An Unsinkable Love

chapter 25


"Malcolm? Malcolm DuMont, it is you! Why, it's been ages, darling. And who is this child—some niece I've never met?"

Bree stared at the exquisitely beautiful blonde woman. She was dressed to perfection in a royal blue suit, topped with a huge straw boater. A fine gauzy veil drew attention to her almond-shaped amber eyes.

Malcolm straightened slowly. Bree wasn't sure what his expression reflected. It could have been disappointment or perhaps impatience, but he responded, "Hello, Melody. You're looking well."

The woman advanced on Malcolm, nudging Bree aside before she rose on tiptoe to plant a lingering kiss on Malcolm's lips. Bree's eyes widened. As Melody stepped back, Malcolm glanced down at Bree. He grimaced uncomfortably and shrugged. She raised her chin, one eyebrow arched high.

"Erm ... Melody, this is Bree Barry, my fiancée. Bree this is—" A loud gasp interrupted his introduction.

"Your fiancée! Why Malcolm DuMont, you cad. You left here after giving me the distinct impression I was your fiancée. I've been making plans all this time, waiting for you to return and set the date. How could you!"

Bree took a step away and regarded Malcolm, eyes wide.

He held his hands out and said, "Now, Melody, you know we never discussed any such thing. I told you in no uncertain terms I wasn't ready to consider marriage to you or anyone else. If you harbored any false hopes, they were of your own 175

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making." Malcolm stepped around the sputtering blonde and put his arm around Bree. "I hope you will welcome my future wife to the community with the same gracious manner I've always seen in you."

Bree scrutinized Malcolm's face, searching for the truth.

How could Melody and Malcolm each be so sure about something so completely different? Certainly you would know if you were engaged?

Melody's mouth shut with an audible snap and her gaze shifted from Malcolm to Bree and back several times. She blinked and took a deep breath. "Of course, Malcolm." She turned to Bree and spoke slowly and clearly as if speaking to a child, "Hello, there. I'm Melody Parsons. Malcolm and I have known each other all our lives. Welcome." She stuck out her gloved hand and when Bree did the same, grasped the tips of Bree's fingers and gave a tiny squeeze, letting go immediately.

Melody immediately turned back to Malcolm. "Are you sure her parents will approve a marriage at such a young age, Malcolm dear?" Her mouth made a moue. "I mean really, Malcolm, I never thought of you as a cradle robber."

The hackles on the back of Bree's neck rose and she narrowed her eyes as she contemplated the best way to deal with the irritating woman. Malcolm stepped between them.

"Melody, Bree is quite fully of age. Though I expect her youthful beauty will put all others to shame even in her dotage, which I sincerely hope to see."

The blonde had a momentary blank look as if trying to discern an insult in his statement. "I'm glad to hear it. Well, I 176

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suppose I'll be on my way. I'm so busy these days, what with all those eager beaus coming around." She smiled smugly at Bree.

Her smile faded as Malcolm said, "I'm surprised you entertain beaus if you were so far along with the wedding plans."

Melody sniffed, whirled on her high-laced boot heel and stalked down the sidewalk without a backward glance.

Bree kept her eyes on the tips of her toes. She was embarrassed for Malcolm, but also upset by what Melody said. Was he, in fact, fickle enough to grasp at whatever woman stood in front of him at the time? Would she find herself in Melody's shoes one day soon?

Malcolm's finger under her chin forced her head up. He gazed at her intently. "Bree, my love. Nothing she said is true, except the part about having grown up together. I never entertained marriage to Melody, and she knows it. I've never entertained marriage to anyone, except you. Do you believe me?"

Bree lost herself in his blazing blue eyes. They seemed to pull her toward him, but she realized with a start he was simply finishing what he started before they were interrupted.

The kiss was not to be, however.

"Malcolm! I heard you'd returned. Still got the little racecar, eh? You never did take me for that ride you promised," A weathered male voice came from over his shoulder.

With a sigh, Malcolm turned her around to face a white-haired man who leaned heavily on a cane.

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Bree watched as Malcolm broke into a broad grin and stepped up to shake the old man's hand. "Caleb, it's good to see you. How have you been?"

"Good 'nuf. Good 'nuf. You tell your mamma I got some mighty fine vegetables coming on. They can start cannin' any time now."

"I'll let her know. We returned yesterday, so it may be a day or two before she's settled and ready to start putting up fruits and vegetables. Caleb, I'd like to introduce you to my fiancée, Bree Barry. We met while I traveled."

Caleb perused her up and down, a toothy smile splitting his face. "She's a beauty, Mal, my boy."

Bree blushed and dipped her head in thanks.

"Well, boy, you born in a barn? Bring her in. Bring her in.

Teddy'll want to meet her too, yup, she will."

