Chapter 6 - The Price of a Prescott Wedding
Robert Prescott was waiting in the club's private library when we arrived.
He stood beside the fireplace, holding a glass of bourbon despite the fact that it was barely past noon.
Vivian sat on a leather sofa with one ankle crossed over the other.
Her pale blue dress was spotless.
Her lipstick was perfect.
If I hadn't seen the security footage, I might have believed she'd spent the morning arranging flowers.
Robert smiled when we entered.
"There they are."
He looked at Spencer.
"My boy."
Spencer didn't return the smile.
"Where's my aunt?"
Robert frowned.
"What?"
"Constance."
"Oh, Connie."
He shrugged.
"Probably getting ready."
"She's with Mom," Spencer said.
Robert's smile faded slightly.
Then his eyes moved to me.
"Erin."
I stood beside Spencer.
My hair was half pinned.
I wore a plain robe over my slip.
There were still traces of brown dirt beneath my fingernails.
I had never looked less like the bride Robert expected to see at a Prescott wedding.
He glanced at my hands.
"Rough morning?"
I felt Spencer tense beside me.
I answered calmly.
"You already know that."
Vivian shifted on the sofa.
Robert set down his glass.
"Let's not start with accusations."
"Then let's start with the video," Spencer said.
Robert looked at him.
"What video?"
Spencer placed his phone on the table.
"Vivian entering Erin's suite."
Vivian laughed.
"Oh, for heaven's sake."
I looked at her.
"Did you destroy my uniform?"
She lifted her chin.
"I was trying to help."
"By rubbing coffee grounds and garden dirt into it?"
Her smile disappeared.
Robert stepped forward.
"Now, Erin."
I looked at him.
He continued.
"We all know weddings are emotional occasions."
I almost smiled.
Constance had used nearly the same words.
Apparently, dismissing women as emotional was a family tradition.
Spencer took a step toward his uncle.
"Answer the question."
Robert frowned.
"I don't appreciate your tone."
"And I don't appreciate what happened to Erin."
Vivian unfolded her legs.
"Spencer, don't be dramatic."
He turned toward her.
"Did you touch her uniform?"
Vivian looked at Robert.
He gave the slightest shake of his head.
I saw it.
So did Dana, who stood near the door.
Vivian sighed.
"Fine."
She rose.
"Yes."
My pulse jumped.
"I moved it."
Spencer stared.
"Why?"
"Because Aunt Connie was upset."
She glanced toward me.
"Your bride was insisting on wearing military clothing in a church."
My jaw tightened.
She continued.
"Uncle Robert asked me to make sure the matter was resolved."
Spencer looked at his uncle.
Robert shrugged.
"Your mother was distressed."
"And your solution was to destroy Erin's uniform?"
"Don't be ridiculous."
Robert's voice hardened.
"Nobody intended to destroy anything."
I stepped forward.
"Then explain the dirt."
Vivian looked away.
I waited.
"Explain the coffee grounds."
Silence.
"Explain the note."
Her jaw tightened.
Robert sighed.
"You're making a family disagreement unnecessarily public."
I stared at him.
"My father was buried eight months ago."
Nobody spoke.
"He asked me to wear that uniform."
I looked at Vivian.
"You knew that."
She looked at the floor.
"You were at the engagement dinner when I told everyone."
I turned toward Robert.
"And you were sitting three seats away."
He picked up his drink.
"Erin, I sympathize with your loss."
"No."
My voice was sharper than I expected.
"You don't."
He blinked.
"Excuse me?"
"You don't get to say you sympathize with my loss while standing beside the woman who threw his photograph in the trash."
Vivian flushed.
Robert's expression darkened.
"Mind your language."
I looked him straight in the eye.
"My language is the least important thing happening in this room."
For a second, I thought he might shout.
Instead, he smiled.
It was a colder smile than I had ever seen from him.
"Well."
He set down the glass.
"Perhaps it's time we had an adult conversation."
Spencer folded his arms.
"Go ahead."
Robert walked behind the large mahogany desk.
He opened a leather portfolio.
Inside lay several sheets of paper.
"I've spent thirty years protecting this family."
He looked at Spencer.
"After your father died, I kept his business interests functioning."
Spencer nodded impatiently.
"I know."
"I handled the estate."
"I know."
"I made sure you had every opportunity."
Spencer's expression hardened.
"What's your point?"
Robert looked at me.
"My point is that marrying into the Prescott family carries responsibilities."
I said nothing.
He continued.
"Some of those responsibilities require judgment."
Vivian crossed her arms.
"And discretion."
I looked at her.
"Is that what you call destroying my uniform?"
Robert slammed his palm onto the desk.
"Enough."
The sound made Vivian jump.
I didn't move.
He took a breath.
Then he looked at Spencer.
