

Lynna's Rogue

Curse of the Conjure Woman: A Prequel

by

Kitty Margo

Copyright 2012 by Kitty Margo

Smashwords Edition

All rights reserved.

ISBN 10: 0985928026

ISBN 13: 987-0985928025

Smashwords Edition, License Notes

This ebook is licensed for your personal enjoyment only. This ebook may not be re-sold or given away to other people. If you would like to share this book with another person, please purchase an additional copy for each recipient. If you're reading this book and did not purchase it, or it was not purchased for your use only, then please return to Smashwords.com and purchase your own copy. Thank you for respecting the hard work of this author.

Disclaimer: The persons, places, things, and otherwise animate or inanimate objects mentioned in this novel are figments of the author's imagination. Any resemblance to anything or anyone living (or dead) is unintentional. The author humbly begs your pardon. This is fiction, people.

In Loving Memory of

James Clifford Swaringen

June 12, 1931 – September 10, 2013

and

Bertie Ann Carpenter Swaringen

March 16, 1936 – October 8, 2013

For giving me my very first typewriter.

You will be loved and treasured forever. Know that not an hour goes by that you are no remembered. Not a minute passes that you are not missed. And not second of a single day slips by that you are not loved.

Looking forward to the day we meet again.

I love you, mama and daddy.

  Chapter 1

Paris, France 1850

Only a fool would fail to realize that the amount of money displayed before Joshua Jordan would come with a great deal of risk attached to the proposal.

He was no fool.

Would he be asked to pillage and plunder? Turn thieving highwayman? Bloodthirsty assassin? Kidnap a princess for a king's ransom?

The answer to all these questions stood before him in the form of Nathan Rhodes, a man rumored to be the wealthiest in all of France, and one who appeared most eager to put an end to Joshua's vivid speculations.

"It is quite simple really, Captain Jordan. You will be my daughter's protector," Nathan Rhodes stated as if it were the only pressing matter in the whole of the universe, for to him it was. "A physically protective presence each and every moment of the day until she is safely delivered to my sister in America. Lynna must never be out of your sight, and on this point, I would require your solemn oath as a gentleman, sir."

"Why me?" Joshua wondered aloud. _When had he gained the reputation as a highly touted babysitter?_

"Because I have it on good authority that not only are you a man of your word, you are also fiercely loyal to those in your care."

Nathan Rhodes rocked back on his heels and clasped his hands behind his back as he eyed the much younger man. "I realize that you have never even met my daughter and could therefore feel no such sentiment toward her. However, I also realize that with the proper amount of persuasion, you could at least feel obligated to protect her as though she were your very own sister and see that no harm befalls her."

Joshua was silent, pondering the man's extravagant offer.

Priding himself on being an astute businessman, Nathan Rhodes paused to allow his words to fully sink in. He was aware that to a man of sound mind, such a proposition would be impossible to refuse.

When Joshua failed to immediately agree to the terms of the contract, Nathan continued, undaunted. A man obviously accustomed to having his way in all matters. "Now, Captain Jordan, if you will give me your word as an officer, and a gentleman, that you would be willing to forfeit your own life for the safety of my daughter's, then all that you see before you will be yours."

Forfeit my life?

"Now hold on just a minute, Mr. Rhodes." At twenty-nine years of age Joshua was neither ready nor willing to die, especially for a complete stranger. "Perhaps you should enlighten me as to precisely what it is your daughter needs protecting from, and why, sir?"

Nathan Rhodes motioned to the money and breathed a pained sigh as he sank wearily down on a chair in front of Joshua's desk. "Over the years, I have amassed a sizable fortune, Captain Jordan. I was visiting here from the red clay of Georgia, just after completing my education, when I was introduced to my future wife and soon entered into a profitable partnership with her father. Without really working to achieve it, the wealth seemed to be deposited in my lap."

Nathan waved a careless hand toward the money bag. "This is but a mere pittance compared to my vast holdings, I assure you. When my wife's parents went to their heavenly reward, I was also bequeathed their rather immense fortune. Although, I assure you, my wealth is not important at the moment." He cringed, rubbing the area over his heart as though it ached. "All of my riches mean nothing without my darling daughter to share them."

Again the haggard man paused, as if expecting a reaction from Joshua. When none was forthcoming, he plowed ahead. "To get to the point, Captain Jordan, I have received numerous death threats against my daughter's life over the years. There have been two strong armed kidnapping attempts, with the last coming only two days ago. The miscreants came too close this time, much too close. If not for a few minor miscalculations on their part, they would have succeeded in kidnapping Lynna."

The grieving father's voice shook as his eyes clouded with pain. "Only the Good Lord knows what harm the villains might have done before releasing her. _If_ they released her _._ "

Again, Joshua nodded. Odds were great that Nathan would have never seen his daughter again, at least not alive.

Snatching a handkerchief from his pocket, the man swiped at the perspiration beading his brow and shoved the cloth back into his pocket. "Therefore, although what I am being forced to do pains me beyond measure, it would be detrimental to my daughter's welfare to remain in France. I must relinquish her until these criminals can be captured and brought to justice. My justice!" he stormed, slamming his clenched fist on the table hard enough to make a few of the coins flip.

Joshua noticed a tear slip from the overwrought man's red rimmed and swollen eyes, as expressions of deep anguish flickered across his gaunt face. "I have the wherewithal to purchase anything my heart desires, Captain Jordan. Anything in the world I could wish for, except happiness. Not once in my daughter's life have I missed a single breakfast with her, nor spent a solitary night without her peacefully slumbering in the room juxtaposed to mine. Were I not in fear of losing her, forever, a separation such as this would be unthinkable."

Joshua scrubbed a hand over his face, considering the offer before him; the pros and cons. The pros being the money of course, while the cons meant being saddled with a spoiled and whiny brat for the entire voyage.

Contemplating his words, he strolled to the open window to gaze across placid ocean waters. "Since I have no doubt that you've had the whole of Scotland Yard busy on a thorough background check of my life, past and present, I'm sure the detectives informed you the _Windjammer_ is a cargo vessel. We only have accommodations for two passengers at most."

Nathan nodded his head as Joshua accepted the fact that the man probably knew more about his life, his ship, and its passengers than Joshua knew himself.

He moved to a side bar and poured two shots of brandy, offering the older man a glass. "On this particular voyage, both passengers have sailed with me previously. I can vouch for their safety, as well as my crew, whom I would trust with my life."

"According to my reports, both passengers are upstanding citizens," Nathan admitted. "Although the female appears to be a bit of a busybody."

"An understatement if I ever heard one." Joshua chuckled.

"Each member of your crew has passed inspection as well," Nathan added.

"If one of them _had_ failed the test, I have a feeling he would have missed the boat on our journey home."

"Nothing nefarious," Nathan replied. "He would simply be given free passage on another sailing vessel."

"It appears that you have no reservations concerning my passengers and crew, and you have my word that every possible precautionary measure will be taken to assure your daughter's safe voyage. Are we in agreement then?"

Nathan drained his glass with a look of immense relief on his otherwise miserable features, extending his hand to Joshua. "Thank you, Captain Jordan. I have been assured by your brethren in the seafaring world that your word is your bond."

Joshua savored the taste of the amber liquid as it slid down his throat, returning the glass to the brandy decanter for a refill. "I feel safe in saying that your daughter would have no greater need than a female traveling companion while onboard my ship."

"A traveling companion!" Nathan Rhodes thundered, leaping from his chair to stand before Joshua like a man possessed of hidden demons. "Have you gone completely mad?" His hands on Joshua's shoulders jerked as if he were trying to shake some sense into a simpleton. "It is their intention to abduct my daughter and hold her for ransom. For the love of God, man, they might even resort to murder if their kidnapping plot were to somehow go awry. A hell of a lot of good a traveling companion would do her."

Joshua stood before the overwrought man in stunned silence as brandy overflowed the glass and dripped to the floor before he thought to right the decanter.

Nathan Rhodes took slow, deep breaths in an apparent attempt to settle his frayed nerves. "Captain Jordan, please allow me to impress upon you the seriousness of this situation. My daughter must have a bodyguard, someone to protect her from any and all adversaries encountered along the way. Someone who will be by her side by day, and _especially_ at night, when these brigands are most likely to strike."

Joshua lit a cheroot, quietly observing his agitated visitor.

Nathan placed his empty glass on the desk and sighed heavily. "Understand, this is not a pleasure cruise, sir. If it were, I would build my daughter the most opulent and lavishly bedecked vessel to ever navigate the seas. I would see it equipped with every convenience and have every extravagance known, or even considered in the shipping industry, to take her to any destination her heart desires. Yet, the degenerates would expect her to travel in such a manner."

Nathan closed his eyes and inhaled a ragged breath. "After much consideration and, as you have already alluded to, several discussions with Scotland Yard we have decided that concealing her on a cargo vessel would be the safest and least conspicuous means of travel."

Joshua nodded in agreement. The idea had merit.

Nathan's eyes swept over Joshua's muscular frame. "I put complete trust in you, Captain Jordan, to be the gentleman and protector my daughter needs. Nonetheless, should she come to any harm, or should she not remain...chaste... while in your care..." The tortured father was quiet for several minutes as he gazed out the window at the calm, sparkling water of the bay. His knuckles whitened under the pressure of his clenched fist as he whispered, "May the Good Lord take pity on your soul."

Nathan's eyes locked with Joshua's. In a nutshell, should any harm come to his cherished daughter while under Joshua's protection, the captain of the _Windjammer_ would be signing his own death warrant. He knew beyond a shadow of a doubt that Nathan Rhodes, with the able assistance of some of the best detectives in Europe, and possibly a few assassins as well, would search heaven and hell to see the deed accomplished.

"Do we have a deal, Captain?" Nathan was apparently bringing the discussion to a close. "If you can agree to my terms, may I suggest preparations get underway to sail at your earliest convenience? I wish for my daughter to be out of this Godforsaken country on the next high tide."

It had been some time since Joshua had bestowed upon his crew a hefty bonus for their years of faithful service. After but a moments consideration, the decision was made to accept the man's challenge and split half the bounty among his crew. "We have a deal."

"Very well." Nathan made to leave, but stopped abruptly, turning to face the man who would soon hold the life of his cherished daughter in his capable hands. "Before I go, there are a few things I feel obligated to tell you about Lynna's unique, and decidedly unorthodox, upbringing, Captain Jordan. If you are to understand my daughter, you must first understand her rather exceptional childhood."

Nathan massaged his temples in an apparent attempt to ease a throbbing pain. "Due to the kidnapping attempts, she has lived a sheltered life of relative seclusion.

The man of great wealth found it a truly lamentable fact of the times that even his immense riches could not guarantee his daughter's safety. "The consequences of this sequestered life are that Lynna knows very little of what goes on in the world around her. The Chateau was her world. A world filled with every available luxury and with every indulgence at her beck and call. Lynna was given everything, except friends, girls her own age with whom to share intimate secrets."

Nathan raked a trembling hand through his thinning hair. "Unfortunately, her only acquaintances were the household staff, who were nearing retirement age when she was born. A few have passed on, but since the day Lynna was born the servants at the Chateau have doted on her."

"Please." Joshua was intrigued by the man's heartfelt story. "Go on."

"There was Gertrude, her maid, a geriatric native of New Orleans who planted all sorts of supernatural nonsense in my daughter's head. While she should have been fired years ago, she was Lynna's favorite so I kept her on."

"What about her education?" Joshua queried. _Surely, the child was allowed to flee the elderly long enough to attend school with children her own age._ "Did she go away to a private school?"

"Lynna was never allowed to leave the Chateau, Captain Jordan. I lived with the constant fear that I might never see her again if she did." Nathan shook his head and breathed a defeated sigh as if, for the very first time, he might be regretting his decision to subject his child to a life of complete isolation. "Her schooling came from two of my most trusted friends."

"Let me guess." Joshua raised an eyebrow at the man. " _Old_ friends."

Nathan hung his head. "I could not risk allowing outsiders into our private world. We never knew who could be plotting against us."

"In essence, your daughter was reared by, and for her entire life has only known, people considerably older than her."

"Yes, and the few times she left home, which was not often I must admit, she was always heavily chaperoned."

"By old men," Joshua added.

"Yes," Nathan confessed, shaking his head as if to rid his mind of a painful memory. "Lynna's life was never the same after her mother was kidnapped on her third birthday. The bond between mother and child was... unbreakable. They were inseparable." Even after all these years his eyes still clouded with pain. "I paid the ransom within hours after receiving it, to no avail. My wife's... ravaged body washed ashore three days later."

Joshua witnessed the pain and grief that momentarily flickered across Nathan's face. The man had lost his wife to kidnappers and now his only child was being threatened with the same fate, and being forced to sail far from home and into a new and distant horizon. Joshua was now able to fully understand the father's irrational fear for his daughter's safety.

"I will tell you this, Captain Jordan. If you find my daughter lacking in worldly ways, and I am confident that you will, you must bear in mind that it was through no fault of her on. It was forced on her through necessity and my constant fear for her wellbeing."

As Joshua watched Nathan Rhodes' melancholy departure from his cabin, he was reminded of what his own mother had so often told him as a child.

Money makes life easier, to be sure. But it cannot buy happiness.

As Nathan Rhodes left the ship, to bring his daughter on board, Joshua went on deck to inform his crew of the bonus each of them would receive after the safe delivery of their precious cargo. His mother's words were true indeed. However, he had not a doubt in his mind that the thought of the extra coins at the end of this voyage would be the next best thing to happiness for his hardworking crew.
  Chapter 2

Lynna Rhodes peered from beneath long, sooty lashes as her father clutched her arm the same way a drowning man would the nearest floating object. Her gaze dropped when a sudden wave of guilt almost overwhelmed her. How could she be so elated when he was so obviously miserable and forlorn? He reminded her of a man in mourning, or one on the way to the gallows, while her own excitement was almost impossible to subdue.

Due to her father's irrational fear for her safety, not once in her eighteen years had she been onboard a ship, or even allowed to venture to the docks for that matter. She had often watched the ships entering the harbor from her daydreaming perch on her upstairs window seat and longed to sail into the horizon, to one of the intriguing far distant countries that until now had only been visited in books. Now, that dream was about to become a reality and she could hardly wait to experience it.

Lynna was destined for an exciting new land, a new home, and a new way of life. Best of all, she was setting sail without the hovering bodyguards that had forever been a perpetual thorn in her side. Just this morning, her father had informed her that she would be traveling without them, or even her maid Gertrude, since they would only draw unwelcome attention. Instead, she was to rely on Captain Joshua Jordan for her every need.

She eagerly anticipated hearing captivating tales of his thrilling adventures around the world. Hopefully there would be plenty of time for storytelling since the Captain was to assume total responsibility for her safety and they would be spending a surplus of time together.

Yet, sea captains were, according to the numerous books she had read, an old and dowdy lot, and this one would no doubt pay little attention to her whereabouts. He would most likely be too busy with steering the ship, or whatever captains did, leaving her to explore the sailing vessel and its passengers at her leisure.

Lynna wanted to run across the deck, laughing and singing to the high heavens, instead she gazed into her father's miserable countenance and her heart dropped to her feet. She had never felt more torn as excitement and sadness waged a heated battle within.

Consoling herself with the fact that his sorrow would be short lived, she was convinced he would soon see the villains captured and hanged, thus sending word for her to return home. With that thought firmly fixed in her mind, she pulled her eyes away from her father's sad visage and counted the sails above her.

Nathan escorted Lynna to her cabin and hugged her close with tear filled eyes. "My dearest daughter, you will never know the agony this decision has caused me. You must realize why I am sending you away and the heartache I feel in doing so. Please, tell me you understand."

"Of course I do, Father." In all her life, Lynna had never seen her distinguished father look so defeated. "We will be together again soon, you shall see. Your men will have those awful despots caught in no time, and I will be awaiting word that I may return home."

"Godspeed, my darling child. Rest assured that I shall send for you as soon as the danger has passed. Now, I must leave before I am recognized. Look to the Captain for your every need until you reach America, where Aunt Judith will be waiting with open arms."

"I shall be awaiting your missive," Lynna cried around the tight knot that suddenly formed in her throat. " _Au revoir_ , Father. _Je t'aime_!"

With sagging shoulders, her father opened the door and she noticed a man casually leaning against the doorjamb, patiently waiting. As her father closed the portal she heard the lock click behind him and felt a brief moment of panic, wondering if she had traded one prison for another.

Alone in the cabin, Lynna removed the whalebone hoops from beneath thirteen yards of ruffled cornflower blue silk that made up the skirt of her gown. She perched on the edge of the bed to remove her soft kid slippers, feeling gloriously unencumbered. She was grateful her father had never forced her to wear those two foolish contraptions, hoops and corsets, at home. She listened to the muffled voices coming from the opposite side of the door as she fidgeted nervously with the hem of her flounced petticoat.

Was this ship really about to set sail?

With her in it?

Or would her father have a sudden change of heart at the last minute and insist she return home?

Lynna wouldn't truly believe her first grand adventure had begun until she heard the wind billowing in the sixteen canvas sails of the _Windjammer_.

Taking a moment to survey her new surroundings, she found it to be a room much like her father's study, with the addition of an intricately carved four poster bed and a massive sea trunk. Along the walls were shelves lined with delicately shaped trinkets of ivory, glass and metal. A large desk took up one corner of the room, cluttered with maps, a compass, a sextant and a hand carved model of the ship. She smiled, wondering how much it had cost her father to persuade the Captain to give up the comfort of his bed for her convenience.

Swiping at the perspiration that trickled into her cleavage, she considered taking leave of her traveling outfit and choosing a more appropriate day dress. It was stifling hot, even though the four large windows in the cabin were open. Surely the ship would soon be underway and she could feel a cooling ocean breeze on this sweltering day.

Retrieving a fan from her reticule, she fanned herself vigorously before plopping down in the center of the bed and waited patiently for her introduction to the captain of the _Windjammer._

After having assured Nathan Rhodes for the umpteenth time that he would care for his offspring as though she were his very own sibling, and escorting him off the ship, _finally_ , Joshua strode toward his cabin to console the forsaken child. He had put off his duty as long as he could, now he must see to his charge. Most likely she would cower in the corner when he entered the cabin and scream bloody murder if he so much as looked at her sideways.

Fortunately, there was one other female passenger onboard who might be persuaded to befriend the young recluse and perhaps share sleeping quarters with her. He would make a few inquiries on the morrow. _No, that wouldn't work._ Nathan would have his head if he allowed her out of his sight.

Surely the girl must be as dismayed by this situation as her father after being banished from the only home she had ever known, without so much as her maidservant. After living such a secluded life, albeit a spoiled and pampered one for so many years, she could hardly be expected to be a social butterfly, more like a painfully shy hermit.

Already dreading the long, sleepless nights ahead spent calming the grief stricken heiress, his consolation would be that he would certainly be well compensated for any disturbed sleep.

Joshua plastered a cheery smile on his lips and tried to prepare himself for her caterwauling as he knocked softly and slowly opened the door.

For the love of God!

What charade was this?

The vision before him was certainly no homesick or grief stricken wallflower.

He would bet his ship on that.

His jaw dropped to his chest as he stood perfectly still, inhaling sharply as the exquisite creature before him beamed a radiant smile. Surely the ravishing beauty on his bed could not be Nathan Rhodes's painfully shy and withdrawn daughter. She looked anything _but_ upset at the thought of leaving her father, or her country, behind.

Joshua had viewed beautiful women in ports all over the world, yet, Lynna Rhodes far surpassed them all. She had been blessed at birth with smooth, creamy skin and breathtaking vivid blue eyes that sparkled up at him, enticing moist, pink lips, a dainty upturned nose, and waist length, feathery golden curls that hugged her enchanting curves. And she was far from shedding the tears Joshua assumed would be flowing at the thought of putting an ocean between Lynna and her sire.

"Oh hello, you must be Captain Jordan, _enchante'_." Her soft lilting voice caused a tightening in his midsection. "I'm Lynna Rhodes. Although, I'm sure you must already know who is occupying your cabin in your stead." She giggled, tumbling from the bed and standing to offer her hand. "I can hardly wait for us to set sail. Will it be very much longer?"

Shocked to the roots of his hair, Joshua accepted her delicate hand as her sparkling azure gaze held his captive. As if she had read his mind and sought to fulfill his wildest fantasy, she moved into his arms, pressing her soft and very feminine curves against him.

"Thank you, Captain, for giving up the comforts of your bed. I was dreading the very thought of trying to sleep on a hard bunk. I trust your new quarters are suitable?"

With her soft breasts pressed against his chest Joshua's pulse quickened as a powerful surge of blood shot toward his lower anatomy. Was he really expected to hold her voluptuous body in his arms and not... touch.

Only if he had a desire to continue living.

Grabbing her shoulders, he stood her at arms length and moved toward his bed, trying desperately to contemplate mundane thoughts.

Indeed, his quarters were quite suitable. Where had she gotten the erroneous notion that he would be abandoning the comforts of his cabin? Her father had given strict orders that he was to share the cabin with her, sleeping on a hard cot in the corner of course, but always within sight of her. Certainly Nathan Rhodes had not been remiss in sharing this knowledge with his beguiling offspring?

Once again his eyes strayed toward the body of a woman who seemed to possess the innocence of a child. A hazardous combination, to be sure. Her embrace was a cordial display of affection, nothing more. No coy flirtatious move designed to send a man's blood racing and have him drooling at her feet.

Joshua would bet every coin Nathan Rhodes had deposited in his safe that his daughter did not possess the slightest notion of how her affectionate hug would affect him, or any other member of the opposite sex for that matter. Her father's words repeated over and over in his mind. _"If you find my daughter lacking in worldly ways, Captain Jordan..."_

"Oh, Captain Jordan, I am terribly excited about this voyage." Lynna Rhodes' sapphire blue eyes danced up at him. "However, to be perfectly honest, you are not at all what I expected."

"An understatement if ever there was one, my lady." Joshua leaned against the door, observing the enchanting imp at his leisure. "Pray tell, what did _you_ expect?"

She turned her exquisite head sideways, studying him with a creased brow. "Um...someone much older, saltier perhaps. More rugged. Yes, that's the word I was searching for. More rugged from the many years spent on the deck of a ship."

"I've spent many years on the deck of the _Windjammer_ , to be sure." Joshua chuckled. "As for my age, I don't believe I'm ready to be put out to pasture just yet."

"Neither do I, sir. At any rate, I must confess that all my knowledge comes from books. I have never been to your country, though I have read much about America. Our journey should be about an eight-week voyage. Is this correct?"

"If we have good wind at our backs."

"You will tell me what to expect when we arrive, _oui_?"

Joshua watched as a tiny trickle of perspiration slid down her neck to the valley between her breasts. Her full...creamy... breasts. What he wouldn't give to lick it...

Stop!

Why was he thinking such ludicrous, and life threatening, thoughts? Not only would Nathan Rhodes have his head, he would mount it and hang it on his office wall as a daily reminder of the man who had stolen his daughter's virginity.

Raking a trembling hand through his hair, Joshua tore his eyes from her lovely visage and spent the next several minutes perusing a tiny speck of dirt on the toe of his boot. He had been hired to protect this girl as he would his own sister.

Damn Nathan Rhodes all to hell!

He should have warned him of what a truly delectable creature his daughter was, instead of rambling on and on about her supposed lack of social graces. There was not a red blooded man alive, be he French, American, or any other nationality who would not be caught completely off guard by the stunning beauty of Lynna Rhodes.

"I came to see to your comfort and," he mumbled as his eyes raked her from head to toe, "you look extremely... comfortable. Now, if all is to your satisfaction, I will return to my duties."

Lynna motioned toward the inviting four poster bed. "I could not have asked for more comfortable quarters."

He certainly could have.

"I'm glad you approve," he choked out, swiping at the sweat that continued to bead furiously upon his creased brow. "In that case, I will bid you good day and endeavor to return in time to share the evening meal with you."

"Good day, Captain." Lynna sat down on the bed feeling... _something_. The captain was certainly a handsome man.

He was tall, at least six feet two inches, with black wavy hair that fell carelessly across his forehead and skin tanned golden from many hours spent on the deck of a ship. His teeth were pearly white and she was sure they would sparkle were he even to attempt a smile.

Lynna's thoughts meandered back to the impulsive hug she had given the Captain. She had felt..., what was it she had felt... exactly?

A strange, yet, entirely delicious sensation in the pit of her stomach.

The feeling had begun as butterflies in her midsection and then rapidly spread to all parts of her body, leaving a noticeable sensitivity in her breasts and at the apex of her thighs. Brushing her hands across her bodice, she remembered vividly the feelings that had awakened there when she pressed against his broad chest.

In that moment, Lynna knew one thing for certain. Captain Joshua Jordan was a force to be reckoned with.
  Chapter 3

Lynna was humming a song and didn't hear his knock when Joshua entered the cabin a short while later. As she stood beside the bed, clad only in a scanty cream colored chemise of the finest lace money could buy, Joshua's eyes feasted hungrily on the alluring view of long shapely legs, now only a few feet from his own.

"Oh, Captain Jordan," Lynna cried, snatching her dress to hastily cover herself. "You should have knocked, sir. I am not dressed to receive company and I certainly hope you don't make a habit of barging into a lady's bedchamber unannounced."

"Not as a general rule, no. Normally, I'm... invited." Joshua was much chagrined as he hastily backed out the door, standing in the hallway like a chastened lad. "I mean... please, forgive me. I will wait outside until you are suitably attired."

Several minutes had passed before she called for him to enter, the embarrassing incident apparently forgotten. "Will our meal be served soon? I find myself quite famished."

"The meal should be delivered any minute now," he answered, sitting down at his desk and opening his log book.

Lynna smiled brilliantly, without an apparent care that her gown remained unfastened in the back and was in danger of slipping from her shoulders.

_The sight had not gone unnoticed by Joshua_.

His heart pounded erratically in his chest as his eyes feasted on the satiny bosom rising and falling above the lace of her chemise, beckoning him from an arm's length away. In one simple motion he could have her in his arms, have his mouth on her inviting pink lips. _No!_ He closed his eyes and issued a silent prayer for strength. Was he going stark raving mad?

He was a gentleman.

A gentleman who not less than one hour ago had sworn an oath to protect this enchantress with his very life, and now ever fiber in his being yearned to seduce her.

"Captain Jordan?" Lynna whispered as concern etched her enchanting features.

"What?" His tongue finally untied itself and he was able to speak. "Supper should be here soon." He was about to turn toward the door, determined to make a hasty retreat before making an even bigger fool of himself, when his feet refused to move.

Unfortunately, before he was completely over the trauma of having her enticing front side so near, she presented her back to him and requested, "Before you go, Captain Jordan, will you fasten me, _s'il vous plait_? I fear I am rather lost without Gertrude."

" _Dear heavenly Father above,"_ Joshua silently implored, _"if ever I needed your strength it would be now."_ He was thankful her back was turned so she wouldn't witness the trembling hands that moved at a slug's pace toward her back, sorely afraid that to touch the velvety skin would be his undoing.

"Captain Jordan?" Lynna questioned, wondering at the delay after several long, fumbling minutes had passed. "Is there some difficulty?" As she waited, she fiddled with a tiny locket that hung from a delicate gold chain around her neck. "I fear my dear father sent me away grossly unprepared. I cannot possibly fasten and unfasten the stays at my back, nor do I feel comfortable asking you to do it morning and night. Yet, what other choice do I have? I have no other acquaintances onboard this ship."

Pity for the girl was strong inside Joshua. Had her father not been sorely vexed at the thought of sending his daughter across the ocean, the fact that she would need a maid to accomplish these menial tasks would never have slipped his mind. "No, no difficulty," Joshua croaked the lie.

As his hands reached for the dress, his fingers made powerful contact with her bare skin. He glanced out the window to see if a storm was brewing after feeling a jolt of lightning shoot through his arms and exit his fingertips.

Did she feel the tremor that coursed through him, or the heat that leapt from her body to scorch his hands?

As Joshua reveled in the feeling of her satiny flesh beneath his fingers, he was suddenly aware of a thumping noise from seemingly far, far away. The sound grew louder and louder still until it at last penetrated the pea soup fog of his brain.

"Are ye in there, lad?" Sam, the ship's cook, shouted. "Yer meal is getting cold and I don't intend for my victuals to sit outside ye door and be consumed by rodents. Open up."

Sam's shout succeeding in gaining Lynna's immediate attention. Grabbing a nearby shawl, she draped it over her shoulders and hastily tied it in front.

Although Joshua shook his head to loose the cobwebs, Sam had called several more times before he could make his way to the door. The impulse was strong to stuff a chicken leg in the old cook's mouth and inform him that food was not what he hungered for at the moment. Instead, he opened the door and allowed the grinning man to enter.

Both men knew the menial chore of delivering lunch trays fell to the cabin boy. Normally Sam would consider the task far beneath him and be greatly affronted if instructed to carry it out. _Why in the hell did he lower his standards today?_

Joshua was fully aware that the older man's curiosity had overridden his pride and he wished to see first hand if the gossip making the rounds of the ship was true.

"I'm happy to see that for once the rumors have some merit. You are a bonny lass." Sam smiled broadly at Lynna as he marched into the cabin. "A winsome one indeed."

Lynna's beaming smile brought a twinkle to the seasoned sailor's eyes. "You are most kind, sir, and a welcome sight as I find myself quite ravenous."

"At your service, milady." Sam was not one to waste time chatting, and having seen what he had come to see was ready to depart. "Now, if you will excuse me, I have about forty more starving mouths to feed on this vessel. Enjoy your meal, lass."

After Sam's departure, Joshua sat back and watched as Lynna ate heartily of the fine fare spread before her. She paused long enough to glimpse up at him and ask in between bites of crispy fried chicken, "Will you not join me, Captain? I thought you were hungry?"

"Maybe later." Joshua poured another glass of wine and peered at her over the rim. "Would you care for a glass of port?"

"Um... no, I don't... um, yes." _What would it hurt to try it?_ "Thank you, Captain Jordan."

Joshua watched her sip the wine, make a small purr of pleasure, and down the entire glass. "How delicious," she murmured. She licked a drop of wine from her luscious lips, causing his pulse to throb. He refilled her glass as she speared a succulent potato and pushed it past moist lips.

Ten minutes later she untied the shawl and tossed it on the bed. "It has gotten rather warm has it not, Captain?" With the back of her hand she wiped beads of perspiration from her finely arched brow.

Joshua laughed heartily at her flushed face. "Perhaps you have had enough port, my dear. You wouldn't want to drink overmuch and miss leaving the docks." Sliding the bottle out of her reach, he went to pour her a glass of water when he was interrupted by a tapping on the door. Thinking it was Sam again, he flung the portal wide to find his first mate Chucky.

"Captain, we are ready to set sail. Will you be wanting to steer us out of the harbor?"

"Yes, of course." Joshua turned back to his slightly tipsy cabin mate. To his surprise, he found that he rather enjoyed the lady's company. "Enjoy your meal, Lynna. I will return shortly."
 Chapter 4

When Joshua entered his cabin almost an hour later, Lynna was nibbling on a square of buttered cornbread as she reached for the nearly empty wine bottle to refill her glass. He was taken aback by her apparent thirst for wine. _Was the lady a lush?_ Some women would be falling out of their seats after consuming an entire bottle.

Lynna wasn't exactly falling out of her seat, probably because she had a death grip on the edge of the table with her right hand, while her left hand was pouring the few remaining drops of port into her plate, missing her glass entirely. She dropped the bottle sideways on the table and took a bite of apple cobbler, smiling up at him.

"Port is _sreally_ very good, Captain Jordan. I was never allowed to have it at the Chateau. Father said ladies should not par...part...partake of spirits."

"Now you tell me," Joshua moaned, shaking his head at his ignorance. Some protector he was. The girl was drunk before they left the docks.

"It does make my head feel... _frunny_." She hiccupped loudly, daintily covering her mouth with a lace handkerchief. "I need fresh... air." Lynna looked with longing toward the open window as she stood and cautiously made an unsuccessful step toward it.

Joshua reached out to catch her just as she fell into his arms, causing her gown to gape open and reveal things that could definitely be detrimental to his continued health and longevity. "Here, Miss Rhodes, please, allow me to fasten your stays. It seems I have been remiss in my duties."

"Thank you, Captain Jerden."

He inhaled a deep, steadying breath, stood erect, and once again reached for her back. _No, he couldn't do it._ He knew better than to touch her. _Her father would demand his heart on a silver platter._ "Please, have a seat until I return. There is one other female passenger on the ship who should be able to help you dress. I will fetch her."

" _Non_ , I want you, not a total stranger helping me dress." Lynna waved an unsteady finger at him. "My father ass...ass...assured me that you would see to all my needs. I am to _thrust_ no one else."

She made a good point. _He could do this._ Casually opening his hands to see the task completed, Joshua's thumb accidentally caressed the softness of her back. Her skin was silky to the touch. Smooth as glass. Radiating heat. So soft. What would be the harm in allowing his palms to caress for the briefest of moments the velvety softness?

With his blood simmering at a low boil, he couldn't imagine a single harmful consequence to such an action. Placing his hands upon her back, Joshua closed his eyes, savoring the heady feeling of having her smooth skin beneath his calloused palms.

As the rest of his body immediately responded to what his hands were feeling, he was quick to realize what a grievous error in judgment it had been to touch her. His hands now moved of their own volition across her back and toward the gentle rise and fall of her breasts?

She should turn around any moment and land a resounding slap to his cheek. _He would welcome the pain._ Better still, he prayed she would draw up her enticing knee and deliver a fierce jab to his privates. Anything to clear his head and put a halt to his roaming hands, before it was too late.

Unfortunately, the thought of slapping or kneeing Joshua never entered Lynna's spinning mind. In fact, she didn't benefit from a clear, rational thought at all. Her head was swimming through a murky lake while still attached to her shoulders. Her blurry eyes saw two Captains standing before her and she would swear on a stack of bibles that if she didn't soon remove her cumbersome clothes she would surely perish from heat stroke.

She drew a shattered breath when she felt his rough hands on her unclad skin. In her inebriated state, his touch felt glorious, absolutely sublime. So sublime, in fact, that her entire body seemed to melt. The very skin where his hands rested felt singed by flames as they left a trail across her heated flesh.

Every nerve in her body seemed to be centered under the palm of his hand. Now those hands were moving around her sides...slowly...much too slowly. Her breasts ached, no throbbed, with each and every beat of her heart, pulsing against the thin material of her chemise, her nipples straining against the fabric.

She had never experienced such all consuming feelings of passion as these at the Chateau. Not once. _Was it the wine?_ Is that why her father never allowed her to drink it? Could this ship be enchanted? Was she under the influence of a magical spell? Was the Captain a wizard perhaps?

She knew about sorcery and bewitchment from the books she had read, and Gertrude quite frequently consulted Tarot cards when Lynna's father wasn't around to witness the Celtic spread. Why, the elderly woman even possessed a voodoo doll, made to the likeness of the woman who had pilfered Gertrude's betrothed away. She would viciously push pins into the doll nightly while chanting some unknown tongue.

Lynna felt his hands fluttering at her sides and knew exactly where she wanted them. On her aching breasts. She recalled frequently hearing her father say to his associates, _"If you want something, go get it. Odds are that it won't stumble and fall into your lap."_ Perhaps he had not meant for his words to be taken quite so literally, yet, in that moment, she knew having Captain Jordan's hands on her breasts would surely be tantamount to dying and floating off to heaven on a wispy bit of cloud.

She was at a loss to explain the intense craving, having never felt it before. Seeing absolutely no harm in fulfilling the desire, she reached up and placed her hands on top of Joshua's, tugging them around to cup her throbbing breasts. _Oh._ The sublime sensation of having his hands on her breasts caused every nerve in her body to jolt to life.

She heard Joshua gasp and mumble her name against her ear as she pressed back against him. Lynna had never known such all consuming rapture even existed as when his hands closed around her breasts.

Her head fell back limply on Joshua's shoulder as a soft moan of sheer, uninhibited ecstasy flowed from her parted lips. She felt herself being spun around in his arms as his mouth lowered to hers in a kiss that she felt in the very pit of her stomach.

One hand moved to her midsection, afraid she would soon be beset by her monthly spell of painful cramps. What else could cause such fluttering in the space between her legs?

His hands slid over her flat stomach, causing every muscle in her body to tense with anticipation. He slowly caressed her hips and buttocks before coming to rest on her heaving breasts.

He lifted her gently and carried her to the bed. She hiccupped loudly as Joshua lay down beside her, bringing his mouth down to drink deeply from her honeyed lips. Easing the gown from her shoulders, he stroked the inside of her lips with his tongue until her mouth opened to him.

Molten lava coursed through Lynna's veins. She wished to cry out at the loss of his lips as they left a burning trail down her throat and over the pulsing hollow between her breasts? She inhaled sharply when his tongue sent flames of desire fanning out in all directions as it came to rest on a rosy peak.

As his soft lips cherished her breast, her mind centered around the intensifying need that threatened at any second to explode and set fire to her lower regions.

Joshua continued his lustful assault, running his tongue along the tender underside of her breast and sending shivers of pure ecstasy coursing through her until she thought she might go mad from the sensual torture. When she could stand it no longer, she took his head between her hands and returned it to her swollen peak. "Oh, Captain Jordan," she whimpered, "I need..."

He removed his lips long enough to murmur, "Lynna, would you agree that under our present circumstances, you may forgo the formalities and call me Joshua?"

She was unable to answer as the ache inside her intensified until she writhed on the bed in search of... relief. Her legs fell open of their own accord, wanting, needing, pleading. "Please, Joshua, release me from this torment."

Joshua would have given all his worldly possessions to make love to the tempting seductress. Yet, her virginity was not worth the loss of his life, and he had no doubt Nathan would seek a physician's reassurance that her maidenhead was still intact when the ship docked.

He winked seductively as his mouth fell to her breast and his hand traveled to the space between her legs. "I will be happy to release you from your torment."

His finger massaged her most sensitive spot while his lips suckled her breast, sending her to a climatic finish that rocked her to her toes and left her gasping for air and crying out his name.

Later, when her breathing returned to normal, she released a contented sigh, stretched her arms over her head in a sensual pose of satiated bliss, and slept.

Thinking she would probably sleep until noon the following day, Joshua went on deck and took matters into his own hands before his lower anatomy exploded. He had no clue that he even possessed the herculean willpower required to leave a gorgeous, and naked, enchantress begging him to make love to her.

Only the thought of having a man like Nathan Rhodes hell bent on his rapid demise was sufficient to cool his ardor.

As weariness seeped into his bones, Joshua made his way back to his cabin. He lay down beside the intoxicating and intoxicated creature and drew her into his arms, surprised by the feeling of contentment that enveloped him as he joined her in slumber.

  Chapter 5

Lynna's first day at sea dawned clear and bright with white fluffy clouds prancing across the sky. Dressed in a fashionable day dress of aqua silk that buttoned in the front, with a matching ribbon in her hair, she strolled the deck after a light breakfast of fruit and coffee. Leaning against the mahogany rail she closed her eyes and breathed deeply of the salty sea air.

She glanced up at the wheel deck to find Captain Jordan, devilishly handsome in the bright rays of morning sunlight, watching her closely. His lips curved into a knowing smile as his tongue flicked out to wet his lips.

The sight caused her to suddenly, and quite vividly, remember when a tongue had drawn circles around a taut nipple...

Her nipple?

She remembered her erotic dream from last night and felt a blush stain her cheeks. It had seemed so... real. She remembered each and every sensation, so... vividly, as his mouth suckled her breast.

Of course, it didn't really happen.

It had been nothing more than a deliciously erotic dream caused by too much wine.

Wasn't it?

Her stomach tightened into knots and her nipples grew rigid just thinking about it. Then his hand had moved down....

Dear Lord, it _had_ happened?

Just the memory of his lips and... hands... caused her lady parts to throb.

