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Chapter 39

Posted on Thursday, 23 January 2003

"We cannot tell the precise moment when friendship is formed. As in filling a vessel drop by drop, there is at last a drop which makes it run over; so in a series of kindnesses there is at last one which makes the heart run over."
~James Boswell, "Life of Johnson"~

William Elliot stared gloomily out of Anne's office windows at trees dripping with a mid-winter thaw. His coffee had long gone cold, but he still held the mug in both hands.

'To be honest,' he said reflectively, 'I never really made a life for myself here. You...and Marilyn...were my social life.'

'Do you have friends in Boston?' Anne asked gently.

'A few. Most are in New York.' He shrugged and cast a wry smile over his shoulder. 'Perhaps I should give Elizabeth a call.'

'Are you that brave?'

He chuckled, shaking his head. 'Yes, I suppose it would take some courage. You knew that we had been involved for a while?'

'I thought so, but was never sure.'

'We were very secretive, which was much of the original attraction. Your father had strong opinions about inter-office dating. Your sister was his assistant, and I was an associate.'

'What happened?'

Will took a sip of his coffee, grimaced, and swallowed slowly. 'Cold.'

Anne smiled, taking the mug from him. 'You don't have to tell me anything, Will. Would you like more coffee?'

'No, thank you, I'm fine.' He circled her desk and sank into a chair. 'Your sister was so beautiful. Charming, sweet, intelligent...I fell hard. But it was difficult because we could not let your father know. I think it wore on her, and she eventually found someone else. I have occasionally wondered if she meant to use the other man as a decoy in front of her father, because she had seemed to ... well..." He paused. "Maybe some coffee would be nice." He said, standing to join her at the coffee pot.

Returning, he sat down and took a long sip before beginning again. "She didn't tell me about this man until I overheard her introducing him to her father at a restaurant. I cracked. Your father raked me through the coals. I was a self-righteous S.O.B., and left the firm in a very immature way. No matter what happened..." He paused. "I am still very, very ashamed of my behavior.'

She could not think of a response that would help at all. Instead, she finished filling her own coffee cup, and sank into the chair next to him.

'Would you really call Liz?'

'Not seriously.' He laughed bitterly. 'What is it with me and women I can't have? With Marilyn, I think I always knew that it would never work out, but she, too, was so...distracting." He rose from his chair and began to pace the room. "I need to find a nice, normal, single girl. Do you happen to know any?'

There was a discreet knock on Anne's open office door.

"Sorry to interrupt." Frederick said, coming to join them.

Anne rose as Frederick walked over to shake Will's hand warmly. Now that Anne was no longer a point of contention, the men were becoming friends. As she watched them, she found it unbelievable that she had ever thought William Elliot could distract her from such a man. It was a traitorous thought-for Will was a good friend, and very attractive in his own right-but...this was Frederick.

'The jet leaves in an hour.' Frederick said as he turned to Anne. He reached out to briefly squeeze one of her hands before releasing it. He never showed much affection before any of the Annapurna staff ... especially Will Elliot. 'Are you coming, Will?'

'I hadn't planned on it.'

Frederick and Anne exchanged a glance, both well aware of the reason for his hesitation.

'Our group consists of George, Lindsey, Michael, Wendy Hampton, and Adam Masters. We could use another person to even out the dinner table.'

'Robert Joules ... and Marilyn ... aren't going?'

'No. Both had prior commitments they could not get out of.' Frederick grinned. 'How much time do you need to pack? What use is a company jet if not for flexibility?'

Anne squeezed Will's hand. 'Come on, you aren't leaving for Boston for another month. Surely you can spare one weekend.'

Will sighed. 'I would love to, but...I have work to do.' After giving Anne a smile meant to reassure her that he would be fine, he left them alone.

The next evening, in a beautiful suite at the Four Seasons Hotel in Los Angeles, Anne received a telephone call.

'Anne, I'm town. Mary gave me your room number. Can you meet me for coffee?'

Not bothering to hide her surprise, Anne agreed to meet her older sister in the lobby. Frederick grinned, but refrained from commenting as she quickly explained before hurrying from the room.

Elizabeth was gazing out of the window when Anne entered. Even from the door of the café, she looked fragile.

