Chapter 2

One week later . . . 

            It had been a week since Chastity’s big reveal – and her mother still wasn’t talking to her. She couldn’t even stand being in the same room with Chastity. The woman had taken to eating her meals in the parlor or her bedroom.

            Her father had asked Chastity and the rest of the family to keep what he had called Chastity’s intentions quiet until her mother got used to the idea. Chastity was going to respect her father’s wishes for the exception of Ernest. Of course, he knew Chastity had converted a long time ago, but he had no idea she was going to join the holy order.

            It was the second week in June, the summer social season. Invitations to weddings, galas, garden parties, and charity events from New York’s finest arrived almost every day to the Van Dyke household. Tonight was the Browns Garden party. Jeffrey and Daphnie Brown owned one of the biggest and prettiest gardens of New York society. Their estate was only ten minutes outside of the city limits. Last year, Chastity hadn’t attended because she was spending time at the convent in Boston that weekend. She had told her family she was going away with friends. It hadn’t been far from the truth. She had been with friends – at the convent.

            Ernest had picked Chastity up at the estate in his Honda SUV. He wasn’t from a wealthy family, but he made good money at Carlyle. However, he was a modest spender. Not cheap. Just practical and at times frugal. Ernest Ellison was very slim and pale with dark brown straight hair. He wore thick, black square framed glasses – but not tonight. Ernest’s brother had talked him into trying contacts. 

            Chastity had to admit he looked cute without his glasses. But physical looks never really made her flip her skirt.  It got her attention at times, yes, but it had never made her act irrationally like it does other young women.

            Her parents and Constance had gone to the party in the limo. It was just as well because with her mother not tolerating her presence, it would have been a very uncomfortable car ride to the Browns. Constance had moved back into the mansion with the girls temporarily. For some reason, Constance couldn’t stand being at the penthouse for the time being. Chastity didn’t push for information. Whatever was wrong it more than likely had to do with Steven.

            Ernest wore a smart looking dark brown suit with a yellow shirt and a striped tie. He looked rather debonair. Chastity wore a sky blue dress with short sleeves. The hem of the dress flowed around her knees. The party was semi-formal.

            The buffet was large and long and the champagne and wine flowed freely. Everyone who was anyone was there – a little over a hundred and seventy guests. Then again, it was rare when people missed a Browns’ garden party.

            Chastity was able to break away from Ernest and her family for a few minutes to wander into the maze. The Browns’ maze was large but not overly complicated – at least not to her. She found a quiet squared off corner and dug in her purse. She pulled out a silver cigarette case and a lighter. She only had the urge to smoke now and again. The last cigarette she had was a week ago, before she told her family about her plans for the future. She had a bit of an anxiety attack before dinner that night. So, she had snuck off on the grounds and smoked a whole cigarette. Most of the time she didn’t smoke a whole cigarette. She just needed a few puffs here and there and be fine for a while. Chastity knew that once she took her final vows she could no longer indulge in the practice.

            She took a draw of the nicotine.

            The party was adequate. Very lively and live music. Ernest seemed to be really enjoying himself. Chastity was glad. What she wanted was for Ernest to enjoy himself all night long because after tonight it was going to be over between them.

            He was a nice man and extremely intelligent. She had no doubt he would find someone else despite his somewhat plan looks. He’ll probably find a woman who was just as smart as he was. That’s what Chastity hoped anyway.

            She took another short draw from her cigarette and slowly blew out the smoke. Then she exhaled.

            Right. Back to it. Chastity stubbed her cig out in the mulch and tucked it under the little thick short sticks.

            “That’s just a waste,” a male voice said.

            Chastity turned around quickly to see Julian Beaumont turning the corner of the tall, thick hedges.

            “Oh,” she said flatly as she opened her small white purse. “It’s you.” She pulled out a small bottle of spray.

            “Yeah, I’m disappointed to see you, too. I thought it was an attractive woman nestled back here,” Julian said with pursed lips like he smelled something bad. He wore a tan suit with a white shirt – no tie.

            There was no love lost between Chastity and Julian. He had never really forgiven her for sending Hector, his father, and Alexander, his brother, to the Van Dyke cabin only hours apart from each other so Hector could catch Caitlin and Alexander there together.

            Chastity had never intended for poor Hector to find Caitlin and Alexander actually in bed together. At the most, she thought Alexander would finally get through to Caitlin and by the time Hector had gotten there, they would both tell him the truth. In a way, that’s what had happened, for the exception of catching them naked in bed part. But what could she do? Someone had to do something to stop the farce of an engagement, stop the abortion, and get Caitlin to see that it was Alexander she was supposed to be with not his father.

            Caitlin and Alexander had come to understand why Chastity did what she did. Even Hector had let it go and started speaking to her again at Caitlin’s and Alexander’s wedding. But Julian? He had written her off permanently. Not that it bothered her. She found him to be a mentally, adolescent juvenile who was rude, arrogant, and plain out crude.

            Chastity sprayed herself to get rid of the smoke smell. “What do you want?”

            “Whatever it is it’s sure as hell isn’t you,” Julian said, still having his lips pursed.

            Chastity exhaled with boredom. She didn’t feel like sparring with him tonight. She dropped her perfume in her purse and closed it. She walked around Julian like he was a light post.

            “On your way back to that pitiful guy who you got whooped?”

            Chastity turned around to face him - but she said nothing.

            The corner of his mouth was kicked up. “Tell me. Are you dating that poor sap because you really like him or because a real man is too much for you to handle?”

            “Ugh,” she scoffed in disgust and turned back around to leave.

                                                                                  ****

            Her body is entirely too sexy to have a personality that bitchy, Julian thought as he watched her switch around the corner.

Since this was a dead end, he turned around to stroll the other way. It had been two years since he’s been at a Browns’ garden party. He couldn’t remember why. They through the best garden parties. They were never stingy with food or booze.

Julian had come to the party alone tonight. He wasn’t sure what was wrong with him lately. For the past month or two, he has preferred being alone than in the company of a woman.

He wasn’t necessarily what people called a playboy. He enjoyed the company of a woman here and there. But lately he hasn’t enjoyed them as much as he used to. There was no challenge in it anymore. Women came to him too easily these days. Nowadays when he went to a bar or a nightclub they literally dove his way. He blamed the media. His picture was all over the east coast as an eligible bachelor and the golden boy of the Beaumont Empire. Julian was the youngest child but he was next in line to run the company when his father died or decided to step down. His big brother never wanted it. He had left New York years ago and started his own multi-billion dollar business.

            Julian made a right turn. He could still hear the live music from the party. There were quite a few ladies at the party tonight who were attractive and available. He toyed with the idea of asking a few of them to dance. One of them was Ava Bartholomew. Ava was the youngest daughter of billionaire investor and publisher, Lester Bartholomew. She was sweet as pie, had long brown hair, had her own penthouse, she used to be a model, and she knew French fluently. He actually liked her personality, and she never acted desperate for a man. He decided to chat her up when he got back to the party. If all goes well, maybe he’ll ask her out to dinner.

            He made a left turn, leaving the maze