"It did for the first couple weeks after we moved here to the big house," Mrs. Dressler said, hanging her hooked pole from the clothes rod again. Sitting back in her seat then, she sighed and added, "But then I went into early labor with Thorne." Mouth tightening, she explained, "I had made arrangements to move to the mainland for the last month of my pregnancy in case there were complications. Ramsey was going to fly me out the next day, but suddenly I was in the throes of it. What I didn't know then was that Ramsey had no intention of letting me have my son on the mainland and had put something into my drink at lunch to induce labor."
Sarita's eyebrows rose at that. She was surprised he'd take the risk with his own child. If complications had occurred he might have lost both his wife and child.
Huffing out an angry breath, Mrs. Dressler continued, "I should have realized something was amiss when he cancelled his classes for the day and was home in the middle of the week. He said it was because he wanted to spend time with me, and I thought it was sweet and even fortunate that he was there when I started having contractions. I hurried to him, sure he'd put me in the helicopter and fly me straight to the mainland, but he said everything was fine. It was too early, these were probably just Braxton Hicks contractions. He said I should just relax and breathe, and they would surely go away. He kept saying that right up until my water broke."
Her mouth tightened and anger crossed her face. "And then he showed his true colors. The sweet man I thought I'd married became a cold hard monster. He flat out said he'd never had any intention of my going to the mainland to have the baby. He'd brought the labor on early to ensure that didn't happen, so I might as well resign myself to the fact that I was having the baby here on the island, and stop whining and crying at him. I'd be in labor for hours. Go lie down and leave him alone. He'd check on me later and help if necessary."
"I was young then," Mrs. Dressler said sadly. "And I was shattered by his behavior. I burst into tears and stumbled back to my room and locked the door. And then I decided I wanted that man nowhere near my baby and stuck a chair under it to make sure he couldn't get in." Clucking her tongue she shook her head and added, "And with that one action, I sealed your grandmother's fate."
Sarita's eyebrows rose at the words. "How?"
"Because Maria was in the room," she explained quietly. "I didn't realize it until I finished jamming the chair under the door and turned to see her frozen with the bed half-made, her eyes wide."
Mrs. Dressler shook her head sadly. "If I'd known what my actions would mean for your poor grandmother, I would have moved the chair and ordered her out at once. But I didn't know, and I was grateful to have her there. I was scared and feeling more alone than I had in my life and she was all I had." Smiling wryly, she said, "We weren't exactly friends back then. While your grandmother knew a few words of English, I knew not a single word of Spanish. There was a bit of a communication barrier there, but Maria was kind and gentle and supportive and helped me through the darkest hours of my life. She is the one who saw Thorne into this world." Mrs. Dressler sighed. "And the moment she laid eyes on him, Maria was doomed to remain on this island for the rest of her days."
"Why?" Sarita asked with confusion.
"Because she saw what I am."
Jerking around, Sarita peered toward the doorway at that grim comment and got her first really good look at Thorne Dressler. The man was breathtaking. With high cheekbones, a chiseled jaw, pale golden eyes, and hair so fair a blond it was almost white where it lay flat against his head. Towheaded, she thought, that was what they called it because it was the color of tow-flax or hemp fibers.
Sarita stared at him blankly for a minute and then shook her head slightly. "I don't understand why seeing you would-"
The words died in her throat as he stepped into the room and out of the shadow that had hidden the humps at his back. Still staring at his face, she'd barely noted the humps when he suddenly swung his arms out and up. Immediately, the two humps dropped and swung out into two huge chocolate-brown wings. They stretched out at least six feet to each side of his back, touching the walls at either end of the room.
"Dear God," she breathed.
Thorne's mouth tightened as if at a blow.
"They're magnificent," she finished and he blinked, looking suddenly uncertain.
"Did you find some clothes for Domitian?" Mrs. Dressler asked gently.
Clearing his throat, Thorne nodded and looked at his mother as he said, "Yes. That is why I came. I thought to tell you he is all set and changing." He hesitated and then said, "I will put on some tea and wait with him in the kitchen for you ladies to finish."