Chapter 6

Written by Tita Calderón

Translated by Fay

The reflection in the mirror let him see the dark circles under his eyes. He brought a hand to his hair and felt it was wet. At least the bath he had just taken had mitigated his fatigue.

So many hours by train just to attend Eliza's party was crazy but if that meant being with Candy, things changed enormously.

He took a last look before leaving, making sure everything was in place. The very thought of being with her made all the fatigue vanish as if by magic.

He arrived late at the party. In vain he had thought he wouldn't draw attention. As soon as he crossed the main entrance, his mere presence attracted the most powerful and wealthy inhabitants of Chicago like bees to honey. He took a deep breath while he was smiling with resignation.

Candy had arrived at the party a long time ago with Archie and Aunt Elroy. Fortunately the Leagans hadn't insulted her as she had expected. Only an airy look from Eliza reminded her of their mutual dislike.

The presence of Archie and Annie by her side was a great comfort to her. As illogical as it might seem to be sitting in front of Aunt Elroy, it made her feel comfortable, although from time to time she discovered some look of curiosity upon her.

When would Albert come?

The telegram said they should go to the party exactly at the appointed time, and he would come later.

And what if he didn't come?

Her heart shuddered with uncertainty. Her eyes turned anxiously towards the main entrance, as she was waiting impatiently for him to appear.

She looked at the ring on her finger, feeling a twinge of vanity inside her. It was the first time she was wearing it in public. The funny thing was that it seemed to shine more on her finger that night. She had noticed a few interested looks on that ring, although nobody knew yet that behind it there was already an arranged engagement. She smiled with pride, even though she ignored the fact that any woman at that party and beyond those walls would have given her life to wear that ring.

She looked up and noticed that some people had crowded with interest at the main entrance. She stealthily stretched herself trying to see who had come, but she couldn't from where she was.

She forced herself to look away when she met Great Aunt's inquisitive gaze but in a few seconds she looked again with interest. She could distinguish the Leagans hastily breaking through the crowd. And then she managed to see him. The whole world stopped along with her heart.

Albert was there!

She reminded herself that she should inhale and exhale so as not to fall unconscious like a silly damsel. Of course, she could put the blame on the bodice that was tightly wrapped around her, but she was not willing to play such a role.

He didn't look at her; he was surrounded by a lot of people greeting him, both men and women...yes, women too, all of them very elegant and refined; and she had to admit that some of them were more beautiful than others. The way they were flirting with him drove her crazy. What were they thinking? Did they always behave like that? And he didn't stop smiling...

-"Candice..."

Great Aunt's voice caller her attention.

-"Yes?" she answered, somewhat disconcerted by the old lady's reproachful look.

-"Stop tapping the floor with your foot."

That moment she noticed she had been doing that since she had spotted Albert. Her heart's impatience had reached to her feet.

-"I'm sorry," she apologized rather awkwardly.

-"William must be coming," added Great Aunt Elroy, assuming that was the reason for her restlessness.

-"He is already here," admitted Candy. "He just keeps greeting everyone," she added with some disappointment.

-"He will come, don't despair."

Why must all girls be so impatient? And why is this one in particular so scatterbrained? thought the old lady in resignation.

-"Yes, of course...I was just saying..."

Was it so obvious that she was anxious to be close to him? She turned her eyes away.

She definitely needed to start asking for professional help. She surreptitiously shook her head trying to put her thoughts in order, while she was looking askance at the object of her confusion.

She felt like fainting when she saw him in his black tails. It was impossible to look at him without sighing. She looked quickly around her and she discovered sadly that she was not the only one who was looking at him so hungrily. She trembled nervously and helplessly when she realized the excessive attention Albert's presence caused. It was more than she had ever imagined.

She looked at him somewhat annoyed as she saw he never stopped smiling; but it was a forced smile. She knew him very well. Then she remembered that he always told her he felt uncomfortable with the excessive attention they gave him whenever he went to a party; that's why he avoided attending parties, and he only did that when it was absolutely necessary. She had just ascertained what he was referring to.

Albert began to look with interest around him, searching for her. He was anxious to get rid of all that attention. His eyes reached the other end of the grand parlor with a kind of restlessness that was very close to fear.

A fear that was becoming irrational in the anguish of finding her dancing with another man...He would be able to pull her out of any embrace that was not his own. Then he saw her. A strong heartbeat indicated to him that her mere presence made his balanced world stagger. She was sitting with Annie and Archie, close to Aunt Elroy. He breathed with relief.

