Afterthought - M J Marlow (pdf to ebook reader .txt) 📗

her acceptance of this situation. “Sylvie has always taught me to accept things as they are, Father.” “She has done you a great service in this,” Stefano nodded. “I shall have to thank her.” He looked at her curiously. “What else has your Sylvie taught you?” he asked with his eyes twinkling. “Italian, perhaps?” He saw her blush and knew he’d been right. “Keep that to yourself for now, child. It will serve you well if people think they can speak freely around you.” Evangeline looked at her father in shock. He was giving her permission to lie to people? There was no reason for that. Lies just led to trouble, and if she were going to be in trouble she would prefer it was because she told the truth. She did not appreciate people lying to her, as Daria often had. She could see he was thinking of it as a protection for her when she began to associate with new people, but it was not the kind of armor she wanted. “I don’t lie, Father,” Evangeline shook her head. “Such an omission would be a lie.” She saw the respect in his eyes and smiled. “I have also been taught French and German,” Evangeline informed him. “Sylvie insisted that Uncle Sterling provide the best tutors for me and bullied him into hiring a vocal coach when she discovered that I had a nice voice. My aunt Judith, Alexander’s wife, has taught me the lap harp and Gaelic. And Aunt Maura was my piano teacher. She was teaching Daria…” “But the girl was undisciplined and you far surpassed your cousin in a desire to learn and had talent and aptitude?” Stefano asked. He saw her nod. “It is the way of Roza children. They learn quickly and they learn well and with great skill. That is how your brother will be a doctor in his own right at the age of twenty five.” He looked at her closely. “Do you dance, Evangeline?” “Yes,” Evangeline nodded. “Uncle Sterling had Signore Scarlatti begin lessons for all of the children when we were young. All of us are quite passable, he says.” “Which means you are excellent,” Stefano nodded. “I have heard of Scarlatti. He is faint of praise, but he is an accomplished teacher. He would not have remained in the household if he believed you were not worthy of his instruction.” He was quite pleased. “There is to be a Debutante’s Ball in Paris in three months time. An old friend of mine, and his wife, are hosting it this year. You and I will attend.” Evangeline was astounded now. Paris! She had always dreamed of being able to travel, but her uncle had kept her close. Only trips to London had been allowed her. She had always wondered if he were afraid she would run away and go looking for her mother and uncle. She could see how he could have thought that the first few months she had been in his care, but as she grew older she had accepted her place as the less important member in the Sterling family. It had hurt to watch the others go to Paris. Daria had been especially condescending after such trips. “And the house in Paris is to be prepared for us,” she heard her father’s voice cut through her reverie. She saw that he was on the phone. “My daughter and I shall be in residence there for the next three months, at least. We shall arrange for tutors when we arrive next week.” He smiled at her and she felt the warmth of it melting her fears away. He was a good man who had been denied the chance of loving her for far too long. Surely he would slow down eventually with giving such extravagant gifts and they would get to know each other as people. That was what she really wanted from him and her brother. He hung up and smiled at her. “I know I am taking a great many things for granted, child…” “I am your daughter,” Evangeline broke in. “I should be with you and my brother, not here with my uncles and their families.” She had a worrying thought. “Uncle Sterling would not fight you over this, would he?” “Only if he thought it was not your wish,” Stefano told her bluntly. He saw the relief in her eyes and nodded. He would have hated to tell her that he had no intention of letting her remain here a moment longer than the end of this week. He would take her by force to remove her from this hateful place. He was still quite angry at hearing all the stories of her upbringing; the cruelty suffered, the joys withheld. His Evangeline was worth ten of any of those Sterling children, Stefano thought as he came to her side and helped her to her feet. “It is late, child. You should go to sleep now.” He picked her up and carried her to her room. “Now sleep, my angel. In the morning we will go see how your Sylvie is doing, yes?” Evangeline drifted off and he sat at the side of the bed stroking her hair long after she was asleep. All the years he had missed because of Aileen’s fears. He was going to see to it that Evangeline understood just how much she had been wanted. He would try not to tell her why her mother had fled, if it could be helped. He did not want to disillusion his child too greatly. She looked so much like her mother as she lay there innocently that it hurt. He heard a sound and looked up to see the door opening. Emilio was standing there. He nodded and Stefano got to his feet. He bent down to kiss his daughter on the forehead and left the room with his lieutenant. “Everything has been arranged as you asked, Your Highness,” Emilio said as they entered the study. “My daughters will be in