Excerpt from the Book

IT HAD BEEN SIX MONTHS since Anna’s father died. His brother, Uncle John, phoned her. “Are you up to receiving a visitor?” he asked after the usual greetings. Anna heard the urgency in his voice and told him that she was free this morning, but she did have appointment with her gynecologist in the afternoon, just after lunch. Uncle John told her that he would be there in less than half an hour. She did not know why, but she sensed that what he had to say would greatly affect her. Anna’s instincts, as usual, were correct. She got out of her chair, which took some doing, as she was six months pregnant with her second child. Anna walked to the window and looked out. There on the U-shaped driveway she saw her chauffeur and protector, Liam O’Reilly, washing the family limousine. Seeing him as she pushed the window curtains aside while patting her extended midsection warmed her.

Liam O’Reilly, a large agile man, was hired by Anna’s father, Dr. Stephen Blithe, when she was less than two years old. Liam, at a height of 6’2”, looked as if he weighed about 180 pounds. He actually weighed 198 pounds and was a superbly conditioned warrior. Liam, a former Green Beret who left the Army in 1974, answered a want ad posted in a military publication. The ad listed the required skills of a very well-paying position and Liam knew that he possessed all of them. Dr. Blithe interviewed him and was duly impressed. Liam possessed black belts in several different martial arts and had a superb military record, including two combat tours in Vietnam. In a word, Liam was courageous and dangerous, with a very strong moral base. Dr. Blithe knew, after an hour of conversing with him, that he had found the right man. He offered Liam the job and he accepted. Liam became Anna’s protector from that time on. He was there from her first memory to the present day. At first, protecting Anna and her mother was just a very well-paying job. However, it didn’t take long for this cute little girl with soft blond curls and large blue eyes to worm her way into his heart. She became like his own child and there was nothing that he would not do for her. Liam, due to wounds he received in combat, would never be able to father his own child. This circumstance intensified the protective instincts he felt regarding this precocious child.

As Anna grew and developed from a child into a startlingly pretty woman, Liam was always there. Even when she went on dates, he made sure that the young men in her life knew not only knew her boundaries, but his. Anna, all 63 inches and 120 pounds of her, sometimes resented Liam’s intrusion into her personal life. But as she matured, she appreciated his instincts regarding the character of the men that she would see socially. Anna was and is the major beneficiary of her father’s estate, which at the time of his death exceeded more than $50,000,000. Her wealth made her a target, and she relied more and more on Liam’s judgment, as she knew with every fiber of her being that her welfare was his only concern. In her sophomore year at Brown University she met Mark Shellholm, who was at least as wealthy as she. When Liam approved of him, she freely gave her heart to him and they were married three years later. Her father’s estate also made arrangements to pay for Liam’s services for the rest of his life. Whatever the ups and downs of her life, Liam was always there. That comforted her.

When Anna turned 12 years old, her mother, Joan Clare Blithe nee Revere, passed. Joan was a small, slightly-built, blond woman who was never very healthy. Joan possessed a very weak heart and the strain of childbirth probably shortened her life by at least a dozen years. Not having Anna was never a consideration for Joan. Motherhood was the single most important aspect of her short life. Anna’s mother died in her sleep and her father, who was completely devoted to her, was devastated by her death. His grief was so intense and so personal that it was difficult for him to comfort her. But Liam was there and he grieved with her. It broke his heart that there wasn’t more he could do for her. But he also knew that in time Anna would come back to life. By the time Anna was 14, she was like any other teenage girl, but she had a twinge of sadness that a perceptive person would eventually notice. Liam attended all her soccer games, as Anna was a varsity player on her preparatory school’s team. Even when Anna went to Brown, Liam was there. He kept a discreet distance to allow her some personal space. Sometimes Anna would really resent his intrusive presence, but those times were rare. When she met Mark viii Gordon L. Boc her in her sophomore year and Liam approved, he gave her all the space that safety would allow. Since Mark’s intentions were honorable and he truly loved Anna, he came to appreciate Liam’s presence and protection. Mark, a scion of wealth, knew that members of his economic class were targets and so he appreciated what Liam did for his fiancée.

Both Anna and Mark’s families came from old line Protestants tinged with Calvinism. Both were raised by families steeped in very traditional Christian values. They were raised to believe that their wealth was a sign from God that they were selected by Him to achieve salvation. In addition, having that great wealth was not only a privilege, but a moral obligation to help others, including tithing. Although they possessed great wealth, they did live rather simple lives. When they married, Dr. Blithe presented them with their own home, which included an attached apartment for Liam, which was his, rent free, for life.

Anna opened the front door and called to Liam. He stopped what he was doing and looked at her and asked what the problem was. Anna answered, “Uncle John is coming to visit. He should be here in about 15 minutes and, when he arrives, ask him to wait for me in the study and I will meet him there.” Liam nodded his assent and continued to clean the car. Anna closed the door behind her and turned to ascend the stairs. She went upstairs to the second floor that contained five bedrooms, four bathrooms and the large sitting room, which was Anna’s destination.

Anna entered the sitting room where her three-year-old son, Andrew, was playing with his nursemaid, Trudy, a gentlewoman in her mid-40s. When Andrew saw his mother enter the room, he immediately arose and ran to her. Anna gave him a big hug and told Trudy that she would be busy in the study and did not want to be disturbed. Anna gave her son a big kiss on the cheek and told him that if he got hungry, Trudy would take him to the kitchen for lunch. She promised Andrew that in the afternoon, after she returned from her visit to the doctor, she would spend the rest of the afternoon playing and reading with him. That assurance seemed to satisfy him, and he returned to Trudy. Anna closed the door and went downstairs to the study to await her uncle’s arrival.