Color of Love

Book Series: Stand Alone Title

Publishing Date: 2017

Author: Anita Stansfield

Publisher: Covenant Communications, Inc.

Category: LDS Historical Romance
Point of View: Third Person Limited: Amala and Henry
Chapter Count: 14
Page Count: 281

Chapter 1    Equally Indian

Wiltshire, England-  1867

       Meet Amala Hepworth, adopted daughter of a wealthy English family, who brought her back from India when Amala was nine after the tragic death of her parents who were murdered, shot in cold blood, for reasons never fully explained. Amala's happily married parents worked as servants in the Hepworth home. Needing a companion for their own daughter who was just Amala's age, the Hepworth family graciously saved her from becoming a cast-off orphan forced to live on the streets in India.

      Ten years later, while Amala will be forever grateful to her adoptive family, whom she loves and appreciates all they've done for her, she has always felt like an outsider in a foreign land. Tonight's ball is yet another example, as Amala sits, alone, resenting the fact that, despite her respectable connections, she will never be fully accepted in high English society and can certainly never hope to marry. She is a minority. Her loving, adoptive parents and sister pretend these barriers don't exist. Amala finds this very frustrating. 

       Certainly none of the eligible bachelors here tonight have ever sought her out while Katerina, known hereafter as "Kat," is having the time of her life. She collapses, breathless, next to her wallflower sister with hardly a moment to exchange pleasantries before she is whisked off again for another dance.

        It is then "Prince Charming" Henry Beckenridge, tall, well-built and very Caucasian with dark blonde hair and blue eyes, a striking contrast to Amala's olive skin, black hair and eyes despite being dressed in the latest English ladies' fashion, plops down next to her and starts babbling.

         Attracted by her exotic beauty, having just arrived after spending nine years in the country of her birth where he LOVED it, Henry  is anxious to discuss all things India with Amala. But Amala, unable to bear the flood of memories just hearing the word "India" brings, stands and flees the ballroom. 

         Henry chases her down outside to the gardens. The cool summer air a welcome relief after the hot and stuffy room inside. He understands her heartache and would love to talk and get to know her some more as he really has the hots for her! He realizes: they've just been introduced, I do not know you well, but when the music started something drew me to your side but before he can suggest, "Shall we dance?" Amala squeals, "You're white superior, I'm illegal immigrant. Don't you realize it would never work between us?" and runs away. 

Again.

This will be repeated many times, so get used to it.

          Amala finds her adoptive parents, sticking to them like glue until time to leave the party. She thanks the Christian god she converted to as a child that she will never have to see or talk to Henry Beckenridge again.

At least until the next chapter.

Chapter 2     The Unwanted Suitor

        The very next day, Mr. and Mrs Hepworth welcome two special, very single men with connections to India whom they talked to last night at the ball and invited over for luncheon to meet Kat and Amala. You'll never guess who one of them is!

        Bored by all the talk of India, Kat excuses herself to bed while Mr. and Mrs. Hepworth want to show Henry's best friend all of their Indian souvenirs which he is eager to see and discuss. Henry takes this opportunity to get Amala alone with him, suggests she give him a tour of the family rose garden out back so he can kiss her and declare his feelings for her which upsets Amala. She tearfully reminds him they can never be together. You've got to be carefully taught, you know. She runs away. 

        This time, Henry doesn't try to go after her. Instead he makes his way to the carriage house and spends a few pages chatting with Everett, the overseer, who shares a special friendship with Amala and wishes there were something he could do to help these two star-crossed lovers as Amala was just here, mourning this relationship that can never be. This gives Henry hope.

Chapter 3     The Declaration

         That night, after dinner, Amala marches into the room where her parents and sister are relaxing to announce "the declaration" which is: she will never marry!

         Surprisingly, there are no protests, in fact, none of the Hepworths have anything to say. Amala finishes her long speech as to why this society she was adopted into will never accept someone like her and why, thanks to the color of her skin, no white man in their social class would ever want her, before excusing herself and exiting the room. Nobody comes after her. With the help of her lady's maid, Amala prepares for bed where she cries herself to sleep.

        Narration says there were tears and strong discussion about the issue over breakfast which remains unresolved. Amala might as well have declared her sexual orientation. She talks to Everett and feels a little better.
(Um, are there no single Indian men in England she could hook up with?)

