Chapter Nine

Liz's hands froze on the letters. Her heart pumping fast.

She picked it up and was disappointed when it was just a letter from her mother. Tempted not to read it and open the box, she thought better and slipped it from the envelope.

She took a breath before she began reading the words.

Elizabeth,

I know you feel yourself to be in love with this young man, and that is a beautiful thing, my baby, but he can never make you happy. You can never marry him.

I have lived twenty seven years of my life loving a man I can never have, and he, in return, has never married, never had any children. I have been lucky in having you and your brother and now my grandchildren. As of now, he will never get to know them for who they are. Cassidy has a chance. In case you haven't realized it is not the Evans that are sponsoring the young girl into society, it is Jim Valenti. Yes, Max Evans knows who you are, but still it changes nothing, baby. Jim Valenti did it under the rouse of the Evans because there has already been talk of him having a mistress and illegitimate children. That's what I am, baby, somebody's mistress, something I never want you to be. I'm not ashamed of what I am, because I know we love each other very much, but I don't want it to be like this for you.

The best you can do is forget about him, move on, and marry a nice boy from our neighborhood. Don't give up forever, my baby, live your life, not someone else's.

Love,

Mama

She was shaking so bad he had to sit down. Reaching inside the box she opened took out the first letter, it was addressed to her mother but Liz knew she had wanted her to read it. It was one of love and sorrow, of a longing so deep it seemed to be ripping them in two. She took out the next, a reply written by her mother telling of Kyle's birth.

Letter after letter, Liz read of a hopeless romance between two people separated by not only an ocean but circumstances no one would ever have imagined. Her mother and her father. Liz wasn't quite so sure she ever wanted to meet this man.

Then near the bottom, the letters were address to her. The first one simply had her name on it, no address, which Max must have delivered by hand.

She opened it and read it, tears running down her cheeks.

My Darling,

I know I'll already be gone by the time you are well enough to read this. I want to apologize to you for what happened. I promise you my intentions are honorable. I really did mean to marry you; I just meant that we should wait. That I had to get my own fortune before I can marry you. I don't know how my parents would feel about me marrying you and I have to tell you straight forward that they might cut me off. I want to be able to support you if that were to happen, I want to be on my own before I give you my name and take you under my wing to protect and love and cherish.

I didn't mean to insult you, Liz, I want you to be my wife. I want you to have my children, lots of them, or however many you want. Daughters with your beautiful face, sons with your eyes. I just ask you to believe me, to love me. Like I love you. Wait for me, my beauty, and I will come for you. Soon.

Yours,

Max

Liz read the letters underneath and recognized that Max was quickly losing hope.

The last one had been sent last week. Liz scrambled around the apartment to find paper and writing utensil. Sitting down she began to write, cursing at how badly her hands shook. She had been set back in starting college, she was supposed to start in the fall, because she had gotten sick, was unable to.

She was lucky, the only one in her area that had survived, she still didn't know why. Ignoring her shaky writing she penned the letter to him.

"I told her, Jim." Nancy said quietly.

"And her reaction?" He asked.

"Elizabeth doesn't react. She masks her feelings until she can be alone. She'll process it and then tell me how she feels. It could be weeks." Nancy sat down. "I think she was upset."

"I would be too. I hear Max Evans is doing well for himself in the west." Jim said.

"Any hope for a marriage?" She asked hopefully.

"The chances of an Eastern girl going West is slim, he'll have to meet a girl out there."

"That won't be so bad, he won't have any reason to come home anymore, right?"

"Not as many, his whole family is here, Nancy, you must remember that."

"I know." She said quietly. "She's not interested in any of the boys from where we're from."

"Don't push too hard, it's hard enough that Kyle married a girl from there."

"What do you mean?" Nancy met his eyes.

"It means that legally, I'm allowed to name anyone I like as my heir in my will. That I could accept Kyle into my home as my own."

"And his wife?"

"That is where we have the problem, she has no connection to us whatsoever." Jim said slowly. "It'll be harder for them to accept her."

"She's the mother of our grandchildren." Nancy looked worried.

"I know, honey." He smoothed her hair. "She's Kyle's wife, they'll try. We have the Evans' backing and the Brighton's."

"We'll all be fine." Nancy said more relaxed.