Without letting her out of his sight, he approached, shaking people's hands on his way. He smiled slightly at perceiving how she blushed when their eyes met. Her blushing was a very encouraging sign...but now he needed to ascertain what she meant for him.

When he finally reached her, it seemed to him as if years had passed. How many people had the Leagans invited?

He greeted very politely everybody who accompanied her and in the end he approached the enchantress with the green eyes. That's what she was; an enchantress who was always present in all of his thoughts...

-"Hello, Candy," he said, giving her a kiss on the cheek. "You are very beautiful tonight," he added.

-"Eh...Thank you," she answered, not knowing how she could help blushing at those words.

-"Forgive me for not coming earlier but I had to sign a contract," he apologized.

-"Don't worry. The important thing is that you did come."

A waiter interrupted them to offer them a drink. Candy looked away and saw several people turning their own eyes away surreptitiously. She swallowed with difficulty.

-"William," called a deep voice, a few meters behind them.

-"Thomas, how nice to see you," Albert greeted politely.

He moved away with that man after he had introduced him to everyone. He was one of the most important business partners of the Ardlays and his daughter was a good friend of Eliza's.

Candy tried to listen to their conversation, even though they were a little far away.

-"I believe you remember my daughter Elizabeth."

-"Yes, of course," he answered in a very friendly way. "It's a great pleasure to see you, Elizabeth," he added.

-"The pleasure is mine, William," she replied in a seductive voice.

Candy felt a twinge of jealousy. She would have wanted to get up and slap that girl who spoke to him in that way.

-"Candy...Candy..."

It was Annie who was calling her.

-"Eh...Yes?"

-"I'll go and refresh myself. Will you join me?" Annie asked when she finally managed to get her distracted friend's attention.

Annie and her interruptions. Hadn't she noticed that she couldn't move at that precise moment? She needed to stay there...She wouldn't leave Albert to that shameless hussy for anything in the world...

-"Of course, Annie."

She had tried to find an excuse; as she couldn't find any, she had to accompany her reluctantly.

She was mentally planning to get close enough to Albert and step on his foot or even better kick him so as to erase that smile of his which she had started to hate. It was no wonder he had half of Chicago at his feet. He kept smiling widely.

Albert followed her with his eyes. She was tense but that didn't prevent her from being beautiful like a goddess. It was impossible for the men's eyes not to be fixed on her as she passed by. He raised an eyebrow. It was time for him to mark his territory.

While Candy was impatiently waiting for Annie to come out of the bathroom, she was trying to spy on Albert. He seemed to be keeping a pleasant conversation with that Elizabeth. She felt like taking off her shoe and throwing it to his head. She was sure she would reach her goal. But then she wouldn't be able to find an excuse for her shoe flying through the parlor...Aunt Elroy would die on the spot and she would feel guilty of that for the rest of her life.

A sigh of helplessness and fear came out of the depths of her soul at the new feeling she had just discovered. She knew very well that for Albert the freedom of every human being was primordial, and he valued it excessively.

He had always told her that what he loved most was his freedom...and now she wanted to cut off his wings...Yes...She wanted him to feel that he belonged to her, something a person would feel only for their beloved...She would never achieve that. It was impossible...Albert was one of those people who don't belong to anyone. She had known him as free as the wind; he was always there when she needed him most and then he disappeared as if he had only been a dream...Would he also disappear now that her reputation had been saved? She wouldn't bear it...

She turned her face away with anguish only to notice that Eliza was approaching with two other girls. Oh! The best thing was to get out of her way; she didn't want to have any trouble. She looked sideways and saw some plants nearby. Not wasting any time, she turned and hid herself behind those plants. She only hoped Annie wouldn't give her away when she would finally get out.

-"Are you serious, Eliza?" asked one of the girls.

-"Yes. I've already told you that Elizabeth is crazy about my uncle and swore she would conquer him."

-"And do you think she'll succeed?"

-"If she's smart...I'm sure she will," Eliza said maliciously.

-"But they say that your uncle will soon be engaged to Madam Elroy's protégée."

-"Come on, this is nonsense."

The contempt in her voice was palpable.

Candy clenched her fists.

-"I've heard that too," said the other girl.