residence by tomorrow and have everything prepared for the princess by the time you arrive.” He set this aside. “Carlo sent your appointment log by email. He did his best to clear the next three months for you, as you requested; but there are still a few that you cannot put off. It is up on the screen there.” “You aren’t too happy at seeing his name there,” Stefano said as he saw one of the appointments. “The man tried to slit your throat, Your Highness,” Emilio frowned. “He should have been executed…” “Instead he is up for parole,” Stefano broke into his man’s tirade. “I am asked to attend his hearing as witness.” His eyes went dark with anger. “Do not worry, Emilio. I shall tell the panel exactly how depraved that man is. If they parole him after that, I shall petition the President of France for them to be subjected to medical examination.” He saw Emilio’s expression and shook his head. “You worry more than an old woman, Emilio. I shall be fine.” “The man has followers, Your Highness,” Emilio reminded his employer and long-time friend stiffly. “They could make trouble.” “Then you will see to it that no harm comes to my children because of them, old friend,” Stefano told him. He sent his acceptance and turned to his other emails. He smiled as he saw the one containing photographs of his twin fourteen year old nephews at their soccer game; his seventeen year old niece at her violin recital. He moved on to the one from the Countess and assured her that his daughter and he would be attending the Ball. He added a special note that they would be in residence in Paris before then and would be pleased to accept visits from her and her family. He could think of no woman more qualified to help his daughter learn to negotiate in their society than the Countess Monique Grimaldi. “Your Highness!” Stefano looked up at Emilio’s sharp exclamation and saw him looking at a piece of art on the wall. He got up and joined him in looking at a likeness of the late Dowager Deborah Lyndon Sterling, his late wife’s mother. It was done with exceptional skill and one could almost believe the sketch itself could come to life. The little brass plaque on the frame however declared it to be the work of Evangeline Roza, aged eight. He was as astounded as Emilio had been. He knew many adult artists who had studied for years who were not capable of such skill in portraiture. It was not just the technique that struck him, however; the way Evangeline had captured the woman’s personality in the sketch that was unique. “Such skill,” Emilio said softly, “and at only eight? I suspect if you ask your daughter she will tell you that she just sketches to amuse herself.” “And you would be right,” Alastair said from where he stood in the doorway. He had a portfolio under his arm. “I thought you might like to see more of her work while you are here.” He set the portfolio on the desk and went to pour himself a drink. “These are from this past year.” Stefano sat down and pulled the portfolio to him. He looked at each one and was convinced his daughter had true genius. He would have to see to it that she studied with someone who would encourage her talent. Since they were going to Paris, he could think of only one man he would trust with his daughter. He picked up the receiver and dialed as he continued looking at a sketch of the entire Sterling family. “She did it entirely from memory, Your Highness,” Sterling told him as he saw what sketch the man was looking at. “Your daughter is very gifted. Had she been my child…” “She is your niece,” Stefano broke in coldly. “Your twin sister’s daughter. That should not have made her less important in your eyes and affection, Sterling! I still fail to comprehend how her torture was overlooked…” “Your daughter would not complain,” Sterling defended himself; although he saw no defense he could give to excuse himself to this man. Stefano was right. He had treated Evangeline like a duty, instead of a child to be loved and nurtured like his own. “My children were disciplined whenever I was certain they were hurting her. I should have done more…” “On that we are agreed,” Stefano nodded. He looked at the man sternly and told him what he had just decided. “Evangeline will be coming with me at the end of the week.” He saw the man stiffen and he ignored the argument he felt coming. Had this man treated his daughter with more regard, Stefano would not be making this move. As it was, he saw her departure as the only means of extricating her from an impossible situation. “She has made this decision on her own, I assure you.” “Of that I am certain,” Sterling smiled briefly and sadly. “Your daughter is an angel, but she can be quite stubborn if she feels she is being forced to do something against her will. She is like Aileen in that regard.” He finished his drink and turned to go. “That is the only advice I would deign to leave you with, Your Highness. I know you will care for her as I should have.” Stefano watched the man go and felt he had missed an opportunity. He did not understand how the man had stayed silent while his own children molested the girl. What worried him more was why his daughter had allowed herself to be treated with such disrespect. She could not truly believe that she deserved to be pushed around. He was going to have to look into this immediately. No child of his should believe they deserved to be so badly