Chapter 3

For the next year, Frank Maloue spent building his fortune and attending social events. Tragedy struck Astors when on the way back from France the Titantic hit an iceberg and sank. His new wife Madelein made it off safely but John Jacob went down with the ship. It was this incident that he started calling on Grace Wheaters. She was a cousin, or a niece, or some kind of a relation to John. He was curious but never asked.

Over those twelve months he spent time with her frequently and even got to dance with her several times at social gatherings. His fortune grew nto the tens of millions. On nights he wasn't busy, he spent many of those evenings in the arms of Greta.

She encouraged him to seek Grace's hand in marriage. She told him she would be there for him until she dried up up there. He grew to love Greta but she said he was too good for her. If they were foolish enough to marry, word would eventually get around that she had been his mistress for over a year before. He would be ruined in high society and she would certainly not be welcomed into any house.

Mrs. Carlson still ran the house in a strict manner even though the master wasn't at home all that frequently. The servants were running the mansion as if he would be walking in at any moment.

"Anymore tea?" Grace asked, refilling her cup. She was past seventeen and was growing into one of the most beautiful women in the city. She had turned down many proposals hoping that Frank would come to ask her to be his wife. She felt she loved him more than any person alive.

"No, I've had enough," Frank replied. She was wearing a red silky gown off the shoulders and showing plenty of cleavage. She sat in an erect manner with her beautiful ebony hair pinned up to show her thin neck with a cameo choker of black silk ribbon. Frank had given it to her last Christmas. She said it was her favorite item because it came from him.

"Here," she handed him an envelope. She had his name written on it so neatly it looked like a professional made it out. "I wish for you to read it once you are gone," she requested. "I would like you to comment on its contents either by writing back to me or verbally whenever you call on me again."

"I most certainly will," he placed the envelope in his inner coat pocket. He had a sneaking suspicion what was contained inside.

"Would you like me to play the piano for you?" she asked.

"Yes, please," Frank smiled. She was an excellent pianist and could play the violin with equal skill. The one major thing that attracted him to her was how she was able to take a song and make it sound so much better than the composer expected.

She walked to the Grand Piano in the living room and sat down. She looked lost for a moment then began to play a quiet number composed by Mozart. Frank drifted with the music as the melody spread through the entire house. She was truly a master and he felt she could give concerts due to her expertise. She added to the piece by humming along with her soft soprano voice. Once she finished, he applauded her. "Bravo!" he praised her.

Frank returned to his own house that evening. They were prepared to make him his dinner but he declined and told them an egg and cheese sandwich would be just fine.

He took the sandwich upstairs along with a bottle of brandy. Frank seldom drank himself into a stupor but he felt this was one of these nights he just might do that. He sat in a comfortable chair in his bedroom, poured a snifter of the liquor and munched on his meal while opening the letter from Grace with a letter opener. Unfolding it, he saw that there were two pages of neat penmanship.