'I am going to leave my job.' She said as soon as Anne sat down. She held her coffee cup in both hands as if it were made of an eggshell. 'I'm in California to visit Stanford. I plan to go back to finish my M.B.A. in the fall.'

Anne waived the waitress over as she sank into a chair. 'That's wonderful!'

'Kellynch, Inc. is failing, Anne. Dad is really a mess, and the president of the board called to let me know that they are considering throwing him out of the company. They are squeamish because he started it, so they still want an Elliot involved. I know how you don't like the idea, so I decided...' She shrugged, lifting her cup to her lips with a shaking hand.

'We've known about father for a while." Anne said, placing a hand on Elizabeth's arm. "I am proud of you for wanting to step in. But ... Stanford? You began your studies at-'

'Of course, I plan finish at HBS*. I could not leave Boston now. I needed an excuse to get away, though, and thought that I might as well visit Stanford, since they accepted me.' She paused as Anne's coffee arrived.

'Annie, father decided to sell Kellynch Hall to the Crofts.'

Anne's breath caught in her throat. "You are kidding."

As Elizabeth filled her in on the details, Anne sipped her tea, taking a moment to recover. She had to admit that was not really terribly surprised. There was no use in keeping a house that costly to maintain if it was rarely used. 'You really did need to get away, didn't you? Does Mary know?'

'Yes, but what could she do?' Elizabeth asked raggedly, twisting her napkin in her hands.

Anne studied her sister. This was a side of Elizabeth that she had not seen for years. 'Elizabeth, do you have plans for tomorrow night?' She asked impulsively.

'No, why?'

'Because Wendy Hampton, who was going to come to the Golden Globes with us, had something come up at the last minute. Actually, we have two open seats at our table. Would you like to come?'

Elizabeth goggled at her. 'Why are you asking me?'

'Because you are my sister, and you need something to take your mind off of...everything.'

Elizabeth actually blushed. 'Anne, I ... I haven't been...'

'Let's let bygones be bygones. I'm proud of you, and I think it's time we start acting like a family again. Will you come?'

'I would love to, but I didn't bring a dress.' Elizabeth's color had returned, along with a vestige of her usual spirit.

Anne grinned. 'Have you ever been shopping on Rodeo Drive?'

*HBS=Harvard Business School

Chapter 40

Posted on Friday, 31 January 2003

Four things come not back: the spoken word; the sped arrow; time past; the neglected opportunity.
~Omar Ibn Al-Halif, "Aphorism"~

Anne gripped Frederick's hand hard as the car went over a bump and slowly rolled to a stop.

'We're here.' She said redundantly, fighting down nerves as the driver came around to open the door.

'You'll be fine.' Frederick murmured, kissing her. 'I promise.'

And then he was out of the car and leaning back in, hand extended, to help her out.

Anne took a deep breath.

The noise and flashbulbs were overwhelming. Raising a hand to shield her eyes, she stumbled slightly as she climbed from the car. Frederick caught her under the arm. He gave her a brilliant smile and leaned over to whisper in her ear.

'Just hold my hand.'

She took a deep breath, marveling that he was so calm.

'Just keep me away from that dreadful woman who critiques everyone's gowns.'

'You have nothing to fear from her...you look incredible.'

Anne nervously smoothed a hand down the skirt of her beaded burgundy gown and glanced around. The scene was unimaginable chaos. Everywhere, people were screaming their heads off and snapping photographs. The few really famous people ahead of them were behaving badly, and Anne was certain that they were drunk. She was appalled by the utter vulgarity of the occasion.

Frederick steered her masterfully through the crowds, occasionally pausing to give a quote or a smile to the more reputable reporters. Several asked about a certain photograph taken at the Annapurna New Year's Eve party. In response, Frederick merely grinned and raised their entwined hands to reveal Anne's beautiful ring.

And then, they were finally inside the quiet lobby. Frederick lifted Anne's hand to his lips.

'You did very well, darling. I am proud of you.'

She caught her breath. 'Frederick...is this what it's going to be like?'

'No, it is not going to be like this.' He drew her into a dark corner near the stairs to the balcony. 'I am no American movie icon. I've had my share of attention lately, but it will all die down once I lose. And I will lose.' He touched her face. 'You and I...this will never get in the way.' His eyes darkened, and he slipped an arm around her waist. 'Do you have lipstick in your purse?' He asked roughly.

