“No, I meant have you had new arrivals?”
“Oh, yes. Certainly we have.”
“That’s good, isn’t it?” Fedora surprised him by frowning ever so slightly. She was usually so careful to remain unreadable. It was also her custom to be agreeable. Excepting the occasion of their first meeting, she was as disturbed as he had ever seen her. “Isn’t it?” he prompted.
She bobbed her head quickly, too quickly, and then hurried off.
Roen didn’t watch her go. He was used to her hasty departures. He did wonder, however, at what had disturbed her enough to cause her to lower her guard. It was on the heels of that thought that one possible answer occurred to him. Thelovely Victorine Headley had come to stand at the entrance to the dining room.
Heads turned, though she did nothing to call attention to herself. Roen was used to that reaction. At one time, he had enjoyed seeing it, knowing that he was her escort and that she would be leaving with him. Now he wished she would simply leave. She didn’t. Her remote gaze moved from one table to the next until her eyes rested on his face. Although neither of them moved, the distance between them fell away. In Roen’s mind she stood just feet away, and her posture was the same as it had been when she showed him her palm pistol moments before she fired. He wanted to throw himself sideways, avoid the shot by feinting left or right, but he remained riveted to his chair. He couldn’t even get to his feet.
Roen thought it might have been better if it had been that memory that pressed to keep him in his seat. He would have eventually come to his senses. The reality of what he was seeing now was as cruel as the first ball she’d fired, except this one was a shot to the gut. He felt the pain as if it were a fact.
Victorine Headley was pregnant.
Roen recovered his equilibrium by the time Victorine reached his table. He stood. Ellie had stepped out of the kitchen and was making her way to Victorine’s side for the purpose of seating her. Roen stopped her with a glance in her direction and a subtle shake of his head.
“Victorine,” he said when she was upon him. She leaned toward him with the attitude of one expecting a warmer greeting, perhaps a kiss. He held out the companion chair for her and left her in no doubt that he wanted her to sit.
“Roen,” she said politely, sweeping the skirt of her ruched day dress to one side as she gracefully folded into her chair. “It’s good to see you at last. I was so hoping I would find you here this morning.”
He joined her. Her dress was aquamarine silk, chosen purposely, he was sure, to match her rather remarkable eyes. He admired her calculation. Was every garment she brought similarly colored, or had she seen him approaching the hotel and dressed accordingly? She wore a loose-fitting overblouse of the same color with large mother-of-pearl buttons. It was a tasteful accommodation for her condition.
“You’ll understand if I don’t return the sentiment,” he said.
“No, I don’t. Not really. Are you carrying a grudge?” She glanced down at her belly, which was touching the edge of the table. “That’s too bad of you because I’m carrying your child.”
“So you win? Is that it?” he asked. “Never mind.” His gaze swiveled from Victorine and her feigned disappointment to Fedora Chen, who was standing unobtrusively at Victorine’s side. He had little doubt that Fedora had heard Victorine’s last words, but her expression remained neutral. “Miss Chen would like to know what you want for breakfast. I can recommend the pancakes.”
Victorine smiled wanly. “Miss Chen, is it?”
“Yes, ma’am.”
“I’ll have two pancakes, one strip of bacon, and one egg. Tea, please, not coffee.” When the girl had left, Victorine said, “You’re friendly with the help.”
“I’ve been here long enough to get to know people.”
“She’s Chinese, Roen.”
“And?”
“And?” she asked. “You know what they’re like. Dirty creatures. I don’t believe she should be working where there is food. I could barely eat my dinner yesterday for thinking she might have touched it.” She shivered delicately. “I asked that woman to send another waitress to my table from now on, but she’s obviously ignoring me.”
“That woman is Ellie Butterworth,” said Roen. “And if she sent Miss Chen here in spite of your wishes, then she had a reason for it. Mrs. Butterworth works hard to accommodate all her guests.”
“Hmm.” Victorine was skeptical. “Oh, let’s not talk about them. Were you surprised to hear from me?”
“Very little that you do surprises me.”
“Liar. You looked as if you were poleaxed when you saw my condition.”
“I said very little surprises me. Your current state is an exception.”
Victorine placed one hand lightly against her belly and smiled. “I think it’s going to be a boy. Would you like a boy, Roen?”
He ignored her question. “How did you find me?”
She shrugged. “I hired a private investigator. He’s an inconspicuous sort, but apparently that is an advantage in his profession.”
