Secrets (30 page)

Slade gritted his teeth. “I'm tired of your slander. Chew on this, Shelton: I don't want her inheritance. I've made other arrangements. So feel free to cut her off.”

“I don't believe you.”

“Five minutes ago I would have cared what you believed, but not now.”

“She is going to divorce you, Delanza. I intend to see to it.”

Slade hesitated. “If Regina chooses to leave me, I would not stop her.”

Nicholas stared. “Why?”

Again Slade paused.

Nicholas was ruthless. “Why? Because without her money she is worthless to you, right?”

“Wrong! I do not want her money! I've told her that! The truth is, Miramar is no fancy English castle. It's a working rancho. There will be no galas and balls,
no need for fancy gowns and glittering jewels. It's a simple life.”

“Jesus!” Nicholas exclaimed. “My daughter will be miserable if she stays with you!”

Although Slade had secretly worried that might be so, he found himself defending their marriage. “She knows what's ahead. I've been honest. She knows the next few years will be tight.”

“This is all the more reason for you to allow her a divorce,” Nicholas said, quietly now.

Slade just looked at him.

“I will not give you her money to help you out. She will be unhappy. I know my daughter, Delanza. Ever since she was a little girl she's disliked country living and cherished city life. As a woman she loves fine things—couture gowns, jewelry, works of art, French wines, I could go on and on. She is not a woman who would be happy or fulfilled living on an isolated rancho.”

Slade found it hard to respond. “I make her happy.” The words were almost a whisper.

“Perhaps you do.” Nicholas regarded him seriously. “But for how long?”

Regina's father was verbalizing Slade's own darkest fears, fears that had been growing uncontrollably ever since his wife had returned to him. “Get out,” Slade said.

“If you really care about my daughter, you will let her go. I have already arranged a marriage for her at home to a man who will one day be a duke. Regina might think she is happy now, but she deserves more than you can give her.”

“Get out,” Slade said again, furious. “Get out!”

Nicholas's eyes gleamed with triumph as he strode to the door, where he turned and paused. “I think you do care for her after all. Then you will have to do what is best for her, won't you?”

“M
adam, Mr. Delanza is here.”

Regina had been closeted in the parlor for the past hour, ever since the terrible confrontation with her father. She had not moved from the sofa where she had all but collapsed. She couldn't believe what she had done. She had not just defied her father, but ordered him to leave her home.

Upon hearing Brinks's words, Regina shot to her feet. It was mid-afternoon and she thought that Slade had decided to come home early to be with her. How she needed him now!

But it was Rick Delanza who walked past Brinks and into the salon, followed by Victoria.

Regina's face fell. Quickly she composed herself. “Rick, Victoria, how nice to see you.”

Victoria gave her a skeptical look, then glanced disdainfully around the small salon. Rick enfolded her in a bear hug. “I'm sure glad to see you here, gal.”

Regina recalled the last time she had seen Rick, when she had been furious and intent on divorcing his son. In the next breath it occurred to her that the last time she had seen Victoria she had been masquerading as Elizabeth Sinclair, and that the other woman had been well aware of it. Her eyes turned to Victoria.

Victoria's smile was cold. “Hello, Regina. What a pleasant little home.”

Regina stiffened. Rick shot his wife a warning glance. “I came up here to visit you and Victoria insisted on coming. We both are happy to see that you and Slade have worked things out. Aren't we, honey?”

Victoria's eyes darkened but she nodded.

Regina almost laughed. They had barely begun to forge a solid relationship, much less work things out. The numerous pitfalls besetting them did not generate optimism. In fact, she felt perilously close to tears.

Rick studied her. “We're family now, remember?” He threw his arm around her. “You can tell me what's bothering you. Someone die?”

His kindness and loyalty were so unexpected that Regina was overwhelmed. And in her distress, his strength was so welcome. “No. No one died.”

“Can't be that bad then.” He gave her an encouraging smile.

Victoria said, “I think the honeymoon is over. If it ever began.”

Regina was furious. But she remained calm, tamping down her temper with great will. “Victoria, do sit down. It is so nice of you to pay a pleasant social call. Would you like some tea?”

Victoria sat, shrugging.

“What time does Slade get home?” Rick asked.

“He'll be late tonight. But you can find him at the office.”

“Actually, I didn't come here to see him. I saw him last week. I came to see you.” Rick smiled. “We both did. We want to know when the two of you are coming home.”

“I don't know. We haven't really discussed it.”

“Perhaps they'll stay here in the city,” Victoria interjected. “There's a rumor going around that Charles Mann gave the two of you an incredible mansion for a wedding present. Is it true?”

