- Chapter 8 -
The next morning, Candy was coming back from the breakfast room with Terry when she saw Eliza coming down the main staircase. She had come to collect the rest of her belongings. Their gazes locked - Candy's impervious; Eliza's seemed to be a mixture of annoyance with resignation. 'Candice…Terrence" she said, greeting them, devoid of warmth. Her insides turned over seeing the couple, their arms locked with each other's, so clearly happy and very much in love. Terry in fact looked more handsome than ever.
"Eliza…" Terry replied, curtly. He was not pleased at all to have run into her.
"Eliza…" Candy greeted, cordially, the same way she had always done, always in hope that Eliza had changed even a small bit.
"May I have a word with you, Candy?" Eliza asked. It sounded more like a harsh order than a polite request.
Terry looked at Candy, his left eyebrow slightly raised. "Of course, Eliza, most obliged." Candy replied.
"I take your leave, then…I will be in library, darling" Terry said, kissing Candy on the cheek, deliberately looking at Eliza, so that she could not even try to doubt if they were a couple or not. He didn't care if he still had to sort his situation out with his publicly documented fiancée, Suzanne Marlowe. He felt uneasy leaving Candy there with her most avowed nemesis, but he trusted that Candy knew what she was doing. Besides, with all that happened in the last few days, he figured that there was a chance that Eliza possibly had come around.
"Where would you like to talk?" Candy asked.
"The solarium, if you don't mind…" Eliza replied.
The two women went silently to the area. Candy's mind was wondering what Eliza wanted, although she suspected that their newfound knowledge of the family history , William's appearance and the Great Aunt's apology had something to do with it. It wasn't possible that Eliza was about to play a trick on her, not with that many people around. Then again, Eliza had always been very capable to do the unexpected.
The arrived and they sat down on the fine white wicker seating, both very separate from each other, but within speaking distance. The morning sun was coming through the leaded windows. The canaries sung cheerfully from their cages.
"I suppose you are feeling quite smug, aren't you?" Eliza shot first, defensively. The kiss she had seen from Terry to Candy had burned her eyes.
"Eliza, you asked to speak to me….if you are going to take that attitude, I don't need to stay…" Candy said, getting up.
"Sorry…my tongue gets the better of me sometimes…" Eliza apologized sincerely, albeit with a hint of superciliousness in her voice.
Candy sat down again.
"I think you know well by now that I never liked you…" Eliza continued, matter of fact.
"Yes, Eliza…I have known that for a long time. I never understood why; from the very first time you saw me you set out to make my life impossible…"
"I was angry at my parents for thinking I needed a companion…I don't know where they got the idea…and then I was told you were coming from an orphanage I expected to see some meek mouse show up…but when I saw you, so cheerful and confident, I just couldn't stand it…I just wanted my parents to get rid of you…then when Anthony started to pay attention to you, I really seethed...my hate for you really grew tenfold at that time…" Eliza admitted, without sounding a bit remorseful.
"I'm sorry I elicited such feelings from you from the very start, but it none of that was my fault…I just want you to leave me alone…if you don't care for me, I can live with that. I just can't believe you spend so much of your time and energy in trying to make me miserable…don't you have better things to do?"
"Maybe I don't…you've become a bit of blood sport for me, to be quite honest…sometimes I don't know anymore if I really hate you or I am just so wound up in the idea of making you miserable…yet even though my misdeeds give me a bit of satisfaction, they are too ephemeral for me to really savor them…and now…" she paused.
"Even if Albert hadn't shown himself as who he really is, I would just really prefer that you stop bothering me. You are so good at calling attention and leading other people, why don't you take up a pet cause or something…maybe that will make better use of your talents…." Candy suggested.
"See what I mean? You are such a syrupy busybody…it just bothers me to no end!" Eliza snapped.
