appreciate a face to face meeting."
"I've been trying for months to make contact with their local rep."
"I thought it the least I could do for you," he murmured in her ear.
Victoria's heart thudded and her breath caught. How was she meant to interpret those quiet words? She had no time to ponder this startling disclosure before Keir skillfully insinuated them into a small group enjoying a spirited conversation.
"Cameron, this is Logan's friend Victoria Scanlan, she owns
Victorian Grace,"
he said introducing a stocky, sandy haired man. "Victoria, Cameron Bennett."
"I'm so pleased to meet you, Mr. Bennett," she said as they shook hands. "I've been trying to make contact with your firm for a little while now."
"Have you?
Victorian Grace?"
Shrewd hazel eyes gave her a quick once-over. "I've heard the name."
"Isn't that the floral boutique on the corner of Wakefield and Main?" The vivacious blonde beside him gave Victoria an assessing glance.
"It is," Victoria replied, returning the woman's smile.
"Lorna Daintry.” The woman introduced herself. “You did the flowers for Patrice Fielding's wedding?"
"I did indeed." As they shook hands, Victoria gave her a swift appraisal. Was she Piper's mother?
"They were stunning." Another woman chimed in claiming her attention. "Wherever do you come up with such original ideas?"
"It's my policy to take my cue from the bride," Victoria said, including the entire group in her reply. "It's her day, so to me her wishes override everyone else's, even the bride's mother."
Chuckles greeted these words. "And I'll bet you have to cope with some bridezillas."
Victoria laughed. "I've had my share of those too."
"Bridezillas?" Keir asked, looking at the women, obviously perplexed.
The women exchanged looks of shared feminine wisdom as they all laughed.
"They’re the brides from hell," a petite red-head took pity on Keir and explained. "They're the brides who turn from mild mannered girls into demanding divas and find fault with everything from the seamstress, the florist, the caterers and any other person unlucky enough to be connected with her day."
"I've never had a bride I haven't been able to calm down yet," Victoria said with a smile. "The worst behaved ones are usually just stressed out, most often by over-zealous mothers or sisters trying to horn in on their big day."
"Isn't that the truth?"
"If you're able to do that, you must be a remarkable young lady," Cameron Bennett said, joining the conversation. "Do you have a business card?"
"Of course." Victoria handed her wine glass to Keir while she extracted a card from her small purse and gave it to Mr. Bennett. "I always carry them."
He gave her an approving nod, studied the card and then after a swift shrewd glance, slipped it in his suit pocket. "I'll be in touch."
"Thank you," she said, allowing a small relieved breath to escape. Keir handed her back her wine giving her a knowing smile.
As he moved closer, they were joined by Davina.
One look at her expression and Victoria's spirits sank. She turned to Keir, gave him and then Davina a gracious smile, not prepared to give the other woman a chance to ruin a promising introduction.
"Thank you for introducing me to Mr. Bennett, Keir," she included the whole group in a general smile, "now I need to return to Logan."
"I'll escort you."
Victoria touched a hand to his. "There's no need. Davina needs your attention."
Keir nodded and turned to his fiancée.
With a soft, relieved breath, Victoria rejoined Logan. She'd barely reached his side when Wilkins announced dinner.
Logan escorted Victoria and Piper in to dinner.
The table had been extended to seat the extra people and was set with damask napery, glittering silver and sparkling crystal. It looked like a setting for a banquet on some lavish film set.
It seemed a shame to disturb it in any way.
But Victoria's appreciation evaporated the moment she realized Muriel's seating arrangements effectively put her as far from Logan and the rest of the Donovan family, as possible.
It was a very public snub.
Mortified heat seeped into Victoria's cheeks as a woman prepared to sit on the chair next to Logan.
It was Keir who was first to react.
He put a staying hand on the woman's shoulder, and gave her a charming, apologetic smile. "I'm so sorry, but my step-mother's made a mistake. Ms. Scanlan sits next to my brother."
Victoria glanced at Muriel, and saw her tight-lipped anger.
