Loved In The Kingdom Of Beauty

10.

"Richard, what do you think?"

That is a loaded and most dangerous question for any man to answer coming from any woman who has war written all over her face. It is a veritable minefield that should be treaded carefully otherwise it could blow up in your face. And that is exactly what some women do. They would ask the most irrational questions and expect a logical answer. Dorothy was ready to wage war, and in no mood to take prisoners.

Richard had gained so much experience over the years of being subjected to this kind of interrogation that he could have written a book about it if he wasn't so lazy. He reclined in his favorite chair, took a sip from his whiskey, a deep puff on his cigar, closed his eyes and said, "I think I've married the most beautiful woman in the world. What do you think, Dorothy?"

"I think it's high time for Rose to set up on her own. She's dragging her feet at Pasquale's, and she's not getting any younger."

"Is it really, Dorothy?"

"Is it really what, Richard?"

"Time for Rose to set up on her own? Did she say so?"

"If I wait for Rose to say so, I'll be dead and gone before it happens. It has to be now."

"It has to be now," Richard echoed in a tired voice, opened his eyes, raised his head, took a sip from his drink, a puff on his cigar, leaned back and closed his eyes.

"Good, now that we've established a timeframe, what do you want me to do about it?"

"I want you to finance it, or secure a bank loan on her behalf."

Richard's heart started racing. This time he sat up straight, finished his drink in one gulp, took a nervous puff on his cigar, and said, "would you be so kind as to repeat your last comment please?"

Dorothy Huntington-Chase repeated it.

"Why me? What do I have to do with it?"

"Because you're her father, Richard, and we must support and provide for our children."

"But that's exactly what I've been doing my entire life, and besides, if she needs money so desperately, why doesn't she dip into her trust fund her granny left her?"

"It's impossible."

"Why?"

"What if anything should happen to the business and she loses all that money?"

"What if anything should happen and I lose all my money? Besides, how much are we talking about here?"

"Three million dollars. And that's the start-up costs. She may need some more later on. You have no idea how much it costs to do something like that properly."

Richard Huntington-Chase reclined in his chair to recover from the shock, and to weigh his options. He could say no now, but he knew it would be a matter of time before his wife either nagged him to death, or he paid the ransom money required for peace.

"Why three million my dear?” he asked as calmly as he could.

"Honestly, Richard, you cannot expect Rose to set up camp in a back alley somewhere in downtown Bossville. It has to be on the High Street. Nothing less will do. After all, we have a reputation to uphold."

Ah, Jacqueline, Richard thought. He remembered having heard rumors about her having opened a workshop straight out of college. And from what he's heard, she was doing quite well for herself. He was sure that opening a store for Rose was his wife's idea to compete with that poor girl.

"And when do you need the money dear?"

"As soon as possible."

"I'll see what I can do."