While the captain resumed his duties, Lynna was lost in thought, ignoring the kiss of the warm ocean breeze on her face and the water that splashed against the hull of the ship, spraying her with tiny droplets.

What had she done?

What had _he_ done?

Pelicans dipped in the ocean scouting for their midday meal, and seagulls cawed, swooping around her head. Deck hands were busy hoisting sails and scouring decks as the tempting smell of fried fish drifted from the ship's galley. She closed her eyes, holding onto the rail as her glorious mane fanned out behind her.

For the love of God.

What if she was with child?

What had the captain done to her? With one furious glance his way, she raced across the deck and down the steps to her cabin.

Joshua watched Lynna's every move, until her slim figure could no longer be viewed. Why was she in such a hurry? Even the sight of her, fully clothed, caused a quickening in his loins. How he wanted her, yearned to feel her velvety softness beneath him, to caress every silken inch of her lovely body all over again. Therein lay the problem.

The little lady was dangerous, posing a very real threat to his life.

It would be best for all concerned if he kept her at a safe distance until they docked in Charleston.

Not an easy task, due to the fact they shared a cabin.

Lynna sat in the center of the bed, contemplating a dismal future. She had heard Gertrude say, numerous times, that it only took one time to create a child? Her old maid had harped on and on about one of her niece's reputation being left in tatters, after she had engaged in scandalous behavior with a married man. "Even allowing a gentleman under your skirts for five minutes can bring utter disgrace to your poor family," she had warned.

A disgrace?

Lynna knew all about the birds and the bees.

Scandalous?

She had never even been within spitting distance of scandal.

She didn't move when the cabin boy brought her lunch tray and she hadn't budged hours later when Joshua returned. She cursed the fates as she stared out the window, admiring the seagulls their carefree existence.

"Are you coming out of the cabin this afternoon?" Joshua's deep voice startled her. She hadn't heard the door open. "The clouds have moved in to cover the sun and it's quite pleasant on deck.

Without turning to face him, Lynna whispered, "What if I am left carrying your child, Captain Jordan?"

Did something happen during the night that he was unaware of?

If he had made love to the delectable ingénue, he would definitely remember it.

"Please, I beg you, don't even joke about it." He chuckled. "Can you even begin to imagine the hurt Nathan Rhodes would visit upon my head if he even suspected I had made love to you?"

"You? You! Is that all you can think about at a time like this? You? And what my father might do to you, which I can assure you will not be pleasant." Suddenly, Lynna was furious at his smooth lies. "What about me?"

Wait.

Was she serious?

Joshua turned to her with a puzzled frown. "When did we make love, Lynna?"

"Don't pretend you don't remember taking indecent liberties with me. She turned away to hide her furiously reddening cheeks. "I remember what happened... last night."

He had pleasured her and left, with a severe case of blue balls.

Surely the sheltered recluse didn't think you could become with child simply by having an earthshattering climax.

"Oh, Captain Jordan," she cried, sounding completely heartbroken. "How could you singlehandedly bring about the ruination of my entire life?"

"Lynna, if you will recall, I did nothing against your will."

"It was the wine," she murmured sadly, ignoring his protestations. "I had never been allowed to drink wine before. You knew I was not responsible for my actions and, yet, you took advantage..." She stopped, blushing a most becoming shade of pink as she recalled the horror stories Gertrude had recounted of unwed mothers being cast into the street.

"My _tante_ will turn me away when I arrive on her doorstep ponderous with child, and without the benefit of a husband. I will have no place to go. Our _enfant_ and I will be roofless vagabonds, forced to resort to a life in back alleys. Our only recourse will be to sail back to France, where my baby will be stripped from my arms and placed in an orphans' asylum."

"Roofless? Nathan Rhodes' daughter living in a back alley?" Joshua sat on the bed, crossing his booted feet at the ankles and waiting for her to calm down. "Lynna, I did not force myself on you last night. Truthfully, I was a perfect gentleman. Therefore, it would be impossible for you to be carrying my child. Should your father ask," he added with a sly wink, "you fell asleep with a smile on your face."

Lynna closed her eyes and exhaled slowly, remembering the pulsing contractions of sweet ecstasy that had convulsed her lower region when his hand caressed her there. Her nipples puckered at the thought. She would never forget the moment as long as she lived.

Of course, they had made love.

Why was he lying?

Because he was terrified of her father.

Lynna sauntered over to Joshua with a look of pure innocence, drawing back her hand and slapping him across his divinely handsome face.

_Although, she would be the first to admit the slap was woefully late in coming_.

"You, _sir_ , are a liar," she quipped.
  Chapter 6

Lynna kept her door latched in the weeks that followed.

Her monthly curse was late.

It had been well over two months since her last one, she was sure, and each day she became more and more despondent.

If Joshua so much as poked his head around the portal she proceeded to convulse into a fit of screaming. She was inconsolable, allowing only Sam to bring her tray and enter the cabin to inquire about her well being twice a day. Joshua had been none to happily relocated to a bunk in the cook's cabin.

Lynna placed a quivering hand on her still flat stomach every few hours, searching for any evidence of growth. So far, it was still blessedly flat. _M_ _erci,_ God.

Her ruminations often fled across the sea to the Chateau, and her father. Her loving father, who had been so proud of her. She recalled his face radiating with pride as he stood with the staff during one of her many ballet or piano recitals. He was always near with applauding hands and cheering words of praise at her smallest accomplishments.

Now, when she returned as soiled merchandise, and probably with a bastard child, he would be too ashamed to even claim her as his daughter. The scandal would sweep across Paris like the pox. His business patrons would refuse to do business with him. She would discredit his good name, and far worse, she would break his heart. How could she bear to live with the shame? She collapsed on the bed as hot tears of humiliation shook her slender frame.

After three weeks, with only an occasional glimpse of Lynna strolling the deck after the sun went down, Joshua knocked softly. When there was no response, he slowly pushed open his cabin door to step inside and was startled by her appearance. She looked fragile, and pale, and so alone.

He had vowed to protect her with his very life, yet there was nothing he could say to ease her heartache. She would have to see the proof for herself.

It was obvious by her swollen eyes that she had been crying. He wanted nothing more than to take her in his arms and gently kiss away her sorrow, prove to her that she was being irrational.

If he could just hold her, console her in the meantime. Almost without realizing it he moved toward the breathtaking vision curled on his bed.

" _Non_. Stay away from me, Captain Jordan," she warned with tears glittering on her lashes. "You may be the Captain of this deplorable ship, and stand there with your smug expression, confident that your crew will not turn a hand against their beloved captain. Although I promise you, your expression will be dramatically altered when my father learns of your deception. He hired you to protect me on this voyage. Not molest me."

"Molest you!" Joshua stormed, before noticing how profoundly overwrought she was and lowering his voice. "I never even made love to you, Lynna. How many times must I tell you this?" He turned toward the door with a look of defeat. "If your father, and Scotland Yard, put their trust in me, why can't you?"

For answer, she picked up an expensive glass figurine and hurled it at his head. "Get out!"

Three weeks later, Lynna was sitting in the center of the huge bed regarding the dolphins that frolicked alongside the ship, when Joshua again entered the cabin. Her eyes were swollen from crying, she had dark circles under them, and she appeared even thinner.

They had been at sea for eight weeks and her monthly curse had apparently deserted her. That was all the proof Lynna needed that she carried this man's child in her womb.

For the one hundredth time on this voyage she wished to have Gertrude by her side. She would know how to handle a crisis that Lynna had mulled over and over in her head until it ached.

With no family, friends, or a confidant with whom to discuss her troubles, she had arrived at the most crucial decision of her life on her own. By now, she was certain that she was _enceinte_ and could arrive at only one resolution to the problem of being unwed and with child.

Having no other recourse, she gathered her dwindling courage and forced her gaze from the window. Looking Joshua square in the eyes, she whispered, "Will you marry me, Joshua?"

Her heart sank as she watched a myriad of emotions play across his handsome face, from surprise, to terror, to shock, and finally anger. She knew he had no intention of making an honest woman of her. She was totally alone in her plight. While she agonized over the birth of his child, he would be off on another voyage, perhaps instilling the same predicament on another young lady.

"I will have to decline your invitation, my sweet," was his callous response. "I refuse to be forced into marrying a woman who despises me."

He was refusing to marry her?

After what he had done to her?

"What kind of low, depraved, black hearted seadog are you? You planted the seed inside me, after getting me drunk on wine, and now you refuse to take the responsibility of seeing your child reared?"

Was marriage to her such a loathsome prospect? Who did this man think he was? For the love of all that was holy, she was the daughter of Nathan Rhodes, a man who had clawed his way out of the red clay fields of Georgia to become the powerhouse he was today.

Where was her backbone?

"Rest assured, Captain Jordan, you will never be forced into an unwanted marriage with me. You acquire females as if their virginity was another novelty to store in your sea chest, without regard for the fact that no respectable man would marry a _soiled_ woman."

Joshua's nerves were almost at the breaking point as well.

With his jaw set and his eyes smoldering, he ground out, "At the time I was pleasuring _you_ , I don't recall hearing any grievances uttered from your side of the bed."

As her sharp gasp echoed around the cabin Lynna wanted nothing more than to claw the smug expression from his face. "I will hate you until my dying day for the agony you have caused me, Captain Jordan. I can only pray that my father tracks you down, and we both know that he will. I also pray that he shows absolutely no mercy when he finds you. Now get out. I never want to see you again. Ever."

Joshua tried reasoning with her. "Lynna, believe me, you are working yourself into a dither for naught."

He was so calm, when her entire life was in shambles.

He would have no trouble turning his back and walking away without a care.

She could only stare at him, her feelings accurately mirrored in her sky blue gaze. He had performed the vacuous act of sex with her, plain and simple. Just as any man would. _Then he had lied to her._ Leaving _her_ to suffer the consequences of his depraved actions.

It was a pale and drawn Joshua who brought Lynna's dinner tray two weeks later. His haggard appearance validated the fact that he'd had little sleep during the past few weeks.

This thrilled Lynna to the very core, almost making her giggle. Heaven knows she would laugh at anything today. After a wretched night of painful cramps, and discovering she was not with child, her entire world seemed much brighter, filled with new possibilities.

However, she could not yield to the desire. Joshua might witness her sudden merriment and guess the truth. She faced the window to conceal the light she knew must be dancing in her eyes.

"Lynna, I have decided to return to my cabin," Joshua announced immediately upon entering. He turned his head so she wouldn't see his relief upon the discovery that she was back to her cheerful self again.

" _Non_. You will do no such thing," Lynna insisted, whirling to face him. With her hands on her hips and her breasts thrust forward, she made a most alluring sight. "I must decline the invitation of your company, sir, for I can assure you that you and I shall never again occupy the same living quarters."

"Oh contraire, my pet." He smiled wickedly. "I feel that I must insist. Since you obviously carry my child, I can find no logical reason for us to remain apart. The damage has been done, as they say, so we have naught else to fear. We can make love to our hearts content. You requested that we be wed, did you not?"

When she failed to answer, Joshua continued, "I have come to grant your most fervent wish. When we arrive in Charleston we will be married, and spend the remainder of our days as husband and wife. You, me, and our adorable offspring. My parents have beseeched me for years to present them with at least a dozen grandchildren."

He burst out laughing at her look of stricken horror. "I can be very persistent, Lynna, and I assure you there will be no changing my mind on this point. I have given the matter careful consideration and decided that I cannot see my child raised without a father. I shall go now and have my belongings returned to my cabin."

" _Non_!" she almost screamed the word. She could not allow him to return to his cabin and risk a repeat performance of their first night together. "That will not be necessary, as I have recently discovered that I am not _enceinte._ "

"Would you care to apologize for calling me a liar now?" his voice was cold as ice as he eyed her with disdain.

"I still believe you to be a heartless liar, sir," she snapped. "I was simply fortunate that the seed you planted did not sprout."

"Believe what you want to believe, Lynna." Joshua shrugged his shoulders. "I have long since tired of trying to convince you of the truth."

"You have taught me a great deal these past few weeks, Captain Jordan. For that much, I am grateful. I feel certain that I can now face my new life and any obstacles or hardships that happen my way after this journey with you." She paused to gaze across the calm ocean waters toward her homeland. "From this day forth, I will know to steer clear of a rogue like you."

Lynna moved to stand before him, her cerulean eyes locked with his, her moist lips inches from his own. Before she knew what was happening, Joshua had her in his arms and his soft lips found hers. Lynna wanted desperately to respond to his embrace, give free rein to her rising passion and enjoy the ecstasy that she remembered so well. But she could not. She refused to grant him forgiveness and risk living through the hell of the last few weeks again. Instead, she slapped him soundly across the face.

"Don't trouble your pretty little head." Joshua rubbed his reddening cheek as he turned toward the door. "If I ever touch you again, it will be because you begged me to."

"Beg you?" Lynna laughed. "I pray that I never lay eyes on you again."

"Apparently you will get your wish. We will be docking in Charleston within the hour." Joshua opened the door, and whispered, "Au revoir, Lynna."

Then, he walked out of her life.

Hopefully, forever.
  Chapter 7

Three Years Later

Charleston, South Carolina

1853

Joshua leaned over the rail, peering into the swirling fluorescent water as it lapped against the hull of the _Windjammer_. It was a lazy, slapping sound and one that had lulled him to sleep many restless nights. Now the sound was bittersweet. For after today there would be no more salty sea breezes, no more moon swept nights listening to the wind fill the billowing sails, and no more late night walks on deck where he would spend countless hours gazing into the constellations. He was going home.

Home.

Where instead of being surrounded by a brilliant sea and sailing to exciting new destinations, his feet would be firmly and permanently anchored on dry land. Realizing that it might be years before he felt the deck rolling with the easy swells again, he had left the job of sailing the ship to his first mate as he contemplated his future.

Gazing across the ocean that he loved so dearly, he was convinced the best years of his life were behind him, a part of his carefree past. His parents needed him and that was where he belonged. Joshua blinked several times as his eyes misted at the thought of his beloved parents, Jeremiah and Patricia.

His boisterous father, tall, robust, and the picture of health had always enjoyed life to the fullest. Ever the jokester, his love for pranks was well known throughout the plantation, especially by his wife, the recipient of the majority of his shenanigans. Joshua couldn't have asked for a happier childhood or better parents.

He hadn't learned of the tragedy until the previous Christmas when he returned home for the holidays after an extended sea voyage. He remembered galloping up the dusty road toward home, filled with excitement at seeing his family after a rough year at sea. Yet, something was amiss at Sea Grove. He had sensed it even before entering the silent house.

It was too still. _Too quiet._ No joyous Christmas hymns filled the air. No freshly cut Christmas greenery and mistletoe, or the scent of cedar drifted through every room. No sounds of the children's gay laughter echoed from the slave quarters. It was as quiet as if the plantation was in mourning. _Mourning._ "Mother!" he had shouted, taking the stairs two at a time.

Flossie, his childhood nanny, met him halfway down the stairs with a worried frown puckering her wrinkled forehead. Giving him a heartfelt embrace, she whispered, "You sho' is a sight fo' so' eyes, Mast' Joshua. We is mighty glad ta have you home. Yassuh." She sniffled into a handkerchief. "Mighty glad."

"What's wrong, Flossie?" Holding his breath, Joshua's heart hammered against his ribs, fearing her answer.

"Go on up ta yo' Pa's room, Mast' Joshua," she murmured, wiping at a torrent of tears. "You jes' go on up an' see yo' Pa."

A cold sheen of sweat covered Joshua's body as he slowly climbed the curving staircase, apprehension building with each step until he finally stood outside his parent's door. Even though he tried to prepare himself for anything he might find on the way up that long flight of stairs, he had come up short.

The sight of his father's stump of a body lying on his bed, deathly pale with his eyes open but seeing nothing, sent a shockwave through his body that left him stunned and chilled to the marrow of his bones.

In a flash, Joshua recalled how his father's laughing eyes would twinkle with mischief when he chased his daughter around the yard with a harmless green snake, or when he was slipping a June bug down his wife's bodice. He remembered as a youngster when his father would hitch him over his broad shoulders and carry him through the fields explaining the intricacies of growing cotton.

In the past, his father had loved to dance at the numerous balls held at Sea Grove with every family in the county attending. Now he didn't even have legs. There would be no more dancing at Sea Grove.

Whether his father was joking with friends or grabbing his wife in a hug that lifted her clear off the ground, Jeremiah always had laughter in his eyes. Now those eyes were dull and lifeless, staring blankly at the ceiling.

Joshua's mother had risen from her seat beside the bed, a woman whose appearance had aged several years in the short span of twelve months. Dark circles lay under her eyes and her shiny brown hair, that had once been the envy of many, had turned the color of snow. Still, what disturbed Joshua most was her dramatic weight loss. She was almost skeletal.

"Oh, my darling, I'm so glad you're finally home," she had cried upon sight of her only son. "Please, tell me you're home to stay until your father..." Stopping abruptly, his mother quietly ushered him into her adjacent room where she proceeded to fill him in on the gory details of the accident. A shiver rushed down Joshua's spine as he listened to his mother tell the story of how his father and several of the slaves had been cutting the winters supply of firewood in an area the slaves referred to as the _voodoo woods_ on that ill fated morning.

Having spent the greater part of his youth clearing fields with his father, Joshua knew Jeremiah was an expert at felling trees and always steered well clear of their intended path. However, with no thought for his own safety, he had rushed into the shadow of a giant falling oak after spotting a little girl standing precisely where the tree would land. Although Jeremiah had moved with a speed that surprised even him, it was still not fast enough.

Evidently he had just had time to shove the child to safety before a blinding pain struck as the massive oak splintered around him. He never saw her again and there was no... body.

Although to this day, he swore his hands had never even touched the child.

One of the limbs, twelve inches in diameter, had knocked him to the ground, crushing every bone in the lower half of his legs. As blessed darkness had washed over him, Jeremiah was certain he was going to meet his Maker. Instead, he awakened a fortnight later with both legs amputated from the knees down, wishing fervently that he had.

He did have an occasional good day. When Jeremiah was awake and lucid, he talked endlessly of the beautiful little girl, concerned for her safety. At night he would wake everyone in the house, shouting to the child, "Run! Get out of the way!" The bewildering part was that no one else, none of the eight slaves working side by side with him that day, had seen the little girl, only Jeremiah.

The slaves, being a superstitious lot, swore the _conja woman_ had cursed the child, making her angry spirit haunt the _voodoo woods_. They firmly believed that not only had her spirit caused Jeremiah's accident, but that she was still roaming the forest looking for her next hapless victim. No matter how many threats were issued, the slaves adamantly refused to go near the voodoo woman's house or return to the patch of woods where the accident had occurred.

The sight of his mother that night would be etched in Joshua's mind forever. The dark circles around her eyes contrasted with her too white skin. It was painfully obvious that she rarely ventured into the sun as her days and nights were spent in the darkened room, sitting quietly beside her beloved husband and praying for a miracle.

Jeremiah was a proud man and Joshua knew his mother worried that he would no longer have the desire or will to live. A small glimmer of hope had shone in her lifeless green eyes when her son walked into the room. A hope that the responsibilities of running a cotton plantation the size of Sea Grove could be lifted from her weary shoulders, thus allowing her to devote all of her time and energy to making her husband see that life was worth living again. She hadn't found it necessary to ask for her son's help. He was there when she needed him most.

It had been impossible for Joshua not to return to sea after the Christmas holiday, having several binding commitments that had to be fulfilled. But he had not departed until he employed Jake Almond, a man he trusted implicitly to oversee the plantation until he could return in the spring.

"Land ho!" The first mate shouted from the crow's nest, bringing Joshua back to the present.

Gazing across the gracefully rolling swells to see the barely visible landmarks of Charleston in the early morning fog, Joshua could just make out Saint Michael's steeple towering majestically over the waking city.

They would be docking in a few hours, and after battening down his ship for a much needed rest he would bid farewell to the _Windjammer_ , along with his old way of life, and plant his feet on solid ground.
  Chapter 8

After thanking each man personally for his years of loyalty and faithful service, Joshua strode below deck to his cabin to pack. Memories flooded him as his eyes fell on souvenir pieces from the various countries he had visited over the years.

He gently lifted the teakwood box that contained his most treasured possession and breathed a deep sigh. _Lynna's locket._

As he had every night for the past three years, he wondered _what if_. What if he had wed Lynna Rhodes when she believed herself to be carrying his child? Would he now be settled on his family's cotton plantation bouncing a baby on each knee? Would he have Lynna in his arms each night instead of only imagining her there? Enough of rehashing the past. He had done more than his fair share in the last three years.

The locket contained a likeness of Lynna's mother that had been lost under his bed during their one and only intimate encounter. Looking at it was akin to looking at Lynna herself since both women possessed the same unique beauty. Joshua held the tiny locket close to his chest, remembering the tiny wisp of a girl who had stolen his heart three years earlier.

No one since, and there had been many in his futile effort to banish her from his mind, had come close to loosing the passion the little lady had stirred in him. Returning the locket carefully to the box, he stored it with the other treasures in his sea trunk. Now these pieces would serve as his only link with his past.

Shaking his head, he forced his mind to concentrate on the business at hand as he quickly completed his packing and left the ship.

Nothing had changed. The Battery was still a noisy beehive of activity with ships loading and unloading their cargo, peddlers hawking their wares, and drunken sailors returning to their ships after a night on the town.

To Joshua's well traveled eyes Charleston was still the most beautiful city on earth. He had found nothing in his journeys to rival the stately mansions, picturesque homes, and colorful gardens. As always, Charleston's beauty and grace were unequaled.

He steered his horse along the cool shade of Church Street where towering oaks and magnolias stood alongside stately palmetto trees, their leaves swaying softly in the gentle breeze that blew inland over the Cooper River. Tiny sparks of sunlight filtered through the trees, dancing a mottled pattern around him as rustling leaves blocked the sun's rays for a short time before shooting through in a burst of gold when the leaves again parted.

The loud clip clop of horse's hooves could be heard as he steered the steed down cobblestoned Chalmers Street. The cobblestones had been brought to Charleston as ballasts on English ships, unloaded and replaced with cargos of indigo, rice, or cotton. A wide grin split his rugged features as he thought back over the many memorable evenings spent in this area, in what the more religious sect called the houses of ill repute, or Mulatto Alley.

As he rode through town a nagging thought struck him as he passed by a milliner's shop and caught sight of a very immodest, bright pink satin ball gown on display in the window. He envisioned a slim body draped in that gown, or one very similar to it, but could bring to mind neither a name, nor face, to go with the body. He dismissed it as trivial. If the lady in question had appealed to him in the slightest, she wouldn't have been so easily dismissed from mind.

Out of the city, he spurred his horse to a full gallop, eager to be home. Breathing deeply of the scent of the rich low country soil, he rode for hours as the sun moved higher in the sky, stopping once to rest his horse and drink from a cool, bubbling stream. Worry gnawed at him as he neared home, dreading having to relive the pain he felt at Christmas, finding his once hale and hearty father bedridden.

A few miles from home he steered his horse up the avenue of cedar trees that led to Cedar Hill, a neighboring plantation. Whether a wish to be welcomed home by old friends or simply postponing the inevitable, he couldn't be sure.

Stopping in front of the towering white columns of the plantation house, Joshua leapt from his horse to grab Beth, who had dashed down the steps to greet him.

"Joshua, I'm so glad you're home." She laughed gaily as he lifted her from the ground to twirl high above his head. "I have missed you something terrible."

"I'm glad to be home, Little Bit." He winked slyly, knowing she detested the nickname he had tagged on her as a child. "You have grown even lovelier than you were when I left."

"Joshua Jordan. We were wondering when you would show your ugly mug around here," Beth's husband Samuel bellowed, coming around the side of the house from the direction of the barn. "Unhand my wife, sir."

"There's the rutting scoundrel who stole my one true love whilst I was away at sea and couldn't fight for her," Joshua accused a grinning Samuel, still holding a giggling Beth high in the air.

"Oh, Joshua, you are incorrigible," Beth smiled down at him affectionately. "Put me down."

"Admitted." Joshua grinned. "But you love me anyway. Now that I have retired my seafaring ways, you can divorce that dirty dog from Georgia, who wormed his way into your affections and married you behind my back. Come to Sea Grove where you belong, my sweet Beth."

"Over my dead body," Samuel stormed.

"Very well." Joshua released Beth and clasped Samuel's hand warmly in his. "Choose your weapon, sir."

"Hush all of this nonsense about weapons and come inside for a cool drink." Beth looked upon both men fondly.

Beth's mother had died giving birth, leaving her to be raised by her overly stern father. He was a good man, but ever watchful where his only child was concerned. Beth had envied the loving family life at Sea Grove and spent a great deal of her youth there with Joshua's sister, and her best friend, Malinda. Joshua had watched over both young girls, dismissing any number of unsuitable suitors as they had both grown into charming young ladies.

Glancing over Samuel's shoulder, Joshua's vision was drawn to a slight movement on the verandah. Suddenly a long forgotten memory came rushing back to him. _The girl in the pink satin ball gown_. Now he remembered. She was Samuel's sister. What was her name? She really was quite lovely, but try as he might he could not attach a name to the face. Casually climbing the steps, he took her extended hand, bowing low to plant a soft kiss on it. "Good evening..."

What was her name?

"Suzanne," she furnished somewhat crisply after seeing that her name altogether eluded him. Batting her lashes demurely, she simpered, changing her tune completely, "Surely you haven't forgotten little ole me, Captain Jordan."

"A man never forgets a beautiful lady." She was pretty enough, although not exactly what he would consider beautiful.

Joshua reserved that title for only one.

Suzanne's face fairly glowed with excitement and she was on the verge of fishing for more flattery from the fine male specimen before her, when Beth rudely interrupted them.

"Joshua, although I realize how eager you are to be home with your family, surely you can spare us a toast to your homecoming."

"Have I ever been able to deny you anything, Little Bit?"

Beth beamed. "No, and you never will."

Immediately upon walking through the front door Joshua noticed the striking transformation.

"It doesn't look like the same house, does it?" Beth came to stand behind Joshua as he fingered the white lacy curtains. "What do you imagine Papa would think of the place now?"

"He would be extremely proud that you married a good man and made a charming and comfortable home for him."

"Oh, how I have missed you, Joshua," Beth whispered, hugging him close. "It hasn't been the same without you."

"If you two would rather be alone," Suzanne whined, her jealousy overriding her common sense. "My brother and I can go back outside."

"Don't be ridiculous, Suzanne." Beth gave her sister-in-law a quelling glance. "Joshua is the brother I never had."

"Well, I do hope you won't feel inclined to feel brotherly toward little ole me," Suzanne purred, thoroughly embarrassing her brother and his wife, evidenced by Beth's reddening cheeks and Samuel's disconcerting frown.

Deciding to ignore her brazen remark, Joshua took a seat on the settee, stretching his legs to relieve the cramps from the long ride. Much to his surprise, an overzealous Suzanne plopped down beside him, almost on top of him actually. Her actions made him remember why he didn't particularly care for the frivolous female. She was too forward by far and he had a definite aversion toward overbearing women.

Suzanne's perfume reminded him of the night of a Christmas Ball when she had made it known, loud and clear, that he was her intended catch of the day. If he remembered correctly, she had been visiting her brother then also.

Always the quick study, Joshua had been shrewd enough to realize, within mere seconds of making her acquaintance, that her innocent demeanor was little more than a facade. She had wasted no time in adding his name to her dance card.

No sooner had they reached the dance floor than she proceeded to rub her feminine curves against him in a most seductive and inviting manner, oblivious to the stares her actions were causing.

"You dance divinely, sir," she had whispered softly against his ear as her tongue darted out to caress his earlobe.

Momentarily taken aback by her brazen behavior, Joshua drawled, "That's not all I do well."

"Why not let me be the judge of that?" had been her heated reply, not at all put off by his boldness.

Never one to deny a willing female, Joshua had escorted the shameless young lady across the dance floor, through the open French doors, and outside into the starry, moonlit night. Leading her through the garden gate, he had taken her into his arms under the sweeping branches of a weeping willow tree, shocked by her passionate response. She behaved as a woman starved, her hands moving through his hair as she moaned deep in her throat. His lips caressed hers, kissing her long and hard until she broke away and proceeded to unbutton his trousers.

"Damn!" she swore softly, after hearing her brother calling her name from only a few feet away. "We'll continue this later," she promised, pausing long enough for one last lingering kiss. "To be perfectly honest, I'm sorely tempted to ignore my brother's rather persistent calls since I have no doubt that a tumble in the grass with you would be well worth a few lectures on propriety. Although it might be best not to press my luck."

Samuel might very well become furious enough to send her home.

"Besides, there should be plenty of time to become better acquainted with you, Captain Jordan. After all, this is the season of parties and I will be attending them all, especially now that you're making the party circuit." She hurried back into his arms for one last kiss before darting through the garden and into the house.

She would be greatly affronted to learn that Joshua had not given her so much as a fleeting thought since that night.

"Joshua, dear, you haven't heard a word I said," Beth chided.

"I'm sorry, Beth," he apologized. "Please, forgive my rudeness. I suppose I'm more tired than I thought. What with docking the ship, packing, and the ride home, I could fall asleep right here."

"Well then, you should." Suzanne leaned toward him with hard to conceal excitement, quick to suggest, "Beth has oodles of beds in this big old house. You could sleep here and get a fresh start in the morning. In fact, I could ride home with you since I have been intending to visit Malinda, but just can never seem to find the time."

"Joshua knows without being told that he's welcome to visit us whenever he chooses, Suzanne." Beth cast a stern glance at her over zealous sister-in-law. "However, I'm sure he's anxious to inform his family that he has arrived home safely. Malinda was here just yesterday and informed us that her parents were eagerly awaiting their son's homecoming, so we can't expect to monopolize all his time. Although I seem to recall you complained of a simply vicious headache and didn't venture downstairs once during his sister's visit."

Beth rose, giving Suzanne a pointed look. After one last welcoming hug, she escorted Joshua to the door. "You won't be a stranger now, will you? I'm sure they'll be keeping you busy over at Sea Grove, but do stop by to see us as often as you can."

Joshua clasped her small hands against his chest. "You just try keeping me away, Little Bit." Shaking Samuel's hand, Joshua asked, "Could I impose on you now and then for advice, since I may be a bit rusty on plantation affairs?"

"Call on me anytime." Although Samuel intended to walk outside, after a meaningful shake of the head from his sister, he bid Joshua good night at the door and escorted an exasperated Beth back inside.

"Samuel, Joshua is tuckered out and would most likely prefer not to be bothered by your sister's simpering ways tonight."

Samuel drew his wife close, attempting to soothe her ruffled feathers. "Joshua is a big boy, honey. If he doesn't care to be bothered, I'm sure he won't hesitate to tell my sister as much."

Turning to bid Suzanne good night, Joshua found her draping a lacy shawl over her shoulders. "I'm going for a stroll in the fresh air. It's such a pleasant evening."

"Enjoy your walk, Suzanne. I'm exhausted and headed for home." A cool night wind blew across the land as he walked toward his horse. Joshua turned when he felt her small hand on his arm.

"What's your hurry?" she purred. "If I remember correctly, you and I have some unfinished business to attend to."

A few more hours without sleep wouldn't kill him, Joshua surmised, and she might prove a pleasant diversion from plantation life in the weeks to come. "At your service," he chuckled. Putting his hand around her tiny waist, he pulled her toward him.

Inhaling sharply, Suzanne took a step back and glanced toward the parlor window. "You can't be serious. Unfortunately, I have a reputation to uphold, and unless I miss my guess, Samuel and Beth are peering through the curtains at this very minute like some peeping Toms. At times, I think Beth is just looking for a reason to send me packing." Her pulse raced from the feeling of having his hand on her waist. "I'm afraid we have to show some discretion. Shall we meet later tonight?"

Joshua climbed into his saddle, peering down at her with sea green eyes that sparkled in the moonlight. "Name the time and place."

"Midnight, down by the pond." Suzanne smiled brightly before turning to bolt into the house.

Joshua grinned as the door slammed shut behind her. She had certainly turned nervous and jittery upon finding him a willing subject. He would keep their rendezvous at the pond tonight, although he doubted Suzanne would show after having witnessed her hasty flight just now.
  Chapter 9

Arriving home just before dusk, Joshua forced a smile when his mother and sister greeted him at the door. After a heartfelt welcome home, complete with hugs, kisses, and tears of joy, he quietly climbed the winding stairs to enter the room that reminded him of death. He immediately noticed the absence of the sickly sweet smell of infection that had assaulted him upon his first visit. During his stay at Christmas he had ordered the servants to remove every floral arrangement, hoping to rid the house of the pervasive odor.

Joshua both feared and anticipated this reunion with his father. He was sorely afraid that he would be unable to control his emotions and allow pity to slip into his voice, an emotion he knew his father would hate. Taking a deep breath, he opened the door and was left standing with his mouth gaping open.

Was that really his father propped up against the headboard of the bed going through a neat stack of papers?

From the waist up, he resembled the man Joshua remembered.

"You are looking exceptionally well, father." He couldn't keep his amazement at his father's rapid recovery hidden.

What could have brought about such a drastic change, when on his last visit he had appeared within an inch of slamming death's door behind him?

Jeremiah, engrossed in his work, hadn't heard him enter. He looked up with a broad smile playing across his still handsome features at the sight of his son. "Good to have you home, son. Good to have you home." His deep voice echoed through the house. "Even though your mother assures me you were home at Christmas, I can't say I remember seeing you."

Astonished by his father's cheerful mood, Joshua took a seat beside his bed, peering at him closely. "I must confess that I'm left speechless by your recovery from then until now."

"It goes without saying that I feel much better, son. I guess anyone can see that. The truth is, I moped and pouted and just plain felt sorry for myself for months on end, and where did it get me? Nowhere. Then one day I suddenly realized that my life was far from over." Jeremiah glanced out the window at the fluffy white fields of cotton stretching as far as the eye could see. "I've had ample time to contemplate how I intend to live the remainder of my life, son."

"What was your conclusion?"

Laying his papers on the bed, Jeremiah looked directly into his son's eyes. "The Good Lord saw fit to take away my legs. I don't question his logic, nor do I ask why, for in exchange he gave me a double dose of willpower to continue living. He gave Jake the knowledge to build that fine chair with wheels and a wooden ramp so even your mother or sister have no difficulty pushing me outside to feel the warmth of the morning sun." He smiled a completely serene smile. "God has His master plan already laid out, it is our choice whether to accept it or waste precious time fighting it. I chose to accept it."

"So all my worry was for naught?" Joshua moved to examine the sturdy wooden chair with wheels. "I should have known. Nothing can keep a Jordan down for long."

Jeremiah laughed heartily, motioning Joshua to a chair. "Sit a spell, son. You look tired. By the way Jake Almond, the man you hired, is a fine overseer, just fine." He handed Joshua a stack of papers. "I have been over his record keeping with a fine tooth comb and, having talked with the man at length, I have no complaints. Although I would confess a desire to see the fields. Not that I don't trust him completely mind you, I do. Still, seeing is believing and I'd like to tour the fields and talk to the hands myself."

"First thing tomorrow morning I'll hitch up the buckboard and we'll ride through the fields." Joshua was eager to speed his father along the road to recovery. "Are you up for that?"

"Fine, son. That will be fine." Jeremiah tried to keep his heavy eyelids open, but found the task entirely too difficult. "I look forward to it."

Quietly rising from his seat as the sun was sinking low over the horizon, Joshua left the room in a much better humor. Hearing his father's soft snores as he closed the door, he chuckled to himself. He knew from years of living under his father's roof, that soon his snores would rattle the windows.

Shortly after midnight Joshua silently crept from the house, heedful not to wake his mother. He would hate to lie to her about his destination. Some things were better left unsaid.

The night was bright under the full moon, causing a wicked smile to play across his handsome features. _Good._ He liked to see what he was getting.

_If_ , she showed up.

He laughed out loud into the peaceful night, startling the nocturnal inhabitants of the still woods and causing a rabbit to scamper across the road in front of him.

Much to his surprise, Suzanne was in attendance as promised, floating near the water's edge with a smile of dreamy anticipation on her face. He could just make out her slim, naked figure under the rippling waves created by her kicking feet. She could not be called voluptuous, lacking the curving slopes he found so irresistible. Yet, she had one advantage over every other woman in Charleston tonight. _She was here_.

"Come join me. The water is heavenly," she purred, after watching him watch her for several minutes.

"I wasn't sure you would come." Removing his clothes, Joshua waded in to join her.

She darted just out of his grasp and swam to the other side of the pond.

_Please_ , _spare me your coquettish games._

He was tired from a long day and had no patience for her pretenses of being the coy, innocent virgin when they both knew the complete opposite to be true.

Joshua calmly treaded water, beckoning her with sensuous green eyes that the majority of women, including the one in the water, were powerless to resist.

Suzanne swam back to him, stopping an arm's length away. Their eyes locked, with his having the power to melt her like candle wax beneath a flame. Slithering into his embrace, she moved her arms around his slippery neck, searching for his mouth with eager lips.

With their nude bodies molded together, Suzanne trembled from the sheer force of the contact as his hands on her buttocks pulled her closer against him. His tongue explored every crevice of her mouth before leaving a searing trail down her neck to her small breasts. Her head fell back and she moaned as his teeth nibbled and gently tugged at the rigid peaks until she thought she might expire if he didn't release her from the sensuous torture. "Take me now, Joshua!" she cried. "Please!"

Happy to oblige, Joshua pressed her yearning body against his hard flesh, entering her slowly. He had not expected a virgin, and he didn't find one. Instead, he found a woman well versed in the art of lovemaking. Caught up in the moment, they both slipped underwater and came up gasping for air.

Lifting her easily, he carried her to the pond's edge, laying her down on a soft green carpet of moss. "A person could drown out there if they weren't careful," he whispered lazily against her hair.

"What a way to go." Suzanne smiled seductively before climbing atop him. "Oh, Joshua, what a heavenly way to go."

As the sun was beginning its daily ascent into the sky the following morning, Joshua headed home. After a rather adventurous night, for Suzanne Fletcher was definitely an adventure, they had slipped contentedly into a satisfied sleep under a brilliant moon with a chorus of bullfrogs playing their nightly concerto in the background.

Realizing he was more tired now than he had been the previous night, Joshua knew he would get no respite today. He was eager to take his father on an inspection of the fields and this wasn't the first night he had forfeited sleep for the sake of a lady, or rather in Suzanne's case, a willing female. "One must keep the opposite gender satisfied," he mused aloud, urging his steed toward home. Unless he missed his guess, the one he had just left was definitely that, for the time being at least.

Joshua strode up the steps of the verandah to find his sister Malinda sitting in a rocking chair, sipping coffee. She glanced up, a frown wrinkling her pretty brow as Suzanne's perfume assaulted her from several feet away.

Releasing an irritated breath, she blew on her coffee to cool it. "You are making a colossal mistake, big brother."

"A mistake?" Joshua smiled. "Care to elaborate, Sis?"

"Suzanne."

"Suzanne?"

"Do not feign ignorance with me, Joshua Jordan." Her porcelain skin flushed crimson. "I know where you were last night and... what you were doing. I can only hope you have the common sense not to fall for her feminine wiles."

"I have the common sense not to fall for any female's feminine wiles, and of a certainty not Suzanne Fletcher's." Joshua grinned broadly, taking her coffee and draining the cup. "You should have more faith in your big brother than that."

"Oh, I have faith in you. It's Suzanne that troubles me. She made her purpose crystal clear to me, and anyone else who will listen when she chatters, which is constantly. She plans to marry you, Joshua. The shameless hussy has even confessed to having no intention of waiting for the sanctity of the marriage bed to....um... to...well...you know."

"Enough about me." Joshua could not tolerate having a conversation about sex, of all things, with his baby sister. "Will I be allowed to run this plantation in peace, or will I be too busy banishing eager young suitors from our door?"