"Well, at least I speak honestly…really Eliza, how long did you plan on scheming against me…forever? What a sad waste of existence…you'll end up bitter and dissatisfied…you see, you can make me miserable for a few moments, but I eventually end up fine…if you think you can beat me, sorry to tell you otherwise…"
They both looked at each other, Eliza's hardened, cold hazel eyes with Candy's steadfast, warmhearted emeralds.
"I suppose there is some truth in that. Anyway, I've said what I have needed to say to you, and while I don't quite feel sorry for everything that has past between us; I do think I need to move on to other things in my life…I won't purposefully seek you out to bother you any longer…" Eliza got up. The pronouncement rang truthfully, and Candy knew that this was not only a promise, it was the only thing close to an 'I'm sorry' from Eliza that she was ever going to get.
"Eliza…" Candy said, calling out to her. There was some closure, but she was still surprised at how it was ultimately settled. But the auburn haired girl was gone.
Candy then headed towards the library and knocked on the door. "Enter" she heard his voice reply.
She went in and found Terry engrossed in the Friedrich Nietzsche tome, "Will to Power1". He looked up as soon as he felt her presence.
"She didn't do anything outlandish, did she?" he asked, apprehensive. He put the book down and got up.
"No…she more or less apologized to me and promised she is going to leave me alone, but she did it her way…"
"I can imagine...not giving an inch…right?" Terry suspected.
"Yes…"
Terry took her in his arms. Candy was finding that with their increased contact she was getting more and more enthralled with Terry and something inside of her wanted more and more of him. The newness of these sensations frightened her yet stirred her in a strange and wonderful way.
"I wish I didn't have to leave…just to make sure you are protected…but you have always managed to protect yourself, haven't you Freckles? You're one strong lady…" he said admiringly at the end.
"I wish you didn't have to go, either…I…I miss you already…" she murmured.
She felt his hands caress her tresses, then move towards her cheek.
"Oh God…he's going to kiss me..."she thought, her heart racing. She remembered last night and she shuddered lightly without knowing.
"Don't be sad, Freckles…I will be back for you very soon…and then…" he started, his voice a bit heavier than usual.
Candy drew in, his scent seducing her, like an aphrodisiac.
His lips had barely touched hers when the door knocked.
"Oh, Bother!" he complained good naturedly, under his breath, stymied.
Candy separated from his embrace, her heart still beating wildly. "Enter…" she said, trying to steady her voice. She hoped her cheeks weren't flushed.
It was Jeeves. "Master Leegan is here, Miss Candy, and he wishes to speak with you…" he said.
Candy's insides twisted, sick. But she thought he was there for the same reason Eliza had asked to meet with her. "Very well, Jeeves…I will receive him here…" she said.
"Looks like the Leegan's are lining up to do penance…" Terry remarked, annoyed.
Candy got nervous…she had not told Terry what had transpired with Neil the last few months and she got the distinct impression that somehow it was now going to come to his attention.
Neil entered the study, expecting to see Candy but was taken aback when he saw the tall, well built, masculine and comely figure of the aristocrat with her. Terry had his arm the same way he saw him last at Candy's apartment…around Candy's shoulders in a protective way.
"Grandchester!" he almost hissed, surprised.
"Leegan…" Terry answered, curtly.
"Hello…Neil…" Candy said, trying to not give away the nervousness now invading her.
"I'll be short, Candy…I was here to accompany Eliza…" Neil said, trying to sound nonchalant, when in fact his ears were pounding, his hands were sweating and his mouth had gone dry the moment he walked into the study.
"I'll leave you, then…" Terry said, moving away from Candy.
"You can stay, Grandchester…there is nothing private Candy and I are going to discuss…after all, she rebuffed all my attempts to woo her…"
Terry's face remained impassive, but this news hit him like a ton of bricks. Woo? Neil woo Candy? When? This had to be a joke!
Candy felt as if she was standing on hard sand and the edges were crumbling under her feet.
"I really love you Candy…I just guess your heart was always with Grandchester…and perhaps I am too clumsy when it comes to courting…I wanted to marry you…you just never allowed me to get past hello…"
"Neil…" she said quietly. It was too late now to shield Terry from the knowledge.
