She was proud of her little speech until her mother’s eyes filled with tears. “Wasn’t six years spent worried someone would discover my daughter’s lifestyle enough a cross to bear? Now everyone knows.” She sniffed and Alexandra felt a tug on her own emotions even though she suspected the tears were a tool as well used as her mother’s Southern charm. “Now you balk at making things right. Think of the baby,” was Cecelia last emotive appeal.
“You say lifestyle like my being a model was the same as selling my favors to the highest bidder.” Alexandra was more comfortable on the familiar ground of arguing her career choice rather than her current predicament.
Her mother shuddered. “How can you say such a thing? To even imply…” Clearly words failed her and two tears spilled over to trail down her powdered cheeks.
Alexandra felt the familiar sense of failure well up in her. “I’m sorry, Mother. I shouldn’t have said it.”
Her mother dabbed at her eyes with a perfectly white, lace trimmed handkerchief and simply shook her head in mute disapproval.
Knowing there would be nothing accomplished by sticking with the current subject, Alexandra asked, “What are you doing in New York, Mother?”
The paper with the damaging story had only come out that morning, not enough time for her mother to have made the trip from New Orleans unless she had already planned it.
Her mother sniffed and turned appealing eyes to Dimitri. “I’d come north to try and talk some sense into Alexandra, to mend fences before Christmas. A family should spend the holidays together, don’t you think? But she’s been so stubborn about her unfortunate circumstance, refusing to do anything practical to diminish the scandal. And here she is again, refusing to marry you. Is it any wonder I’m almost ill with my worries?”#p#分页标题#e#
“I do not consider the conception of my child an unfortunate circumstance,” Dimitri replied in freezing tones. “I also fail to see why the fact your daughter modeled under the name of Xandra Fortune is such a tragedy for you. From what she has said, her work supported both you and your younger daughter for several years.”
My, my. When Dimitri decided to defend someone, he came out with both guns blazing.
“But she didn’t just model did she? She was your mistress, a tycoon’s plaything,” Cecelia said, quoting the article. “Now she is pregnant with your child. The Duprees have never had so much scandal attached to their name. What the nuns would think, I have no idea. Why, I’m terrified to send my monthly letter to Mother Superior for fear of letting something slip.”
“Nuns?” Dimitri asked.
“The convent, remember?” Alexandra whispered.
“Ahh…those nuns.”
Cecelia said, “Mother Superior didn’t approve of the Xandra Fortune debacle any more than I did.”
The unfairness of her mother’s constant disapproval cracked something open in Alexandra. “My life as a model was hardly a debacle. Dimitri’s right. It kept you in designer dresses and Madeleine in school. If I hadn’t created Xandra Fortune, how would we all have lived? I can’t see you getting a job.”
Her mother gasped.
Someone knocked on the door. It turned out to be room service and Dimitri insisted Alexandra eat before the conversation was resumed. Her mother drank her tea with an expression of martyred stoicism.
When they were done and Dimitri had called to have the dishes removed, he resumed his seat beside Alexandra. Putting an arm around her waist, he met her mother’s gaze. “Let me make a couple of things clear. One, I intend to marry your daughter. And two, it will not be some hole in the corner affair not befitting the bride of a Petronides.”
He ignored both her and her mother’s outraged gasps and stood.
“I’m glad you took the time to come by and see us,” he said, taking her mother’s arm and gently lifting her from the chair before he guided her to the door, “but as I’m sure you are aware, Alexandra and I have a great deal to do before the wedding. Perhaps we can get together this evening or tomorrow to discuss plans.”
He continued talking as if he had both her and her mother’s complete cooperation as he led Cecelia from the suite.
Dimitri called for his car and waited in the hotel lobby with Cecelia until it came. He shook his head watching Cecelia walk regally from the hotel. Running interference for Alexandra with her mother was going to take vigilance. Cecelia had tried to convince him again to consider a modest wedding by saying it would be cruel to Alexandra to make a media event of it when she had so obviously anticipated her wedding vows.