Through Each Tomorrow, page 31
When Andrew came out, his face was filled with both fury and grief.
“I love you,” he said to me.
“I love you,” I replied as tears fell down my cheeks. “I will not stop praying.”
We were pulled in two separate directions, but I did not take my eyes off my husband until he was out of sight.
26
CHARLES
AUGUST 10, 1883
NEW YORK CITY
I should have left after the funeral the day before, but I couldn’t return to Virginia when Evelyn was still grieving. She’d relied heavily on me to get through the day, and she’d asked me to stay until after the solicitor read her father’s will. There were still so many unknowns, and she wanted me there if things didn’t go as they hoped.
Yet, what could I do?
We were avoiding the inevitable.
I paced outside Mr. Whitney’s office in the Whitneys’ brownstone mansion on Fifth Avenue as the family met with the solicitor. Clarence and Helen had come to listen to the will, and the biggest question was whether Clarence would inherit the majority of the company or if it would go to Drew.
Helen’s glare had been cool as she’d passed me in the hall on her way into the office. She had been biding her time, as I knew she would, and hadn’t said a word about my identity yet. Was she waiting to see if I would try to marry Evelyn? Or had she decided not to say anything because of Mr. Whitney’s death?
After today, none of it would matter. I would have no reason to stay in New York. Despite what was happening at Windsor Castle, and my inability to defend him and Cecily, Drew had reassured me that if he retained a majority in the company, I would still receive the promised investment. He knew as well as I did that there was nothing I could have said to stop the queen from exacting punishment. My defense might even have made things worse.
At the moment, Drew’s investment in my farm was the least of my concerns.
Grief tore at my heart as I briefly closed my eyes. How was I going to say good-bye to Evelyn?
Shouting erupted inside the office, muffled by the closed door, but it brought my head up. I wasn’t sure who was yelling, though I had a suspicion.
A moment later, the door opened, and the solicitor quickly appeared with his briefcase in hand. He was an older gentleman with a mustache and a balding head, and when he saw me, he gave me a look that suggested he was eager to leave the mansion.
The office door was left open, and I had the opportunity to hear the conversation seeping into the hallway. I also had a good view of the room.
Drew, Evelyn, and their mother sat on one side of a table while Clarence and Helen sat on the other.
Clarence stood and slammed his hand on the table. “This is ludicrous. Who ever heard of giving their daughter a share of the company? I would never dream of expecting Marianna to run Whitney Shipping or make important decisions regarding the company. She’s a—a woman.”
“Why would William do such a thing?” Helen asked, her face filled with disgust. “Did he want our family to lose everything?”
Drew slowly rose and looked at Evelyn.
She had her hands clasped as she stared at the table, clearly shocked at the turn of events.
“I believe my father saw what I have known for years,” Drew said. “Evelyn is intelligent, capable, and hardworking. She will be an asset to Whitney Shipping, in whatever capacity she chooses to participate.”
“I can’t understand why William would do this to me,” Clarence said as he paced away from the table. “To give Drew fifty-one percent of the company and Evelyn nine percent while I maintain forty percent is ludicrous and a slap in the face for all the years of hard work I dedicated to our family and this company.”
“Most of those years,” Mrs. Whitney said, “you spent more time wasting money than making it, Clarence.”
He turned and glared at her. “How dare you?”
“How dare I what? You know it’s true. Perhaps William wanted to ensure that Evelyn was self-sufficient, and that even if you fritter away forty percent of the company on your extravagant lifestyle, there will still be sixty percent left over for everyone else.”
“Or maybe,” Helen said as she stood and joined her husband, “William thought Evelyn needed all the help she could get to attract a husband—preferably an aristocrat. Heavens knows she can’t do it by her own charms.”
I took a step forward, but Mrs. Whitney started to round the table toward Helen.
“There is no need for Evelyn to use her money to attract an aristocrat,” she said, lifting her chin. “I have it on good authority that she will be announcing an engagement to Lord Norfolk as soon as our period of mourning ends. And that was agreed upon before she owned nine percent of the company.”
