Chapter 11

After going home, Max Evans was at a loss as to where to find Liz Parker. She had moved out of her apartment. Only her mother and Jeff Parker lived there now.

He paced his room wondering who to talk to next. He had decided that it would be best if he went back to New Mexico until Michael could once again join him. His business was too new to leave alone for such a time.

Maybe Jim Valenti knew where they had moved to. Grabbing his coat he was sure he did.

"Hi, Mr. Evans." Cassidy said looking up. She was holding a tiny Scottish terrier in her lap. "Aunt Liz is talking to Grandpapa." She said petting its head. A larger one, with a bow in its fur, came and snatched her out her lap. Cassidy giggled as she followed her to where there was an entire nest of Scotties. "You have to be quiet." Cassidy whispered.

"Who are these?" He asked.

"The big one is Duchess, she's my doggie." She said proudly. "Grandpapa gave her to me because she likes me. Duke is with Grandpapa, he's his favorite friend." She stroked Duchess' head.

"How have you been, Miss Cassidy?" Max asked.

"Fine. I got top marks at school." She said proudly. "I'm top of my class."

"Very good." He congratulated her. "You're going to be as smart as your aunt one day. You're going to go to college one day."

"Aunt Liz isn't going to go to school." She said quietly, as if sharing a secret.

This startled Max. "Why not?"

"Grandpapa won't let her." She said and petted the big dog again. "Daddy tried to talk him into it, but Grandpapa says no."

"Grandpapa is Jim Valenti."

"Yes." Cassidy answered.

"Cassidy, up off the floor please."

Max looked up. Seeing Cassidy in fine clothes had become normal for Max once she had started school. Seeing Serena dressed the part of a perfect society lady he was astounded.

"Mrs. Parker." He greeted.

"Mr. Evans." Serena looked at their guest. "What brings you here?" She already knew the answer to that.

"I've come to see Liz." Max said. "Is that your baby, Logan?"

"Yes." Serena jostled the little boy in her arms. Jim had tried to insist that he stay with a nanny but Serena would have none of it.

Serena had a feeling Jim didn't like her. That she wasn't good enough from them. She kept quiet around him, especially when they had guests. Cassidy seemed to be the only one who took easily to the man. Kyle was polite to his father, and if Jim said anything mean to his wife, Kyle took quick offense, often ending in an argument with everyone going to bed angry.

"Leave Duchess and her puppies alone, dear." Serena said to her daughter. "Go on up to the nursery and get ready for supper."

"Alright." She dusted off her skirt like the perfect daughter. When she stood four puppies followed her out of the room in a line.

Duchess looked up but made no attempt to stop them.

"They'll start whining at the bottom of the stairs because they can't climb them. Then Duchess will go get them one by one." Serena watched her daughter.

Max smirked when he heard the whimpers and Duchess hopped up on her short legs to go retrieve her puppies.

"So what's this about Liz not going to college?" Max asked after Duchess had left the room as well.

"Nancy Parker wants Liz to marry well, and doesn't think Liz will benefit from going to college." Serena regurgitated what she had heard. Her mouth twisted in a mirthless smile. "You never can guess what that woman wants. She doesn't want Liz to marry you, but when she's close to marrying someone else she pushes him away from him as well. Kyle and I cannot figure out what the woman wants for her." She hadn't realized she let slip how Liz had felt about him.

"Back to the subject on hand." Serena set her son on the floor and held his hands so he could stand. "Rarely does Jim deny Nancy anything so he has demanded that she will not go."

"Because Nancy wishes it so?"

"Yes. I think they've broken her. I don't know how much she can take. She's always wanted to be a nurse. She was going to start school in the fall, but then she fell ill and lost almost two months of wages which set her back till spring term. Now this."

"Would Nancy Parker let me marry her now?" Max asked.

"Who knows. Why wouldn't she let her marry you in the first place?" Serena shrugged. "You'll have to meet with Jim. I'll let Liz know you're here."