-"All that is gossip," declared Eliza. "He would never notice her. You just have to see him with Elizabeth to know they make a nice couple," she added with confidence.

It was impossible that her young and handsome uncle would ever notice that orphan girl.

-"But they say he didn't accept the engagement with Elizabeth, even though that union would be very beneficial for the two families, because he was already dating that Candice."

-"Don't believe everything you hear. Uncle William would never notice..."

Eliza kept silent, remembering that Aunt Elroy had warned her a little while ago not to interfere with Candy.

-"...He would never notice her," she added contemptuously. "The only thing he feels for her is pity. Only pity motivates him to stay by her side."

Candy felt as if she had been slapped. She looked down...She knew Eliza was not reliable but for some reason those words reached her soul and hurt her.

-"It seems they're going to dance," remarked one of the girls, looking carefully at them.

-"I'm sure she has asked him to," Eliza assured with superiority. "He never asks anyone to dance," she continued.

Candy turned like an automaton and walked among the crowd. She wouldn't...she couldn't see him dance with another woman...She dodged a waiter and that movement allowed her to see him, despite her intention to avoid doing so. He was still talking...Calmness filled her soul...but then Eliza's words came to her mind again.

-"He feels pity for her..."

That was the key word. He had pitied her, that's why he had adopted her, that's why he had brought her to live with him, that's why he was marrying her. Because of pity! Her eyes blurred at the mere thought that that was true.

Of course; what other reason could he have to justify everything he had done for her?

She turned in anguish to look at him again, and could vaguely distinguish him in the crowd of people. His expression was slightly worried and his eyes were looking around the parlor, as if he were searching for someone. Not her, of course.

She turned her eyes away and decided to look for the way out.

She crossed the door quickly, only to realize that she had gone out to one of the gardens of the house. She walked a little until she could get away from the people who were around. In the distance, she heard the echo of the party, muffled by the sounds of the night.

She bit her lip so she wouldn't cry. She took a deep breath and then began to analyze her life, trying to find out if it was pity that had urged Albert to do all that he had done for her.

But in all her memories she found everything except pity. Albert's eyes had always looked at her with affection, with tenderness, but never with pity. Undoubtedly the fresh night air had clarified her thoughts.

The relief in her heart made her feel strong. How silly she had been. How could she even doubt him? She could doubt everyone, except Albert.

She turned around, willing to ascertain that. She was determined to look for any trace of pity in his eyes. What would she do if she saw that?

It didn't matter; nothing mattered anymore...She only wanted to be with him...She felt complete at his side.

She was about to cross the door when she felt a hand pulling her back into the darkness.

-"What are you doing here?"

That voice was coming from her worst nightmares. She sharpened her eyesight, only to discover those brown eyes she hated so much.

-"Let me go, Neal!" she said firmly as she pulled hard to get away from that grip.

-"A lady never goes out alone."

Neal's irony made her remember all the bad times of her childhood.

-"And a gentleman never harasses a lady in the shadows."

-"So, I'm not a gentleman and you're not a lady?"

He raised an eyebrow with superiority.

-"Think what you like, Neal," she said, managing to get away from him. "I don't care."

-"You think you're very important now, don't you?"

-"I don't know what you mean."

-"You think that just because you have Uncle wrapped around your little finger, all of us have to fall at your feet. But you are quite mistaken..."

-"It is you who are mistaken, Neal!"

That voice took them both unawares.

-"Albert!" said Candy with relief while she ran to take refuge by his side.

Neal just opened his eyes wide in anguish.

-"Candy must be considered important, not only because she has me wrapped around her little finger," declared Albert in a quiet but firm voice, "but also because she deserves it. Understood?"

The intensity in the tone of his voice made Neal tremble.

-"I...I was just...just joking with Candy," he answered, almost in panic.

-"I don't like this kind of jokes. And much less when they come from you."

The firmness of Albert's request would have intimidated even Sister Gray.

-"I...I'm sorry, Uncle..." stammered Neal.

-"It's not me you should apologize to."

The tone of his voice was relentless.

-"It's not necessary, Albert," said Candy, seeing Albert's fierce gaze.

She had never seen him like that. Even she felt some fear.

-"I'm sorry, Candy..." murmured Neal, before things became any worse.

-"It doesn't matter, Neal." – She tried to smile. – "Shall we go inside, Albert?" she said, trying to put an end to this. "It's getting a little cold."