"Joshua," Malinda cried and blushed prettily. "How you do run on. However, I, unlike my errant sibling, am particular about who I spend my time with."

"Touché, dear sister." Joshua hoped to set the record straight once and for all. "Please, don't worry overmuch about me, Malinda. I am a grown man, no cataracts blurring my vision, and fully capable of seeing the lovely Suzanne for who, and what, she truly is."

"I'm relieved to hear you say that, Joshua. Suzanne Fletcher is little more than trouble waiting to happen.

Joshua pulled his sister to her feet for a heartfelt hug. "I have missed you, Malinda. Don't be such a worrywart. How many times has mother warned you that frowning causes wrinkles?" With a sly wink he added, "Have a little faith in your big brother, would you?"

"I'll try. You just be careful." Malinda reached for the silver coffee pot and refilled her cup. "That girl is poison."
  Chapter 10

Savannah, Georgia

Three months later

The sight of Magnolia House nestled among the fresh spring greenery brought a loving smile to Lynna's lips. Sitting on a stump by the side of woods fragrant with pine, cedar, oak and magnolia trees, she was lost in thought, until Suzanne's rather unladylike bellow from the balcony shattered her reverie. "Lynna, would you be a dear and come up here, please?"

Leaving her daydreams of a land far away, Lynna walked the short distance to the house wondering what Suzanne wanted this time. She paused inside the door where the bright morning sun reflected the labors of the household servants, who had waxed and buffed the floors until they shone.

Running her finger along the edge of a polished, carved oak table she knew there was not a speck of dust to be found. If there was, the person responsible for leaving it would have to deal with the wrath of Jasmine, self proclaimed _ruler of dis heah roost_ , and none of the household servants relished that prospect.

The focal point of the house was the gently curving staircase. Rich mahogany banisters wound endlessly upward, past a shining crystal, wedding cake chandelier with hundreds of candles, imported from China. To the right were twin parlors of gold and rose.

After dinner the ladies would be escorted to the rose parlor for tea, while the men enjoyed their cigars and brandy in the gold parlor.

Lynna had seen it all hundreds of times, yet she never failed to be amazed by the beauty and simple elegance of the house each time she entered. It was worlds apart from her home, the fortress like Chateau in Paris.

_Home._ The thought brought scalding tears to her eyes. Was her father still alive? If so, why didn't he send for her? Or, better yet, why didn't he come for her himself?

In three years she had not received a single letter, if indeed one had been penned, and she had dutifully kept her promise not to contact him for fear of discovery. It was proving to be a promise that tormented her, becoming more difficult to keep with each passing day.

Had her beloved father simply forgotten that she even existed?

Had he moved on to live his life without her, sending her thousands of miles away to live in a tiny cottage with her aunt Judith, simply to be rid of her? Yet, the one question she had pondered over and over in her head until it ached, was why he hadn't sent funds to make their lives easier as he had promised?

"Lynna! For heavens sake, how long does it take you to climb a simple flight of stairs?" Suzanne's irritated voice drifted down the mahogany steps.

Snatching up her skirts, Lynna tried to hurry, she really did, but thoughts of the Chateau brought heartache and worry over her father. This set off a chain reaction. Her eyes filled with tears, her heel caught in the hem of her dress, and she tripped halfway up the stairs.

"Lynna!" Suzanne's shrill voice vibrated through the house, sending the upstairs servants scurrying lest they fall victim to her foul temper.

Suzanne's bedroom was a lovely shade of robin's egg blue. A massive four poster bed surrounded by a sheer lacy canopy graced the center of the room. Beside the bed a pair of Chippendale wing chairs stood on either side of a piecrust tea table. On the other side of the room was a full length cheval glass in which Suzanne currently stood on a stool admiring herself while a young Negro girl fanned her vigorously with a peacock feather.

Lynna's aunt Judith was on the floor at her feet attempting to pin the hem on Suzanne's gown, which wasn't an easy task due to her constant preening. As Lynna entered the room, Suzanne spun around to face her, almost falling off the stool, which would have thrilled the Negro girl immensely.

With a look of stern vexation, Suzanne asked, "Lynna, whatever took you so long? My goodness, but you certainly do dawdle. Why, I... never mind." Her mood could change swifter than most women could change their bloomers. "How do you like my gown? Is it not positively divine?"

Lynna had to admit, the gown was most becoming. Cut from light turquoise watered silk and fashioned with a low pointed waistline back and front, the full skirt was embroidered with dozens of tiny rosettes. Rosettes that Suzanne hardly noticed, while Lynna and her aunt had spent endless days and nights stitching the tedious handwork. A delicate row of fine lace edged the daringly low cut bodice, with three rows of the same lace falling from the back to form a short triple cape.

Judith was the seamstress for Magnolia House, a position she had held for twenty years. Over the years, she had stitched clothes for Silas and Mary Fletcher and their two sons Samuel and Daniel, on the rare occasion when she wasn't sewing exclusively for Suzanne, their spoiled only daughter. Lynna and her aunt shared a small cottage on the plantation grounds.

"It really is beautiful," Lynna had to admit. "But then, all of my aunt's gowns are." If the truth were told, the gown would rival Lynna's own gowns back home, made by the finest dressmakers in all of Paris. Gowns that mice had most likely built nests and were raising their offspring in by now.

"I agree. Although this gown is special, for no one could fail to notice me when I wear it." Suzanne released a quivering sigh and absently curled a lock of hair around her finger, softly whispering, "Not even Captain Joshua Jordan."

Once again, as it did each time Suzanne breathed his name, Lynna's heart set up a noisy clambering in her chest. Clutching at her bodice with trembling hands she glanced up, surprised the others in the room didn't hear the clattering racket behind her breastbone.

If Suzanne ever found out the truth about what had transpired between Lynna and her _magnificent Captain Jordan,_ not only would her shame be almost unbearable, but Suzanne would be livid and possibly have murderous intent. Hiding her blazing face behind her hands, Lynna prayed this infatuation, as the majority of Suzanne's obsessions were, was short lived.

"Don't you agree, Lynna?" Suzanne huffed out a breath when she was forced to repeat her question.

What? "Oh, yes... certainly," Lynna stammered. "He cannot fail to notice you in such a marvelous gown."

Lynna had heard precious little but the praises of Captain Jordan since last Christmas when Suzanne met him at a ball while visiting her brother in Charleston. She wished desperately to warn Suzanne, tell her what a vile, wretched, black hearted womanizer the sea captain truly was. But she could not.

To confess to her horrible blunder would bring humiliation and scorn to herself, and possibly loss of employment for her aunt. If Suzanne ever found out the truth, Lynna knew her revenge would come swift and hard and she wouldn't care who she hurt in the process. Therefore, she could only listen as Suzanne prattled on and on about the sea captain with the raven locks and dashing good looks.

A man Lynna remembered all too well.

The Negro girl, with perspiration dripping from the tip of her nose and a riot of colorful braids sprouting in all directions, undoubtedly shared Lynna's sentiments. When Suzanne spun toward the mirror and the Negro girl was facing her back, her eyes rolled toward the heavens.

Her actions caused Judith to move very close to the hem of Suzanne's gown to keep from laughing and sucking a mouthful of pins down her throat. Surprisingly, and to their astonishment, Suzanne dropped her favorite subject and moved on. "Now, for the reason I summoned you. Lynna, be a dear and undo my fasteners."

"What?" Lynna's defiant stance, with her hands planted firmly on her hips, almost betrayed her true station in life. "You called me up here to unfasten your gown?" A quelling glance from her aunt ceased her impending rebuke.

No one must learn the secret of her birthright that only she, her aunt, and Joshua Jordan shared.

A withering look from Suzanne begged the question; _What would be the error of my ways if I had? Must I remind you that you are both employees of my father, and reside in a cottage graciously allocated by him?_

Instead, for reasons that altogether eluded her, Suzanne chose not to speak her mind. She simply was not feeling argumentative today. "Of course not, silly goose. I would but ask you to model this gown for me. If I see it on you, I can form an image in my mind of the accessories that would best offset the gown. You know, pretend you are a dressmaker's dummy." Giggling at her rare attempt at humor, Suzanne removed the gown, admiring her slim figure in the mirror while Lynna disrobed.

As she stepped into the gown, the soft folds of expensive silk fell caressingly around Lynna's body. Closing her eyes, she released a contented sigh, marveling at the long forgotten feeling of having expensive material against her skin as her aunt moved behind her to fasten the gown.

Judith tugged, pulled, and shifted to no avail. "Lynna darling, you seem to have....um.... expanded in certain areas. For the life of me, I can't seem to get the gown fastened. Why, up until this summer I relied on the exact same measurements when sewing for the two of you."

Judith peered over Lynna's shoulder to see a mortified Suzanne, her face flaming at the sight of Lynna's bosom spilling over the low cut bodice. She had insisted the gown be cut daringly low, but witnessing the sight of Lynna's overflowing cleavage only served to infuriate her.

The Negro girl's fanning increased a degree as she savored the high and mighty Miss Suzanne's burning cheeks and flaming neck. Suzanne most thoroughly enjoyed humiliating others, yet it was a rare occasion indeed when she received the same treatment in turn.

Witnessing the rush of blood to Suzanne's upper extremities and the rage glistening in her eyes, Lynna quickly removed the gown, spreading it carefully on the bed. "It looks much better on you, Suzanne."

"That goes without saying," Suzanne snipped, studying Lynna with narrowed eyes and several unkind thoughts. True, Lynna's measurements had blossomed in the past year, whereas her own had remained virtually the same. The girls were a study in contrast.

Lynna's hair was the color of spun gold. The sun's rays shining through the open balcony doors added a glowing luster to her soft, golden, waist length mane. Suzanne's hair resembled a raven's wing, so black the same sun reflected gleaming blue highlights.

Their eyes were no less different. Lynna's eyes were shimmering pools of summer sky blue crystal that changed with her every emotion. They sparkled like brilliant diamonds when she was happy, shone sadness in their glistening depths, and snapped with defiance when angry. Suzanne's eyes were brown with green flecks, admittedly not one of her best features.

Both girls had been blessed at birth with the pearly white skin so cherished by Southern women. They protected their skin from the ravages of the sun with parasols, hats, sunbonnets, and nightly applications of buttermilk. Although the vast majority chose to avoid the sun entirely, as did Suzanne, venturing outside only in early morning or late evening.

A wicked and triumphant glow spread across Suzanne's pretty features. Lynna may be more generously endowed, that was painfully obvious, but she could tell by the girl's reddening nose and pink cheeks that she had been outside again, dreadfully unprotected from the harsh rays of the sun. Be patient, she thought callously. A few more days in the sun and the careless girl would have skin to resemble the darkies.

Feeling much better, Suzanne thanked Lynna graciously for her assistance, and still in her chemise, climbed into bed for her afternoon nap, thus dismissing them.

No sooner had Judith closed the door than Suzanne's head filled with the remembrance of strong arms crushing her against a hard, lean body and soft, sweet lips lowering to hers. A shiver passed over her even though the afternoon heat was atrocious.

Sleep was a long time in coming as a pulsating, persistent ache settled into a tight knot of desire in the sensitive spot between her thighs and she reached to remedy it.

Lynna headed to the river for a cooling swim before supper, with thoughts of Joshua and Suzanne, together, filling her head. Passing between the cotton fields as she walked down the dirt road, she watched as the slaves hoed the grass from the sturdy young cotton shoots, several waving a greeting. Her heart turned over for them.

Mosquitoes swarmed around their heads and they constantly swatted flies as sweat rolled from their dark glistening bodies. They worked so hard, yet received little reward for their backbreaking labor other than food, shelter, and a new set of homespun clothes twice a year.

The life of a slave was a life of unending torment and brutality. Yet, there was not a slave at Magnolia House who didn't count his blessings and feel fortunate to belong to Silas Fletcher. They knew all too well the conditions under which most slaves lived, or merely existed, on neighboring plantations and the inhumanities they suffered daily.

Nine years was the average life expectancy of a field hand. Since international slave trade had been abolished, and no more slaves could be legally shipped in, worried plantation owners with large cotton fields to be planted and picked urged their slaves to _breed like flies_ in order to keep their supply of young, hearty workers replenished.

Lynna could only pray that in death these people would find their much deserved rest under the caring hands of their true master.

Silas Fletcher was a more compassionate slaveholder than most of the landed gentry. True, his slaves worked as hard as any. The fact that Magnolia House was one of the most productive plantations in the South, producing a bumper crop of cotton annually was proof of that. The outstanding difference was that Silas treated his slaves as human beings, instead of mindless working chattel without a single thought of substance.

Children could be seen scattered throughout the fields carrying buckets of cold well water to the thirsty laborers. At midday, they were permitted to find a shady spot to rest and eat at their leisure of a meal consisting of fat back, hominy, and cornbread. Silas Fletcher believed a decent meal not only appeased their appetites, but also gave them the needed energy to return to the fields.

Unlike on some plantations, the slaves at Magnolia House were an orderly lot, with the occasional troublemaker being sternly disciplined by the black foreman Jopree. He had worked on other plantations and was quick to remind them that their circumstances could be much, much worse than they were now.

Albert Morehead, who owned a neighboring plantation, often lectured Silas against feeding his slaves a heavy noonday meal. "You keep feeding them like that and they'll be so fat and lazy you won't get a decent day's labor out of them. Just feed them enough to keep them from starving to death, that's what I do."

Darkness was falling over the plantation when Lynna arrived back at her aunt's cottage. While helping Judith shuck corn for supper she couldn't resist asking about Suzanne's new gown. "Is there an occasion for the new gown, or did she simply open her chifferobe and discover an empty space?"

"Oh, there is an occasion." Judith grinned. "Suzanne is returning to Charleston to visit Samuel, yet again. She explained to her parents that she wished to spend time with her brother and her adorable niece Bethany Breanne, and naturally they agreed without question. Although we both know that Suzanne cannot long tolerate Samuel's daughter, or any other child for that matter. Alas, we know the true reason behind her visit."

"Oh, yes," Lynna gushed, affecting Suzanne's simpering whine. "Captain Joshua Jordan. Why, how could I possibly _evah_ forget him?"

She would remember the heartless scoundrel until the day she drew her final breath.

"Precisely." Judith laughed. "As you know, she was simply devastated last winter when she failed to add him to her collection of beaux. I must confess that I'd like to meet this paragon. The first man I'm sure who has ever successfully resisted Suzanne's abundant charms."

Lynna was confident that Joshua had long since sampled whatever charms Suzanne had to offer, abundant or not. The same man who had stolen _her_ virginity and taken her on a round trip journey to hell and back when she had been convinced that she carried his child, and he refused to marry her.

Suzanne could have the despicable rogue, with her blessing.

Two days later, Suzanne floated down the steps in a snug violet traveling outfit. Her hair was swept off her neck under a matching sunbonnet, the brim pulled low to protect her face from the morning sun. The carriage was piled high with numerous trunks and hatboxes, more than she could possibly require for a short stay in Charleston. Even given the fact that she changed her dress three or four times daily, there was still an excess of baggage strapped to the top of the equipage.

It crossed Lynna's mind that Suzanne was planning an extended visit this time and scolded herself for being pleased at the thought.

Hugging Lynna excitedly, Suzanne whispered in her ear, "Wish me luck," and was in the carriage before Lynna could summon a reply.

She recalled Suzanne's parting words. "Oh, Lynna, this is going to be the most memorable trip of my entire life. Joshua is coming home, you see. His father had that awful accident, well, actually it was a rather fortuitous mishap for me, since Joshua is returning to oversee the plantation. In fact, he should be back home at Sea Grove by now."

How could Suzanne be pleased over the fact that a man had lost both his legs?

Her appalling lack of compassion, for anyone other than herself, never failed to astonish Lynna. "Give my love to Samuel," Lynna called in a determined effort to distract Suzanne from her unending discourse about Joshua. Unfortunately, her ploy failed miserably.

Suzanne's excitement continued to bubble forth as she motioned for Lynna to come closer. "Lynna, I have a confession to make. For the first time in my life, I am truly in love. I intend to become Mrs. Suzanne Jordan, wife of the esteemed Captain Joshua Jordan, in the not too distant future. I cannot wait to see your face when you meet him for the first time next month, when you all come to attend my darling niece's birthday celebration. Why, he is just too handsome for words, and filthy rich as well."

Although Lynna and her aunt planned to accompany the Fletchers to South Carolina, to visit Samuel and his family to celebrate their granddaughter's birthday, she had no intention of going within a mile of Captain Joshua Jordan while she was there. She pasted on a fake smile, eager for Suzanne to close the carriage door and be on her merry way.

Rest assured, Suzanne.

He knows me... intimately.
  Chapter 11

With Suzanne in Charleston, Judith and Lynna's workload was cut drastically. They had kept late hours in order to complete several day dresses and a ball gown for Suzanne's trip and now found themselves with rare free time on their hands. Lynna recalled Mary's stunned expression when questioning her daughter about the new dresses and extravagant gown she had requested from Judith.

"Mother, whatever do you mean? Why of course I could not be seen in the same dress twice while in Charleston. What would people say? Would you have Captain Jordan think us penniless and all but destitute?" While uttering the offensive words, she clutched her chest as though she were on the verge of succumbing to one of her frequent attacks of vapors. "Why, I could never show my humiliated face in the finer homes of Charleston again!"

Mary had left the room mumbling to herself, but Judith didn't complain. Suzanne was her livelihood.

Lynna and Judith quickly adapted to the much slower pace, taking leisurely strolls by the river, stopping to have a quiet picnic lunch, or just sitting on the front porch listening to the birds sing, bees buzz around the flowerbeds, bullfrogs croak from the pond, and crickets chirp. The entire plantation seemed to breathe an audible sigh of relief during Suzanne's absence.

Long after the sun had dropped below the horizon, Lynna settled back against a cushion on the old porch swing, watching a star shoot across the sky. She pushed with her bare feet to set the swing in motion, allowing her mind to drift.

Absentmindedly, her fingers went to twirl a lock of hair as her thoughts drifted to Charleston. Suzanne was probably having a marvelous time in the Holy City, flitting from ball to ball in the fabulous gowns she and aunt Judith had designed and painstakingly stitched into the wee hours of the morning. She most likely had all the young bucks vying for her attention, including Joshua Jordan.

No!

She simply would not permit herself to think about him, or what he and Suzanne were doing on this beautiful moon swept, romantic night. Hearing a rustling noise, she peered into the shadows, ready to bolt if her uncle appeared.

Lynna and Judith were grateful, and gave thanks nightly, for their quiet, peaceful evenings alone. Her uncle had not forced his company on them in over a fortnight, which meant they were due a visit any day. Judith's husband Tobias knew she received her wages on the first day of the month and he would show up at the door with his hand out.

Tobias Mathison was a drunk.

A nasty drunk.

Short and heavyset, he had carrot colored hair, a pudgy screwed up face, and the meanest of dispositions. After quenching his constant thirst at the local tavern, and spending his last coin for a night with one of the local harlots, he would return home on a hunt for whiskey money.

"It's only me, Lynna. Don't be frightened. I was hoping you would still be awake."

Relieved to hear Suzanne's brother, Daniel Fletcher's, familiar voice, Lynna patted the swing, inviting him to sit with her. "Aunt Judith just went inside. It's such a marvelous night that I decided to sit outside for a while. Come join me, Daniel."

Daniel sat beside her as fireflies danced merrily around them. He smelled clean, of soap, and earth, and tobacco. "I remember when Suzanne was a little girl, she would pull the hind portion of a firefly off, the part that glowed, and place one on the top of each finger. They still glow even when severed from the body, you know? She would waltz around with the body parts shining on her fingers and pretend they were sparkling jewels."

"How awful!" Lynna cried, feeling sorry for the mutilated insects.

"Suzanne didn't bat an eye when she killed the bugs, dozens each night." Daniel shook his head. "Jasmine always said you could tell a person's true character by the way they treated animals. I wonder if that saying holds true for insects."

"If you ask me, cruelty is cruelty no matter the species, and if I recall, you and Samuel also had a fondness for such devilment," Lynna admonished. "Remember when you would chase down a June bug and retrieve a length of Aunt Judith's sewing thread, and tie the string to the June bug's leg? The poor insect would fly madly around and around your head trying to free itself of the string until it collapsed from exhaustion."

"I suppose you're right," he lamented. "They left a nasty smell on my hands, too."

Lynna was quiet, enjoying the sweet fragrance of honeysuckle scenting the night air.

With a look of steely determination in his eyes, Daniel turned abruptly to face her. Taking both hands, he pulled Lynna to her feet, gazing into her eyes. Lifting his hand, he pushed a stray lock of hair behind her ear before grasping her hand. "You know how I feel about you. How I have felt for a long time." He paused, as if gathering his courage. "Will you marry me, Lynna?"

Lynna leapt to her feet in stunned silence, not knowing what to say or how to say it. Even though she had been expecting him to propose for months now, when it actually occurred she was caught off guard.

Daniel drew her into his arms as his lips lowered for a demanding kiss that was filled with years of pent up passion. When he drew away, his fingers went to where his mouth had been to gently outline her lips.

Lynna felt no emotion from his kiss, none of the overwhelming passion that she knew simmered inside her. She didn't feel anything really, except sadness and regret. However, she refused to hurt Daniel by allowing him to see that his most passionate kiss failed to elicit even the slightest response in her. She would try another kiss, and this time _make_ her body respond.

Slipping her arms around his neck, she touched her lips to his in her most passionate kiss; and she had been taught kissing by a master. Still, she felt nothing. Not even the slightest twinge in her nether region. She heard Daniel's sharp intake of breath, not realizing that he was undergoing the same feelings she herself had experienced after being the recipient of Joshua's first kiss.

Dropping her arms from around his neck, she went to stand solemnly at the edge of the porch, watching fireflies flicker and moths flutter around the sputtering candle. After several minutes of pained silence, she turned to Daniel and could only surmise that he was still awaiting a reply to his proposal. She had to stall for time, until she could think of a way to refuse his request without breaking his heart in the process. "Daniel, this is so sudden."

Daniel seemed flushed, perspiring heavily. Evidently his groin area had been beset by a terrible itch. It was some minutes before he found his voice, and when he did, it was scarcely above a whisper. "It's not sudden on my part. You know how much I love you, Lynna. I have since the first day you appeared on our doorstep as skinny as a rail and looking as if you had lost your only friend in the world. Please, make me the happiest man on earth by saying yes."

Surely there was a way to be truthful, while sparing his feelings at the same time. Save him from suffering the same torment she had been forced to endure after Joshua callously tossed her offer of marriage back into her humiliated face. _But what?_ "Daniel, please give me time to ponder this issue at length. I couldn't possibly give you an answer tonight."

Daniel immediately exhaled a sigh of relief that she hadn't turned him down flat. "How much time do you need?"

"Why, I'm not sure. Marriage is much too serious an institution to be hastened into." She prayed he could somehow understand. "When I marry, I want it to be perfect and last forever."

"I realize your feelings are not as strong as mine, Lynna, but given time you would grow to love me. I know you would." With a sweeping hand, Daniel encompassed the plantation and its thousands of acres. "I long for you to stand by my side as my wife and one day be mistress of Magnolia House." It was obvious to Lynna that, in his mind, no woman could turn down such an advantageous proposal. When, in truth, the plantation and all of its acreage was but a drop in the bucket compared to her own inheritance.

If she still had one.

"I do love you, Daniel." _Like a brother_. "I just don't know if I'm quite... ready for marriage. I need more time. Please, give me that time."

Daniel's white grin flashed in the darkness. "I will give you until morning."

"Oh, you are incorrigible." Lynna laughed, thankful that he was able to joke about the matter.

He held her face and tilted her chin up." I will be eagerly awaiting your answer. Please, I beg of you, don't postpone the agony any longer than you have to." Placing a tender kiss on the tip of her nose, he turned to leave.

Lynna watched him walk toward the big house with his shoulders hunched, defeated. What was she holding out for? Why not accept his offer of marriage and move her scant belongings into the grand plantation house?

Daniel was a handsome man of average height and build with his father's black curly hair and his mother's small frame and cheerful disposition. A man who would love her and be a splendid father to her children.

Just as his own father had been, once, a long time ago.

Daniel was a man that any woman would be proud to claim as her own.

Lynna could find only one fly in the ointment. She didn't love Daniel, and she would never hurt him by marrying for any other reason. When she stood before God and pledged her vows, she would mean every single word.

  Chapter 12

Two weeks later, when Lynna was certain her aching bones could not stand to be jostled a second longer, Mary announced they were only a few miles from Cedar Hill. She, along with the other exhausted travelers perked up, eager for baths, clean clothes, and a soft place to rest their much abused behinds. They had undertaken a dusty journey on plush, cushioned seats that had long since begun to feel like wooden planks beneath them.

The weary group departed the carriage and were making their way to the steps when the front door suddenly burst open. Samuel Fletcher bounded down the steps two at a time, followed by Beth and their charming daughter Bethany Breanne. After greeting his family warmly, Samuel turned to Lynna with a broad grin on his face. "Well now, just look at what a gorgeous young lady you've turned out to be." Turning to his wife with a playful grin, he added, "Perhaps I shouldn't have been so eager to leave home."

Fearing what Beth's reaction might be to Samuel's teasing banter, Lynna lowered her eyes.

Beth only smiled. "Never mind him, Lynna. Samuel always was the worst jokester, but I don't need to remind you, do I?"

"He always teased me mercilessly." Lynna remembered well Samuel's penchant for tomfoolery. "You never knew what mischief he had up his sleeve."

"Or what bug he had in his pocket to chase and terrorize you with." His mother laughed fondly.

"He is still that way, even to this day." Beth led the ladies in the house, tossing over her shoulder as an afterthought, "Ladies, follow me upstairs so you can freshen up before dinner. I'm so glad you could come a few days early since we're having a special dinner guest tonight. Suzanne has invited our neighbor and dear friend, Joshua Jordan."

Lynna jerked her hand from Beth's to clutch at a heart that threatened to fly out of her chest. _Joshua Jordan?_ Here?

How could she face him again?

"At last." Mary affected an exaggerated sigh. "We will finally have the honor of meeting the irresistibly charming, unspeakably divine, astonishingly handsome, and just plain perfect Mr. Joshua Jordan."

Everyone laughed at Mary's facetious remarks concerning Suzanne's often heard descriptions of Joshua, except Beth and Lynna. Beth realized that each description fit Joshua to a tee, except maybe the one about being perfect. Beth chose to keep mum and allow each of them to discover his numerous attributes for themselves.

While Lynna found absolutely nothing about the man to be worthy of laughter. Instead, she felt the urge to throw up, sob hysterically, and walk every step of the way back to Magnolia House.

What would she do?

What would she say?

_What would_ _he_ _say?_

He was such a vile, despicable bounder. Would he relish watching her squirm and happily inform Suzanne and the others of their... acquaintance? She should never have come.

Good Lord, she should never have come!

Upstairs, after being shown to her room, Lynna poured water from a green pitcher into a matching bowl and breathed a deep sigh of relief as she sponged her body, washing away the light film of grit that settled over her during the seemingly endless carriage ride. How she longed for a hot soothing bath to soak her tired bones, yet, there was no time. Company was coming to dinner, in the form of a black hearted sea dog, and she was expected to hurry downstairs and pretend to greet him for the first time.

She would love to greet him with a hard uppercut to his finely chiseled jaw.

Perhaps she could send word that she had an upset stomach and planned to retire early. How discourteous would that be? Lynna hadn't been sick a day since she stepped off the _Windjammer_ and a sudden ailment would only cause her aunt unnecessary worry. It was best to get this ordeal over with. Huh! With the quantity of women he bedded, Captain Jordan would be hard pressed to even remember her name.

Feeling revived after her sponge bath, Lynna sat at the dressing table, pinching her cheeks until they turned a becoming shade of pink, and pulling her heavy mass of golden hair atop her head. Deciding against that style, she dropped her hair to trail caressingly down her back and fall in soft shimmering curls of spun gold. Pulling the sides back, she held her hair in place with turquoise combs, while bouncy tendrils fell to frame her oval face.

Suzanne had often chided Lynna for wearing her hair in such an unfashionable style. _Hair should always be swept off your shoulders for effect, Lynna_. Unlike Suzanne, Lynna had never conformed strictly to the fashion of the day.

With her toilette complete, she chose her favorite gown of sea green dotted muslin. The dress was cut fashionably low with off the shoulder puffed sleeves and a velvet sash at her waist. The hem flounce, sleeves, and neck border were appliquéd with double rows of creamy French lace that Mary had been considerate enough to supply. Adding matching kid slippers, she stood in front of the cheval glass for a final inspection.

Satisfied with her appearance, Lynna braced herself for the drama that was surely about to unfold and descended the stairs to the sound of robust laughter drifting from the parlor. That laugh. She would recognize it anywhere. _Joshua!_ She couldn't face him again.

Now, or ever.

The pain of her heartache on the _Windjammer_ was still too fresh.

Pausing midway down the stairs, she was about to turn and flee to her room when her eyes were drawn to the unmistakable physique of the man standing with Silas and his sons. It really was him, standing only a few feet away. Even with his back turned, Lynna recognized him at once as a ragged breath caught in her throat.

At the same moment, Joshua felt eyes like simmering coals burning into his back. Turning slowly, from where he stood he alone saw the breathtaking creature poised on the stairs like a goddess about to take flight.

That face.

That body.

Those eyes.

Could it be?

No, of course not. Evidently, he had overindulged in Samuel's stock of fine Jamaican rum. For the exquisite beauty perched on the stairs held more than a passing resemblance to...no...it couldn't be.

Placing his rum glass on the mantle, Joshua's hand moved to scrub his face before again looking toward the stairs. It _was_ her, the very vision that had haunted his dreams for the past three bedeviling years, even more breathtaking now than when he had first witnessed her stunning beauty onboard the _Windjammer_.

Lynna.

Hardly realizing that someone was speaking his name, or that anyone else was even in the room, Joshua found himself silently moving toward her. Nor did he realize he had left Samuel in mid sentence, looking after him with a confused frown. Joshua came to a halt at the foot of the wide staircase, gazing up into familiar crystal blue eyes.

Lynna clutched the banister for support as his eyes slowly caressed every square inch of her. If she should dare try to take a step, her quivering limbs would surely cause her to tumble head first down the steps, landing in a crumpled heap at his feet.

She was stranded on the stairs, as she could not trust her legs to flee the man's presence by running either up or down. What a humiliating quandary.

Breathe.

_Just breathe_.

He is but a man. A flesh and blood man _._ She sought to still her racing heart and erratic pulse before blood shot from her ears.

Determined to ignore him, Lynna knew it was her only hope of enduring the night without making a complete fool of herself. She moved on trembling legs with slow, careful steps so as not to trip on the hem of her petticoat before safely reaching the bottom of the stairs. Far from snubbing him, she found herself unable to free her eyes that were being held prisoner by his searing gaze.

"Lynna, I see you have met our dinner guest." Samuel coughed and repeated the words, neither having heard them the first time. Noticing Lynna's obvious distress, he hurried to her side.

"N... no," she stammered, pleading with her eyes for Joshua not to yield their secret. "I have not yet had the... pleasure."

"Then allow me," Samuel turned to Joshua. "This ravishing creature is Lynna Mathison. Lynna, this is Captain Joshua Jordan."

Only after Joshua's eyes had leisurely traveled down, and then back up, her slight, yet fully rounded frame, and rested on her face did he extend his hand to take hers and bring it to his soft mouth. Turning her hand over he pressed his warm, moist lips to her palm. "It is indeed a pleasure to make your acquaintance, Miss...ah... Mathison." He flashed a sensuous smile that seemed to light his entire face, causing his sea green eyes to sparkle. He would have to be very careful for he had almost called her Miss Rhodes.

Lynna's hand tingled, _burned_ , from his touch. When his lips placed soft kisses on the tender skin of her palm, hot liquid fire traveled from her hand to all parts of her anatomy leaving her stunned and breathless. She again clutched for a banister to steady herself. Then, drawing a shaky breath, she gratefully took the arm Samuel offered and allowed him to escort her into the parlor where the others were waiting and watching, especially Suzanne.

Joshua had not failed to notice Lynna's quaking reaction, pleased to note he had not been so easily dismissed from mind either. In retrospect, he hadn't changed in the last few years, whereas she had blossomed into the most breathtakingly beautiful woman his eyes had ever beheld. Turning to Silas, he remarked, "You do grow stunning women in Georgia, sir."

"I will be the first to admit that there are some gorgeous women in our fair state." He beamed proudly. "However few to rival Lynna and Suzanne."

"Why, Joshua, honey," Suzanne quickly left her seat, almost colliding with Beth as she grabbed Joshua's arm while wheedling for a compliment. "I'm sure some of the young ladies you have met during your travels abroad fair put Lynna and little ole me to shame."

Ignoring an infuriated Suzanne, and looking straightway across the room into Lynna's azure gaze, Joshua smiled a most besotting smile. "Oh, to be sure, I have had the privilege of meeting some exotic females in my travels. However, I said it then and I will say it now. I have never seen one more beautiful." Then, as an afterthought, he added, "than the two of you, of course."

Joshua was tempted to reach out and touch Lynna, to see if she was real or only a figment of his imagination. He had dreamed of her so often, dreamed of her standing in front of him just as she was now. Dreamed of her sweet, soft lips and smooth satiny skin.

Taking a step toward her, he was unaware of what his true intentions were until Beth rushed to grab his arm. "Shall we go in to dinner, Joshua? You must be starving." Beth had known her reaction would have to be swift in order to avoid a scene. And what a spectacle Suzanne would have created had Joshua succeeded in his mindless endeavor to embrace Lynna. Having witnessed Joshua's initial reaction to Lynna's dazzling beauty, she realized her sister-in-law was in for a rude awakening. Heavenly days. She already dreaded that dramatic scene.

Turning to go into the dining room, Lynna felt a warm hand pressing her elbow and relaxed. She needed Samuel's calming presence and reassuring touch. Clutching his arm, she breathed deeply, leaning against him for support as she attempted to still her racing heart.

"All the nights I have dreamed of you, and here I find you practically in my own back yard," Joshua's whispered words caressed her ear.

Where did he come from?

A second ago, Beth had him firmly by the arm and was leading him into the dining room. The odious oaf. Did he expect her to fall breathlessly into his waiting arms again, as she had on the ship? Did he imagine her to still be the young naiveté who had capitulated heedlessly to his lustful advances after a few glasses of port?

He would soon learn that she was no longer the dewy eyed eighteen-year old, unversed in the ways of the world that she had been on his ship. Her uncle had forced the harsh realities of life down her throat shortly after her arrival at Magnolia House. Now, hearing Joshua's smooth southern drawl so close to her ear caused the memories of _his_ cold, callous treatment to return in a rush. Lynna froze for a second, before jerking away from him faster than a duck after a June bug. She turned toward him, lambasting him with her eyes.

"Is anything amiss, my sweet?" he questioned guilelessly.

Moving a few steps away to a more respectable distance, Lynna chose to disregard his question and ask one of her own. "I am certainly not your sweet, Captain Jordan, and shouldn't you be escorting Suzanne? You are her dinner guest, are you not?"

He once again flashed a disarming smile that sent her heart to flutter wildly. "I have terrible manners, to be sure. I almost didn't come tonight." Moving even closer, he slid his hand down her arm to rest on the small of her back. "Only now, I see what a grave error in judgment that would have been on my part. Believe me, Lynna, I wouldn't have missed this night for the world."

Trying to remain aloof, she gave him a withering glare, calmly moving out of his reach. "Sir, you forget yourself. Please do not attempt to besmirch my reputation by forcing your unwanted attentions on me."

Joshua threw back his head and laughed uproariously, leaning toward her to whisper, "Madame, I have never found it necessary to force myself on any woman." With a devilishly wink, he added, "As you should well recall."

Lynna's outraged gasp drew the attention of everyone in the room, including Suzanne, who shot daggers from her blazing eyes. Lynna hurried to the table, relieved to find her place between Daniel Fletcher and her aunt, who were observing her with keen interest.

Suzanne had made a point of being seated next to Joshua. Yet, try as she might, she was unable to gain the man's full attention. He dutifully answered her questions, while his gaze remained firmly fixed on Lynna. It was Silas who was finally successful in gaining Joshua's attention with a question about Sea Grove.

With Joshua's head turned to answer Silas, Lynna took the opportunity to peruse him more closely. He was just as she remembered, not a hair on his head had changed. _She remembered everything about him... so well._ Watching as he carelessly brushed a lock of raven hair from his forehead, Lynna was just getting to an inspection of his firm jaw and broad, muscular shoulders when his head suddenly turned toward her and their eyes locked.

She couldn't breathe.

Her lungs refused to push air in or out. Thankfully, her neck muscles still worked and she was able to pivot her head toward her aunt, but not before seeing his emerald gaze dip purposefully to her breasts.

Her cheeks flushed crimson as she realized the man had lost none of his brash effrontery. Ignoring him, she placed a trembling hand to her throat, hoping to slow her erratic pulse which now pounded in her temple. Turning to her aunt to speak, she decided that under no circumstances would she look his way again.

At that very moment, Samuel drew the rapt attention of every occupant in the room by tapping on the side of his glass with a spoon and addressing Lynna with a broad smile. "Lynna, darling, rumor has it that you have accepted my brother's proposal and I may soon have the honor of claiming you as my sister-in-law."
  Chapter 13

What?

This night was taking disastrous turns by leaps and bounds. _His sister in law?_ Lynna nearly choked on a pickle as her aunt commenced to thumping on her back. When she could breathe again, she took a sip of Madeira and turned to Judith, who seemed completely befuddled by Samuel's startling announcement as well. _How dare Daniel!_

He had informed Samuel they were to be wed, when she had _certainly_ _not_ accepted his proposal? One glance at Daniel's apologetic expression assured her that he was every bit as startled by Samuel's remarks as she herself had been.

Drawing a deep, steadying breath, Lynna released it slowly and asked in as calm a voice as she could muster under the circumstances, "May I ask where you gathered this information, Samuel?"

Samuel had known Lynna long enough to realize that even though her temper was rare, she was indeed in possession of one. He could also tell by her sparkling eyes that the emotion she was trying so desperately to conceal was threatening to spill forth at any moment. "Evidently I was misinformed. Perhaps I was a bit hasty in my eagerness to welcome you into the family fold, darling."

His apology didn't appear to appease Lynna in the least. "Now don't go getting your feathers all ruffled," he teased playfully. "As usual, Suzanne was the purveyor of the gossiped word." He glanced askance at his sister, who only shrugged. "She was so overjoyed at the thought of you becoming her sister that she had to tell someone. You know she never could keep a secret."

Daniel cast an adoring smile at Lynna, taking the opportunity to set the record straight. "It's true. I have asked Lynna to become my wife, that is no secret. Unfortunately, she has not consented, yet. Rest assured that I will keep trying until I eventually wear her down." With a wicked smile and a nod toward Lynna, he added, "I don't mean to cause you undue pressure, but by the same token, if the matter were left exclusively up to me, we would be man and wife before the sun sets tonight."

"Perfect timing," Samuel joked.

"Lynna, darling, you take all the time you need to be sure." Mary smiled, giving Samuel a chastising glance for his off color remark. "Daniel will simply have to be patient. Why, I myself have always been partial to fall weddings."

Lynna lowered her eyes, feeling miserable. How could she tell Daniel's mother that after tonight, after the effect the handsome sea captain was having on her emotions, she was more sure than ever that she couldn't marry her son?

As usual, Suzanne jumped in feet first to make matters much worse. "Oh, Mother, honestly. We all know Lynna and Daniel will eventually wed. You and I have discussed it for months now," she simpered. "Why not proceed with the festivities? We haven't had a decent party in ages." She glared at Lynna with a fake smile and eyes filled with contempt. "Why, their wedding would be the social event of the season."

Lynna marveled at whether she was to have any input whatsoever on the subject of her own betrothal.

