the box on the ring then, and was about to put it back where he’d found it but his hand stopped in mid-air.
He had no right to keep this ring shut away in a drawer when he had no intention of ever using it again himself. It could be hidden for decades if he waited to hand it on to his firstborn, Cameron.
He should give it to the next Davenport in line. Elijah.
Charles let his breath out in a sigh. He knew perfectly well how his twin felt about marriage. With his bitterness about the marriage of their parents and scepticism about its value in general, he wouldn’t want anything to do with the Davenport ring.
He couldn’t give it to Penelope, because it was traditional for it to go to a son who would be carrying on the family name. Miranda was out of the question, even if she hadn’t been another female, because of the distress that could cause to his mother, given her reluctance to absorb his half-sister into the family.
Zac. Was that his answer? The youngest Davenport male in his own generation. Okay, Zac had always had a tendency to rebel against Davenport traditions but he was making an effort now, wasn’t he? Coming back into the fold. Trying to rebuild bridges? Was it possible that could even extend to taking an interest in Dr Ella Lockwood, the daughter of family friends and the woman who everyone had once expected Zac to marry? Though he’d noticed Ella hadn’t seemed too pleased to learn that Zac was joining the team, so maybe not. But whatever happened, he hoped his youngest brother would find the happiness he deserved.
Yes. Charles slipped the ring box into his pocket. Even if Zac wasn’t ready to accept it yet, he would know that it would be waiting for him.
He’d have a word with Elijah, first, of course. And then Zac. Maybe with his parents as well. If he could handle it all diplomatically, it could actually be a focus for this evening that would bring them all a little closer together and distract them from directing any attention on his own life. It would also be a symbol that he was moving on from his past, too. For himself as much as his family.
Yes. This felt like the next step in dealing with this unexpected intrusion into their lives. And maybe it would help settle the confusing boundaries between his responsibilities and his desires. Between the determination to protect everyone he had cared about in his life so far and the longing to just be somewhere alone with the new person in his life that he also wanted to protect?
* * *
Grace heard the knock on her door.
But what could she do? Her father had just answered her Skype call and he was so delighted to see her.
If there’d been a second knock, she might have excused herself for a moment but, after a single bark, Houston came and settled himself with his head on her feet. There was obviously no one on the other side of the door now. Maybe it had been someone else who lived in this apartment block. After all, Charles had had an entire day in which he could have called or texted her. Or he could have found her at work this afternoon because she’d certainly hung around long enough.
And he hadn’t.
History was clearly repeating itself.
She had offered him everything she had to give and he had accepted it and then simply walked away without a backward glance.
‘Sorry—what was that, Dad?’
‘Just saying we hit the national high again today. Blue skies and sunshine here in Florida. How’s it looking in the big smoke?’
‘Grey. And freezing. They’re predicting snow tomorrow. It could be heavy.’
Her father laughed. ‘We have hospitals in this neck of the woods, you know. You don’t have to suffer!’
‘Maybe I’ll see what’s being advertised.’
The comment was light-hearted but, as they chatted about other things, the thought stayed in the back of her mind.
She could walk away from New York, couldn’t she? She didn’t have to stay here and feel...rejected...
Grace had to swallow a sudden lump in her throat. ‘I feel a long way away at the moment. I miss you, Dad.’
‘Miss you, too, honey.’ Her father’s smile wobbled a bit. ‘So tell me, what are you doing for Thanksgiving dinner? Have you got yourself some turkey?’
‘No. Work’s been really busy and, anyway, it seemed a bit silly buying a turkey for one person.’
‘I’ll bet that dog you’re living with could have helped you out there.’
Grace laughed but her brain was racing down another track. It couldn’t have been Charles knocking at her door because wasn’t he going to some big Davenport family dinner tonight? A dinner that he had suggested she could also go to but then he’d made a face as if the idea was distasteful.
Why? Did he not enjoy the family gathering himself or was it more the idea that she would hate it because she wouldn’t fit in?
Of course she wouldn’t. As Helena had reminded her so recently, the Davenports were New York royalty and she wasn’t even American by birth. She was a foreigner. A divorced foreigner. A divorced foreigner with a scarred body who wasn’t even capable of becoming a mother.
Oh, help... Going down this track any further when she had a night alone stretching out in front of her was a very bad idea.
‘Have you got some wine to go with your turkey, Dad?’
‘Of course. A very nice Australian chardonnay.’
‘Well...I’ve got something in the fridge. Prosecco, I think. Why don’t we both have a glass together and we can tap the screen and say cheers.’ It was hard to summon up a cheerful smile but Grace gave it her best shot.
She could deal with this.
She had, in fact, just had a very good idea of exactly how she could deal with it. When she had finished this call with her dad, and had had a glass or two of wine, she was going to do something very proactive.
It was ironic that it had been Charles who’d pointed out how far she had come from being someone vulnerable enough to be easily crushed. How strong she was now.
Ironic because she was going to write her resignation letter from Manhattan Mercy. And, tomorrow, as soon as she started her shift, it would be Charles Davenport’s desk that she would put that letter on.
‘THANKS EVER SO much for coming home, Dr Davenport.’
‘It’s no problem, Maria. You need to get to this appointment for the final check on that back of yours. I hope you won’t need the brace any more after this.’
‘I shouldn’t be more than a couple of hours. I’ll text you if there’s any hold-up.’
‘Don’t worry about it. I’ve got more than enough work that I can do from home.’
His nanny nodded, wrapping a thick scarf around her neck. ‘The boys are
