The Gift of Love

Chapter 9 "All is not lost

Candy was back to London from Southampton, without her luggage. She had just enough money to go back to London. She had gotten off the boat at the last second, leaving everything she had with Annie.

"Now I'm totally broke! What am I supposed to do? Maybe Miss Baker could take me back, if she hasn't replaced me yet... Terry must be engaged by now... oh my God, that hurts so much... I love him and he's marrying another girl... Maybe I should've stayed on the boat and go to Paris and meet some French guy and marry him! Oh Terry! I love you so much!!!"

She arrived at Eleonor's townhouse and she rang the door. The butler let her in.

- Miss Baker is not in...

- I know, it's her son's engagement party. Can I wait for her?

- Of course Candy...

Candy took her coat off and she went to the big living room and she saw the Christmas tree. They all had fun decorating it and the house too. It was Christmas time, family time and Eleonor was the only family she had. She took the bible and she started reading about the nativity story.

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Terry was coming back from Southampton, his heart in ashe. The boat was gone, Candy was gone... Life was not worth living anymore for him... He lashed out at his father... he won't be going back there anymore, so he went to his mother's townhouse... He was now going to live with her since he was now disowned by his father. When he thought about what happened. Lord William Albert Andrew, saved him from a loveless marriage... Elizabeth was fine... he was now available to be with Candy, but she had left London, probably to set him free... He should've told her what he was planning... He wanted to surprise her for Christmas. The surprise, backfired on him. Candy was on her way to Paris... Where in Paris? He might as well look for a needle in a haystack!

"I'm so crazy about her, that's just what I might do...I'll go look for her in Paris! After Christmas, after the holidays I'm going to go look for my Candy!!!" he thought.

He was making plans for him to go to Paris, to look for the love of his life...

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Eleonor Baker was still at the party, very happy by the turns of events. The duke approached her:

- Are you happy with yourself?

- What did I do? She said

- Didn't you see our son leaving?

- I certainly didn't throw him out...

- You condone this kind of behaviour, don't you? Well I disown him!

- I think everybody heard you loud and clear the first time... I'm sorry it turned out this way. You have to say, the fiancée you picked for him found another love... it works out great for him, even you can't blame me for Elizabeth finding love with Lord Andrew!

- I wanted him to have his place in society...I only wanted what's best for him...

- Richard, what's best for him is to be with the woman he chose and love...Tell me the decision you made about us was the best you've ever done?

The duke remained silent. He had been indeed pretty unhappy ever since he left Eleonor to do his duty... But he had Terrence;

Eleonor's son and he could her every time he looked at him. Maybe that's why he was so hard on him and sometimes so nice to his son, because of Eleonor...

Eleonor was looking at him.

- Terrence is going to follow his heart... I want him to be happy, not become an old grump like you!