"Marry?" Terry thought to himself, stunned. "Good God!" Then, a terrible thought entered his mind. "What would have happened if I didn't show up and Albert had not regained his memory?." He felt physically sick and the mental imagery was almost too much for him to bear.
"I'm sorry for all the trouble I have caused you all these years, for all the horrible things I did to you, and I sincerely apologize if I ever said anything that distressed you…I don't have a good way with words….I guess I can only ask that if could find it in you to view me with the same love and fidelity you have for Stear and Archie…" he said. Grandchester notwithstanding, he took Candy's hand and kissed it solemnly.
Candy could feel how his lips trembled upon touching her hand.
Terry wanted to grab him by the collar and belt him, but he contained his impulse. Something about how Neil had expressed himself sounded sincere. Either that or Grandchester wasn't the only actor in the room.
"Neil…bygones are bygones…" she said, sympathetic.
He smiled and looked into her deep green eyes. Somehow, he knew that he would forever wish they looked only at him with the same brilliance that was only given to Grandchester. Her kind ways had subtly changed him in a manner he didn't quite comprehend, but for that he was grateful. He knew he now had to let go of his desire for her, and not obsess about her anymore.
"I've decided to go to West Point2…" he added, "I'm tired of people thinking I am some pusillanimous coward…I feel that I can learn something about myself there and prove my detractors otherwise…"
"West Point? Really? Neil, that is wonderful!" Candy said, heartfelt.
"Yes…uncle William is making the arrangements…I will be leaving shortly…" he said "You won't mind if I write to you once in a while, will you?"
"Of course not…I will follow your progress with great interest!" She meant it.
"Take care, then Candice White Andley…Candy…" he said, bowing slightly to her. He could feel Grandchester's eyes boring coldly into him.
"Goodbye, Neil…" she replied, smiling.
With that, Neil left. He felt strangely at peace about the whole episode.
Terry and Candy remained there, watching him leave and close the door.
Candy gave a great sigh of relief, but Terry's eyes stared at her, hurt and disappointed. She had not seen that look since their early days in London.
"Anything else I should know? Who else is coming out of the woodwork? How many erstwhile lovers do you have? Are your Cornwell cousins now going to come and profess their platonic ardor for you!" he fumed, jealously angrily wracking his voice.
Candy was taken aback by the actor's resentful response. She was expecting something out of him, but she could tell he was beyond furious. Then again…
"Nobody else, Terrence Grandchester, unless you are going to count yourself in my list of erstwhile lovers!" she retorted, annoyed and on the defensive.
"How could you not tell me that cad even had the effrontery to look at you that way? Marry you, he said, by George!" he sputtered. "Did he even dare put his hands on you?" He could not get out of his mind the time when Neil had ambushed her with his friends at St. Paul's and Terry had to intervene. Woo Candy? Marry Candy? That animal? He quaked irately at the thought…Then, he suddenly realized Candy still didn't understand how ribald that incident was and how it could have possibly gotten worse if he had not stepped in. What else was Candy not telling him? "Did he dare say something offensive and awful to you? Did he even dare think about…" Terry couldn't even vocalize what was flashing through his mind. "FOR GOD'S SAKE, CANDICE, TELL ME…" he demanded frantically, blinded by his instinctive protectiveness of her and his wrath against Neil Leegan. He had taken her by the shoulders, his eyes stormy pools of blue.
Candy, alarmed at Terry's display but not intimidated, blurted out exasperated, "Look who's talking…the one who didn't bother in telling me that Suzanne Marlowe was coveting you, the accident that happened and how you were being pressured to marry her! And you made me go all the way to New York on a one way ticket, and I stupidly thought I was going to stay by your side forever after that! How do you think I felt when that happened? Well let me tell you, Mr. Irritable-Hot headed-Aristocrat…I felt lower than low…as if I or our love didn't matter to you…and to add insult to injury, having to break up with you in the most miserable of ways, running away from you on the hospital steps! Whatever happened with Neil happened after you and I had to break up!" she cried heatedly, moving away from him. Her tears were angry and she headed towards the French doors in the room. She opened them and went to balcony. She had to get some fresh air.
