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“I think perhaps I want it,” Mia said and tugged his hand as if to enter theshop.
“Mia, no. Come, let’s go home,” he said pulling herback.
“No, Devin. I should like to speak to the proprietor and see about its purchase.” She pulled on his hand again, dropping it when he wouldn’t followher.
“Mia, no,” he told her and made sure his tone wasunderstood.
“I’m not asking you to buy it, Devin,” Mia assuredhim.
“That’s good, because I wouldn’t and neither will you.” He took her hand and tried to pull her past theshop.
“I can spend my money how I want. You even told me I could,” she said, the rebellion already showing in her face andposture.
“I said you’re to spend your money on what will bring you pleasure. That isn’t even in yourtastes.”
“I assure you when I see that woman’s expression it’ll give me great pleasure,” Mia almostsnarled.
“Mia,” Devin snapped. “You’ll not start. I won’t have it. Helen Mallory is no one that you should waste your money only to tweak hernose.”
“Devin,” Mia almost shouted and he knew she almost stomped her foot at him,too.
“I said no,” he said, looking again at the piece she wanted. “It’s not even in good taste. I can see its only purpose at all is to tell everyone around who sees it just how wealthy the person wearing it is. That’s not something you need to do, Mia. People like you, love you, because you are a kind person. You have never bought friends and I won’t have you try now.” He saw the moment of shame wash up, but it was gone again and replaced with a storm of resentment for his denial she be allowed to use her money as she wanted. “Let’s go, we’ve spent enough time today in these streets. I think I need to stand a while by thesurf.”
With those words he managed to get her to come away from the window, but it wasn’t without resistance. Resistance that didn’t fade even after a few days. And when he opened the door to their home and accepted the delivery, he knew he missed the storm that had been brewing for the last week. But he was about to spill out thosewinds.
* * *
Devin pushed openthe bedroom door just as Mia set her foot on the chair to buckle her shoe. He marched past her to the table where she kept her things and slammed the casedown.
“Didn’t I tell you you couldn’t have this?” he asked and turned to glare ather.
“You told me first I could buy what I liked with my own funds,” she retorted and refused to backdown.
“And you like this?” he asked, opening the case and displaying the diamonds. “This, when all you’ve ever been drawn to before was…” he opened a drawer at the table and pulled a miniature chest from it. Setting it on the table next to the diamonds, he opened it and pulled out several strands of pearls, ivory brooches and the few pendants of a singular stone. She had a sapphire and a ruby as well as two opals. Simple, but of high quality and gentle beauty. “And look at all of this you have. Not any of it colorless. Even your pearls are not white.” He lifted a strand of yellow pearls to lay it down beside the diamonds. “What did you tell me about white pearls? Too plain. No color. But now you want this?” He waved his hand at thediamonds.
“Yes. I want those,” Mia said though he didn’t think she looked as sure as she’d have him believe. “I want them. I used my money. You have no say thistime.”
It wasn’t quite a challenge because she was mostly correct. He promised he’d not protest how she used her money. But it wasn’t the use of money so much as the reason for its use. And he was going to show that to her now. “Very well, Mrs. Winthrop. Keep them. Wear them. Though I can’t imagine where you’ll find an event that’s appropriate enough.” He walked past her towards thedoor.
“I’ll wear them this Friday to the ball at the Admiral’s house,” Mia said and she sounded surprised he hadn’t thought ofthat.
Fact was he had and it was the rope he needed to pull to bring down her sails. “Well, have a nice time attending without me,” he said and reached for thedoor.
“What? No, Devin we both accepted the invitation,” Mia said stepping towardshim.
“Yes, well, you can give my regrets or I’ll send them myself today. Perhaps the admiral will be in and I can tell him myself why I won’t be attending after all.” He waited because he knew Mia was trying to reason out what would make him change his mind solate.
“What reason do you have?” she finally asked, looking not only confused buthurt.
“I’ll not attend with you because I won’t be associated with a wife who is a spiteful braggart.” He heard the sharp intake of breath but plunged ahead. “You only bought that necklace to make sure Mallory knows you can. What do you hope, that the two of you can engage in a war over who might buy the most expensive jewels and silks? Will you only hope she’ll go bankrupt before you in this reach to outdo the other? Well, I won’t have it. I’ll not support you in such activities and I’d guess neither would the commodore or any of those in your employ who depend on you being wise with the money they work to earn you. What was it you told me? You only have so much because you don’t care to live soextravagantly?”
“Devin?” It was a harsh criticism and like most critical words, Mia didn’t take them well. Her eyes filled with tears and her chintrembled.
Devin crossed the room to stand in front of her. “Is this who you are, Mia? Are you this spiteful braggart?” She shook her head at him. Then dropped her eyes so he had to take hold of her chin and lift them back to his. “You’re not competing with her, Mia. She is no one. She is certainly no one compared toyou.”
“She wants you,” Mia said andsniffed.
“And I want her to fall in a hole and disappear,” Devin said softly as he lifted his hand to brush at the tear sliding down her cheek. “She only wants me because I belong to you and she can’t have me. I don’t hold any affection for her. And if what I hear from others is true, few do. Loyalty to her is bought and we both know that is notloyalty.”