Mary hushed her outspoken daughter with a stern glance. "Suzanne, you don't make a decision as important as marriage simply because it is the social season. Whenever they decide to wed will be reason enough to celebrate."

Joshua had held his breath during most of their conversation, fearing that Lynna might even consider accepting Daniel's proposal. When he caught her eyes, and witnessed the pain reflected in their sorrowful blue depths, he knew he had nothing to fear. It was obvious that she had no desire to wed Daniel Fletcher. Yet, Daniel's family, each of them it seemed, was pressuring her into holy matrimony. Why did the mere thought of such a union rip at his gut?

Inwardly, Lynna groaned. She loved Mary and Silas deeply, and hurting them was what she least wanted to do. It broke her heart to know that if she refused their son, they too would feel the sting of rejection. It was a hopeless situation, one with no easy way to avoid someone getting their feelings trampled.

A deep voice speaking her name brought Lynna out of her reverie. "How long will you be visiting Charleston?" Joshua queried before biting into a chunk of savory venison.

It was some moments before she found her voice as his twinkling green eyes fused with hers. "I'm not sure, exactly." She didn't miss the sparks that shot from Suzanne's eyes at his soft words. _If looks could kill._ "Samuel and Beth were kind enough to invite Aunt Judith and I and we certainly hope not to overstay our welcome."

"Impossible," Samuel assured her. "You and Judith are family, and more than welcome to stay as long as you wish." Turning to his wife, he added, "Don't you agree, darling?'

"Absolutely." Beth's warm smile convinced them her words were sincere. "Our home is your home."

Lynna was grateful that Daniel had been engrossed in conversation throughout dinner and hadn't noticed Joshua's unwavering attention. She didn't dare hope that Suzanne had, by some grand stroke of luck, overlooked it as well.

She had glanced up from toying with her food several times to find Suzanne watching her with untold volumes of hatred shining in her glistening eyes. The message her eyes had conveyed was clear. _"He is mine_. _Stay away."_

After dinner, during which Lynna had been unable to take a single bite of food for fear her fork would fall clattering to her plate, or she would choke on a mouthful of turnip greens, the group adjourned to the parlor. Lynna went to stand by the open side doors to breathe the cool scented breeze as flashes of lightning began to play across the sky and distant thunder rumbled.

Mary seemed quite interested in her daughter's latest beau. "Joshua, Suzanne tells us you are the captain of your own ship, but you have docked the vessel to oversee your family's plantation."

"That is correct, madam." A hint of sadness crept into Joshua's voice as he looked at Lynna with undisguised longing. "The _Windjammer_ will weather her storms without me henceforth."

Hearing the name of the ship caused another flood of memories to sweep over Lynna, leaving her visibly shaken. Ever observant, Joshua didn't fail to notice her reaction.

"That is very admirable on your part," Mary stated. "Yet, after all your years at sea, I fear plantation life may be a drastic change and even a bit boring."

"Don't go feeling sorry for Joshua, Mother." Samuel grinned, slapping Joshua on the back. "It is without warrant, I assure you. Captain Jordan has enough memories stockpiled to last the average man a lifetime."

Once again Joshua's eyes sought Lynna's as he spoke softly, "I have many treasured memories from the _Windjammer_ , true, but only one that routinely torments my dreams."

Every person in the room witnessed this passionate exchange. It was then that Mary gave up all hope of ever having Joshua as her son-in-law.

It was painfully obvious that her daughter did not accept defeat quite so gracefully. She rushed to take Joshua's arm, pressing her bosom against him as she fluttered her lashes wildly, successfully embarrassing her family. "It's such a beautiful evening, Captain Jordan. Could we perhaps take a round through the garden?"

Lynna needed to be away from Joshua's suffocating nearness and Suzanne's persistent whining. "It has been such an exhausting day," she said to Beth. "If you will excuse me, I will retire for the evening."

Joshua immediately pulled away from Suzanne, leaving her positively livid as he hurried to Lynna's side. She feared his purpose was to seduce her then and there as he gripped her small hand in his. "I hope to get a chance to visit with you again, before you return to Georgia," was mercifully all he said.

Glancing over his shoulder, Lynna cringed at the unbridled rage glistening in Suzanne's eyes. At that moment, her greatest desire was to be away from them both. Jerking her hand from his she bid everyone good night and raced up the stairs.

Why had she come here?

Once in the safety of her room, she slipped into a pale pink nightgown and fell breathless and numb on the bed with her mind a chaotic jumble. If only she could return to Georgia tonight. Why did Joshua have to live nearby? Why did her skin burn where he touched her?

Why did he smell so good?

Why, oh, why, did he have to be so sinfully handsome? For these and other questions she had no rational answers.

Accepting that sleep would be a long time in coming, she went to stand on the balcony, watching as lightning flashed in jagged forks across the sky and booming thunder drew nearer. A gust of wind blew across the land to rustle the leaves and cool her heated skin as she leaned over the balcony, breathing deeply of the unmistakable smell of rain. The moon cast its golden glow over the earth, lending to it a rosy hue as a multitude of insects played their nightly concert.

"Good night, my sweet," Joshua's sexy Southern drawl drifted to her on a warm breeze. "I fear sleep will abandon me tonight as well."

He didn't miss Lynna's muffled gasp. As one hand flew to her mouth, the other clutched her gown more tightly around her bosom. Evidently Suzanne failed in her effort to secure a private audience with him.

His deep laughter echoed through the still night air. "I don't suppose you could be persuaded to come down and take a walk with me?"

The very idea.

"You should have accepted Suzanne's invitation, sir. I can assure you that I have no desire or intention of ever spending time in your presence again." Incredulous, she spun around and rushed into the room, confident that if she ignored him he would go away.

After waiting for what seemed like an eternity and hearing nothing, she tiptoed to the balcony, peering over the railing.

"Just as I feared." He grinned, blowing her a seductive kiss. "We will have our walk soon, my sweet." With those words he turned, and Lynna could hear him whistling softly as his horse trotted into the dark night.

"You had your walk... and so much more, Captain Jordan."

Joshua spurred his horse forward as fat drops of rain splashed his face, quickly soaking his clothes. Heat lightning flashed across the sky illuminating the heavens in a brilliant display. A triumphant grin spread across his face as he raced across the field toward home at a full gallop.

The pouring rain would prevent Suzanne from going to the pond to wait for him. The girl was too demanding by far. He had been with her almost nightly during the last few months and she never seemed satisfied. Hell, he doubted if one man was even capable of such a herculean feat. No doubt there would be hell to pay when he put a halt to their nocturnal rendezvous, but it must be done.

He still could hardly comprehend the fact that Lynna's Aunt Judith was employed by the Fletchers, and Lynna had been living with them since leaving his ship in Charleston. Many times Suzanne had pleaded and pouted with him to visit her family home and he had promptly dismissed her requests. Had he known Lynna was in residence, he might have been a frequent visitor at Magnolia House and worn out his welcome months ago.

The mystical Lynna had certainly woven an enchanted spell over him. Many was the night he had lain awake in his lonely cabin and brought her clearly to mind, often wondering if she was safe and out of harm's way while at the same time longing for the feel of her soft curves against his burning skin. He had been content with his dalliance with the insatiable Suzanne, and many gratifying encounters with the provocative upstairs maid Juanita.

_Until now_.

Yet, the memory of his passionate encounter with Lynna was as fresh as if it had happened only yesterday. He laughed out loud remembering how his heart had thundered in his chest at dinner when Samuel inquired about her marriage plans. Greatly relieved, his galloping heart had returned to its normal rhythm only after realizing the lady had no desire, or intent, of speaking her vows anytime soon. That left the door wide open for him and he didn't intend to waste a second chance with her.

They could make a fresh start, for after seeing her tonight he could no longer deny his feelings. She ignited a fire in his loins that no other woman could come close to smothering and he would not allow her to slip through his fingers again.

" _Will you marry me, Joshua?_ " she had once asked him.

If Lynna were to ask that question of him today, she would get a very different response. With his decision made, he arrived home soaked to the skin, and feeling better than he had in...three years.

Suzanne sat by the pond in a glorious rage. Her wet hair was plastered to her head and her soaking wet clothes clung to her shivering body. Somehow, she had known Joshua wouldn't make an appearance tonight. He had met her almost every night for the past several weeks, and now, the very night that treacherous slut Lynna arrived, he neglected to meet her. Oh true, there was a torrential downpour at present, but had it detained her from coming? _Hell, no._ If he was as eager to be with her as she was him would a little rainfall deter him? Suzanne was certain of one thing. Joshua was not at fault here.

Lynna was.

The shameless trollop had practically thrown herself at the poor man at dinner. What red blooded man wouldn't have been sorely tempted by such an open display of wantonness? Lynna desired Joshua, that much was obvious. Any fool could see that.

Suzanne vowed that if she got her hands on him, it would be after _her_ cold, dead body was rotting in the ground. 
  Chapter 14

The rain poured down steadily throughout the night, drumming on the tin roof and settling the occupants of Cedar Hill into a peaceful slumber. By morning the lawn was standing in several inches of water and turning the oyster shell driveway into slush. Still the rain continued to fall over the hushed plantation.

The field hands enjoyed a day of much needed rest and most were still abed. Those who were awake smiled broadly as the rain turned the fields to mire, assuring them of at least one more day from the fields.

Going to her balcony door, Lynna noticed that the storm had set in to stay. The sky was a leaden, ominous grey, draping an eerie cloak of darkness over the land as far as she could see and promising more rain to come. Dressed in warm clothes against the damp chill that had invaded the house, she proceeded downstairs in search of a steaming cup of coffee. She also had in mind to sample the country ham and buttered biscuits that smelled positively divine.

"Lynna," Bethany Breanne chirped from the dining room. "Will you sit beside me at breakfast?"

Lynna scooped the darling child into her arms and tickled her ribs, sending her into peals of laughter. "I can't imagine anyone I would rather sit next to."

"I can," Suzanne sneered behind her. "While you may hope to entice Joshua with your flirtatious ways, let me assure you that you will not succeed. I noticed, as did everyone else, how you batted your lashes throughout dinner, dallying with him like the common white trash you are."

Lynna felt blood rush up her neck to stain her cheeks. Suzanne was jealous and spiteful, that was painfully obvious. "None of your accusations are true, Suzanne," she spat, arching her eyebrow meaningfully. "If you will recall, I was not the one making overtures last night. It was _your_ Captain Jordan who seemed to have some difficulty keeping his groping hands to himself."

Suzanne gasped, incensed. "Why, you devious little twit. You would give Daniel up just like that, wouldn't you?" Snapping her fingers under Lynna's nose, she gritted, "You never had any intention of marrying him, did you? You were just toying with him until you found a man with a wealthier purse. You think my Joshua is that man? Be warned, Lynna, he is mine."

To make matters worse, Bethany Breanne announced, "Joshua called Lynna _his love_ last night. The thunderbolts woke us and Lucy and I went to my balcony. He was talking to you under your balcony during the storm, wasn't he, Lynna?"

Suzanne's blood boiled as she mentally counted off the ways she could cause Lynna a slow and painful death, while a betraying blush stained the slut's cheek. Of all the nights she and Joshua had made love until sunrise, he had never once used that, or any other term of endearment with her. Spinning on her heels, she fled the room, humiliation causing her own cheeks to flame.

_So, the little brat had heard Joshua's words as well as that prying bitch, Lucy, her nanny._ Suzanne knew Lucy would giggle and gossip about the incident for days, causing all the housemaids to snicker behind her back. She had to put a stop to this nonsense before it got further out of hand.

The rain continued even heavier than before. Lynna passed the morning lounging in her room and reading to Bethany Breanne. After lunch, she stitched needlepoint with the other ladies, huddled close to the fire. All of the ladies except Suzanne, who remained closeted in her room.

Lynna enjoyed the peaceful day, and by nightfall was pleasantly tired, quickly drifting off to a dream laced sleep with visions of a swarthy, raven haired sea captain.

The next day, after a morning of warm sunshine and steady breezes, the ground was dry enough for Lynna to venture outside. Vowing that she couldn't tolerate one more day of being cooped up in the house with the insufferable Suzanne, she skipped down the steps in search of Daniel, hoping to persuade him to go riding. She would gladly face his pressuring questions of matrimony in exchange for an opportunity to flee Suzanne's veiled barbs.

Unfortunately, the days of forced confinement had left Samuel's chores backed up and Daniel had volunteered to help with his brother's tasks.

Before Lynna could reach the stables and ride off on her own, which she would have dearly loved, Suzanne came traipsing out of the house looking elegant in a midnight blue velvet riding habit. She had a matching sunbonnet tied under her chin with three feet of streaming satin trailing down her back, and the brim pulled low over her face. "Are you two going riding?"

"Lynna is," Daniel replied. "I was just coming to find you, so the two of you could go together. I promised to help Samuel today and I prefer she not go riding alone."

"Daniel, honestly, I'm quite capable of riding without a chaperone tagging along, for heaven's sake," Lynna admonished, unknowingly striking a most alluring pose with her hands on her hips and blue eyes flashing. Daniel had successfully sent her pleasant day to hell in a hand basket.

"Don't be a goose, Lynna. I can accompany you." Suzanne tilted her pert nose and scurried past Lynna into the stables. She returned a few minutes later leading two chestnut mares. "If I have to remain inside that house for another second I shall simply go stark raving mad."

_It would be a short trip_ , Lynna thought sourly. She didn't question Suzanne's sudden mood change. At least she would be outside and enjoying the glorious sunshine.

Saddled up, they cantered down the path behind the house at a leisurely pace. Lynna held her face to the sun, soaking up the rays as a warm breeze fanned her hair behind her. Feeling lighthearted and desiring to feel the wind in her face, she glanced at Suzanne who refused to allow her horse to move at a pace above a trot, lest an errant breeze muss her elaborately styled coiffeur. Throwing caution aside, Lynna raced with the wind, leaving a preoccupied Suzanne far behind.

She was some distance ahead, galloping at a speed most would consider risky on a sidesaddle, and laughing gaily when she spotted a lone figure watching her from the shadows of a sycamore tree. She immediately recognized the black hair and broad shoulders. _Must he be at every turn?_ Her first impulse was to spin the steed around and rejoin Suzanne, but Joshua's horse was already trotting toward her.

"Hello, Lynna." His heated gaze held her prisoner. "You look radiant this morning, as usual."

When she ignored his compliment, he grinned. "It would seem that wishes do indeed come true, since I was just wondering how I might have a private moment with you, when you magically appeared out of the blue."

The man's arrogance knew no bounds. "Captain Jordan, it would seem that you either suffer from hearing loss, dementia, or a sad combination of both. I have told you in English as well as French that I do not wish to have any private moments with you ever again. I made a huge mistake once, but I have put it behind me. I would be eternally grateful if you would do the same."

"What was your mistake, my sweet?" He smiled, showing perfect white teeth. "We had a pleasurable... encounter, but unless you have been intimate with another man, _why did that thought cut through his heart like the sharp edge of a knife_ , you are still very much a virgin."

Could what he was saying possibly be true?

"It has been three years, Joshua," Lynna pleaded with tortured eyes. "Please, tell me the truth of what happened that night. It is a question that has tormented me for too long."

"Nothing," he answered softly.

"How can you say nothing happened?" she murmured softly. "I remember..."

"You remember a pleasurable experience that was very memorable, my love. However, I did not take your maidenhead. On this, you have my word as a gentleman."

Suddenly, Lynna knew that his words were true. She felt it in her heart. She had leveled untrue allegations against an innocent man, yet, surprisingly he held no animosity toward her.

Joshua could plainly see the relief in her eyes when she finally accepted the truth.

"I'm sorry, Joshua," she breathed. "I remembered feeling your hands...on..."

"All is forgiven." In an effort to ease her discomfort, he flashed a brilliant smile that caused her pulse to quicken. "Now that we have that matter settled, would you care to ride down by the river?" His dancing eyes suddenly dimmed when Suzanne appeared from behind a thicket of trees.

Suzanne positively glowed upon seeing Joshua. She snatched her bonnet off after noticing Lynna's golden locks flowing past her waist, yanking the pins haphazardly from her hair to shake it loose, in what she hoped was a provocative gesture. "Why Joshua, I certainly didn't expect to see you this morning. What a pleasant surprise."

He smiled lazily, lighting a cheroot and sending smoke circling around his head. "I was just asking Lynna if she cared to accompany..."

Suzanne interrupted him, having no qualms with including herself in the invitation. "Why, we would love to, Joshua. How very considerate of you to ask. I might very well take leave of my sanity if forced to remain shut up in that dreary house with that bothersome child for another day. It simply baffles me why children feel the incessant need to prattle on and on about such inconsequential things."

Suzanne surreptitiously steered her horse next to Joshua's. "Why, I might become as famous as Mr. Eli Whitney and his cotton gin were I to invent a muzzle for little girls," she laughed gaily, totally dominating the conversation and leaving Lynna to follow behind, which suited her fine.

From this angle, she could observe Joshua at her leisure without him ever knowing, and hopefully not get caught in the act this time.

Joshua knew he was being watched when the hair on the back of his neck prickled. He smiled broadly, leaving Suzanne with the mistaken impression that he truly delighted in her inane chatter.

The land was fresh and green after the rain, the fields a gay riot of wildflowers. Joshua nudged his horse off the main path onto a narrow trail that led through the woods. The damp leaves muffled the sound of the horse's hooves with the only noise being the flapping of wings as frightened birds left the trees in droves.

"Ouch!" Lynna cried as a limb in front of her that was bent back by Suzanne, whether intentional or not, slapped her sharply across the face. Rubbing her stinging cheek, she could already feel an ugly, red welt rising. Clenching her teeth and muttering under her breath, she drew back, allowing them to proceed some distance ahead of her. Suzanne could be a royal pain in the derriere, especially when she was jealous, and the green eyed monster was perched front and center on her shoulder today.

A short while later, they left the forest and entered a clearing dazzled by iridescent sunlight. Lynna was about to dismount when, much to her dismay, _yet still not as much as Suzanne's_ , strong, deeply tanned hands gently lifted her from the saddle. She glanced toward Suzanne and noticed her mouth forming a perfect O of outrage.

Apparently unperturbed by Suzanne's infuriated stance, instead of releasing her immediately, Joshua's hands remained tightly clasped around her tiny waist. The pressure of his hands brought back such passionate memories that Lynna had to struggle against the urge to brush her lips against his as he gently lowered her to the ground.

_Why did this man affect her so?_ The feeling was so strong that it was almost impossible to deny. Lynna could almost taste his lips on hers. Thank God Suzanne was only a few feet away or she might have succumbed to the unrelenting urge to taste them again.

"What about me?" Suzanne whined, sounding on the verge of a childish temper tantrum. "Would you have me break my neck taking leave of this huge beast unassisted?" The high color in her cheeks was the only sign of her mounting fury.

Ever the gentleman, albeit with great reluctance, Joshua released Lynna. As she bent her head, he noticed a vivid red welt rising on her cheek. Guessing correctly that Suzanne was to blame for marring her porcelain skin, he walked over and wrested her rather unceremoniously from her steed.

"Well!" Suzanne hissed, smoothing her skirt. "I would have been better off falling from the blasted animal."

Lynna couldn't suppress a giggle, which she quickly tried to cover. Too late, it only served to infuriate Suzanne and cause her eyes to blaze with smothered fury.

Releasing a seething Suzanne, Joshua returned to Lynna's side to gently take her hand and lead her to the pond. "Allow me put some cool water on your face. Perhaps it will take away some of the sting."

Lynna opened her mouth to reply when she felt herself being drawn down to the water's edge. She watched as Joshua dipped his kerchief in the cool water and with a feathery touch gently caressed her cheek. His touch was soothing and immediately removed any trace of pain from her skin, leaving in its place a warm, tingling sensation that left her face and rapidly spread throughout her midsection to parts beyond.

Joshua watched the passion flare in her eyes as his willpower altogether deserted him. The world around them ceased to exist as his hands moved behind her head and through her silky golden hair as his mouth descended to hers. His lips were so close he could feel her warm breath against his cheek.

Suddenly, a splash, followed by a cooling spray of water, made them both glance up.

Horrified, Lynna's hands flew to her mouth as Suzanne cavorted in the pond, absent her clothes, with her small breasts bobbing on top of the water.

Suzanne laughed derisively at Lynna's shocked expression of horror. "Lynna, honey, close your mouth before a dragonfly gets in, and come join me." Then she turned to Joshua with her most seductive grin. "The water is heavenly, sugar. Much warmer than it was last week when we got chilled to the bone..."

"Enough, Suzanne," Joshua warned.

Totally ignoring him, she gushed, "Oh, don't be shy, darling. Lynna knows how we feel about each other, don't you, Lynna? We don't have to hide our true feelings around her."

"I said that was enough." Joshua voice was hard as burnished steel.

Heading toward her horse, intent on fleeing Suzanne's humiliating display, Lynna was stopped by Joshua's hand on her shoulder. "Don't leave, Lynna. I don't expect you to remove your clothes and join her."

"How very generous of you," she snapped, shoving his hand away and heading for her horse. "I don't intend to be a witness to Suzanne's appalling lack of morals."

"Please stay, Lynna." Joshua grabbed her hand, seemingly not at all shocked by Suzanne's lewd behavior. While that should have been some indication that the man was accustomed to viewing Suzanne in all her glory, she was too besotted by his devilish grin to think rationally. "Let's take a walk until she cools off."

Reasoning that Joshua couldn't be blamed for Suzanne's disgraceful conduct any more than she could, Lynna allowed him to take her elbow as they moved toward the shadow of the trees. After all, he was an innocent bystander to Suzanne's revolting escapades, and his dreamy eyes were coming closer, fusing with hers, his moist, soft lips inches...

"Joshua, honey, are you coming in?" Suzanne called, standing temptingly so that her bosom jutted out of the water. "We haven't been able to meet here in days because of the rain. Surely Lynna could be prevailed upon to leave us alone for a short while. Couldn't you, Lynna?"

"Certainly." Incensed by Suzanne's words, Lynna snatched up her skirts and raced to her horse.

Joshua had brought her to the very spot where he and Suzanne had their trysts?

Joshua was behind her, trying to help her mount. She roughly brushed his hands away. How could she have been so blind? Such a naïve fool. _Of course they were lovers._ His arrogant attitude should have told her he was accustomed to having any woman he desired at his beck and call.

It was painfully obvious that he had tired of Suzanne and was ready to discard her, like yesterday's stale bread, and start anew with her. _What a fool she had been!_ Without a word, she mounted her horse and raced from the clearing.

A dark scowl crossed Joshua's handsome features as he watched Suzanne's dripping body leave the water and amble slowly toward him. Easing her slippery arms around his neck, she pressed her wet, naked curves against him, attempting to pull his lips down to hers. He pushed her away more roughly than he had intended.

"Is there a problem, darling?" she whispered huskily, urgently desiring to feel him inside her. "I knew you would appreciate my getting rid of _Little Miss Prude_ so we could be alone." Reaching for him, she was frustrated as Joshua once again sidestepped her intended embrace. "It has been such a long time. I know you're as eager for my touch as I am yours."

"Appreciate it?" he stormed incredulously. "Appreciate the fact that you behaved like a common whore?"

"Whore?" Her face flamed and she took a step back as though she had been struck. "If I behave like a whore it is because you made me one."

"Your wares had been sampled long before I sailed into your life," Joshua spat. "I was but one of many."

Suzanne cringed as her outraged gasp echoed across the water.

With his temper somewhat abated, Joshua's voice softened, hoping against hope that they might end their affair on amicable terms. "Although it was enjoyable for us both while it lasted, our little fling is over."

"Fling?" she cried, astonished and refusing to believe her own ears. "What are you saying? Over? You can't mean that. You love me, Joshua. I know you do. Why, I have been patiently awaiting a proposal of marriage."

"Marriage?" _Of all the fool notions._ "Unfortunately, you were dreadfully mistaken. I never promised you anything other than a good time and, unless I miss my guess, I have fulfilled my part of the bargain, Suzanne."

With rising despair, Suzanne watched him mount his steed and ride away, leaving her naked, dripping, and humiliated beyond words. In search of Lynna, no doubt.

She had ruined everything.

Suzanne closed her eyes, visualizing Joshua's hands roaming over the strumpet's more ample curves while whispering sweet words of devotion. _That must never happen._

She would not lose Joshua, especially to poor white trash like Lynna. Why, the penniless waif wouldn't have a single coin to bring to a marriage. Besides, Joshua was the only man in her entire life that Suzanne had ever truly coveted. She refused to give him up without a fight.

Lynna arrived home completely distraught and unobserved, able to slip quietly into her room. Throwing herself on the bed, she silently gazed out the window at the fluffy fields of white and cursed herself for being so naive.

It was over an hour later when Suzanne arrived home with a satisfied smile and came straightway to her room to gloat. "Lynna, why on earth did you leave in such a fired up tizzy?"

Lynna could only glare at her, unable to hide her loathing. "I saw no reason to stay and watch you degrade yourself, Suzanne."

"Degrade myself?" Suzanne's laughter was keen as she waltzed around the room. "You never cease to amaze me, Lynna. Why, I didn't feel degraded at all, quite the contrary. By the way, you have perfect timing. After you left, Joshua joined me for a swim. Then, we lay down in the sun to...um...dry."

"Are you saying that you paraded around him without your clothes?" Lynna tried to conceal her shock, as nothing Suzanne did should surprise her anymore.

"Lynna, dear, when will you lose that childhood innocence? It's difficult to satisfy a man, especially one as lusty as my Joshua, while still fully clothed. A real man likes to see what he has in his hands."

Lynna was appalled by her words. "Suzanne, your behavior is like that of a common whore in the red light district. I can't believe you have so little respect for yourself."

Suzanne's hands clenched tightly by her sides and her breathing became shallow as Lynna called her the very same word Joshua had used earlier. Swallowing the rage that boiled in her throat, she forced her voice to remain calm. It would never do for the trollop to see how upset she truly was.

No, she must convince Lynna that she and Joshua had spent the better part of the afternoon happily ensconced in each other's arms. "Respect is boring, Lynna. I choose to spend my life in pursuit of exciting endeavors. With a man like Joshua, what more could a girl wish for?"

Suzanne began to undress, shedding her clothes carelessly in a heap on the floor. "He was magnificent today, by the way. I could have happily remained in his strong arms until morning." Picking her clothes off the floor with a contented sigh, she started for her room in her chemise. "I'm going to take a nap now. Joshua insists I meet him by the pond again tonight and I have no intention of disappointing him. The man simply cannot seem to get his fill of me."

As Suzanne closed the door, Lynna could feel only pity for the girl. She sympathized with anyone in love with the devil incarnate, Joshua Jordan.
  Chapter 15

The following afternoon, while the others were enjoying the birthday festivities, the front door slammed and all eyes turned to see a glowing Suzanne enter the room. Lynna's heart sank as she witnessed her satisfied smile.

"You almost missed your nieces' party," Beth chided her narcissistic sister in law.

"I take it you found Joshua," Samuel added.

Suzanne turned to Lynna with an expression of pure bliss and breathed, "Actually, we found each other." Strolling over to Lynna, she leaned over and whispered, "Come upstairs."

When she could slip away, Lynna climbed the stairs with mounting dread. Why did the thought of Suzanne and Joshua together rip at her heart so?

When Lynna entered her bedchamber, Suzanne rushed to close the door, flinging herself on the bed. As if in a trance, she fabricated a detailed lie solely for Lynna's benefit, reveling in the immense pain she knew it caused her.

"I was riding down the road this afternoon. I hadn't gone far when I noticed Joshua repairing a fence. Quietly, I slipped from my horse and went to join him." She breathed a deep sigh as a dreamy smile settled over her face. "Almost before I knew what was happening, he was pulling me into his arms and kissing me like a man absolutely starved."

"Suzanne, what you and Joshua do holds absolutely no interest for me." Lynna used her most convincing tone, while they both knew she was lying through her teeth.

"Oh, Lynna, I love nothing more than being wrapped in his strong arms. He makes me feel so... alive." Suzanne clutched a feather pillow to her breast. "I have no doubt that he is in love with me. He could never make love to me with such passion if he didn't."

"Of course, he could. Any man would." The words were out before Lynna even realized she had spoken them out loud.

"You're just jealous!" Suzanne stormed, leaping from the bed to stand in front of her with eyes blazing. "You always have been. You want Joshua for yourself, everyone knows that. Why, a blind person could see it, but you will never take him from me."

Lynna opened the door to leave, feeling nothing but loathing for the girl. Yet, she refused to leave without one parting shot. "To be perfectly honest, I would imagine the field hands heard your little display of temper. Be advised of one simple truth, Suzanne." She had taken so much abuse and insult from Suzanne over the past three years, now she had the perfect opportunity for a little payback. For once, she was actually angry enough to mete it out. "Consider yourself fortunate, because we both know that _if_ I wanted your Captain Jordan, I could easily have him."

She had then casually strolled from the room, having finally succeeded in delivering to Suzanne her comeuppance and, for once, leaving her at a loss for words.

Two hours later Lynna's eyes flew open as her aunt shook her from her afternoon nap. "Lynna, honey, wake up. Captain Jordan was here with an invitation for dinner."

"What? I... we cannot possible go." The mere thought of spending an evening with the man caused her entire being to quake. How could her betraying body react to him in such a way when she knew him to be nothing more than a heartless philanderer who used women without a care? She had no intention of becoming his next conquest. "You go ahead without me, please. I don't feel up to visiting today. I would rather remain here and keep Bethany Breanne entertained."

"Nonsense." Judith's hand on her face forced Lynna to meet her eyes. "You have just as much of a chance with him as Suzanne does, actually a better one."

"Aunt Judith, what on earth are you prattling about?" Lynna cried. Sitting up, she rubbed the sleep from her eyes, wondering if she was dreaming. Her aunt could not possibly know her true feelings. _Could she?_

"Why, Captain Jordan, of course. He is a very handsome man, dear," Judith replied, going to the armoire. "I've seen the way your eyes sparkle at the mere mention of his name, and you cannot deny that he is attracted to you." She brought out a lovely gown of peach silk and carefully spread it across the bed. "If you want him, go after him, and don't let anything stand in your way."

Evidently, by anything, she meant Suzanne. "I don't... want him, Aunt Judith."

"Of course you do, any woman would," Judith continued stubbornly. "Now hurry, your bath water is growing tepid."

Shocked clear down to her toes by her aunt's stunning words, Lynna soaked in a hot tub until her skin was a becoming shade of pink.

She sat at her dressing table brushing her hair until it shone, still unresolved as to how to style it. Pulling it atop her head, she tied it loosely with a velvet ribbon allowing the tiny tendrils to frame her face. That should do. On impulse she added a small amount of kohl to her eyelids and gazed at her reflection in the mirror.

After completing her toilette, she slipped into a sheer lacy chemise. Next, she stepped into the peach colored gown trimmed with ecru lace that she and her aunt had only recently completed, with the delicate folds of material enhancing her every curve.

Satisfied with her appearance, she knocked on the door between her room and her aunt's. "Aunt Judith, would you fasten my gown, please?" _Would you fasten my gown, please?_ Those remembered words caused a shiver to traipse along her spine.

"Certainly." Judith entered the room with pride shining in her eyes. "You look beautiful, darling."

"Thank you, but we both know that you are certainly not an impartial judge." Lynna smiled lovingly at the woman whom she positively adored. "Most of my so called beauty is in your eyes only."

"We shall see. You just keep an eye on Captain Jordan's face when you enter the room."

"Oh, Aunt Judith, for heaven's sakes." Lynna's hands were planted firmly on her hips as she shook her head. "Where do you get these ideas?"

An hour later, Judith and Lynna descended the staircase together, greeted by a chorus of whistles from Daniel and Samuel. "I must say, you ladies look positively breathtaking."

"Are there any compliments left for your own sister?" Suzanne floated down the stairs in a cloud of emerald green chiffon. Her hair was also pinned atop her head, but unlike Lynna's shimmering curls Suzanne's raven locks were straight and lacked the added effect of the short, bouncy tendrils falling to softly accentuate her face. Brilliant emeralds dripped from her ears to caress her neck as she gloated in the knowledge that she would outshine Lynna one way or another.

As Silas and Mary joined them, Daniel remarked, "Father, would you agree that we have the pleasure of escorting four of the loveliest ladies in all of Charleston tonight."

Daniel smiled bravely for Lynna's benefit, but Suzanne knew his soul was tortured as she recalled their chat earlier in the day as they had sat on the verandah sipping sweet tea. _"Of course, you realize Joshua has developed an apparent infatuation for Lynna, don't you, Daniel?"_

Daniel failed to respond, choosing to focus on the swirling ice in his glass.

"Believe me, the fact leaves me quite mystified when he could have me instead. I'm sure his choice leaves you as perplexed as it does me, dear brother. At any rate, if you continue to behave like such an incompetent wimp, Joshua will succeed in snatching Lynna out from under your nose, leaving us both in the cold."

"Nonsense, son," Silas was saying. "Their beauty encompasses the entire South."

"What about me?" Beth's musical laughter chimed from the top of the stairs. "I distinctly heard you say the four loveliest ladies, Daniel Fletcher." As she descended the stairs she counted off the ladies of the house on her fingers. As she neared Silas, he shammed for her ears only. "You, Beth, are by far my most lovely daughter-in-law."

"Well, thank you kindly, sir," Beth beamed.

Their laughter flowed like water through a stream as the ladies draped lacy shawls over their shoulders and the gentlemen helped them into the waiting carriage.

"I am your only daughter-in-law!" Beth shrieked, realizing the jest.

Lynna twiddled her thumbs nervously in a corner of the carriage until twenty minutes later, when Beth announced, "This is where our land ends and Jordan land begins."

The boundary was evidenced by a white fence bordering the road on both sides and winding through woods that soon gave way to snowy fields of King Cotton. Beyond the fields could be seen a wide avenue of live oaks festooned with Spanish moss.

The view through the trees was breathtaking, as both sides of the road contained small ponds bordered by towering cypress and gaily colored flowers. An enchanting bridge with lattice work sides rose over the water. At the end of each bridge, nestled in the shade, sat a charming gazebo with the same wood carvings as the bridge.

Lynna was duly impressed by the pure and simple elegance surrounding her. Then Sea Grove, with its huge white pillars and elegant landscape loomed proudly before her.

  Chapter 16

The house was magnificent with the upper balcony spanning the entire length, so that each room opened onto it, as was the case with the balcony below. Lynna had expected a home on a much smaller scale. Instead, here was a plantation to rival Magnolia House.

Her scrutiny of the house was halted abruptly when she observed the chiseled features of a man casually leaning against one of the columns on the verandah. He was unspeakably handsome in his fawn cut-away tailcoat over a crisp white linen shirt and form fitting breeches. He stood next to a man in a chair with wheels, with a blanket draped across his lap.

As the carriage drew up to the verandah, on closer examination Lynna found the man in the chair to be a slightly more mature version of Joshua, with the same gleaming emerald eyes and soft teasing smile.

"Good evening," Joshua called, bounding down the steps to greet them. "I'm glad you could come on such short notice. Meet my parents, Jeremiah and Patricia, and my baby sister, Malinda."

"Oh, Joshua," his sister groaned. "I'm hardly a baby."

The family trait was strong in Malinda as well. Curly black hair framed an oval face blessed with creamy magnolia skin, while a light powdering of freckles across her nose gave her a charming, childlike appearance.

"Welcome to Sea Grove," Jeremiah announced after the introductions had been made. "Please, come inside."

As Joshua moved to push his father's chair, Lynna took the opportunity to take a closer look at his parents. If not for a few wrinkles and grey hair, Jeremiah could have easily been mistaken for Joshua's brother.

His mother, Patricia, was an elegant lady with snowy white hair braided and pinned atop her head and the same creamy smooth complexion as her daughter. "We are so glad you could join us this evening." Her smile was welcoming as she took the ladies' wraps and handed them to the downstairs maid. "Malinda, show our guests to the parlor, please."

Hooking her arm through Lynna's, Malinda chatted amicably with her as though they had been confidants all their lives. Theirs was an immediate friendship. Malinda had no desire to become friends with the uppity Suzanne, who was a complete opposite from her. "Lynna, Joshua has told me so much about you over the years. I do hope we can find time to get better acquainted before you return to Georgia."

"I would be delighted." _Joshua had been conversing with his sister about her?_ _For years?_ "Although, I'm afraid you have Suzanne and I confused. She has known your brother for some time, whereas... I only met him a few days ago. I'm certain it was her, and not me, your brother spoke of."

"Perhaps it was," Malinda whispered with a sly wink, infuriating Suzanne, who was straining to eavesdrop and hear every word. Fortunately, she missed the important ones.

Malinda opened the massive double doors with a beautiful fanlight spanning the entire width. Entering the spacious foyer, Lynna stopped, motionless in her tracks. On both sides of the hallway stood twin staircases with finely carved mahogany banisters and handrails inlaid with brass. What she found most amazing, was the two staircases were joined at the top by a bridge. In the center of the house, the floor to the second story ceiling was open, airy and cool.

"The house is beautiful," she breathed.

"What?" Malinda questioned. "Oh, the house. Thank you." It was obvious that she was clearly accustomed to this reaction from first time visitors.

The parlor was no less attractive. The walls were light blue with dark blue trim. Two rosewood sofas upholstered in regal blue faced each other in front of a marble fireplace. On the mantle stood miniature statues carved from ivory, jade, bone and crystal. Displayed prominently over the mantel was a gilt and wood bull's eye mirror, and hanging on either side of it were beautifully done oil portraits of Joshua's mother and each of her children.

Taking a seat in one of the overstuffed wingchairs, Lynna was once again caught completely off guard by Joshua's bold behavior when he moved behind her to rest his hand possessively on the back of her chair. She glanced anxiously toward Daniel, but if he took offense he concealed it well. Not so with Suzanne. Her rigid body was planted against the wall as her steely eyes never once lost their focus on Joshua's hand.

While the men discussed the price of cotton and politics, the ladies chatted about the weather and fashion, Suzanne's favorite topic. Although she chose to remain curiously silent. It would have been a pleasant conversation had Joshua's hand not rested so near. Lynna was noticeably ill at ease with his close proximity, going as rigid as Suzanne when his hand, hidden from the others, drifted down to finger a silky golden curl.

Joshua's hand itched, almost ached, to travel down further to the swells of her creamy, fully rounded bosom displayed so enticingly from his vantage point. Again he had been on the verge of throwing caution to the wind when the part he coveted was unceremoniously snatched from view.

Lynna wondered how this man's slightest touch could scorch her skin, when Daniel's most passionate kiss failed to stir the slightest response in her? She could find no answer to this burning question and was more than relieved when the maid announced dinner was served. Lynna stood, turning to present Joshua with a withering glare.

Chuckling to himself, Joshua ignored her display of temper as he pushed his father's chair into the dining room.

Coming to the conclusion that the fates were definitely aligned against her, Lynna found herself seated next to the insolent rogue. _But why blame the fates?_ After all, this was Joshua's home and she should have known he would have a hand in the seating arrangements.

The dining room was the same shade of light blue trimmed in dark blue. A table and twelve chairs carved from dark, rich cherry held the center of the room, set with blue and white china and blue crystal, surrounding a centerpiece of ruby red roses.

Everyone seemed to be enjoying the sumptuous meal and lively banter. As usual, with Joshua so near, Lynna's appetite once again deserted her.

While the others were involved in witty repartee among themselves, Joshua bent to whisper near her ear. "Is there something amiss with your food, my sweet? Or could there perchance be something about me that ruins your appetite?"

She arched a delicate brow at him.

"I fear if you and I were together for any great length of time you would simply waste away," he purred as his gaze fell to her sensuous mouth. "What a terrible loss that would be."

Lynna could feel the heat radiating from her cheeks. In barely more than a whisper, she grated, "Sir, you should learn to conduct yourself in a more gentlemanly fashion. You don't know me well enough to make such brash remarks."

