Independence & Consequences, M J Marlow [read out loud books .txt] 📗

love him.” “You’re just a child!” Simon laughed. “What can you know about love?” He cupped her cheek in his hand. “I have watched you grow up, Isabel. Seen you turn into a glorious young woman, a gifted dancer. You will be chained to this place, unable to travel. You’re too young to be robbed of such opportunity.” “Rafael would never stand in my way,” Isabel frowned at him. “And when the babies come, Isabel?” Simon pushed at her. “Will you pack them up and take them with you?” “You’re confusing me,” she exclaimed. “It is my life, Simon. I will not let anyone, even you, talk me out of it.” “Talk to her, Delphine!” Simon snapped as the co-owner of the dance company came into the room. “Tell her what it’s like trying to juggle a marriage and a career as a dancer.” “I wouldn’t know, Simon,” Delphine replied, “I didn’t choose either.” Simon threw up his hands and stormed off. Delphine watched him go, frowning. She closed the door and turned to Isabel. “What was all that about?” “He thinks I’m too young to give up a career for the man I love,” Isabel told her. “He’s starting to frighten me.” “He always get like this before a performance,” Delphine told her, hiding her worry. “This one especially.” “Why this one especially?” “Because we have the Governor, the Mayor of Baltimore, and several other high-ranking officials and their spouses coming,” Delphine replied. “As well as the entire Council and their family members.” She saw the shock on Isabel’s face. “Ricardo and I are getting married two days later. They all want to be there.” She looked at her watch. “We’re going to be late for our fittings.” Simon watched them leave, his eyes narrowed in anger. He couldn’t let Isabel do this to herself. She would be throwing away a brilliant career to be a housewife! His Isabel deserved better than that! The world needed to see the goddess dance. He started to make a plan. Unaware of the mounting danger, Isabel and Delphine entered Alexa’s and Isabel sat back to watch as bridesmaids and maid of honor were fit in their gowns, silk gowns in colors and cuts that complemented their coloring. They sat back to watch as Delphine’s mother come out wearing an ivory gown with a matching jacket. Then it was Delphine’s turn. After the fittings, they went to the Italian restaurant down the street and went into the private room in back for what was supposed to be Ricardo and Delphine’s dinner with their families. Instead, Isabel was introduced to Sebastian’s parents, and brothers, and uncles, aunts, and cousins. The room was filled with laughter and Isabel had never been happier. There had been no engagement party for her and Rafael, so this party had been pulled together to change that little oversight. She was given family heirlooms as gifts; especially touched by the jewelry that had been kept in storage from the 1770s waiting for a daughter to marry. According to Sebastian, she was the first ‘daughter’ in his family. “But I’m not really your daughter,” she protested through tears of happiness. “I’m only your step-daughter.” “Ah, si,” Sebastian nodded as he kissed her cheek. “You notice however that you are still a ‘daughter.’ Does the degree matter?” He looked into her eyes and knew what it was about. This poor child didn’t know what it was like to have what they all took for granted. “I have only known you for a short time, hija, but in that time,” he continued as he cupped her chin in his hand so that she was looking at him, “I have seen you face trial after trial with a grace lacking in women of far more maturity. You have had people tell you what to do all of your life but it has not made you docile, only determined. I could not be prouder of you if you were my daughter by blood instead of marriage.” He was shocked when she burst into tears at his speech. He pulled her into his arms and held her. “You have family now, hija. You are not alone any longer.” “It’s been a long day,” Liza said as she met his eyes over Isabel’s head. “I think we should get our child home, Sebastian. She has a busy day tomorrow.” Sebastian nodded and helped Isabel to her feet. He watched closely as Rafael came to say goodbye. There was love there, he noted with relief. Being told that you had to marry someone because it was ‘law and tradition’ would anger anyone. Ricardo had told him how it had been between this pair. Alejandra had caused all of the trouble between them. He was glad that Ricardo had gotten to the girl first. He wouldn’t have gone the reeducation route. The little bitch would have gone straight to the Council. After everything that had been done to Isabel, it was the least he would have done. * Everything had gone smoothly that day and Isabel was in her dressing room finishing the makeup for her role. She wouldn’t let herself be scared; it was a waste of energy. She would need all of her energy to get through the ballet. Besides, once she got going, she would lose herself in the dancing. Nothing else would exist until it was all over. She looked up as someone knocked on the door and Emilio went to answer it. Simon gave her the fifteen-minute call, looking very uneasy. When he left, she looked at her guardians, Emilio and Guillermo. They were going to remain with her when her parents went home to San Matteo. “He’s up to something,” Emilio stated. “Guillermo and I will take turns keeping an eye on