His American Fling (33 page)

Gemma peered out. “Yes?  What do you want?”

Maggie tried to peak behind her, hoping to see Campbell following her to the door, but he wasn’t there. Focusing on Gemma, Maggie immediately noticed the diamond on her left ring finger. Gemma saw Maggie’s gaze land on her ring and so she wiggled it at her.

Gemma gave her a smile of satisfaction, “I bet you never thought you’d see this on my finger. I have to admit, it took me a long time to get it, but he’s worth it. We’re getting married in April, but don’t bother coming, you’re not invited.  Now, what do you want?”

Maggie tried not to let her pain show, but she couldn’t contain it.  She ran down the street, slipping on the ice, falling on her knees. She rolled over onto her butt and cried a deep soul wrenching sob that had everyone on the street offering to help.

“I’m okay, I’m okay. Just more surprised than hurt.”  Maggie was helped to her feet by a middle aged man.  Nodding thanks to those who helped, she got back into Fiona’s car and took off, not bothering to look up when she passed the townhouse.

Gemma looked down on the street and saw Fiona’s car pass by.  Figuring it was Maggie driving, she chuckled.

“Who was it?” He asked.

“Maggie.” Gemma smiled, closing up
her bathrobe.

“Maggie? Why was she here?”

Gemma shrugged as she climbed up on the bed, putting her head on his chest, “I haven’t the faintest, but she certainly was devastated by the news of our engagement.”

He tilted his head. “Really?  You told her?  I thought we were going to make the announcement at the party on Saturday.”

“I’m sorry darling, I was wearing the ring, admiring it and I had forgotten to take it off.”

“Well, it doesn’t make sense, why would Maggie be jealous? I heard from Henry that she and Campbell were bonkers for each other.”

Gemma stroked his chest, “Peter, I don’t want to talk about Campbell.”

He snickered. “Gems, we’re in his bed.  Are we going to ignore his generosity?”

She sighed and rolled onto her back, “No, of course not. I’m very grateful that he’s letting us use his townhouse until the house is refurbished, but I just don’t want to think about all the time I wasted believing I was in love with him.”

Peter pulled her into him, “I understand.  When is Campbell getting back from Germany?”

“I’m not sure, but it looks as if he’s managed to pull the irons out of the fire. I hate to admit it, but he’s quite the businessman. His father always worried whether he had it in him, but it’s obvious that he does. Lately, he hasn’t had much need for me except to evaluate the contracts and read his email. I only print or forward the ones he needs.”

“Well, you won’t need to work when we’re married, I’ll expect you to run my estate.”

“Yes, and I’m looking forward to it dear.”

********************
*

“Maggie, I know my emails have been short, but I really do have an excuse.  On top of our wedding, Henry has been asked to be the chair of Hematology at St. Barts in London, so I’ve been remodeling Sloane. Henry’s mother is going to take over his flat and we’re moving into Sloane. On top of it, I’ve been looking for a job in London even though Henry insists that I don’t need to worry about working.  But
then,
he
doesn’t have to worry, he’s set for life. It's different for me. I don’t want my career to take second seat just because I’m marrying an Earl.”

Maggie cradled the receiver between her ear and shoulder while she searched for the passage she needed in the casebook which lay open in front of her, “Don’t worry
Fiona, I’ve been kinda busy myself. First there were finals, then graduation and now the bar, but don’t worry, I have my dress. It’s not exactly what I hoped you would pick.”

“Really?  I thought for sure it would look lovely on your cute little figure.  Well, I know coral will look great with your coloring.”

Maggie thought about it. “Yes, the coral is fine, it’s the tight skirt. I wish you would have chosen something with an empire waist. I’m eating a lot as I get closer to taking the Bar.”

“Putting on weight?”

“You try studying for a three-day test that’s only offered twice a year. My nerves are on edge.”

“Well, I expect you here on Friday morning. Try and sleep on the plane. Henry arranged for you to fly Business Class. That should give you some more room to get some sleep.”

“This is my first Business Class trip! Tell Henry I love him. I feel like I’ll be in the lap of luxury.”

“Darling, I’ll see you then on Friday morning.” Fiona said.

“Are you picking me up?”

“Oh, Mags, you know I have a million things to do, I’ll send someone down to pick you up.
 You do know we’re getting married at Robscott Manor. We’re in the guest room and you’re in the Morning Suites.

“I don’t remember. Where is the Morning Suite?”

“On the east side of the east wing, overlooking the pond and front drive.”

She still couldn’t place it, “Okay, I’ll see you on Friday.”

*********************

Maggie spent a few minutes in the small toilet space aboard the plane brushing her teeth and combing her hair before strapping herself in for the landing.  After debarking, she looked outside and saw that it was raining as everyone rushed down the corridor to get in line to go through immigration. Maggie pulled out her passport along with her declarations page and chose what she hoped would be the fastest line.  After waiting a few minutes, Maggie was surprised that her name was being called over the loudspeaker.

“Miss Maggie McGee, please report to the United Kingdom Passport line number 3, immediately. You will find it to the far right of immigration.”

Maggie looked around and saw the United Kingdom Passport line number three, and, after climbing under the rails, made her way over. Line three was dark with no one in it,
but there was an immigration officer behind the counter.

“Hello, I’m Maggie McGee.”

He looked up, smiled and handed her an envelope. “Your passport and declarations page, please.”

Maggie handed him the documents which he stamped. She stood, wondering what to do next.  After a slight pause, the agent finally looked back up into her eyes.

“Ms. McGee, you’re free to go, please enjoy your stay in the U.K.”