      Meanwhile, three weeks pass as Henry still cannot get thoughts of Amala out of his mind. He is more determined than ever to marry her. But he has to propose first, and we all know what Amala's answer is going to be. Henry finds Everett who promises to play matchmaker. Not that they need any help. Everett delivers Henry's letter containing his marriage proposal to Amala, next time she comes to visit him in the carriage house, early one morning. Amala reads the letter and feels more confused than ever. She just announced her "End of Men" and now one of them has gone and ruined all her feminist plans with a proposal of marriage!

Chapter 4       The Secret

        Amala's parents, who know nothing about this budding relationship between Amala and Henry, bring up his name over breakfast that very morning. Such a nice young man! They must have him over for dinner sometime, right girls? Kat is indifferent. Amala feels sick. 

       Unable to stand it any longer, Henry mounts a horse late that night and rides over to the Hepworth estate where he finds Amala, looking lovely in a yellow dress and dark shawl, her black hair cascading over her shoulder in long, soft curls, waiting in the stable, almost expectantly, for him. 

        Taking her in his arms, they kiss passionately but, she begs him, as she is unable to give him an answer regarding his proposal of marriage, he must promise to keep their romance a secret.

        They snuggle in one of the old carriages, knowing Everett will warn them if they are caught, and talk of their respective homes and families, getting to know each other better. Henry's home is not warm and loving like Amala's. He looks forward to rectifying that after he marries. Amala again reminds him it won't be with her. They share another kiss before parting.

       Two formal visits to the Hepworth home later and nobody even suspects that Henry and Amala are secretly engaged. It's been pure torture for both as they've hardly had a moment alone but, at last, one rainy afternoon, everyone finds other activities leaving Henry and Amala free to make out in the library.

Chapter 5      The Decision

       They spend several pages talking. Amala recounts the day British soldiers came into the Hepworth home in India and shot her parents for no good reason while Kat and Amala hid under a sofa, terrified. This exciting account comes to an abrupt end when a maid enters to announce teatime.

      Months pass as Henry continues to visit Amala's home under the presumption of friendship while secretly courting Amala-stealing kisses when nobody's looking. The only thing they disagree on is the decision to make their union public. Henry doesn't care what anyone thinks. He's ready to run off to Vegas and elope. While Amala has no trouble kissing him, she refuses to take their relationship to the next level. One afternoon, after another round of passionate kisses, Henry asks her again to marry him. Again she hesitates, about to start her old argument about their different ethnic backgrounds and how scared she of is of being rejected by their culture. Henry interrupts, as a God-fearing man, he believes all are equal under His eyes. He suggests they go talk to the vicar.

       To the dismay of both, when Mr. Guthrie learns of their intentions to marry, he goes off on a long rant about how such a union would be an abomination in the sight of God, that mingling foreign seed with the white, pure English is a SIN!
       Henry tells him off, takes a weeping Amala's arm and escorts her out of the church while Amala can barely keep from saying, "Told you!" before breaking free and running away from him. Again.

Chapter 6     Running Away

        Amala spends three days in bed, claiming fatal illness. Her family leaves her alone but knows something is seriously wrong. So they do what any respectable family would do in such a situation, they send for the maiden aunt.

       Auntie Paulina, a woman in her fifties who never married, arrives like Mary Poppins to set everything right. The sister of Amala's father, she inherited a good size portion of the family estate. Upon reaching the respectable age of spinsterhood, she set off on a carefree trip around the world never taking up permanent residence in England but coming back often to visit her two favorite nieces. Paulina owns three homes in three different countries complete with staff and servants. 

        After hearing the entire story from Amala, she has the perfect solution. Who needs men? Amala will join her on an extended holiday, a Grand Tour, an opportunity to experience life as an independent woman. Something that was only possible to women of that time who had the means to support such a lifestyle. How nice of Auntie Paulina to share her wealth with a young woman she's not even related to.

       Kat has no problem not being invited on this trip. She's been seeing a few suitors of her own. Amala wishes her well, packs her bags and is off with Paulina for the adventure of a lifetime.

Chapter 7     Distant Hearts

       Unaware Amala's run away from him. Again. Henry checks the carriage house on his next visit, just missing Everett who had a note from Amala to give him. He is instead received into the house where Amala's father drops the bomb. Henry's intentions towards his adopted daughter remain unspoken. Henry stumbles outside to the stables where Everett gives him Amala's breakup note. Poor Henry. He never even got to say goodbye.

