His American Fling (36 page)

“Mags, I’m sorry, I just need some time alone.”

“I know.  And I’ll go, but I just wanted to let you know that I’m happy for you and, as you can see, you have no reason to worry about me, I’m happy too.”

“Maggie, how can you think for one minute I’m happy?” He looked at me with his brows knitted in a sad curiosity. “I feel like I’m drowning these days. Everywhere I turn, something falls apart. I’m sorry that I didn’t come back in December and be with you, let you know what you meant to me. Maybe then you wouldn’t have left. But, I have this sense of duty to my family and I couldn’t abandon the family business at that point in time. Every minute we were over there I was working on saving the estates and fortune. I’ve never worked such long hours, not even as an intern or resident.” He sighed and shook his head. “It doesn’t excuse it does it? I should have
contacted you. But, I kept thinking, will she want me if I’m penniless, have nothing but a doctor’s salary and a half-ass title?”

His eyes were tired and filmy, like he had been crying. I could feel my heart in my throat and worried that I might have done the wrong thing by coming into the room.

“I wish you had done something Campbell. By the end of December, you still weren’t talking to me and Gemma was entrenched in your bedroom, happily engaged.”

“Yes, I heard that you had been by. I’m sorry that I
wasn’t there, I was still in Germany.”

“I’m not sorry.  It would have just made it harder. I would have been angry, cross with you and then we would have parted angrily. It happened the way it was supposed to happen. I’m sure you’ll be fine soon. I didn’t think I’d be happy, but see, I’m engaged, a J.D.
, and about to take the bar. Things are looking up for me.”

I was still standing with my hand on his shoulder. He grabbed my hand and kissed my palm, sending goose bumps all over my body. It was a quick move, a gentle move, one that ended with me sitting in his lap and his mouth over mine. His soft, moist lips and tongue that tasted of whiskey were familiar and exciting. 
My heart beat soared as I reached around his neck and kissed him hard.

“Maggie, is it really too late for us?”  He asked.

It was like cold water on my face, “Campbell, of course it is. I know you and Gemma aren’t spending much time together, but you still need her. Besides, I have Tom now and you have your own commitments. Besides, I’m going to be an American lawyer, practicing in America. We’d end up on the opposite sides of the pond.”

He collapsed back in defeat, “You’re right. I do need Gemma, but only until I can get the estates settled. Once I—”

I put a hand up to his lips to stop him.  I knew he was going to suggest that he divorce her after he used her to straighten out the estate affairs. And I just couldn’t be the cause of their divorce. I refused to take on that responsibility. “Campbell, I can’t. I have Tom to think of. I’m sorry.” I stood up, stroked the side of his face and left.

My heart was shattered. It killed me to know that he still loved me, wanted me. I should never have gone into that room. Fiona had been right.  

I didn’t sleep well that night, knowing he was only two doors down. I wanted so much to cross the rooms, climb in bed with him, and never leave his arms again.

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

The morning broke and Fiona couldn’t have asked for better weather. It was a beautiful spring day, a little chilly, but I figured by 4 pm, it would warm up.  I could hear a lot of movement downstairs so I looked out the window. There were a dozen different vans and trucks outside with at least a hundred persons rushing around with food, flowers, equipment, tents, chairs, and a dance floor. It was like a hive of bees as everything swung into motion.

The clock struck nine. I doubted that anyone else would be up. Grabbing my books, I went into the sitting room and studied for an hour and half before getting dressed in jeans and a plain sweater. I went downstairs and wandered into the dining room. It was a large room with a fireplace, massive windows with long, bronze colored curtains against the deep navy wallpaper. The table was about a quarter of the length of the room, shorter than the massive table they had set the night before. Campbell put the paper down when I walked into the room and stared at my figure. I felt very self-conscious about the added pounds. I immediately wrapped my arms around my waist to hide the extra inches.

“
Oh, for God’s sake, don’t. You look just fine.”

I shrugged at him and dropped my arms.

He continued, “Well, Cook has put out a nice breakfast, make yourself at home.”

I smiled and did as I was told, grabbing fruit and cereal. I ordered a vegetable omelet from the kitchen and sat down to eat, staring out the window as Campbell went back to reading his paper. By the time my omelet arrived, we had been joined by Fiona’s cousins, both moaning over their hangovers and finally the remainder of the wedding party drifted into the room.

As we sat talking, Fiona finally announced that the men would assist with the setting up while the women had their facials, hair and final fittings done. Campbell nodded his acceptance of her orders and Henry just grinned.

“Henry, you look punch drunk.” I said.

He snickered. “I just don’t think I could be happier.”

I had to grin. Henry was the happiest groom I’d ever seen. 

The doorbell rang and I could hear Walker’s voice answer it. There was an exchange of words and then Walker came into the dining room. “Lady Raleigh?  The hairdresser, masseur and dressmaker are here.”

“Fine, show them into the guest quarters and have them set up. Put the masseur in the Morning suite sitting room.
”She turned to me, “I hope you don’t mind, Mags?”

I shook my head. Walker went away and there were sounds of people going up the stairs. Within a few minutes, the women joined them. Each of us tried on our dresses so the dressmaker could make any necessary alterations. Mine had been made in California a month ago.

The dressmaker was very displeased with me. Turning to Fiona she snipped, “She looks like she swallowed a football.”

Fiona said, somewhat angrily, “She
put on a few pounds. Get over it.”

I felt
like the whale in the middle of the room. “I’m sorry. I can sit it out, claim I’m too tired. That way your photos won’t be ruined.”

Fiona chuckled. “Nonsense, I have to have a photo of you,
if just to torment you when we’re both old and weighing two tons. You’ll look back and wonder what all the fuss was about.”  She turned to the dressmaker, “Well, can you alter it?”

