Beneath the Dover Sky (20 page)

“
Maman
, if I am not here I believe she will be the right woman for him and the right mother for our son.”

Tears came more swiftly to the older woman’s eyes. Lady Preston hugged Christelle. “You’ve always been one with such a large heart that few can understand. I confess I still don’t understand. But if it pleases you, I will sit down and talk to him. Who knows? Perhaps he will change his mind. I will do this, but I don’t even like to think of such things with you in front of me with your beautiful smile.”

“
Merci, Maman
. I am sure Kipp will listen to what you have to say.”

“I’m not as sure as you are, but I promise I will do what I can.”

“Kipp?”

Kipp didn’t turn around.

“Kipp? Are you going to go on avoiding me all day?”

“It’s been working so far.”

“Chris has asked to see us both.”

“I’m busy.” He sliced a lemon. “How did you find me?”

“Mrs. Longstaff said you’d be down in the kitchen making punch. She said you insisted on doing it.” Caroline moved to within his line of vision. “It’s Chris who is asking, not me.”

Kipp glanced up at her, his gaze flat. “A request you put her up to, no doubt.”

“Kipp, since when has anyone been able to put Chris up to anything? You know your wife better than anyone. She’s a free spirit. She goes where she wants and does what she thinks is right.”

“For the most part, yes. But the illness has affected her judgment.”

“Meaning in regard to
me
?”

“Who else would I mean?”

“Kipp, stop treating me like a witch. I never wanted to do what your wife asked me to do. I never wanted to reach out to you like that and force the issue between us. But how could I say no to a dying woman when she pleaded with me over and over again?”

“You probably didn’t need much convincing, right?”

Caroline folded her arms over the front of her summer dress. “The attraction seemed pretty mutual when we were last together.”

Kipp chopped limes loudly and rapidly with a large knife. “Sometimes I lose my way. Big blue eyes do that to me. Unfortunately, I can be pretty weak.”

“Is that what it was? You said you loved us both.”

“I don’t, Caroline. I only love Chris.”

“So the wrong words just popped out of your mouth?”

“Like I said, it was a weak moment.”

She brushed at her tears with a finger. “So I mean nothing to you?”

“That’s right. Nothing.”

“And Chris was mistaken to think I might be a good companion for you after her death and a good mother to Matthew?”

Kipp laughed bitterly. “A hooker from East London would be a better mother to my son than you.”

Caroline’s face whitened and tears shot down her cheeks. “I don’t deserve that, Kipp! I can understand your pain and anger over your wife’s cancer, but I won’t forgive what you’ve just said to me. I love you, Kipp. Everything I’ve done has been out of love for you and for Christelle. You can’t blame me for the fact she’s dying, but you’re going to anyway, I see. Just throw all the blame on Caroline, is that it?”

Kipp poured water into a large crystal bowl. “I don’t blame you for Christelle’s cancer.”

“Are you sure? You seem to want to blame someone very badly. God isn’t readily at hand, but I am.”

Kipp said nothing as Caroline brought a white cotton handkerchief out of a pocket in her dress and dabbed at her eyes.

“Then it’s come to this, Kipp. You’ve broken my heart enough times, but you won’t get any other opportunities after this. I’ll tell my parents I don’t wish to overnight at Dover Sky. I don’t care if we have to book a hotel room in Liverpool. I will leave you to your anger, Kipp. You’ll never see me again. Do try to have a good life. If not for yourself, at least for Chris’s sake…and for your son’s.” Caroline turned and walked swiftly towards the kitchen door.

Kipp laid down the knife and leaned on the tabletop with both hands. “Where are you going?”

She paused in the doorway. “I’m going to say goodbye to your wife. I’m going to spend a good while doing it because I won’t be at Dover Sky or Ashton Park again. When I came into this kitchen there was still the possibility of a love between us. Now there is not. You are a cruel and hard man, Kipp Danforth. I feel very sorry for you, but not sorry enough to watch you destroy the remaining years of your life—and that of your son.”

“So tell me, professor,” Edward settled next to Albrecht on a couch in the library, “how are things in Germany these days?” He dug his fork into a piece of cake on a plate in his hand. “What about Herr Hitler? What’s he up to?”

Albrecht sipped his coffee before replying. “The economy is much better, so fellows like him have a harder time stirring up the populace. He is out of prison now, and his autobiography is due to be published next month. Even though he has been out of the political picture for a while, his book is bound to make a few people sit up and take notice.”

“How many seats does his Nazi Party have in the government?”

“Only fourteen.”

“I see. What will be in his book?”

“He attacks the Jews and the Slavic people. He rails against the trade unions, the Communists, and the Socialists.”

“Does he?” Edward reached for his own cup of coffee. “Then he can’t be all that bad, can he? Perhaps we should bring him over to straighten out the Labor Party.”

“His ways are very violent, Lord Edward.”

“Yes? Well, we don’t have the Bolsheviks as close to us as the Germans do. We have our wonderful moat—the English Channel. I can understand why Herr Hitler might resort to force.”

Albrecht set down his coffee. “He will not unleash his street gangs against only the communists and socialists, Lord Edward. Anyone Hitler considers his opponent is fair game.”

“Hmm.” Edward set down his coffee, wiped his mouth with his
napkin, and put aside his plate. “My sister tells me you are working on your own book.”

“Yes. It is meant to coincide with the release of Herr Hitler’s. I challenge him on many of his political positions.”

“Not on his stance against Bolshevism surely?”

“On the way he means to recreate Germany and the power he wishes to exert to achieve his vision. It is very much like Mussolini’s fascism.”

“Mussolini’s not all bad, is he? He’s brought a certain strength and honor back to Rome.”