"Lynna, my pet, there is little about you that I don't know, intimately." He grinned wickedly, passing her a napkin covered basket of steaming buttermilk biscuits. "Bread?"

With a sharp intake of breath and a definite tilt of her pert nose, she took a biscuit and buttered a chunk, dropping it on her plate. She was unsure if her queasy stomach could handle food at the moment. Taking a sip from her wine glass, she almost choked when Joshua's thigh brushed intimately against hers.

"Allow me." Innocently he patted her back. A pat that was more like a caress. "Did your wine go down the wrong way?"

Lynna longed to slap the smirk from his smug face. How dare he make such brazen advances toward her, treat her like nothing more than a common trollop? _Would this night ever end?_ She bestowed upon him an icy glare that would have put any other man in his place, but not so Joshua. He had the audacity to grin and wink slyly at her blazing face.

The entire length of her body trembled with rage as she turned to him and whispered, "I will not sit still for your manhandling a second longer. If you so much as consider touching me again you will feel the blade of my butter knife beneath your skin."

Although it was a harmless threat and Lynna knew it, she hoped it would be enough to scare him. As she held the butter knife in her hand, for added conviction, it fell to her plate with a clatter when he threw back his head and laughed uproariously. Wiping a tear from his eye, he continued, undaunted, with his meal.

Beside her, Malinda giggled. "Pay him no mind, Lynna. He has forever been a tease, especially when a woman intrigues him."

At that moment, Suzanne, who was again listening to their conversation, hated Lynna enough to scratch her eyes out, with great pleasure. Joshua had never once teased her.

With the meal finally at an end, they took their coffee and brandy into the parlor. Suzanne refused to suffer through watching Joshua lust after Lynna another second. With exaggerated weakness, she mewled, "Father, I have developed a simply monstrous headache and I must ask that we return home early."

Silas expressed his immediate concern for his daughter's welfare, speaking to Patricia. "While it has been a most enjoyable evening, and we regret having to leave early, under the circumstances I pray you will understand."

"Of course, we do," Patricia assured him. Turning to Suzanne, she added, "I hope you feel better soon, darling."

"Thank you," she simpered. "I'm sure I will feel much better tomorrow." _Or whenever Lynna decides to return home._

"If you're ever in Georgia, stop by Magnolia House for a visit," Silas was saying to Jeremiah and Patricia. "You are always welcome."

"That's very kind of you and we just might take you up on your offer," Jeremiah replied. "However, our son does the majority of traveling in the family."

Turning to Joshua, Silas repeated the invitation. "You are more than welcome to visit, anytime."

"Thank you, sir. I feel certain that I can find time for a visit soon." As his smiling eyes strayed toward Lynna, Joshua, and everyone else in the room, felt certain that a visit would be in the not too distant future.

Outside in the dark night, Joshua assisted the ladies into their carriage. With his hands on Lynna's waist, he couldn't resist the impulse to allow his hands to linger.

In truth, Lynna's body turned to a mass of quivering flesh as her heart threatened to fly out of her chest, but he must never know how much his touch affected her.

"What was that?" Mary questioned as a loud slapping sound rang out in the still night air.

"Damn mosquitoes," Joshua chuckled, rubbing his stinging jaw. To be so petite, the little lady packed a wallop. "They're out for blood tonight." Even though it was too dark to see, Joshua could imagine Lynna's enchanting face beaming triumphantly in the still night.

He was absolutely correct. She leaned back in her seat feeling entirely vindicated.

Upon their return to Cedar Hill, they were met with a messenger from Magnolia House. Jopree had taken ill and they must return at once. Their bags were packed that night, to be ready to set out on their journey home at first light.

  Chapter 19

Arriving home late and exhausted, Lynna had just crawled under the cover, breathing a deep sigh of relief to be home, when she was jerked awake by a loud voice that she recognized immediately. Her uncle was home, and as usual he was drunk.

"I told you, Tobias, I don't have any money," Judith cried. "Please, lower your voice before you wake Lynna."

"You always keep money hid around here somewhere, you lying bitch," Tobias slurred.

"Even if I did, I wouldn't give it to you to waste on rot gut whiskey."

"You know I will eventually find it. Save us both the trouble and just tell me where it is."

Judith clutched her thin gown around her and tensed as he drew back his right fist. "We need that money to live, Tobias."

Lynna heard a dull thud and knew her aunt had been struck. Leaping out of bed she ran to the kitchen with lightning speed. Tobias had Judith pinned against the wall with his hands around her throat, squeezing the life from her.

"Let her go!" Lynna screamed, grabbing his arm and pulling and kicking until he released her. Judith collapsed to the floor with a sickly white pallor. Before Lynna could even begin to defend herself, he unleashed the full force of his fury on her.

Lynna tried to dodge the blow she knew was coming, unwittingly backing into the table. She was cornered. Tobias stood before her, smiling broadly as his fist smashed under her right eye with a painful crunch. The last thing she remembered, before the floor jumped up to greet her, was the look of absolute horror on her aunt's bloodless face. _Thank God._ At least she was still alive.

Lynna came to later with a pulsating headache that seemed to hammer in her temples. Her aunt was holding her head in her lap and sobbing pitifully. Judith's tears fell in earnest when her niece at last opened bruised and swollen eyes.

"Is he gone?" Lynna mumbled, gingerly feeling her puffy face to see if any bones were broken.

"He found my reticule and took what few coins we had. I pray he rots in hell for the pain he has caused you."

"My pain? What about your pain?" Lynna cried, struggling to sit up and wincing at the throbbing ache the effort caused her. "How badly did he hurt you?"

"He only shoved me against the wall and choked me, nothing out of the ordinary. It's you that I'm worried about." She turned Lynna's face to the light for a better look. "You have a dreadful bruise."

"I'll remain inside until it fades." _Nothing new there._ "We have so much work to do, I wouldn't be spending much time outside anyway. Look on the bright side. We won't have to worry about him returning for at least a fortnight."

A silent tear rolled down Judith's cheek. "Please forgive me for allowing this to happen to you, darling. I should have protected you. If your father knew..."

"Aunt Judith, don't blame yourself. There is no way you could have stopped that madman. We both know you can't reason with Tobias when he's drunk, and my father would never hold you accountable for his sins."

That was a lie and they both recognized it as such. Nathan Rhodes would indeed fault his sister if he knew of her vicious husband's abuse toward his daughter.

Heaven help Tobias Mathison if he ever found out.

Judith swiped at a tear that streaked down her wet cheek. "Maybe he will take his ill-gotten gains and never come back."

Sadly, it was a known fact that Tobias would return the minute his stolen funds had been exhausted.

The following morning, Lynna didn't feel up to going through the motions of getting dressed. Her body ached with each movement. _Why bother anyway?_ She wouldn't be showing her face outside of the house for days.

As the early morning sun peeped over the horizon, she lay in bed wondering for the thousandth time why her father hadn't sent funds as he had promised. There was simply no excuse for his failure to do so. He was fabulously wealthy, surely he could spare a few coins to make life easier for his sister and his only child.

Forcing her mind from the pain that thinking about her father caused, she slipped on a lavender and green checkered dress and ambled barefoot into the kitchen, grinning sheepishly when her aunt gasped at her black and blue face.

"I look a fright, don't I, Aunt Judith?" Lynna covered her face with her hands, embarrassed.

Before Judith could answer, a knock sounded at the open kitchen door. Luckily, Lynna's back was to the door and she pleaded with her eyes for her aunt to send whoever it was away. She breathed a deep sigh of relief when Judith moved to the door, with every ounce of blood draining from her face when she heard her say, "Good morning, Captain Jordan. It's good to see you again. When did you arrive?"

Joshua's husky voice floated through the open doorway, causing Lynna's pulse to throb. "Good morning, ladies. I arrived late last night and Silas has invited me to ride into town with him. While he was coming to see if he could bring you anything, I volunteered to come in his stead."

"How very kind of you. As a matter of fact, we do need a few provisions. "Please come..." The loud clanging of a pot hitting the floor stopped Judith short. _She had almost invited him in._ "Please, have a seat... on the porch. I will be right back with my list."

Lynna stood motionless as she waited to hear the porch swing creak, a signal that he had sat down. It didn't come. Apparently he was standing at the door, watching her. _Had her aunt gone suddenly mad?_ Why hadn't she sent him away posthaste? Nothing from town could be this important. Besides, obviously she had forgotten that Tobias had stolen all of their money last night and she had never once known Judith to purchase on credit.

"Good morning, Lynna," came the sexy southern drawl that never failed to send her blood racing.

When she failed to respond, he laughed. "Why are you behaving like a spoiled child?" Joshua waited, and when no answer was forthcoming he strode, uninvited, into the house. Pausing behind her, for only a second, he spun her around to face him. He halted abruptly as he exhaled a ragged breath and clenched his fists at his sides. "Who did this?" he ground out through gritted teeth.

Lynna attempted to shrug off his concern with a laugh. "Clumsy me, I ran into a door. I should have brought a candle outside with me last night when I went to sit on the porch."

Where was her aunt and why was she dawdling at a time like this?

"Are you sure? That's a nasty bruise. You had to be walking at full speed to hit the door that hard."

"Of course, I'm sure," she lied.

Far from convinced, Joshua angled her face to get a better look. "I fail to see how colliding with a door could cause the entire side of your face to turn a deep shade of black and purple, and your eye to almost be swollen shut."

Turning away, she mumbled, "It looks much worse than it actually is." _Of all the times for him to show up. She must look like one of the voodoo zombies the slaves were always whispering about._ She knew Joshua was still behind her when she felt the heat from his warm breath caress her neck.

"Try walking with your eyes open in the future," he whispered, intoxicated by the lilac fragrance of her hair. "It works amazingly well. I do it all the time."

Lynna jerked around with a sharp retort that died in her throat when Judith walked into the room. "On second thought, we don't need anything from town. Thank you for the generous offer, Joshua."

"My pleasure, ma'am." He smiled, although his cheerful mood deserted him on first sight of Lynna's bruised and swollen face. _Something was off kilter here and he intended to find out exactly what it was._

After he left, Lynna sat at the kitchen table, truly bereft. "Why did he have to show up this morning? Look at my face." She buried her head in her hands. "And he thinks I go around walking into doors."

"Even bruised and swollen, you are still beautiful in Captain Jordan's eyes," Judith assured her. "It was obvious to one and all, the night you met, that he was quite taken with you. I'll wager that you've never met a man quite like him before."

Believe me, Aunt Judith, I have.

Her aunt left the room smiling and called from her bedroom, "I won't deny it. I think your Captain Jordan is quite exceptional. There are few to equal to him."

"My Captain Jordan?" Lynna cried, thoroughly astonished by her aunt's choice of words.

"Had you rather I say Suzanne's Captain Jordan?" Judith peeked around the doorframe, glancing at her niece from underneath her lashes.

Although the day was frightfully hot, her question sent a chill down Lynna's spine that caused her to shiver.

Few women, young or old, could long stay immune to Joshua's masculine charms and Jasmine was no exception. Joshua had totally charmed the cook during his brief stay at Magnolia House. She was lifting a heavy pot of vegetable soup from the stove when he sauntered in. Taking the pot, he admonished, "Here, let me take that. Don't you have men working in the kitchen to aid you with the heavy lifting, Jasmine?"

Jasmine's plump body shook with mirth. _"_ Mist' Joshua, you sho' is sumphin'. I lifts dis heah pot evah day of my life. Why, I 'spec' I could lift bout much as any man on dis heah plan'ation. Now you jus' sit down rite chere an' have some of my blackberry cobbler wit' frash cream."

Joshua laughed with her. "I'm sure you could, Jasmine. I merely meant that you shouldn't have to."

Never one to be accused of being gullible, Jasmine placed a steaming dish of cobbler before him. "Whut is you in heah tryin' ta sweet talk ole Jasmine fo', Mist' Joshua?"

"Why, Jasmine, I'm sorely disappointed in you. I thought we had become friends."

"And we is. We sho' 'nuff is. But you done got sumphin' troublin' you, so you mite jus' as well spit it on out."

After a long silence, Joshua asked quietly, "Have you perchance seen Lynna's face today?"

"Whut 'bout her face?" Jasmine snapped, fearing the worst as the cup of milk she was pouring overflowed the rim.

Joshua observed her plump face closely for her reaction. "It's badly bruised. She claims to have run into a door."

"Run into a do', my big black behind!" Jasmine spat as her huge body fairly shook with anger. "Dat chile gwine run out of 'scuses one of dese days."

Instantly on his feet, Joshua grabbed her by the shoulders, forcing her to meet his eyes. "Are you saying that isn't what happened, Jasmine?"

Jasmine was thoughtful for a long time before speaking. "I won't der, so _I_ cain say fo' sho' whut done happen."

"But you have an opinion," he said, urging her to continue.

"If you done seed as many bruises on dat chile as I have," she stopped suddenly, wondering if she should be voicing her opinion against a white man. "I done said too much a'ready."

Joshua wanted to shake the old slave woman, force her to tell him everything she knew, but there were easier ways. "I suppose it's just as she said. Lynna impresses me as being the clumsy sort."

"Whut you mean, clumsy?" Jasmine stormed with her hands on her hips and her dark eye blazing. Joshua knew his gambit had worked beautifully. "Dat chile ain't run into no do'. Dat man done hit dat baby agin."

"What man?" The depth of rage Joshua felt at that moment was surprising, even to him. Knowing someone had struck Lynna, deliberately, with enough force to leave her badly bruised, caused his body to tremble with rage. "Who was it, Jasmine?"

Jasmine knew she had been duped, yet that was no longer the issue. What was important was Lynna. Why should she go on protecting that po' white trash Tobias Mathison when next time it might be too late to help Lynna or Judith? Next time he might kill them both. "Her own uncle. Tobias Mat'son. He da one whut beats her. He come home lookin' fo' dey money in a flyin _'_ rage an' always findin _'_ a reason to hit my sweet Lynna."

Hot tears coursed down Jasmine's plump cheeks. "How I knows is dat po' chile done broke down one day an' tol' me so herself. She said she had ta talk to somebody, so I jus' held her while she talk' an' cried, axkin' me why her own uncle hate her so much. Querstions dat I ain't got no answer fo'. Den, when she finish, she made me give my word dat I keep it to myself, an' here I done tol' you. Forgive me _,_ Lawd!" she cried, stretching out her arms and beseeching the heavens. Drying her eyes, she blew her nose loudly. "I cain keep it to myself no mo'. Dat man gwine kill dat chile one day."

"Where is Tobias now, Jasmine?" Joshua couldn't be still, pacing the room with nervous energy. "I promise that he will never get another chance to harm her if you tell me where to find him."

"He ain't heah _,"_ she sniffled _._ "Dey ain't be knowin _'_ where he gwine or when he comin _'_ back."

"I will find him, Jasmine. I give you my word." Joshua strode determinedly out the door without a thought for the mouthwatering pie.

Jasmine knew in her heart that Tobias Mathison was surely about to pay for his multitude of sins and it was about time. As for her precious Lynna, she mumbled, "Whut don't kill will fatten."

Later that night, in town, Joshua made inquiries as to Tobias Mathison's whereabouts at the local taverns. He learned from a barkeep that Tobias had come into town the night before, purchased a bottle of whiskey, and went upstairs with one of the barmaids who was known for leaving a man with empty pockets. Joshua was halfway up the stairs, already imagining the feel of his hands tightening around Tobias's neck, before the barkeep stopped him.

"He ain't here now. He rode out before sun up."

Joshua slammed his fist into the wall, making the barkeep jump. "Can you tell me which direction he traveled?"

"Naw, he slipped out without even paying what he owed for the room, the thieving low life." The barkeep swished a filthy rag across the bar, and mumbled, "I should have learnt the lying beggar by now. Still, I can't figure him out. One day his pockets are overflowing with coin, and the next he can't afford a cup of ale."

Ignoring the barkeep, Joshua swore under his breath, "Even though you got away this time, I will find you if it's the last thing I ever do."
  Chapter 17

Lynna remained indoors for the next four days, only venturing outside to stroll through her garden late in the evening when the big house was quiet. Daniel came by each morning with her aunt reporting that she was feeling under the weather and resting in bed. Jasmine arrived with Lynna's favorite sugar cookies.

Completely ignoring Judith's excuses, she went straightaway to Lynna's room to find her sitting up in bed, stitching a row of ruffles on a new ball gown for Suzanne.

"Good morning, Jasmine." Lynna averted her face, ashamed for Jasmine to see that her uncle had once again used it as a punching bag.

"It ain't seem like sech a good mawnin _'_ ta me, wit you in bed all bruise an' swole up like you is," she muttered angrily. "Why you ain't gone out in dem woods an' got a big stick an' next time he come at you lay it side his thick skull, I ain't knowin _'_."

Lynna attempted a laugh that failed miserably. "I may heed your advice and do just that, Jasmine."

Judith entered with a fresh pot of aromatic coffee. "Please sit down, Jasmine, and we'll sample those cookies that smell simply delicious." She glanced over at Lynna, whose cheeks stung with shame and humiliation. "Lynna has been confined to this room for days with only me for company, so we're grateful you stopped by."

Lynna caught Judith's hand, trying to ease her guilt. "This will be my last day of confinement since the bruises have almost faded. Anyway, at least we completed Suzanne's ball gown."

"If dat gal was ta take up sewin _'_ an' spend as much time at it as she do primpin _'_ an' paradin _'_ in front of dat mirror, it would put you two out of binness."

"Truer words were never spoken," Judith agreed, causing all three women to grin.

The laughter left Jasmine's eyes as she looked at Lynna with all seriousness. "Y'all needs to tell somebody 'bout Tobias fo' it too late. Dem bruises be gittin' sturdily worser each time he come home. He mean binness now, Lynna. An' he seem ta be takin' mos' of his anger out on you."

The following evening a rider arrived with an urgent missive from the neighboring plantation owned by Thomas Morehead. A fire had swept through the main house and several slave cabins. Thomas Morehead had perished, and several of his slaves had been severely burned. The rider was unsure of how many others had lost their lives. Silas took every available man and rushed to the plantation with Mary and Judith accompanying them to care for the injured.

With her aunt caring for the burn victims at the Morehead plantation, Lynna entered their quiet cottage alone that night. She was overcome by a strong sense of foreboding the second she closed the door behind her.

Something was wrong.

Entering the kitchen her apprehension proved correct. Her uncle sat at the table, slouched in a drunken stupor with an empty whiskey bottle in his hand. She smelled him, a combination of liquor and unwashed body, even before seeing him.

Tobias glanced up with angry, bloodshot eyes, his hand shaking as he pointed to the cold stove. "Why ain't you got supper cooking you lazy good for nothing wench? I been keeping you up for the last three years and you can't even keep a pot boiling on the stove? Where's my wife?"

"There was a fire," Lynna answered stonily. "Aunt Judith is at the Morehead plantation helping nurse the injured."

"Well do something besides spread your legs for Daniel Fletcher and fix me something to eat," Tobias snarled with disgust.

While the desire to turn tail and run was strong in Lynna, she desperately fought it. Since it would give him too much satisfaction to see her cower in fear, she stood her ground.

When she failed to respond quickly enough to his demands, Tobias leapt from his chair sending it crashing to the floor. "Don't just stand there when I tell you to do something, girl. Get busy and fix me some damned supper!"

"Fix your own damn supper," Lynna gritted through clenched teeth. She was fed up with his constant demands and abuse. She was beyond fed up with everything about the drunkard, in fact. If he ate tonight, it would be food prepared by his own hand.

For having the impudence to disobey his direct order, Tobias slapped her so hard she stumbled backward, landing hard on her bottom. Thankfully, this time her aunt wasn't home and Lynna didn't have to worry about protecting her. Glancing around for a weapon, she spied a sewing basket with a large pair of sharp scissors on the table and made the error of eyeing them covetously.

Tobias saw where her eyes lingered and wheezed with harsh laughter before sweeping the basket to the floor, scattering its contents to the other side of the room. "When did you grow a backbone, you little tramp?"

She had to find another weapon, and quick. His empty whiskey bottle was on the table between them, but she refused to look at it. She had no intention of making the same mistake twice. She stood up slowly and painfully. "I have no coin, so you might as well leave."

Licking his lips in a sickening manner, his gaze was firmly fixed on her heaving breasts. "I ain't leaving here without some recompense for my journey."

That was all the impetus she needed. Lunging for the bottle, Lynna grabbed it before he could, and with all her energy swung it toward his face. Whiskey dribbled down her arm as, even drunk, he had dodged the bottle.

Chuckling, he advanced around the table. With a wicked gleam in his eyes and a wide grin splitting his pockmarked face, his fist connected with her jaw with such force that she saw stars and nothing more.

Some time later, Lynna came to through a haze of blinding pain, lying absolutely still, listening for any sound or sign that he was still in the house. Hearing nothing, she stood slowly, grabbing for the wall as the room spun around her. When the vertigo had passed she moved to her room and paused before the mirror.

Scalding tears filled her eyes as she grimaced at her bruised and swollen face. The same face that had stared back at her too many times in the past. The bruises from his previous attack had only begun to fade.

Hot tears streaked a path down her puffy cheek as she gave vent to her misery. She was so alone, so frightened and miserable, with neither the will nor strength to continue fighting. She wanted to go back home to France where she was pampered and spoiled. Where no one would dare lift a hand to her in anger. Where Gertrude would be waiting with open arms. Unfortunately, that was out of the question, since her own father had apparently turned his back on her.

Drying her sniffles, Lynna remembered her promise to help Jasmine cook blackberry cobber the following morning. She couldn't go to the big house looking like this, but how could she possibly endure another week of forced confinement?

Hoping to banish her misery to the back of her mind, if only momentarily, she prepared a hot bath. After heating the water and filling the tub, she slipped into the soothing water, sighing blissfully as the heat penetrated her aching body.

Soaking until her skin was a glowing pink, she dried off and slipped into a sleeveless pink nightgown, cut low and gathered under her breast. It was too hot for anything else.

The cotton was soft and cool against her heated skin as it enveloped her abused body. Seated at her dressing table, she was lost in troubled thought as she brushed her hair until it shone and fell in rippling waves over her shoulders.

By the time she went to bed, feeling miserable and defeated, she had convinced herself the only solution to her wretched life was to wed Daniel. She would never be lonely again. Daniel loved her, of that she was certain. As he had told her so many times in the past, she would grow to love him given time.

If she married Daniel, she could move her aunt into the big house where Tobias could never torment either of them again. The Fletchers would hire another seamstress, leaving her aunt to relax and enjoy her golden years in peace. It was the perfect solution. She closed her eyes, not blissfully happy at the notion, but satisfied she had arrived at a decision that would be agreeable for all concerned.

At some point during the night, Lynn was startled from a deep sleep by a noise that came from inside the house. When a cool breeze caused the curtains to flutter, she prayed it was the sound that had awakened her. Fear gnawed at her as she worried that her uncle hadn't left after all. Peeking from swollen eyes, she gasped to find Joshua standing over her, holding a candle with a look of stark horror marring his handsome features.

What was he doing here?

"I had a feeling... that... you needed me. Tell me who did this?" His voice was cold as ice, filled with unbridled rage. "That's all I ask of you, Lynna. Please, just tell me."

Lynna couldn't tell him the truth, no matter how much pain her uncle had caused her. She knew Joshua would search until he found him, ending his deplorable life. For this she would be grateful beyond measure, she felt nothing but hatred for her uncle, yet she couldn't tolerate the notion of Joshua rotting in a filthy jail cell for avenging her.

"Lynna," he spoke softly, too softly. "Please tell me."

"I can't," she cried brokenly. "Please, don't ask me."

Joshua almost blurted that he knew her uncle was her abuser, stopping short when he realized the humiliation it would cause her. He vowed to find the deviant and take great pleasure in watching his life's blood drain away. If he departed immediately, perhaps he could find Tobias before he left the taverns. Joshua turned to leave, his stern resolve deserting him upon hearing her softly speak his name.

"Don't leave me alone, Joshua," she pleaded brokenly. "I beg you to just hold me."

Seeing the tears glistening on her bruised and puffy cheeks, he placed the candle on a table to gently draw her into his arms. As he tenderly brushed away the tears, she shrank from the pain his gentle touch caused, saying nothing. She never complained. His heart went out to the poor girl who had withstood so much abuse, blaming himself for a portion of her pain. Overwhelmed by the love and tenderness he felt for her, Joshua comforted her.

Lynna nestled deeper into the warm security of his strong arms where she felt so safe and protected. No harm could befall her as long as these powerful arms held her close. If she married Daniel tomorrow, at least she would have this night to remember.

Joshua knew what would happen if he stayed. He wondered if she was fully aware of what she was asking of him. "Are you asking me to stay with you, Lynna?"

"Yes, Joshua," she murmured, reaching out to him. "I can't be alone tonight."

He needed no more encouragement than that. His strong arms gathered her even closer as his whispered words found her ears. "You're safe now, Lynna," he breathed against her hair. "No one will hurt you ever again, I swear."

Burying her head in his broad chest, she sobbed until his whispered words soothed her fears. Lifting her face, their lips met in a tender, all consuming kiss that left her breathless. Forgetting the pain and humiliation, she permitted her mind to fill with the nearness of him, the smell, and feel of him.

As she snuggled against him, Joshua cradled her head with his hands. Holding her against his hard, lean body, he gave her one last opportunity to change her mind. "Are you certain this is what you want, Lynna?" He didn't want her to have regrets, or throw his actions in his face come tomorrow morning.

For answer, she slipped her hands around his neck and pulled his lips down to hers, leaving no doubt in his mind. "Love me, Joshua."

Needing no further encouragement, Joshua's tongue explored every cranny of her mouth, lighting fires in her stomach that warmed her entire body. Her head rolled limply on the pillow as his fiery kisses trailed down her neck. Taking her hands, he pulled her up to face him.

Joshua had waited so long to feel her soft supple body against his and had nightly dreams of allowing his hands and lips to roam over her creamy, delectable flesh. Yet, he must not frighten her. With Herculean effort he forced himself to proceed slowly.

Slipping the thin nightgown over her head, the sight of her full, satiny breasts was almost his undoing. She was so lovely, a treasure that he must possess again and again, yet he vowed he would kill any other man who tried.

Although this revelation shocked him to the core, he didn't take time to ponder it as he cupped her firm, young breasts. His eyes closed blissfully as she leaned her head back, unaware of the world going on around them, aware only of each other and the intense passion they shared.

His hands gently kneaded the supple mounds as he watched the play of emotions, the doubt that registered briefly, and the wonderment on her angelic face. Sitting down on the bed, he pulled her to stand between his legs as he banked his own desire, wanting her first time to be perfect.

Lynna watched with unabashed anticipation as his mouth sprinkled light kisses on the tender underside of her breast, down over her flat stomach, and over the sloping curve of her hips. The sweet torture was almost unbearable when at last his lips kissed their way back to her breast.

His touch caused the fire in her stomach to shift to a throbbing ache, demanding release as his tongue danced hot circles around her breast. Her body went limp as the creamy skin on her slim neck flushed and she gave vent to her rising lust.

Joshua glanced up, and at the sight of so much raw passion surging through her he knew he could deny himself no longer. Lifting her in his arms, he gently lowered her to the bed, permitting his eyes to travel over her slowly, getting his fill of her curvaceous beauty before joining her.

Low moans of pleasure escaped Lynna's throat as he trailed hot kisses over her body. She arched her back as his lips brought a return of the ecstasy she remembered so well, taking her over the edge and finally igniting the all consuming fire that had simmered since the night in his cabin on the _Windjammer_.

Their eyes met and Joshua gave her a knowing smile as she reached for him, desperate to feel him inside her. Lowering his body, he was careful not to put his entire weight on her slender frame. Then his lips found hers, erasing all fear from her mind until he knew she was ready, until she opened herself body and soul to receive him, all of him.

Joshua held his breath as he entered her slowly, savoring her sleek, moist warmth, until he met her maidenhead. He gazed down into her trusting eyes, waiting for final proof that she believed him. He breathed a deep sigh of relief when she whispered, "I will never doubt you again, Joshua."

He wanted her so badly, yet she was making him forget his purpose, which was revenge on Tobias and that was something he would never do. Yet, he could place it on hold for a few hours while satisfying his desire for the enchanting creature beneath him. Placing his hands underneath her, he cupped her buttocks and pressed his full manhood into her silky warmth as she cried out in pain.

Her cries subsided as she raised her hips to meet his, thrust for thrust, more urgent still until her body once again found the sweet release it so coveted and she cried with joy. As her muscles convulsed around him, Joshua knew he had succeeded in making her forget as well.

"You're in my blood, Lynna," he whispered huskily. "I will never get my fill of you. I want you with me now and forever."

Happiness swelled within her at his words. He wanted her with him.

Forever?

That could only mean one thing.

Hours later, Joshua held her cradled against his rock hard chest. Moonlight filtered through the open window casting a golden hue over their glistening bodies as Lynna sighed contentedly, nestling closer to the man who had reawakened her passion. She felt no shame or remorse, only love.

Love?

The realization struck her like a bolt of lightning from the heavens. _She loved him_. He was the man she had been waiting for all along. He was a part of her, had been for the past three years.

"Come back to Charleston with me," he breathed as his lips caressed her bare shoulder. "I won't leave you here to suffer the abuse of a madman."

Without thinking, she blurted, "He won't return tonight."

"Who won't return?" Joshua pleaded. "Tell me, Lynna. Please."

"I can't, Joshua," she murmured pitifully before turning away in shame. "Don't ask me, I beg of you."

Why she was protecting her uncle was beyond Joshua's scope of understanding, but he wouldn't force her to answer. She had her reasons for keeping it a secret. When she was ready, she would confide in him.

Lifting a wisp of her golden hair, Joshua twirled its softness around his finger, rubbing it against his cheek as he breathed in the fragrance of lilacs. He fancied that he could look right through the clear blue mirrors of her eyes and see into her very soul to discover her every emotion. Along with her small perfect nose and soft sensuous lips, her features formed a face that was destined to forever haunt him.

Joshua rolled to his back, pulling her atop him. "Sleep now, my love." Lynna buried her head against his chest and drifted into a contented sleep with her fingers gently entwined in his raven locks. He watched her as she slept, lightly touching the vivid bruise. A murderous fury assailed him as he thought of the great joy he would derive from paying the black hearted devil back that had inflicted such pain on her.

And he would indeed pay.

When Joshua at last closed his eyes it was not the peaceful sleep of the one he held so close, instead it was a fitful sleep. He was squandering time. He should be on the road this very minute searching for Tobias, yet the desire to be with Lynna was stronger. Snuggling her closer, he breathed a contented sigh and slept.

Dawn was fast approaching when the lovers awakened in each other's arms. Joshua was understandably wary, wondering if the morning would bring with it a shift in her feelings. His worries were for naught. Lynna felt secure in the knowledge they would soon be betrothed and she had never been happier.

Watching him watch her for several minutes, she moistened her lips, threw one leg over his hips, and climbed provocatively atop him. Joshua held his breath as her tempting mouth lowered to his, realizing the little minx was enjoying the newly minted power she held over him. Her soft tongue mingled with his, sending delicious shivers rushing through him. She was a fast learner, having changed from a hesitant young girl to a woman in full bloom overnight, very much aware of her needs.

Joshua had felt a slight aversion toward forward women in the past. Not so with Lynna. He would gladly lay passive, if possible, while she took complete control. He wanted everything she had to give, and then some.

After a long, lingering kiss, while rubbing the tips of her breast against his chest until he thought he might go mad with desire, she moved to her side, pulling him to face her. A sensual smile curved her lips as she draped her right leg over his hip, pressing her soft flesh against his firm torso. A white hot fire ignited low in his stomach when she reached a cool hand to guide him into her dewy body. He entered her slowly, hearing her gasp as he buried deep inside her.

Lynna's hips moved in the age-old rhythm of love, carrying Joshua almost to the brink. Still, he wanted more. Easing her onto her back, he rolled atop her to penetrate more fully as she moved to meet his every thrust. There was no time for words as their lips touched, carrying them to a magical place where time did not exist.
 Chapter 17

A few hours later, after a brief nap, Lynna gazed into Joshua's handsome face and winked seductively.

"Do you never get enough?" he inquired insolently.

"Do I hear complaints?" she inquired just as insolently, reaching to twirl a lock of his hair around her finger.

"Never, my love. Although, while I am both ready and willing, my body may require sustenance if I'm to continue to be able through the remainder of the day," Joshua chuckled, lifting her to sit her exactly where he wanted her.

Lynna was quite content with the seating arrangement.

Much later, she was in the kitchen washing breakfast dishes when, thankfully, they heard a carriage approach. "It's Aunt Judith." she giggled. "Quick, Joshua, go out the back door before she catches you here."

"I will return shortly, my love," he whispered against her hair, before placing a passionate kiss on her lips. He was closing the door behind him, just as Judith called out a greeting.

"Lynna, I'm home. Darling, it was so horrible at the Morehead plantation, you would not believe...oh, dear God!" Judith cried, her hands going to her mouth in horror. "When was he here?"

"Who?" Lynna asked, shamefaced. _How did she know?_

"Oh, you poor dear," her aunt cried. "Let me look at your face."

_Heavenly days!_ Her aunt was referring to her uncle. She had all but forgotten the incident with Tobias. "It isn't that bad, Aunt Judith, honestly. It should heal quickly."

"When was he here, Lynna?" Judith repeated, as scalding tears streamed down her cheeks. "You poor thing."

"He was here to greet me last night when I came home." Lynna was ready to change the subject, not at all concerned with her uncle's visit at the moment. "How are things over at the Morehead plantation this morning?"

"Things are better now, but they lost five slaves and two were badly burned. Miss Fannie, the most knowledgeable healer in these parts, is tending them. We can only pray they will survive."

"We will certainly lift them up in prayer," Lynna agreed "Sit down while I cook breakfast."

"Thank you, darling. Tell me about you. Why are you so cheerful, all things considered?" Judith inquired. "Apparently your night wasn't all bad."

Lynna leaned over the steaming pot, stirring the grits in earnest and hiding her blazing face. "I've never rested better, Aunt Judith." If only she could share her happiness with this woman whom she loved so much. But it would be best to wait until Joshua had actually proposed, then they could all join in the celebration. "After breakfast I'm going to work in my flower garden. The weeds have taken over lately. Afterwards, I'll come inside to begin work on Suzanne's new gown."

Judith was watching her, quietly.

Lynna smiled, humming gaily. "If anyone from the big house should see me, I will simply say I fell off the porch. They shouldn't doubt my words for a second, since everyone knows I'm eternally clumsy."

Judith was intrigued by her niece's carefree banter. Normally, after one of Tobias's visits, she would linger in a state of depression for days. Now, here she stood, almost euphoric. Something out of the ordinary had happened during her absence. Of that she was certain.

All of a sudden it was perfectly clear to Judith. Lynna had been introduced to the love that only a man and woman can share. She wondered if it was Joshua. Lynna didn't love Daniel. Therefore, she would never yield herself to him. It had to be Joshua, and Judith was thrilled.

Of course, she realized that she shouldn't be happy about the fact that her niece was no longer chaste. Nathan had placed his trust in her and would be furious to discover his daughter was no longer an ingénue. That was of little importance now. What mattered was Lynna's happiness, allowing her to put the pain of the past behind her and begin to enjoy the life she had been born to live.

After clearing the table and washing dishes, Lynna gathered her gloves and garden tools, kissed her aunt's cheek, and strolled to the garden. It was a beautiful day and she kept her face hidden under the wide brim of a straw hat.

Carefully weeding and loosening the dirt around her roses, she picked one ruby red rose and started toward the house.

A deep, sultry voice stopped her dead in her tracks. "Good morning again, my love."

Lynna's heart skipped a full beat and she had to restrain herself from rushing headlong into his arms. "Good morning, Joshua." Secretly wishing her aunt had remained at the Morehead plantation, she scolded herself for the thought.

"You look exceptionally lovely this morning." With his eyes perusing her from head to toe, he whispered, "I trust your night was satisfactory?"

"I look hideous and you well know it." She turned away, realizing how repugnant her bruised face must look in the bright morning sunlight. "To answer your question, I have no complaints, sir."

Bestowing upon her a sexy wink, he teased, "If you had, it would have indeed been a first." When he smiled, his eyes shone and a dimple formed in his cheek.

"You, sir, are outrageously conceited," Lynna tried to sound convincing, failing when she herself couldn't keep a straight face.

"Admitted." Taking the red rose from her fingers, he brought it to his lips, wishing it were some part of her anatomy instead. "Shall we take a walk toward the river?" The slamming of the door halted him abruptly. Glancing up with an irritated frown, he found Judith approaching, bearing a tray.

"Joshua, I didn't realize you were here." So, it _was_ Joshua. Judith could tell by the way the besotted man's lips were almost caressing Lynna's rose. "Come join us for a glass of lemonade. I fear it will be another scorcher today." Placing the tray on the porch rail she returned to the house. "I'll just get another glass."

"Any chance of your aunt being called away again tonight?" Joshua muttered.

"Joshua!" Lynna chastised him. "You, sir, are far too self-assured of your charm and good..." she stopped herself short.

"Go ahead and admit it." He winked seductively. "My dashing good looks. I've been told that once or twice in the past by members of the opposite sex."

She was about to berate the arrogant man when her aunt returned. Thanking Judith, Lynna removed her gloves and sipped the lemonade as Joshua's heated perusal caused a knot to steadily tighten in the pit of her stomach.

"How have you been, Joshua?' Judith queried.

"Never better, I can assure you," his answer was directed toward her, while his smile was solely for Lynna's benefit. "As of this moment, Judith, I am the happiest man alive."

Lynna blushed, turning to face him.

"Will you be staying with us for a while?" Judith smiled, thinking that perhaps if she kept talking, she might succeed in gaining a minute portion of his attention.

The smile left his face immediately as he gazed at Lynna. She had succeeded in making him forget his purpose, again, for he had wanted to be alone with her when he broke the news. "I'm afraid I must leave today."

Lynna gasped as the glass she was holding slipped from her hand, watching as the dry earth greedily absorbed the liquid. Of course he would eventually return to Sea Grove, but why today? They had just found each other again. Bending to pick up the broken glass, her hands brushed Joshua's as he bent to assist her. They had only parted a few short hours ago, yet she pined for his touch. When their eyes met, their hunger for each other was clearly evident to Judith.

"How clumsy of me," Lynna stammered, hoping she sounded convincing. "My hands perspired in the gloves and the glass...slipped."

Judith took the broken pieces. "I'll just take this glass inside before someone gets cut."

Lynna waited until her aunt was safely in the house. "When are you leaving?" She couldn't bring herself to look at him as her eyes stared unseeing into the copse of trees behind the cottage. The thought of the lonely days and nights to come settled around her like a blanket.

Joshua took her soft hands in his, peering into her stunning blue gaze. "Within the hour, I fear. I couldn't leave without seeing you. It will only be a few short weeks until we can be together again at the Harvest Ball. This will be our last separation, Lynna."

Tears formed behind her thick fringe of lashes. It wasn't fair. She shouldn't have to give him up so soon. _Wait! Their last separation?_ What did he mean?

That was the exact question on Suzanne's mind as well. _Yes, what did he mean?_ Feeling rage like she had never felt before, she had hidden beneath the tendrils of a weeping willow tree and heard their every disgusting word.

This would never do, and she knew just who to turn to for help.

Lynna was about to question Joshua further when, much to her dismay, Suzanne came waltzing toward them, primly holding up the lacy white hem of an elegant gown that would have been more appropriate for a lavish ball.

Glancing only briefly at Lynna, she cried, "Oh, dear Lord! Whatever happened to you, sugar? Why, you look like your poor face was trampled by father's old Brahma bull."

"I ran into a door." Lynna squatted, busying herself with pulling weeds in an attempt to hide her hideous bruises.