“It's true.” Regina saw Rick flinch. “But we won't be staying there, we won't even be opening up the house.
Slade intends to return to Miramar, I just do not know when.”

Victoria stood. “I cannot believe you—a Bragg princess—would be happy living as a ranchero's wife.”

“Cut it out, Victoria,” Rick warned.

Regina also stood. “I am happy with Slade, wherever he is, whatever he does.”

“You do not seem happy to me.”

Rick whirled. “I thought you said you wouldn't start.”

Victoria ignored him. So did Regina. “Did you know who I was before the wedding, Victoria?”

She smiled. “You may have fooled everybody else, but you didn't fool me.”

Regina glanced at Rick briefly before responding. “Was it you who went through my things?”

“Yes, it was. Your locket ultimately gave you away.” There was no mistaking the cool triumph in her eyes.

“If you ever invade my privacy again, you will be sorry.”

Victoria laughed. “
You
accuse
me
of wrongdoing? You were the one playing a charade, my dear. And it wasn't very noble of you, either.”

“Why didn't you say something?” Regina asked.

“Because although I knew you weren't Elizabeth Sinclair, I did not know you were a Bragg heiress. I thought you to be nothing more than a fortune-hunting impostor! Unfortunately, I was wrong.”

Regina seethed. But Victoria was Rick's wife, and the two of them were going to have to get along if they were to live together in the future. “Victoria, you cannot change who I am, no matter how you might wish you could. We are going to have to put our differences behind us. Can you not agree to that?”

“No, I can't,” Victoria snapped. “And maybe I can't change you, but I probably don't have to. Once you get smart you'll realize that you belong here in the city, not on the rancho. Why don't you and Slade just move into your fancy mansion and live it up on your money?”

“That is not possible, Victoria,” Regina said. “You see, I know that Miramar is Slade's passion. And I love Slade so much that I am determined that we live there for the rest of our lives. It cannot be any other way.”

Openly angry, Victoria stormed from the room. Regina stared after her. She had forgotten Rick was present until he spoke up.

“She'll come around. You okay?”

“I'm fine.”

Rick smiled. “You have more spunk than a body'd ever know. Don't you go worrying about her. She's mostly bark and little bite.”

“I'm not,” Regina said truthfully. She had too much on her mind to dwell on Victoria's animosity, however misguided it might be.

“Honey,” Rick said, grimacing, “let's sit down.”

Curious, Regina settled down on the sofa, wondering what Rick was about to reveal. He coughed. “I got a confession to make.”

She did not move.

“You know, I like you, I like you a lot, and I have from the moment I laid eyes on you. I don't have to go an' tell you this.” He shifted. “I sort of knew the truth too, right from the start.”

“Sort of?”

“Okay, I knew who you were, your chaperone told me before she died.”

“Oh, Rick.”

“Honey, it's not as bad as it sounds!” He held up his hands. “I mean, I was motivated at first by the thought of how an heiress like you could save the rancho. But then I saw how you looked at Slade—and how he looked at you. I mean, if ever two people were meant for each other, it was the two of you.”

Regina bowed her head, moved.

“What's wrong? Are you angry with me?”

She shook her head. “I cannot be angry with you, Rick. I like you, too, I always have.” She managed a smile. “And I believe you, because I know how much you love Slade.”

He reddened. “Yeah, well…now that Victoria's gone, why don't you tell me what's really going on?”

Regina was almost ready to confide everything in her father-in-law. He could be a difficult man, but she was seeing another side of him, one that was genuinely compassionate. However, Slade would not be pleased if she shared their problems with his father, and she owed him her loyalty, so she shook her head. “It's nothing, really.”

Rick appeared disappointed, perhaps in her lack of trust.

Regina changed the subject. “Xandria Kingsly and Charles Mann are having a gala in honor of my and Slade's marriage this Friday. Will you be coming, Rick?”

Rick scowled. “Is that an invitation?”

“It most certainly is.”

“Yeah, well, I'm not going to any gala.”

Regina's smile died. “Why not? Can't you stay in town for a few more days?”

“I could but I won't. I didn't come here to argue about some damn gala.”

“Why did you come, Rick?”

He took a breath. “Regina, I'll be blunt. I want you and Slade to come home. I'm asking you to come home.”

Regina was motionless. Her heart sped. No matter how worried she might be about the unresolved issues between her and Slade and her and her father, she was thrilled with what Rick was saying. He wanted his son to come home. “You must ask him,” she said firmly.

“Hell, you're his wife. Tell him it's time for him to return home, where he belongs.”

Regina sat very still. Gently she said, “You must tell him that you want him to come home, Rick.”

Rick looked uncomfortable. “I didn't ask him to leave in the first place. I sure as hell can't ask him to come home. But you can.”

