Thurston House (58 page)

I'm sorry to hear that, Jon.

No, you're not. You hated her. He sounded like a child again, as Andr+! watched from where he sat on the windowsill in Jon's room in his dorm. Sabrina was sitting on the bed, and she was obviously flourishing. She had gained weight, and she couldn't wear her old clothes anymore. She had had to buy some loose dresses like the blue silk dress she wore now. It was the same color as her eyes and r+! thought she looked even prettier than she had before.

I didn't hate her, Jon. I barely knew her. And what I knew I didn't like very much. You'll have to admit she wasn't exactly decent to me. She tried to put me out of my house, after abandoning me as a child, and staying out of my life for forty-six years.

He shrugged, it was a difficult accusation to deny. And then he seemed to look Sabrina over with surprise. You've sure gotten fat. Marriage must agree with you. It was hardly a tactful remark and she laughed.

It does, but that isn't why I've gained weight. She had to tell him sometime and it was as good a time as any, or so she thought. I know you'll be surprised. And to be honest with you, so were we. She took a breath and went on, we're having a baby at Christmastime, Jon.

You're What? He looked at them both and jumped to his feet. You're not! He looked horrified.

I am. She sat calmly where she was and looked at Andr+! and then her son again. I know it's a bit of a shock initially, but

How can you make such fools of yourselves? Christ' of me? My God, everyone I know will laugh me out of town

You're fifty years old, and God only knows how old he is ' He was less than gracious to them both, and Sabrina couldn't help smiling. He was so enraged mat he looked like a little boy again, and it was certainly different from the reaction they had had from Antoine, who had rushed out and bought the baby its first teddy bear, and remember to tell her it's from me! He insisted that it was going to be a girl, but Jon didn't care what it was as he stormed around the room.

These things do happen you know, old boy. Andr+! tried to calm him down. He was sorry to see the boy behave that way to his mother, but it didn't surprise him at all. He was totally immature and completely spoiled, and he always seemed to have an ax to grind against her. You'll get used to it eventually. We did. And so did Antoine. And he's even older than you are. Four years older in fact.

What the hell does he know? All he does is plant grapes. I'm a man for God's sake! Andr+! got to his feet, controlling himself with difficulty.

So is my son. And he is your stepbrother now, I will thank you to speak of him with respect, Jonathan. For an instant the two men exchanged a long look and then Jon backed down. He was no fool, and Andr+! meant every word he said. He looked at Sabrina then, and indicated that it was time to leave. Jon had plans for that night, but they would see him at graduation the next day, and then they would dine with him and a friend, and the next day Andr+! and Sabrina were leaving for New York with him. He was sailing on the Normandie three days after that. He had come up with the money for the trip himself after all, quite a lot of it in fact, and Sabrina was impressed. And she and Andr+! wanted to see Amelia anyway.

We'll see you tomorrow, Jon. She went to kiss his cheek but he avoided her and his back was turned when they left the room.

I'm sorry he took it so hard, she said to Andr+! as they took a cab back to their hotel.

Did you really expect otherwise? He's still very young, he patted her hand, four years makes a big difference at this age. Antoine is already a man. Jon isn't quite yet. It'll come. And it's probably a threat to him, in terms of what he'll inherit from you ' the house ' the Napa land ' She hadn't thought of that, but she nodded now, wondering if Jon had.

You may be right. Strange about Camille, isn't it?

Andr+! looked at her. It's just as well. She was an evil, greedy, useless woman, and she should have died years ago, as your father claimed she had. He had never forgiven her for what she had done to his wife. During all those months, she had tortured Sabrina, as she stood by helplessly waiting to go to court to defend herself.

It's odd. I don't feel anything. It was a strange thing to admit. She had just learned that her mother had died, and she didn't care at all. Jon certainly does.

He's known her for four years, and apparently, they had at+|mes crochus. She smiled. She loved that expression of his, hooked atoms, something in common. And much to her chagrin, he was right, they did.

