Colin opened the bag he was carrying just far enough to allow an enticing aroma to escape.
"Colin! I..."
"Didn't expect to see me? No, I fancy you didn't. But I got your note and I, well thought you might appreciate a hot meal and a friendly face."
Much to her own surprise, Marion smiled. "Oh, more than you know."
Colin shut the door behind him and began unloading waxed cardboard cartons onto the coffee table "It's Chinese. "
Marion suddenly discovered that she was ravenous, that fried rice sounded wonderful, and chop suey sounded even better. She and Colin filled their plates, sat facing each other on the couch, and tucked in.
When they finished eating, there was an awkward silence.
"Do you want to talk about it?" said Colin.
"Not much to tell, I'm afraid. Indy's decided that the Cross of Coronado is his one true love, and he'd rather light out in search of it than be with me. So he left me a note and went on his merry way."
Colin leaned forward and gave her an incredulous stare. "A week before your wedding? And he left you a note? Are you telling me that the man didn't even have the decency to speak to you?"
Marion sighed. "That's our Indy, Col."
"Look, I've known Indy for years, and I swear I'd never have believed this of him. Neither would you, I daresay. This-this is unspeakable. This is vile. Has he no shame?"
"What Indy has or doesn't have isn't my problem anymore," said Marion firmly. Then she looked at Colin with imploring blue eyes, and his heart turned over.
"Now for God's sake Colin, please treat this as a confidence. I don't want pity, or sympathy, or gossip or scandal. All anyone else needs to know is that Indy and I decided we wouldn't suit and broke our engagement."
Colin paused for a moment, then looked at her and nodded. "All right. Much as I'd love to see Jones get the censure he deserves, the innocent shouldn't suffer with the guilty. So what now? Whither Marion Ravenwood?"
"I'll need a few more days the put my affairs here in order-Indy obviously had no idea of the amount of bother it is to call off a wedding. Or"-she sighed-"maybe he just didn't care. Then I'll be moving on-not sure where to, yet. I'll be gone when Indy gets back, and he can just get on with his life."
"Marion"- Colin scrupulously avoided using the endearments came so easily to Indy- "It speaks well of your character that you're doing this-tying up all these loose ends- but you don't have to protect Jones. That bounder can clean up his own mess. You don't owe him a thing."
Marion snorted. "Oh, I don't owe Henry Jones the time of day, and I know it. But" her voice softened in spite of herself," the man I loved, the man who" –Marion took a deep breath-"fathered the child I'm carrying-maybe I need to do this for him."
"Jesus Christ! And on top of all this you're pregnant? Does he know?"
Marion shook her head. "And he isn't to know, Colin, promise me. "
Colin gave her a gobsmacked stare. "You're not planning on telling him?"
"Not now, at any rate. A clean break is best, trust me. Indy left me because" –her chin trembled, just a little-"because he chose to. A baby won't change that, even though he might feel obligated to 'do right' by me. We 'd break up sooner or later, and I won't be left to live on Indy's charity or to wait in the shadows while he sees the baby once a month and romances some other woman."
She smiled and reached out to touch his hand."I'll be fine, Col. I've been making my own way in the world for a long, long time. I can handle this."
Underneath his stiff British upper lip Colin was a maelstrom of emotions. He wanted to give Indiana Jones the thrashing he deserved for putting pain into those blue eyes –those beautiful eyes that were meant for nothing but hope and joy. He wanted to pump his fist with elation because Marion was turning to him-him in her hour ofneed. And he wanted to put his arms around that brave darling girl and keep her safe forever and ever.
On a sudden impulse, Colin wetted is lips and took her hand. "Marion" he said hesitantly "I could never speak to you of this, before, but surely you must have been aware that my feelings for you-go beyond friendship."
Marion looked down, but didn't pull her hand away. "I was, Col. A woman always knows." She sniffled. "Indy and I actually fought about you some. He said that I should have been doing more to, um, discourage your attentions."
"Nonsense" Colin responded firmly. "You never did anything to encourage them. I simply couldn't help the way I felt-the way I do feel. I know I'm making a balls-up of this, but what I'm trying to say is-you don't have to do this alone, Marion. I can't bear the thought of you struggling along in a strange place without a friend in the world. And then when the baby comes…. Will you not allow me to at least stand your friend? I'll ask for nothing more than to know that you and the little one are cared for and safe."
Marion blinked back tears. "I can't love you, Colin. I can't love anyone that way anymore, and that's just not fair to you."
Colin reached out a to brush her still-flat stomach with his fingertips . "The only person you need to worry about" he said gently, "is right there. The rest of us will muddle through somehow."
Marion gave him a damp-and utterly heart stopping-smile. "Did you always want to be a knight in shining armor, Col?"
He chuckled "I am a King's Scout. And I used to read my Boy's Own every month. So I must have, I guess."
"I ought to say no."
"Don't. At least let me come and help you pack tomorrow. You shouldn't be lifting things in your delicate condition."
"Delicate condition, my ass," said Marion with a shaky grin. "But I'd appreciate the help and the company."
Colin left soon after. He gave her a quick hug when she walked him to the door. After he was gone, Marion cleared the coffee table and settled on the couch for the night.
Colin Williams. Col, of all people. Oh what the hell-she had known he was interested, he'd made it pretty clear…especially one night last summer. That had ended with Indy dragging her off a dance floor with her wrist in his iron grip, and his mouth set in a thin line below blazing hazel eyes
"In case you lost the memo, sweetheart," Indy had hissed furiously, "that ring on your hand came from ME. So guess what-I come first. I don't cut in on Colin or anyone else to dance with my own fiancée. And if you don't tell that son of a bitch where his hands belong you can bet your ass that I will!"
Marion had thought Indy's possessiveness rather charming, but in retrospect his jealousy and competitiveness with other men were starting to look a little….well.
Indy didn't resent Colin for being attracted to me, she thought suddenly. Indy resented Colin for being the kind of man he used to be- and isn't any longer.
She lay back on her pillow, watching the moonlight on the ceiling and rubbing her stomach in gentle circles. Kiddo, as far as I'm concerned, your father was the man I fell in love with all those years ago-and he's the man I'm going to remember. Not the man who left us- not the man he's become.
Maybe that was the karma, this time around, she thought sleepily. Indy was meant to come back to me, for a time, so that I could conceive this baby. Col would say I'm crazy for thinking this, but maybe the Ark had something to do with it, as well. Abner's obsession with the Ark cost me my childhood, my first baby and the last ten years. Not to mention my first love. The love of my life. She chuckled mirthlessly to herself. Looks like not even the Hebrew God could give me my Indy back, but perhaps He's making what reparations He can. He gave me back Indy's child. Because if there were any innocents in that sorry mess in '26, a girl of 17 and the baby she carried surely qualified. And if there's an innocent now, she thought at her belly, it's you. And nothing and nobody will take you away from me this time.
Marion clutched her pillow, and closed her eyes.