The following week passed and Jillian and Quinton arrived home on Monday morning. Bertram met them at the door and carried their luggage inside. Quinton had insisted they buy a new set for their new clothes. Though Jillian felt a little guilty about spending so much money, Quinton talked her into buying more outfits than she needed for the week-long trip.
Quinton kissed Jillian goodbye at the door and hurried to the office to catch up his work.
Jillian went to their room to hang up the new clothes. Gloria joined her and began placing the new clothes on hangers in Jillian’s closet. “These are lovely, Mrs. Kincade.”
“Thank you, Gloria. I didn’t mean to spend so much, but I must admit I enjoyed shopping for them while Quinton discussed business with the store managers.”
“I’m sure Mr. Kincade didn’t mind how much you spent.”
“He didn’t seem to, but I don’t want to take advantage of his generosity. He’s awfully free with me.”
“I think he enjoys pampering you, Mrs. Kincade.”
“I like doing things for him, too, Gloria.”
“I know you do, Ma’am.”
There was a knock on the bedroom door. Jillian handed Gloria the blouse she was holding and went to see who wanted her.
“Mrs. Kincade, there’s a Mrs. Von Cannon here to see you.”
“Thank you, Bertram.” She turned back to the closet. “I can hang the rest of these later, Gloria. I’m sure you have other work to do.”
“I don’t mind doing this for you. I like looking at all the pretty things.”
Jillian nodded and went out the door. Bertram was waiting at the foot of the stairs when she came down. “I put Mrs. Von Cannon in the drawing room, Madam. I’ll see that Melba brings tea.”
“Thank you,” Jillian said as she entered the formal room off the entry. “Hello, Marilyn. I’m delighted to see you again.”
Marilyn smiled up at her from her seat in the white brocade chair. “Hello, Jillian. I hope you don’t mind me dropping in without calling. I know you just got back from your trip and are probably too tired for company.”
“I don’t mind you dropping in, and I’m not the least bit tired. We had a nice relaxing trip.” She sat on the chair facing Marilyn. “I’m glad you decided to visit me. Sometimes I get a little lonely in this huge house.”
“I can see why. I have a large house myself, but nothing as grand as this. The Kincades have lived in this mansion for a long time.”
“Yes, Quinton told me his great-grandfather built the place.”
Melba entered with a silver tray sporting a fragile china tea service and a crystal plate of sugar-coated cookies. She put it on the marble topped table beside Jillian. “Shall I serve, Mrs. Kincade?”
“Please, Melba.”
After the women were served, Melba left the room with a big smile for Jillian.
“I can see the help has taken you under their wing.” Marilyn smiled. “The butler was very formal, but I could tell by his demeanor that if I was here to cause trouble he’d have thrown me out on my nose.”
Jillian couldn’t help laughing. “I can’t imagine Bertram doing something like that, though I had a bad experience with a visitor a few weeks ago and he has become protective.”
“I could tell he was leery of me. Then the servant who brought the tea was determined I understand she would be keeping an eye on you, and I better not cause you any trouble.”
“How can you tell all this?”
“Honey, I’ve been in this society all of my life. It usually takes an outsider years to win the support and devotion of servants. You’ve done it in a remarkably short time.”
“I don’t consider them servants, Marilyn. They’re just employees doing a job for a salary. Doing it well and with dignity.”
“What a unique way to look at it.” Marilyn nodded her head. “I’ve never thought of it in that manner, but I suppose you’re right.”
“I think everyone deserves to be respected for the jobs they do. I’ve had to work myself, and I know what work is.” Jillian picked up the plate of cookies. “Would you like one?”
“I shouldn’t, but they do look delicious.” She took a cookie. “By the way, where is that husband of yours today?”
“He went to work. After a week out of town, I’m sure he had a lot of catching up to do.”
“There have been some things going on while you were gone.” Marilyn nibbled her cookie. “John has had his hands full with Maddie Jones.”
Jillian smiled. “I’m sorry. I’m sure in his profession his clients can give him a hard time.”
“You don’t know who Maddie Jones is, do you, Jillian?”
“Not unless she was someone I met at the club or at the store. I’m sorry I can’t remember everyone’s name. It’s all still overwhelming to me.”
Marilyn sipped her tea and looked at Jillian for a long minute. Finally she said, “You wouldn’t have met Maddie Jones at the club or at the store.”
“Then I’m sure I don’t know her.”
Marilyn saw the innocent look in Jillian’s eyes, but she wasn’t sure the woman was as unsuspecting as she seemed. “I hear she plays around with a husband of a friend of mine.” She was hoping Jillian would react.
She did, but not in the way Marilyn expected.
“Oh, I hope not.”
“Why would you care?”
“I don’t like to think of a husband being unfaithful to his wife. Marriage should be a sacred trust between two people.” Jillian sighed. “Of course I’m not blind enough to know it doesn’t happen. I just wish it didn’t happen so often.”
Marilyn bit her lip. She was almost sure Jillian knew nothing about Quinton’s mistress, and for a moment, Marilyn wanted to strangle the man. “You love your husband, don’t you, Jillian?”
“Of course.” Her answer was quick. “I would have never married him if I didn’t care about him.”
Damn, Quinton Kincade. I wonder if he knows what a jewel he has in this woman. A jewel she figured he’d crush in due time. Well, it was going to be without the help of her and the other dissatisfied wives in their social circle. At that moment, Marilyn decided to become Jillian’s protector. The females she associated with would chew this woman to bits in no time.
To Jillian she said, “I don’t suppose you would’ve married Quinton or any other man without loving him, would you?”
“Of course not.”
