Rerun: Steele of the Day #94
[Steele] continues upstairs, entering his bedroom discover Daniel sitting there before the fire, a glass of brandy in his hand. "Daniel."
"Harry. Where've you been?"
"Escaping from the Soviet Embassy with the help of your Swedish- uh, what do you call it- Countess," he explains coming into the room.
"Yes, Marissa has a definite flair for international relations," Daniel agrees.
"What seems to be going on?" Steele asks him.
"She's looking for her father," Daniel tells him. "A task that's painfully familiar to you." Steele studies him as Daniel lifts the snifter for a drink. "However- " Daniel takes the drink, then stands up. "There's another- game," he admits, going toward the window. "A dry and droll one, which doesn't concern the Countess. Or the Russians." He looks nervous, and covers it with a laugh. "Do you remember when first we met? You were all of- what?- fourteen? You tried to pick my pocket."
"I *did* pick your pocket."
Daniel laughs again. "I saw right then you had a rare talent. A bit- unrefined, perhaps, but a talent, nonetheless."
"Well, you certainly polished it," Steele admits in a fond tone.
Daniel nods, then turns back to the window. "In all the years we've known each other, I've never told you about the most exquisite lady ever to grace my life. What she saw in me, I'll never know. Unfortunately, I was too young to- seize what might so easily have been mine," he confides, still looking away from Steele. "Instead, I tried to pull off the most- wildly ambitious caper- and went to prison instead." He finally turns to look at Steele, who's just standing there, listening and watching. "While I was incarcerated, I learned she was with child. My child. She died giving birth," he says, putting his glass down. "The baby was -put up for adoption. By the time I was released, I had no idea where he was." Steele looks as if he might be putting things together, but remains quiet as Daniel continues. "I wandered around, several years. Aimlessly, really. Then one day, I suddenly realized I desperately wanted to find my son."
Finally, Steele speaks. "And, uh- did you find him?"
"Eventually," Daniel admits. He puts a hand into his pocket. "Do you remember when you told the Earl you suspected that your - real father had stolen this watch?" he asks, holding the pocket watch out between them. Steele takes it. "You were right, Harry."
Steele grasps the watch, and stares at Daniel- then smiles and starts to laugh- a bit nervously, as if he doesn't want to face the truth. "Come on, Daniel. What're you playing at?"
With a brave front, Daniel tells him, "I'm afraid you can stop looking for your father."
Steele's smile and laughter vanishes. "Why didn't you tell me this twenty years ago?" he asks.
"I wanted to," Daniel says. "Believe me. A hundred times over. But- by the time I found you, you'd built up so much hatred against your father- that- I thought it best to be your mentor instead."
Teeth clenched in anger, Steele says, "And why now?"
"Let's just say it's time."
"Oh, time. Oh, time, is it? Really? Time. After twenty years, you suddenly decide it's time?" Steele loses his temper, yelling. "Who the bloody hell do you think you are to come waltzing in here and say to me after twenty years, 'Here, my boy, here I am. I am your father, I have lived an aimless life, here's the watch-' You selfish -" He's livid. His tone moderates and then rises again as he continues. "For twenty years, I've tried to imagine who you are, where you were, what you did, were you alive, were you breathing, and all that time, you were standing there in the flesh and blood, right beside me! My God!" He tosses the watch at Daniel, who remains unmoving. He doesn't even flinch.
"Here," Steele says. "You take your watch. I don't want your watch." The watch begins to play.
He leaves the room.
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Since it's the end of the series--and the final Steele of the Day--here are some pictures of the happy end for Laura and Steele:
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Steeled With A Kiss 2
"Harry. Where've you been?"
"Escaping from the Soviet Embassy with the help of your Swedish- uh, what do you call it- Countess," he explains coming into the room.
"Yes, Marissa has a definite flair for international relations," Daniel agrees.
"What seems to be going on?" Steele asks him.
"She's looking for her father," Daniel tells him. "A task that's painfully familiar to you." Steele studies him as Daniel lifts the snifter for a drink. "However- " Daniel takes the drink, then stands up. "There's another- game," he admits, going toward the window. "A dry and droll one, which doesn't concern the Countess. Or the Russians." He looks nervous, and covers it with a laugh. "Do you remember when first we met? You were all of- what?- fourteen? You tried to pick my pocket."
"I *did* pick your pocket."
Daniel laughs again. "I saw right then you had a rare talent. A bit- unrefined, perhaps, but a talent, nonetheless."
"Well, you certainly polished it," Steele admits in a fond tone.
Daniel nods, then turns back to the window. "In all the years we've known each other, I've never told you about the most exquisite lady ever to grace my life. What she saw in me, I'll never know. Unfortunately, I was too young to- seize what might so easily have been mine," he confides, still looking away from Steele. "Instead, I tried to pull off the most- wildly ambitious caper- and went to prison instead." He finally turns to look at Steele, who's just standing there, listening and watching. "While I was incarcerated, I learned she was with child. My child. She died giving birth," he says, putting his glass down. "The baby was -put up for adoption. By the time I was released, I had no idea where he was." Steele looks as if he might be putting things together, but remains quiet as Daniel continues. "I wandered around, several years. Aimlessly, really. Then one day, I suddenly realized I desperately wanted to find my son."
Finally, Steele speaks. "And, uh- did you find him?"
"Eventually," Daniel admits. He puts a hand into his pocket. "Do you remember when you told the Earl you suspected that your - real father had stolen this watch?" he asks, holding the pocket watch out between them. Steele takes it. "You were right, Harry."
Steele grasps the watch, and stares at Daniel- then smiles and starts to laugh- a bit nervously, as if he doesn't want to face the truth. "Come on, Daniel. What're you playing at?"
With a brave front, Daniel tells him, "I'm afraid you can stop looking for your father."
Steele's smile and laughter vanishes. "Why didn't you tell me this twenty years ago?" he asks.
"I wanted to," Daniel says. "Believe me. A hundred times over. But- by the time I found you, you'd built up so much hatred against your father- that- I thought it best to be your mentor instead."
Teeth clenched in anger, Steele says, "And why now?"
"Let's just say it's time."
"Oh, time. Oh, time, is it? Really? Time. After twenty years, you suddenly decide it's time?" Steele loses his temper, yelling. "Who the bloody hell do you think you are to come waltzing in here and say to me after twenty years, 'Here, my boy, here I am. I am your father, I have lived an aimless life, here's the watch-' You selfish -" He's livid. His tone moderates and then rises again as he continues. "For twenty years, I've tried to imagine who you are, where you were, what you did, were you alive, were you breathing, and all that time, you were standing there in the flesh and blood, right beside me! My God!" He tosses the watch at Daniel, who remains unmoving. He doesn't even flinch.
"Here," Steele says. "You take your watch. I don't want your watch." The watch begins to play.
He leaves the room.
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Since it's the end of the series--and the final Steele of the Day--here are some pictures of the happy end for Laura and Steele:
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Steeled With A Kiss 2