CHAPTER 28

Later that afternoon, Andrew joined his family on the back verandah overlooking the gardens where they were enjoying a peaceful interlude before the dinner bell summoned them. He took a vacant seat at the wrought-iron table and paused to inhale the warm summer air. A soft breeze stirred the leaves in the garden below, bringing the heady floral scent up to greet him.

Seated in her favorite lounge chair, Mother wore a large floppy hat to shield her complexion from the sun. Father, still dressed in his business attire, had made a slight concession by removing his suit jacket and sitting in his shirtsleeves and waistcoat. Andrew did his best to enjoy the tranquility of the moment, but with the announcement he was about to make, he couldn’t seem to relax.

Virginia, who’d apparently just returned from a walk in the park, carried Christian up the stairs and joined them at the table. “Here, Daddy. Hold Christian for a while.” Without waiting for his consent, she sat the baby on his lap.

Remarkably, Father accepted the boy with a smile.

Andrew fought the temptation to look around for Grace. Correcting old habits had become a bit of a challenge, so he was relieved that Grace seemed bent on avoiding him as much as he avoided her. When he was certain she hadn’t followed Virginia onto the verandah, he turned his attention to the rare sight of his father enjoying time with his grandson.

The boy made a grab for the chain of Father’s pocket watch, and instead of becoming annoyed, his father chuckled and pulled out the timepiece for Christian to hold. Father bounced his knee, eliciting a stream of giggles from the baby. Mother and Virginia laughed along with him.

Andrew marveled at how quickly Christian was growing. Now almost eight months old, he was already attempting to crawl whenever he was on the ground. Soon he would want to test his newfound mobility and would no longer be content to sit on their laps. Andrew would miss those times a great deal.

“There’s something about a child that brings a family together.” Father’s gruff voice drew Andrew’s gaze. He was surprised to see such raw emotion on his face. “Having this little fellow here certainly helps ease the sting of loss.”

Virginia moved to Father’s chair and hugged him from behind. “You’re right, Daddy. I feel like Frank’s with me every time I pick up his son.”

For once Father didn’t shrink at the mention of Frank’s name. “I know what you mean. It’s uncanny how much he reminds me of Frank.”

Christian gave a delighted shriek and kicked his plump legs, almost as if he understood what they were saying. They all laughed again.

Andrew’s throat thickened at the idea of his nephew almost ending up a ward of the Children’s Aid. If Reverend Burke hadn’t been privy to the identity of the baby’s father, they might never have known Frank’s son.

A twinge of guilt surfaced as his thoughts turned once again to Grace and the lengths she’d gone to in order to get to know Christian. How devastating it must have been to arrive in Toronto expecting to see her sister only to learn that Rose had died. He swallowed hard to dislodge any trace of sympathy that might lessen his outrage. He needed to remain angry with Grace to keep any lingering feelings for her at bay.

He cleared his throat. “Mother, Father. I have some important news.”

“Oh?” Mother peered from under her hat’s wide brim.

“News that I hope will please you both.” He made a deliberate attempt to relax his shoulders and smile. “This morning I asked Cecilia to marry me, and she accepted.”

“Oh, Andrew. That’s wonderful.” Mother clapped her hands together.

Father wore a broad smile. “That’s the best news I’ve heard in a very long time.” He rose, handed the baby to Virginia, and came forward with his hand outstretched. “Congratulations, my boy. I knew I could count on you to restore honor to this family.”

Andrew stood and shook his father’s hand. In the look they exchanged, a shimmer of understanding passed between them, and for a brief moment, Andrew basked in the glow of his admiration.

Mother came over to hug him. Her wide smile and the sparkle in her eyes brought back happier times. Andrew’s chest swelled. At last, he’d achieved what he’d set out to accomplish. He’d united his broken family and brought happiness back to them. The Eastons would overcome their loss and pain, and forge ahead to reclaim their rightful place as the city’s most influential family.

Only the disapproving stare of his sister marred his exuberance.

Father must have picked up on her silence. “Virginia, aren’t you going to congratulate your brother?”

Shifting Christian to her hip, she walked forward to join them by the rail. The breeze stirred her dark curls, lifting them away from her troubled eyes. “Congratulations, Drew.” She leaned up to kiss his cheek. “I hope you’ll be very happy.” Though the words sounded sincere, the life had gone out of her expression.

