To Tell the Truth (20 page)

Viciously snubbing his cigarette out in the ashtray, Tell pushed himself to his feet, moving impatiently away from the center of the room.

"I don't know what the point of all this is, John," Tell said curtly, "but if it's a subtle attempt to let us know that you're aware I'm in love with your wife, then let me admit it freely so we can conclude this discussion. I have a ring in my pocket that I tried to give Andrea earlier, and will do so again, if it's my intentions that concern you."

"Be patient, Tell." John met his glaring look evenly and calmly. "Your anger and the fact that the ring is not on Andrea's finger leads me to conclude that there's still some point of misunderstanding. I think you share my beliefs regarding the sanctity of marriage, Tell. That you have evidently discarded them because of your love for Andrea pleases me. If you will let me continue, you may find the rest of my story very informative."

"Do I have a choice?" Tell sighed in disgust.

John merely smiled and glanced toward Andrea's wan face. "As I said, Andrea did consent to marry me, but she made one stipulation that I wholeheartedly endorsed without questioning her reason. She asked that our wedding be a civil ceremony. It's as legally binding as any conducted by a minister. Only someone, who had a very deep feeling about the permanency of sacred vows exchanged in God's House would appreciate the fine distinction between the two ceremonies. There was also the understanding between us that if, by chance, she ever found someone else she loved, I would very readily grant her an annulment."

He reached into the inner pocket of his jacket and withdrew a folded legal size document.

"Last December, when Andrea was on holiday in Lake Tahoe, I telephoned her. Am I mistaken in believing that you were the one I talked to first, Tell?" John asked.

"No, you're not," was the clipped answer.

"I could tell by Andrea's voice when she subsequently came on the line that she had found that special someone. Foolishly, she had neglected to mention me to you, but I was certain that if you loved her enough you would listen to her explanation—a tardy explanation, I'll admit. At that time I took the liberty of having the annulment papers drawn up—prematurely, as it turned out, but here they are."

"Were you aware I was the man all along?" Tell asked tersely, a pinched look on his face and agony in his voice.

"No. That was fate, I guess," John said and shrugged. "But I think I began to suspect shortly after you arrived that you and Andrea had known each other before. Last night…well, your voices carried fairly clearly down the hall to my room."

He wheeled his chair to Andrea, handing her the document with a tender smile. Her trembling hands accepted it, her chin quivering at his unbelievable understanding and unshakable affection.

"Now!" John wheeled his chair sharply around to face the others, a broad smile sweeping his strong features. "If I've staged this correctly, Rosemary, this is the moment when you and I and Nancy are supposed to leave the room and let these two people be alone to work the rest of it out for themselves."

Aware of the room emptying except for herself and Tell, Andrea stared at the document clasped in her hands. The silence continued for an eternity of minutes with neither she nor Tell moving or speaking. Then the brown shine of his neatly polished shoes was before her downcast gaze.

"Here," Tell said stiffly.

His right hand was extended toward her. The diamond engagement ring she had returned to him last night was held between his thumb and forefinger. She looked at it blankly, then at his tightly controlled features.

"I think you should have the chance to throw it in my face for being such a fool!" The anger that glittered in his dark eyes was directed inward, berating himself for ever having doubted her. "I said I would never leave you because, in my arrogance, I thought my love gave me the right to stay. I was wrong. And I was wrong when I accused you of not having any respect for the sacredness of your marriage vows. Your respect is much deeper than mine."

A hard lump filled Andrea's throat, choking her so completely that she couldn't say the words that filled her heart. With her eyes fixed on his proud, handsome face, she slowly rose to her feet, ignoring the ring still outstretched toward her. A tear slipped from her lashes, then another, sliding unchecked down her cheeks as Tell frowned in pain at the sight of them.

Two shaking steps and her hands were curved around his waist as her head found its resting place against his chest. A convulsive shudder trembled through him before his arms folded around her and she was crushed against his muscular leanness.

"Forgive me, darling," Andrea whispered against his throat.

"What is there to forgive?" he murmured thickly. "I'm the one who was blind."

"So was I. Don't you see, Tell? I was so busy trying to make you understand me that I didn't try to understand you or the way you were ready to compromise your principles because you loved me." Removing the birthstone ring which had been used as a wedding band, she held out her trembling hand to him, "Would you put it on for me?"

Carefully, he slipped the diamond solitaire onto her fourth finger. His mouth was straightly drawn, but the fine lines around his eyes were smiling.

"I would certainly like to turn you into a bigamist, Mrs. Grant," he teased huskily, then sighed, "but our church wedding will wait until you're legally free, which won't be too long, thanks to John."

"Yes, thanks to John," Andrea agreed. The warmth of his ring on her finger carried the fire of his love, and there was an answering fire in her heart.

"We have a lot to thank John for, both of us," Tell said, gazing deeply into her eyes, "but not right now."

Andrea met his lips halfway, sealing their silent promise to trust, respect, and love each other for the rest of their lives on earth.

The sun burst from behind a cloud, shining through the lace curtains to bathe the embracing couple in a golden glow. The light flashed over the diamond on her finger, sending a rainbow arc of promise from the circling band of gold.