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| ISBN-13: | 9781491834169 |
|---|---|
| Publisher: | AuthorHouse |
| Publication date: | 11/13/2013 |
| Pages: | 472 |
| Product dimensions: | 6.00(w) x 9.00(h) x 1.05(d) |
Read an Excerpt
Quicksand: A Family Foundation
Book One
By VICTORIA THOMAS
AuthorHouse LCC
Copyright © 2014 Victoria ThomasAll rights reserved.
ISBN: 978-1-4918-3416-9
CHAPTER 1
Lilian Catherine
On July 8, 1894, Lillian Catherine was born in Newport, Wales, to Edward Albert Watkins, a steelworker, and Jayne Watkins, a housewife. There were three older siblings already occupying the tiny house on Corporation Road. Lillian wasn't the last baby either; four more arrived, each within a year of one another. Although the house was spotless, it was small and cramped. There were two bedrooms, one for her parents and the newest baby and one for the boys; the three girls slept in an alcove on the settee in the combination kitchen and parlor. From the very beginning, Lillian felt she was better than her brothers and sisters and much classier than her working-class parents. Growing up, she hated her duties of helping with the babies, washing nappies, giving baths, and feeding them bottles. She knew she was above the mundane drudgery of living on Corporation Road.
She was an avid reader and was spellbound by the books in the library. Lillian lost herself for hours engrossed in the romantic novels she read and the nonfiction books about different cities and countries outside of Newport. Jayne, her mother, had no patience when it came to her daughter's fantasies, haughty attitude, and aloof interaction with the family. In fact, she discouraged Lillian from having expectations outside her station in life. She wanted her daughter to marry, have children, and live quietly in her hometown forever. Lillian secretly tucked her aspirations away in her mind until the right opportunity presented itself, and she was certain it would.
As she grew and matured, her beauty was breathtaking. When she, her mother, and the children who were old enough went to town market, the stares from both women and men alarmed Jayne. She didn't want Lillian to realize her stunning good looks and become conceited and manipulative. It infuriated Jayne when the young boys and men who should know better whistled and made lewd remarks. Lillian acted properly indignant, but instinctively she put their actions into her private place that held her secret ambition.
Lillian's wit and charm were characteristics that mostly came naturally, but she honed all aspects of these qualities for future use. She went to school until age thirteen, did the chores she was assigned around the house, and studied all she could from the books in the library. On the outside she was beautiful, with milky skin, long brunette hair that brushed the top of her slim waist, and penetrating blue eyes that riveted anyone who talked to her. Her body was feminine and seductive. Although on her father's meager wages she could not afford fashionable clothes, she was clever enough to take old dresses from her younger sisters, cut them up, and remake them into modern attire popular in the early 1900s. What she didn't realize was she could have worn tattered rags; women would still be jealous and men would still desire her.
On the inside, there was an insecurity she fought throughout her life. Whether it was caused by poverty, fear of failure, class distinction, or something else, no one ever knew. To cover the insecurities, Lillian put on airs of upper-class royalty, but the quest for true happiness was elusive.
By 1910 at the age of 16, Lillian wanted out—out of the house, out of her lifestyle, out of her obligations and into the world. The Star of Gwent, the Newport newspaper, was delivered every morning to the next-door neighbors, and even though it galled Lillian to stoop to digging in their trash bin, she did it nightly to retrieve the paper and scour the classified advertisements for work. After three weeks of rummaging through disgusting trash, she found the opportunity she was seeking. The ad read:
Hostess needed, The Chambois Restaurant. Inquiries to J. D. Head, 15 Chepstow Road, Newport, Wales.
