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As they walked back to Lilly's
home from the restaurant, Blaine took her hand. It seemed like the most natural
thing in the world, and she didn't protest. "I had a wonderful time."
His eyes twinkled as he teased, "As I listened to myself talk."
She giggled; more of a breathy
whisper than an actual sound.
"I'm going to take sign
language classes," he said rashly.
Lilly stopped walking, and the
red dress she wore flapped around her ankles. She held out her hand, indicating
Blaine should give her the pad and pen he carried. He took them from his khaki
sports coat. She flipped open the pad, and wrote. Why?
"So I can talk to you
when we go out again."
Who said again?
Blaine twisted his face into a
pleading expression. "Please?"
She nodded, then wrote one
more thing on the pad. Blaine reached for it, but she hugged it against her
chest, giggling again. She refused to let him see it until they stood on the
porch of her small house. It said, Want coffee?
Maybe it wasn't a good idea,
but Blaine ignored the voice of reason. "Only if I don't have to make
it." He elicited another smile and giggle from her, which caused his chest
to fill with an almost-uncomfortable rush of air. His stomach clenched, and he
briefly wondered if he'd eaten bad prawns for dinner.
She led him inside the neat
confines of her home.
"You live alone?"
She scribbled something on the
pad. Aunt's house. Died last year. She raised me.
"I'm sorry."
Lilly's expression was sad,
but she shrugged.
Giving into impulse, Blaine
pulled her into his arms. She hugged him, at first for comfort, but then the
embrace changed. She was shy, but responsive. Blaine never did get his coffee.
"You've done what?"
"I got married,
Mother." Blaine looked across the foyer to where Lilly stood, eyeing the
parlor with apprehensive eyes. He waved her in.
"But, who?"
As Lilly approached them,
Blaine wrapped his arm around her. "Lilly White--now Lilly Caufield."
Abigail's frosty expression
left no doubt of her disapproval. "How long have you known each
other?"
"Three days."
Her eyes widened. She shook
her head. "You had three weeks, Blaine!"
"Mother..." Blaine
didn't bother to mask his threatening tone.
She ignored him, turning to
Lilly, who backed away. "How much is he paying you? Speak up!"
"Lilly is deaf,
Mother."
Her mouth dropped open.
"What will people say, Blaine? They'll know she only married you for your
inheritance. Only a few people know of Father's provision. They won't know you
had to marry her!"
Lilly gasped, pulling
completely away from Blaine, and running from the room.
"What's wrong with
her?"
"She reads lips, Mother.
Lilly heard every word."
Abigail had the grace to
blush. "Why is she so upset?" Her expression cleared. "She
doesn't know you married her to secure your inheritance, does she?"
"I married her because I
love her, Mother. You had best accept that--and Lilly." Blaine turned on
his heels to find Lilly, hoping he could repair the damage his mother had done;
and the damage he'd done by not telling her about the will. He'd been so afraid
she wouldn't believe that he'd fallen in love with her if she knew.
He found her in the garden,
huddled on a stone bench. When he sat beside her, she refused to look at him. He
took her hand, then gently turned her face to him so she could see his lips
move. "My mother had it all wrong. I love you, Lilly. I told you yesterday
morning that I'd fallen in love with you when I first saw you."
She shook her head, clamping
her hands over her ears, then her mouth. Then she forced her face to assume a
vacant expression.
"I don't think you're
stupid! My grandfather had a thing about continuing the line. According to his
will, I couldn't be CEO of Caufield Industries unless I got married by my
thirtieth birthday."
She took the pad from his
pocket. Why not tell me?
"You might have said no
when I proposed. I loved you too much to take the chance." He folded her
hands in his, pad, pen, and all. "I had no intention of marrying for any
reason besides love. If that meant my cousin got the company, I didn't care.
There's only one reason why I married you. I love you."
She pulled away, writing: I want to believe you.
"What does your heart
tell you?"
She bit her lip, then looked
down at the pad. "I love you."
"And I love you. Please
don't let my mother or grandfather ruin this."
Lilly suddenly threw herself
into his arms, and Blaine expelled his breath in a sigh of relief. She was so
perfect for him. Thank goodness they had both realized that in time.
©2003 StoriesByEmail.com
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