“Leave Gabriel out of this, Felipe,” Sophia lowered her tone, angered. “Anyway, I can’t be traveling to Scotland every week. Airgead is not exactly around the corner, you know?”
Alistair felt a sudden uneasiness. He drank some wine to ease the feeling, but it tasted acid on his tongue. He could hardly swallow it and put the glass down.
“We can help. Before you leave, I can design the main theme for the stationary with you.” Carolina put her chin on her steepled fingers, a dreamy look on her face. “I can draw Airgead Caisteal with your initials entwined over it. And for the riding tournament, we can use a photo of you two riding and I’ll make a watercolor of it. Valentina can do some of the others so they don’t look too similar. And you can have them printed in Italy in a few days. I know an exceptional printer there.”
“That’s a fantastic idea,” exclaimed Angelica. “And I can help with the catering.”
Alistair was following the exchange, his turn now to be at a loss for words with the look of panic on Sophia’s face.
“Victoria can make your dress and Gabriela’s,” Carolina prompted. “And I’m sure Alistair’s sister and her sister-in-law will be delighted to help you with the seating charts and all the protocol.”
“My dear, do as we do in Hollywood: hire. Hire the best wedding planner, cake designer and so on. The best in the United Kingdom, at least,” Drake finished. “With this I can help, I have the best contacts all around the world.”
Sophia looked from one to another, openmouthed. “You’ve got my life all planned, haven’t you?” She whipped her head to stare at Alistair as she refilled her wine glass. “So it is settled. August the seventh, at Airgead Caisteal. Starting with a small formal reception at my house to announce our engagement as soon as we arrive back in London.” She swirled the wine in her glass and drank some. “In August, Airgead will be our meeting point. All the parties you want. Four hundred people give or take. We are going to be the talk of the town.”
“Sophia-” he tried to stop her but Sophia was angry.
“To the widow and the widower. The new love birds,” she sneered, raising a toast to him with her glass. She set it back on the table with a thump and wine spilled from it. Pushing her chair back, she got up, flinging her napkin on the table with rage. “Just don’t expect me to wear white. I might wear black. Excuse me.”
Jesus, Mary and Joseph. What got in to her? Alistair rose also, but was too astonished to move as she marched to the door.
“The future Marchioness has teeth,” Drake smirked.
Felipe stood, surprised at her outburst and ordered, “Sophia, come back. You’re being rude!”
At the door, Sophia tossed her hair back and looked at him over her shoulder. “Screw you, Felipe.”
She banged the door closed, but they heard her exclaiming, “Screw all of you!”
Alistair winced. Sophia didn’t yell often, and when she did, it was jarring.
“She doesn’t want to marry you anymore, Alistair?” Gabriela’s small voice broke the silence.
Fuck! He gazed into Gabriela’s eyes. “Nae. It’s no’ this. She’s a wee nervous, dearling. Brides aft get nervous afore a mairiage. Don’t you ken that?”
She smiled, “You are talking funny. Are you nervous, too?”
“You bricht wee lass.” Get a grip, for Christ’s sake, Alistair Connor. He cleared his throat and said, “Feudaidh e a bhith, tha beagan.” Immediately translating, “Maybe I am a little.”
Gabriela’s laughter tinkled inside him and he smiled, relieved.
“What kind of heathen language is that?” Drake asked. “So masculine.”
“Scottish Gaelic.” Alistair didn’t even look in his direction. Standing up, he gazed at Angelica. “I’m so sorry. I guess this is entirely my fault. I should have talked with her first.”
“Still, my son, that doesn’t excuse her behavior.” Angelica’s face was serious and pale. “I apologize for her.”
“Don’t, please. She’s had a bad day...” he trailed off. “Could you show me where she is?”
“Come with me.” Felipe strolled to the door. “I know where she’ll be.”
Before leaving, Alistair turned and kissed Gabriela’s head, “I’ll be back with your mother, Fairy. And I’m sure she will let you choose your flower girl dress, okay?”
“And my bouquet,” she demanded.
“Everything you want, Fairy.”
9.45 p.m.
Felipe closed the dining room door behind them and paused.”What happened today?”
Alistair closed his eyes for a second. A pounding headache was forming behind his eyelids. “She ran into her in-laws.”
“Fuck!” The expletive came out as a hurled knife from Felipe’s mouth.
“Exactly,” he thinned his lips and shook his head. “It was not pretty.”
“It never is where Alberto is concerned. He’s a son of a bitch!” There was so much anger in Felipe’s voice that the air resonated with it. “Fucking bad luck! Still, she’s completely wrong to take it out on you.”
“Don’t, please. As I said to your grandmother, it’s my fault. I’m sorry. I ought to have talked to her first. Besides, she was really making an effort to be here tonight. She was very distressed by the argument she had with the Leibowitzes. Alberto almost slapped her.”
“What?” The slow and controlled way the word left Sophia’s brother’s lips told Alistair that Felipe’s anger had reached its peak and that the man had a formidable control over it.
Alistair rubbed his temples. “He would have, if I hadn’t been there.”
There was murder in Felipe’s blazing hazel eyes. “I’ll kill the bastard. Tell me what happened.”
Alistair told him what happened at the shopping center, while they walked downstairs to Sophia’s bedroom.
Felipe knocked on the white wooden door and opened it. Sophia was curled up on a queen size bed, surrounded by a mountain of light yellow, orange and pink silk cushions, holding one to her chest, crying.
“Go away,” she sobbed, not even turning to see who was at the door. “Leave me alone.”
“Hey, little Sis,” Felipe murmured and approached the bed. “There is no need for this.”
“There is no need for this,” she parroted.
The men stopped in the middle of the beautiful and feminine room when she spun to look at them.
“No. There never is, is there?” She sat crossed legged on the flower printed silk cover and wiped her tears away, heaving. “I’m so tired of this crap, Felipe. Everyday someone wants to redirect my life without asking me how I feel about it. Do you think it’s easy to live in a different country all alone with a small daughter? Do you?” she asked both men. “I had everything a woman could want. I was loved, pampered, had a blooming career and a beautiful, perfect family. In less than three months, I lost everything. Even my memories. My in-laws killed my husband, drugged me, declared me insane, stole my daughter and who knows what else. I lost everything that was dear to me. I had to reinvent myself and start anew, had to fight to protect Gabriela. She was barely two years old, for God’s sake. A baby.” The tears began to fall again as she whispered, “A fatherless baby. Do you think my wealth makes up for anything? It doesn’t!” She slashed her hand in the air. Her brown troubled eyes searched Alistair’s gaze. “You should have talked to me first. Asked my opinion. Don’t try to use Gabriela against me. I know what’s best for me, for both of us.”
“I didn’t-” Alistair started to say.
She interrupted brusquely. “I thought we were building a new life. Together,” she stressed the word. “I need some space to readapt. Don’t push me off a cliff. I need roots again. I have Gabriela to think of. She is my daughter, my responsibility which I cannot overlook. How dare you talk with her first?”