Marilyn changed the subject. “I need to throw a tea or something, so the others we associate with can get to know you, Jillian. I’ve been remiss. I should have done it before now.”
“I don’t expect you to do that.” Jillian smiled. “Quinton and I have been gone a lot. First there was the honeymoon and now the trip to visit his stores.”
“I know, but there’s a lot of curiosity about the woman who was able to snag Mr. ‘confirmed bachelor’. I want them to see the genuine qualities which must have attracted him.”
Jillian only smiled and the conversation shifted to other subjects. It wasn’t long until a fragile bond formed between the two women. A bond they both instinctively knew would grow stronger in time.
* * * *
“But, Quinton, baby, I don’t understand why you can’t come over?”
“I told you, Maddie. I have work to do. I’ve been gone for a week and things have piled up.”
“I know you were gone. I tried to call you, but it was like your honeymoon, you didn’t answer your phone.”
“I was busy.”
“Busy, busy. Is that all you ever think about? Don’t you want to come over and let me love you like you should be loved? I know that worn-out old wife of yours can’t be as good in bed as I am.”
“I told you not to ever mention my wife,” he snapped.
“If I didn’t know better, I’d say you’ve fallen in love with the old hag.”
“I’m warning you, Maddie. Don’t you ever call my wife names.”
“And why not?”
“She’s a special woman and people like you aren’t worthy to say her name.”
“What do you mean, ‘people like me’? I’m just as good as you and she are.” Maddie was shouting.
“You’re right about one thing. You’re as good as I am, Maddie,” he said in a calm voice, “but neither of us is anywhere near as good as my wife.”
“That doesn’t make sense.”
“The truth doesn’t have to make sense.”
Before she could respond there was a commotion outside his door.
“Someone’s coming in. I’ll call you back later.” He flipped his cell phone shut and put it in his pocket. The door burst open.
“I’m sorry, Mr. Kincade. I couldn’t stop her.” His secretary was actually holding Marilyn Von Cannon’s arm.
“It’s okay, Judy. Come on in, Marilyn. You sure seem to be in a hurry to see me.”
She didn’t answer until Judy closed the door. She then marched up to Quinton’s desk and plopped her bag down in front of him. “You’re damn right I’m in a hurry to see you.” She glared at him. “What kind of scheme are you bastards trying to pull?”
Quinton frowned. “What are you talking about, Marilyn?”
Without being asked, she dropped to the chair in front of his desk. “You and John are up to something and I want to know what it is.”
“John and I are always into one deal or another.”
“I’m not talking about some deal. I’m talking about Maddie Jones.”
Quinton’s face went white, but he managed to say, “What do you know about Maddie Jones?”
“It doesn’t matter a damn what I know about her. It’s what Jillian knows that counts.”
He was stunned. “Jillian doesn’t know… Does she?” He eyed Marilyn hoping she was bluffing.
She wasn’t.
“Not yet, but she will.”
“No, she won’t. I can’t allow that.” Quinton was firm.
“Allow, hell. How are you going to stop it?”
“I’ll find a way.”
“Quinton, you bastard. You’re going to end up breaking that poor woman’s heart.”
“I’m not going to break anybody’s heart. Jillian has everything she wants. I’ve given her…”
“I don’t give a damn what you’ve given her. It’s what you’re going to take from her that counts.” When he frowned, she added, “Give me a drink. I know you have a bottle around here somewhere.”
He walked to a wooden wall unit and pushed a button. The doors folded back and a well-stocked bar came into view. He didn’t ask her what she wanted. He poured both of them a Scotch and water. He handed her one and returned to his desk. “Now what is it you think I’m taking from my wife?”
She took a long drink then looked him in the eye. “Among other things, you’re taking her naiveté, her goodness, her purity, and most important of all her love.”
“I’m not following you, Marilyn.” His heart began to pound. Was Marilyn right? Did Jillian love him? God, he hoped not. He couldn’t handle that.
“Damn it, you bastard. The woman is so in love with you she can’t see anything you’re doing wrong. You’re going to crush her. She doesn’t deserve that. What has she done to you?”
She didn’t give him time to answer. “Nothing. That’s what she’s done. She’s only given herself completely to you because she loves and trusts you with her whole heart. And you’re going to do just what you’ve been doing to women since your first wife died. You’re going to take that heart and grind it under your heel when you write her a check and dump her. You won’t even look back to see that this time your money didn’t fix it. This time you may have hurt someone so bad they may not live through it. You think you killed your first wife by getting her pregnant. What excuse are you going to use this time?”
She downed the rest of her drink and stood. “All of you men should be sent to a cattle ranch and be castrated along with the bulls. None of you are any better than those animals who take one cow after another.” She bent over the desk and looked him in the eye. “I used to be jealous because I was the one wife in our group you refused to take to bed. I know it was because of your friendship with John and that made me mad. Now I’m thankful you at least had the decency not to use your friend’s wife. I’m also thankful I didn’t push you into screwing me. You don’t deserve me and you sure as hell don’t deserve Jillian.”
She whirled around and left.
* * * *
For several minutes Quinton stared at the door Marilyn slammed as she left his office. Finally, he picked up the phone and buzzed his secretary. “Judy, see that no one disturbs me. I have something important to do.”
“Yes, Sir.”
Quinton took a bottle from his liquor cabinet and for over an hour he sat behind his desk drinking one glassful after another. His mind was racing and he was absorbing everything Marilyn said to him. She had been right on the bull’s eye about his character. He had to accept that. When he came to a decision, he picked up his desk phone and made a call.
“John, get over to my office. I want to do something special and I need your encouragement to go through with it.”
“Quinton, can it wait? I’m rather busy.”
“No, damn it. Get over here now.”