Love's Cure

Chapter 11

Alexander's POV

Cecilia reached out and lifted the handset of the phone sitting on the end table. Her voice was full of happiness as she answered the call.

"Hi Gramps! I have been waiting for your call." She shot me a wink as she listened to what her grandfather was saying. Since his voice was so clear, I could also hear the conversation.

"Cecilia, you little scamp. What have you been up to? I just got off the phone with Charlie, and he tells me you brought a young man home with you. Who is he and where and when did you meet him?"

She chuckled as she responded. "Gramps, you are not going to believe this, but he is Alexander Webster, the man that was being forced to marry Andrea Cole! He decided to escape just like I did. We met on the plane. In fact, we were seated together! How's that for coincidence?"

"You're joking? The Alexander Webster, son of the owners of the Webster Group?" His voice sounded in disbelief.

"Not joking at all. And Gramps? The house welcomed him! That's even stranger, don't you think?" She was smiling at me when she said that.

"Is he there with you now? I want to speak with him. Privately!" I gulped when I heard the sharpness of his voice, but I reached out my hand to take the handset.

"Hello, Sir. It's a pleasure to speak with you. Cecilia speaks very highly of you," I said by way of introduction.

"Young man, can you please go to another room so we can speak privately?" Though it was phrased as a question, it was more of a command. I quickly agreed and made my way to my bedroom.

"I'm in my room now, Sir. Cecilia can't hear our conversation," I assured him.

"Good. Now I have to ask if you just met my grandchild, why did you tell Charlie and Bea that you were her boyfriend? And why did she not tell them any differently? Explain yourself."

I thought for a brief moment, then began to explain. "Sir, this may sound completely off the wall, but have you ever been instantly drawn to someone? Felt within your soul that you are meant to be with that person forever? Know beyond a shadow of a doubt that your whole future is tied to that person? That's what I felt when I met her on the plane. It's how I felt on Friday evening when I found her photo while doing an internet search. How I felt when I caught a glimpse of her and you on the Halifax waterfront on Saturday afternoon."

There was the sound of an indrawn breath, followed by a very quiet laugh. "What exactly are you trying to say, young man?"

"I'm saying that I intend to pursue Cecilia, with the goal of marrying her. I know that I may sound crazy, but when you know, you know. I've already developed feelings for her. I want to protect her."

"What exactly do you feel she needs to be protected from?" His tone had changed from commanding to questioning.

"Cecilia had me listen to the audio recording she had of her conversation with Kaden Jones. Something didn't sound right about what he was saying. I had a friend of mine do a little digging and what he came up with is just a bit disturbing. This arranged marriage thing isn't just to save face for the Jones family."

"Mmmm. Explain." was his response.

I told him everything that Andrew had found out about Eric Clowater's financial issues with his father's company. About the threat of jail if he doesn't pay the money back. "I don't know if you are aware of this, Sir, but the Jones family may look good on the surface, but I can tell you that they are shady as all get out. Their property development business is reputed to have connections with organized crime. Which means that their whole business empire is tainted."

"Go on," he said. "Why do you think that this somehow ties in with Cecilia's parents trying to force her to marry Kaden?"

"Well, I don't know if you keep tabs on your daughter and her husband. Eric used the money he stole to invest in one of the Jones' property developments, which immediately ran into zoning issues. He lost every cent of his investment. From what my friend could find out in the short time he had to investigate, the Jones family had originally approached Eric with the investment opportunity."

"When Eric's father found out what had happened, he went ballistic. Eric has to return the money he stole from the company. If he doesn't, he will be charged with embezzlement and most likely spend quite a few years in jail."

"Dear God in heaven, what was he thinking?" gasped Cecilia's grandfather.

"Twenty million dollars is a lot to come up with. According to my source, no bank will lend him the money. None of his associates will help. The only one willing to help was the Jones family. That was with the proviso that Cecilia marry Kaden. I hadn't told Cecilia this next part because I didn't want to freak her out. Apparently your daughter let slip that you have a massive fortune that will pass down to Cecilia upon your death."

"What the f**k?" he hissed. "If I'm reading between the lines, the Jones family orchestrated this whole mess in an attempt to gain control of Cecilia's eventual inheritance? Is that what you're suggesting?"

