"We have a problem." Simon said when James came into the Westcliffs' parlor after they were shown in by the butler. Lillian stood behind her husband, clinging to his hand and peering over James's shoulder. His icy blue eyes narrowed worriedly.
"What now?" James asked gruffly, settling Lillian into a chair and putting his hands on her shoulders. She was pale, looking a bit sickly, no doubt from her condition as Julienne was often prone. Julienne's grip on Simon's arm tightened as she avoided her cousin's imploring gaze. Simon let out a sharp exhale.
"I didn't want to tell you this, but I thought you should know, Arnott is back in Paris." He informed them dryly, watching the anger form in his best friend's eyes.
"Are you sure?" James asked darkly, his grip on Lily's shoulders tightening. Simon nodded reluctantly, wishing it weren't true.
"I caught him talking to my sister this very morning outside the post office." He replied, scowling.
"Annie?"
"She didn't realize who he was until he told her." Simon affirmed. "Tiernay thinks he's going to try and find some girl to marry him so he can regain some respectability. I'll be damned if it's my baby sister."
"Alright, Simon…" Julienne said warningly, her slender fingers digging into the muscles of his forearm.
"What did he say to her?" Lillian inquired weakly, looking ill. James immediately crouched beside her and examined her to make sure she wasn't going to be ill.
"I don't think the extent of their conversation went beyond polite small talk." Simon assured the girl, seeing her distress. She looked like she might burst into tears at any moment.
"He'd better stay away from us." Her voice was full of ill repressed rage, her eyes murderous. James soothingly brushed her hair away from her forehead.
"You let me worry about him, Darling." He told his wife, pressing his lips to her cheek. "He can't hurt us anymore."
"We're lucky he didn't kill you the first time and then where would I be?" Lillian sobbed, distraught. Simon sensed she wasn't just talking about them being married, which indicated that she was indeed further along in her pregnancy than they'd let on. Which also meant that James had, at some point, compromised her innocence before their July wedding. Most likely, the night he'd left the Covington musicale party early. He would have snickered had the situation not been so tense.
"He didn't kill me." James was telling her. "I'm here…we're both fine." He pulled her against his body while Julienne sighed in her own subtle distress at the sight of her cousin upset. Simon instinctively put an arm around her narrow shoulders. "Thank you for telling me." James added, meeting Simon's eyes with his own.
"Of course." Simon gave them both a nod. "I will see you tomorrow at work. We are on our way to dinner with my parents and sisters."
"Give them all our love." Lillian found her voice, clutching her husband's lapel.
"I will." Simon promised. It wasn't until they were situated in their car that Julienne promptly burst into tears. Drawing in a long sigh, Simon pulled her into his side to comfort her. It didn't alarm him as it once had, since it had become a regular occurrence. Usually, her bouts of tears did not last long and as long as he held her, she seemed to calm quickly. He didn't understand the phenomenon of bearing children and the mood swings it brought with it, but he would do everything in his power to keep her healthy and happy. It was a small price to pay for the gift she was giving him, he thought.
Sure enough, by the time they'd reached his parents' home, she had quieted and was composed again. His stomach filled with raw nerves at the thought of facing Annie after their argument that morning. He knew that he often acted ridiculous in the matters involving Grace and Anna, but he also thought it better to be too concerned rather than not concerned enough.
To his surprise, Anna was seated beside Colin Moreau and the two were chatting easily with Grace and Christian while Simon's parents looked contentedly between the two couples. Anna was even smiling and laughing with their sister. Seeing him standing there with Julienne, the smile left her face. Nodding, she stood and crossed the room to him while everyone fell silent.
"I'm going to tell your mother about the carpeting." Julienne informed Simon tenderly, kissing Anna's cheek before leaving the pair of them alone.
"Out here." Anna told him tightly, leading him back out into the foyer and crossing her arms. They stared at each other for precisely a second, before both said, "I'm sorry." At the same time.
"I should not have behaved as I did earlier." Simon admitted, putting a hand on her shoulder. "You are a grown woman, whose opinion I respect. You deserve to be treated as such."
"Thank you." Anna said, taking his hand. "I forgive you. And as such, I'm sorry for losing my temper about Rose."
"I can't say I blame you, Flash." He sighed. "You've had to bear the burden of her death since you were born, and you never knew her. I suppose it will always be different for me, since I did."
"I am sorry she died." Anna insisted. "I'm ashamed to admit, however, that I cannot find it in my heart to grieve for a person who died before I was even a thought."
"I know." Simon shook his head, pulling her close for a tight hug. "Love you."
"I love you too, you ass." She laughed into his shoulder. "And Colin knows the truth."
"The truth?"
"About me. About Flash." She said quietly. "He'd somehow figured it out and tricked me into admitting it." A small smirk curved her lips. "If I weren't so blasted fond of him, I might find the will to be cross with him, but he's so wonderful."
"Has he offered for you yet?" Simon asked, exhaling and thinking that if he had to choose, that Annie could do far worse than Moreau, who was proving quite useful in the business sense. Herveaux Electric was an invaluable account and would no doubt bring more business with it. Thus far, R.W. Finance had only managed the accounts for small businesses. With electricity fast replacing gas power, this would prove to be a defining move for their business.
"Simon, it's only been a day." Anna reminded him, giving him a placating look. "He's indicated that he intends to—" Her cheeks and nose reddened slightly. "He said he doesn't intend to return home without me." Simon's jaw dropped.