Lillian was ecstatic; her opportunity for escape had arrived! The next day, she borrowed writing paper from a school chum who still attended the local school. Without her parents' knowledge, she answered the advertisement with precision and convincing sincerity. Her response stated:
Dear Mr. Head, I am the perfect young lady for the hostess position advertised in the Newport paper 1 November 1910. I am well-educated, excellent with people, kind, but most importantly intelligent. I have been told I have a sweet smile that makes people happy. I would appreciate an interview at your convenience. Thank you in advance for the opportunity to meet with you. Sincerely, Lillian Catherine Watkins, 28 Corporation Road, Newport, Wales.
When Joseph Head's secretary of business affairs opened the letter from a woman in the Pill district of Newport, he almost tossed it in the trash bin, but he read it again and thought what a pretentious response. He put it on the stack of replies that poured in and promptly forgot about it. He would give Mr. Head the pile the following day when the entrepreneur had a quiet moment to review the inquiries. Certainly Jacques's employer was a busy man with all of his business holdings in the United Kingdom and abroad. He felt extremely lucky Mr. Head brought him from France to attend to his daily business procedures in England. He assisted Mr. Head by meeting with him each morning and receiving his assignments, which included setting appointments, returning correspondence, screening persons who appeared unannounced, and any other task deemed appropriate by his boss. It sometimes irked Jacques that he wasn't given more leeway in mundane decisions like hiring a hostess for the Chambois, but Joseph Head controlled his businesses and personnel with a firm grip. He would never employ anyone, whether a dishwasher, dustman, chimney sweep, chef, maitre d', even prominent investors, without personally interviewing him or her. He prided himself on his knack for summing up a person's character through an interview. His intuition was almost flawless. Rarely did someone slip through who was dishonest or unreliable. If someone in his business holdings proved disloyal or inadequate, he immediately sacked him or her without discussion.
Jacques began the dreary November day with his employer performing their daily routine. Joseph occupied a plush office suite above the restaurant where he conducted his affairs for his United Kingdom businesses. The two men were served coffee and biscuits by one of the waitresses from the Chambois. She brought the morning coffee at nine o'clock sharp each weekday. If Joseph needed anything else from the restaurant, he rang a bell that echoed into the kitchen through a dumbwaiter-type contraption hidden in the wall. The first thing on the list that particular day was the vacant hostess position for the restaurant. Jacques sat across the mahogany table from Joseph with a stack of applications in front of him.
"Mr. Head, there are several very viable candidates for the position who would meet our needs nicely," Jacques stated. He continued, "I have put them in order from my best judgment, best first, least impressive last."
"All right," Joseph replied. "Hopefully we can set interviews and get the position filled. It's been tedious since Sally walked out last month when her morning sickness became evening sickness. You think at the age of twenty-five she would have been careful not to get in that predicament. Well, it's done. I am moving forward with the Chambois as first priority."
"Understood, sir." Jacques was confused. What did that statement mean? He had to move forward; was it his child? Sally wasn't married, and his employer had a reputation as a lady's man in both England and France, especially France, where he was extremely well-known. Well, he'd dig around and find out about that situation once he had a free moment. Jacques pushed the stack over to Joseph while he quietly drank his rich imported coffee and munched on an array of delicious biscuits as his employer perused the job inquiries.
Joseph was shuffling through the stack rather quickly. Several inquiries looked very promising. He set two aside. He reached the last one from a Lillian Catherine Watkins. As he read her letter, he burst out laughing.
"This Miss Watkins is very presumptuous, thanking me in advance for the interview. Well, I will interview her out of pure curiosity." Jacques was instructed to respond to Lillian Watkins and set the appointments up for the last week of November. Joseph had to make a quick trip to France to attend to a problem at the European toy manufacturer's business he and his brother Henry owned. He had a dual purpose in crossing the channel, business and pleasure. He wanted to spend time in female company. An appreciative French woman was much more enticing than a hundred British prudes. Crossing the channel was also a plus. The sea air, although cold and wet this time of year, helped him relax, which he rarely did what with his businesses and after-hours entertainment. He literally loved being in the company of women; he just didn't want to marry one. He was named after his father, and in many ways, he was like him. His father remained a bachelor well into his thirties. Joseph was thiry-two. A frown crossed Joseph's forehead; was he truly like his father?