"Thank you." He nodded to her as she collected her son and left the room.

"Mr. Evans?" Max turned to the voice a few minutes later. "I thought you would be in New Mexico for the next couple of years."

"Me too, my friend's wife is with child and they would like to stay in the city. I brought them back. I return in a few weeks, I would like if you would return with me."

"I can't." Liz answered looking at her hands. She wasn't sure she could do anything anymore. "I've yet to reach my majority and my f-father won't give his permission."

"What about Kyle."

"Kyle has no say anymore. Not even really over his own family." She said quietly.

She looked so trapped. Like a caged bird who just wanted to spread her wings and fly.

"If we elope he can't stop us." Max said.

"We're not getting married. If I signed the marriage contract it wouldn't be worth the paper it's written on. As I explained before I haven't reached my majority. I'm not going to get married. To anyone."

"Why not?"

"I'm going to be a nurse. I'm going to make it on my own."

"He won't let you go to college."

"We have a deal. I go to college during the day, act the perfect young miss at night. He just doesn't know I'm not going to get married."

"Not even me?"

"Not you."

It was then he noticed the tear streaks on her cheeks.

"He's made you cry."

"A lot of people have made me cry the past few months, Mr. Evans." She said. "I was never one to cry when I was young, but I've had plenty to cry over since I got employed by your family."

"I'm sorry."

"You have nothing to be sorry for." Liz said quietly.

"I have plenty of things to be sorry for." He stepped closer to her and tilted her head up by grasping her chin.

"Not too much, I'm sorry I never wrote to you, Max. I was so confused and messed up. I got your letter. I can't be your wife. I can't be anybody's wife. I don't want to feel owned, like I have to obey a man's rules. While living with Papa he was never sober enough to exhibit control." She stopped and snickered. "Who would be when they have two of their spouses bastards under their roof?"

"Liz."

"No, it's alright. I'm completely illegitimate. I know that, you know that, society knows that but because my sire is rich I'm accepted."

"Did Kyle not rule your house then?"

"Kyle trusted me." Liz said. She had lost her ally. He was as powerless as she. "I'm sorry about what I said to you, when I was sick."

"I deserved it."

"No."

Liz crouched down when a puppy pulled on her skirt. "No, Lady." She scolded.

"Are all your animals named after nobility."

"No." She smiled. "Duke came first, and then came another female dog, so Duchess was only so fitting. This here." She held up the puppy. "Is mine, the runt, and the only female of Duchess' litter. Her name is Lady. Her brothers don't have names because we're not going to keep them."

"She's wonderful."

"Thank you." Liz stroked her. "Thank you for caring about me, Max."

"I don't care about you, Liz. I love you." He told her softly.

She looked up at him.

"Don't." She said. "Please leave, Mr. Evans."

"Come back with me, Liz, you can go to college with me."

"There are no colleges out west." Liz said. "I'm not going to marry you."

Max studied her and noticed her heartbroken expression. She was dead set.

"Alright. I'll let you go to college here. How long does it take for you if you start this fall?"

"Two years for nurses training."

"I'll see you in two years." He turned and walked away. "But then it's the last time I'm coming for you, Liz. Some men might call me crazy for waiting so long. I may be crazy, but I love you, and I'm going to give you another chance. You're still young. Maybe in two years you'll be ready for me."

He turned and started towards the door. Then stopped with his hand on the doorknob.

"Just tell me this, Liz, you love me, don't you?" He asked.

She was silent for a second, and he could see the indecision on her face. Then she looked up and straight into his eyes. "Yes, I do. But I still can't marry you."

That was a step forward, Max thought, at least he could now convince her, now that he had his foot in the door.

Liz slumped onto the couch as she watched him go. Maybe in two years she would be ready, maybe in two years she'd be a different person. Independent, in charge of her own life, and ready to marry the man she loved.

"Oh, Lady, what is wrong with me?" She asked the dog as she cried silently.

tbc