Helen laughed. The sound was loud and obnoxious, making the hairs on the back of my neck rise.
Heat gathered beneath my collar as the conversation shifted in my direction.
Evelyn noticed me outside the door and stood.
“Look,” Helen said as she stopped laughing abruptly and a scowl filled her face. “The earl in question is eavesdropping at the door as we speak.”
Mrs. Whitney’s pleading gaze met mine. “Tell her, Lord Norfolk. Tell her how you plan to marry Evelyn.”
Drew and Clarence turned to look at me, and suddenly, I was at a loss for words. More than anything, I wanted to declare my love for Evelyn and whisk her away, but this grieving family had more important things to worry about than whether I would marry Evelyn or not.
There was nothing left for me to say or do. The ruse was up, and if I didn’t confess to Mrs. Whitney, Helen would do it for me.
I couldn’t live with myself if I wasn’t the one to tell her. She deserved better.
Drew grasped the back of a chair and lowered his gaze. He was just as guilty as me, but I wouldn’t lay fault on his shoulders. I wanted him to remain blameless in his family’s eyes. He was already suffering enough here and in 1563—and I’d done little to help him in his other path.
With a fleeting glance at Evelyn, I put all my focus on Mrs. Whitney.
“The last thing I want to do is hurt you or your family,” I said to her, “especially at this difficult time. But it would be impossible for me to marry Evelyn, no matter how much I might love her.”
Evelyn bit her lower lip and looked away from me.
Pain sliced through me, knowing it wasn’t just Mrs. Whitney who would suffer because of my choices.
“Whyever not?” Mrs. Whitney asked, her voice desperate. “You’re not already married, are you?”
“No.” I swallowed and decided to forge ahead. “I can’t marry Evelyn because I’m not who you think I am.”
Helen’s feline smile was hard to miss as she watched Mrs. Whitney’s reaction.
“Who are you?” Mrs. Whitney asked, frowning.
“Perhaps,” Helen said, “the better question to ask is who he isn’t.”
“Who aren’t you?” Mrs. Whitney demanded.
Drew turned toward the window as Evelyn continued to look at her hands.
“I am not Charles Pembrooke, the Earl of Norfolk,” I said, my voice steadier than I expected.
Shock stole over Mrs. Whitney as she stared at me. The color drained from her face, and she slowly lowered herself into a chair.
“So, you see,” Helen said to Mrs. Whitney, crossing her arms and gloating, “your son and daughter have been fooling you all summer, Minnie. They knew that this—man—was not a real earl. I don’t know who they invited to your home, but he is no aristocrat, and I intend to tell the world that you knowingly tried to pass him off as one. Can you imagine what Mrs. Astor will think of you then? You’ll never be allowed in polite society again.”
“Who are you?” Mrs. Whitney asked me in a choked whisper, ignoring her sister-in-law.
I owed her the truth, though I felt as small as an ant. “I am Charles Hollingsworth of Virginia, ma’am.” I let my British accent slip and returned to the cadence of my Virginia roots. “I am a farmer.”
“Good heavens.” Mrs. Whitney looked like she would be ill. “I’ve been entertaining a farmer all summer?” She put her fist to her mouth. “I’ll be ruined when word of this gets out.”
“There’s no need to ruin anything.” Clarence lifted his hands to calm the ladies. “We can come to an agreement, I’m sure.”
“What kind of agreement?” Drew asked, frowning at his uncle.
“I want fifty-one percent of Whitney Shipping for our silence,” Clarence said, crossing his arms. “And I want Evelyn removed from the company entirely. Drew, you can retain forty-nine percent of the company, but you will also take over your father’s position in the office so I can maintain the lifestyle Helen and I have become accustomed to.”
“But—” Helen’s mouth parted. “You’re not going to let me tell the world about this, Clarence?”
