Midnight in Brussels (25 page)

Rachel carried Paul Junior and followed.

Later that evening when Rachel was back at her cottage, she sat on the veranda sipping tea, gazing out across the sea. The glimmer of the moon lit up a streak of water and filled the night air with enough light to see everything on the hillsides around her. She listened to the seagulls hunting for food and could smell the sea mixed with the scents of hyacinths and climbing roses growing all around her. She loved flowers and had planted an abundance of them in her garden and all around the cottage.

As she breathed deeply, her mind swirled with all the events of the past few months.

She wondered how Amanda was faring with Richard and the preparations for the shop’s opening. She made a mental note to call her first thing in the morning. Only one more week until the grand opening and she was planning to be there.

Pete was on her mind. It had been nearly seven months since his death and she still thought of him every day and night. She wondered if one day she’d forget him. Thoughts of Ethan were diminishing; maybe it would be the same with Pete. It wasn’t that she wanted to forget either of them; it was the sadness and heartbreak she wanted to erase.

Rachel wasn’t the happy person she once was. How could she get that back? She’d been reading several books on overcoming sorrow and depression, and some days the methods seemed to work, while on others it didn’t. She figured that the best way to handle it was to focus on what she loved doing the most and just do it. Writing and traveling, that was what she loved. And nesting. She loved her homes. If she traveled from home to home, writing as she went, maybe that would work.

She thought of the house in Brentwood, California that her father had left her. It was a slice of the ‘50s. And she adored her mother’s log cabin in Montana – her American Indian legacy. She thought of her son in Denver, hadn’t seen him in over a year when she’d last been in States.

And the house in Paris, in Montmartre, the one she and Janet had bought on the spur of the moment. She had loved being there with Janet and Shellie. Now Shellie lived in Switzerland with her husband and baby, but Janet was still in Paris.

At that moment she decided that after Amanda’s shop was open and operating smoothly, she would go to the Montmartre house for at least a month. Yes, that’s what she would do.

Belinda was out of the woods for now, so there was no reason to hurry back to Cornwall from Brussels. She also wanted to put some distance between herself and Paul. The past two weeks had been awkward and difficult for her, being in such close proximity to him.

Yes, after Brussels she’d spend the month of July in Paris. Maybe even longer.

Chapter 47

Brussels was having a record heat wave. Pedestrians were wearing straw hats and sunglasses, shorts and tank tops, sandals, and carrying water bottles as they shopped and walked on the streets of the city.

It was Saturday, a week before
Mandy Malone Designs
was to open, and Richard met Amanda for breakfast at The Roy before her day began at the sewing room. She’d moved out of the Metropole and into the sewing room above the shop, had sectioned off a living area and was very comfortable there.

Richard was waiting for her at The Roy. He’d been waiting an hour already, drinking coffee and making mental plans. He wanted to take Amanda to Antwerp to see its fashion sector, to see the fabric houses. That was the reason he gave to Amanda. She’d mentioned she needed more fabric.

He knew it was also the diamond center of Europe.

As they had their breakfast he told her about Antwerp, and even though she felt she should stay and watch over the girls, he persuaded her to take a day off. Convinced her she needed a change of scenery and needed to clear her mind. It was only thirty-two miles to Antwerp and the trip would be good for them both.

Again the drive through the countryside was gorgeous and green, even though it was heavily populated along the way in certain areas. At times it felt as if Antwerp might be a suburb of Brussels.

“We’ll have lunch at the Grote Market. I hear it’s not quite as large as the Grand Place, but the buildings are something to see … all the guild houses. Plenty of cafes and shops.”

“I’m so glad we’re taking this break. I needed it. Thank you for convincing me,” Amanda said as she smiled at him.

Richard patted her hand. “It was obvious you needed a break. If you don’t mind, I’d like to swing by the diamond district, too. We can do that first and get it out of the way. Seventy percent of the world’s diamonds come from Antwerp and there are over fifteen hundred diamond companies and four gigantic houses where the diamonds are sold to the public. I’ve heard it’s incredible. And since I’ve a bit of cash to invest, I’d like to invest in some uncut, rough diamonds. A friend of mine in Montana suggested it. He does it, says it’s profitable.”

“You buy rings or just the rocks?”

“Rocks.”

“What will you do with them?” Amanda asked.

“Keep them in a safe place for a rainy day, I guess.” He grinned, thinking of his ulterior motives. He was having more fun than he’d had in years.

“So you’re in Brussels to buy cows and diamonds,” she laughed. “Quite a combination.”

“And to be with you, of course,” Richard reminded her. “If it weren’t for you I would have no reason to be here, actually. So I may as well make a business trip out of it so I can deduct it on my taxes. Makes sense, doesn’t it?’

“I guess it does,” Amanda said as she frowned and turned away, thinking how nothing was making much sense lately.

Amanda’s attention was distracted by a field of flowers stretching up over the foothills. She pointed, “Oh my gosh! Look over there! The daisies, aren’t they pretty? I love daisies.”