       Meanwhile, Paris for Amala is a whirl of gaiety with Paulina as her guide. They spend hours shopping, touring museums, staying only in the finest hotels and eating at the most expensive restaurants including, Paulina insists, Indian cuisine, which Amala hasn't tasted since her childhood. The memories on her tongue are almost sacrilegious but Pauline keeps encouraging her to embrace her ethnicity. They travel to Paulina's grand home in the south of France and spend several months doing absolutely nothing. Occasionally Amala thinks of Henry, but can't help feeling relief it's officially over between them and she can follow Paulina's advice to let it go, forget him and enjoy her new life (as Pauline's lesbian companion?).

Chapter 8    Letting Go

       After a few months in Italy, Pauline takes her to her home in Spain. World traveling agrees with Amala, who follows Pauline's example using her wealth to help those less fortunate through small, humble acts of service and anonymous donations. Pauline is well received wherever she goes and has many friends and neighbors in each of her three foreign homes. 

      It is here, in Paulina's country home in Spain, the letter arrives from Kat, joyfully announcing she met the man of her dreams and is getting married-to Henry!

      Amala stares at these words in shock. 

      

      The shock continues to follow her as she and Paulina spend the next several weeks traipsing around the Continent, mostly to distract Amala. They don't bother attending the wedding. Kat writes of their blissful honeymoon and that Henry has taken up residence at Willenbrock House, the Hepworth home, where their mother and father have made their new son-in-law feel very welcome.

      Then a letter arrives announcing Kat is pregnant. Paulina assures her, to a woman who has chosen never to marry or have children, being an aunt is the most satisfying compensation in the world. Amala will LOVE it! Amala cannot deny the feeling of peace in her heart when she thinks about becoming an aunt and knows Paulina was right. Jilting Henry was all part of God's mysterious plan for her.

      Until another letter arrives, this time from her mother hinting that something is not quite right with Kat and her pregnancy but excludes any details.  Amala can't shake the feeling of urgency. Something's wrong. They must leave at once and return to England. Paulina agrees.

Chapter 9      Much Changed

      The reunion with her family, and especially Henry, isn't as painful as Amala anticipated. Kat appears to be perfectly fine, practically glowing in her first trimester, joking happily about morning sickness and needing lots of extra sleep. Since Kat's not saying anything, Amala takes Henry aside, asking him what's wrong. Henry doesn't want to be the one to break the news so Henry and Amala confront Kat who insists she's FINE except for one small thing she insists is nothing to worry about. She has a "little bump" no, not her baby bump it's a little bump she's had for years over her hipbone which never bothered her until she got pregnant and it started getting bigger. She even rolls down her petticoats to show them. The doctor examined her but this is the late 1860's and science hasn't advanced far enough yet for cancer treatments. Nobody knows how long Kat has to live or if she'll be able to deliver a healthy baby. Kat is optimistic she'll be fine. Everyone else isn't.

        Amala and Henry talk privately as Amala absorbs all this. Henry tells her nobody knows about their past relationship because it's just that, in the past. Amala agrees. Her feelings toward him have changed as have his. Amala can tell Henry truly does love her sister with all his heart. She respects that before excusing herself to her room where she can cry in private.

       Later, at teatime, Amala is surprised when a young Indian woman enters the drawing room with a tray. She and her husband, as well as her father-in-law, worked in Henry's household when he lived in India. He sent for them after he married and they have been a welcome addition to the Hepworth home. They, in return, absolutely love their new life here in Merry Old England.

      Who cares about all that when Kat is dying?! Amala isn't sure she can adjust to all these changes.

      

Chapter 10      Sisters

       Everett passed away, but nobody will miss him. Endless pages of narration describe the passing weeks and months for Amala who spends every waking moment at Kat's bedside. 

       Point of view occasionally switches to Henry, who observes this tender bond between the two sisters. He smiles before returning to his reading of A Promise of Forever, a much better Anita Stansfield cancer romance.

        At last, the nine months are up and Henry paces restlessly in the library downstairs while Kat struggles to deliver a healthy baby boy whom they name Henry George Beckenridge but will call "Harry" to distinguish him from his father. Amala never left her sister's side the entire time and is the one to announce the happy news to Henry and the rest of the family waiting downstairs. Henry rushes up to meet his new son and kiss his angel wife; soon to become one.