"I know it sounds like something from a bad soap opera, but that's what my source thinks is happening. His company was actually hired by Andrea Cole's father to investigate the Clowaters' financial situation after Eric went to him seeking a business loan. I believe that's why her father refused to let Andrea marry Kaden. The Jones family would have encouraged that marriage just to get eventual control of the Cole's businesses and wealth. And let me tell you, their wealth is considerable. It rivals that of my family company."

All I could hear was breathing on the other end of the phone. Cecilia's grandfather was taking his time in considering what I had told him. Then I could hear the sound of typing on a keyboard. This went on for a few minutes, but I was patient and waited for him to speak.

When he did, his words gave me a bit of a jolt. "I will be on the first flight to London tomorrow morning. I will have Charlie pick me up and take me to the flat. Meanwhile, see if your 'source' can find out anything more. Can I ask who your 'source' is? Or at least the company he works for?"

"He works as an IT Specialist for the Graystone Security office in Toronto. I trust him with my life. We grew up together, and up until early Saturday morning we shared an apartment."

"I see. When you say IT Specialist, do you mean a programmer, or do you mean a very skilled hacker?" he asked.

"Both. Though Graystone actually headhunted him because of his skills as a hacker. He's been working for them for the past six years. He can find out anything you want to know, and likely a lot of stuff you prefer not to know." I smirked as I said this. "He can also hide anything you don't want known. He can bury it so deep no one can find it. After he told me what he knew today, I actually asked him to erase my and Cecilia's names from today's flight manifest."

Total silence from him was followed by a snort of laughter. "You're on the ball, aren't you Alex? Smart. I like that. Comes from being a lawyer, no doubt."

"That, and the family I come from. I may have been in the background but that just gave me the opportunity to watch and learn. Of course, having a genius hacker as a best friend helps."

"No doubt. Let me talk to Cecilia for a bit. Please don't tell her about our discussion. We will talk to her about it once I get there."

"Certainly, Sir. I'll give the phone back to Cecilia. I look forward to meeting you in person tomorrow, Sir." I responded as I went back to the living room and Cecilia.

He then gave me a privilege that I wasn't expecting. "Enough with the 'Sir', Alex. Call me Frederick, or Gramps. Might as well get used to it, I guess." His chuckle conveyed that he knew he had shocked me with his request. "Keep my little girl safe. See you tomorrow."

"Yes, Sir. Gramps." I said, then passed the phone to Cecilia. Her raised eyebrow spoke volumes. Me calling her grandfather Gramps had definitely surprised her.

They spoke for a while, her squeal of delight almost piercing my eardrums as he informed her he would be here as early as tomorrow. "Are you bringing Cedric?"

She paused for his response. "Okay, I'll make sure both bedrooms are made up. Okay, I love you Gramps. See you tomorrow!"

Hanging up the phone, she turned her attention to me. "What did you say to my grandfather to get him to let you call him Gramps?" She had a look of wonder on her beautiful face.

"Hey, what can I say? I'm charming, I'm smart. I answered all your grandfather's questions. I told him that I think you and I are meant to be together. I told him about the information Andrew had given me." I was grinning as I said all this, watching to see if she caught what I was saying and fully understood my meaning. She didn't disappoint me.

Her eyes grew wide, and her mouth formed a small 'O' as her breath caught in her throat. "You told my grandfather that you think you and I are meant to be together? What did he say?"

"He asked me to call him Gramps. I kind of think that says it all, don't you?"

"But, but, you had to have said more. That alone wouldn't have done it. I know my Gramps. He's not easily convinced of anything."

"Well, I told him that I felt drawn to you from the moment I first saw your photo on Friday evening. That when I saw the two of you on the waterfront yesterday morning, I was even more drawn to you. That getting to know you on the flight firmly convinced me that we were brought together by fate. I told him 'when you know, you know" no questions remaining." I wondered if I should tell her the part about planning to marry her. But by the look on her face at that moment, I knew that now wasn't the right time.

"Well, I think I need another glass of wine after hearing that," was her response to my confession.

I opened another bottle of wine and poured each a very generous measure.