They took a tour through Diamond Land, the largest diamond house in Antwerp. They saw the diamond polishers, setters, and goldsmiths at work. The guided tour took twenty minutes. They learned about cleaving, sawing, bruting, polishing and the international rules for grading diamonds - carat, color, cut and clarity.

“Oh my goodness, would you look at that ring!” Amanda’s eyes were fastened on a 4-carat emerald-cut white diamond set in a halo of pale yellow diamonds. “That ring takes the cake, doesn’t it?”

“It sure does,” Richard agreed. “Want to see how it looks on your hand?”

Amanda looked up at him. “Is it all right, will they let me try it on for fun?”

Richard motioned to a sales person, “This one, please.”

It fit Amanda’s finger perfectly. She put it on the right hand, though, not the left.

“A perfect dinner ring.” Richard was excited. He stood behind her as she was admiring it on her finger and motioned to the salesman that he wanted to buy it, and indicated he didn’t want her to know.

Amanda took it off her finger and handed it back. “Oh my, there’s another one. Look at that one over there. Not as pretty, but wow! These are something else, aren’t they? How could a person make up her mind?”

Richard laughed. “I don’t know. I guess you have to be able to afford more than one if you can’t settle on one.”

“But they’ve got to cost thousands. Who could afford it?”

“Darling, would you mind if I go talk to the man over there in his office? I’ve got an appointment with him about the uncut diamonds. It shouldn’t take long. Will you be all right till I come back?”

Amanda nodded. “Sure I will. In fact you go on ahead; I’ll just browse through the rooms.” She turned to the salesman. “Where is the nearest restroom, please?”

Later, as they walked to a lovely café on the Grote Market, Richard could hardly contain himself. The ring was in his pocket. He ordered a bottle of champagne immediately, before they were seated outdoors. It was a clear day with a slight breeze to filter the heat of the sun’s rays. Assorted flowers were in pots surrounding the patio area where they were sitting. A violinist had been strolling through the square and stopped a few feet from Richard and Amanda, playing softly, romantically.

After the champagne was poured, Richard lifted his glass to Amanda. She did the same.

“Richard, I am so happy you’re here. I have to tell you that when I first saw you come through the door at the Metropole, I didn’t know what to do or think.”

“I know, darling. I know. So let’s toast to us. To us being together for the rest of our lives.”

Amanda frowned and set her glass on the table. “I can’t do that. I’m not going back.”

“Lift your glass, darling.” Richard smiled and cocked his head. “And let me finish the toast, please.”

She reluctantly lifted her glass, looking away from him.

“I love you with all my heart, Amanda. I have since the first day I saw you in KC’s. Will you drink to that with me?”

She clinked his glass with hers. “Yes, I can drink to that.” She looked across the table to him, “I know you love me. But—”

“And will you marry me, Miss Mandy Malone?” He held out the brilliant white and yellow diamond ring from Diamond Land. “Will you wear this beautiful ring as a commitment and promise of our love for each other?”

Amanda was stunned; her hand holding the glass froze in mid-air. Her eyes were popping out of her head and her mouth was hanging open. She couldn’t breathe.

Richard lifted her left hand from the table and slipped the ring on her third finger. “It’s your very own ring, my love. You chose it. It belongs to nobody else.”

Amanda was numb with disbelief. She looked up at Richard. “But— Oh— Richard! I do adore you, I do— but I can’t go back to live with you in California. I just can’t. I have my own business here now—”

Richard placed his hand over hers. “Amanda, darling, I don’t have to live in California. We can live here, together. I want to be here with you wherever you are. Please say yes.”

It was beyond Amanda’s comprehension of a dream come true. How could this be happening to her? This was fairy tale stuff, it wasn’t real.

She gazed into his magnetic eyes and said “Yes, I will marry you.”

Chapter 48

Four days before the opening of Mandy Malone’s, the permits still hadn’t been issued. Amanda was frantic; all the advertisement had gone out, the shop was ready, two of the seamstresses were lined up to help with the opening as sales clerks, it was all set. It took all of Richard’s cleverness to calm Amanda. He promised her she would be able to open for business, not to worry.

He’d already found out he had to file for a
Certificate of Residency for the Marriage Purposes
, which he did. He made a few phone calls to business acquaintances in Brussels and a few political contacts at the EU which is based in Brussels. He was told to go to the American Consulate, that possibly that would be his solution.

So he made an appointment to meet with an old buddy of his; one he’d done business with in the States before the guy had been assigned to Belgium.

John Crane’s assistant met Richard in reception and took him down a long corridor to Crane’s office.

“Richard, what a surprise! How are you?” Crane asked as he held out his hand.

“I’m doing great! It’s good to see you, again, John Boy.”

“Well, I’ve packed on a few pounds since I saw you last,” he said as he laughed.

Richard noticed that right off. And he also noticed the receding hairline where curly red hair used to reside. “Hey, we all get older and changes do take place.”

“But you haven’t changed a bit. You’re still a handsome devil. So what brings you to Brussels? You buying some Blues?”

Richard nodded. “Yes I am. And I’m also here for pleasure. Am getting married.”

“I’m all ears. Have a seat.”

Richard sat in a chair in front of the desk, John Boy behind the desk.