“He seized power, Lord Edward. He didn’t form the government by means of a democratic election. I very much fear Hitler may one day look for an opportunity to do the same. Such people think alike.”

“I cannot wholly blame them. Democracy can be a very tedious and toadying process where people ingratiate themselves to all manner of rank and file in the hopes of gaining votes. Imagine if Labor had gotten the majority, Herr Hartmann. Just on a whim of the dockworkers or hog farmers who turned out to vote. What then? We’d have Bolshevism in the House of Commons and trade between London and Moscow. That would be unacceptable! What could a person do if that happened? Wait another four or five years in the hopes of ousting the Reds by means of the democratic system? And what if my father and I and the Tories didn’t grovel enough to suit the dockworkers and pig farmers and coal miners? Another five years of Bolshevism and Labor after that?”

Edward shook his head and reached for his coffee. “We would have to march on Westminster in the same way Mussolini marched on Rome. We’d have to seize power in the name of all that is holy and good. There would be no other choice if we wanted to save England.” He chuckled. “Forgive me, Albrecht. I get too intense. Father is always warning me about that.” He leaned back. “So my sister assisted you and the baron with your book?”

“Yes, she was quite valuable.”

“I’m glad to hear it. Would you make use of her skills again?”

“Certainly.”

“And it goes no further than that?”

Albrecht wrinkled his forehead. “Pardon me?”

“Come, Albrecht! We’re grown men. Let’s not play parlor games. We’re perfectly alone and can say what we mean without fear of others repeating our words in the wrong places. I’m glad you offered Catherine an opportunity to get out of the house and do something that required her intelligence. She’s mourned too long…far too long. Truly she had become rather sallow in appearance. The Swiss air and food obviously did her good. Her countenance is greatly improved. I am grateful to the baron and you for that.”

“Thank you.”

“You understand it must end there though. If she marries again, she must marry an Englishman.”

Albrecht sat up straight. “Excuse me, Lord Edward?”

Edward smiled. “I’ve seen the way she looks at you. I thought she was going to take your hand when we were singing happy birthday to Christelle an hour ago. I’m glad Germany is getting back on her feet. I sense Germany can be our ally against Russia and the spread of communism. But a German—even a good German theologian—as part of the Danforth dynasty? Impossible. I think you understand that, don’t you?”

“Yes, I think I do understand you.”

Edward patted the arm of the couch. “Excellent. I didn’t think there would be any trouble. Mind you, I don’t intend to stand in the way of any working relationship between Catherine and you. That’s just what Catherine needs. Let her help you with a thousand of your books. But no more than that. She has her castle, and you have yours. All right?”

Albrecht inclined his head. “This might be something you should raise with your sister, Lord Edward.”

“I may do that.” Edward got up. “Thank you for a stimulating insight on European politics, professor.”

“It was interesting.”

“How is Matthew?”

“He’s all wound up from the big day, and he’s disappointed Charles left so early with his mother.”

Kipp buttoned his pajama top. “Couldn’t be helped.”

Christelle sat on the edge of the bed, the dark lines under her eyes and her tightly clasped hands revealing her tension. “He says he won’t sleep until you kiss him good night.”

“Are you all right then, Chris?”

“No, I am
not
all right. We’ll talk when you come back.” After Kipp left, Chris dragged herself under the covers and turned off the lamp by the bed. She looked out the window and in the moonlight she saw Skitt walking toward the pond carrying a paper bag, a cricket bat, and the thermos Catherine had brought him from Switzerland. She wondered what he was doing, but she soon drifted off. When a spasm jerked her awake, she clenched her fists against the pain and prayed.

Seigneur
, I took so much medication today to get through the celebration. Must I take more now just to sleep?
Dieu
, I love Kipp and my son. I love my English family. But I think it would be better if You take me now rather than after I become an opium eater. I have no wish to end my life as an addict.
Aie pitié, Seigneur
.

“Are you asleep?” Kipp asked in the semidarkness.

“
Non
.” She patted the bed beside her. “Come and lie beside me, my love. Are you afraid I am going to throw the clock at you?”

“I might be,” he said as he climbed into bed.

“Well, I don’t have the energy for that.” She turned on her side to face him. “You will have to decide for yourself what you will do about Caroline Scarborough. I have said enough. In any case, I don’t think what I wished for—and asked for—will ever happen. She did not tell me what you said to her, but whatever it was hurt her deeply. There was no need of you to do that, Kipp. That is not what you do to people. You have never been like that.”

“I’m sorry. It was not a good day for me.”

“I am not the one you need to apologize to. And perhaps she will not hear your apology anyway. I believe she and Charles are gone from your life for good. I hope this is not something you will regret a year from now.”

“I don’t know. When I think of a year from now, all I see is there will be no birthday party for you next year. There will be no balloons, no candles…and none of your smiles.”

“Shh. Look! I am smiling for you in the dark.”

He reached out and touched her face. “Yes, I can feel that.”

She suddenly drew in her breath. “The pain is a little worse. I will have a restless night. You might wish to sleep in another room.”

“I’m not going anywhere.”

She took his hand. “Always the gallant one, my knight in shining armor.”

“You looked very good today. You did very well. People remarked on your thinness, but you had so much enthusiasm and charm everyone was delighted. How beautiful you are, Chris! Even while you’re fighting this monster, how much life you give to everyone. You’re radiant.”

“
Ah, merci
.”

“You don’t really know, you know. You might overcome this cancer.”

“
Non
, Kipp. Do not allow yourself to think that way. It is not going to happen. I don’t feel that happening inside me.”

“You can’t be completely sure.”

“I don’t want you to believe I will recover. It will make it worse when I—when I—” She stopped. “Just pray. Will you pray? That will help. Hold me close and pray.”