A Heart Worth Healing

Chapter 10

As the days went by, the tension between Kirsty and Derek became worse. True to his word, Derek continued to withdraw from Kirsty and changed nothing about his attitude or his behaviour. He was cold and noncommittal, especially when they were alone. Luckily for Kirsty, she did not spend much time with Derek alone and so had to endure his coldness only out in public. Derek spent more time at the office than ever before. He went on more business trips, leaving Kirsty to her painting or other pursuits. His coldness toward her began to tell on all aspects of their relationship. He no longer came to her bedroom at night and she did not ask about his daily activities. They were two strangers living out the time until Kirsty would be gone and Derek could go back to his usual routine.

Kirsty began to regret the action she had taken so boldly. She wondered if it had been worth it to try to get through to Derek when he now seemed to hate her. She wanted to believe that he cared about her and respected her. She knew he was tolerating her presence politely, as if she was a short thunderstorm which would soon disappear.

As the weeks passed, their public facade began to crumble. They no longer demonstrated any signs of affection or warmth toward each other and Kirsty found herself succumbing to depression. She would spend hours out in her studio, painting bleak, cold landscapes which marked the desolation in her heart. She had not wanted to be sophisticated or refined. She had wanted to startle Derek from the comfortable lonely place his soul enjoyed so much. Her worst fears were coming true. She had lost respect for herself and she had sacrificed her beliefs in vain. And worse, she had no one to talk to or confide in. She evaded Claire because she was afraid she would blurt out the truth and Derek would not forgive her if she did.

Derek did not complain when the number of their public engagements decreased dramatically. If anything, he seemed relieved at not having to spend time with her. He kept himself at such a distance that Kirsty wondered why he even bothered to come home every night. He usually spent his evenings in his office or the billiard room. Kirsty felt like a stranger at Thurston and her loneliness began to tell on her appearance. She still dressed up in fancy clothes, but the outfits hung loosely on her thin frame and her eyes were lifeless, her cheeks pale. Maggie often mused that things would not be able to go on for much longer. And Maggie was right, in her own way.

One month before Kirsty's year was up, something happened which would change her relationship with Derek forever.  One of Derek's associates invited her to lunch. His name was Bill Harrison. Kirsty remembered meeting him at a charity fundraiser. They had conversed casually several times, but not about anything important. Kirsty wondered why he would want to see her. She assumed he wanted to discuss their mutual interest in several charities.

When Kirsty met Harrison at a fancy restaurant downtown, she was surprised to see that he was shorter and uglier than she remembered. There was something underhanded about him, something she could not put her finger on. When he shook her hand, she could feel his strength and, at the same time, there was a certain shrewdness in his eyes. But he was sharp and intent, two qualities which Kirsty had learned not to underestimate.

"I'm so glad you could meet me today, Miss McLaren," Harrison oozed, his smile barely showing small yellow teeth. "Do you mind if I call you Kirsty?"

"No, not at all," she replied guardedly, sitting down across from him. He stared at her appreciatively, making her feel less than comfortable with his obvious pleasure with her appearance. She began to wish that she did not have such nice clothes.

After they ordered lunch, they made small talk about several mutual acquaintances. If Harrison was trying to put Kirsty at ease, it was not working. She could almost hear the wheels turning in his head. Everything he said seemed significant somehow and she started to feel stupid for not figuring out what he wanted. But she need not have worried. After their meal arrived, Harrison got right down to business.