"I see." Suzanne pursed her lips and nodded her head. "Well, you have forever been exceedingly clumsy. Oh, Joshua, darling, there you are." Ignoring Lynna, she leaned toward Joshua to brush nonexistent lint from his sleeve. "I have hardly had a moment alone with you, and now I hear you're leaving us today. Why," Suzanne continued her mewling drivel with a brilliant smile, "I must be losing my charm. Fortunately, there will be sufficient time for us to get reacquainted during the journey."

This piqued Lynna's curiosity, causing her to stand and face Suzanne, bruises and all. "What journey?"

"Why, my journey with Joshua of course." Suzanne cast a contemptuous eye toward Lynna, forcing a smile as she wiped a light sheen of perspiration from her forehead. "Father has granted permission for me to return to Charleston with you."

"He did what?" Joshua's tone was menacing as he glanced from Suzanne's jubilant face to Lynna's look of stunned horror.

"For me to accompany you to Charleston, silly. You wouldn't mind dropping me off at Cedar Hill, would you?" One hand went to rest on Joshua's chest. "Why, Father would be simply devastated if you refused after he has extended you so much hospitality. Of course, the remainder of the family will be following later to attend the Harvest Ball. However, as I explained to father, Beth certainly could use my help with that spoiled little Bethany Breanne at such a busy time."

Joshua started toward Lynna when Suzanne grabbed his hand, and his attention.

"Anyway, since I am always willing to help my family in any way I can, I graciously volunteered to go ahead and help with the preparations. Surely you don't mind having little ole me as company on the long ride." Tucking her arm securely in his, she maneuvered him away from Lynna.

Lynna's heart plummeted as Suzanne snatched the red rose from Joshua's hand, viciously broke the stem, and tucked it behind her ear. "Oh, thank you, darling. A little color is just what this outfit needed."

Silas appeared around the corner of the house and Suzanne tugged on Joshua's arm to steer him toward her father. "Father wishes to have a word with you before we depart. Let's not keep him waiting. Please," she leaned toward him to whisper, "just agree with him when he prattles on and on about the dangers of us sharing a carriage for that length of time, and how it is of the utmost importance that my virtue remain intact."

Joshua only glared at her, his fists tightly clenched by his sides, refusing to create a scene in front of her father.

Lynna rushed to her room and remained inside, heartbroken, until the carriage rolled away in a swirling cloud of dust. She couldn't bear to witness Joshua's departure or Suzanne's gloating victory. Inconsolable, she went to the big house to visit with Jasmine, in search of her favorite comfort food, blackberry cobbler.

"Miz Suzanne sho' nuff is taken wit' Mist _'_ Joshua, ain't she?" Jasmine commented while vigorously whipping cream.

Lynna wished Jasmine had broached any subject but the current one. "She certainly does seem to be."

"He sho' ain't taken wit' her doe. Actin _'_ like po' white trash an' runnin _'_ aftah dat man. Why, Miz Mary let dat chile go, when Mist _'_ Joshua sho' ain't wantin _'_ ta take her, plum confusin' me."

"You know Suzanne always get her way, Jasmine." Lynna sighed a defeated sigh. "I expect to hear any day that she will be moving to Charleston permanently."

"Ole Jasmine ain't miss much whut goes on round heah, an' I's heah ta tell you dat Miz Suzanne ain't gwine be da one whut move ta Char'ston wit Mist' Joshua."

Lynna knew Jasmine spoke one truth. She didn't miss many of the happenings around Magnolia House. What little she did miss was soon filled in by one of her daughters. Rose, being Suzanne's chambermaid, often was presented with the opportunity of listening to her mistress's most private conversations. While Iris, the downstairs maid, reported the most infinitesimal details that may have slipped by the other two sets of ears. Lynna knew better than to deny anything Jasmine said.

"Whatever do you mean, Jasmine?" she asked innocently. "Who do you suppose is moving to Charleston with him?"

"You is." Jasmine chuckled.

Lynna was struck dumb. Had Joshua been revealing his innermost secrets to Jasmine? She had to know. "Why Jasmine, I fear you are dreadfully mistaken. If anyone relocates to Charleston to reside with Joshua, it will in all likelihood be Suzanne."

"I ain't wrong," the old slave replied adamantly. "I can't love dat chile no mo' if'n she drapped out my own body. But she ain't da one whut Mist' Joshua done set his cap on." Jasmine couldn't keep a secret, no need in trying. "He done much as tol' me so."

Lynna dropped a spoonful of cobbler and was immediately by her side. "He told you what, Jasmine?"

"Well, he ain't come rite out an tol' me, but silent rivah's run deep. His querstions done tol me all I need to know."

"Querstions? I mean, what questions?" Lynna inquired, wanting to know every syllable that had passed between them.

"I cain recollect jus' when it was, he jus' come in heah one day axkin' did I see yo face an axkin' a bunch of querstions."

"You didn't tell him about Uncle Tobias, did you?" Lynna couldn't bear the shame if Joshua discovered her own uncle loathed her so. She would never be able to face him again. "Please promise me that you didn't, Jasmine."

Jasmine was at once contrite, seeing the shame on her face. She would never hurt Lynna by admitting her own breach of trust. "No chile, I ain't tol' him dat de man he searchin' fo' is Tobias." She turned her head away, shamefaced, unable to look Lynna in the eyes. She had never lied to her before, and didn't like doing so one bit.

Lynna moved to hug the rotund woman, "Thank you, Jasmine. I knew I could trust you."

Jasmine was consumed with guilt as she wrapped a slice of cobbler for Judith. Watching Lynna walk home, she wondered if Joshua had found that lowlife Tobias Mathison yet, and prayed fervently to the good Lord in heaven that he had.
 Chapter 22

Later that night, Suzanne stood in the shadows of the conjure woman's cabin, peering through the window as she sat by the fire. She knew old Amari presided over ceremonial meetings and ritual dances. She had also heard, from the housemaids, that she earned a considerable amount by selling charms, amulets, and magical powders that she guaranteed to cure ailments, grant desires, and destroy one's foes.

That was her greatest desire.

To destroy Lynna.

Suzanne's arms were loaded with food, blankets, and clothes as payment for Amari's help in getting rid of Lynna. The housemaids had already warned her the voodoo priestess refused to accept money. The conjure woman claimed passing money from one hand to the next was the easiest way to cast a spell on someone.

Suzanne knocked on the door, and after hearing the old woman call a greeting, she entered the cabin to the strong smell of sage.

Amari accepted the supplies with a nod of her head, motioning for Suzanne to take the seat opposite her. "What can I do for you, Miss Suzanne?"

Suzanne gasped, gazing at the old woman in surprise. She was one of the darkest Negroes on the plantation, yet her cultured speech was that of one of the more refined citizens of Charleston. "Your speech. Why, you don't sound like the other darkies? Where did you learn to speak in such a civilized manner?"

Amari chuckled softly to herself, evidently accustomed to this reaction from strangers. "I was raised in New Orleans. My mother was a quadroon ladies maid and I was raised in the big house at her skirt. I was never around... slaves." Dancing flames reflected the firelight in the voodoo woman's eyes as she continued. "When the Misses passed, her only son separated mother and me and sold us into slavery."

Suzanne couldn't suppress a giggle. "Forgive me. I assure you that I'm not laughing at your horrible circumstances, but at the fact I would imagine her son lived to rue the day he sold you."

Amari peered at Suzanne from under her lashes. "He did not live to rue another day."

Suzanne shivered as Amari closed her eyes and relaxed in her seat. Judging from her facial expressions, she seemed to be reliving some particularly intense moments from her past. In a determined effort to not dwell on the fate of the son, Suzanne moved on to _her_ needs. "I came here because I have need of your help."

The old woman folded her hands in her lap and sat patiently waiting. "I'm listening."

"I need you to make someone suffer." Suzanne smiled brilliantly at the mere thought of causing Lynna excruciating pain. "Can you do that?"

"That depends on who?" Amari threw something into the fire, causing it to roar and burn so brightly for a few seconds that it almost singed Suzanne's eyebrows. "And how badly you want her to suffer?"

Suzanne scooted her chair back a few inches in case the old woman felt the need to show off her skills again. "Lynna Mathison, and I need her to suffer unimaginable agony."

"Lynna Mathison?" The shock on Amari's face was hard to conceal as she peered at Suzanne from underneath her lashes. "Master Joshua's new love?"

"His new love?" Suzanne practically snarled. "How do you know this? What makes you think _she_ is his new... love?"

Amari peered into the fire for several minutes deep in thought before answering. "I know many things about many people, Miss Suzanne." She went to a cabinet and lifted down a bottle of dark colored liquid. "Put a few drops of this in her coffee on the first morning after the next full moon."

Suzanne grabbed the bottle eagerly and clutched it to her chest with a bright smile on her face. "What will happen to the little tramp after I do?"

"Bad luck," Amari answered, returning her gaze to the roaring fire. "Bad luck at every turn, for years to come."
 Chapter 23

Although it seemed like an eternity, at long last the day arrived for their departure to Cedar Hill to attend Samuel and Beth's annual Harvest Ball. The morning dawned cool and overcast, promising a more comfortable journey than before.

Lynna jumped out of bed at the crack of dawn, running straightway to her aunt's room. "We must hurry, Aunt Judith, and get dressed before the carriage leaves without us."

"You are certainly anxious to get to Charleston. Why, I had no idea you missed Suzanne so much," Judith teased, knowing full well Suzanne was the last person her niece desired to see.

Within the hour, Lynna, Judith, Mary, and Rose were again settled in the carriage for the long ride to Charleston. Lynna was scarcely able to sit still, leaving Mary puzzled. Judith and Rose knew the reason for her excitement. Lynna would soon be with the man she loved and the waiting was agony.

The ride was uneventful and they arrived at Cedar Hill late, extremely relieved to finally reach their destination. Lynna fell into bed exhausted, and when she awakened the following morning the guests had already begun to arrive.

The lawn was scattered with brightly colored gowns of every color, matching sunbonnets, and elaborate twirling parasols. She searched among the handsomely garbed men for Joshua, yet he was nowhere to be found. Good. She had time for a leisurely bath before preparing to greet her love, and the new day.

Feeling refreshed after soaking in a tub of lavender scented water, Lynna realized that she was the happiest she had been in... well, she couldn't remember ever being this happy. Stretching lazily in front of the mirror, she closed her eyes and sighed, knowing that soon she would be with Joshua.

Would he ask her to...

Her hands trembled so that she could hardly accomplish the task of dressing. Combing her hair until it shone, she entwined blue ribbons to stream down her back to match her dress of blue watered silk, cut with a square neck and short puffed sleeves.

Going to the balcony, she peered across a well-manicured lawn that bustled with activity as couples strolled arm in arm and children romped with delight. The delicious aroma of cooked pork and poultry drifted to her from below, causing her mouth to water. From her lofty perch she could hear the shouts and laughter coming from the slave quarters, as they too enjoyed a feast.

On this day the field hands did no work and were fed as much as they could eat. Afterwards, there would be dancing and singing late into the night as the slaves celebrated the harvest, birth, and even death with throbbing music and dance. This was not the case on all plantations of equal size.

Samuel had inherited his father's kind heart and belief that slaves were more productive when shown a fair amount of decency. When he enjoyed a day of revelry, so did his slaves.

Turning from the gay vista below, Lynna drew a deep, cleansing breath. This was it. The moment she had been waiting for. Picking up her skirts she hastened down the stairs before she lost her wavering nerve. What she saw waiting patiently at the bottom of the stairs caused her heart to lurch.

Joshua stood with one foot propped on the bottom step, if possible even more handsome than she remembered in grey trousers and a white ruffled linen shirt. She took each step carefully, willing her feet to move, watching his grin widen as she drew near.

"I've been waiting for you to make an appearance, my love." He smiled, taking her hand in his and bringing it to his lips. Had there not been so many other couples milling around them, his lips would have found hers. "You can't imagine how much I've missed you."

They gazed hungrily into each other's eyes for several moments until Lynna at last found her voice. "I thought this day would never arrive."

Placing her hand in the bend of his elbow, Joshua grinned that devilish grin. "We will join the others for the noon meal. Then I would have a private word with you."

Did she dare hope?

The long tables set up under the shade of fragrant magnolia trees were filled with a veritable feast.

"Joshua Jordan, shame on you for keeping Lynna all to yourself," Malinda teased. "I haven't had a chance to speak two words to her since she arrived."

"Then you two go ahead and critique the fashion choice of every female in the county, while I return to the tables for a second helping."

"I'll have you know I do not gossip," Malinda insisted.

"Then please," Joshua chuckled with an arched brow. "I beg you to excuse my egregious error."

While Lynna chatted with the ladies, the men discussed their politics, cotton, and the North's foolhardy notion of freeing slaves in the South.

Lynna didn't have another chance to talk to Joshua alone before she and the other young ladies were dispatched to their rooms to rest before the Ball. She wasn't the least bit tired and much too excited to sleep, so she sat on the edge of the bed twiddling her thumbs and puzzling over Suzanne's uncommon absence from the morning festivities.

It was very unlike her to miss being the focus of a social function. When Lynna questioned Mary earlier, she had been told that Suzanne had a stomach malady and decided to spend the day in bed, so as to be well rested for the Ball later that night.

Hours later, Judith's shook Lynna awake. "Wake up, Lynna. It's time to get dressed for the Ball."

Rubbing her eyes, Lynna slowly became aware of her aunt standing over her, grinning from ear to ear. "I simply cannot keep this secret a second longer. I have been positively dying to give this to you." Thrusting a box in Lynna's hands, Judith beamed with excitement. "Here, open it."

Sitting up, sleepily, Lynna opened the box and suddenly came fully awake. "Oh, Aunt Judith," she cried. A sob escaped as she lifted ruffle after ruffle of silky material, holding it before her. It was the most exquisite ball gown her eyes had ever beheld. "It is... it's... I have no words to describe it," she marveled, fingering the expensive silk. "Where did you get the fabric? When did you find time to make it? You were so busy with Suzanne's gowns." Tears of love and immense gratitude glistened in her eyes.

Judith had promised Joshua she wouldn't tell Lynna that he had purchased the material for the gown when he and Silas had ridden into town. He had also delivered a bolt of green silk for Judith, slipping it to their cottage undetected. Now, she had to admit, that Lynna's gown was her best work to date, far surpassing any of Suzanne's. "I stitched it in between Suzanne's gowns, when you weren't looking. The gown has love sewn in every stitch, darling."

"Oh, Aunt Judith, you are simply too wonderful for words and I love you so much," Lynna wept, hugging her fiercely. The gown was creamy yellow silk, off the shoulder, with frilly ruffles sewn into the full, hooped skirt. Yellow satin formed a bow around the tiny waist. "Thank you. You will never know how much this means to me, today, of all days." She glanced up with a beaming smile, giving her aunt the slightest hint of what the night promised. "After tonight, I believe you might have some idea."

Many sighs were heard that evening as Lynna descended the curving stairs, looking the part of a regal queen arriving at her court. Joshua didn't need to look, for he knew only Lynna could draw such a chorus of murmured responses. Sauntering toward the stairs he glanced up, stopping dead in his tracks as he was once again mesmerized by her dazzling beauty. When he purchased the material for her gown, he imagined her slim figure sheathed in the yellow silk, but his imagination had failed to do her justice. She was breathtaking. "I always know when you enter a room, and as always you are ravishing."

"Thank you, sir." She took his hand, allowing him to draw her into his arms. "You cut quite a dashing figure yourself."

Leaning over, his whispered words caressed her ear, "Would you care to dance, my love?"

"Only with you," she breathed.

Leading her to the floor, they danced a lively reel. Joshua took her in his arms during the next slower tune, inhaling her lilac fragrance. The heat radiating from his body warmed her so that she wished desperately to be alone with him; to leave her sumptuous gown discarded on the floor and once again feel nothing save his strong arms encircling her.

"You make every female envious and leave men awestruck by your beauty." He gazed into her sultry azure eyes, glazed with her longing for him. "Let's step outside, Lynna. There is something I would ask you."

Lynna's knees went weak and her pulse quickened _._

This was it.

Joshua took her elbow, steering her toward the open side doors when he noticed Daniel bounding towards them.

"Joshua, my father would like a word with you, in private," Daniel called in an uncommonly crisp tone to gain their attention, stopping them before they could make their exit.

"Can it wait, Daniel?" Joshua continued moving toward the balcony doors. "I have been attempting to have a word with this fair lady all day, yet we seem to be constantly interrupted."

"No, Joshua, I'm sorry. It cannot wait." Daniel's words were solemn, although his eyes danced with excitement. "My father insists."

"Very well. Please excuse me, Lynna." As he walked away, Joshua turned to give her a sly wink and promise. "I shall return as quickly as possible. Keep a dance open for me."

Concern etched Lynna's delicately arched brow as Samuel followed Joshua into the parlor, closing the door swiftly behind him.

Malinda came rushing to her side. "Come, Lynna. While the men are cloistered in the parlor, let's try the rum punch."

Following Malinda to the punch bowl, they accepted a cup of the tasty beverage and nibbled on fresh from the oven oatmeal cookies. Popping the last bite into her mouth, Malinda smiled as she pointed out the man of her dreams and, judging from his puppy dog eyes, he held no slight infatuation for her as well. Covering their mouths with dainty, hand painted fans, they giggled with the intoxicating exhilaration of new love.

Unable to control her racing thoughts a moment longer, Lynna whispered behind her fan, "Malinda, I'm almost positive your brother is about to ask me to become his wife."

Malinda gasped, nodded her head once, and opened her mouth to speak. Apparently, thinking better of it, she grabbed Lynna's hand instead. _She knew!_ Malinda already knew Joshua was going to propose. Was his entire family aware of it as well?

Moving to stand on the verandah with Mary, Judith, Patricia, and Lynna, Malinda stood at an angle to keep the object of her affections always within sight. Deep in concentration, she wondered how long it would take him to work up the courage to ask her to dance.

"What is taking the men so long in there?" Lynna wondered aloud. She wished for Joshua to hurry with his discussion of politics, secession, war, or whatever they were debating at the moment, so she could twirl around the dance floor in his arms.

"Where on earth is Suzanne?" Mary posed the question. "Has my daughter even come downstairs yet, or is she still in her room primping?"

"I hope Suzanne is feeling better," Patricia added sympathetically.

"There she is." Malinda frowned, noticing the smug smile on Suzanne's face and not liking it one whit.

Suzanne exited the parlor, of all places, in an extremely low cut, pink satin ball gown, with diamonds dripping from her ears, neck, and both wrist. She wore a triumphant smile on her face.

Joshua followed close behind with a look of stark rage marring his handsome features. He sent Lynna a forlorn look of defeat and misery that almost sent her to her knees. Suzanne clutched his arm possessively as they followed behind her father. Samuel and Daniel brought up the rear of the procession with Samuel pushing Jeremiah's chair.

What could this mean?

Why was Suzanne so jubilant that she almost floated across the room?

Once Suzanne and the men had made it through the throng to the bandstand, Silas immediately made his way to the band and motioned for them to stop playing. He climbed the steps to the stage, clearing his throat. "Ladies and gentleman, I'm glad you could be here tonight to share in our joy. I have an announcement to make," he said, drawing everyone's rapt attention and speaking loud enough for those in the back of the room to hear. "Tonight, I would like to announce the engagement and approaching marriage of my daughter Suzanne Nicolette Fletcher to Captain Joshua Jordan."

Loud whoops and whistles arose from the crowd, to deafening applause, as the band struck up a merry tune. Some of the guests glanced toward Lynna with a puzzled frown, since she had been on Joshua's arm for most of the day. Applause and shouts of congratulations echoed from well wishers.

"You finally fell in love didn't you, Joshua?"

"It's about time you settled down and raised a family."

"After all these years, a little lady finally came along that was impossible to resist."

"I knew someone would eventually tame the rogue."

Malinda was immediately by Lynna's side and softly whispered, "My God, Joshua. What have you done?"

This couldn't really be happening. There must be some mistake. _But there wasn't._ Lynna knew this to be true when she stared into Suzanne's gloating face. Judith rushed to take Lynna in her arms, as Malinda went to her mother's side. Witnessing a stunned Patricia leaning against her furious daughter for support, Lynna lifted her skirts and raced up the stairs, praying with each step for the ground to open up and swallow her.

She had been a fool to even dream that Joshua would propose to her.

Hours later, when Joshua could extricate himself from the crowd, and Suzanne's clutches without making a scene, he silently crept up the stairs. His hands trembled as he knocked softly, opening the door to Lynna's room to find her wrapped in her aunt's arms, weeping pitifully. The sound tore at his heart and made him hate his new fiancé with renewed vigor.

He yearned to hold Lynna, console her, and assure her that it was all a horrible misunderstanding. Yet, he couldn't, for it was not a misunderstanding. It was a mistake of his own doing. One he would be forced to pay penance for the remainder of his insufferable life. He had caused her so much pain. She had known nothing but abuse and suffering from the hands of men since the day she left France. "Lynna?"

Lynna didn't realize Joshua had entered the room, she was so overcome by her feelings of pain and betrayal. When she glanced up, she quickly buried her head in her aunt's shoulder, unable to look him in the eyes and let him see how profound her hurt was. He must never know the agony that his and Suzanne's treachery had caused her.

She would hate Joshua until the day she died for leading her to believe he loved her and wanted to marry her, when he had only been toying with her affections, while scheming and making wedding plans with Suzanne behind her back. She had never felt, or looked, like such a consummate fool. "Please, Joshua. I just want to be left alone."

"Judith, would you mind if I have a private word with Lynna? Please?" His eyes beseeched Judith to be understanding. "There are some things I must... explain."

Judith was far from understanding any of this. "Can you not leave her alone, Captain Jordan, as she requested? Have you not caused her enough pain already?" Judith felt the urge to strip the expensive silk from Lynna's back and throw it in his handsome face.

"Please, Judith? I beg of you." Judith couldn't deny the sorrow in his eyes. "I must try to explain the madness that has transpired tonight. I owe her that much."

Conceding, Judith left the room, but not before giving him a look that told him what she, being a lady, could not.

Joshua didn't know where to begin. Everything had changed in a split second. Everything, except his love for Lynna. It was stronger than ever. Had his father not been in the parlor, expecting his son to accept his responsibility and do what was right, he might have refused the demands of Silas and his sons entirely. Although he could never embarrass his father, a man who had raised his son to be honorable in all matters, even if it hurt.

He needed to hold Lynna in his arms one last time, before he lost her forever. Moving toward her, he attempted to do just that, when she pulled away from his touch as though it had scalded her. "Don't you dare touch me!" she cried, the enormity of her pain evident in her trembling voice.

"Please, listen to me, Lynna," Joshua begged. "Don't for one second believe that I have a desire to marry Suzanne Fletcher. I'm being forced into it against my will."

"Forced by your greed," she murmured brokenly. "You chose Suzanne over me because I live in a small cottage behind her huge plantation house, and my aunt and I work for our wages. Have you perhaps forgotten who my father is, Joshua?"

Her words were like a slap in the face, making him understand some of what she must be feeling. Without thinking, his hands bit into her shoulders. "Is that what you think? That I chose to marry Suzanne for her money? Why, you little fool." He laughed harshly. "I'm not after her money. You should know that I have more than enough of own. And yes, I recall who your father is. If it was money I was after, don't you think I would have jumped at the chance to marry you three years ago?"

"Then why?" she sobbed, her pain mirrored in her glistening eyes. "Why, Joshua?"

He went to stand at the open balcony door, staring at the bench under the tree where he had sat that morning, perfectly content with his lot in life.

_Now his life had been plunged into the bowels of hell_.

"She is carrying my child," he finally admitted. "I have to marry her."

"Are you certain?" Lynna cried, grasping for any sliver of hope. "Perhaps her...monthly curse is only... late, as mine was."

"Her father assures me it is so, Lynna." His tone was final.

Suzanne? _Carrying Joshua's child?_ How could he allow this to happen, knowing full well the consequences of his dalliance with the insatiable Suzanne? Lynna wondered if he had any idea what a dismal future lay ahead of him, being bound to her. She came to the conclusion that they deserved each other. Leaving _her_ to bear the brunt of the suffering for their indiscretions.

It was too much.

She couldn't bear to be in his presence another second. "Please, leave me alone," she cried, throwing herself on the bed as pitiful sobs shook her slender frame.

Hearing her tormented cries, Judith rushed into the room. Joshua opened his mouth to speak, stopping short when he realized that there was nothing more to be said. No way to ease Lynna's pain or his guilt for causing it.

With a sigh of defeat, Joshua left the woman he loved, to join in a celebration with the woman he loathed. True, Lynna was miserable, but no more so than he would be with Suzanne tied like a ball and chain around his neck.

He left the room in search of whiskey, knowing that a bottle of spirits would be his dearest companion for many years to come.
 Chapter 24

Late in the night, after the celebration had ended, Lynna's tears finally slowed. She lay beside her aunt. "Thank you for understanding that I must go away, Aunt Judith," she whispered into the dark night.

"Of course I understand, darling. There is no reason for you to return to Magnolia House for the..." Judith had almost said wedding. "Your Aunt Gypsie will be thrilled that you finally decided to visit her in Charleston."

Theirs was a tearful farewell, but Lynna already knew how difficult it was to leave someone you loved behind. She wanted nothing more than to go home with Aunt Judith to their little cottage and close out the world around them, sequestered from any and all outsiders. That would be impossible. Magnolia House would be a beehive of activity with plans for Suzanne's upcoming nuptials and the lavish reception to follow.

Aunt Judith would be working round the clock on a trousseau for the bride to be. Deirdre Chisholm would sew the actual wedding gown, she was sure. Only the best for the daughter of Silas Fletcher, and the bride to be of Captain Joshua Jordan. Mary would be ecstatic, bustling about, making wedding preparations.

And Suzanne? Lynna prayed never to see her smirking face again. She recalled the glowing look of triumph Suzanne had worn when she slithered into her room after all the guests had retired from the ball.

"Will you marry my brother now?" Suzanne asked so sweetly that Lynna was surprised sugar didn't drip from her lips.

Lynna continued with her packing, hoping to hide her tear stained face. "I won't be marrying anyone."

"Well, why ever not?" Twisting the knife into Lynna's heart a little deeper, Suzanne added, "We could have a double wedding. Wouldn't that be a splendid affair?"

Lynna forgot her tears and spun around, wanting only to hurt her. To make her feel a small portion of the gut wrenching agony that ripped through her soul. Before she had the chance, Suzanne's next words stopped her cold.

"Lynna, darling, I know how you must feel. But, honestly, you really must forget any misguided illusions you had toward my betrothed. I know all about that silly night the two of you shared in Judith's cottage. You must realize that an occasional romp with a besotted female means nothing to a man like Joshua. He has, or had, them on a regular basis. I'm sure he will be quite content with what he has in his own bed now." She smiled brilliantly, strictly for Lynna's benefit. "Anyway, he told me about your little tryst and I was gracious enough to forgive him."

"Forgive him? For what?" Lynna asked, disbelief written on her face. Joshua would never betray her confidence. "What are you talking about, Suzanne?"

"You don't have to deny it, Lynna. It's nothing to be ashamed of. It was beyond your control. I, of all people, know what a desirable man my future husband is. Why do you think I'm marrying him? The poor dear told me he went to deliver a message from your aunt, after the Morehead fire, and how you cried so pathetically and begged him to stay the night."

Suzanne watched Lynna closely for a reaction to her lie, yet she kept her emotions well hidden. "I must admit that I was furious when he first confessed to me. Although he does apologize so...lustily. He assured me that you meant nothing to him, that he had tried to comfort you after your trying ordeal and things got... carried away, so I forgave him."

Lynna must never know she had stood outside the open window that night and heard every word.

"My... ordeal?" Lynna whispered.

"With your uncle, you poor thing," Suzanne cried with a twinkle in her eye. "To have an uncle who beats you. Why, I simply cannot imagine anything so heinous."

A vision of Joshua and Suzanne together, laughing at her, him recounting to Suzanne how she had asked, no begged, him to stay after being beaten by her uncle sent a fresh wave of agony coursing through her. _Dear God._ She had been so blind. So stupid. Suddenly, she was able to smile through her tears as she envisioned the two of them growing old together.

Just before midnight, Lynna was a lone figure on the quiet streets of Charleston. Her carriage had busted a wheel on the outskirts of town, making it impossible for them to continue. Rather than waiting until morning, she had taken one of the horses and continued to her aunt's house alone, against the stern wishes of the driver.

Glancing up, she saw the tower of Saint Michael's Episcopal Church looming up ahead stately and proud, watching over the sleeping port city. She noticed a bright ring around the moon. What were the superstitions Jasmine had warned her of concerning a ring around the moon? She wished she had listened more closely.

Suddenly, the horse slowed and pricked up his ears, alert. Lynna gradually became aware of a tinkling noise, as if from gently ringing bells. That was odd. She searched for the origin of the sound, not seeing anything unusual as the moon chose that moment to hide behind the clouds.

With increasing alarm Lynna became aware of a low, steady rumbling noise that seemed to come from underneath the ground, growing continually louder until it was almost deafening.

The church bells. All through the city, church bells began to ring in an erratic cacophony. Terrified, the horse reared and Lynna was thrown to the ground in a painful heap upon the suddenly shifting earth. In a blind panic, she ran down the street until she came to the welcoming doors of Saint Michael's.

Across the sleeping city eyes widened and fear took root in every citizen, as all around them chimneys crumbled and rained brick into the streets. As the thundering noise grew louder people ran into the streets, consumed with terror.

Inside the saintly structure of St. Michael's, the bells were chiming without the rope being pulled. Not their usual enchanting melody, but a horrible, uncontrolled noise that vibrated through the church. Dropping to her knees, Lynna prayed harder than she ever had before, begging God to be merciful rather than just and allow her a quick death. She was sure this was her punishment for giving herself to Joshua without the sanction of the church.

Joshua.

If only she could be held in the safety of his strong embrace once more before she died. That would never happen, for her life would soon be over. As if to add credence to her thought the earth beneath her feet suddenly heaved upward, sending holy statues from their pedestals behind the altar to crash to the floor only inches from where she lay crouched under a pew.

The trembling became extremely violent, causing the beautiful stained glass windows to shatter and fall to the floor around her. She knew nothing of the destruction that was destroying the city and claiming many lives outside the church. Her mind was filled with the ringing of the bells and the horrible rumbling noise. She remained in her crouched position, too terrified to move, until the trembling earth stood still and the horrible clanging stopped.

When all was quiet, she crawled out from under the pew, not knowing which way to turn. The church was filled with thick, heavy smoke, making it difficult to breathe. In search of fresh air she made her way through the rubble across overturned pews and crumbling statues, falling every other step and cutting her hands and knees on the broken glass and other debris littering the aisle. She moved steadily forward toward the dim light filtering through the open door, fearing what she might find when she reached it.

The full moon was bright, while the smoke and dust created a thick fog, hiding most of the destruction from her view until the stark morning light would illuminate it.

Her horse was nowhere to be found and she could only pray her driver had survived the chaos. She must hurry and reach her aunt's house and send someone back for him.

Glancing around, she noticed a crowd was beginning to gather in the streets, a crowd that had been roughly yanked from their beds.

Lynna was lucky she was in the business district when the earthquake struck the city of Charleston. Had she been in the residential section, she would have heard the screams as the bodies of men, women, and children were pulled from the wreckage.

As she moved carefully through the crowded streets, fires burned out of control all around her with crackling sparks being carried high into the sky on a breeze that blew in from the river. Men, women, and children formed a human conveyor belt, carrying water to put out the innumerable fires. Her first impulse was to join them and help, first she had to find her aunt.

Breaking into a run, sharp talons of fear dug into her sides, urging her forward. She ran until her parched throat and aching sides forced her to slow down. Finally, she noticed a candlelight flickering in a downstairs window. To Lynna, it resembled a beacon guiding a ship in a violent storm. She followed the light, breathing a heartfelt sigh of relief to find the house miraculously intact and her aunt standing on the front stoop. With a cry of joy, she rushed into her outstretched and welcoming arms.

Many of the picturesque homes and stately mansions of Charleston were destroyed during the earthquake, but by far, the worst tragedy was the loss of life. Many people were killed in their sleep, while others were trapped under the rubble, waiting, and knowing there would be no chance for a rescue until morning. Some died before the rescuers could dig them out, while many of the severely burned or injured prayed for the relief that only death could bring.

Over the destruction, the tower of Saint Michael's could be seen as a reminder to the people of Charleston. They had survived disastrous fires, hurricanes, and tornadoes in the past. Even though the earthquake had proven to be a formidable foe, the Holy City would come back stronger than ever.

Unfortunately, Lynna's dear Aunt Gypsie didn't have the fortitude to remain and watch the long process of rebuilding. Miraculously her shotgun house had sustained only minor damage, yet no matter which room in the house she happened to be in, when she looked out a window her eyes fell upon destruction.

Her once beautiful city, where her beloved late husband had been born, raised, and buried, now more closely resembled a battlefield. A battle Charleston had lost.

The downtown area still smoked from the raging fires that swept the city. There were only ashes where a thriving business district had once been. Gypsie lost two of her dearest friends to the earthquake and the pain was almost unbearable.

The following morning, Lynna returned from a walk around the smoking city to find her aunt staring dismally out the window, a pathetic sight.

"Aunt Gypsie, are you ill?" This disheveled woman was a poor caricature of the effervescent aunt she remembered.

It was a long time before Gypsie could trust herself to answer. "No, Lynna. I'm fine physically, although emotionally I am a wreck." She took a deep breath and continued. "After careful consideration, I have decided to visit my sister Bertie and her husband Cliff in Jamaica."

Now where would she go?

Certainly not back to Magnolia House. To Cedar Hill? Perhaps she could borrow the needed funds from Samuel to return to France and her father. "I think that is a splendid idea, Aunt Gypsie. You'll feel much better away from this destruction."

"Oh, I certainly don't intend to go alone. I mean for you to accompany me, Lynna. I couldn't possibly travel by myself, and after the awful tale of betrayal you told me last night, you have no reason to remain here either," Gypsie insisted, still gazing out the window upon her ruined city. "We will send a message to Judith and sail on the first ship out. Neither of us will return until our beloved Charleston has risen from the ashes like the phoenix that she is."
  Chapter 25

Suzanne and Daniel perspired in rocking chairs on the verandah at Magnolia House amidst the searing heat of an Indian summer. Suzanne's ever present slave child fanned unenthusiastically by her side, stopping often to swat at a pesky insect and cause Suzanne to cast an evil eye her way.

Daniel's eyes were lowered, ashamed for having gone along with his sister's calculating scheme to coerce Joshua into marriage, especially since the ploy had been such a stunning failure.

True, Suzanne had finagled a proposal from Joshua, while Lynna was now an ocean away. Daniel had accepted the fact that he was partially responsible for dooming Joshua to a lifetime of misery, for naught. He hung his head guiltily. "Have you gotten yourself with child, yet, dear sister?" he sneered, his tone conveying his true feelings for his sibling. "The wedding is tomorrow, you know."

"I know when my own wedding is, Daniel Fletcher. I'm not carrying Joshua's offspring, yet. However," she added confidently, "after tomorrow I should have no difficulty resolving that minor problem."

Hopefully, Amari's curse would soon take Lynna out of their lives for good.

Suzanne smiled dreamily in anticipation of the many nights to come in Joshua's arms. "After my wedding tomorrow, it shouldn't be too difficult at all."

The wedding was a simple affair. Suzanne had begged and pleaded for a grand event complete with an orchestra, dancing, and hundreds of guests. Yet, for once, Silas had put his foot down and gone against his daughter's wishes. Even her mother had agreed that, due to her condition, the ceremony would not be an elaborate one.

Few people saw her in the virginal, white silk organza wedding gown, boasting a ten-foot train, that had been painstakingly stitched by Deirdre Chisholm. The gown was magnificent and had set Silas back a small fortune. Suzanne and her parents were certain there had never been a more beautiful bride, while her bridegroom saw nothing at all extraordinary about her. He made the requisite responses during the vows, while his mind was far, far away.

After the ceremony, with his wife's arm entwined securely through his, Joshua drank to toast after toast, already feeling suffocated by her cloying nearness. He relaxed somewhat as the chilled liquid warmed his insides. Still, no matter how much he imbibed, he couldn't drown out the vision of Lynna's tear stained face.

When at last Silas claimed his daughter for a dance, Joshua took the opportunity to slip outside, unobserved. He had to get away from the crowd, the music, the heat, and his wife. _Wife?_ How did he allow this to happen?

As he turned the corner of the house, his eyes fell on Lynna and Judith's cottage. Would she ever return? Should he be made to pay for the rest of his natural life for his foolish mistake? The thought of his child being raised by Suzanne's hands alone was all the answer he needed. He would not wish that fate on his worst enemy, and never on his own flesh and blood. He might be made to suffer a lifetime of misery, but his child would not.

Long before the festivities had ended, Joshua stumbled upstairs to their room with the help of his wife. _Their room._ He could hardly abide the notion of being in the same house with the shrew. As she undressed him, Suzanne allowed her hands to wander slowly over his body, caressing him until they drew the desired response. Leaving her expensive wedding gown in a crumpled heap on the floor, she ignored the sheer peignoir on her bed and stretched out beside him. Pressing her slim body against his, she continued moving her hands over his muscular frame until they reached his manhood, taking it firmly in hand.

Joshua gasped and pulled her close as their lips met in a rough kiss, causing passionate moans to erupt from her throat as his lips slid down her neck to nibble at her small breast. Suzanne smiled deliciously as his hands slid over her hip, then up the curving waist. She had all she needed in this life now. No man had the power to make her body ache for his touch the way Joshua did and he was her husband, now and forever.

Joshua stopped and opened his eyes, slowly realizing the woman in his bed was not Lynna. Even in the dark, and officially drunk, he could differentiate between their bodies and vastly differing curves. "Suzanne," he slurred drunkenly.

All at once the events of the day came rushing back and he released her, repulsed by her touch. He may have been forced to marry her, but he damn well didn't have to share her bed. Turning over, he closed his eyes, his steady breathing confirming to Suzanne that he had fallen asleep, on their wedding night, without consummating their vows.

Being quite sure of her charm and appeal, Suzanne came to the erroneous conclusion that his rejection was to be blamed on the large quantity of wine and rum consumed during their reception. She was confident that was it. After all, what man could fall asleep with her naked body pressed against him? She would let him shirk his duty tonight, but no more. She couldn't afford to waste precious time. He had to plant his seed in her and quickly, before everyone, including Joshua, learned of her deceit.

Much later, after Joshua was sure his bride was asleep, he crept silently from the house and into the barn for his rendezvous with the provocative slave girl Juanita. She had traveled with them from Sea Grove to assist Malinda and his mother. Perhaps a few hours with her would help him dismiss from mind his current plight. How had he gotten himself into this sorry state of affairs? It was a query that reiterated over and over in his scrambled brain as he waited for Juanita to appear. He was married to a woman he despised, while the woman he truly loved was... God only knows where.

He asked Judith shortly after the wedding, pleaded with her in fact for Lynna's whereabouts. She had looked at him with unmasked fury in her eyes, informing him that if Lynna had wanted him to know her destination, she certainly would have told him herself.

Nobody would tell him where she was. Suzanne, Daniel, Silas, and Mary pretended not to know her whereabouts. Even Jasmine couldn't be persuaded or tricked into revealing Lynna's secret hiding place. He had even ridden into Charleston in hopes of speaking with her Aunt Gypsie. Although her house remained standing amid the rubble of the city, it was locked up tight as a drum and Gypsie was nowhere to be found.

Joshua resigned himself to the fact that Lynna didn't wish to be found, not by him anyway. He couldn't blame her for hating him. Hell, he hated himself.

Hearing a noise, Joshua grinned as Juanita stretched out in the hay beside him. If anyone could clear his head she could.

A few hours later, with both of them spent, Juanita whispered against his ear, "Dey's sumphin I needs ta tell you."

"What's that?" he mumbled against her ear, sleepily.