“Thank you, Ginny. That means a lot.”

“So I take it Cecilia was agreeable to the quick wedding?” Father asked.

Andrew’s stomach sank. He’d hoped he’d have time to talk to Ginny privately and explain the necessity for having the wedding while she’d be away in Europe.

“It was a bit of a shock, but she rallied to the challenge.” Andrew laughed, trying to dispel the impending storm sure to come. “With Charlotte’s help, I’m certain they will have everything organized in time.”

Mother didn’t seem the least surprised, leading Andrew to believe that Father had discussed the matter with her.

Virginia moved closer, heedless of the baby’s growing restlessness. “Just how soon are you talking about?”

“The end of August.” He smiled brightly. “Cecilia and I will be moving to Ottawa right after the honeymoon so I can oversee the new hotel.”

The color left Virginia’s cheeks and her features crumpled with disbelief. “You’re getting married while I’m away?” Tears formed in her bright eyes. “How could you after what happened with Frank?”

Andrew groaned. He’d forgotten how much weddings mattered to Virginia. “I’m sorry, Gin. Truly. If there was any other way . . .”

“There is another way. Wait until I return. It will only be a few more months.”

“Nonsense.” Father lifted a squirming Christian from her arms, as though he feared she’d drop the child. “Andrew needs his wife by his side as he begins his new life. Besides, once you get back, you’ll be engrossed in wedding plans of your own.”

One of the maids approached them. “Excuse me, sir. Miss Foley sent me to get Master Christian. His supper is ready.”

Andrew ignored his family’s pointed stares. It seemed they too had noticed Grace’s marked absence from their lives, since she’d started taking all her meals with the staff in the kitchen. But no one had come right out and asked him about the sudden change.

“It’s all right, Serena,” Virginia said. “I’ll bring him up.” She threw Andrew a dark look. “Suddenly I’m not very hungry.”

His gut clenched as she turned away quickly, but not fast enough to hide the tears rolling down her cheeks.

Virginia sat on the sofa in the darkened parlor, the only light coming from the low embers in the hearth. She’d waited until the house had quieted for the evening before coming down to the kitchen for some toast and tea, knowing no matter how upset she was, she’d never last until morning without something in her belly.

Now in the darkness of the empty room, she set her teacup aside and allowed herself to examine the true source of her despair. It wasn’t just that she would miss Andrew’s wedding, although that surely bothered her. No, her utter desolation was due to the fact that Andrew’s announcement had destroyed her last hope of ever being with Collin.

Virginia had been so sure Andrew loved Grace. She was counting on him to ignore Daddy’s wishes and marry her, which would have opened the door for her and Collin.

But something terrible had happened. Something that had changed the dynamics between her brother and Grace. One minute, he’d been consumed with worry about Grace catching Christian’s illness, barely getting a wink of sleep. The next, he’d become distant and angry, making certain he was never in Grace’s presence unless absolutely necessary.

And now, after months of hesitation, he’d suddenly proposed to Cecilia and planned to marry her in a matter of weeks. Drew knew how she’d despaired over missing Frank’s wedding. How could he turn around and do the same thing to her? Tears burned the back of her eyes.

“Virginia?” Grace’s voice whispered into the room. “Is everything all right?”

Virginia swiped at her eyes and rose from the sofa.

“I could tell something was bothering you earlier. Do you want to talk about it?” Grace moved into the faint light from the fireplace.

Virginia’s response died in her throat at the look of concern on her face. If anyone would commiserate with her pain, it would be Grace. And she deserved to know the truth. Perhaps she already did.

Virginia let out a long sigh. “You might as well know. Andrew announced his engagement tonight. He and Cecilia are getting married at the end of August.”

“Oh my.” Grace sank onto a cushioned seat near her, staring straight ahead. All the life seemed to drain from her.

“I’m so sorry, Grace. I can’t believe he went through with it.”

“I can.” Her words were wooden. Her eyes seemed hollow.

“What happened between the two of you? Everything changed after Christian’s illness. Suddenly you two can’t abide being in the same room together.”

Grace plucked at the string of her apron. “It’s complicated.”

“Did Andrew do something inappropriate?” Though Virginia couldn’t imagine her brother doing anything improper, she had to ask.

“No, of course not.” Grace swallowed. “This is all my fault. You mustn’t blame him.”