Malcolm steered Bree inside the building, which turned out to be a store. Bree had never seen, or smelled, anything like it. It seemed to contain everything imaginable. Tall shelves ringed the walls and divided the floor into aisles. Big barrels and wooden crates were scattered in corners and any place there was room to walk by. Fresh produce filled the crates to overflowing, smoked meats and fragrant herbs dangled from the ceiling, bolts of fabric lay willy-nilly on shelves alongside kegs of nails. Her head swam with the effort to see everything. Malcolm urged her forward to a long counter hugging one side of the room. A portly woman stood watching them, her big grin bracketed by fat, rosy cheeks.

She stepped from behind the counter and embraced Malcolm fiercely, but her motherly affection didn't stir a surge 178

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of jealousy the way Melody's overly affectionate mauling had.

After a few pats on his back, Teddy stepped away and gave him a once-over. "Well, you didn't waste away eatin' all that furin food, so I guess it didn't do you no harm." She looked askance at Bree and back to Malcolm. "Where are your manners, boy?"

He slipped his arm around the woman's beefy shoulder and pushed her over to where Bree stood watching. "Teddy, this is Bree Barry. Bree, this is Theodora Michaels, Caleb's wife.

Teddy, Bree and I are going to marry."

"Well I never ... What do you think, Caleb? The boy's gettin' married. You tell your ma she can count on me to help. It's been too long without such a joyous occasion.

There's still hard feelin's need to be smoothed over, and a wedding's just the thing to do it."

Malcolm agreed and, with a wave, steered Bree out into the bright sunlight. He took a deep breath and grinned at her.

"You better get used to it. It's a small town, and we'll be going through this with everyone we meet."

Bree smiled. "I don't mind a bit. I'd like to know all your friends." She didn't add she hoped that's all any of them were, but the thought stuck in the back of her mind. "What are the hard feelings Teddy mentioned?"

"A strike at the mill. People haven't gotten over it yet."

The morning passed quickly. Bree was left with a montage of faces and names swirling in her head, and the fear she'd never get the right name with the right face. They stopped in a small café and lunched on savory lobster cakes and a bottle of light wine. Bree felt quite carefree as they exited the 179

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restaurant, but her happiness died as she noticed Eldon leaning casually against the fender of the Mercer.

"Glad you took my advice and decided to tend to your girl, Malcolm. Leaving her on her lonesome while you putter around in an office might put ideas in some young buck's head."

"Don't worry, Eldon. I'll keep Bree close by. In fact, I was just going to take her to the mill for a tour. She and Mother have some splendid ideas for next year's line. I expect they'll both be spending quite of bit of time there with me from now on."

Bree had no trouble figuring out the emotion flickering across Eldon's face this time. It was pure hatred. Malcolm obviously saw it, too. "I'll be calling on the members of the board over the next few weeks. It's time they understand as majority stockholder, I expect to run the company. I'll make sure there's always a place for you, Eldon. Never fear. So long as you and Mother are married, I'll keep you on in some capacity."

"Don't make too many plans, you young pup. I've put a lot of work into the company and the board knows it. They're not going to let you waltz in and take over."

With an enigmatic smile Malcolm replied, "We'll see, won't we?"

Eldon turned on his heel and strode to the Rolls Royce, which idled quietly at the curb. It swerved away into the street with a muted roar, the narrow tires spitting gravel.

Bree watched as Malcolm stared after the speeding car with narrowed eyes, his cheek flexing.

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* * * *

They spent the afternoon on the promised mill tour. Bree was dumbfounded at the sheer size of the plant. The main building stood two stories tall and covered acres of ground.

The weaving shed, boiler building with tall smokestack, cotton and wool warehouses and cottages for the workers spread out even more. Inside the factory, she held her hands over her ears to shut out the din as hundreds of bobbins fed white threads into clattering weaving machines nonstop. Malcolm showed her other rooms used for carding, looping, knitting and warping, explaining how different parts of the mill turned out nubby woolens, smooth worsteds, cambric, satin, lawn, batiste, linen and silks. Once woven, the plain fabrics would be sent to finishing factories for bleaching and dyeing before going on to their last stop to be made into garments. He promised to show her those factories soon.

Bree was a bit fatigued when they returned to the house and Malcolm insisted she take a nap before dinner. She awoke refreshed and quickly dressed in a light frock. After she brushed out her hair, she secured it with a matching ribbon and allowed it to tumble down her back to please Malcolm. Anxious to see him again, she bounced merrily down the stairs but came to a halt when she heard voices from below.

She stopped on the landing and peered over the railing.

Eldon leaned casually against the jamb in the parlor doorway, talking to someone inside. Bree couldn't make out the muted voice. She walked more sedately down the remaining steps.

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Eldon caught her movement and turned to face her, a smug expression settling on his face.

