The Tea Rose Part 51

Cameron went on to describe Peter Hylton's performance and Will listened raptly, shaking his head in disbelief over his good fortune. This was all going off perfectly, better than he'd dared to hope. Cameron had told him that the courtroom was packed with reporters. A few photographers had shown up, too. There would be a huge scandal. By tonight-maybe even by lunchtime! -the s.h.i.t would be flying. And Fiona Finnegan was going to get covered with it! His father would surely finish with her now. He'd have to. Marrying' a respectable woman from another cla.s.s was one thing, but marrying a woman who consorted with deviants was quite another.

" ... and then, Will ... oh, you won't believe this ... she gets up and tells me she's engaged to Soames. Since two months!"

"What?"

"She said they were engaged, and that Soames stumbled into The Slide by accident, because of insomnia or some such horses.h.i.t." He waved his hand dismissively. "They really do think 1 was born yesterday."

This is the luckiest day of my life, Will Junior thought as Cameron finished his tale. She has played into my hands completely. "Cameron ... " he said slowly.

"Hmm?" he replied, refreshing Will's drink.

"What if I'm wrong? What if my father were to actually forgive this mess?"

"Then all our hard work and the favor 1 called in with Malloy will have been for nothing. But surely he wouldn't, Will. Not after it makes the papers."

"In his present unhinged state, anything's possible," Will Junior said. He drained his gla.s.s and regarded his friend. "1 think, Justice Eames, that what we have in front of us is nothing less than a way to get Miss Finnegan out of the picture permanently. And I think we must avail ourselves of this extraordinary opportunity."

Cameron returned his gaze, then nodded, and Will Junior knew that he'd taken his meaning.

They'd always been good at reading each other's thoughts. It had served them well when they'd needed to cook up stories as youngsters and again when they'd been caught cheating on their exams al school. They had come far together, he and Cameron, and they would go farther still.

"If your father ever learns what happened, he'll string me up."

"He won't. How could he? I'm surely not going to tell him."

"What am 1 going to say when he finds out I was the officiating justice'!"

"What can he say? Technically, you don't even know who she is. Have you ever seen them together?"

"No."

"Has he ever introduced you?"

"No."

"Did he tell you they were engaged'!"

"Of course not."

"Then how can you be blamed? You simply didn't know. You were only doing your job.

When the time comes-if it ever does-that he asks you about it, you'll tell him if only you'd known who she was, you would never ever have insisted on this condition."

"All right. But you'd better go now. Out the back way. Same way you came in. Don't let anyone see you, Will. Not anyone."

"1 won't. Stop worrying, Cam. Make this happen for me."

Cameron stood up and put his robe back on. The two men made plans to meet at the Union Club for dinner, then Will made his exit. He felt an enormous sense of relief wash over him. Soon this would be over. Seamlessly, perfectly over. His father would never suspect that Cameron had done what he was about to do on purpose. And he'd never expect that he himself had engineered it.

He'd done too fine an acting job for that, aplogizing for his bad behavior, welcoming the girl into the family-and his father had her had bought it all. As he headed down the dark hallway used by police officers to whisk the infamous and condemned in and out of the building, Will Junior told himself that he really owed Cameron one for ,his. He knew of a good way to pay him back, too. As soon as he got his seat in Congress, he'd set about working to get Cam the state supreme court seat he wanted so badly. And one day, when he got to the White House, the very first thing he would do would be to nominate Cameron Eames for Federal Supreme Court justice. Every president needed a judge in his pocket.

FIONA LOOKED AROUND at the courtroom's stark white walls, at the dour portraits of the great men that hung on them. She looked at the American flag in the corner, the gilt seal of the City of New York. She looked everywhere, hoping for some indication that there was kindness in this room, an understanding of human foibles. She looked for a sign that the men who wielded so much power over others' lives tempered that power with wisdom and tolerance. But she saw only the hard, impa.s.sive faces of the court officers and the imposing emptiness of the judge's chair.

Eames would never accept her story. Stephen had angered him. Hylton had made things worse, and she had added the final straw. He would insist on a trial, and then send Nick away.

The door to the judge's chambers suddenly opened, startling her. Eames re-emerged and took his seat. All around her, Fiona heard shifting and shuffling as spectators and reporters sat at attention, ready to see what sort of developments the next round would bring. Eames was not going to keep I hem waiting. As soon as he had settled himself, he called for Stephen Ambrose and Fiona to approach.

He cleared his throat, casting a glance over his courtroom as he did.

"Contrary to the way 1 am sometimes portrayed in various of the city's lesser newspapers," he began, looking pointedly at Nellie Bly, "1 am not without understanding. Or compa.s.sion."

Fiona's heart leaped with hope.

"I am also willing to admit that a mistake may have been made in the case of Mr. Soames."