The graduation went off without a hitch the next day, and Sabrina cried as she watched Jon participate. No matter how difficult he was, she was proud of him, and she had gotten him through school, selling the mines, the Napa house, the gardens around Thurston House ' she had done it, and so had he. They had a lot to be proud of and to celebrate, and they dined out that night. Jon got more than a little drunk, but Sabrina and Andr+! understood and he was actually nicer than he usually was, far nicer than he was on the train to New York. He was embarrassed to be seen with her.

My God, what will people think? he whispered to her and she smiled, and whispered back.

Just tell them I eat a lot. They asked him about his job.

He was going to work in September, when he came back, and he would be working for the father of a friend. The boy's name was William Blake, and when they saw Jon off on the ship, he introduced Sabrina to Bill, who had a radiantly pretty young girl with him. She never took her eyes off Jon, and Sabrina learned that she was only eighteen, Bill's sister, and it was obvious that she had a ferocious crush on Jon. She introduced herself to them as soon as she discovered who they were.

Hello, my name is Arden Blake. She shook hands with Sabrina, and then Andr+!, glanced only casually at the loose red dress Sabrina wore, and then went on to tell them how wonderful Jon was, although he seemed totally indifferent to her. And Daddy thinks he's going to do just fabulously. That's why he's sending him to Europe with Bill, as a sort of bonus before he even starts. ' Sabrina was furious hearing about it, but nothing showed in her face. Jon had told her that he got up the money himself, not that he was traveling for three months as someone else's guest, and first-class on the Normandie, not to mention the hotels they would -1/2be staying at. She knew who William Blake, Sr., was, everyone in the country did. He was the biggest banker in New York, and she had had some dealings with him before she'd sold John's mine, with some investments John had had. She looked at her son now and wanted to throttle him, but it was too late to discuss it with him before they sailed. Instead she went on talking to Arden innocuously, remembering with amazement that she had run her father's mines at the same age. It was incredible to think of that, particularly with this sweet, innocent girl, who was so totally gaga over Jon. Mummy and Daddy and I are going over next month and we're going to meet them in the south of France. She practically fainted at the thought and Sabrina smiled.

Just be sure he behaves himself, she warned the pretty little green-eyed blonde. I don't always trust my son.

Mummy says he's the nicest boy she knows. He's going to be my escort at my coming-out party in December. She absolutely glowed, and when the boat horn sounded for them to get off, Sabrina saw Jon kiss her on the lips and then three other girls after her. There were four of them sailing on the ship, all classmates from Harvard, and Sabrina hated to think of the mischief they would get into. But she hated more to think that someone else was paying for the trip. He had very effectively forced her hand. She was going to have to send a handsome check to William Blake, Sr., to cover the expense of the trip. She could not allow Jon to go as someone else's guest, and God only knew what sob story he had told them.

I want to discuss that with you when you come back. She looked meaningfully at him and handed him an envelope that she had meant to be a graduation gift. She had been so proud of his paying for his own trip, she was giving him a thousand dollars to spend, but now, it was just an additional expense and she wasn't pleased. Be nice to Arden Blake, she whispered to him, she's a sweet girl. And she had the uncomfortable feeling that he was going to take advantage of her.

She's my ticket to success, he winked and whispered back, and Sabrina almost felt sick. Later, Sabrina saw her waving frantically from the dock as her own mother watched. Sabrina almost wanted to warn her of what her son was like, but how could she do a thing like that? He stood on the deck outside his suite, smiling down at them all, looking more handsome than she had ever realized he was. He was a tall, thin, terribly handsome fiery-eyed young man with jet black hair, and blue eyes like Camiile's, and a face for which any woman would have died. It was almost painful to look at him. And Sabrina turned to Andr+! with a sigh as they left, and told him what Jon had said about Arden Blake. She also told him about how he had financed the trip.

At least you know he'll never starve. He's too clever for that.