“What could you possibly have done to deserve such treatment?” Indignation on her friend’s behalf burned through her.

“I lied to him.” She said it so quietly that Virginia thought she must have misunderstood. Then Grace raised anguished eyes to her. “I lied to all of you. I’m so sorry, Virginia. I never meant to hurt anyone.”

A sliver of alarm crept through Virginia’s veins. “It must have been a whopper to be so unforgivable.”

“To Andrew it was.” A tear slipped down Grace’s cheek.

Virginia took a breath. Grace was her friend, and friends stood by each other through thick and thin. She reached over to squeeze her arm. “Whatever it is, you can tell me. I promise it won’t matter.”

Grace dabbed a handkerchief to her eyes. She’d dreaded this moment ever since Andrew had discovered the truth. She knew then it was only a matter of time until Virginia found out too. She licked her lips and swallowed hard. “Andrew found out that my real name is Grace Abernathy. I’m Rose’s sister.”

Virginia’s mouth fell open and her eyes widened. “You’re Christian’s aunt?”

Grace nodded, twisting the handkerchief between her fingers. “I never set out to lie. But when you mentioned the nanny position, it was the only way I could think of to spend time with Rose’s son.”

Slowly Virginia crossed the room and stood staring into the fireplace. “So you didn’t just happen to run into us in the park.”

Her lifeless tone wrenched Grace’s heart.

“No.” She hung her head. “I’d been watching the house for days, trying to catch a glimpse of the baby, so I’d know he was all right. That day, I happened to be outside when I saw you leave with the pram. I followed you to the park. I never dreamed the opportunity of working for your family would arise. But when it did, I knew it was the only way I could be part of Christian’s life.”

Virginia turned around. A multitude of emotions flickered over her face. If only Grace could tell what her friend was thinking.

“I came to Canada,” she went on, “because Rose asked me to help with the baby. But when I arrived, I was devastated to learn she’d passed away a few weeks earlier. I couldn’t go home without finding out how my nephew was faring. I had to know whether the people who’d rejected his mother could really love him and treat him well.”

Virginia sat in the chair across from her. “So you didn’t come here because you learned of Rose’s death?”

“No. I had no idea she was even ill.”

“Oh, Grace. You must have been shattered.” Virginia’s lips quivered.

“I was. I hadn’t seen Rose in five years. I’d so looked forward to seeing her again, to getting to know my nephew and . . .” She stopped. It would serve no purpose to tell Virginia that she’d intended to bring them back to England. “Never mind. You don’t need to hear my whole sad tale. But please believe that I had no malevolent intent when I became Christian’s nanny. And I certainly never expected . . .” To fall in love with your brother. She clamped her lips together, then straightened her shoulders. “I never expected to become so fond of you. I value our friendship a great deal, Virginia. I only hope that you can forgive me for lying to you.” She blinked hard to stem the rise of tears.

Virginia shook her head sadly. “I wish you’d told me sooner,” she said. “I wish you trusted me enough. But I can’t really blame you for hiding your identity, knowing what Rose must have told you about our family.”

“I wanted to tell you—and Andrew. But I suspected how he would react.” Grace sniffed. “And if I told you, I knew you’d have to tell him too.”

“You’re right. I could never keep such a secret from Drew.” Virginia’s brow puckered. “It doesn’t mean I agree with how he’s handled things though.”

Grace stared at her, a faint hope dawning. Her heart beat loudly in her chest. “Are you saying . . . ?”

Virginia leaned forward and reached out to grasp Grace’s hand. “I know you love Christian, Grace, and the fact is, he’s your flesh and blood too. I forgive you, and I hope we can still be friends.”

Grace shot up from her chair and threw her arms around Virginia. Her whole frame shook as she hugged her.

When Virginia pulled back, they both swiped tears from their cheeks.

“You don’t know how much this means to me,” Grace said. “I couldn’t bear to lose you too.”

“Never.” Virginia hugged her again, then pulled her over to the sofa. “We need a plan. My brother is being a complete ninny, as you would say. And it’s my job to make him see reason.”

At the determined look on her friend’s face, Grace dared to believe Virginia might be able to soften Andrew’s heart. At this point, Grace would even be grateful for the absence of hostility. “What do you intend to do?”

“I don’t know yet. But hopefully something will come to me soon.”