Box Set: The ArringtonTrilogy (118 page)

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My timing to let Heath’s love go couldn’t
have been worse. The day I was scheduled to take the witness stand
was the same day Heath reconciled with Sarah. And though he sat in
court and faithfully supported me, his mind was definitely
elsewhere. Now, Sarah sat blissfully beside him, after deserting
the defense side. Heath didn’t hold his gaze on me as I nervously
walked up to take my oath. Instead, he was listening with devoted
interest to what Sarah whispered in his ear. They looked good
together, I told myself as I raised my right hand and swore to tell
the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth, so help me
God. But was Heath truly happy? I wasn’t completely convinced.

My attention turned to Richard as I stated my
name for the record. He maintained a soft smile as he looked over
to me, then he discreetly waved and mouthed a muted, hello. I swung
my eyes away and focused them on Felix. He came forward, and a hush
fell over the room. This is what everyone was waiting for; I was
the one who was going to seal the deal, wrap up the case, and
assure Richard’s murder conviction.

My hands were trembling so badly that I had
to sit on them, just to make them stop. My throat was bone dry, my
stomach so queasy from nerves and a debilitating stomach bug I
couldn’t shake.

“Mrs. Dalton, can you tell the court when
exactly you met Richard Parker?” Felix began his direct examination
in a calm, assertive tone.

“I was fifteen,” I stated.

“And under what circumstances were you
introduced?”

“I was in Savannah, Georgia, and he noticed
me standing alone outside a store.”

“Did he approach you after seeing you
standing alone?”

“Objection, leading the witness!”

“Sustained.”

Felix cleared his throat, then proceeded.
“Tell us exactly what occurred the first time you and Mr. Parker
met.”

“He introduced himself as a commercial
illustrator and told me how stunning I was. He offered to sketch
me.”

“A nude sketch?” Felix slipped in. Another
objection, followed by a reprimand by the judge. “I will not
tolerate this line of questioning Mr. Lowell!”

“Forgive me, Your Honor,” Felix apologized,
and turned back to me. “Did he say what kind of sketching he
did?”

“No.”

“Did he state you would be paid if you
agreed?”

“Yes.”

“Now moving ahead, Mrs. Dalton, how is it you
left Savannah with Mr. Parker and his wife, Judith?”

“I had no place to live at the time; I was
orphaned,” I testified, knowing full well as soon as Richard’s
attorney cross examined me my whole life would be an open book.
Everything that I had phrased so tactfully would suddenly be
blasted apart and exposed for all to hear. “And Mr. Parker offered
to take me to New York City for a while until I earned enough money
to return to Maine where I was from.”

“And how would you gain these funds?”

I anxiously looked over at Heath who nodded
with assurance, then shifted my eyes to Richard. For the first
time, I saw his mask of condescension replaced with one of remorse
and possible regret. However, Richard was a grand illusionist and
not to be trusted. Though he appeared benevolent, I told myself it
was just a con. Richard felt nothing for me. He would not think
twice about using me again.

I went on to describe how Richard introduced
me to Bart Wilco and soon after had me hooked on drugs and a part
of the cast in his risqué stock company.

“Please, Mrs. Dalton, would you describe what
kind of theater production you became part of under the guidance
and direction of Mr. Parker?”

“It was a burlesque show,” I mumbled in
shame.

Felix continued through late morning and
then, after lunch, began with the questions about my role in the
production, while my intimate, humiliating relationship with
Richard remained temporarily undisclosed.

Court broke for the day and at Mr. Stern’s
suggestion we gathered in his office for a short meeting before I
was to take the stand the next day. I was relieved when Heath came
along with me, for now I normally ate lunch without him. And,
although Felix stepped in to keep me company, all I could think
about was where Heath and Sarah were and what they were doing.

“What about Sarah?” I politely asked.

“She is having dinner with her cousins.
Please don’t dwell any of that,” Heath said. “Let’s work on getting
you through this awful testimony you’re forced to endure.”

