An Old Fashioned Southern Romance Novel (11 page)

“Why Ms. Hattie! I haven’t seen your fine self in years. You are looking especially well
, Darling.”

“I have neither the time nor the inclination to listen to such foolery. I am here to get down to business. Now we all know that Ms. Marigold is not hurt – never was – and I have all the proof from the private detective. She was photographed playing double sets of tennis the
day after the alleged injuries and every day afterwards. She swims, hikes, and cycles every day. The initial medical report showed no injuries whatsoever, not even a skin laceration. Then a few days later, she was seen by an independent medical professional who found bruised bones and the like. But, that is only the beginning. She used her company email to correspond with friends, family, and anyone that would listen to discuss her plot to dislodge Warrenton and Annabella from their family fortunes. And if that wasn’t enough, she bragged on social network sites about how easy it is to con the wealthy and stupid. She even went so far as to say she planned the whole thing and that is why she was dating Warrenton in the first place. It was her intention to sue him for something from the day she met him. So, when Annabella showed up in the new car, she saw her opportunity to get two for the price of one.”

Hattie handed the attorney the envelope with materials from her private investigator. He dropped the package on the table and looked at Hattie. He looked at Warrenton and then he looked down.

“That’s some fine detective work, Ms. Hattie. But you do not need to worry your pretty little head about this. We boys have got this thing figured out. So you can go run along and sew a dress or something. We are not in need of your services.”

Hattie became furious, but she did not respond. She looked at Warrenton as though she thought he should say something. He looked at Hattie and dropped his head.

“For God’s sake, Hattie. You are talking about this man’s fiancée. Now go on and stop agitating this mess. It is done.”

“With all due respect, Sir, you are the agitator. This is a travesty. Warrenton should not be marrying that low-lifed trash. Mr. Boatwright would have never stood for such foolishness!”

“Mr. Boatwright is dead!” The attorney screamed at her.

Warrenton jumped up out of his chair.

“Stop it! Just stop it! Hattie, I appreciate everything you have done. You will never know how much. And you are right, my daddy would have never stood for this. But he is gone. He is gone and the only thing he left me – the only thing he ever gave me – is his money. That’s it, Hattie. No softball games, no Saturday afternoon matinees. My daddy never even gave me a hug, Hattie. All I have of his is his money. If I don’t marry that girl, she will take all of it. Then I will be left with nothing of my father’s. I just want to hold on to the one thing he saw fit to give me. And yes, I do love Annabella. I did love Annabella. But she left me. She left me twice. Whenever things get tough, Annabella leaves. She is not marriage material because she does not know how to stick around when things get tough. She wants a man that is going to fall at her feet and worship the ground upon which she walks. I am willing to do that only if I know she will reciprocate that kind of commitment. Annabella has shown me no signs of commitment. Marigold, on the other hand, is pretty, sweet, kind, and a lot of fun. No, she is not some well-bred socialite, but that is one of the things I love about her. She is a high-energy surfer girl who has a free spirit and knows how to make a man feel like a man. And maybe she did plan to take me for everything. But she also has the potential to fall in love with me the way I am falling in love with her. Rich men marry gold-digging trophy wives all the time. This is nothing new. And as long as I know I have a wife who is motivated by money, then I shall be inclined to make more of it. So, it could be a win-win for both of us. Hattie, I love and adore you as though you were my own mother, but as my attorney has stated, this matter is settled as far as I am concerned. I am also aware, for the record, that like my future wife, my attorney is motivated by that almighty dollar – make no mistake. But in this case, he is absolutely representing my best interests. I share your enthusiasm and concerns when it comes to Annabella. But the fact of the matter is that if she really loved me and wanted to be with me, she would be here and not on that God-forsaken continent chasing fairytales.”

Hattie was dumbfounded. She could not believe what she was hearing. Warrenton had turned into someone that even she did not recognize. She always knew he was a bit of a pill, but he had never acted this way before. How could he say the things she said? She was sure that he was still grieving over losing his father, but he actually seemed hysterical.
Although she was frustrated with Warrenton, she was actually more concerned about his mental state. What man in his right mind marries someone who is lying and extorting them? It just seemed illogical. But, Hattie was upset, too, that he had the nerve to speak to her in such a way. After all, she had a hand in raising him, too and she was not to be disrespected.

“I have a good mind to swat you square on your pink derrière, but I fear you might enjoy it!” Hattie threatened.

“I probably deserve it, Hattie, but I pray that you will grant me a reprieve.”

Hattie turned to walk out of the office.

“Looking lovely, Hattie. Looking lovely,” the attorney shouted to her as she got in her car.