That snapped Terry out of his obstinate range. He went towards her, contrite.
"Candy…please…I'm sorry…my temper gets the better of me sometimes…and yes you are correct, I have no right, especially since I did not let you in what was going on with Suzanne at the time…" he said trying to take her into his arms.
She allowed him to take her but she put a little resistance. "Why can't you control your temper better, you fool! Haven't you learned anything!" she rebuked, pounding him on the chest with her fists, still angry with him.
"I'm just too protective of you, darling…please understand…Neil Leegan will always set me off, because I always remember that day he attacked you…by God, Candy, you just had to see ahead to know what his intentions were then!" Terry said.
Candy didn't comprehend what Terry was talking about. "What do you mean?" she asked. Her green eyes were question marks. Her hands were now open and resting on him.
Terry sighed heavily. "Do you really want me to tell you?" he asked.
Candy briefly relieved the memory. "That's it, get her down on all fours…" "I'm going to mount you and ride you like a horse" "Go ahead and scream, no one is going to hear you!". Now that she was a little older and revisiting the incident…
She paled and gasped. "Oh…oh!". Her hand went to her mouth, shocked.
Terry knew he didn't have to say it in words to her. He drew her in closer to him.
"Now do you see why I can get so upset…I know you can take care of yourself, love... but some people can be truly dangerous in the right situation…Neil Leegan is one of those people…although I have to admit, I did see him changed when he was talking to you…Perhaps he is sincere when he says he wants to change his life…so I will give him the benefit of the doubt, for your sake…alright Freckles? And I don't want to row with you anymore…these are my last few hours with you, after all…I want to live some last lovely moments with you…that way your heart can go pit-a-pat when you think of me when I am gone…" Terry had regained his amorous charm.
There was no sense now in Candy telling Terry what had transpired with Neil during the time they had broken up. She felt it was best left there, in the past. How could she tell him how he had verbally tormented her about Terry's misfortune's, how he had her sacked from St. Joan's and blacklisted at all the area hospitals and clinics, how he had tried to force dates and kisses on her…and worse yet, the last exchange they had where he had asked those salacious questions about Terry and her? Terry would most certainly hunt him down and beat him to a pulp. She was just glad Terry had finally calmed down. She decided to jump into the little verbal game he was starting instead.
"Who said you make my heart go pit-a-pat…aren't you imagining things?" she jabbed, trying to remain serious.
"Oh….a little freckled cupid did…I felt your heart last night against my chest when I was kissing you…" he said. "It was going a mile a minute…why can't you admit I enrapture you?" His eyes were softly adoring her.
"Speak for yourself, Terry!" she said. "Yours was beating just as fast…I felt it too!"
"Maybe it was the Florence Nightingale effect3, my sweet nurse…" he said, not missing a step.
"You're hopeless…." She might as well give up. "Well, since this is your last day in Chicago, is there anything you would like to do?"
"Anything, as long as it involves just you and I…please, no family or friends…" He loosened his embrace. "Are there any art exhibits that we can go to today?"
"Well, there is the Art Institute4, and I am sure you will find it adequate…" she suggested.
The Art Institute was having an exhibition on Cubist paintings, so they decided visit the gallery exhibiting to view it. As the Andley's were
major donators to the museum, there was no entrance fee for Candy and Terry. Even though it was Saturday, there weren't many people around. In fact, there were mostly students from the Art Institute school, busy with a docent who was lecturing.
There were several cubist paintings, most notably a few still lifes by a Georges Braque, and some portraits by a Pablo Picasso including a very colorful painting of a group a ladies by the same Picasso called "Demoiselles d' Avignon"
"As you can appreciate, Picasso has used African Statuary Carvings as an influence to compose the women's faces" the docent explained, and Candy and Terry nodded along from afar. This was an added bonus to their visit, to be able to listen into the class.