Mr. Tremont.” He nodded to her and went out. “We may not always show it, Senora Alvarez,” Guillermo said to her as she looked worried, “but we are loyal to you. We will do what we must to keep you safe.” He looked at his watch. “You have ten minutes,” he smiled and nodded towards the mirror, “Should you not be doing up the other eye?” When she was done, he escorted her to the upstage wing and waited with her. “Emilio will be at your exit point.” Isabel nodded and let herself forget everything but the dance. It was obvious that she had sufficient protection. At the end of the first act, she went to her dressing room where her parents were waiting. The guards were waiting in the hall. Liza embraced her and Sebastian kissed her on the forehead and nodded proudly. There was a knock on the door and Rafael and Ricardo came in with Delphine Swan, followed by Gordon Talbot and Tabitha Evans. She let them chat while she repaired her makeup and changed for the second act. “David is sorry he couldn’t be here, Isabel,” Tabitha said as she held out a card and a jewelry box. “He sent this.” “To my Clara,” Isabel read. She opened the box and there was a necklace with a pendant of two ballet dancers in a position from the end of the Nutcracker in gold for the male and silver for the female. “P.S. My students and I will be watching you. I have told them everything about my first and best student and they don’t believe me. Always your biggest fan, David Evans.” Isabel dabbed at her eyes and bit her lip. “He would make me cry during a performance.” “Isabel,” Simon called as he stuck in his head and tried to hide his frown at seeing so may people in the room, “fifteen minutes.” “Thank you, Simon,” Isabel nodded. She finished her water and repaired her makeup. Her family bid her goodbye and filed out. She was left with Emilio, as the others took their spots in the wings. “If I bet you there weren’t men prowling in the catwalks…” “You would lose, senorita,” Emilio replied. He checked his watch and nodded. “We should go.” The second act went wonderfully. Isabel went to her dressing room and wondered where her men were. They usually beat her to the door. She went inside and Simon was waiting there for her. He settled down on the couch and watched her remove her makeup. He didn’t say a word as she took a shower and changed into the dress she would wear to the reception. But when she started towards the door, he got up and locked it. He set her down on the couch, cupping her chin in his hand. “Why are you doing this?” Isabel demanded. “I need time to convince you to abandon this arranged marriage,” Simon told her, “and pursue a career.” “We’ve had this conversation, Simon,” Isabel cried. “I am not going to change my mind, so you might as well let me…” “I am going to take you with me to Reno,” Simon told her. “You are going to divorce that man!” “I am not going to go anywhere with you!” Isabel screamed. “I have a drug in here that will help.” He found it and found a syringe and clean needle. “You’ll be flying so high, you won’t mind what I am doing.” “Won’t mind?” Isabel snapped. “You’re abducting me, Simon!” “It’s for your own good, goddess!” Simon frowned. “You’ll thank me for this one day.” There was a loud pounding sound and he set the needle aside and went to check it out. He was pushed aside by her parents and family as they came in to congratulate her. Isabel watched Simon slip away, worried that he was not going to stop. She put him out of her mind and snuggled into her husband’s arms. They went to the reception for an hour and Isabel stayed with some member of her family so she was not left alone with Simon. The happy couple slipped out after performing all the token duties and were finally alone in the home, sharing a drink. “This is real, isn’t it?” Isabel asked as she gazed into her husband’s eyes. “I’m not going to wake up and be back with Olivia?” “I do not want to talk about that woman,” Rafael frowned at her. “The world is ours alone, querida. The past can not touch us; the present,” he smiled as he raised her hand and kissed her palm, “is sheer happiness; and the future is now written.” He saw her puzzled look. “At least 50 years?” He smiled as she nodded with a happy smile. “I am looking forward to some peace now, querida,” he said as he put his arm around her. “Our courtship has been much too exciting.” “I don’t think the excitement is over yet,” Isabel said as she remembered the threat. She saw his look and knew she had to continue. “Simon came into my dressing room after the ballet was over. He told me he was going to make me divorce you.” “Why would he do such a thing?” Rafael asked, puzzled at the man’s behavior. “I would never keep you from dancing. At least,” he continued as he took the glass from her hand and set it on the coffee table, “not until we were having a child.” He kissed her gently and she pulled him down with her. “A simple ‘thank you’ would suffice, my love.” “Are you saying you don’t want me, querido?” Isabel laughed. She tried to push him off and he held her down. “Little minx!” Rafael laughed. “You know how much I want you!” “Prove it!” Rafael pulled her up off the couch and took her to their bedroom. He showed her exactly how much he wanted her for some time afterwards. Isabel was on the way to join Rafael in the shower when his beeper went off. He came to answer it, smiling as she put her arms around him and laid her cheek