“Then why was he sitting over there watching you bathe? How could you let him in here, Christina, or has this been going on all along?”
“Don’t be absurd! I tell you it was perfectly innocent. Heavens! The man has seen me bathe a hundred times in the past. If you will remember, Philip came here for his son—not me. And he sat down only long enough to ask me a few questions—that’s all. I was in this tub the whole time, Tommy. He didn’t see me until you forced me to stand up with your foolishness.”
“But he has no right to be in here at all, damn it!”
“Lower your voice, Tommy, before you wake John!” Christina snapped.
“Wake John—that’s exactly what I intend to do. You won’t be here much longer, Caxton.” Tommy laughed bitterly, and rushed out of the room.
“Now look what you’ve done!” Christina cried. “Why couldn’t you just leave me alone? Now John will be forced to ask you to leave this house. You did this on purpose, didn’t you?”
“It was not my intention to be discovered, Christina,” Philip said calmly. “This is your house as much as John’s. I won’t have to leave unless you also wish it. If you want our son to grow up without knowing his real father, that’s up to you.”
It was the first time Philip had called him “our son,” and Christina was surprised and yet pleased to hear him say it.
“Quickly—hand me my robe before John gets here!” she said frantically. “Well, turn around, damn it!”
“Oh, for God’s sake, Christina!” But he turned around and moved far away from her to stand by the window.
Stepping out of the tub, Christina managed to slip the robe over her wet body and tie it about her waist just as John rushed into the room with Tommy right behind him.
“What the hell is going on, Christina?” John demanded.
Philip turned to face them, and Tommy glowered at him.
“I told you it was God’s truth. This is an outrage, John, and I demand that Caxton leave this house immediately!” Tommy stormed.
“That’s enough, Tommy. I’m going to have to ask you to go home now. I will handle this matter,” John returned.
“I will not!”
“Tommy—now! I wish to talk to Christina alone. I’ll do whatever is necessary.”
Tommy turned and stormed from the room.
“I will also take my leave if you wish to talk privately,” said Philip.
“Yes,” John replied curtly. “I’ll tell you of my decision in the morning.”
“In the morning, then. Good night, Tina.” Philip closed the door behind him.
Christina knew that he was asking her to fight for him so he could stay with his son. She relaxed a bit and sat down on the edge of her bed.
“Crissy, what could have possessed you to let Philip come into your room this late at night?” asked John. “Have you and Philip finally settled matters between you? Is that it?”
“I don’t know what you’re talking about, John. There’s nothing to settle between us. What we had once is finished—it won’t come back. And I didn’t invite Philip into my room, he just walked in and wouldn’t leave.”
“Did he—”
Christina smiled weakly. “Philip sat in the corner the whole time he was here, but I knew he wanted me. And I know I can’t shock you more than I have in the past by telling you that I wanted him, too, more than anything,” she whispered, afraid that Philip might hear her from his room. “But I resisted him, for I knew he’d only want me tonight. Tomorrow he would hate me again.”
“But Crissy, Philip has never stopped wanting you.”
“He has, too!” she snapped.
There was no point in arguing with her when she turned stubborn. John shook his head. “Well, I’m going to have to ask him to leave, Crissy. Had it been any man but Philip, he would be dead now.”
“I don’t want him to leave, John.”