Anne's breath left her at his urgent tone. Yes...why?'

'Because, my darling, I need to utterly ruin what you are wearing.' He murmured, pulling her tightly to him. Anne's hands slipped into his coat and around his back as he pressed her against the wall and lowered his mouth to hers.

Elizabeth was already at the Annapurna table speaking to George Faye and Adam Masters when Anne and Frederick finally joined them. Anne supposed that Lindsey and Michael were somewhere behind in the crowd.

'Five minutes to the show, Frederick. Are you nervous?' Adam asked jovially as they took their seats.

'Not at all,' He said lightly, 'as I do not expect to win.'

'Not everyone holds that opinion, Wentworth.' George grumbled.

'I agree. I hated all of the other movies.' Will Elliot came up behind Frederick and clasped his shoulder. 'Hello, everyone. Anne, George...Elizabeth?' His eyes widened in shock as he stared at her.

'Will?' Elizabeth looked equally surprised and dismayed. She abruptly broke eye contact as Lindsey and Michael came up behind Will and greeted everyone.

Recovering himself, Will took the empty seat between the sisters. Leaning over to Anne, he whispered fiercely into her ear. 'What in hell is she doing here?'

'I thought you weren't going to come!'

'I changed my mind!'

'She was in town, and in low spirits. We had room in our party, so I invited her. She is my sister, Will.

'Fine. It has been long enough...we should be able to be adults about this.' Taking a breath, he leaned back casually in his chair and took a sip of his wine. 'So, Elizabeth, what are you doing in town?'

Anne cringed at Elizabeth's terse reply. With a sigh, she turned with the intention of speaking to Lindsey, but the show was just beginning. Immediately, her attention was fully on the man sitting next to her, and his coming moment of glory. She had been looking forward to seeing her favorite actors in person, but was utterly unable to pay attention to the show. She found herself wondering how life would change if Frederick did win. She had mixed feelings. She wanted him to win because he deserved it, and yet a big part of her hoped that he would not win so things could stay the same between them. The music, the lame jokes, and the stilted acceptance speeches flashed by without making more than a vague impression on her.

And then, at last, the moment came. Anne's heart pounded, and she clutched Frederick's hand tightly. Her eyes did not leave his face as the names were read. She was so nervous she could hardly stand it. He squeezed her hand back, but otherwise appeared perfectly calm.

"And the winner is...Gary Ling!"

Frederick's hand went slack in hers. Everyone at their table sighed, and told Frederick that he should have won. He accepted their compliments gracefully, then kissed Anne's ear.

'Look what you've done.' He said, holding his hand up. It was red where she had gripped it, and dents from her ring and fingernails were clearly visible.

'I'm sorry. I'm sorry that you lost.'

'Honestly?' He whispered. 'I'm not. It's not as if my career depended on this win. And I rather enjoy our relative privacy. But thank you.'

As the show progressed, Anne began to relax and enjoy herself. Even though Frederick had not won. Even though both Elizabeth and Will seemed determined to ignore each other.

And then it was time for the best director award. Anne had not even been aware that Thomas Hassan was nominated. When he won, everyone from Annapurna, not only those sitting at the official table, crowded onto the stage. Anne elected to stay behind with Elizabeth and Lindsey.

The stoic George Fay began to accept the posthumous award, but broke down. After an uncomfortable pause, Frederick stepped forward.

'Thomas Hassan made plays and movies that inspired us all. Those who were privileged to work with him learned a great deal. He was sometimes difficult, but always brilliant. We miss him terribly.' His glance rested on Anne and Lindsey. 'At least two of us found a fiancée or wife because of Tom, and for that we will be eternally grateful.' He cleared his throat. 'We, who loved him, are delighted to accept this award on his behalf. Thank you.'

Michael brandished the award in salute, and then the entire group shuffled off of the stage.

The ballroom was packed when they arrived. Fortunately, tables had been reserved for each production company. As they took their seats, Elizabeth leaned over to Anne.

'You didn't tell me Will Elliot was going to be here.'

'He wasn't going to be.' She whispered in return.

Elizabeth looked extremely tense. Anne waited for a response, but her sister said nothing as the men arrived with their drinks. Will glanced questioningly at Elizabeth as he set a glass of wine in front of her, but she merely gave him a cool nod of acknowledgement before returning her attention to the stage.