Her legs went weak with relief. It's going to be all right, she thought. He's going to let Nick go. "Miss Finnegan, you say that Mr. Soames is your fiance, and that you are certain he happened into The Slide by accident ... is that true?"

"Yes, Your Honor."

Eames turned toward the prisoners. "Is that true, Mr. Soames?"

Nick looked at Fiona, a panicked expression on his face. She gave him a nod. And a look that warned him not to wreck this, his one and only chance.

"Yes, Your Honor," he said quietly.

"Very well, then. I am prepared to release Mr. Soames into your custody. Miss Finnegan. On one condition ... "

"Yes, Your Honor, anything," she said, beaming with relief and the happy knowledge that her plan had worked. She'd saved Nick! Soon this whole horrible nightmare would be over.

"I insist that you marry Mr. Soames today. In my courtroom. As proof of your sincerity."

For a second, there was absolute silence in the courtroom, and then the place erupted.

Stephen, joined by Teddy now, harangued the judge, telling him that this was unheard of and completely out of line. Eames shouted back, telling them he knew bulls.h.i.t when he smelled it, telling them he wouldn't be made a fool of in his own courtroom. Reporters shouted questions at her, at Nick, at Eames. Spectators chattered merrily among themselves, remarking that this was better than Tony Pastor's theater. And Fiona stood silent and alone, dazed by the choice that Eames had just given her.

As she stood, a sudden movement caught her eye. It was Nick. He was waving at her as best as his handcuffs would allow, trying to get her attention. She walked over to him. There was no one to stop her. Eames was embroiled in his argument. Two of the court officers were wrestling all unruly prisoner who'd stood up and cheered back into his seat. Two more were trying to quiet the crowd.

"Stop this. Right now," he said. "I won't go through with it."

"Yes, you will."

"Are you mad?" he hissed. "You're throwing your life away! And for no reason! This isn't a hanging offense, Fiona. They'll charge me, I'll pay a fine. they'll let me go."

"No, they won't. Teddy says the judge will put you in jail, keep you there for weeks, then have you deported after a trial. Deported. To England. Do you understand what that means?"

"Do you understand what it means, you stupid girl? You can't marry Will if you've already married me! They allow that sort of thing in some places, Arabia, Africa, the South Sea Islands-but not in New York!"

"I don't want to marry Will."

Nicholas lowered his head into his hands. "Please, Fiona. Please. I've had enough insanity over the last twelve hours. I don't need yours now."

"Nicholas ... you married me once. Now I'm marrying you."

"That was a pretend marriage and you know it. This won't be."

"You saved me."

"Hardly."

"You did. Me and Seamie both. Believe me when I tell you that. Now I'm saving you."

Nick raised his head and looked into her eyes. "Why?" Fiona shrugged helplessly.

"Because I love you."

An officer appeared at her elbow. ''I'm sorry, miss, I can't allow access to the prisoners," he said brusquely, leading her back to the judge's bench.

Eames, fed up with the noise level, started banging his gavel again. "Order! Order!" he shouted. "One more outburst and I'll clear the courtroom!"

When quiet was restored, he began again. ''I'm prepared to show faith in Miss Finnegan's story. All I require in return is proof of her word, Counsellor. If Mr. Soames is truly innocent I should like to release him, but I will not have the authority of this court mocked."

"Your Honor," Fiona said, trying to make herself heard, but she was drowned out by Stephen's vociferous denouncement of the judge and his courtroom. He said that his cruel condition would ruin the church ceremony his client had planned. He was grasping at straws, trying to come up with anything he could to change Eames's mind.

"A civil ceremony does not preclude a religious one," Eames countered. "They can still have their church wedding. I don't wish to prevent it."

"Your Honor, please!" Fiona shouted. "What is it, Miss Finnegan?"

"I accept your condition. We both do."

Eames nodded. "Very well. I'll give you two hours to a.s.semble the requisite papers while I finish the court's business. Bring the next prisoner, please. How do you plead?"

Fiona, dizzy with exhaustion and shock, sat down. Three reporters, wolfish and ravening, tried to push their way through to her, but Teddy and Stephen saw them off. A fourth persisted. It was Nellie Bly.

"I need to talk to her, Teddy," Fiona heard her say. "Not as a reporter, as friend."

"It's all right, Teddy," Fiona said. He let her by.

Nellie sat down next to her and leaned in close so no one could hear their conversation. "Fiona, what are you doing?" she asked quietly. "Will loves you, I know he does. I knew it before he did. I saw him mooning over you one night in the Union Club, though he wouldn't admit it. I've seen you together, seen how he looks at you. Why would you hurt him like this?"

"Because they're going to kill Nick if I don't."