“Not if it benefits us to remain silent.” He turned toward Drew. “What will it be?”
“You want the majority of the company,” Drew said, the muscles in his cheek jumping, “but you don’t want to do any of the work?”
Clarence nodded. “I’ve put all the time and effort into the business that I’m comfortable sacrificing. It’s time for you to step up and take over.”
The dread Drew had been living under was written all over his face. This was not the life he wanted, and it was only getting worse as he faced running a company that he wouldn’t have a majority ownership or say in.
He looked at his mother, but she was staring at her hands, so he then turned to Evelyn.
Instead of looking at her brother, she lifted her eyes to me. I couldn’t read her thoughts as she stared at me.
“We will need some time,” Drew finally said to Clarence. “I want you to promise that you won’t utter a word about this until we give you a decision.”
Helen’s mouth slipped open in utter astonishment as she waited for her husband to respond.
“You have twenty-four hours,” Clarence said as he gathered a few pieces of paper on the table. “If you don’t give us a satisfactory answer by this time tomorrow, I will allow Helen to contact The New York Times.”
Drew nodded. “But not a word can be leaked. If anyone hears about this, the deal will be off.”
“Agreed,” Clarence said.
“Clarence.” Helen tripped after her husband as he walked out of the room. “You won’t let me tell anyone? Not even my closest friends?”
“No one.” Clarence walked toward the doorway.
I stepped aside to let him and his wife pass.
Helen continued to beg as Clarence strode down the hall and the two disappeared.
I stepped into the office, wanting to fix this situation. To assure Mrs. Whitney that I wasn’t a monster.
She slowly lifted her cold eyes and pinned her glare on me.
I paused.
“Do not take one more step into this room,” she said as she stood.
“Mother.” Drew put his hand on her arm.
“Don’t touch me,” she hissed at him, pulling her arm away as anger and resentment seethed from her lips. “How could you, Drew?” She turned to Evelyn. “And you. My own children. You’ve betrayed me beyond words. And worse, my greatest enemy gloats over me. How long has she known?” She closed her eyes briefly and then turned to me again. “You—you—evil man. How could you deceive me this way? Was it your idea to manipulate my children into this? And what did you hope to gain? Wealth? Fame?”
“Mother,” Drew tried again. “I asked Ch—”
“It was my idea,” I said, taking the blame from Drew. “I had hoped to gain an investment in my family’s horse farm. Nothing more.”
“You will never get it.” Mrs. Whitney’s voice was half crazed. “As long as I draw breath, you will eat the dust of your labor. I never want to see you again. Leave my house immediately.”
“Mother,” Evelyn said as she, too, tried to reach for her. “Charles is not the only one to blame.”
“Please,” I said to Evelyn. “Don’t try to take responsibility. I’m the one who chose to deceive all of you.” I took a deep breath, trying to maintain my dignity, though there was little left. “I’ll pack my bags and leave as soon as possible.”
I didn’t wait for anyone to respond but turned and strode down the hallway toward the stairs.
The time had come to face reality.
I could no longer pretend to be the earl, I wasn’t getting the investment for the farm, and once Drew left Cecily in 1563, there was little hope that I could find a good husband for Cecily before my next birthday.
Nothing had changed, despite my best efforts.
Instead, everything was worse—and I had no one to blame but myself.
It didn’t feel right to take any of the clothes that Drew had purchased for me, so I changed into the suit I’d worn to New York from Virginia and took a moment to stare at my reflection in the mirror.
How had I found myself in this position? The plan had been simple. Impress a few people and then leave.
But it had turned out to be anything but simple.
And the worst was that I had fallen in love for the first time, and I was now in possession of a new sort of heartbreak I’d never known before.
“Charles,” Drew said as he knocked on my door, “may I come in?”
I opened the door and stepped aside, allowing him to enter.
“I’m sorry.” Drew shook his head. “Nothing was supposed to go this way.”
