Subj: Quentin II and Daphne -- 7
Date: 1/16/01 10:46:52 AM Central Standard Time
From: DSRules

After the christening, the family had an elaborate dinner at Collinwood. Daphne sat diagonally across the table from Quentin, pointedly ignoring him as she devoted herself to conversation with Edward, of all people.

Quentin sat, suspended between Daphne and Laura, unable to ignore either, yet unable to speak to them as well.

Finally faced with Daphne for the first time, he was desperate to ask her why she'd rebuffed him so coldly, not even doing it in person, but in a note brought by a messenger.

Equally, however, he wanted to pick Laura up and carry her to his room, and make love to her until he didn't know where he ended and she began, just like it had been the previous night.

At last, the interminable dinner was over, and the family retired to the drawing room. Quentin made a beeline for Laura, walking right past Daphne in the process.

"I've got to see you again." He whispered to her as he gave her what appeared to be a brotherly hug.

Laura gloated silently. "Why I don't know, Quentin." She said slyly. "I don't know if I'll have time, with all of the visitors for Jamison's christening."

"Make the time." He whispered intensely. "I must be with you again."

He pressed his lips to her temple with such fervor that Laura felt that the imprint of his kiss might well be glowing. "All right." She responded. "Go down to Edward's study. I'll be there in a few minutes."

* * *

As soon as she could reasonably get away, Daphne bid farewell to Edward and Judith, she was unable to find Laura, and unwilling to even think about looking for Quentin, and returned to her hotel.

"We will be seeing you again, won't we Grandmother?" Judith asked.

"No." Daphne shook her head. "I'm afraid I have to get back to Boston. So this will be good-bye. Until my next visit."

"Why don't you wait here," Judith suggested. "I'm sure that Quentin will want to say farewell to you."

Daphne didn't feel like arguing with her granddaughter. "I'll wait right here by the door. You go and get him."

Sure enough, once Judith had left, Edward found his attention drawn away by a business associate, and wandered back into the drawing room. Daphne took that opportunity to get away.

Alone for the first time since she'd gotten Quentin's message, she finally let the grief have its way with her. {How could I have been so stupid?} She asked herself. {I poured my heart out to him, and he . . . rejected me. That would have been all right, but to do it that way.}

She cast her memory back to that morning . . .

~ ~ ~

Daphne had been up all night, waiting for Quentin to come to her, or for the return of the messenger she'd sent out the previous night.

She'd put out her favorite peignoir set, one that she felt certain that Quentin would have appreciated. His name, Quentin, had started to mean, not her late husband, but him. Tad's grandson, her own step-great-grandson, with his warmth and his devil-may-care attitude.

And that night, they were going to make love for the first time. The first of many, she hoped.

She brushed out her hair and dressed in the lavender peignoir, spraying herself lightly with a cologne made from lilacs, her favorite fragrance.

And then she waited.

And waited.

And waited.

Finally, as the sun began to rise, she got cleaned up and dressed and went down to the lobby in search of the messenger she'd sent.

He was down there, behind the reception desk. "Excuse me, young man." She said in her most grandmotherly tone.

"Yes, ma'am." He gulped.

"Weren't you the one I sent out with a message for my grandson up at Collinwood?"

"Yes, ma'am." He repeated.

"Did he have any response for me?"

"Yes, ma'am." He said a third time. Just as Daphne was beginning to fear that the young man couldn't say anything else, he continued. "But what he said wasn't fit for a lady's ears."

She met his eyes, startled. "What? What did he say?"

"He, er, he . . ." The messenger paused and then got a running start. "He said that you could go to H-E-. . ." He only got this far before he began blushing furiously.

"He said what?" She crumpled backwards onto a chair.

"Are you all right?" The messenger came around to kneel by her side.

"I'm fine." Daphne choked back tears. She'd been so excited, and that anticipation came crashing back down around her, leaving nothing but melancholy in its wake.

"Mrs. Collins?" The concierge approached her then. "Your ride is here. Mrs. Collins?"

~ ~ ~

"Mrs. Collins?"

Daphne came back to the present. "Yes?"

A man in livery stood in front of her. "Your ride is here." He repeated patiently.

"Oh. I'm sorry. You must forgive an old woman." She smiled at him as he helped her into the carriage. She left Collinwood then, and didn't look back.