Daniel decided to give Mariana some time to cool down before attempting to see her again. He felt sincerely sorry about the whole incident, but he also thought she had overreacted just a bit. Given time she’d come around and find it in her heart to forgive him. It wasn’t as if he had compromised her honor. The article was, in fact, extremely flattering toward her. One particularly moving statement he thought she’d be especially pleased with:
Perhaps only a young woman raised in the bosom of loving and wise adoptive parents could have made the difficult transition from those two completely divergent worlds so easily. Mariana claimed with affection and conviction that the faith of her dear adoptive “Mama” and “Papa” had prepared her for changes that otherwise would have left her confused. But this peasant girl turned countess is the picture of serenity in an ocean of cresting waves.
Serenity, indeed! Yesterday he’d felt as if he’d been hit by a hurricane.
However, when he went to her home the next afternoon, he had complete confidence that all would soon be back to normal—whatever “normal” was supposed to be. He really didn’t know what he expected from their relationship. He wasn’t certain if he was in love with her, but he certainly cared for her and considered her a friend. And he might have thought twice about his actions had he realized she would interpret them as a betrayal of that friendship.
That was the problem . . . sometimes he didn’t think, or at least he tended to act before thinking.
He knocked on her door believing in an hour they’d kiss—so to speak!—and make up. He had no idea at all that within a mere hour another fuse would be ignited between them.
A maid answered the door, took his hat and coat, and ushered him into a parlor. He sat and waited so long that he began to think she was going to be stubborn about the whole thing.
“Just like a woman,” he muttered to himself.
Well, he supposed she did have a right to be a little out-of-sorts. He wasn’t going to try to defend himself, for even he was learning that was not always the wise course where women were concerned. He’d humble himself before her, beg—well, he wouldn’t carry that too far—for her mercy. Then he’d beguile her with his abundant charms, and that would be that.
He was beginning to think she might not come at all, when the door opened and Mariana appeared.
“Daniel,” she said in a dull voice, as if her anger and resentment had been replaced by apathy. “I’m here because I didn’t wish to be rude to you, but I really don’t think we have anything more to say to each other.”
“Mariana, I think you’ve made me suffer enough—”
“I don’t wish to cause you suffering. I just feel as if there is nothing more to say.”
“Well, whatever you wish, that’s not the effect it’s having. I am suffering, and despite how cool you are trying to act, you can’t deny you are also suffering.”
“It is difficult, but the best cure is for us to make a clean break—”
“Oh, that’s ridiculous!”
“I’d expect you to say that. You never have taken me seriously.”
“You are the most thick-headed woman I have ever known!” he exclaimed. All his plans for a hasty reconciliation were beginning to look hopeless.
“Then take advantage of this opportunity to be done with me, Daniel.”
“I don’t want to ‘be done’ with you, doggone it!” He jumped up and strode purposefully to where she stood in the middle of the room. He put his hands on her shoulders and turned her around so that she was facing him. When she looked away, he touched her chin with his fingers and tried to turn her face toward his. “I meant what I said at your party. I love you. I’m not sure what it all means, but I know I feel about you as I have never felt about another woman.” His words surprised him, even more than when he had spoken words of love to her the night of her coming-out party. Could it be that the prospect of losing her was making him realize just how much she meant to him?
He couldn’t help what he did next. Her face was so close and he could smell the sweet fragrance that always lingered about her like springtime. He wanted somehow to erase the hurt and pain from her countenance. He wanted everything to be the way it used to be between them. He regretted more than ever that he had written—or even thought of—that article.
He slipped his arm around her. His heart was pounding, especially since he knew that at any moment she might break away from him as she had that day in the park. But she didn’t. Encouraged, he leaned closer. Then he let his lips brush hers. For a brief moment he was certain he felt her respond to his kiss.
But the opening of the door put an immediate end to whatever might have come of that moment. The maid, who had knocked twice before entering and thought she’d heard a response, stepped in and was in the midst of announcing her purpose:
“Countess Mariana, you have another caller—”
A new voice cut her off. “Mariana?”
Stephan Alexandrovich quickly took in the scene, saw Mariana still in Daniel’s arms, and drew a logical, if completely incorrect, conclusion.