"Well, the man goes straight to the point, I'll give him that." Simon mused. "No wonder he was able to convince Herveaux—"
"Simon, please don't discuss business with me. I don't care." Anna chuckled, lacing her arm through his and urging him back toward the parlor. "So you approve?"
"He's been a great asset to us in business…I'm sure he'll be an even better brother-in-law." Simon allowed, making her roll her eyes.
"Sometimes, he reminds me of you…serious, business minded." Flattered, Simon grinned.
"Why, Sis. I think that's the nicest compliment you could give him. You have my unwavering approval in the match." He told her arrogantly.
"God help me." Anna muttered, though she was still smiling.
"Tomorrow is your birthday!" Anna exclaimed, remembering as she and Colin stood on the back terrace of her parents' home, watching fireflies intermittently light up.
"Ah, yes. Thirty-one." Colin pretended to shudder. "Practically decrepit." His voice was full of teasing.
"Don't worry, I'll nurse you. I'll even push your wheelchair down the street on nice days." Anna countered back, twining her fingers with his and enjoying the easy banter that they had developed in the hours since all of her secrets had been revealed. Colin let out a startled chortle, catching her around the waist and tickling her sides, making her shriek.
"You never did tell me your birthday. All I know is that it is in October." He pointed out.
"The ninth." Anna said, swerving away from him as he made to tickle her again.
"I'll remember." Colin promised.
"I was going to send you a lock of my hair." Anna confessed quietly. "For your birthday. Though I fear that would have done me in if you hadn't known by then. This dratted reddish blonde is not the most common color."
"It's perfect." He said, fingering a lock of it. "Like gold and copper mixed together. I've never seen anything like it. At first glance it's simply blonde, but up close, and especially in the sunlight, those radiant shades of bronze and auburn shimmer within it."
"How poetic." Anna giggled. "No one has ever analyzed the shade of my hair before."
I want to see it hanging down your back." He told her, looking solemn again. His eyes darkened. "And over your pale shoulders."
"You're being scandalous." She whispered, unable to repress a nervous titter.
"Well since I'm decrepit, I have to keep you interested somehow." He joked, making her frown.
"Colin, I don't think you're decrepit. You're the very image of a man in his prime." Her voice was full with some unknown feeling. Remembering her conversation with Simon earlier, she bit her bottom lip. "Will you..." Her eyes flitted to meet his quickly. "Will you offer for me?"
"Yes." He told her without hesitation. "Will you accept when I do?" Her heart began to beat unnaturally beneath her ribs. Her corset seemed to be constricted the movement of her lungs, making her breath come in quick shallow thrusts. She could only nod at him, her eyes wide. He smiled tenderly down at her.
"My parents are due to arrive here tomorrow for the ball on Saturday." Colin said softly, taking her hands in his. "I want you to meet them."
"I…I'd like that." She managed to stammer, swallowing.
"Come to dinner tomorrow night with my parents. For my birthday." He gave her a pleading smile.
"Of course I will." She assured him, standing on her toes to kiss his cheek.
When Ansel, Lord Hollenbeck saw his second son upon arriving in Paris, he was amazed at the changes in Colin. He was smiling and talkative, greeting them warmly. His wife of thirty-five years, Bianca, had been lamenting on the journey over, that Colin had spent the past few years unhappy. Their daughter Gabrielle had informed them that she suspected he had fallen in love and his prolonged stay in their native France had something to do with the young women. Hollenbeck couldn't have been more pleased with this, since Colin was now one and thirty and, though he was still a good looking healthy man, he was not getting any younger.
Colin had met them at the train station after their journey from Le Havre, and had hugged each of them so affectionately, that Ansel had to check once again to make sure it was really his son. Bianca, of course, had been thrilled with this and had gushed about the happiness in her son's eyes.
"I haven't seen you smile so much in years." Bianca told Colin on the ride to the Parisian townhouse that they kept for their frequent visits to France. When they asked why Colin had not chosen to stay there, he'd simply explained that he had needed privacy and had decided to stay at the Saint James and Albany to be closer to his business meetings.
"I think it best to inform you two that I have met a young lady and intend on asking her to be my wife within the month." Colin told them candidly, watching their reactions carefully. Of course, Bianca squealed with unconcealed glee while Ansel, quieter in his happiness, had shaken his son's hand in congratulations.
"Who is she, Colin?" Bianca implored, giving Ansel a look of satisfaction.
"Her name is Anna Reynolds."
"Meg's daughter!" Bianca cried, clapping her hands. "How wonderful! You know, Madame Giry, Meg's mother was a great friend to your Uncle Erik. Are you in love with her?"
"I am." Colin nodded, sounding almost surprised, meeting his father's eyes. Ansel could not hide his smile.
"Is the young woman aware?" He asked his son.
"We have not exchanged these feelings with each other yet." The younger man replied sheepishly.
"Oh dear!" Bianca exclaimed feverishly. "I forgot to tell you, you'll never believe who we saw on the train. I'd forgotten Libby lives here—"
"Mother, don't." Colin pleaded, sharing a look with his father.
"Well if you ask me, she looks rather unseemly. She's gained at least a stone and—"
"I don't care." Colin said insistently. "She means nothing to me." Ansel saw him swallow hard, but said nothing. "She's not half the woman that Anna is."
"I can't wait to meet her." Bianca sighed, smiling contentedly at Colin and taking his hand. Colin's eyes drifted out the window, deep in thought.
And NOW it's going to start getting messy...finally taking direction. Thanks for reading/reviewing.