“It’s not entirely your fault. It was foolish of me to come here. I should have known better.”
Drew ran his hand across the back of his neck. “Why is nothing going as planned? It seems that everything I put my hand to fails.”
I knew he was talking about him and Cecily. I hadn’t spoken to either of them in 1563 since the queen had put them on house arrest. They’d been taken to different parts of the castle, and I didn’t even know where to look for them.
“How is Cecily?” he asked, waiting intently for my answer. “They won’t tell me where they’ve taken her.”
“I haven’t spoken to her. They won’t tell me, either.”
He lowered himself into a chair, looking forlorn and melancholy. “I can’t stop thinking about her. She fills my every waking moment, both here and in 1563. Even at my father’s funeral, when I should have been focused on him, all I could think about was how much easier this would all be if Cecily was at my side.” He put his face in his hands and shook his head. “I’ve never known such misery in my life, Charles. And to know that I’ll wake up tomorrow and not be able to see her there, either—it’s unbearable.”
The ache in my chest was so deep and painful, I knew the misery he spoke of. “I wish I could say I didn’t understand.”
He shook his head. “I keep forgetting that you know exactly how I feel.” He stood and paced to the window. “Why is God allowing this misery?”
“We were wrong to deceive everyone.” I lifted my hat off the bureau and held it in my hand. “I don’t think God is allowing us to succeed because we tried to manipulate people to get what we both wanted. He obviously has a different plan than us. It’s taken a lot of heartache to realize I can’t manipulate or cajole Him to do my bidding.”
“My uncle’s plan is nothing more than manipulation and blackmail. Why would God let Clarence get away with it and not us? We didn’t do what we did for our own selfish gains. We were trying to take care of our families.”
“In his own way, so is Clarence.”
Drew stared at me, his countenance heavy. “If I give in to him, he’ll own the majority of the company and you won’t get your investment, Charles.”
The truth felt like a knife in my gut. “I never had it to begin with.” I put my hat on. “It was a wild gamble, and we lost. Nothing more. Nothing less.”
“If I don’t give in to him,” he continued, “and they tell the newspapers, the scandal will follow you to Virginia. And no matter how much money I pour into your horse farm, your reputation will be tarnished, and the very people you hope to sell your horses to will turn their backs on you. Not to mention how the scandal will impact Mother and Evelyn.”
“If you don’t give in, at least Evelyn will have nine percent of the company, and she can be independent. You could also retain your majority vote and have control over the company to do with it what you will. I would rather my reputation be tarnished than take that away from you and Evelyn. Actually, I insist.”
Drew frowned. “What will you do about your mother and Ada?”
“I’ll do what I’ve always done. I’ll take care of them and pray for a miracle.”
“What about Cecily? Who will take care of her?”
Frustration and fear stole over me. “She wants you.”
He paced away from me. “How can I leave now when I’m most needed?”
I slowly shook my head. “I can’t answer that question for you. What I do know is that you’re going to end up hurting someone. You need to ask yourself which broken heart can you live with.”
Without another word, I left my room, closing the door behind me.
My heart pounded as I walked down the hallway, needing to say good-bye to Evelyn. I wasn’t sure where I might find her or if she’d want to see me, but I couldn’t live with myself if I didn’t try.
I descended the stairs and headed to the library. It wasn’t as cozy as the one at Midcliff, with views of the Atlantic Ocean, but it was just as impressive. And if Evelyn waited for me anywhere, it would be in the library.
If she wasn’t there, then she didn’t want to see me.
Taking a deep breath, I opened the door to the library and allowed my eyes to scan the room.
Two of the walls were covered with bookshelves, while a third had a massive fireplace. Windows on the fourth wall were flanked by wingback chairs.
Evelyn sat in one of the chairs, looking out at the courtyard behind the mansion, her chin in her hand. The sky was cloudless, and sunshine brightened the room.
When I entered, she turned, and in one fluid motion, she was out of her chair and walking across the room to enter my embrace.