"Fiona, this is America. They're not going to kill him. He'll do a bit of time. At worst he'll be deported "

Fiona cut her off. "Do a bit of time?" she said angrily. "Like breaking rocks with a pickax he can't even lift? Or trudging along in a chain gang until he collapses?" The very thought of Nick chained and forced into hard labor made her sick with fear. "He has a weak heart, Nellie," she said, choking back a sob. "He can barely lift one of his paintings, never mind a shovelful of dirt ... or ... or a barrow filled with rocks. He wouldn't last a week ... " Her voice faltered, then broke. Tears coursed down her face. It was too much for her. Nearly losing Nick. And now losing Will for sure.

''I'm sorry, Fiona. I didn't know. Christ, what a choice to have to make ... ssshhh, I'm so sorry ... " Nellie comforted her, and when Fiona had herself under control again, she straightened and looked at the judge. "G.o.dd.a.m.n you, Eames, you son of a b.i.t.c.h! " she shouted.

Eames had been speaking to a prisoner; he stopped. Color flooded his face. "What did you say?" he asked.

"You heard me! Is this an arraignment or the Spanish Inquisition?"

"How dare you "

''I'll tell you what it is-it's a travesty! Forcing someone into marriage like this. You know it, and so does everyone in this courtroom!"

"That's enough!" Eames thundered, getting to his feet. "I'll thank you to show due respect to my office, if not myself, when you address me in my courtroom!" he shouted. "Bailiff! Remove Miss Bly and all press from the courtroom. This instant!"

The court was cleared. Order was finally restored and Eames was able to get on with the business of processing the arrested men. Fiona, with Teddy's help, was able to exit the courthouse via the back entrance, thus avoiding the reporters on her way uptown to get her and Nick's doc.u.ments.

He tried to dissuade her. What Eames had done was illegal, he said, the man had no right to demand or enforce such a condition. He and Stephen would sort it out, he promised. It would only take a few days. A week.

Fiona, one arm held out to flag down a hackney, turned to him. "A week? You want me to leave him in the Tombs for a week? Did you see his face? G.o.d knows if that's all they've done to him." A cab slowed and she ran for it. "I'll be back in two hours," she called. "Stay with him. Stop him from doing anything stupid."

"It's too late for him," Teddy sighed, as the cab pulled away. "I was trying to stop you."

"ELGIN? I thought your last name was Soames," Cameron Eames said, looking at Nick's birth certificate.

"It's Elgin. I go by my mother's name, however-Soames."

Fiona regarded Nick. This was news to her. Very shortly her last name would become Elgin, too. Or would they use Soames? She Felt a wave of dizziness wash over her. For a few seconds she thought she might faint. It wasn't surprising. She'd had no sleep, nothing to eat, and then, of course, there was this slight matter of marrying Nick.

"What is this?" Eames asked, pointing at an abbreviation before Nick's name.

"It ... um ... it stands for viscount."

Oh, what is he doing now? Fiona wondered wearily. It was far too late in the game for any more stunts. They'd tried them all already. Did he really think pretending to be royalty was going to intimidate a judge?

"Viscount?" Eames asked.

"What is a viscount, exactly?"

"A duke's eldest son."

"Your father is a duke?"

"The Sixth Duke of Winchester."

Fiona shot him a dirty look. "Stop it, you fool," she mouthed. The Duke of Winchester's son.

Really! Next he'd be telling them she was the Princess Royal.

He gave her a sheepish glance in return. At least she thought it was sheepish. It was hard to tell with one of his eyes swollen. He looked better than he had, though. The judge had allowed him to wash his face. He'd also smoothed his hair back and changed into the fresh clothes she'd brought.

He looked presentable. Like a young man of good standing at least, and not a criminal.

Fiona had managed to change her clothes too. She'd sneaked into Michael's flat unnoticed.

Luckily Mary had gone out somewhere with the children. In her room, she'd torn off her crumpled things and put on a white lace blouse and a turquoise sateen suit. Then she'd quickly combed her hair and s.n.a.t.c.hed a hat from her closet. As she was digging in a drawer for her birth certificate, she came across her parents' wedding rings and stuffed them into her pocket. She'd had a scare as she was on her way out. Just as she'd stepped into the parlor, the front door opened and Michael came in. She ducked back inside her room just as he came down the hallway toward the loo. She couldn't let him know what she was doing. If he found out, he'd try to prevent it. She'd crept out while he was still in the bathroom, then ran to Seventh Avenue, where she'd been able to get a cab to Gramercy Park. It had taken some searching to locate the little leather portfolio Nick kept his papers in, but she'd finally found it under his bed. She'd s.n.a.t.c.hed a fresh shirt and jacket from his closet, and then dashed back to the courthouse. If Peter Hylton and his Crew wanted pictures they would have them, but not of her and Nick looking dirty and disheveled. At the very least, they would wear clean clothes on their wedding day.