Albert extended his arm to her, and they entered in silence.

He was tense, she felt it. She had never seen Albert so annoyed. A waiter interrupted them, offering some drinks. Albert took a glass of whisky.

He drank it in one gulp, trying to find the calmness he needed so badly that moment. He didn't know who he was more upset with: with Neal for finding her before he did, with Candy for getting out of his sight, or with himself for feeling an irrational anger...

He had just confirmed that he didn't want anyone to touch her...He was not like that...He had never been possessive with things and much less with people...but Candy woke up all sorts of unknown feelings in him...

Feelings that made him doubt his principles of freedom which he had always predicated.

He turned and looked at her...Did she know about all that debate inside him? Did she know about the power she had over him? He took a deep breath...Soon he wouldn't be able to hide it...It was getting harder and harder to keep it to himself...

-"Would you like to dance?" he asked, still looking at her.

Candy felt her heart would stop...Albert was asking her to dance with him...? The conversation between Eliza and her friends flashed in her mind:

-"He never asks anyone to dance."

They had seemed very sure of that. Adrenaline rushed through her and a sense of pride made her straighten up...

-"Yes..." she answered with a smile.

Albert walked with her to the centre of the room, he took her in his arms and they began to dance...It was their first waltz...The soft music made them submerge little by little in another world.

Candy remembered a yearning of her childhood. She had always dreamed of dancing with her prince...

He was her prince!

Her dream had come true...Her eyes couldn't turn away from the blue eyes that had always been there, all her life...His arms were holding her to the rhythm of the music...She had never felt that she had the world at her feet as she felt it now.

Something more than nostalgic memories pressed her heart... awakening several feelings that had been asleep for a long time. Feelings that filled her with an infinite joy...

-"Albert, may I ask you something?"

-"Of course," he replied gently, without understanding how his mood had changed in a few seconds just by being with her.

-"Is it true that you never ask anyone to dance?"

Albert looked at her, not knowing what she meant.

-"I heard Eliza and her friends saying that you never went out to dance," she said nervously, regretting that she had mentioned that subject.

-"I've never had the right partner to do it. Now I have you," he said decidedly.

Candy smiled joyfully and nervously at the same time...She wondered again and again why his presence upset her so much lately, why his words made her shudder, why his gaze took her breath away. She had irreversibly lost all the self-control that balanced her life...

In his room, Albert was looking through the window, trying to mitigate the insomnia that had overwhelmed him.

He placed his hand on the pane, in an attempt to stop the torrent of contradictions that enveloped him.

He could still feel Candy's body in his arms, moving to the rhythm of the music...That feeling had shaken him inside so forcefully that he had been afraid of the fact that he couldn't hold her in his arms the way he wished to do.

Suddenly he wondered if he wanted to see her again...Her mere closeness turned him into a person totally different to whom he was. He, who talked so much about freedom, now felt imprisoned every time he looked at her.

He recalled he had had to look away so that she wouldn't notice his agitated breathing when he was close to her.

That closeness almost made his heart burst out of his chest...But that was nothing; he had just discovered he was afraid of that proximity. He didn't want to look her in the eyes anymore...When he did he felt he was losing his strength of will.

He rested his head against the pane while memories of his stay in New York hit him hard. He was struggling to decide whether he should let that story out or not.

Would he be able to tell her what he had discovered? Would he be able to endure seeing her again suffer for another man?

He had to do it if he wanted to see her happy...even though his heart would break to see those green eyes full of hope and then of pain for her great love...

He closed his hand in a fist and gave a blow to the window pane, helpless and vulnerable in front of a feeling that was rapidly growing inside him.

If only he could make her feel what he felt...If only he could get into her mind and spy on her heart...He closed his eyes and opened them again. He couldn't deny the obvious. He knew she saw him differently; recently he had discovered a different feeling in those emerald green eyes.

But was that feeling so strong as the one he felt?

How could he know? How could he find out?

He had been educated to face all kinds of situations and undoubtedly during his life as a vagabond he had confronted untoward circumstances...but facing the feelings of another person was beyond everything he knew.

If only he could talk to her clearly...

No, he couldn't...It would be like taking advantage of the situation... She had to discover her feelings and declare them on her own...

However, he could give her a little push himself...All was fair in love and war.

He smiled mischievously, while a plan was forming in his mind...

To be continued...