Caine moved to Keir's side. "I'm so sorry, there's been a seating error, but it's easily rectified."
"Oh dear," Muriel said, approaching the family group, fussing and fretting. "Have the servers made an error?"
The head waiter approached Caine. "Is there a problem, sir?"
A fresh wave of heat scalded Victoria's face and neck. She had never felt so uncomfortable.
"It doesn't matter. Don't rearrange everyone because of me."
"It does matter, Victoria," Caine said, with a calm authority Muriel couldn't challenge without losing face. "You're here as our son's guest, a member of the family."
Deftly, without embarrassment or undue disruption, the head waiter rearranged the seating at Caine's request.
Victoria eased out a soft, relieved breath when she was finally seated between Logan and Piper, but the disconcerting scene diminished her enjoyment.
How could Muriel blame the wait staff for her own malice? It was so mean-spirited to publicly blame people, she knew, were in no position to defend themselves.
The head waiter's impassive expression sufficient for Victoria to know there had been no mistake.
Muriel had intended to deliver Victoria a crushing public snub.
And it was Keir's quick action that rendered the snub innocuous.
Chapter Nine
A
fter dinner, Logan escorted Victoria back out to the gathering room.
"That was so embarrassing," she murmured leaning close to Logan's ear.
"Tell me about it. But you know what," he said, shaking his head. "I've never seen Dad or Keir publicly challenge Mum before."
"I'm grateful they did." She looked around wide-eyed. "Wow, this is huge."
While they'd been at dinner, folding doors had been opened into the adjoining conservatory and a second lounge. Comfortable chairs had miraculously appeared and were artfully arranged so everyone would face a small stage set up with stools and amplifiers. Off to one side a screen was set up and a small lectern. Victoria guessed these were for the speaker.
Logan glanced at his watch. "In a few minutes there'll be an influx. These are always big do's."
Logan's words were prophetic.
Elegantly clad couples arrived in twos and threes.
Davina glided among the arrivals, meeting and greeting, elegant and poised. Her blonde hair, piled in a woven crown, was held in place with an elaborate diamond pin.
More diamonds at her throat and ears competed with the solitaire in the engagement ring gracing a long slender finger, the symbol of possession.
Keir shook hands with men, was kissed and welcomed home by women.
Victoria had to admit they made a beautiful couple, Davina an accomplished hostess.
Muriel and Caine went forward to greet a small woman, wearing a close-fitting, bright red cloche hat, matching floral patterned dress and a delicate air of fragility.
Victoria heard Logan suck in a harsh breath, and she turned to him. "What is it?"
"That's Melanie Croft."
"And she is?"
"She has cancer," he said, voice flat and unrevealing. "And my ex-girlfriend."
"She's the guest speaker?"
"I guess."
Victoria watched him, frowning. "You didn't know?"
"That she was speaking? Not hardly."
Piper joined them, the way she insinuated her hand in Logan's made Victoria suspect they shared a history with the girl taking the stage.
"How come you didn't know?" Victoria glanced at them and then back to woman in red.
Shushing sounds from the audience as Caine adjusted the microphone halted their conversation, and they hurriedly found seats.
"We're here tonight to help raise funds for desperately needed cancer research. It's my pleasure to introduce Melanie Croft, one of the bravest young women I've ever met. She's going to give us an insight into her life and her ongoing battle with cancer."
As she stepped up to the microphone, Caine hovered protectively close.
A picture came up on the screen of a beautiful, dark haired young woman mounted on a dappled grey thoroughbred, its bridle festooned with rosettes.
The hush was absolute.
"Two years ago," Melanie glanced around the audience, her gaze touching every person there, her soft, lilting voice clear and composed, "I was selected to trial for the Olympic equestrian team. To me, it was a dream come true. From the time I was a little girl, my dream was to ride at the Olympics."
She looked up at the screen.
"That's me and Misty at the Kihikihi International horse trials. One of the conditions of taking part in the trials was a full medical check-up.
"I went off for my medical on a high. The whole world was mine to conquer."
She paused and looked around the room, again making eye contact everywhere.