Джеффри Арчер - The Prodigal Daughter

‘Father, that was unworthy of you. Florentyna has never put the slightest pressure on me from the moment we met. On the contrary.’ Richard turned to his mother. ‘Won’t you both meet her and then you’ll understand how it came about?’

Kate was going to reply when Richard’s father shouted, ‘No. Never,’ and turning to his wife, he asked her to leave them alone. As she left, Richard could see that she was weeping.

‘Now listen to me, Richard. If you marry the Rosnovski girl I will cut you off without a penny.’

‘You suffer like generations of our family, Father, from imagining money can buy everything. Your son is not for sale.’

‘But you could marry Mary Bigelow — such a respectable girl, and from our own background.’

Richard laughed. ‘Someone as wonderful as Florentyna couldn’t be replaced by a suitable Brahmin family friend.’

‘Don’t you mention our backgrounds in the same breath as that stupid Polack.’

‘Father, I never thought I would have to listen to such pathetic prejudice from a normally sober person.’

William Kane took a pace toward his son. Richard never flinched. His father stopped in his tracks. ‘Get out,’ he said. ‘You’re no longer a member of my family. Never...’

Richard left the room. As he walked across the hall he became aware that his mother was leaning hunched against the banister. He went to her and took her in his arms. She whispered, ‘I’ll always love you,’ and released him when she heard her husband come into the hall.

Richard closed the front door gently behind him. He was back on Sixty-eighth Street. His only thought was how Florentyna had managed to face her own encounter. He hailed a cab and without looking back directed it to Florentyna’s apartment.

He had never felt so free in his life.

When he reached Fifty-seventh Street he asked the doorman if Florentyna had returned. She hadn’t, so he waited under the canopy, beginning to fear she might not have been able to get away. He was deep in thought and didn’t notice when another cab came to a halt at the curb and the frail figure of Florentyna stepped out. She was holding a tissue to a bleeding lip. She rushed toward him and they quickly went upstairs to the privacy of the apartment.

‘I love you, Richard’ were her first words.

‘I love you, too,’ said Richard, and took her in his arms, holding her tightly as if it would solve their problems.

Florentyna didn’t let go of Richard as he spoke.

‘He threatened to cut me off without a penny if I married you,’ he told her. ‘When will they understand we don’t care a damn about their money? I tried appealing to my mother for support, but even she couldn’t control my father’s temper. He insisted that she leave the room. I’ve never seen him treat my mother that way before. She was weeping, which only made my resolve stronger. I left him in midsentence. God knows, I hope he doesn’t take it out on Virginia and Lucy. What happened when you told your father?’

‘He hit me,’ said Florentyna very quietly. ‘For the first time in my life. I think he’ll kill you if he finds us together. Richard darling, we must get out of here before he discovers where we are, and he’s bound to try the apartment first. I’m so frightened.’

‘No need for you to be frightened. We’ll leave tonight and go as far away as possible and to hell with them both.’

‘How quickly can you pack?’ asked Florentyna.

‘I can’t,’ said Richard. ‘I can never return home now. You pack your things and then we’ll go. I’ve got about a hundred dollars with me and my cello, which is still in the bedroom. How do you feel about marrying a hundred-dollar man?’

‘As much as a salesgirl can hope for, I suppose — and to think I dreamed of being a kept woman. Next you’ll be wanting a dowry.’ Florentyna rummaged in her bag. ‘Well, I’ve got two hundred and twelve dollars and an American Express card. You owe me fifty-six dollars, Richard Kane, but I’ll consider repayment at a dollar a year.’

‘I think I like the idea of a dowry better,’ said Richard.

In thirty minutes Florentyna was packed. Then she sat down at her desk, scrawled a note to her father explaining she would never be willing to see him again unless he would accept Richard. She left the envelope on the table by the side of her bed.

Richard hailed a cab. ‘Idlewild,’ he said after placing Florentyna’s three suitcases and his cello in the trunk.

Once they had reached the airport Florentyna made a phone call. She was relieved when it was answered. When she told Richard the news, he reserved a flight.

The American Airlines Super Constellation 1049 taxied out onto the runway to start its seven-hour flight.

Richard helped Florentyna with her seat belt. She smiled at him.

‘Do you know how much I love you, Mr. Kane?’

‘Yes, I think so — Mrs. Kane,’ he replied.

‘You’ll live to regret your actions tonight.’

He didn’t reply immediately, but just sat motionless, staring in front of him. Then all he said was ‘You will never contact him again.’

She left the room without replying.

He sat alone in a crimson leather chair; time was suspended. He didn’t hear the phone ring several times. The butler knocked quietly on the door and entered the room.

‘A Mr. Abel Rosnovski on the line, sir. Are you in?’

William Kane felt a sharp pain in the pit of his stomach. He knew he had to take the call. He rose from his chair and only by a supreme effort stopped himself from collapsing back into it. He walked over to the phone and picked it up.

‘William Kane speaking.’

‘This is Abel Rosnovski.’

‘Indeed, and when exactly did you think of setting up your daughter with my son? At the time, no doubt, when you failed so conspicuously to cause the downfall of my bank.’

‘Don’t be such a damn...’ Abel checked himself before continuing. ‘I want this marriage stopped every bit as much as you do. I never tried to take away your son. I only learned of his existence today. I love my daughter even more than I hate you and I don’t want to lose her. Can’t we get together and work something out between us?’

‘No,’ said William Kane.

‘What’s the good of raking over the past now, Kane? If you know where they are, perhaps we can stop them. That’s what you want too. Or are you so goddamn proud that you’ll stand by and watch your son marry my girl rather than help?’

William Kane hung up the phone and walked back to the leather chair.

The butler returned. ‘Dinner is served, sir.’

‘No dinner, and I’m not at home.’

‘Yes, sir,’ said the butler, and left the room.

William Kane sat alone. No one disturbed him until eight o’clock the next morning.

When flight 1049 landed at San Francisco’s International Airport, Florentyna hoped it hadn’t been too short notice. Richard had hardly placed a foot on the tarmac when he saw a massive woman charge toward them and throw her arms around Florentyna. Florentyna still couldn’t get her arms around Bella.

‘You don’t give a girl much time, do you? Calling just as you’re boarding the plane.’

‘I’m sorry, Bella, I didn’t know until—’

‘Don’t be silly. Claude and I had been grumbling that we didn’t have anything to do this evening.’

Florentyna laughed and introduced the two of them to Richard.

‘Is that all the luggage you have?’ queried Bella, staring down at the three suitcases and the cello.

‘We had to leave in rather a hurry,’ explained Florentyna.

‘Well, there’s always been a home for you here,’ said Bella, immediately picking up two of the suitcases.