CHAPTER 2A Clandestine Meeting
Joseph's parents married in 1877 in England. His father was a British officer in the navy, and his mother, Emma, was a French girl who worked as a designer in a toy manufacturing business. It was extremely unusual for a woman to hold such a position in the 1800s, but her talent outweighed general protocol of the day. She took her drawings to the company owner, and he was so impressed he offered her employment instantly. She met Joseph by a total fluke. Emma's sister, Claudine, cajoled her older sister into another night out at the local dance hall. Emma accompanied Claudine for several weeks just to get out of the house after her two-year self-imposed sequestration. Emma really didn't want to go, because she had to work the following day and she put in long hours to make sure her position was solid. But to appease Claudine, she agreed to go for a couple hours only. The girls made their way through the city and arrived at La Mansion at eight o'clock. Claudine scanned the crowd to see if she could spot George, the man who currently caught her fancy. He was chatting with some other young men close to the bar. Claudine was making her way over to the group of young men when Emma lost sight of her in the crowd.
Why did she come? She had no interest in the blaring music from an awful band, and she certainly didn't want to indulge in drinking spirits on a weeknight. She felt awkward. She didn't fit in at all. There were a few seats unoccupied on the mezzanine level; she decided to sit down, put in her two hours, tell Claudine she was leaving, and then get home. Emma sat down uncomfortably and concentrated on a couple whirling and spinning on the dance floor. Behind the dancing couple, the far door opened and a group of seamen sauntered inside. The movement distracted Emma from the young couple, and she saw the blue uniforms clustered in a group. Oh dear God, she thought; now I will endure a bunch of rowdy seamen flailing around the hall. Basically coming to the dance hall made her more miserable. When young men asked her to dance, she refused so the regulars stopped asking. Most certainly she wouldn't accept a dance request from lascivious seamen.
She sat staring at her hands and twisting her linen handkerchief around and around in her lap. Emma had this same habit with her hair at home. The crowd was increasing and the dance floor was packed with groping couples. She wanted to go home more than ever, and that's exactly what she decided to do. She walked down the balcony stairs and was squeezing a path through the crowd when she felt a light tap on her shoulder. Thank God, Claudine. She turned around to stare directly into the most beautiful blue eyes she had ever seen. The man looked dazzling in his dark uniform adorned with medals and ribbons. His eyes and the uniform complemented each other like they were designed distinctly for that purpose.
"Bonsoir, mademoiselle, my name is Joseph Head, pronounced heed, like heed my warning." What a stupid introduction, Joseph rebuked himself; this captivating woman is going to think I am barbaric, a seaman with no brain. I finally have an opportunity to speak to the woman I have observed the past month, and I say something ridiculous.
He smiled and Emma melted like butter on a hot day. "Bonsoir, monsieur, I didn't quite hear what you said, as the band is so loud and the crowd so noisy."
Joseph mentally breathed a sigh of relief. He bent toward the gorgeous girl and said, "Sorry, I was introducing myself, I am ..." The pulsing of the band drowned out his words.
Emma leaned in and said loudly, "I am sorry, sir. I cannot hear you with this ruckus, and I am leaving." She took a step and Joseph cupped her elbow and began moving her toward the large doors in the front of La Mansion. Emma's heart pounded and she felt light-headed just from his touch to her elbow.
When they reached the double doors, Joseph released her elbow and pushed the doors open. Emma walked out with him slightly behind her. The night was bright, with a full moon and thousands of stars twinkling in the sky. The spring air was quite warm for a change. It was quiet. The sounds from the dance hall were muffled almost completely.
He smiled. "Now for a proper introduction, my name is Joseph Head, and yours, mademoiselle?"
Emma felt like goo was oozing out of her pores as she stared at Joseph. He was one of the most handsome men she had ever seen. She managed to get out, "Oh, monsieur, my name is Emma Bouron." I am a complete idiot, stumbling over my words and looking totally out of place.