I couldn’t help but feel despondent. I may
have pushed Heath to be with Sarah, but it hurt me more than I had
anticipated. And not receiving any more letters from Ayden only
added to my misery. Even Heath thought it was odd when the letters
came to an abrupt halt, yet he managed to brush it off with a
logical explanation. “This time of year storms blow in without
warning and stay for weeks on end,” he consoled me, after returning
from his first dinner with Sarah. I figured he would be giddy with
happiness, but when I peered closely into his clear blue eyes, I
only saw a reflection of my own distress.

“But Ayden wrote how mild the weather had
been,” I cried. Heath was tired and drained from more than a long
day winning back Sarah’s affections. I knew she couldn’t resist
Heath in the end, as her letters indicated, but Heath didn’t know
that. I worried he’d learn of the letters she’d sent that went
unanswered. I would deal with it when the time came.

“Lillian, dear Lillian,” Heath came forward
to hold me. I stepped back, far from his reach, which snapped him
back into reality.

“I will send a telegram tomorrow, if that
will ease your worries,” he said, and awkwardly reached into his
trouser pocket for his room key.

“Thank you,” I sighed.

“Get some sleep. You look tired. Or is it
melancholy that consumes you, the way it does me?”

“She took you back. Sarah loves you.” My
voice was dry and tight. “Doesn’t that make you happy?”

“What matters is that you are happy. Do you
understand? That‘s all I want.” He turned back to me and in one
last desperate attempt to see if I would change my mind proclaimed,
“For if you are not, I will end my quest to win Sarah’s forgiveness
right now.”

“I am happy,” I convincingly told him. “You
need to accept that.”

“I don’t know if I can,” he said flatly. “But
I guess I should try, huh? After all, my own brother won your
heart. He’s a lucky man.”

Heath took a step into his hotel room, then
eased back and added, “I will always be there for you Lillian.
Always.”

“You understand that the personal and
sometimes embarrassing questions Felix will ask are very important
to this case. Mr. Parker raped you, held you hostage in a sick
adult world, and used you as a pawn in his plan to ruin Ned
Griffin. When that plan failed, when you ran and ended up in the
arms of Ned, Richard became enraged and murdered him. The jury
needs to believe that Richard was an abusive, cruel, and evil man
who would not think twice about murdering a rival.”

“I don’t see how the details of our intimate
relationship will help,” I said, feeling sick at the mere thought
of reliving what Richard had done to me.

Felix stepped forward and reached for my
hand. Heath stayed back and listened closely.

“You were only a child, a victim. You didn’t
know better. By revealing the intimate details, you will look
credible to the jury. They will know you’re not lying just to seek
revenge. Do you understand?”

“What about cross examination, Felix?
Richard’s attorney will tear her apart. Richard knows everything
about her . . . everything,” Heath locked eyes with me as he spoke.
“Details about her past that no one should ever have to relive.
Then, on top of that, the facts could be twisted around to make
Lillian look bad.”

“We will handle that. Just trust us. We won’t
let that happen,” Mr. Stern spoke confidently.

At dinner, Heath was exceptionally quiet and
deep in his own thoughts. We found a small, quaint restaurant not
far from the courthouse, which on any other occasion would have
been romantic. I mentioned that to Heath, torturing myself. “You
should bring Sarah here to dine.”

Heath frowned curtly. “What are you going to
order?”

“I don’t feel like eating.”

“You have lost enough weight since we
arrived. I will order for you,” he said scanning the menu.

“Did you send Ayden the telegram?” I
asked.

“This morning.”

“I hope this trial gets wrapped up soon,” I
sighed.

“I think we have a way to go.”

“I wanted to return to the lighthouse for
Christmas,” I said glumly.

He gazed over the menu and added, “As did
I.”

“What do you plan to buy for Sarah?” I boldly
inquired.

“I don’t want to talk about any of that.”

The waiter came over and took our order.
Then, when he was out of sight, I persisted. “It’s such a beautiful
time of year for an engagement. The store windows are filled with
lovely diamond rings.”

Heath slammed down his glass of wine. “Do you
have to be so insensitive?” he snapped.

“I’m sorry,” I said, choked up with emotion.
“It’s so difficult for me to watch you fall in love with her.”

Heath reached for my hands and held them
tight. “I am not falling in love with her. I am simply getting on
with my life. What do you expect? Need I remind you we have no
choice, that you have given me no choice?”