Juanita loved Joshua, had for several years, and knew her words would make him happy. "Rose done tol' me dat Miz Suzanne ain't knocked up fo' real."

Joshua chuckled, rising up on his elbow to face her. "How would Rose know this?"

Juanita crossed her arms over her chest and pursed her full lips, perturbed that Joshua would doubt her word. "Cuz she wash' her clothes, an' she done be seein' proof evah month dat she still be havin' her curse. Dat's how."

Joshua sat straight up.

Could Juanita's words be true.

Was Suzanne really that devious?

Of course, she was.

The conniving bitch!

Suzanne had lied all along, and he had been stupid enough to believe her, without question. _Oh, but she would pay_. Not only for her deception, but for breaking the heart of the woman he loved.

After an entire week of wedded bliss, Joshua still hadn't touched Suzanne. She was forever trying to lure him into her bed with skimpy negligees and bottles of whiskey. She was confident Joshua's resistance was weakening and he would be unable to deny himself much longer. What man could?

They left for Sea Grove the day after the wedding where Joshua insisted on separate bedrooms, ignoring the questioning glances of servants and family. Suzanne had been furious, with loud bouts of crying, pouting, and screaming. Patricia, who had never heard such carryings on in all her born days, rushed to calm the distraught girl. She was unsuccessful, and after a few minutes of her caterwauling, Patricia eagerly fled the room.

Suzanne would have been positively irate to know the servants were fair rolling with mirth behind her uppity back, due to the fact that Joshua refused to share the bed of his eternally sniveling wife.

Malinda steadfastly refused to welcome her new sister into the family fold, pulling Joshua aside and accusing, "You told me not to worry, that you would never allow yourself to be trapped by Suzanne's feminine wiles. Instead, you succumb to her... dare I say... meager charm and wind up committing yourself, and this entire family, to a lifetime of misery."

"I could not agree with you more, Malinda," Joshua agreed, climbing the stairs in search of the voluptuous Juanita. She could help drown his sorrow tonight. "Admittedly, I was a fool, however rest assured that I will never allow the misery I brought on this family to last a lifetime."

"Joshua, whatever do you mean?" Malinda shouted to his retreating back.

At the top of the stairs, Joshua turned, put his finger to his lips, winked, and when he was just outside Suzanne's door, shouted for the very agreeable Juanita to join him in his room.

Just after midnight, Suzanne slipped into Joshua's room and stood beside his bed, slowly and seductively removing her clothes. "Joshua darling, what is it about me that you find so unappealing? Is my body so repugnant that you cannot bear to touch me? How can you stomach lying with a darkie when your own wife is waiting with open arms?" Naked, she held out her hands. "I am your lawfully wedded wife. Please, make love to me."

Joshua was totally void of any emotion as he declared unequivocally, "I will not risk jeopardizing the life of my child. When the child is safely delivered, then, and only then, will I execute my marital duties."

"Duties?" she snarled. "You never considered it a duty before."

He didn't even attempt to stifle a yawn as he turned over, ignoring her still outstretched arms.

"How in the hell am I suppose to deliver a child when you refuse to touch me?" she mumbled through clenched teeth. With a shriek of anger, she fled the room, slamming the door hard enough to send picture frames leaping from the walls.

Suzanne knew time was fast running out and she was getting desperate. People would soon start questioning why she wasn't showing. What would she tell them? Several times she had caught Joshua fixated on her flat stomach. She caught the glimmer in his eyes and the smile that played across his lips when he thought of his little brat. The horror! Even though the mere thought of ruining her slim figure appalled her, she had no other choice.

In a state of total desperation, she realized that Joshua might not desire her, but plenty of other men did. She may never know who fathered her child, and she didn't care. Her only concern was creating one before it was too late. Besides, it would serve Joshua right to raise another man's offspring, after his cruel and neglectful treatment of her.

So it happened that by the end of their first fortnight as man and wife, Suzanne had frequently been with William, the new stable boy, and Sawyer, the son of a neighboring plantation owner. She found Sawyer to be too unskilled, and William too slow for her taste. However, after a few weeks under her tutelage, William was soon able to satisfy her.

She was distraught the following morning to once again find undeniable proof that she didn't carry Joshua's, or anyone else's, child. What if there was some female problem and she was unable to conceive? How would she excuse such deceit to Joshua?

If she hadn't been so convinced she would become with child presently after their marriage, she could have feigned a miscarriage. Although Joshua would have, in all likelihood, had the marriage annulled. How was she to know he had ice water flowing through his veins instead of blood?

Joshua, on the other hand, was sure beyond any doubt that Suzanne was not carrying his child. She had paraded around in front of him naked often enough, trying to entice him into her bed.

The following days, Joshua kept a careful vigil and observed closely her every move. He was watching when she slipped silently out of the house in the early morning hours. He saw her greet William, with no small amount of exuberance, and the two of them enter the barn from the rear. With eager anticipation, he stalked silently inside, guided to their hiding place by Suzanne's passionate moans.

Creeping to the edge of the dimly lit stall, he towered over them, actually feeling sorry for the man as Suzanne dug her long nails into his back, trying to devour him.

"Well now, what have we here?" Joshua drawled, smiling pleasantly. "Evidently I have ignored my duties as a husband for too long and my darling wife was forced to turn elsewhere for satisfaction."

Suzanne gasped in horror, pushing William from her roughly as she grabbed her gown and tried to cover herself. "Oh, thank goodness you came when you did, Joshua!" she sobbed, breathlessly. "He threatened to kill me if I didn't submit to him!"

"Are you saying the moans I heard were cries of fear?" Joshua enjoyed her groveling immensely.

"Yes! Oh Joshua, I was so terrified," she cried, clutching her gown to her breasts as she nervously reached out to him. "Thank God you arrived in time."

"Don't touch me, Suzanne. And please, don't think me dimwitted. Your touch sickens me." Joshua watched her cringe from the pure malice in his voice. "I watched you from the time you left the house until now, and you certainly were not forced against your will. In fact, you were enjoying yourself so much that I regretted having to disturb you."

"You bastard!" she sneered, sensing the ruse was up. "I know what you hope to accomplish with your hateful words and believe me, our marriage will never be annulled. Lynna will have you only over my dead body."

"That can be arranged, I assure you," he replied ominously. "However, you are woefully mistaken on one point, Suzanne. You see, you will grant me an annulment, for I have witnesses who will attest that you coupled with them during our marriage. Our Marriage. Hah!" He laughed harshly. "What a farce. But not to worry, for it is almost over." His eyes were green shivers of ice. "You will grant me an annulment, or I will drag your family's good name through the mud, creating a scandal the likes of which Georgia has never seen."

He turned to William, who was still cowering against the wall. "William, will you swear in a court of law that you fornicated with my new bride?"

"Yes sir, Mister Jordan. Be happy to," he replied without pause. "We forn'cated more times than I can count, in fact." He was getting off lightly if that was all he had to confess to. He didn't even glance at Suzanne as he made a hasty retreat from the barn. He had expected Mister Jordan to kill him when he caught him with his new wife. Instead, much to his surprise, the man actually seemed genuinely pleased to find them going at it. Damn. _Rich people was a peculiar lot._

"Get packed, Suzanne." Joshua sneered with contempt. "You will be returning to your parent's home first thing in the morning. If you agree to the annulment, we can put this entire fiasco behind us and move on with our lives. If not, I feel reasonably certain that your parents will be both distressed and appalled to learn of your lies and... multiple... indiscretions."

"Joshua, you can't mean this." Suzanne couldn't let him go, not without one last try. "You could love me if you would only give yourself the chance. William meant nothing to me. It was a mistake."

"And Sawyer?" Joshua chuckled. "Was he a mistake as well?"

Suzanne's startled gasp echoed through the otherwise quiet barn. "How did you...?"

"It doesn't matter. What matters is that I don't care to love you." His tone was final as he looked her dead in the eyes before turning and walking out of the barn, and out of her life. "It gives me great pleasure to inform you that Lynna is the only woman I will ever love."
 Chapter 26

Jamaica

Three Months Later

The magnificent waterfall cascading down the mountain reminded Lynna of a giant staircase rising majestically into the sky with lacy moss clinging to the smooth stones. The sight left her breathless. If ever there was a paradise, Jamaica was it.

Almost without thinking she removed her dress and plunged into the inviting water, knowing she had found her place of peace and tranquility in this new land. Many times since coming to Jamaica, she had climbed the sloping path to the top of the waterfall, tempted to dive into the deep pool below. Her courage always fled when she stood at the top of the precipice looking down.

She left the water, shaking her head as her eyes wandered over the tanned legs on display below her chemise. The Jamaican sun had turned her skin a light golden brown. Would she ever be magnolia blossom white again? Probably not as long as she remained in Jamaica, which she hoped was a long time to come.

She had no desire to return to Magnolia House and watch Suzanne parade around, flaunting her impending motherhood in her face. Her only regret was that Aunt Judith couldn't be here to enjoy the splendor of this lush tropical paradise with her.

"Hello."

Horrified, Lynna gasped. She rushed out of the pool and quickly darted to the shadows of the forest, scrambling to grab her dress and clutch it to her breast. "Oh, hello." She exhaled a deep sigh of relief to witness a little girl with long golden locks and deep brown eyes smiling back at her. "I didn't realize anyone else was here."

The child giggled secretively. "You never do."

Lynna immediately panicked. _Who else had been watching her?_ "You mean to tell me that you've been here before, when I was swimming?"

"Lots of times. I told Father and told him there was a beautiful mermaid who lives in the pool at the waterfall," she scoffed, removing her shoes and dangling her dainty little feet in the cool water. "He never believes me."

Lynna peered into the forest, praying the child's father wouldn't pop out of the trees next.

The adorable little girl looked Lynna over from head to toe with a puzzled expression. "I finally convinced him to accompany me today, and just when we were about to leave there was yet another problem at the distillery and he couldn't come. He never fails to get called away when we plan to have fun together."

"Thank God for that." Lynna shivered involuntarily at the thought. "Not when the two of you try to have fun, I was referring to today... in particular. It would have proven most embarrassing, for me, if he had accompanied you."

"You are a mermaid, aren't you?" the child asked with all seriousness, leaning over to give Lynna's feet a closer inspection and appearing extremely crestfallen to find feet instead of a tail. "My mother read me stories about mermaids. I know they're beautiful creatures who live in water and have fancy tails. Where is your tail?"

Lynna's hand went to cover her mouth, not wanting the child to think she was ridiculing her. "Thank you very much for the compliment, but no, I fear I'm not a mermaid. See? I have legs and feet, just like you. Come, sit with me and tell me your name. I am new to the island and know few of its people."

The child peered at her curiously, evidently deciding that she liked the beautiful woman, even though she didn't have a fish tail. "My name is Crystal. My father named me for the crystal clear water in this very pool," she announced proudly before her angelic face clouded with sadness. "Mother and I used to come here often and swim, before she died."

"I'm so sorry. I know how you must miss her." Lynna knew all too well the pain caused by the loss of a parent. Hoping to change the subject, and brighten the child's mood, she asked, "Where do you live? It must be close by."

"At Eden." The child playfully kicked her feet, splashing them both."

"What a fitting name. Is your home very far?"

"Father won't allow me to go far from home and I'm eight years old." Her bottom lip jutted out in a pout. "Can you credit that he still treats me like a child? He's such an old fussbudget."

"I'm sure your father worries about you only because he loves you so much. If you were my daughter, I wouldn't allow you stray too far from home either. Now, you were telling me where Eden is."

"It's on the other side of the cane field." Crystal stood, her eyes twinkling. "Will you come home with me, so father will know I didn't create you in my imagination?" she pleaded. "Please?"

"I couldn't," Lynna insisted. "Your father is busy. You said yourself there was a problem this morning at the distillery. We wouldn't want to interfere with his work."

"Oh, he's always busy. Please," she pleaded. "Pretty please."

_How could she refuse such a darling face?_ _And she was eager to make friends in her new home._

"Very well, let me get dressed, but I can only stay a short while since it's almost lunchtime."

"Come on." Crystal giggled. "Let's go eat a stinking toe."

Lynna couldn't have heard the child correctly. Did she just invite her to consume a stinking toe? "Excuse me?" Although she had heard from her Uncle Cliff that Jamaicans had rather bizarre appetites.

"I said a stinking toe, or 'tinkin toe,' as some Jamaicans call it, because the seedpods look like big fat toes and have the scent of smelly feet. It's delicious, however, and the pulp is very sweet. Father says it's good medicine for relieving headaches and rheumatism."

A short while later, Lynna wiped the sweat from her brow, munching on the sweet meat of a stinking toe as the little cart traveled down the narrow road that snaked through the sugarcane fields.

The sugarcane stalks rose ten feet in the air, blocking even the slightest breeze from reaching them, yet allowing the blazing sun to beat relentlessly upon their heads. Lynna clung to the side of the little cart for dear life as it bounced over the ruts, pulled by a frisky donkey. When they cleared the twin fields of towering cane stalks the magnificent plantation, Eden, was visible in the distance.

Crystal took her on a guided tour of the plantation, describing in surprising detail the many buildings they passed. First were the coolie houses, row after row of cabins surrounded by trees to block out the tropical sun. Lynna knew that sugarcane, often described as a rich man's crop, was labor intensive and had such a relatively small window for harvesting that coolies on plantations were often literally worked to death. Owners often found it more expedient to bring in fresh workers, than treat coolies humanely. Therefore, after a day of intense labor, the coolies could most often be found drowning their sorrow in rum or smoking the ganja.

Next were the workshops for the blacksmiths, carpenters, and coopers, alongside the overseer's cottage, the office, and the bookkeeper's cottage. Crystal stopped the cart in front of the white pillared plantation house.

"There you are, little lady. You almost missed lunch," a voice called from the verandah.

Lynna turned to find a handsome man emerging from the side doors of the house. A wide grin brightened his features at the sight of his daughter.

Crystal jumped from the cart into her father's waiting arms. "Father, this is the mermaid I was telling you about," she cried excitedly. "Isn't she beautiful? You were right though, she isn't really a mermaid, and she doesn't even have a tail. Alas, she is just like us."

"Cheer up, my darling." Her father laughed. "Perhaps she is an enchanted mermaid with the ability to take human form at will. However, I would have to agree with your assumption, as she does possess an exceptional beauty to be a mere mortal."

The child's eyes brightened as she considered this new and interesting theory.

Coming around to Lynna's side, the man's eyes twinkled merrily. "She is an inquisitive child with a vivid imagination. Please, accept my apologies." Extending his hand, he introduced himself. "I am Michael Devereux, and the little minx is my daughter."

"Lynna Mathison," she replied, taking his hand. "I assure you there is nothing to apologize for. Your daughter is adorable and quite an accomplished tour guide." His hands on her waist were firm as they lifted her from the cart.

Lynna noticed that he hadn't shaved and she had a flashback to when she was a child and her father would _beard_ her, as he referred to his mischief making. In the morning, before he shaved, he would chase her, grab her in his arms, and rub the scratchy prickles of his unshaven cheek lightly across the tender part of her neck sending her into peals of gay laughter. Her eyes welled at the thought.

Why had her own father forsaken her?

"Will you join us for lunch?" Michael asked, catching her completely off guard. "We don't receive company much out here and would be delighted if you would join us."

She shook her head. "I really couldn't intrude."

"Please?" Crystal pleaded. "Have lunch with us."

Although her aunts would surely think her having lunch with total strangers inappropriate, why not? She was hoping to make friends on the island and here was her first opportunity. "All right, but I feel as though I am imposing on your generosity."

"Nonsense," Michael said, then couldn't resist adding, "After all, how often does one have an honest to goodness mermaid to lunch?"

"Oh, sir, I fear you are a terrible jokester." Lynna laughed. "How will I know when to take you seriously?"

Meeting her eyes, Michael smiled. "You will know."
  Chapter 27

Lifting his giggling daughter, Michael carried her into the house perched on his muscular shoulders before sending her to wash for lunch.

"You home is lovely, Mr. Devereux," Lynna admired the richly appointed furnishings and the wide-open, airy expanse of the house. "How long have you lived here?"

"Please, call me Michael. And yes, it is lovely, but I can't claim ownership. I only oversee the plantation during the owner's absence." There was a harshness to his tone that Lynna hadn't detected earlier.

"I see." She realized immediately that she had hit upon a touchy subject and made a mental note not to mention it again.

"It was an understandable mistake. You see, I was the overseer for several years before the original owner passed away. He had no living kin to pass the estate to, so the plantation, distillery, acreage, and coolies were auctioned off to the highest bidder."

"Where is the new owner?" she wondered aloud, seeing that Michael and Crystal seemed at home in the big house.

"He isn't the new owner. Eden has been his for the past several years. In answer to your question, he travels a great deal, coming here only occasionally to check on his investment.

Lynna smiled. "He must trust you implicitly."

"I have never given him reason not to," Michael stated simply, leading the way to the dining room and seating her at the table.

"What are we having for lunch?" Crystal asked, holding her hands up to verify they were clean.

"A traditional Jamaican delicacy, cow's feet soup." Her father grinned.

Lynna shuddered, thinking the island's inhabitants certainly considered toes and feet to be appetizing fare. Hopefully, he was only teasing her again.

After a pleasant lunch of shrimp in coconut cream sauce and molasses cake for dessert, they sought out the shade of the verandah in an effort to ward off the afternoon heat. Lynna couldn't help but be amazed as she surveyed the vast workings of a sugar plantation. "I had no idea there was so much involved in making the spoonful of sugar I add to my coffee every morning."

"You're not alone. Few people realize how labor intensive the making of sugar really is." Michael stood, moving to the edge of the porch to gaze across the towering cane fields. "Would you like to see the cane works? They should prove fascinating as well."

She caught the note of pride in his voice whenever he spoke of the mill. "I would love to see it, just not today. My aunts will be worried if I don't return soon. You have work to do, which I'm hindering you from getting done. Could I perhaps see it another day?"

"Certainly, whenever you wish." He smiled. "I can't think of a more enjoyable way to pass an afternoon."

Lynna felt a blush stain her cheeks when she stood to smooth the wrinkles from her skirt. "Now, if I may borrow your daughter, I'm afraid I don't quite know my way around yet." She quickly discovered that to be an impossible request as Crystal was sleeping soundly on the cushioned porch swing.

"I'll be happy to take you home." Michael chuckled as he called for the cart to be brought back around.

"Absolutely not," Lynna insisted. "I couldn't possibly take you away from your work. Why, I've taken too much of your time already."

"Believe me, this place will not fall apart if I take a few hours off." He winked seductively. "And anyone who witnesses your beauty certainly will not begrudge me the time."

"Sir, you are an outrageous flatterer." She blushed prettily.

"You know the old adage, _if the shoe fits..."_ thus said, he helped her into the cart.

The ride home was eventful. They stopped often, with Michael pointing out sights she might otherwise have missed. Lynna took this time to study him more closely. He was of average height and build, a few inches taller than her, with sandy brown hair. Handsome in a boyish way, his brown eyes sparkled when he smiled.

"How am I supposed to take you home when I don't even know where you live? Don't that beat all. I forgot to ask." He laughed, thumping the heel of his hand to his forehead. "Perhaps you _are_ an enchanted mermaid with the power to cast a spell, making a man forget all but you."

"Perhaps I am," she smiled slyly and arched a brow, surprised to realize she was actually flirting with this stranger.

Michael threw back his head and laughed heartily. "My daughter and I are going to enjoy having you around. Enchanted or not, you brighten the day." They stopped at a crossroads and he toward Lynna. "What brings you to Jamaica?"

She would never reveal Joshua's cold and callous treatment of her, instead she gave the most recent set of tragic events. "I was on my way to visit my aunt in Charleston when an earthquake struck."

"I'm sorry to hear that." Michael placed his calloused hand on top of hers. "What a terrible tragedy. Did your aunt survive as well?"

"Yes, but she was quite distraught and insisted we leave the city until Charleston can be rebuilt. That's why we came here." Lynna peered across the rows and rows of sugar cane, as far as the eye could see. "I must admit that Jamaica is doing a wonderful job of soothing our troubled souls."

"While it goes without saying that I feel terrible about the earthquake devastating Charleston, on the other hand, I'm happy you and your aunt chose our island as the place to heal."

"Actually, I am too. I couldn't ask for a more beautiful place, or to meet nicer people than you and your charming daughter."

"Thank you kindly, my beautiful mermaid." He reached to push a lock of stray hair behind her ear, surprising Lynna with his boldness. "Now, let's get you out of this unforgiving sun, shall we? Which way?"

"Left...um...right, maybe...um...I'm not sure," she replied with a perplexing look. "I'm visiting my aunt and uncle at Springfield. Perhaps you know of it?"

Michael turned to her with a shocked expression and flashed a gleaming white smile. "Springfield? I can't believe Cliff and Bertie failed to mention they had such a lovely niece. I'll make a point to call on them more often."

Springfield was a quaint little house. Lynna's first impression upon seeing it was that it reminded her of a gingerbread cottage. Her Uncle Cliff was short and bald with a perpetual smile on his face. Aunt Bertie stood a foot over him, her long grey hair braided and pinned atop her head. The two constantly joked and teased each other, yet, when their eyes met it was something akin to worship that visitors saw.

Bertie, Cliff, and Gypsie came down the steps when the little cart rolled up to the door. "Hello Michael, I see you found our errant niece and brought her home," Cliff teased, shaking Michael's hand. "We were about to form a search party."

"I was not lost, Uncle Cliff." Lynna assured him. "However, Michael was kind enough to drive me home."

"Why you must be famished, child." Bertie hurried down the steps with a worried frown. "It's almost supper time and you missed lunch. Come in the house while I prepare plates for both of you."

"Don't bother, Aunt Bertie. I had lunch with Michael and his charming daughter, Crystal."

"Oh, did you now?" Bertie was obviously pleased with the idea of a prospective romance, especially one that could possibly keep Lynna on the island permanently. "Then it's only fair that you stay to supper with us, Michael."

"I wish I could, Bertie," Michael was already climbing back into the cart. "I still have a few hours of work to complete before the sun sets. Will the invitation hold until tomorrow evening?"

"It certainly will, and bring Crystal," Bertie reminded him. "It has been too long in between visits."

"She has been pestering me to bring her over to see all of you." As the cart pulled away, Michael called over his shoulder and winked at Lynna. "She will be delighted."

"What a fine young man," Gypsie remarked as they watched Michael disappear down the dirt road in a cloud of dust.

"That he is," Bertie agreed, placing her arm around Lynna's shoulder to usher her into the house. "A more charming man is not to be found, and such a sweet little daughter, poor thing. A child without a mother is such a pity."

"A hard worker too," Cliff added. "Still, he's a bit of a puzzle. It has been how many years since his wife passed away? Almost three, I think. And he has shown absolutely no interest in women since, that I can tell."

"Perhaps the girl of his dreams hasn't come along." Gypsie said, feigning innocence. "A girl would be fortunate to find herself with Michael Devereux for a husband, wouldn't she, Lynna?"

"A woman would be fortunate indeed, Aunt Gypsie," Lynna answered dutifully, accepting the fact that both aunts had matchmaking on their minds.

She intended to _make_ herself not be opposed to the idea.

Supper the following evening was a gay affair, with traditional Jamaican cuisine and lively conversation. Lynna found that she enjoyed Michael's company immensely and they were never at a loss for a topic to discuss. He had the group rolling with laughter when he recounted the mermaid story.

Crystal rarely left Lynna's side, sitting beside her at supper and curling up on the sofa next to her when they adjourned to the parlor for coffee. "Lynna is going to step on you if you don't stay out of her shadow," her father joked with smiling eyes.

"Oh, don't tease her, Michael," Lynna giggled. "If she gets underfoot, I will simply change my legs into a mermaid's tail so I won't cause her any harm."

Crystal was immediately alert. "Can you really do that?"

"Of course, I can." Lynna winked, leaning over to tickle the child's midsection.

When Crystal settled down, she wiped the tears from her eyes and, out of the blue, blurted, "Lynna, will you be my mother?"

Michael rolled his eyes toward the heavens before quickly lifting his daughter from the sofa and heading toward the door. "Thank you for inviting us to supper. It was delicious as always." Lynna noticed the sudden look of longing in his eyes as he mouthed the words, "I'm sorry."

"Nonsense." She smiled using his earlier explanation. "She is but an imaginative child."

Before he walked out the door, Michael turned around, his eyes meeting hers. "Would you still like to see the cane works tomorrow?"

"I would love to," Lynna was quick to answer, to the absolute delight of both of her aunts. "I've been looking forward to it."

"Come by for lunch, afterwards I will give you the grand tour."

"I'll see you at noon," she replied, just before Crystal rushed back into the room to give her a bear hug and a resounding smack on her lips.

The following afternoon, after a delicious lunch, Lynna was amazed by the mill works. There was a boiling house, a curing house, and a still house. At the mill, Michael explained the process of extracting sugar from the sugar cane and how it was separated into golden sugar crystals and molasses. He went on to explain the majority of his molasses were used in the making of Jamaica's famed rum.

"It seems terribly complicated." All the facts seemed to run together in Lynna's mind.

"I suppose it would to a newcomer, while it's second nature to me." Again his voice took on a sharp edge. "I would wager the man who owns Eden doesn't know half as much about cane as I do. Yet, that is neither here nor there."

So it came to be that in the weeks that followed, Lynna was a frequent visitor at Eden. During the day while Michael was busy at the distillery, she and Crystal often sought the cool waterfall. If they weren't playing in the cascading water they could be found searching for small fish in the tidal pools at the ocean's edge, building sandcastles, or laughing gaily as they frolicked through a field of wildflowers.

Lynna couldn't have loved the child more if she were her very own.

In the evening, after Crystal was unhappily hauled off to bed, Lynna and Michael took rides in the cart or relaxed on the verandah, enjoying breathtaking sunsets.
 Chapter 28

Two months from the day they met, Lynna became Mrs. Michael Devereux in a simply ceremony held on a cliff overlooking the ocean. She was breathtakingly beautiful in a simple white, off the shoulder gown that had been stitched by her own hands. She cried tears of joy, and regret, that Aunt Judith wasn't there.

Uncle Cliff gave her away in her father's absence and Crystal was her only attendant, scattering rose petals from a hand woven basket. After the ceremony Aunt Bertie insisted Crystal visit with them for a few days while Lynna and Michael enjoyed a brief honeymoon.

On her wedding night. Lynna was as fidgety as a schoolgirl as she slipped a lacy peignoir over her head.

Would Michael stir the same feelings of ecstasy inside of her that Joshua had?

Thus far, Michael hadn't seemed overly romantic. He had never once even tried to kiss her. Obviously, he wasn't the man of passion that Joshua was. He was more shy and reserved. She was comparing him to Joshua and that wasn't fair.

_Few men could compare to Captain Jordan_.

Michael was kind, gentle, caring, and devoted to his daughter. He would make a wonderful father for their children, and Jamaica was such a marvelous place to raise them. Passion would come in due time, hopefully tonight. She longed for someone to love and be loved in return.

Breathing deeply of the smell of approaching rain in the air, her eyes went to the sky as jagged heat lightning flashed and low dark clouds, heavy with rain swept over the mountains. A gust of wind molded her negligee to her body as fat drops of rain began to fall. Brief thunderstorms were an evening occurrence in Jamaica.

An hour later, she paced the room wondering at her husband's delay. What could be keeping him on their wedding night? Surely there wasn't a problem at the distillery, or he wasn't in his office surrounded by paperwork and completely forgetting his bride.

On bare feet she hurried downstairs, at once beset by a flurry of emotions. She was offended, hurt, and angry all at the same time to find him asleep and snoring on the couch with an empty rum bottle close by.

Was he drunk?

He couldn't be. She had never even seen him tipsy. Still, his intoxicated state was proof that he had little interest in consummating their wedding vows. She had never felt more shocked, or humiliated.

Was she determined to encounter heartbreak at every turn?

Feeling lonely, dejected, and with mounting despair she climbed the stairs, and after much tossing, turning, and tears, she finally drifted into a restless sleep.

"Good morning." Michael smiled across the table during a breakfast of hominy corn porridge, country ham, and thick cane syrup poured over flapjacks. "You slept well, I trust."

"I slept alone," Lynna mused, sipping coffee and trying to keep the irritation out of her voice as she stabbed at a thick slice of ham. She must look a fright with her eyes red and puffy from a night of crying.

"Oh, that." Michael waved a hand in the air, dismissing his words. "Apparently, I imbibed in too much of my own rum."

"Evidently."

Michael was growing annoyed with her accusing tone. "Most women find _that_ obligation more of a chore than a pleasure, do they not?"

"This wife wouldn't," she answered honestly. "I look forward to being your wife in every sense of the word and having your children. I certainly wouldn't consider making love to you a chore. If I felt that way, I would never have married you to begin with."

Suddenly, looking mad enough to spit fire, Michael stormed out of the house without a word, leaving his breakfast untouched. Lynna could only stare after him, utterly confused by his erratic behavior.

What had she said to make him so angry?

In the weeks that followed, other than the disturbing lack of intimacy from her husband, Lynna's days on the island were filled with joy. She and Crystal spent many carefree hours at the waterfall or down by the beach splashing in the waves, chasing fiddler crabs, or finding seashells to take home and deposit in a glass vase. Lynna's days were wonderful.

Her nights were nothing short of torture.

Six weeks after their wedding, her husband still hadn't made love to her, or even attempted to for that matter. His nights were spent in a drunken stupor on the sofa, and a hurried peck on the cheek was the most romantic gesture he offered before rushing off to the mill the following morning. As embarrassing as it was for Lynna to admit, she finally accepted the fact that her husband had no desire to bed her.

Was he repulsed by her? Did he already regret his hasty proposal and even hastier marriage? Was he in the habit of getting intoxicated every night to drown the sorrow he felt over being tied to her for a lifetime?

Just before drifting into an exhausted sleep Lynna decided to have a heart to heart discussion with her husband the following morning and ask if he would be agreeable to having their farce of a marriage annulled. She would cut her losses and find a way to return to home to France, and her father.

Surely there was someone who could love her.
 Chapter 29

Michael was asleep on the sofa just after midnight when the owner of Eden tied his horse to the hitching post. He entered the quiet house to find his overseer still fully dressed, passed out cold, drooling on the embroidered sofa pillow, and snoring like a lumberjack. A strange and unusual sight indeed.

The docks were abuzz with rumors of Michael's recent nuptials to a young lady of exceptional beauty. Why then wasn't he enjoying the fruits of his marriage? "Michael." The stunned man shook his overseer vigorously in an attempt to wake him from a drunken stupor. "Michael, wake up."

Michael opened one blurry eye, squinting when he saw two faces leaning over him. "Evenin', boss."

"A good evening it is, Michael." His boss grinned, although he was deeply disturbed by the sight of his overseer, who was semiconscious at best. "For some of us at least." He hadn't known Michael to imbibe so heavily in years, not since the night his wife died after a sudden illness. Then. it was to be expected, but now? Surely his recent marriage hadn't brought about such stress. "I hear a celebration is in order. You finally tied the knot after all these years, did you?"

"Yes sher, I did," Michael slurred the words, barely opening his eyes before passing out again.

Determined to get to the bottom of this charade, his boss shook him. "Michael, why are you turning to a bottle instead of your new bride? You haven't forgotten what to do behind closed doors after so long a dry spell have you?"

Michael partially opened one eye, and closed it. "You can't forget something you never acquired knowledge of in the first place, now can you?" In his state of extreme drunkenness, Michael was admitting more than he ever had before.

"What do you mean you never acquired the knowledge? Do you perhaps require a few pointers on the subject? It really isn't that difficult unless she's of the unattractive sort then, admittedly, it can sometimes be a bit of a challenge to remain... attentive, shall we say. If such were the case, I might understand why you chose to drown your sorrows in a bottle. However, scuttlebutt has it that she is anything but."

Michael sighed. "She is the most beautiful woman I ever laid my eyes on."

"Then pardon me for sounding dimwitted, but your words make little sense to me."

"I can't make love to anybody!" Michael stormed. "Do those words make sense to you?" He sat up on the sofa too fast and held his spinning head in his trembling hands, blurting out his sorrowful tale. "When I was just a boy I entered the barn one morning to feed and water the horses. That was my chore. I had been tending them for years. On this particular morning, for some reason that I still can't figure out, I startled Pa's favorite stallion Samson and he commenced to kicking."

Michael paused, scrubbing his hands over his face before continuing. "I often wonder how different my life would be if I'd just made a noise that morning, let Samson know I was entering his stall." He laughed harshly. "At any rate, old Samson took deadly aim and kicked me hard, right square in my privates. They been useless ever since."

"I'm sorry to hear that, Michael." Some men would consider it a fate worse than death. "The little lady must be sympathetic to your unfortunate condition to wed you, knowing you could never father her children."

"She doesn't know," Michael admitted, hanging his head. "And she never will. She's probably upstairs now, imagining I will soon join her and make passionate love to her for the remainder of the night." He laughed bitterly. "I pray she doesn't hold her breath."

"If I understand correctly, you married a woman under the false pretense that you could give her children?"

Michael nodded drunkenly. "I reckon that's about the gist of it."

"Then you are not Crystal's father?"

Michael shook his head sadly. "Her mother was already carrying her when we married so I claimed the child as my own."

"In my humble opinion you have done your new bride a dire disservice, Michael. Then, you hurt her further by leaving her alone each night, leading her to believe that you don't desire her?"

"I don't desire her. Fortunately, I've never known the insatiable lust that drives so many men to distraction." Michael held his throbbing head in hands and eyed the empty whiskey bottle. "I married her to give Crystal a mother."

"I understand your love for the child, however, if you ask me that is a feeble excuse for a marriage. You owe her the truth."

"I don't owe her a damn thing!" Michael snarled. "She has a beautiful home, an attentive husband during daylight hours, and a child who adores her. That's all any woman wants."

"No, Michael, it isn't." The man shook his head sadly. "Most women are born with a motherly instinct to nurture a child at their breast."

"I'm going back to sleep now," Michael mumbled. "We can continue this discussion in the morning if you feel the need, although I believe everything has been said." Thus said, he passed out and was snoring in seconds.

The man climbed the stairs, shaking his head in pity for Michael's bride. She was waiting for a husband who would never come to her. First thing tomorrow morning, he would have a discussion with the little lady, find out for himself if she was content with her current arrangement. It might not be any of his concern, yet he couldn't tolerate the thought of the poor girl lying in her bed, _in his house_ , prostrate with grief at having to bear the brunt of her husband's deception.

At the top of the stairs he paused outside her door. _He really shouldn't get involved._ This was between Michael and his wife. He should wait until morning. Still, as owner of the plantation, he felt the need to right any wrongs being carried out under his roof.

Michael said she was the most beautiful woman he had ever seen. That was intriguing, to say the least. _One little peek couldn't hurt_. The poor girl had probably cried herself to sleep hours ago.

Quietly opening the door, he saw the woman in question reclined on the bed in a sheer nightgown, peaceful in slumber. He moved closer to the bed to see her more clearly by the moonlight filtering through the open balcony doors.

A startled gasp filled the room as he whispered, "Michael was correct. You are beautiful indeed."

The deep voice penetrated Lynna's sleep drugged mind, causing her to awaken with a start. Believing her husband had finally decided to join her in their marriage bed, she smiled seductively. "I was beginning to worry that you didn't desire your bride."

Reaching out to him, she pulled his face down as his lips found hers in a kiss filled with longing and passion. Lynna smiled as he swiftly removed her nightgown and sighed deep in her throat as he crushed her naked body against his broad chest.

Thank God. She wouldn't have to pretend to enjoy making love to her husband. His touch thrilled her, making her body squirm in anticipation.

Lynna turned on her side, pressing her soft, feminine curves against him. Wrapping her arms around his neck and her leg around his waist, she behaved like a woman starved, for she was.

Placing his hand on her hip, he gently pushed her to her back, nudging her knees apart with his thigh, and entered her. Neither of them could hold out for more than a few strokes, clinging to each other as they both found a most glorious release.

After several minutes passed, and their breathing returned to normal, he rolled to the side and raised up on his elbow to bury his face in her hair. "Lynna, you don't know how long I have waited for this moment."

His voice immediately froze her ebbing passion, sending a shiver of anger, and regret, skipping down her spine. She knew the voice immediately. "Joshua? It can't be...turn me loose and get out of my room at once!"

"At long last, I have finally found you," he whispered against her throat.

"Get out!" she cried, enraged that he would leave Suzanne's bed and think to slither into hers. "I'm a married woman, and if you don't leave this room immediately, I will... I will... scream for my husband."

"Go ahead, my sweet. However, rest assured, that neither your husband nor anyone else at Eden will come to your rescue, so save your breath," he replied sharply, angered both by her rejection and hearing her refer to another man as her husband. "By the way, your dear husband is passed out cold on the sofa."

Joshua knew her husband didn't desire her, and he chose to callously throw it in her face.

Lynna wanted to claw his eyes out of their sockets for the pain he had caused, and was continuing to cause, her. "Do you want everyone in this house to know what a vile, disgusting cretin you are?"

"I care not what others think," he answered harshly.

She opened her mouth to scream when he clamped his hand over her mouth and whispered in a voice that was deadly seriousness, "I am going to make love to you, again, Lynna. I have thought of nothing else, and what just transpired was far too hasty for my liking."

Lynna glared at him as her mind worked furiously. She couldn't depend on her husband to arrive and save her, he would be useless in his inebriated state. Nor was her strength any match for Joshua's, still, there had to be a way to stop him.

What was he doing in Jamaica, anyway?

In this house?

How did he find her?

"After what we just shared you can't deny that you still desire me, my sweet," Joshua said upon seeing her open her mouth to dispute his words. "You can't lie to me."

"Joshua, I am a married woman now," she murmured brokenly. "What gives you the right to take what belongs to another man?

"You belong to me," he insisted, shaking her roughly by the shoulder, his emerald eyes blazing. "Don't ever say otherwise. You have since that first night on my ship."

"Joshua," she began, but stopped, losing the will to fight. What was the point of trying to make him listen? "Then get it over with," she snapped, close to tears. "Satisfy your lust and leave."

"Satisfy my lust, indeed." Joshua smiled wickedly.

He would enjoy making her beg.

As his kisses left a hot trail down Lynna's neck, she knew she was fighting a losing battle.

Kneeling beside the bed, Joshua leisurely kissed his way up her leg, feeling her tremble as he neared her tightly clenched thighs. She relaxed somewhat when his mouth moved down the opposite leg, only to draw in her breath sharply when his tongue flicked the tender spot beneath her ankle. She steeled herself against his sensuous onslaught, praying that it would be over soon.

Clenching her teeth, she remained perfectly still, willing her body not to respond as he left a burning trail across her stomach towards her breast. One traitorous moan escaped when his mouth traveled to her neck without touching her throbbing breasts. She willed her hands not to pull his head back to the rigid peaks.

Please.

Let me be strong enough to withstand this torture and not give in to him.

"Tell me you want me, Lynna," he demanded huskily.

"Never," she breathed. "I want only to be left alone."

His tongue went to her ear, nibbling the tender lobe as his warm breath served to further weaken her resistance. She refused to admit defeat, even as she silently cursed her betraying body. His soft lips outlined her own, causing them to part, allowing his tongue to dart through her smooth teeth and bring the desired response. "Tell me you want me, Lynna."

She cooled instantly. "I want no part of you."

Grinning, he blew warm breath on the rosy peaks of her full breasts as she bit her lip to keep from crying out his name. He continued to explore her body for what seemed like hours. When his soft mouth at last closed over her hardened nipple, his teeth tugging ever so gently, the will to fight deserted her.

"Oh, Joshua," she moaned. "I can't stand another moment of this torture."

"Tell me you want me," he whispered.

"Yes," she cried. "I want you, Joshua."