Joseph smiled. Then he casually asked, "May I walk you to your carriage?"
Emma replied, "We didn't secure a carriage; my sister and I walked. Oh, no, my sister, I didn't tell her I was leaving."
Joseph laughed a deep throaty laugh that sent chills up and down Emma's spine, and then she radiated with heat.
"Let's go back inside the hall, find your sister, and tell her your plan to make your way home."
"It is so crowded; it will take me ages to find her."
"Please, Mademoiselle Bouron, I will help you. What is her name?"
"Claudine," Emma said quietly.
Once again, Joseph cupped her elbow and gently moved her back through the doors and into the bustling hall. They checked the mezzanine; no sight of Claudine. They circled the dance floor; no Claudine. They were working their way to the bar when Joseph bent down and whispered to her, "Wait right here. I have an idea."
(Continues...)
Excerpted from Quicksand: A Family Foundation by VICTORIA THOMAS. Copyright © 2014 Victoria Thomas. Excerpted by permission of AuthorHouse LCC.
All rights reserved. No part of this excerpt may be reproduced or reprinted without permission in writing from the publisher.
Excerpts are provided by Dial-A-Book Inc. solely for the personal use of visitors to this web site.
Table of Contents
Contents
Acknowledgments, ix,Prologue, xi,
Chapter 1 Lillian Catherine, 1,
Chapter 2 A Clandestine Meeting, 6,
Chapter 3 The Courtship, 23,
Chapter 4 The Ambassador's Spring Ball, 66,
Chapter 5 A Commodore's Career Concerns, 93,
Chapter 6 Maria's Suspicions, 96,
Chapter 7 The Telegram, 103,
Chapter 8 Damaged Goods?, 105,
Chapter 9 A Decisive Man, 112,
Chapter 10 High Tea, 116,
Chapter 11 Through Fate Stars Align, 127,
Chapter 12 Paris Invitation, 134,
Chapter 13 Rue de Sevigne, 142,
Chapter 14 British Peerage, 146,
Chapter 15 Excursions in Paris, 149,
Chapter 16 Presentation Day, 180,
Chapter 17 Adieu to Paris, 187,
Chapter 18 Nineteenth-Century World Order, 191,
Chapter 19 Impending Deployment, 196,
Chapter 20 Whitfield, 204,
Chapter 21 Formal Approval, 213,
Chapter 22 The Proposal, 216,
Chapter 23 Realizations, 233,
Chapter 24 Synchronicity, 236,
Chapter 25 An Impulsive Decision, 245,
Chapter 26 An Evening at the Darbys, 252,
Chapter 27 Revelations, 256,
Chapter 28 A Matter of Religion, 263,
Chapter 29 Deployment, 268,
Chapter 30 Edgar and Maria Concede, 272,
Chapter 31 Life at Sea and on Land, 277,
Chapter 32 Joseph Returns to Whitfield, 292,
Chapter 33 The Wedding, 301,
Chapter 34 Change of Plans, 318,
Chapter 35 Unwelcome News, 326,
Chapter 36 Military Mission, 333,
Chapter 37 Ambush, 338,
Chapter 38 Sounding the Alarm, 341,
Chapter 39 A New Heir, 348,
Chapter 40 New Beginnings, 360,
Chapter 41 Expanding the Toy Business, 366,
Chapter 42 Secrets Hidden in Newport, 374,
Chapter 43 Plundered Lives, 388,
Chapter 44 Preparations, 399,
Chapter 45 Doctor Alexander Blain, 405,
Chapter 46 Lucid Moments, 413,
Chapter 47 Life at Whitfield Becomes More Complex, 419,
Chapter 48 Damages, Desire, Destruction, 432,
Chapter 49 Illness Invades Whitfield, 441,
Chapter 50 When the Mist Lifts, 444,
Epilogue, 451,
About the Author, 453,