"This one is quite interesting…" Terry said, and Candy followed his gaze. Candy stared at the cubist painting and read the title, 'Nude Descending Staircase, Marcel Duchamp'.
"It is fascinating, isn't it?" Terry appreciated. He happened to be interested in the cubist movement, especially Pablo Picasso. Many people had been offended by the paintings, calling them garbage, but he found them so different and intriguing. He had the opportunity of seeing some of the Spaniard's works at the V&A5 in London a couple of years before.
"Yes…it is like seeing one of those flip books…I can see how the woman is coming down the…" suddenly she stopped. She no longer saw the woman in the painting coming down the stairs, it was her, coming down those stairs in New York. The memory was too painful.
"What's the matter?" Terry asked, concerned. He saw the face change in Candy.
Candy felt a bit faint and Terry steadied her. "Come, let's sit down…" he said, concerned.
He led her to a viewing bench in the gallery.
"I'm fine Terry…something about the painting…" Candy's voice was a whisper.
"What is it?" His voice was anxious.
"There was something I saw in the movements of the woman's body as she came down the stairs…maybe I am just imagining things…."
"Tell me, darling…when one appreciates a painting, it is just like reading poetry, remember the other night in the clinic when you read the poem?…just do the same exercise…tell me, what is it that you see in the painting?" Terry encouraged.
"The woman…afraid of her soul being laid bare, even though she's been painted nude… running down those steps…afraid to look back…running down those steps…knowing she cannot look back…"
"Oh…" Terry said, understanding. His heart twinged painfully at the memory as well. He took her hand and pressed it gently.
A few minutes went by, each in their own thoughts.
"I don't want to have to run down those steps again, Terry…" she finally said.
"Don't worry, love, you won't ever have to, ever again…" realizing in full how traumatized she was about that goodbye.
Terry and Candy came back out to the main hall of the Art Institute. "Well, what now?" Terry asked. He had enough cubism and culture for one afternoon.
"Hmm...how about some coffee or tea? I know a good Tea Room around here…I'm feeling peckish…" she suggested. She imagined taking a bite out of a lovely cream puff and then having a slice of chocolate cake with chocolate ganâche.
"When are you not feeling peckish, when it comes to sweets, Candice?" Terry said, good naturedly. He stopped walking.
Candy realized he must have seen something. "What is it, Terry?"
"I've never tried one of those contraptions…maybe the time has come…" he said.
"What contraption?" Candy asked, following his gaze.
Without knowing, he took her hand and led her towards the booth. Candy read: "Auto Foto, Takes your Picture in One Minute, Automatically. 10 cents"6
"Does this really work?" she heard Terry ask an attendant.
"It sure does…it is a working exhibit here in the museum…would you like to take a picture?" The attendant seemed to recall the young man's handsome face from somewhere but could not place it.
"My picture with the Lady…" Terry corrected him.
"Hmm…there really isn't space for two of you on that seat." The attendant said, pulling back the curtain and showing where the sitter would go. The seat was no bigger than a small stool.
"Do we have complete privacy in there?" Terry asked. Candy felt her palms get sweaty…Terry had not let her hand go.
"Yes…yes, you would." The attendant figured out what was going in Terry's mind but decided to be discreet.
Terry pulled out a few dimes. "Take as many as you can, old chap…" he said, winking. He led Candy into the booth.
"Terry...what are we doing?"
"Blinded by the light, already, love? We are going to take our picture…" telling her the obvious as they entered.
"But the attendant said there wasn't space for two in here! And…you are still healing from your wound!" Candy gasped as Terry closed the curtain behind them.
"My wound is just fine, Freckles…Dr. Martin said so….as to the space issue, necessity is the mother of invention, darling…your cousin Four Eyes will tell you that himself." he said with his half smile, "You are going to sit on my lap."
