Devlin turned and stared at me. “Truly? What of it?”
Leaning back against the bench, I let out a sigh. “Sophia’s mother, Emma, had bribed the postal carrier to intercept the letters and telegrams. Apparently, when the first letter arrived Emma opened it and found that I was alive. Fearing Sophia would leave you, she made arrangements to have all letters and telegrams from me or Colett destroyed.”
Looking over to Devlin, his face lost all its color. “Why would she do that to her own daughter?”
Knowing the answer, I chose to keep it to myself. Devlin had no idea that his father had engaged in an affair with Sophia’s mother. Sophia made me promise her I would never tell Devlin. I intended to keep my promise to Sophia.
Shrugging my shoulders, I turned back out and watched Colett with Annabelle. “She’s evil. There is no understanding when it comes to someone with such a cold heart.”
“Sophia would have loved Colett,” Devlin said.
Turning to Devlin, I smiled weakly and gave him a slight nod. “Indeed, she would have.”
Clearing his throat, Devlin said, “Daniel, I’m getting married.”
Sitting up straighter, my head turned to Devlin. “What? Margaret?”
The smile that spread across Devlin’s face caused me to smile as well. His eyes filled with happiness, something I had not seen since I returned to Savannah a year ago. Margaret was Colett’s cousin from France. Once Colett has decided to stay in Savannah and open up a boutique, she wrote to her cousin in France. Margaret had been known in Paris for her designs, which are now featured in Colett’s store.
Colett wanted to expand her boutique to Tybee Island. She often came over to the island and visited me. I had moved into my parents’ beach house shortly after Sophia had passed away. At first, the memories I had of Sophia had consumed me and I would lie in bed for days doing nothing. Then Colett started coming out and forced me to resume my life. I was glad she had. After much talking and planning, I opened my restaurant four months ago and was very pleased with how well it was doing. I still helped my father with his business some, but my older brother Thomas had pretty much taken over. He had recently returned from England were he sold that part of father’s business.
Slowly shaking my head to clear my thoughts, I reached for Devlin’s hand to shake it. “I’m so happy for you, Devlin. You truly deserve to be happy and Annabelle needs a mother.”
Glancing back out to the park, I chuckled as I watched Colett crawling in the grass on her hands and knees after Annabelle. Taking no care in the fact that she was soiling her gown.
Feeling Devlin’s eyes on me, I turned to him. “She always knew. Sophia, I mean. A part of her always knew you were alive, Daniel. I truly believe that. She would often walk to the docks and sit there and just stare out at the ships. Waiting.”
Looking away quickly, I attempted to find the courage to ask Devlin what I had wanted to ask for the last year. “Did you not feel like you were … second … in her heart, Devlin? For the words I heard her speak to you those last moments … they … they would have destroyed me.”
Grinning, he closed his eyes as if bringing a memory back. When he opened them, his eyes filled with tears. “There was never a doubt in my mind who had Sophia’s whole heart. When we married, that first night, I held her in my arms while she cried for you.”
Bile moved into my throat at the thought of Sophia with another man. Closing my eyes, I attempted to keep my emotions under control. Devlin’s voice sprung my eyes open.
“She would have dreams at night, almost every night. Sitting up in bed she would scream out your name. I won’t lie and say that I had hoped one day she would call for me, but I could see within her eyes a spark. Daniel, Sophia never gave me her whole heart, but she did give me a piece of it. And she gave me the most beautiful gift in the world. Annabelle.”
Quickly wiping a tear from my eye, I nodded as I whispered, “Beautiful gift, indeed.”
Placing his hand on my shoulder, Devlin gave it a slight squeeze. “She would have wanted you to move on, Daniel.”
Trying to talk, my voice cracked. “I can’t.”
“May I ask a question of you, Daniel?”
Nodding, I said, “Of course you may, Devlin.”
“On that ship, when you didn’t think you would survive, that death was upon you, did you not pray that Sophia would be happy?”
Swallowing hard, I whispered, “Yes.”
“Daniel, I know you are a good caring man. But I also know you are a passionate man who loved Sophia with all your heart. It is evident in so many ways. Why do you think we have remained friends for the last year? I do not think it is because Sophia asked us, I believe it is because we both had something in common. We loved Sophia very much and, you know that during that difficult time in Sophia’s life, I was there for her. I cared for her and did what I could to make her happy. You wanted her to be happy because you loved her so much. And I know, Daniel, had Sophia not been sick and you showed up, she would have been with you and not me. I also know that I loved her and I respected her love for you and you feel the same.”
Looking down, I wasn’t sure what to say. Hearing Annabelle laugh, I looked up. Staring at Colett something moved through my body. A feeling I hadn’t experienced in a very long time. Looking over as if she could feel my eyes on her, Colett lifted Annabelle’s hand to wave. Lifting my hand, I waved back as my heartbeat picked up speed in my chest.
“Daniel, Sophia would have wanted you to follow the feelings you are feeling right now.”
Snapping my head toward Devlin, I asked, “What are you talking about?”
Tossing his head back, he laughed. “Daniel Stowe, you would have to be blind to not see how your eyes gaze upon Colett. Like when she walks into a room. Or how you follow her everywhere, as if afraid she might run off. The feeling is most definitely returned by Colett.”