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She didn't know what she would have done if Jean- Pierre had not been
there. He helped her by running errands, hunting down frame shops,
encouraging her, insisting she eat when she forgot about meals. He
accompanied her to the galleries and to meetings with Huntington, the
owner of the gallery setting up her show. Slowly but surely everything was
shaping up.
Jeremy was the first person to say something to Blake.
"What's happening on the home front these days? You haven't mentioned
Angel in days." They were having lunch together and Blake pushed back his
plate slightly at Jeremy's candid question.
"There's nothing much to mention. We're both busy. We don't see all that
much of each other not with the hours I keep."
"You're a fool."
"What are you talking about?"
"You are treating your marriage like some business merger. If I didn't know
you so damned well I'd be tempted to believe the rumors circulating."
"What rumors?"
"That the only reason you married Angel was to get your hands on her
stock."
Blake studied his friend impassively. "A rumor like that isn't too surprising
under the circumstances. It's more or less to be expected. Everyone knows
we didn't know each other long before we married."
"And neither of you are doing a damned thing to dispel the rumors. You
spend every waking moment buried at your office and Angel's busy being
seen all over town with an adoring Frenchman."
Blake stiffened. "What are you talking about?"
"Don't tell me you don't know! They're seen everywhere together going in
and out of art galleries and museums, lunching, strolling along Fisherman's
Wharf carrying on animated conversations in French, of course. Three
people this past week have mentioned to me that they've seen them together.
She's certainly doing nothing to hide the fact she's seeing someone else."
"Jean-Pierre."
"You mean you're aware of him?"
"He's a friend of hers visiting from France."
"And you don't even care? You really are a coldblooded bastard, aren't you,
Blake? Maybe the rumors are true. So long as you have the stock, you don't
care what she's doing." Jeremy threw down his napkin in disgust. "You
know, I've always thought that cool, aloof image of yours was a facade. I
was wrong. You have a calculator for a heart and a computer for a brain.
You don't need people either friends or a wife." He pushed back his chair.
"Sorry to have taken up so much of your valuable time."
Blake stood up with Jeremy. "Hey, fella, hold on. I may not have the
emotional responses you're looking for, but you're exploding like a
Fourth-of-July fireworks display that was accidentally touched off all at
once. Calm down a minute and let's talk, okay?"
Jeremy stared at his friend for a moment, then with a sheepish expression
slowly sat down. Blake signaled for more coffee and waited for the beverage
to be poured before he spoke.
"I didn't mean to give you the impression that I don't care what Angel is
doing. I do. Very much. It's just that our agreement when we married was
that I wouldn't put any restrictions on her. Angel needs her freedom. She
knows she can return to France if she isn't happy here. I want her to be happy
and stay. So I don't want to play the heavy-handed husband and start making
demands she won't tolerate."
"Even to allowing her to continue her relationship with her lover?"
"Jean-Pierre isn't her lover."
"How the hell can you possibly know that?"
"Because I know Angel and she would not break her word. She is very
loyal."
"I can't believe this conversation."
"Just because I can calmly discuss Angel and her relationship with
Jean-Pierre doesn't mean that I'm handling my feelings all that great," Blake
admitted wryly. "I'm jealous as hell."
"He says as he calmly sips his coffee! I can't believe you, Blake. Are you
afraid of admitting you're human, with all the frail emotions that entails? I
knew you watched too much Star Trek as a kid. You must have convinced
yourself you're another Spock!"
Blake laughed. "I'm afraid you're wrong. I sometimes feel I'm eaten up
inside. Phyllis is convinced I'm losing my mind."
"What would ever cause your loyal secretary to see you as anything less than
perfect?"
"When I dictated a letter that she brought back in to me and questioned. I
told a client I would get back in touch with him as soon as I heard from
Jean-Pierre. I meant to say Paul Schofield."
Jeremy grinned. "So you have been thinking of Angel and her friend."
"There's never a time when I'm not thinking about her, what she's doing,
who she's seeing. I'm well aware that Jean-Pierre is still in the States. But she
never mentions him, so I haven't brought him up, either."
"Have you told her how you feel?"
"Certainly not!"
"Too much pride?"
"No. Too much fear. I'm afraid to tell her what I'm feeling and what it's
doing to me. If I end up issuing some crazy ultimatum, I'm not at all sure she
would choose to stay with me."
"But that doesn't make any sense, Blake. If she loved you enough to marry
you, why would she choose Jean-Pierre? She could have married him, you
know."
"I've used that very logic myself and would find it comforting but for one
thing. Angel didn't marry me because she loved me."
"Then why the hell did she marry you?"
"I wish I knew. I have a hunch it was to please her father."
"How could marrying you please him when he's dead?"
"Our fathers made it clear they hoped we would marry."
"And good ol' levelheaded, serious-minded Blake wanted to fulfill their
wishes. Don't give me that. I know you too well."
"I thought I knew myself, but my head's been whirling since Dad and Scott
were killed." [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]