Candy was scandalized. A lady certainly never sat on a gentleman's lap! "T…Teerr" she stuttered, unable to say his name.
"What, you're going to come with this 'a lady never sits on a gentleman's lap' sermon à la Mother Grey?" he said, actually enjoying her reaction," or would you rather I sit in your lap? Come now, Candy, live a little and give me a kiss…" Terry said pulling her into him and sitting down. Candy had to put her arm around his shoulder, while he held her by her tiny waist in order not to tumble out of his lap, so small was the sitting space.
"Are you all ready in there?" the attendant asked "you gave me enough for 6 shots here, I am going to start and they will come at about 2 minute intervals…"
"We're ready…" Terry said, looking into Candy's face, which was still agape. "Don't look at me like that, Freckles…I'm not going to do anything inappropriate…I may kiss you once or twice…that's all…"
"B…but… this is madness!" Candy blurted. He noticed that she didn't even try to get up from where he was holding her and that the resistance was verbal at that point.
"Though this be madness, yet there is method in 't7" Terry retorted. He cupped her chin and kissed her sweetly. Foosh! The flash went off.
"Terry! What are you doing?"
"Recording for posterity a bit of our history…you can show it to our great grand children and say, 'Your great grand father was a rogue…a lovable rogue…look at what he made me do!' he made his voice sound like Candy's as an old lady, "plus, you can gaze at the picture when I am gone and swoon for your Romeo." he said.
"How can I share such a picture with everybody?" she exclaimed.
"I didn't say share the picture with everybody…I said show it to our great grand children, whom I am sure won't be scandalized…right now, you'll gaze at it when you are all alone. And think of me…and think of us…and pray that these months fly by so that I can come back and make you my bride… I'll do the same, love…" Terry said, kissing her again.
Foosh! The second flash went off.
"Terrence Grandchester…you are…." Candy started.
"I am?" Terry said, waiting.
"You are incorrigible!"
"Why don't you stop complaining and watch the birdie? Didn't Miss Pony and Sister Lane ever take you to a photo salon to get your pictures done when you were a child?" Terry suggested to her pointing at the lens.
Foosh! The third flash went off.
"You're looking too serious, Lady Freckles, aren't you going to smile?" Terry chided affably. "These pictures aren't funeral death mask pictures!" He started tickling her at her waist.
"Terry stop!" she giggled. "Your wound!"
"The wound is fine, love…if you keep still it won't be bothered!"
"But you're tickling me!"
Foosh! The fourth flash went off.
"You know what you really need, Terrence Grandchester?" Candy scolded, lightly.
"No, darling…what?"
"A tickle yourself!" she said, finally playing the little game. She started, making sure she didn't do it in his wound area and was shocked to find how ticklish Terry was all over his body. He chuckled out loud, heartily in his gorgeous voice.
Foosh! The fifth flash went off.
"Last one, my little freckled monkey…" Terry warned.
"Whom are you calling a monkey?" Candy retorted, still feeling giggly.
"The woman I love…" he replied, serious. Candy looked deeply into his eyes.
Foosh! The final flash went off. Candy took Terry's chin with her free hand and gave him a light kiss on his lips. She got up and left the booth first. Terry was still stunned at her surprise kiss and remained seated for a few more seconds.
"What's the matter, blinded by the light?" she goaded, poking her head back in.
"Yes, as a matter of fact!" Terry acknowledged, getting up.
1 Not to enter into philosophical discussion, but in this work, Nietzsche says we all have the power to take charge of our lives and are obliged to do it.
2 The very elite military college that produces officers for the U.S. Army
3 Florence Nightingale effect: Sometimes observed when hospital patients fall in love with their nurses.
4 A world class museum, over 100 years old, in Chicago with its own art school…hence the full name "The Art Institute of Chicago".
5 Victoria and Albert Museum, London
6 Actual copy from a Photo Booth made by General Electric in 1912. So yes, they did exist, even back then!
7 From Shakespeare's Hamlet