“I know.” I said with a sniffle. “I’m
sorry.”

“Don’t be. This is going to take time, for
both of us. After the trial is over, I will take you back to Jasper
Island, and then I will return to Boston to make a new life for
myself.”

“And Sarah?”

“Yes, with Sarah. And you will go on with
your life with Ayden. And we’ll each have our own children, and
life will go on. I guess we’ll see each other at weddings and
funerals,” he said with heavy cynicism. “What is it you want me to
say? Do you want me to ask you to leave Ayden for me? I would, if I
believed you could. You love him. I know you do. You know how hard
it is for me to say that? Do you?”

“It’s so hard to let go,” I sobbed.

“Let go of what? Me? Please. Ayden is perfect
for you. He loves the sea, that damn lighthouse, and most of all,
you. That man adores you,” he said in a lighter, voice, as his
tears flowed freely down his flushed cheeks. “You will be fine. If
I thought otherwise, I would demand you choose me.”

“I didn’t want you to ever know,” I
confessed.

“I am glad I know. How lucky am I to have
someone like you love me. It is an honor,” he said with a sparkle
in his heavenly blue eyes. That sparkle sent my heart soaring as
high as the stars that Heath and I used to gaze upon long ago.

“Now, I have a few demands I must insist on.
You will eat your dinner - every morsel on your plate. And then you
must have dessert. A big piece of chocolate cake that would make
Ayden’s eyes fill with delight. Doctor’s orders.”

Heath made me laugh. “All right, Doctor
Dalton, you win,” I replied, allowing myself a smile.

“I always do, my lovely Lillian.”

We stepped out of the restaurant after a
long, enjoyable meal into a light, glistening snow that fell over
the city, creating a magical mood. Heath amused me when he held his
hat then tilted his head back and stuck out his tongue - attempting
to capture a snowflake, just as we used to when we were little. It
was one of the few childlike things Heath allowed himself to
do.

“I like it when you’re silly,” I said, and
giggled. Heath grinned and mischievously went to scoop up a
snowball.

“Don’t you dare!” I ordered.

With little warning, he hurled the snow at
me, and it landed in my hair.

I responded with a larger snowball and
charged him. Heath ran a short distance, then, laughing, whipped
around and waited for me to catch up to him, but just as I
approached him I slipped on a patch of black ice, and in an instant
I was falling forward. Heath reacted with lightning speed and swept
me up before I landed on the cold, hard sidewalk.

“Lillian, are you all right?”

“I’m fine,” I answered, staring up at his
distraught face.

Heath cradled me protectively as the snowfall
suddenly turned heavy. Wet flakes left a thin layer that covered
his hat and the back of his coat.

“I’m sorry for making you fall,” he said
softly, pressing his cold cheek against mine.

I held desperately onto Heath, presumably for
the last time, and drank in his never-ending love for me. I closed
my eyes and allowed his hot breath to burn my neck, imagining just
for a moment that we were husband and wife. It seemed as if
everything in my life was just a wishful, fleeting moment.

I gazed out the window of my hotel room,
watching the snow fall inches every hour that night, smothering the
city with three feet of heavy white snow by dawn. I didn’t sleep at
all. Instead, I sat frozen in a chair, my mind consumed with
turmoil. I knew that very evening Heath went to be Sarah after he
walked me to my room. He didn’t depart with an embrace or soft kiss
to my cheek. As he walked away, I felt the weight on my heart grow
heavier until I could barely take a breath. I fell into a chair and
wasn’t able to move until the blinding light of day streamed into
my rooms.

I rose from the chair, closed the heavy,
wine-colored velvet drapes, and crawled into bed. I was tired,
drained, and emotionally spent. I felt as though I had lost a piece
of my heart when I discovered that Heath had taken Sarah back to
his suite that night. I had not expected to find her lying in
Heath’s arms, sleeping soundly, with her lips curved into a
blissful smile. Heath didn’t hear me knock as he dozed, didn’t know
I had come in through the connecting door to tell him there would
be no court that day due to the blizzard. The streets were
impassable, doors of the buildings blocked in by mounds of drifting
snow.