Regina shook her head. “I will not ask him for you.”

Rick was on his feet. “Are you a stubborn little thing, too?”

“I can be. I sincerely hope that pride is not what is standing in the way of your having a decent relationship with your son.”

Rick gasped. “Missy, you are out of bounds!”

“Perhaps I am.”

Rick was incredulous. “I am not about to beg him to return! He left of his own free will. Not just once, mind you. Sometimes I think he hates my guts! Even if I did miss him—and I'm not sayin' that—I would never tell him!”

Regina stood, greatly perturbed. “I think you had better start being honest, Rick. First with yourself, then with your son.”

“You're a meddler, you know that?” Rick's eyes flashed angrily.

“Someone obviously has to meddle here. Why won't you come to the party Friday? Your son is the guest of honor. I am sure he would be pleased that you came. He might pretend otherwise, but deep inside, I am sure he would be thrilled.”

“I wouldn't set foot in Charlie Mann's place for a million dollars!”

Regina realized then how threatened Rick was by Slade's relationship with Charles Mann. He was hurt and he was angry. She wondered how long he had kept his feelings hidden. Slade had left home ten years ago. She hoped that Rick had not allowed his emotions to simmer for that length of time.

“Rick.” She took his hand. “Charles Mann is not Slade's father. He is only a good friend. You are his father and that is not ever going to change. Slade cares about Charles, but that doesn't mean he doesn't need you and your love.”

Rick was livid. “That boy doesn't know the meaning of family or love! Just like his damn mother never knew it either! You know his mother was a whore? She was so beautiful I thought if I married her and took her home I could turn her into some kind of lady. Hah! She didn't have one ladylike bone in her body. When she took off, I didn't beg her to come home,
and I'm not begging him. He is just like his damned mother!”

Regina was pale with shock. Yet she knew that Rick's words were not true. Slade was a moral man, unlike his mother. She shook her head, unable to speak, thinking too vividly of how Slade seemed determined not to let her into his heart. Perhaps his determination had something to do with his being abandoned as a baby by such a woman. The realization overwhelmed her with purpose—purpose to stick by her husband no matter what.

“If he wants to pretend Charlie Mann is his father, why the hell would I care? It don't change the fact that he belongs at Miramar. But I'll be damned if I'll set foot in Mann's place!”

Regina watched him stomp to the door. She made one last effort for the sake of father and son. “Rick, you can try to pretend that you don't care, but we both know it's a lie. The only one who doesn't know is Slade. Don't you think it's time you let him in on the secret?”

 

The silence in his office was deadly. His business dinner had long since ended, and, unable to face going home, he had returned to the Feldcrest Building. Usually a cacophany of sound filled the floor, the hum of voices, the clacking of typewriters and teletype, the ringing of the telephones. Tonight there was nothing, just the heavy beating of his own heart.

He could not shake the encounter with Nicholas Shelton from his mind. He knew that Shelton was right. Every goddamn word he'd said was right. Regina had been born with blue blood, she had been raised to take her place among the British aristocracy, she deserved a duke, not an impoverished ranchero. She was happy now, but for how long?

For how goddamn long?

Slade paced his dimly lit office, finally pausing by the window, bracing his hands on the sill. The street below was gas-lit, but there was little traffic; two prostitutes loitered, a single pedestrian hurrying toward them, one lonesome hansom rolling by. He stared at
it all without seeing any of it. He told himself that no matter how right Shelton was, he was not going to do the noble thing. He was not going to end his relationship with his wife.

He was not.

He had to face all of the brutal truth. He loved her. He had for some time, perhaps since they had first met. She was everything he'd ever dreamed a woman could be, and so much more. He did not want to go home to a dark and empty house, to a dark and meaningless life. Having had all that she could offer, having had the very ideal of a marriage, he could not face life without her.

He would not. No matter what, he would not sever their union.

He straightened, sighing in relief. He resolved not to think about the future, to live in the present and to do so greedily. But as he left his office, he was not appeased.

He suspected that he was much more noble than he had ever thought himself to be.

 

Regina paced their bedroom in her nightclothes and a dressing gown. Another glance at the clock showed her it was a minute past midnight. She sighed. She wrung her hands. Where was Slade?

Lights from the street below caught her attention. She ran to the window, but was disappointed when she saw an automobile slowly driving past. Slade would not be coming home in a motorcar. Then the door to their bedroom opened behind her. She whirled. Slade stood in the corridor, regarding her.

She bit off her cry and her question. Unable to smile, she merely stared back at him.

He entered the room, shutting the door behind him. He took off his jacket, saying quietly, “You didn't have to wait up.”