Once the partygoers had had a chance to settle into their groups, the music changed from ambient to that more suited for dancing.

Frederick pulled Anne into his arms, this time entirely unconcerned about who might be watching. His lips brushed her temple as they moved in circles on the floor.

'When can we marry?' He asked lazily.

'June?' Anne replied softly.

'Really?' He asked, gazing down at her intently. 'I thought you weren't ready to set a date.'

'I am now.' She murmured, melting into his arms.

After a few songs, they returned to the table to find Will and Elizabeth staring at the stage in stony silence. Both had several empty glasses in front of them. Michael and Lindsey had decided to call it a night, and Adam Masters seemed content to sit with his brandy and watch the proceedings.

Frederick gave Anne a long look, and then asked Elizabeth to dance. Anne understood Frederick's signal, and as soon as the other two were on the floor, she asked Will to dance.

'You aren't going to try anything, are you?' He asked suspiciously.

'You've made your peace, haven't you?'

'Yes, but that doesn't mean I want to dance with her.'

Anne shrugged. 'It's a party. Enjoy yourself.'

They lasted two songs before Frederick brought Elizabeth over, and in a movement as smooth as in any old movie, he switched partners. Elizabeth and Will were hardly even aware of the change until they were standing facing each other.

Will hesitantly reached out to take Elizabeth into his arms, but as soon as he touched her, she turned on her heel and ran.

Anne started to go after her sister, but Frederick stopped her. Will had already picked up the chase.

'Let them settle their differences in their own way.' He said softly, tracing his hand down her bare arm.

Anne felt goose bumps rise at his touch.

'I'll be right back.' She whispered, leaning in to kiss him. Then, she hurried from the room.

Will was holding Elizabeth's coat and staring at her back. Anne paused just outside of the door and ducked behind a post. She wanted to make sure that her sister was all right, but did not want to interrupt.

'You can't leave without this.' Will said softly, stepping towards Elizabeth.

She turned and held out her hand with an irritated look on her face.

'Elizabeth,' He began, stepping closer. 'Everything that happened back then was simply...ridiculous. I've grown past it, and I am sure that you have too. Can't we just...let bygones be bygones?'

'I still can't believe you did what you did.' She said angrily, turning away.

'Me neither.' He said, stepping around so that she was facing him. 'Elizabeth...'

'You were such a bastard.'

'I know. But you were no saint, either.' He said shortly, tossing her coat roughly over a nearby chair.

'Did you want me to get you fired?' She asked in a clipped voice.

'You didn't have to take care of it in the way you did.' He shot back through clenched teeth. 'Why didn't you talk to me about it?'

'What about this Marilyn Anne said you were seeing?'

Where did that come from? He wondered with astonishment.

'Married. Irrevocably. And, as it turns out, not what I was looking for in the first place.' His voice was thin with frustration. After a brief silence, he said angrily, 'Are you going to cast your next stone?'

Elizabeth was still silent. It was clear that she had not at all intended for that particular accusation to slip out.

'Do we really have to go through all of this, Will?' She finally said in an exasperated voice. 'It has been years.'

'Yes, it has been.' He murmured. 'Elizabeth, if you had only known...'

Elizabeth folded her arms in front of her and regarded him with a closed expression. Slowly, her irritated mask slipped, and she chewed on her lower lip as she stared at him. Finally, she held out her hand.

'Bygones.' .

Will took the last few steps between them, and slipped his hand into hers. But it was not the simple handshake he had meant it to be. His hand closed slowly around hers, then was joined by his other hand.

'Bygones...' He repeated slowly as he lifted his hand to her face.

The last thing Anne saw before turning away was Elizabeth slipping her arm around Will's neck as she stepped into his arms.

Anne and Frederick left not too long afterwards. The party turned out to be too riotous for their taste. After checking in to make sure that Will would get Elizabeth back to her hotel safely, they returned to the Four Seasons.

"I am sorry that you did not win." Anne said as they entered their suite.

"Gary can keep his award." Frederick said, tossing the key card onto a nearby table as he bent to kiss Anne. "I already have mine." He murmured as he removed her coat, and then his.

"Do you really not mind about it?" She asked as he moved his lips to her throat.

"Not in the least..."