Chapter 11     Katarina's Wish

       Up to this point, Amala and Henry have been very careful to avoid any topic of conversation regarding their past romantic feelings toward each other. Henry keeps insisting, after deciding he was in love with Kat, all feelings of love and marriage he once felt for Amala were set aside so he could focus on his new relationship. 

      More boring pages of narration describe the turning of another season, summer passing to fall and winter while Kat's health continues to spiral down. Henry nobly presses forward, trying to enjoy what time he has left as husband and father to Kat while Amala has found her place in life as aunt and sister. Both keep telling themselves how much better it always was that they never got together.

      Until Katarina ruins it all by calling them both to her dying bedside to announce her last wish, something she wants very much for them to do for her,  "Anything!" they cry.

      After she is gone, Katarina tells them it is her dying wish that they both get married.

      To each other.

      You see, Kat knew all along.

      THE END 

(Oops. Sorry, there's still three more chapters to go!)

      Henry gets very upset and leaves the room to sob his heart out in private while Amala can hardly believe they hadn't been fooling anyone all those years ago. EVERYONE knew! But they were too nice to say anything.  Safe in her own room, Amala buries her head in the bed cover and cries as if her heart will break.

Chapter 12     Without Color

      Paulina has been hanging around all this time too. She gives her blessing on the whole confusing situation. Henry keeps insisting he was never unfaithful in his heart to Kat! He didn't put her up to this. He PROMISES! 

      Several more pages of narration pass as it becomes painfully evident it's time to kill off Kat. Her death scene is poignant and filled with irony as she gasps her last breath. Henry is choking back his tears. Amala trying to be strong and let it go. Kat's last words make it evident Amala's dead parents were the ones waiting for Kat to welcome her on the other side of the veil. Why Kat would even recognize Amala's parents or care about seeing them again is puzzling since she was never close to them in mortality. Kat never wanted to talk about her experiences in India. She and Amala aren't even blood relations.
      The funeral is attended by all presided over by that hypocrite vicar, Mr. What's-his-name. Riding home from the service, Henry and Amala repeat to the rest of the family in the carriage, word-for-word, the offensive words he spoke to them when Henry and Amala came asking for his blessing. Lucky for them, they are TRUE Christians who know better. Let's get an "amen" people!
      You know, Katarina never mentioned who she wanted to have marry them.

Chapter 13      Making Peace

       As if it isn't painfully obvious by now how this story is going to end, Henry keeps going back and forth in his mind as to when he'll be ready to move past his grief and fall back in love with Amala with whom he can only feel the deepest bonds of friendship. Love is out of the question.
      Amala feels the same way. It takes Paulina speaking to them both in separate scenes to make them understand they must get past the first stage of grief: anger. Once they've vented their feelings of anger toward Kat, they can allow themselves to move forward in obeying Kat's last wish.
      
        This of course takes several more pages.

       Amala and Henry finally have the conversation they should've had in Chapter 10. He was very angry with her for leaving, while she suffered guilt then her own anger when he had the nerve to fall in love with her sister. With God and Pauline's help, she came to accept their union but Henry isn't ready to open his heart to her again. They are going to need more time.

Chapter 14     Filled With Color

       Now that he's come to terms with his feelings of polygamy, (I kept waiting for Mormon missionaries to show up so they could all move to Utah. Fail, Anita!) and forgiven himself for his romantic involvement with two women who just happened to be sisters while always having the blessing of their father, Henry is ready to officially ask for Amala's hand. 
      "About time," says Amala's father (and the reader).
       Henry finds Amala in the sitting room and pops the question. Amala reassures him her wanderlust is most definitely over by accepting. Everyone at the supper table that evening is ecstatic by the news. It's about time. Paulina asks for an "amen."
      Since the vicar won't marry them, they decide to travel to Scotland, have their honeymoon there and return to begin their new life together with the new baby (who has been under the care of a wet-nurse and nanny all this time while the adults came to terms with their grief).
     One year later, totally inactive from their local parish thanks to that hateful vicar, Amala and Henry are visiting Kat's grave when a man of the cloth approaches them. He is the new vicar, replacing the old, outdated one and he would like to go on record right now in saying he fully supports such marriage unions as theirs. Henry and Amala are so glad at this absolute lack of prejudice, they promise to start attending services beginning this very Sunday and extend on open invite to the vicar and his wife to dinner at their home, whenever convenient.
      Henry and Amala return to their carriage knowing nothing on earth could be more beautiful than the family they've become.

THE END