“I’m free to go?”

“Yes, you can pick up your luggage and go through the green line. I believe there are instructions in the envelope. Good day.”

Maggie walked slowly towards the escalator down to the luggage area while trying to open the envelope. In it, there was a note that simply said that she was to have a porter take her luggage to the limousine area near the taxi stand.  Maggie showed the note to the porter who appeared to know where to take her.

Maggie followed and, after pulling three pounds from her purse, watched as the driver of a limousine jumped out and opened the back, loading her suitcase into the boot. She noted that there was another case in the boot.  The driver opened the back door and Maggie started to climb in when her face came within inches of Campbell’s.

“Ahhh!”  She cried out, her body shaking.
“I didn’t know you’d…”

He looked handsome, his face covered in a short
, stubbly beard that gave him a really hot and dangerous look. But, his eyes were tired. “If it’s any consolation, they didn’t tell me either. I just flew in from Germany.”

Maggie took a seat next to him and started patting her hair and checking her clothing. Campbell looked impeccable, dressed in a gorgeous navy blue Armani suit that fit him perfectly. Maggie looked down at her trousers and the old baggy sweater, noticing a stain on the collar from the orange juice she had on the plane.

They rode in silence for a while. Maggie smiled to herself, the last time she had ridden through the hills outside of London, they were bare of leaves and foliage. Now the rape was in bloom and the hills were covered in yellow blossoms as far as she could see. It was so unlike Southern California with its sun-dried brush and fire-sensitive canyons. The sun had come out, the trees were a bright spring green and flowers were blooming everywhere. What wasn’t yellow was green, unlike the brown and dry gray of the Southern California landscape.

“So you just decided to leave without speaking to me?” Campbell said out of the blue.

“I saw Gemma; I didn’t think you needed to speak to me.”

“You saw Gemma?”

“The ring.”

“So you saw her ring and still didn’t think you should talk to me before you left England?”

“I saw no need, you weren’t responding to my messages, my emails.”

He chuckled. “You can hardly call that a reason to leave without talking to me.”

“No, but I think the ring was.”

Campbell looked at her, eyes blazing, “Yes, but I would have thought seeing the ring would have had the opposite effect.”

Confused, she shook her head. “It doesn’t matter, does it? You were right—I had to go home sometime. We were doomed from the start. Campbell, it’s better for everyone.”

“Really? Was it better for you?”

Maggie turned away, looking out at the scenery, evading his stare.

The smell of leather from the new limousine overpowered the last of her perfume. She sighed a little too loud, causing Campbell to turn.  When their eyes met, they both saw
the pain in each other.

“I’m sorry Campbell. I wish I had never come to England and made your life so complicated. But, I hope things are better now that Gemma has what she wants. That should make your life is easier.”

“Yes, she seems to be very happy. The title means a lot to her. She’s running the estates now and doing a wonderful job. Of course, my mother is disappointed, but I think she’s finally forgiven me.”

“I’m surprised; I would have thought your mother would be happy.”

“Hardly.” He leaned his head back. “Have you finished school?”

“Yes, I take the bar in two weeks.”

“Congratulations.” He tilted his head towards her. “You look, uh…healthy.”

She chortled. “Yeah, my butt
is chubbier. It’s the stress of studying for the bar. Did you resign from Addenbrookes?”

He shook his head. “No, I took a year’s leave though. They weren’t happy, but I am an Earl with a lot of connections. After a large donation, they saw the error of their ways.”

“Money talks and bullshit walks.”

He snickered.

Chapter 19

The Bitch is Back

I put my hand quietly on the seat. It was hard to keep from reaching over and touching him, but Campbell was a married man now and all I could feel was a deep sadness. He looked tired, unhappy, back to being what he was when we had met. But, then maybe this was just because he was riding in a limousine with me.

I decided to change the subject. “So
, how are Fiona and Henry doing?”

He shook his head. “I still don’t believe it. They’re acting like teenagers, hands all over each other, kissing, calling each other pet names. I don’t understand why it took them so long to discover how they feel about each other.”

“They’ve known for a long time. Well, at least Fiona has. Henry has asked her to marry him every Christmas for the last fifteen years.  Fiona always wanted to say yes, but thought Henry would get tired of her like he tires of all his other women.”

“Did you lock them in the wine cellar on purpose?”

I nodded.

“It’s a good thing Fiona didn’t know
about the secret door.”

“Secret door?”

“Yes, there’s a secret door with a corridor going to the outside. Henry and I used to play in the cellar and use it all the time.”

My mouth dropp
ed and then I started laughing. “Oh my God! Henry could have gotten them out anytime he wanted?”

Campbell chuckled but said nothing.  Then he laughed with me. “How did you know that they’d end up together after one night in a cellar?”

“I just took a chance. That’s all we need to find love, a chance encounter, a chance to say the right thing, a chance to do the right thing.”

“A chance to run over someone with a bicycle.”

I smiled. “Yeah, a chance to break a poor pedestrian’s arm and then give her a home.”

“Maggie.” His voice went soft and I knew that he was going to say something endearing.

“Campbell, please, let’s just get through this weekend as friends. I’ll go back and become a lawyer, you’ll go off and make little earls and Gemma has her title. Everyone comes out of this with something they wanted.”

“Easy for you to say. I’m not so sure it
applies to everyone in your little scenario.”

My voice went low, “I didn’t say we get
everything
we want.”

He sighed and stared back out the window. I did the same.

He finally spoke, “You’re right though. It would never have worked between us. You have your career in the States and I have this to mess to sort. It’s better this way.”