“Yes, the dress needs to be let out
, so I better get to it.”

“Mags, let her have the dress and then go get a massage, you look like you need it.”

I took the dress off as Fiona finished putting her dress on. “Oh my God! Fiona, you’re absolutely beautiful. It was a strapless satin mermaid gown with a pleated empire bust and gently gathered skirt. There was silver beading adorning the empire and trumpet seams Kenneth Poole had designed the gown and it had to be worth at least ten thousand pounds.

She bowed slightly and then turned to the dressmaker for her to continue with the fitting.

I went down the hall, across the staircase and into the east wing.  The masseuse was sitting down waiting for someone to show up.  I smiled at her.

“I’m Maggie.”

“I’m Amy, glad to meet you. Have a lie down and get comfortable, I’ll just step outside while you undress.”

The massage was wonderful and after I was done, Fiona was ready for hers. I went in and took my shower and then back to the guest suite to have my hair and makeup done.  I had cut my hair short, so I doubted there was
much that they could do with it, but he fluffed and trimmed and made it look feminine. When I was done, I went to my room and found my dress, altered, ready to put on. 

There was a knock at the door. “Mags? It’s Henry, may I speak to you?”

I opened the door and stepped aside so that Henry could come inside, “Henry?”

He looked agitated, worried, “It’s Campbell. He’s been drinking all day.  I suggested to him that he stop drinking and take a nap, but he refused, continuing to drink. I was wondering if you would keep an eye on
him.”

“
Me? Why me? Why not get Gemma to do it?”

“Because, she’s not here yet and he’s been telling me all day long that he managed to escape a fate worse than death. That losing you was the best
thing that ever happened to him which of course means just the opposite. I suspect the drinking is because of you. Maybe you could talk to him.”

“Really?”

“Mags, please?”

I took a deep breath and frowned, “Where is he?”

“He’s in the library.”

“Okay, I need to get dressed…”  Then it
hit me, “Is he dressed?”

Henry shook his head. “That’s why I need your help.”

“Oh my God. Okay, I’ll go down and get him up here and dress him.”

Henry leaned over and kissed me on the cheek. “Thanks Mags.” He started to leave then turned back to me. “I owe you a lot. One day you’ll have to tell me how you managed to convince Fiona to give me a chance. Thank you, thank you so much.”

“No problem amigo!”

I put on my dress and started down the steps for the library. Opening the door, I didn’t see him at first. A walk around the sofa revealed him lying down, a drink on the coffee table. His eyes were closed and he was snoring.

Crap! He’s passed out and two hours to the wedding.
  I shook him, hard. “Campbell, wake up. Wake up, wake up!”

He groaned and rolled his head, but didn’t open his eyes.

I leaned down and continued to shake him. “Cam, you need to wake up and get dressed. Your best friends are getting married and you’re the best man. Get your ass up.”

An eye opened and he lifted his lip in a sneer, “Fuck off.”

My head jolted back. “What? Hey!” I socked him in the arm as hard as I could. It hurt my fist, but it got his attention.

His eyes opened and he grabbed my fist as it came in for the next strike. “Stop it!”

“You stop cussing at me when all I’m trying to do is get you to your friends’ wedding.”

“Maggie, I love you. Why are you hurting me?”

“I told you that I’m just trying to get you upstairs to get dressed for the wedding.”

He weaved as he sat up and shook his head. “No, why are you marrying someone else?
”

I pulled on his arm as hard as I could to get him to move, but he wouldn’t budge. “Campbell, you need to get upstairs and get dressed. Henry is getting married in two hours and you need to be in shape to stand up at the altar with him.”

He tried to focus, but his eyes were twirling. “I’ll go up if you give me an answer to one question.”

I started laughing. “God, what could you possibly want to know?”

He grew somber and looked me in the eyes. “Do you still love me?”

My breath caught and I dropped his arm. My hands went swiftly up to my chest.
“Campbell, don’t ask me that.”

He rolled over and closed his eyes.

I frowned. “Okay, fine. I love you, I will always love you. Now, will you go upstairs with me?”

He rolled back over and stared at me, trying to figure out what I had just told him and what it meant to him. He snorted and shook his head. “You don’t love me; you never did. If you did, you would have stayed.”

Anger, I could feel anger welling up. “Fine, you figured it out. I never loved you. I was just using you to get a warm place to sleep. You mean nothing to me. Now, can you get your butt upstairs?”

He sat up and tried to stand, but couldn’t without my help. I put my shoulder under his arm and helped him steady himself enough to stand up. We took the elevator up to the second floor and I walked him to his room. I figured Campbell could sleep for an hour before I had to get him up to get ready, so I helped him over to the bed.

“Now Campbell, get in bed and I’ll wake you when it’s time to get ready.”

“Take a nap with me.”

“No, what would Gemma say?”

“Nothing, why should she?  She has Peter.”

“Peter? She’s seeing Peter?”

He laughed, “Every day. They’re staying at my house in Cambridge. Come on, keep me company. Please?” I gave him a look and he patted the bed next to me and whined, “Please?”

I felt like I had a toddler on my hands and so I decided to climb on top of the bed, wait until he went back to sleep and then get up again. I undid my dress and took it off, leaving me in my bra, panties, slips and nylons.  I took the dress over to the chair and laid it out so that it wouldn’t get wrinkled and then crawled on top of the bed. His fingers went over my slip. Then he took that long, straight nose of his and nuzzled between my ear and shoulder, sniffing and smiling.

“You smell like…you smell like…” he started to fade, “my Maggie.”

“I’m not your—”

He was snoring. I chortled and then closed my eyes for a moment, only to feel a hand shaking my shoulder. Opening my eyes I came face to face with Gemma.