"All of us except you, my love." He said hurting inside because she could never belong. "I'm sorry."

"Don't be sorry." She caressed his cheek. "I made my choice, and I'm happy with it."

"Evans there has to be a change in plans." Michael Guerin strolled into the office.

"Why?" Max looked up from the paperwork.

"We have to go to New York with in the next few weeks."

"Why?" Max asked again.

"Because I promised my wife I would take her to the city." Michael said. "And I've yet to break a promise to her."

"We'll go, just not for a few months yet." Max had no desire to go into the city yet.

"We have to go soon, my wife won't be fit for travel in a few months time."

"Why not…" Max stood, and a slow smile spread across Michael's face. "Congratulations."

"Thank you." Michael said proudly. "Maria declared it shall be a son, and so it shall be so."

Max wondered if God dare defy Maria's edicts.

"We'll go soon then." He said. Ready or not he'd have to go back.

Liz stood with Cassidy while she picked out the candy of her choice. Liz tried to be patient with the young girl even though she'd had a long day at work. She was going to by penny candy from the grocer and was proud that she had earned it from Mrs. Evans for getting top marks in her class.

"Elizabeth." Liz always got suspicious when a boy talked to her.

"Yes, Sean?" She turned. "Hurry up, sweetheart."

"I'm trying Aunt Liz." She said not wanting to be rushed in such a tough decision.

"What are you doing?" Sean asked. "Hello, Cassidy."

Cassidy raised an eyebrow at the man and turned back. As much as they tried to instill their values into the girl, she was starting to look down on the people in their own neighborhood and people's tongues were starting to wag.

"Cassidy." Liz said sternly.

"Good Evening, Mr. Malloy." She said and turned back to the counter.

"You got yourself a penny there?" He asked Cassidy.

"Two." She said happily.

"Where'd you get two pennies from my lovely girl?" He asked.

"I got top marks at school, Mr. Malloy." She said and chose a piece of candy.

"Thank you, Cassidy." The grocer said when she handed over the money.

"You're welcome." She said happily. "Thank you."

"Run along home, Cassidy, I have something to do." Liz told the young girl.

"Alright, are you going to mail the letter to Mr. Evans?" Cassidy asked innocently.

Liz didn't answer. "Go home, Cassidy."

She turned and Liz watched her scamper down the street and into their apartment building.

"So you're too good for us poor men then, Elizabeth?" Sean sneered. "Have to go and be one of the rich bastard's mistresses?"

"You'll mind your tongue, Malloy." She said quietly. Of all the boys that had been trying to get her attention Sean was the most persistent. And if Liz was truthful to herself she knew that if Max hadn't been in the picture she might have become Mrs. Sean Malloy.

"Yes, Eilis." He said her name in her native tongue.

He saw the flicker in her eyes and smiled. "I bet your Evans boy couldn't do that could he."

She lifted her head a notch higher.

"You have nothing to say to that?" He asked.

"Sean Malloy, what I do is none of your business."

"But it is, Elizabeth. My mother was worried about you going to work for them. 'The girl's too pretty for her own good.' My mother'd say. I didn't worry about you, not our Elizabeth, but I guess I was wrong, huh." He shrugged. "I thought you were better than that, Eilis." He walked away.

Liz's hand hesitated as she stepped up to the mail box.

Turning towards Sean as he walked away she put the letter into her pocket.

"Don't give up forever, my Baby." Her mother's plea was fresh in her head.

"Sean, does this mean you're willing to take me to the social tomorrow night?" She called after him.

He stopped and slowly turned. He walked back to her.

He took her hand in his and she tried not to pull away. "I'll do that, and a whole lot more."

She nodded and tried not to be repulsed by his touch.

"Live your life, not someone else's."

She thought of the letter she had written him, how she had been prepared to believe him and her eyes filled with tears and spilled over.

"Elizabeth, he didn't hurt you did he?" He asked shakily. "Touch you?"

She shook her head. "No, he did nothing we would be ashamed of." She said truthfully.

He took her into his arms then, right there on the street corner. "You'll be ok, Elizabeth."

Shakily she put her arms around him and cried.

tbc

disclaimer: I speak no Gaelic, I just searched the Internet, I hope it's right. If anyone speaks Gaelic and it's wrong go ahead and e-mail me. Love to talk.