Chapter 1

A month passed like the blink of an eye, and Michael was itching to be on his way to somewhere new and different, when the doorbell of his ritzy hotel room was rung. A man employed by Michael to be his butler, walked across the room and answered it. A bellboy handed him an envelope.

“This just came for you Sir,” the butler informed. “Thank you Hank.”

Michael opened it and grinned as he read an invitation to a dinner party the mayor was having. ‘I guess I should go,’ he thought to himself. It was anyone’s guess if Michael would actually attend. He would not go of course if something better were to come his way or if anxiety to leave grew deeper.

He questioned his own motives for attending the get-together as he stood in the middle of a crowd of bored old men watching the mayor make a fool of himself. Michael laughed at the mayor’s suit and thought:  ‘He really degrades that material.’

Michael had been to a thousand and one of these kinds of galas thrown with  only one thing in mind, self- aggrandizement for the host or hostess. In this case it was for the mayor’s political considerations. It was his way of exploring the field.

With intentions to leave, Michael excused himself from the crowd and moved across the room headed toward the coat closet.  He was brought to an unexpected stop when his eyes landed upon a woman of entrancing beauty sitting at the other side of the hall. He stared at her from within the crowd and became transfixed. Her beauty, he thought, excelled that of any woman he had ever seen.

With near franticness pumping in his heart, he searched the room for the mayor. He found His Honor amongst another cluster of men who were bunched up in a corner smoking and puffing away on their cigars looking like factory stacks that darken the day sky.

Michael pulled him out of the group and discreetly pointed out the woman with only his description. The mayor smiled widely; and being the politician he was, praised, “You not only have excellent taste my boy, but good timing as well.”

“Yes, yes!” Michael acknowledged in a huffy, impatient sort of way. “Who is she?”

“She -” the mayor said with some fascination of how Michael took interest in her,  “is the daughter of the most prominent doctor in New England.”

“Her name man, her name?!” “Her name my boy, is Margaret Wellington.” “Margaret…” Michael sang with his tone, “what a beautiful name .” “Ah . . .uhm, yesss,” the mayor droned out, noticing Michael’s infatuation. “You said something about timing?”

“Well my boy, this is her social maiden voyage, as you might say. No one to speak of has really ever seen her before this, uhm except for those who personally know the doctor, of course.”

“Of course…her father. Which one is he?” The mayor looked around the room. “There he is, Dr. Thomas Wellington, Professor of Medicine and the top surgeon in these parts, if not any part of the country. He’s a very influential man in many circles – a good man to get to know.”

“Is he protective of his daughter?” “Uhm . . .extremely!” “Then introduce me to him!”

The mayor and Michael walked over to the group of men who were talking, and in an authoritative voice, the mayor interrupted their conversation. “Gentlemen,” he announced, “I want to introduce you to a man who makes life for all of us, a little easier to cope with. This, Gentlemen, is Michael Smith, baron of the textile industry and master of a great shipping firm.”

“So, you’re the man we’ve heard so much about,” the men raved in their own chummy way as they gathered around him.

After a long, boring hour of chatting about nonsense, puffing up everyone’s pride and promising gifts of exquisite bolts of fabrics for them and their wives, Michael centered his attention on the physician and isolated him from the crowd.

“Tom, I’m giving a special dinner party next month; a charity event for the hospital.” “For the hospital?” A wondering expression came over the doctor’s face. “Yes . . .the mayor and I have been discussing the importance of a new wing.” “New wing?”

“Yes…a complete surgical center with the newest and latest of everything to help men of medicine help those who need their help. I was wondering if you would like to attend, and give a speech?”

“Well,  for such a cause, I’d be delighted!”

“Good then, and oh, uh this will be a family affair. Do bring your wife and children. We want to stress the compassionate  and familiar side of our business lives, don’t we?”

“Indeed,” Tom agreed. “I haven’t any small children, but I do have a daughter.”

“Oh?”

“Yes. As a matter of fact she is here with me tonight,” and he spun his head around searching for her. “Ah – there she is,” and he pointed to her.

“Where is she?” Michael responded, pretending not to find her in the crowd.

“Never mind,” Tom excused. ” Come, let me introduce you,” and they walked over to the group of women who were sitting about in a nest-like fashion chatting among themselves.

“My dear,” her father spoke up, getting her attention, “I would like to introduce you to Mr. Michael Smith.” Her eyes ascended to meet his as she stood up. She extended her hand to him; and he, taking hold of it so gently, bent down and drew it to his lips and kissed it.

The women sitting with her grew envious, and the seeds of gossip were planted as they saw the romantic look toward her flash in this most eligible bachelor’s brilliant blue eyes. Margaret blushed with embarrassment. Michael stood tall and spoke to her father as he kept his gaze steadily on her. “You aren’t going to deny us of your daughter’s charm at the charity ball, now are you?”

“Of course not,” Tom assured.

“Miss Wellington, you would do us the honor of attending? We should not be denied the grace of your presence.” As Margaret nodded, Michael smiled then cast his gaze toward the cluster of her friends. “Nor, should we be denied the pleasure of any of these other blossoms whose beauty would humiliate the most delectable of flowers.” All the women giggled under their breath and waved their hand-fans vigorously in front of their faces, each one fancying herself as the lucky one to land him as her own.

“I would love to stay and chat more,” Michael sighed with a mock regret, “but the hour is getting late and I do have a busy day tomorrow. I was only stopping by,” and he looked at the doctor. “If it weren’t for you Tom, I dare say this boring get-together would have been a total waste.”