"Ah, and here she is. The lovely Bree. Come in, my dear.

We were having a drink before dinner."

Bree entered the room, searching for Malcolm. Instead, she spied Melody draped languorously across the settee, a dainty stemmed glass dangling from her hand. Bree stumbled to a stop and looked around, but Elizabeth and Malcolm were not in the room.

Melody raised her glass in a casual salute. "Good evening, Miss Barry. I hope you don't mind. Eldon invited me to join you for dinner. It seems so natural to be here. I've probably spent as much time in this house as my own, ever since I was a child. If you have any questions about the family, or Malcolm, please feel free to ask. I'm sure I can enlighten you." With a coy smile partially hidden behind her hand, she continued, "Of course, there are some questions I won't answer. I mean, they're just too personal to get into. I'm sure you understand." The blonde smiled dreamily.

Bree understood, all right. "Why, Melody, you have no idea how much fun I'm having getting to know all about Malcolm on my own. As for Elizabeth, the two of use share a rare bond. After all, we survived the Titanic sinking." Bree bit the inside of her cheek to keep from smiling as she saw Melody's eyes narrow and her smirk dim.

Voices echoed from the hall and Malcolm and Elizabeth entered. Malcolm's gaze fastened on Bree's, and he smiled as he strode to her, ignoring the other two occupants.

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He was only a step away when Melody called out,

"Malcolm, we've been waiting for you. Dear Bree is trying her best to be a hostess, but I don't think she's had much experience at it. I'm sure it's hard to suddenly be thrown into a life so different from anything she's known." She simpered.

"Eldon explained about your dear Bree's background."

Instead of acknowledging Melody or Eldon, Malcolm continued to Bree's side where he greeted her with a peck on the cheek. He pulled her under the protection of his arm and, as she looked deep into his eyes, gave her a reassuring smile.

Malcolm turned to face Melody. "Perhaps Eldon didn't explain everything about Bree's background. Did he tell you she spent most of her life in a castle as a close confidante to an English peer of the realm? I'm sure our much more modest home is nothing special to her. It might be she's more used to having visitors announce their intentions in advance, but she'll soon settle in to our more casual way of life."

Bree was surprised, and grateful. With a few words he'd given Melody the impression she had been a friend of the Rothberrys, rather than a servant, and handed out a subtle rebuke for the woman's arriving unannounced.

Eldon directed his comments to his wife. "I didn't think you'd mind if I invited Melody to dinner, Elizabeth. She's such a close family friend. It appears Malcolm has forgotten."

Bree saw Elizabeth's eyes flick back and forth between her husband and son, her indecision clear. She said, "It's wonderful to meet your childhood friends, Malcolm. I hope I'll have the opportunity often. I certainly don't want any changes made to your usual habits because I'm here."

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Bree heard Malcolm's low snort of amusement at her wording, which relegated Melody to a playmate rather than a lover.

Elizabeth smiled at Bree gratefully then spoke to her son,

"Malcolm, perhaps you'd get Bree and me a bit of wine?"

The next few minutes were filled with awkward silence as Malcolm busied himself with the drinks. A collective sigh of relief sounded when the maid stepped in and announced dinner.

In the large formal dining room, Eldon and Elizabeth occupied the head and foot of the table, with Malcolm and Bree on one side and Melody by herself on the other. The blonde seemed incapable of taking her amber eyes off Malcolm. Bree was relieved he didn't seem to care, directing most of his comments to herself or his mother. She noticed Eldon watching Malcolm, a hard glint in his eyes. When the elder DuMont noticed Bree's gaze, he quickly replaced the sneer with a look of polite interest.

At Malcolm's prompting, Melody explained she'd run into Eldon while in town and when he invited her to dinner, couldn't wait to see Elizabeth and hear all about their trip to the Continent. Elizabeth seemed a bit perplexed at Melody's gushing enthusiasm, but obliged with details about their time in France.

"And what about when the Titanic sank? The papers said hundreds of people drowned. Did you know any of them? Did you see them? It must have been horrible." Melody's eyes were bright with prying curiosity and she pressed Elizabeth 184

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for details until the older woman kindly, but firmly, told her the memories were too painful to discuss.

Bree was confused at Eldon's manner during dinner. He seemed to take every opportunity to bring up how close Malcolm and Melody were and how much they had in common, while emphasizing how little his stepson knew about his fiancée. It seemed to her Eldon subtly hinted Malcolm might simply be bewitched with her for the moment, and what he felt was only gratitude for saving his mother.

Malcolm and Elizabeth didn't seem to notice, and Bree chastised herself for reading more into Eldon's words than what was really there, but felt exhausted and depressed by the time the table was cleared. When Elizabeth suggested everyone make an early night of it and steered Melody to the door a short time later, she mentally cheered.

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An Unsinkable Love

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