again, as though he were very tired, and she stood up, bent to kiss his cheek and then ever so gently let go of his hand. She though for a moment that he was going to fall asleep, but suddenly he opened his eyes as she stood staring down at his face.
Be careful, Raphaella.
I promise. And I'll call you.
You don't have to. Why don't you forget about all this and have some fun. With whom? Her mother? Her aunt? A sigh fought its way through her, but she didn't let it escape.
I'll be back very soon, and everyone here knows where I'll be if you need me.
I don't need you' . He grinned for a moment. Not like that. Not enough to spoil your fun.
You never have. She whispered the words to him and bent to kiss him again. I'll miss you.
This time he shook his head and turned away from her. Don't.
Darling' . She had to leave him to go to the airport but somehow she didn't feel right leaving him like this. She never did. Was it right to leave him? Should she stay?
John Henry' . She touched his hand and he turned to face her again. I must go now.
It's all right, little one. It's all right. The look in his eyes absolved her, and this time he took her firm young hand in his gnarled, worn fingers that had once seemed so gentle and so young. Have a good trip. He tried to fill the words with every ounce of meaning he could give them, and he shook his head when he saw her eyes fill with tears. He knew what she was thinking.
Just go, I'll be fine.
You promise? Her eyes were bright with tears, and his smile was very gentle as he kissed her hand.
I promise. Now be a good girl and go, and have a good time. Promise me you'll buy yourself something outrageous and absolutely beautiful in New York.
Like what?
A fur coat or a wonderful piece of jewelry. He looked wistful for a moment. Something you would have liked me to buy you. And then he looked into her eyes and smiled.
She shook her head as the tears rolled down her cheeks. It only made her look more beautiful, and the little black veil added further mystery to her eyes. I'm never as generous as you are, John Henry.
Then try harder. He tried to bellow it at her, and this time they both laughed. Promise?
All right, I promise. But not another fur.
Then something that sparkles.
I'll see. But where would she wear it? At home in San Francisco, sitting by the fire? The futility of it all almost overwhelmed her as she smiled at him from the doorway and waved at him.
Chapter 4
At the airport the chauffeur slid the car to the curb at the section marked DEPARTING FLIGHTS and showed the policeman his special pass. John Henry's drivers had gotten special passes from the governor's office, and they were renewed every year. It allowed them to park where they wanted to, and now it would allow the chauffeur to leave the limousine at the curb while he took Raphaella inside to put her on the plane. The airline was always warned that she was coming, and she was always allowed to board the plane before everyone else.
Now, as they walked sedately down the huge bustling hallway, the chauffeur carrying her tote bag, strangers glanced at the startlingly beautiful woman in the mink coat and the veil. The hat added an aura of drama and there were gaunt hollows beneath the perfectly carved ivory cheekbones that framed her splendid dark eyes.
Tom, would you wait here for me for a minute, please? She had touched his arm gently to stop him as he marched dutifully along the airport corridor beside her, bent on getting her to the plane as quickly as he could. Mr. Phillips didn't like her lingering in airports, not that reporters or photographers had bothered them for years. Raphaella had been so totally kept away from public attention that even the reporters no longer knew who she was.
She left the chauffeur standing near a pillar and walked rapidly into the bookstore, glancing around as the driver took up his post against the wall, holding her large leather tote bag tightly in one hand. From where he stood,
Be careful, Raphaella.
I promise. And I'll call you.
You don't have to. Why don't you forget about all this and have some fun. With whom? Her mother? Her aunt? A sigh fought its way through her, but she didn't let it escape.
I'll be back very soon, and everyone here knows where I'll be if you need me.
I don't need you' . He grinned for a moment. Not like that. Not enough to spoil your fun.
You never have. She whispered the words to him and bent to kiss him again. I'll miss you.
This time he shook his head and turned away from her. Don't.
Darling' . She had to leave him to go to the airport but somehow she didn't feel right leaving him like this. She never did. Was it right to leave him? Should she stay?
John Henry' . She touched his hand and he turned to face her again. I must go now.
It's all right, little one. It's all right. The look in his eyes absolved her, and this time he took her firm young hand in his gnarled, worn fingers that had once seemed so gentle and so young. Have a good trip. He tried to fill the words with every ounce of meaning he could give them, and he shook his head when he saw her eyes fill with tears. He knew what she was thinking.
Just go, I'll be fine.
You promise? Her eyes were bright with tears, and his smile was very gentle as he kissed her hand.
I promise. Now be a good girl and go, and have a good time. Promise me you'll buy yourself something outrageous and absolutely beautiful in New York.
Like what?
A fur coat or a wonderful piece of jewelry. He looked wistful for a moment. Something you would have liked me to buy you. And then he looked into her eyes and smiled.
She shook her head as the tears rolled down her cheeks. It only made her look more beautiful, and the little black veil added further mystery to her eyes. I'm never as generous as you are, John Henry.
Then try harder. He tried to bellow it at her, and this time they both laughed. Promise?
All right, I promise. But not another fur.
Then something that sparkles.
I'll see. But where would she wear it? At home in San Francisco, sitting by the fire? The futility of it all almost overwhelmed her as she smiled at him from the doorway and waved at him.
Chapter 4
At the airport the chauffeur slid the car to the curb at the section marked DEPARTING FLIGHTS and showed the policeman his special pass. John Henry's drivers had gotten special passes from the governor's office, and they were renewed every year. It allowed them to park where they wanted to, and now it would allow the chauffeur to leave the limousine at the curb while he took Raphaella inside to put her on the plane. The airline was always warned that she was coming, and she was always allowed to board the plane before everyone else.
Now, as they walked sedately down the huge bustling hallway, the chauffeur carrying her tote bag, strangers glanced at the startlingly beautiful woman in the mink coat and the veil. The hat added an aura of drama and there were gaunt hollows beneath the perfectly carved ivory cheekbones that framed her splendid dark eyes.
Tom, would you wait here for me for a minute, please? She had touched his arm gently to stop him as he marched dutifully along the airport corridor beside her, bent on getting her to the plane as quickly as he could. Mr. Phillips didn't like her lingering in airports, not that reporters or photographers had bothered them for years. Raphaella had been so totally kept away from public attention that even the reporters no longer knew who she was.
She left the chauffeur standing near a pillar and walked rapidly into the bookstore, glancing around as the driver took up his post against the wall, holding her large leather tote bag tightly in one hand. From where he stood,
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