"I think this wedding should be postponed."
Spencer stared.
"What?"
"For everyone's sake."
"No."
Robert raised his eyebrows.
"Excuse me?"
Spencer moved closer to the desk.
"I'm not postponing my wedding because you don't approve of Erin."
Robert smiled thinly.
"Then you should understand the consequences."
He lifted a document.
"The event contract is in my name."
Julian had already told us that.
Robert continued.
"The club's governing board has long-standing relationships with our family."
Spencer's jaw tightened.
"And the reception expenses were advanced through the family account."
I frowned.
"What expenses?"
Robert ignored me.
He looked at Spencer.
"If you proceed today against my advice, those arrangements may no longer be available."
Spencer stared at him.
"You're threatening to cancel our wedding."
"I'm encouraging you to reconsider."
"By threatening to cancel it."
Robert shrugged.
"Call it whatever you like."
For several seconds, nobody spoke.
Then Spencer reached into his pocket and removed his wallet.
He took out a credit card.
"Fine."
Robert frowned.
"What?"
"Give me the bill."
My heart skipped.
Spencer looked at him.
"Whatever the remaining amount is, I'll pay it."
Robert laughed.
"You have no idea what you're talking about."
Spencer didn't blink.
"Try me."
"You're going to embarrass this family in front of a hundred and eighty guests?"
"No."
Spencer's voice was steady.
"I'm going to marry Erin."
He looked at his uncle.
"And if we have to do it in a courthouse with two witnesses, we will."
The words should have thrilled me.
Instead, they made me feel strangely hollow.
Because Spencer was finally defending me.
But he was talking as though the wedding still belonged to us both.
And I wasn't sure I wanted to marry him that afternoon.
Not after everything that had happened.
I reached for his hand.
"Spencer."
He turned.
I could see the hope in his face.
"Erin?"
I swallowed.
"I need us to stop."
His expression changed.
"What?"
"Not forever."
I looked at Robert.
"Not because of him."
Then I looked back at Spencer.
"But I can't decide whether to get married while your family is threatening me and my uniform is sitting in an evidence bag."
Spencer went very still.
I squeezed his hand.
"I love you."
His eyes filled.
"But I need to know whether loving you means fighting your family for the rest of my life."
The room was silent.
Then Robert spoke.
"Well."
His voice dripped with satisfaction.
"Perhaps we're finally getting somewhere."
Spencer turned so quickly that Robert actually stepped back.
"Don't."
Robert blinked.
"Spencer."
"Don't say another word."
For the first time, I saw something stronger than frustration on Spencer's face.
I saw the beginning of independence.
He looked at me.
Then he nodded.
"Okay."
His voice broke.
"Whatever you need."
I felt tears sting my eyes.
"Thank you."
Robert looked irritated.
"Then it's settled."
"No," Spencer said.
His uncle frowned.
"What?"
"The wedding is paused."
Spencer stepped toward the desk.
"But you don't get to take credit for that."
He pointed toward Vivian.
"And you're not leaving until we finish discussing what you did."
Vivian's face drained.
Robert laughed.
"Finish discussing what?"
Spencer picked up the phone.
"The destruction of Erin's property."
Robert's smile disappeared.
"And the fact that both of you seem to think you can control people's lives because you control a bank account."
He called Julian.
Asked him to preserve the room.
Then requested that the security officers return.
Robert stared at him.
"You're involving security in a family matter?"
Spencer looked at his uncle.
"No."
His voice was quiet.
"I'm involving security because you apparently think being family means you can do whatever you want."
Before Robert could respond, Vivian abruptly stood.
"I'm done with this."
She grabbed her purse.
"I'm not staying here to be insulted."
Dana moved toward the door.
"Nobody's stopping you from leaving."
Vivian glared.
"Then move."
Dana stepped aside.
Vivian walked toward the hallway.
But just before she reached the door, Robert spoke.
"Vivian."
She stopped.
He looked at her sharply.
"Remember what we discussed."
Something passed between them.
Fear.
Not affection.
Not ordinary family loyalty.
Fear.
Vivian nodded.
Then she left.
I watched Robert's face.
He was no longer smiling.
And as he gathered his papers, I noticed the top page in his portfolio.
A letterhead.
Dark blue lettering.
The Walter Prescott Veterans Education Fund.
I recognized the name.
Spencer's late father had established a scholarship program for veterans and military families.
The foundation hosted a fundraising dinner every autumn.
Constance attended every year.
Robert chaired the scholarship committee.
I had once applied to volunteer.
Vivian had politely declined my offer.
Now the letterhead sat on Robert's desk, beneath a page marked Restricted Disbursements.
I looked at Dana.
May you like
Then at Robert.
And I realized the conversation might not be about a wedding anymore.