Too clever for his own good.

Sometimes I wish Antoine were. He's so damn impractical he couldn't fight his way out of a paper bag. All he thinks about are principles and ideals, and intellectual mumbo jumbo most of the time. Sabrina smiled tenderly. Andr+! wasn't too far off, but Antoine was such a decent boy. He was intelligent, but somehow above the practical side of life. He would have rather read philosophy than eat, would rather pursue some vague, abstract idea than conquer a technical one. He was a dreamer in a way, and yet a brilliant one.

He's a lovely man, Andr+!. You should be proud of him.

You know I am. He helped her into the cab and then smiled at her and glanced at the small protruberance as she sat down. And how's our little friend? She had felt it move for the first time a few weeks before, and now it seemed to be moving a lot, he could feel it too and it delighted him. Jumping up and down?

She's going to be a ballerina, I think. She jumps around a lot. More than Jonathan had or the baby she had lost.

Or a soccer player. Andr+! smiled. And that afternoon they went to visit their old friend, and she was delighted for them. She thought it nonsense that they were sensitive about their age.

If I could, I'd have one now! She was exactly ninety years old and Sabrina thought she looked terribly frail. Enjoy every moment of it ' it is the greatest gift of all. The gift of life. And as they looked at her, they knew it was true. She had lived ninety full, wonderful, rich, giving years. She was an example to everyone ' in sharp contrast to Camille. Sabrina talked to Amelia about her for a while, and then finally they left when Amelia's nurse came in. It was time for her nap, and they both noticed that she looked tired. She kissed them both good-bye, and as she did, she looked deep into Sabrina's eyes. You're just like your father was, Sabrina. He was a fine man. And you're a fine woman. There's none of her in you. But there was in Jon. Sabrina knew it to her very soul, and she regretted it bitterly. But she said nothing now. Be grateful for this child. She smiled tenderly at them both. And may she bring you great joy. And then she laughed. I think it will be a girl. She put a hand on Sabrina's tummy, and then kissed them again.

The next day they took the train home again, and Sabrina settled in to Napa for the summer, and in August their new house was ready and they moved in and the following month, they moved into the city, so that Sabrina could be close to the hospital, and they called Jon when he got home. He had had a marvelous time, and he mentioned Arden Blake once or twice. He had already started his new job, and it seemed to be mostly play, thanks to Mr. Blake. Sabrina had indeed sent him an enormous check with her thanks, to cover Jon's trip, and it had gone back and forth once or twice, and he had finally accepted it. He had told her that he was very fond of Jon, as were they all, and Jon seemed to like them too.

I'm going to Palm Beach with them for the holidays, he crowed, and Sabrina was disappointed.

I thought you'd come home then. The baby will have arrived' .

But he had no interest in that. I won't have time. I only have two weeks. I'll come out next summer probably. The Biakes are renting a house in Malibu, and I'll probably stay with them for a while.

Don't you have to work?

No more than Bill does. I get the same vacations he takes, that was the deal.

Sounds awfully cushy to me.

Why not? I work as hard as he does.

I'd say he has an inside track, wouldn't you?

Maybe I do too. Jon sounded very confident. Arden is crazy about me, and Mr. Blake thinks I'm tops.

Sounds like you found yourself a lucky job. And of course he had. And when she attempted to discuss the sneaky way he had arranged the trip to Europe for himself, he brushed her off.

You didn't have to pay for it, Mr. Blake said he would.

I couldn't let him do mat. And you shouldn't have either, Jon.

Oh Christ, if you're going to give me a speech on morality, Mother, I think I have to hang up.

Maybe it's something you should think about, Jon. Particularly in regard to Arden Blake. Don't use that girl, son. She's a sweet person and a very innocent child.

She's eighteen years old for chrissake' .

You know exactly what I mean. He did, but he wouldn't admit it to her.

Never mind. I'm not going to rape anyone.

There's more than one way to do that.