Hattie was completely put out by what had just happened. She wasn’t sure which way to turn. Everything seemed hopeless and all of her efforts were in vain. She seriously considered having Warrenton’s mental state looked into, but as a domestic, she had no
legal standing to do so. There was no one to make Warrenton come to his senses. His father was the only one who could get through to him. Hattie knew that Annabella could probably stop Warrenton from making the biggest mistake of his life, but she was thousands of miles away and the least inclined person to do so. As far as she was concerned, Warrenton had moved on and so had she. It was only a matter of time before Annabella settled on a beau in London. After all, she was receiving plenty of invitations to parties, dinners, gatherings, and theater productions. There were dukes and barons just waiting to sweep a cultured, American girl off her feet. Annabella was the poster girl of most European men’s fantasies. Hattie had little doubt that Annabella would land on her feet and land herself a fine husband. But, she feared Annabella would always carry a torch for the man who always seemed to get her hopes up, only to let them down again. Either way, Hattie was intent on tying up loose ends before she let everything proceed as planned. After all, she wanted all matters settled so that when Annabella was finally married, Hattie could retire and go on about her business. She did not see fit leaving matters unsettled and leaving Annabella to fend for herself. She had taken care of the girl this long and saw no reason to throw her to the wolves at this stage. But, Hattie knew that she, alone, could not convince Annabella to come home. She knew she needed someone with less tact and more enthusiasm. She was going to have to enlist the help of someone who just didn’t care if she made enemies or what people thought of her. Unfortunately, Hattie was going to have to join forces with the one person for whom she had little respect. The one thing she appreciated, however, about Caroline was her inability to pretend to care about what people thought. Caroline was agenda-driven and when there was a task at hand, she would get the job done – come hell or high water. If Hattie were ever to get Annabella to come home and make Warrenton accountable for his decisions, she would need to enlist the help of one Ms. Caroline Cordelia Collinsworth. But, would Caroline even help Hattie with such a thing. After all, Caroline did not think much of Warrenton and she would be even less inclined for Annabella to trade down from potential royalty to the likes of Warrenton. But, Hattie was sure that Warrenton was the man for Annabella – or least she should explore the possibility and Hattie was willing to bet it all on their relationship. She must have believed in the star-crossed couple, because she was willing to make a deal with the red-headed devil.

“I can’t believe you are asking me this, Hattie. This is a disaster! We have no right meddl
ing in their affairs. Besides, Annabella is much better off where she is. Maybe she will find someone who truly loves her and won’t play those asinine mind games. They do not belong together.”

“Who are you to say who belongs together?”

“I am her friend,” Caroline reminded Hattie.

“So if she told you that you and Chad do not belong together, she would be well within her right to do so?”

“That’s different. Chad is-”

“He’s what?” Hattie pressed.

“We are too different.”

“I called you because despite everything, I always thought you were brave. But you are not, Caroline. You are a coward. You won’t stand up for yourself and your relationship and you won’t stand up for Annabella. I was right about you all along.
”

“I am not a coward, I am a realist! You don’t know what it’s like to be in love with someone you can never be with.”

“No, but I know what it’s like to
be
that someone. And by the way, are we still talking about Annabella or are we now talking about you? The truth is, Caroline, I can help you with your problem. Your problem is easy to solve because it involves two people who know how they feel and they want to be together. I have known Chad and his family for as long as I can remember and I consider myself an expert in race relations. Now, you help me with my problem and I will help you with yours,” Hattie dealt.

“You drive a hard bargain, old lady. So what are we talking about? What are your terms?”
Caroline was intrigued.

“It’s simple. You go with me to London to convince Annabella to come home and talk Warrenton out of marrying Marigold – if not for her sake then for the sake of his father’s legacy.”

“Really? You call that simple? And just what is it that you propose to do for me? If Chad marries me, he could get lynched.”

“I will take care of it. No one will so much as harm
a sandy curl on his head. And you, my dear, will be treated like nothing less than a lady wherever you go. You will never be looked down upon. You have my word.”

Chapter
Sixteen

Chad was back home in Martha’s Vineyard after a romantic few days down south with Caroline. He could not believe how much he fell for her in such a short time. She wa
s not exactly his type. He reflected on the incident at the golf course when she came to visit him and how insecure and unsure of herself she was. Chad was very chivalrous, however, and he never let her feel uncomfortable around him. He thought about how surprised she was when she realized he was a Black man. He was used to that reaction, though. Chad was proud of his family and his heritage, but he often wondered what his life would be like if he was White. He just didn’t like the restrictions of being told whom he can date and whom he can marry. He knew that the world was a different place than it had been 50 years ago, but it still was not safe. In Caroline’s case, she was considered a throw-away that no respectable White man would want, but she was still too good for a Black man – regardless of how rich or light his skin was. But, Chad was less concerned with his social standing and more with his sudden, yet deep feelings for Caroline. She was funny, and sensitive, yet klutzy and frank. He never wondered what was on her mind because whatever was on her mind was on her lips. She did not set out to offend, but she did not apologize for it either. Chad was sure he could deal with someone who was so honest and forthright. It made their differences seem less distant. Chad wasn’t sure how to navigate their relationship from this point. He basically told Caroline that their relationship could get him killed and as selfish as she could be at times, she did not want that to happen. But, now Chad was rethinking his position. He did not know how they could live happily ever after, but he was certainly going to try to think of something. Soon, his mother walked into the room and noticed her son looking thoughtful.

“Still thinking about that young lady?”

“Yes, ma’am,” he told her.

“Chad, if she means that much to you, you have to try to make it work.”

“This is crazy. She is from a place where lynching and Klan rallies are otherwise referred to as Saturday night.”

“But you are not. Son, that is only one place on the map. God’s earth is spacious. Not everyone thinks and lives like that. For God’s sake, you didn’t even know you were Black until you were 12 years old. Not because we didn’t tell
you, but because it didn’t matter,” she reminded her son.

“Well, it matters now. It matters at a time when I wish it didn’t. I love this girl. Mother, I am in love with Caroline. I do not care that she has never had a Black friend in her life. I do not care that she had used the ‘N’ word. I do not care that the only Black people she has ever known were the
ones who cleaned her house and looked after her as a child. I love her. She is sweet, vulnerable, unsure of herself, proud, cocky, arrogant, and silly. She is a combination of all the things that make us human and I am in love with her. And the fact that someone is telling me I can’t be with her for some inane reason makes me mad as hell!”

“Young man!”

“I’m sorry, Mother, but that’s the way I feel,” Chad explained.

“In that case, be prepared for a life of pain and heartache – and that goes double for your future offspring,” his mother warned him.