Her body was on fire, every nerve alive to his touch. She arched against him as her hands moved to press him into her eager body. Her hands on his buttocks pressed harder still as their passion climbed, until they were wrapped in the dizzying aftermath of their love.

Joshua rolled to his side as a silent tear slid down her cheek. How could she behave so wantonly in his arms when she was wed to another? If only Joshua were her husband, she would be the happiest woman alive. He was married to another, as was she, and the realization made her burst into sobs.

Her tears were too much for Joshua. "What's wrong, darling?"

"How can you ask me that?" Lynna sobbed, angry that he wasn't as distraught over the situation as she was. "Do you have no feelings?"

"I fear that my feelings are too strong." He brushed her tear away, caressing the line of her jaw. "I love you, Lynna."

How she had longed to hear him say those very words, yet they came too late. They were both wed to others, therefore she couldn't allow herself to fall under his spell again. This night of passion would have to last them for an eternity. "Did Suzanne present you with a son or daughter?"

"There was no child," he answered testily.

"What do you mean there was no child?" Lynna sat up with a puzzled frown. "Did she miscarry?"

"There was never a child to miscarry." Sitting up on the side of the bed, Joshua struck a match to a cheroot. "Suzanne fabricated the lie to coerce me into marriage. In the weeks that followed, when she realized her husband was loathe to touch her, she turned to a few others.

Suzanne had lied about carrying his child?

"I can't believe Suzanne would stoop so low, or be so devious."

"Your eyes don't deceive you, Lynna."

"You saw her?" Lynna shrieked in stunned disbelief.

"I caught her with the stable boy. Although she cried rape I had been following her for days." His voice was cold, unforgiving. "I gave her an ultimatum. She could either grant me an annulment, or I would guarantee her a scandal the likes of which her family would never crawl out from under."

Joshua was free from his vows to Suzanne and he loved her, but she was no longer a free woman. Lynna's tears flowed in earnest as she pondered this wicked turn of fate.

"Dry your eyes and come here, darling." Joshua cradled her head on his chest, stroking her hair. "Do you love me, Lynna?" he questioned, catching her off guard.

"Joshua, I..." she faltered.

"Answer me truthfully, Lynna," Joshua insisted. "I must know the truth."

"Yes, Joshua," she cried brokenly. "I love you. I have always loved you. I would never marry Michael had I known of Suzanne's lies and treachery. Now, it's too late..."

"It's not too late. You love me and that's all that matters." Joshua hugged her so hard she thought her ribs might crack.

They slept, wrapped in each others arms, afraid to let go. Afraid the other might disappear with the bright light of morning.

Sometime in the early hours Joshua's voice penetrated the fog of her deep, satisfied sleep. "I will wait for you to come to me tonight.

Lynna mumbled sleepily, "You, sir, will have an awfully long wait." Snuggling deeper under the covers, she returned to her dream world, not sure whether his rumbling laughter had been real or imagined.

When she awakened the following morning, Sadie, the cook, reported that Michael had taken an overnight trip into town. She found Joshua and Crystal on the verandah, chatting as if they had known each other for years. "Good morning, Lynna," Crystal chirped.

"Good morning, my... um... Lynna." Joshua beamed as his eyes swept the entire length of her.

"Good morning, Crystal," Lynna beamed. "Joshua, I see you have met my adorable stepdaughter."

"Uncle Joshua already knew me," Crystal laughed merrily. "He didn't just meet me."

"I see." Lynna frowned. "Evidently you have visited Eden before, Captain Jordan?"

"Uncle Joshua doesn't visit," Crystal giggled, finding Lynna's questions hilarious. "He owns Eden."

"You own Eden?" Lynna was so caught off guard by the child's statement she almost dropped her coffee cup. "But...but... how can that be?"

"I purchased the plantation several years ago at auction. Michael was already the overseer, so he continued under my employ, him and this little cherub."

Joshua was the owner that Michael often railed against.

"What did you bring me, Uncle Joshua?" Crystal wheedled, throwing her arms around his neck in a tight hug.

"As a matter of fact, there is a box on my bed that I brought for... someone." He placed a finger on his chin pretending to ponder. "Who did I bring it for? Let me see, if I think hard enough perhaps it will come to me."

"It was me." Crystal squealed with delight and took off running. "You brought it for me." The door slammed loudly behind her.

"You never mentioned you owned property in Jamaica." Lynna stood beside the rail as the elated child raced up the stairs.

"You never asked." Joshua winked seductively. "There are still a few things about me you have not yet discovered, my love."

Then he was too busy listening to the squeals of delight erupting from Crystal to finish their discussion. The child immediately plopped down on his lap, opened the box filled with a paper doll and numerous paper dresses, and consulted Joshua's opinion on which frock the doll should be attired in for the noontime meal.

After over an hour of play, Crystal asked, "Uncle Joshua, will you come to the beach with Lynna and me today? Pretty please?"

"I can think of nothing I would enjoy better than spending a day at the beach with my two favorite girls." He laughed as he lifted her in his arms. "Let's go ask Sadie to pack a lunch and we will be off."
  Chapter 30

The day on the beach with Joshua far surpassed any other day Lynna had spent in this lush tropical paradise. Joshua rolled up his breeches and waded in the water with Crystal, taking her hands to jump the incoming waves. Later, the threesome walked for miles up the beach and found several perfect spiral shells, which were presented to Lynna to add to her collection jar.

After their walk, they picnicked on fried chicken and corn on the cob under the shade of a giant tree. Lynna and Joshua gazed with longing into each other's eyes while Crystal frolicked in the nearby surf. Watching Joshua with Crystal, Lynna marveled at what a wonderful father he would make someday.

If only he could father her children.

What a wonderful life that would be.

Joshua's words, "I will wait for you to come to me tonight," drummed furiously in Lynna's ears. She had laughed at him then, but what a fool she had been. Her body craved his sweet touch, the pleasure he alone could give her.

Unable to sleep, she was still awake when she heard his door close, and she waited. He had left to tour the distillery shortly after their return from the beach.

She waited, with bated breath, until there was no more movement in his room, realizing that he was in the next room, so close. She imagined his hard, masculine body stretched out on the bed, a lazy grin tugging at the corners of his mouth, his emerald eyes shining. So sure she would come. Sure that no woman could long resist his masculine charm.

Lynna closed her eyes as a delicious languor settled over her, erasing from mind all the unpleasant thoughts, leaving only Joshua. In her vision, his smiling eyes beckoned her. Michael was due home tomorrow. Tonight would be their last night together. Would she deny herself one last night in the arms of the only man she would ever love?

No.

She would not.

Standing, she briskly dried her body until her skin shone pink. Slipping into a thin cotton robe, she tied the sash at her tiny waist with suddenly nervous hands. Her heart pounded against her chest as she quietly opened her door and eased into the dimly lit corridor.

Trembling hands turned the knob as she pushed open the door to his room. He was on the bed, just as she had imagined. His even breathing assured her that he was asleep and she still had time to change her mind. In all honesty, she was feeling rather piqued that he had lost no sleep worrying over whether or not she would come.

She bent to touch him, her hand longing to caress his sleeping features. Coming to her senses, she jerked her hand back. What had come over her? _This was utter foolishness._ Not only was she married, she was in another man's bedroom desperately wanting him to make love to her. She rushed through the open balcony doors, hoping the evening breeze would cool her heated skin and clear her befuddled mind.

The air was sweet, the crisp trade winds blowing down from the mountain fanned her hair out behind her, molding the thin robe to her slim body. She desired Joshua, longing for him to take her in his arms and make her forget, as only he could do.

"I have been waiting for you, my love," he whispered softly behind her.

Hearing his voice sent chills shivering down her spine. "I needed to... talk to you," she lied, suddenly ashamed of her wanton behavior.

"You don't want talk. We both want the same thing." Putting his arms around her, he nuzzled her neck. "This is why you came." He turned her around, holding her face in his hands, emerald eyes meeting crystal blue. "Let me love you, Lynna."

Their lips met in a tender kiss as he lifted her easily and carried her to the bed where he joined her. "Yes, Joshua."

What followed was the stuff that sweet dreams are made of.

Just as they were sitting down to breakfast, the first mate on the _Windjammer_ came rushing into the dining room. "I think we got troubles, captain," his voice was ragged, out of breath.

"What is the cause of your obvious distress, my good man?" Joshua queried, immediately concerned for the safety of his crew.

"There may not be any trouble, but a ship just dropped anchor in harbor. It's flying the Jolly Roger." His eyes were wide with alarm. "The ship's got everybody running to their houses and boarding their windows."

"Have my horse saddled. I will join you on the ship."

Joshua needed time alone with Lynna before he must leave her. Drawing her into his arms, he gave her a tender kiss filled with passion. "Remember this. When I return, we will continue where we left off. You and Crystal stay inside today."

"Joshua, will there be trouble?" she whispered around the sudden lump in her throat.

"It's probably just a show of force," he said, attempting to allay her fears. "Pirates have a reputation to uphold. There are too many armed ships in the harbor for them to openly attack us."

Not long after Joshua left, Michael returned home, tense and as nervous as a caged animal. "Where's the boss?" He stormed through the door without even pausing to greet his new bride.

"I assume you are speaking of Captain Jordon. If so, one of his men came with an urgent message that he should return to his ship." Lynna assumed his agitation was caused by the appearance of the pirate vessel.

"Well, what was the damn message?" he practically shouted at her.

"It would seem that a pirate ship has anchored in the harbor. Joshua's first mate was worried there might be trouble."

Why was he shouting at her, and why was he suddenly so concerned with Joshua's whereabouts?

His attitude changed abruptly, in a split second, to that of a kind and caring husband. "Would you like to ride into town with me?"

"You just returned from town, Michael." Lynna was puzzled by his erratic behavior. "Why do you wish to go again so soon?"

"With all this talk of pirates I forgot about the list of supplies Sadie asked me to purchase." He glanced at her askance. "Surely, my darling wife won't refuse me the pleasure of her company."

"Of course not, Michael." Even though she had no desire to accompany him, Lynna saw no way out of it. "I'll just get my wrap."

"Bring Crystal with you." He waved his hand, dismissing her. "She will enjoy the outing as well."

The day was terribly hot, with the occupants of the carriage perspiring profusely as Michael stopped the carriage on a hill overlooking the harbor. "How does a cool drink of lemonade sound for my two favorite ladies?"

We can't be your two favorite ladies, too, papa." Crystal giggled. "Uncle Joshua said we were his two favorite ladies."

"Did he now?" Michael ground out, giving Lynna a look of pure contempt. Stopping the carriage abruptly, he reached to caress the line of her jaw with a trembling hand. "Well then, I guess your Uncle Joshua and I will just have to... share this beautiful mermaid."

Lynna gasped, gazing across the harbor in search of the Windjammer.

Michael knew!

"Drink up, girls," His grin was one of pure malice that sent shivers racing down Lynna's spine as he handed them each a cup of lemonade. "It's going to be a bumpy ride."
 Chapter 31

The pain in Lynna's head was steady, throbbing with each beat of her heart. She wished the bed would stop its constant swaying for she was beginning to feel nauseous. Becoming slowly aware of her surroundings, she noticed sunlight filtering through a small round hole in the wall.

A porthole.

She was on a ship _._ How could that be? She had no knowledge of coming onboard. How did Joshua manage to bring her on the _Windjammer_ without her knowledge? Forcing her eyes open, she glanced around the filthy, sparsely appointed cabin. No, she definitely wasn't on the _Windjammer._

Had she been abducted? Had the kidnappers finally found her after all these years? Of course. It had to be the villains from France. She hadn't dwelled on that horror for years, believing they had long since forgotten about her. Alas, they had finally discovered her hiding place and succeeded in holding her for ransom. She choked back a sob when the thought crossed her mind that at least her kidnapping might gain her father's attention after all these years.

Suddenly, all the horror stories she had heard of women being abducted by pirates came back to haunt her as she lay on the hard, smelly bunk, her head throbbing with each beat of her heart. How did they get her on the ship without her being aware of it? She prayed that no harm had come to Michael and Crystal, that they had somehow escaped this nightmare.

Running to the door, she found it locked. "Open this door!" she yelled to the top of her lungs. "I demand to see the Captain!" When no answer was forthcoming, she fell down on the bunk, crying tears of abject misery.

Hours later, her throat raw from screaming, Lynna at last heard keys rattle against the door. She jumped out of the way as it was thrown open, banging loudly against the wall.

"While I'm not the Captain, I can probably answer any questions you might have."

"Michael!" she cried in horror. A strong sense of dread seeped through every pore in her body as her husband sauntered in. "Why am I on this vile ship? Where is Crystal?"

Michael strode casually into the cabin, holding up his hand to quiet her. "Let me start by answering the most obvious question. How you arrived here?" He sat down on the bunk, brushing away a cockroach from the spread. "I thought it best to drug you."

"Drug me? Why? Where are you taking me?" she whispered, apprehension taking a stranglehold on her. The fact that she had been drugged and taken against her will was of little consequence now. What mattered was finding a way off this wretched ship.

"We're moving to another island," he replied calmly, moving to gaze out the porthole. "This latest turn of events necessitated our hasty departure from Jamaica."

"Michael, I insist that you return me to Jamaica at once. You have no right to hold against my will."

"Oh, but I do." His eyes were forged of steel as he glared at her. "You forget, Madame, that you are my wife and, as such, you must go wherever I deem fit to take you."

"Why are you doing this, Michael? I don't understand. Why are you leaving your home?"

"My home!" he spat venomously. "It would have been if that old fool Morrison hadn't died before I could convince him to make me sole beneficiary of Eden. I knew he had no living kin to claim the plantation. No son could have treated that feeble old man better than I did. I deserved Eden." He gritted his teeth, slamming his fist on the table. "If I'd just had a little more time with him."

His face was a stone mask of hatred. "After his death, the plantation was sold to Captain Joshua Jordan of Charleston. I wanted to kill him the day he came riding up on his black stallion, announcing he was the owner of Eden." Michael's hand rested on the hilt of his cutlass. "After years of plotting, and thanks solely to you, I conceived of a better scheme to extract my revenge."

"What is it?" she asked, trying to steady her quaking voice. She would discover his plan and find a way to warn Joshua. _Somehow._ But how? The ship was probably well out to sea by now.

Leaving the room momentarily, Michael returned with a metal box. Placing it on the table he opened it to reveal more gold doubloons than she had ever seen. Coins one would expect to find on a pirate ship.

Pirate ship!

Suddenly, it dawned on her. She was on the pirate vessel they had seen in the harbor. Did that make her husband a buccaneer? "Michael, where did you get those coins?"

"By rights, this treasure is mine!" he raged, coming to shake her roughly by the shoulders. "I'm the one who worked and sweated this money out of the land, while the mighty Captain Jordan navigated the high seas without a care in the world, living large on plantation profits when he never turned a hand to work for it." A triumphant smile spread over his face. "He has a surprise awaiting him the next time he opens his safe."

"Michael, he trusted you." Lynna could hardly fathom this startling shift in her husband. How could his personality change so drastically, almost overnight?

"That was his first mistake." He laughed, placing the box on her lap. "We can start a new life with this, Lynna."

"I will have no part of such deception," she cried, rising to her feet and causing the gold coins to scatter noisily to the floor. "Please, Michael, I beg of you. Take me home."

"Unfortunately, your wants are of little concern to me, my _lady_." He sneered the last word as he bent to retrieve the coins. "You will have to accustom yourself to a vastly different way of life. The island we will call home is rather primitive compared to Jamaica. There are no magnificent plantations or doting servants."

"Whose ship are we on?" The words trembled from Lynna's lips.

"We sail on the ship of my brother, Sean Devereux." He watched her face closely for a reaction. Lynna's face registered only relief that the captain of the ship was related to her husband, even if he was a detestable pirate. "Do you not recognize the name?"

"The name means nothing to me. Sean Devereux..." she repeated the name. "I have never..." her voice trailed off, her face taking on a deathly white pallor as she recognized the name.

Surely his words were not true.

Sean Devereux was Michael's brother? A man rumored to be the most ruthless cutthroat of the band of pirates currently roaming the Caribbean. They were well known and feared for attacking helpless vessels, looting coastal towns, raping, plundering, and murdering innocent victims. "Why did you bring me here, Michael?" she cried brokenly. "I mean nothing to you. You have made that abundantly clear. You never even cared enough to consummate our wedding vows."

His answer was final, cutting through her like a knife. "I wed you to give Crystal a mother. Since the life of a pirate is no life for a child, I had one of the men take her to Cliff and Bertie. They will care for her as their own, so you need not concern yourself for her welfare." He eyed her contemptuously. "As for why I brought you along, the answer is simple. Captain Joshua Jordan. He has been spoon fed anything his heart desired from a silver spoon, just for the asking. It gives me great joy to take what he desires above all else."

"What is that, Michael?" Lynna held her breath, dreading his answer.

"Why you, my darling wife." He grinned. "He desires you above all else." Slamming the door, Lynna heard keys rattling as he locked it behind him.

Evidently Michael had discovered Joshua, in her bed.

It was no wonder he despised her. She had no doubt Michael would make it his personal mission to see that they were never together again. He would also make certain the remainder of her life was unbearably miserable for having cuckolded him.

Lynna threw herself on the soiled bunk, pondering her dismal future as her hot tears soaked the filthy mattress.
 Chapter 32

Her eyes were red and swollen when Michael returned later in the afternoon. "What is this?" She eyed the bowl he placed before her suspiciously.

"It is called salmagundi." Michael's anger toward her seemed to have abated for the time being. His voice was almost gentle. "Try it."

Lynna shoved the bowl away, refusing to eat anything prepared by a filthy pirate, no matter that she was starving. "What's in it?"

"A little bit of everything. Fish, chicken, pork, beef, and pigeon is roasted and cut into chunks. Then you add cabbage, pickled herring, mangoes, onions, grapes and anything else you can find. Pour in a little wine, add salt and pepper, and voila." He laughed heartily at her shocked expression of distaste. "Don't make such a face. It really is very tasty. Just try it, Lynna. You might like it."

"I'm not hungry," she lied, although she had to admit the stew smelled awfully tempting.

"Take my advice and eat while you can. Once we're out to sea and our fresh food supply has been exhausted, you will find the fare far from palatable. You can look forward to gruel, which is a mixture of wheat and water, or boiled and salted beef, and biscuits that are alive with maggots and weevils. You will regret passing up this fine meal."

Lynna turned her head in distaste. "I would find it impossible to eat any food that had been prepared aboard this stinking, infested ship."

The cabin was alive with vermin. Cockroaches crawled the floor and walls around her, and the tiny bunk where she was supposed to sleep was covered with crawling insects. A large number of the pests were on her now. She clawed at her head where the lice and God only knows what else were digging into her scalp. Her entire body was covered with itching red spots where the insects had fed upon her tender flesh.

"I will leave the meal with you," Michael warned solemnly before turning to leave. "Heed my advice and eat, Lynna. You will need your strength where we're going."

"Where are you going, Michael?" She jumped up to run after him, afraid to be left alone to fend for herself against an entire ship filled with degenerates. "Please, don't leave me alone."

"I must go on deck, Lynna. Being the Captain's brother doesn't mean that I don't pull my share of the weight, quite the opposite. I'm expected to do twice the work of any other man."

"Why, Michael?" She motioned toward the box. "You have more money than you could ever need. Don't join up with this vile gang of cutthroats."

"I do have more money than I could ever need, for now. But how long do you think I would live if the men onboard this ship found out? Our lives would mean nothing. Therefore, if you treasure your life, you will keep this bit of information to yourself until we reach port. No one must learn of the money, Lynna. Not even my brother."

"When will we reach port?" she whispered, issuing a silent prayer that it would be soon. She had to get off this wretched ship and find a way to get word to Joshua.

"Not in the near future, I would suspect. Once Sean puts out to sea, he doesn't return until the hold is overflowing with riches."

"Where is his home?"

"Sean and I were raised in Trinidad with our grandmother after the death of our parents. Since my brother wouldn't want our grandmother to know of his... law breaking activities, he now calls Tortuga home."

Tortuga? The name brought to mind lurid tales of the pirate stronghold, unspeakable tales of horror. A place where the scum of the earth congregated to torture their helpless victims.

Michael grinned. "I can tell from your expression that you know what to expect when we arrive."

Lynna merely nodded, acknowledging that her future would not be a pleasant one, if indeed she had a future. Only one hope kept her from giving up completely.

Joshua.

He would rescue her. He had to. She wouldn't permit herself to think otherwise. Her only problem would be surviving until he found her.

Michael had opened the door to leave when she grabbed his sleeve. "Michael, would it be possible to perhaps have a bucket of water and a sponge?" She slapped at a cockroach boldly making its way up her skirt and watched as Michael swiped it off to crush beneath his boot.

"I will see what I can do," he answered, mumbling a remark about the foolishness of women as he locked the door behind him.

After he left, Lynna moved to the porthole, breathing deeply of the fresh sea air. It was the only thing around her on this godforsaken ship that was clean. Glancing at the table, she noticed a steady stream of ants and other creepy crawlies advancing on the stew and greedily grabbed the bowl. If they were to be at sea as long as Michael suggested, she had better learn to eat what was offered. Either that, or starve.

Surprisingly, the concoction of meat, fruit and vegetables was a meal to be savored, and she did. She was tipping the bowl to get the last spoonful when a timid knock sounded at the door.

"Who is it?"

"It be Rob, ma'am, de cook," someone answered in a low whisper. "Let's me in."

She opened the door to find the biggest, blackest man she had ever seen smiling down at her. "I brung you dis heah watah an' sponge you done axk fo." He sat the bucket inside the door and stepped inside, closing it quietly behind him. "I put a cup of vinegar in dis bucket, cuz you ain't gits too far wit' jus' plain watah." She saw the fear register briefly on his face. "Please, ma'am, you cain say nothin' to de Cap'n bout it. Heah have me flog' if'n he foun' out."

"Thank you, Rob. You are most kind." Lynna smiled brightly. "Rest assured, the Captain will not learn of your generosity from me. I pray that I never have to see him again." As Rob opened the door, peering up and down the corridor, she whispered, "Thank you, again. I simply could not live with this pestilence."

Rob left the cabin with pity for the slip of the girl strong inside him. She would meet the Captain. Of that he was certain. Probably before the day was over.

Lynna washed the bedclothes in the bucket of vinegar and water and hung them on hooks to dry. She vigorously scrubbed every inch of the floor and walls, squashing hundreds of bugs in the process, until she was satisfied the cabin was as clean as possible. Now for her. She simply had to have another bucket of water to bathe and wash her hair. Perhaps she could find Rob and ask him.

She tried the door, amazed to find that Rob had left it unlocked. Looking into the corridor to the right, she saw the hatchway leading to the deck. She definitely didn't want to go in that direction. Turning left, she ran headlong into Captain Sean Devereux, rumored to be the most ruthless pirate alive.

He was a strikingly handsome man, well turned out with his leather waistcoat, three-inch wide black belt with silver buckle, and cutlass strapped bandolier. He wore no bandana and surprisingly, with appropriate attire, would not have looked out of place in the parlor of some of Georgia's more refined homes.

"Well, shiver me timbers." He laughed and winked as his eyes slid appreciatively over her slender form, lingering on the soft swell of bosom above the bodice of her gown. "So, you are the wife of my brother."

"I am Michael's... wife," Lynna stammered. "Now, if you will excuse me, I will return to my cabin." Rushing back inside, she swiftly attempted to bolt the door, only to find it blocked by his booted foot.

"Not so fast, little one. I have a desire to become better acquainted with my new sister." The pirate smiled, shoving the door open. His dark eyes were menacing as he licked his lips. "Much better acquainted."

Lynna read the intent in his eyes as her eyes darted around the cabin, in search of a weapon, while none was to be found. The only objects in the room were a bunk, a table, and a chair, all too heavy to be lifted by her. "Don't come near me," she warned.

His bold laughter filled the room, sending chills to traipse along her skin even though the heat in the cabin was sweltering. "What, pray tell, will you do if I come near you, little one?" he asked in a soothing voice. "Beat me to death with those tiny fists?" He paused, gazing out the porthole. "You have a long voyage ahead of you, Madame Devereux." Turning to face her, his dancing eyes fused with hers. "You will need a man on this journey."

"Apparently you have forgotten, sir, that I have a husband." Did his brother know Michael had refused to share her bed? That he refused to touch her?

"No. I didn't forget that you have a husband," the pirate smirked. "If you will recall, I said you will need a man."

"Michael is a man," Lynna replied anxiously, trying her utmost to sound convincing. "I might add that I find him most satisfactory in every way."

The pirate laughed heartily at her words, "Then might I suggest that it takes very little to satisfy you." His ridicule of his brother was lost on her. "You will soon find that, unlike my little brother, I have what it takes to please a woman."

She tried frantically to run past him, but was halted by his steely voice. "Stay where you are."

Too frightened to remain still, she again bolted for the door. He jerked her around roughly to face him, causing her to cry out as his fingers dug into the tender flesh of her arm. "I am not accustomed to having my orders disobeyed," he warned ominously.

"I am not accustomed to following orders," she replied defiantly.

"My brother should have taught you better manners." His fingers were like vises around her arms. "You see, you have no choice whatsoever in the matter, little one. This is my ship, and everyone onboard must either obey me, or suffer the consequences, which I can assure you would be severe."

"No punishment could be worse than being raped by a filthy disgusting pirate."

"We shall see, Madame. We shall see." The pirate's eyes shone with desire. "If you prefer the cat-o-nine-tails to me, I will be happy to oblige."

She stood her ground, preferring the whip to his lust.

Sean hated the thought of marring her perfect flesh. Flesh that would be most pleasing in the long, lonely weeks ahead. Little did Lynna know that Sean was a hard man, yet soft where beautiful women were concerned. He could never remember seeing one more beautiful.

She was caught unaware as his hand snaked out to rip her bodice open to the waist, exposing her bosom to his hungering gaze. His hand trailed up her arm to lightly caress her breast, squeezing painfully when her fist crashed into his jaw with a force that stunned him. His huge hands moved to the slim column of her neck closing around it, applying gentle, yet firm, pressure. "I could snap your neck with one twist, as I have done so many times in the past for far less crimes than you have committed."

A muscle in his jaw twitched angrily. "It might behoove you to consider who you are dealing with the next time you feel the urge to strike a man, for all men might not be as lenient, or as swayed by your beauty as I am. Nonetheless, you must be punished for your carelessness, but that can wait until after I have my fill of you."

Lowering his mouth to hers, his lips demanded a response that she refused to give. "I can't imagine that deed being accomplished anytime in the foreseeable future. Now, allow me to demonstrate the pleasures to be found in the arms of a real man."

She had to think fast, but her mind seemed to be scrambled, racing in several directions at once. "I am your brother's wife, Captain Devereux. Do you feel no loyalty toward him?"

"The answer to your question is no. Believe me, at this moment, my feelings do not run toward family." His eyes rested on her bosom. "That's not true. I have rather pronounced feelings for the newest member of my family." Without another word, he lifted her easily, carrying her flailing and screaming to the bunk where she clawed at his face and bit into his shoulder, causing him to wince painfully. She cowered, expecting to feel the blows from his fist, although none were forthcoming. Instead, he gazed down at her, deep in thought.

What Sean wouldn't give to have this lovely lady come to him of her own volition. The hold of his ship was overflowing with bounty. Therefore, if he was of a mind, and he was, he could take her to his island and lock them both in his bedroom until his lust for the captivating creature had been satisfied. By then, she would be his and he would devote his entire life to pleasing her. Even as he was contemplating his possible devotion to her, she continued with her assault, pulling fistfuls of hair, attempting to dig her long nails into his skin.

Once on the bed, the strong smell of vinegar assaulted Sean and a workable plan began to take shape in his mind. "Who gave you vinegar?" he snapped.

Lynna immediately stilled, taking the look of one completely innocent of all crimes. "I... don't know what you are referring to. What vinegar?" The lie fell from her lips with ease as she was suddenly more frightened for Rob than herself.

"Answer me." He jerked her face around to look into his eyes. "I will know who onboard my ship so carelessly wastes supplies." He interpreted the fear clearly in her eyes. "Rob. That impudent darky. He is the only one stupid enough to go against my orders and give in to a woman's foolish whims." Sean used her fear for Rob to his advantage and the ploy was working beautifully. "He must be punished. He will receive twenty lashes for the theft."

"Twenty lashes!" Lynna cried, incredulously. Temporarily forgetting the danger she faced, she shoved him off her, jumping up to stand beside the bunk. "Twenty lashes for a cup of vinegar? Surely, you cannot be serious."

"Alas, I see that your memory has not fled you after all, little one."

Ignoring his remark, she scrambled through her pockets for Michael's gold doubloon she had found while cleaning under the bunk. "Here, I will pay for the vinegar that I used. This should more than cover..."

"I will prove to you that I do not issue false threats!" he roared theatrically as he strode angrily out the door, slamming it behind him. "The man must be punished for this disobedience."

Lynna sat at the table, trying to reassure herself that the pirate captain would not execute his vicious threat. Of course he wouldn't. No man could be so heartless.

In a few short minutes, she heard footsteps.

Clutching the torn bodice of her dress, she cracked open the door to find a stoic Rob in the hallway with a glowering Sean behind him. Sean had a sharp cutlass at Rob's back.

Rob revealed no emotion, looking solemnly toward the deck, knowing exactly what excruciating fate awaited. He was no novice at having his skin laid open by the cat-o-nine tails. Seeing Lynna, he stopped to smile encouragingly.

"Move!" Sean ordered. "Or do you wish to be run through right here?"

"Please!" Lynna cried, rushing forward and attempting to pull him, and his sword, backward and away from Rob. "I implore you, sir, to cease this madness and not carry through with your threat."

Sean pretended not to hear her as he marched Rob toward the hatchway. Lynna realized that once the crew discovered what was about, they would halt their work to urge their captain on, eager for any diversion from their tedious monotony. If she was to stop this vicious act of violence, it would have to be now.

"Wait!" she cried, tugging on Sean's sleeve until he stopped prodding Rob with his sword and looked down at her. Appalled by what she must do, yet without hesitation, she timidly touched his bare chest where his shirt fell open. Standing on tiptoe, she whispered close to his ear, even as the words choked her. "I will do anything you... want... if you do not flog this man."

Sean rubbed his jaw and pretended to ponder her request, when in truth, he had hoped this would be her reaction to his threat against an innocent man.

"No, Ma'am," Rob stated adamantly, ignoring the cutlass at his back. "Don't do dat."

"Avast, you fool!" Sean commanded angrily, having no desire to whip a man without just cause. "Who do you think will be most apt to see the sun rise tomorrow morning? You, after twenty lashes from the cat-o-nine, or her after a night with me? Now shut your trap and return to the galley before I change my mind."

With a sly grin curving his lips, Sean followed Lynna to her cabin. He was elated, while she felt dead, numb all over.

Could she carry through with her promise?

Where was her husband? Why didn't he stop this insanity? Silent tears coursed down her cheeks as she heard the door close and nervously turned to face the pirate captain she had bartered her body to.

She wasn't ready.

She had to stall him until she could devise a plan. "Tell me about your life, Captain Devereux. What makes a decent man turn to piracy?"

"I will be happy to discuss my upbringing with you at a later date." The pirate grinned. "After I have made love to you to my heart's content. Rest assured, little one, your stall tactics will not work. I held up my end of the bargain, now come to me as you promised."

There would be no turning back now. His eyes, glazed with lust, assured her of that.

Taking Lynna in his arms, Sean's hands were surprisingly gentle as he slowly began to unfasten her dress, stopping often to touch, caress, and stare in amazement as her exquisite beauty was unveiled to him. He desired this stunning lady with an urgency he hadn't felt in a long time and had a strong yearning to feel her soft, supple body beneath his.

"My husband will kill you for this," she whispered, as he cupped a breast in each hand and nuzzled her neck.

"That is a risk I am willing to take, little one." Sean chuckled, realizing that she was most likely still a virgin, one that he would most thoroughly enjoy deflowering. Easing her down on the bunk, his lips had just found hers when the unmistakable sound of a cannon blast striking the ship made Sean forget his purpose. On his way out the door, he turned to her and vowed, "When I return, we will continue where we left off."

Lynna had no doubt that his words were true as he hurried from the cabin, leaving the door open in his haste.

Now was her chance _._ Clutching her dress to her bosom, she was midway to the deck when Rob grabbed her arm and jerked her around to face him.

"Dis way, ma'am," he shouted over the cries of injured men and the noise of shots being fired. The sharp smell of gunpowder and the frightening sound of wood splintering filled the air around them. The smoke from cannons being fired choked her as she jerked her arm free and headed for the deck. "I must see who is attacking us. It could be my rescuers."

"Naw, Ma'am, I done seed dem an' it jus' another pi'ate ship. Our onliest chance is to jump ovah de side and swim fo it." Without giving her a chance to refuse, Rob lifted her easily to the rail and tossed her over the side just before another cannon blast left the entire front portion of the ship in splinters.

The deep, murky water came rushing forcefully up to meet her, filling her skirts and dragging her under. Within seconds, her lungs were aching, demanding that she breathe, and her chest was on fire.

For what seemed like an eternity, Lynna struggled toward the surface against the heavy skirts that pulled her down, dragging her under until she could fight no longer. She longed for death to release her from this insufferable agony.

Suddenly, Joshua's face appeared in the black water and she swam toward him.
  Chapter 33

Shivers of stabbing pain behind her eyelids caused Lynna to open her eyes. She was immediately forced to lift a trembling hand against the blinding rays of a blazing morning sun. Quickly squeezing her eyes shut, she painfully rolled onto her stomach, groaning as she dropped her parched and swollen face into the scorching sand.

Every muscle in her body screamed with agony.

Where was she? How did she get here? How long had she been here? Most important of all, why couldn't she remember the answers to these questions?

Her mind was blank.

She remembered nothing before opening her eyes to the brilliant sun now searing her skin. The roar of crashing waves sounded extremely loud in her pounding ears and answered one of her questions. She was on a beach. With tremendous effort, she lifted her head.

Ahead of her was the vast ocean, and on both sides, nothing but sand as far as the eye could see. Wet sand clung to her face, stinging her eyes, and she could feel it gritting against her teeth.

She brushed at the sand with her finger, yet her gentle touch brought fiery pain to her sunburned skin and scalding tears to stinging eyes. Her hands reflexively went to her hair to smooth the knotty mass of tangles there, but with the combination of salt, seaweed, and God only knows what else, she found it to be an impossible task. Rolling over, she buried her face in the sand, heedless of the pain as heartfelt sobs shook her trembling body.

Feeling somewhat better after a good cry, she took a deep breath and pulled herself up. Her arms jerked violently as she rose on quivering hands and knees and she cried out at the pain that small effort caused her, especially her upper arms and shoulders.

After several attempts, she stood slowly, wondering if her knees would buckle as they threatened at any moment to do. As she turned from the beach she noticed a forest, the cool shade beckoning her. If only she could dig deep into her soul and find the strength to make it there, she would never ask for anything else as long as she lived. "Please, God," she prayed, "just let me make it to the shade."

Even though she was sure that each step would be her last, after what seemed like hours of lifting the dead weight of her legs and dropping her feet into the hot sand, she finally reached the edge of the forest and sank down into its shady haven. Closing her burning eyelids, exhaustion overwhelmed her and she welcomed the cool, soothing darkness that once again enveloped her.

"Wake up. Is you alive? Wake up." The voice seemed to come from far, far away, pulling her back from the welcomed darkness. "Dis heah's Rob. Kin you heah me?"

Lynna opened her eyes slowly, terrified of the enormous black giant of a man kneeling before her, who seemed determined to shake her bones loose. The whites of his eyes were angry red and bloodshot, causing her to back against the trunk of a coconut tree in fear for her life.

"Why is you actin' like you is sceared of me?" Rob asked, puzzled by her reaction as he reached out to gently brush sand from her face. "I ain't gwine hurt you."

Lynna saw the look of genuine hurt in his eyes and for reasons unknown to her, her fear for the bear of a man gradually began to dissolve. From somewhere deep within her soul, she knew this gently giant would cause her no harm.

"You knows I ain't gwine hurt you aftah whut you done fo' me." He hung his head in shame, recalling how she had bravely given herself to the pirate captain to save him from the lash.

"What I done for you? I don't even know who you are." Her words came out as a scratchy croak. "Where am I?"

"I cain answer dat, ma'am _._ " Rob shook his head sorrowfully. "I come to down on de beach dis mawning'. I figured I was de onliest one whut made it ta sho' alive. So, I struck out through dem trees lookin' fo' food an' water." He pointed to the thriving jungle behind them.

"Water," she croaked, nodding her head rapidly. Tenderly touching her dry, swollen lips she whispered, "Did you find water?"

"I sho' nuff did." His huge calloused hands pulled Lynna gently to her feet. "Kin you walk?" he questioned worriedly. "Cause if'n you cain, I kin carry you."

"Thank you...but no...I think I can walk." She looked at him oddly. "Who... who are you?"

"Rob, ma'am. My name be Rob." For the first time he noticed the distant look in her eyes. "You 'members me, from de ship, don't you?"

"What ship?" Lynna scarcely got the words out, but Rob didn't mistake the sincerity in her tone. It was then he realized that she had not survived the ordeal unscathed, as he had first hoped. He tried to make light of the situation and conceal his concern. "Weah talk 'bout dat later. Fo' now le's git you some watah."

With his strong arms supporting her, Rob led her through the jungle to a small clearing and a sparkling blue pond. He heard her soft gasp and then she was gone, plunging headfirst into the cool water.

Lynna drank deeply and when she had her fill, she began rubbing the thick layer of salt, sand, and grime from her hair and skin. Her eyes closed blissfully as the water seemed to drain away her pain.

Rob watched silently from the bank, thanking God for sparing her life. He had searched for her under the black, murky water until his lungs threatened to burst. Exhausted, he surfaced, calling out to her over and over until he finally gave up hope, realizing that no one could stay under water that long and survive. Rob knew God's hand had brought her safely to land.

"You stays rite chere til I gits back, ma'am. I'se gwine find you sumphin' to eat."

"Thank you. I will," she promised. "Rob, do you know my name?"

"I sho' don't. Since you got all dat yeller hair, an' 'minds me of one, I's gwine call you Buttercup."

She floated dreamily in the water that was so cool on her sunburned skin. Looking around, she was left awestruck by the lush splendor of the tropical paradise. She relaxed, feeling the tension leave her tight muscles, then tensed when something large bumped against her back.

Her gasp echoed through the still forest as she froze, too terrified to turn and see what manner of man or beast was behind her. God only knew what hideous creatures lurked beneath the depths of the clear, inviting water, waiting to devour her. Her heart seemed to form a lump in her throat as she waited, galvanized for the attack.

Holding her breath until she realized that no harm had befallen her, yet, she gathered her courage and slowly turned around. As she did, the breath left her in a burst of merriment.

It was a water lily. Or at least she assumed it was. Having never seen one with such huge dimensions, she couldn't be sure. At least six feet in diameter, the lily pad was strong and buoyant, its brilliant color somewhere between lavender and pink. The flowers in the center were closed and she would later learn they opened only after the sun went down.

Feeling strangely adventurous, she climbed into the lily pad to see if it would support her weight. It did, and she relaxed into the cushiony softness, dangling her feet over the side and into the water as exhaustion from her trying ordeal once again settled over her and she slept.

Rob returned to find her asleep and floating on the giant pad. "Buttercup!" he called several times, to no avail. Lynna's sleep was one of physical exhaustion. He debated whether or not to let her rest. Deciding that she needed food in her stomach, he called to her again, receiving the same response. Picking up a large rock he threw it in the water beside her, grinning when she sat up sputtering and wiping water from her face.

"What did you do that for?" she muttered, sounding put upon.

"I call' and call', but you ain't wake up." Rob smiled mischievously. "Come an' eat dese nuts an' berries I done foun' fo' you."

Forcing herself to leave the comfort of her lily pad, Lynna left the water and went to sit beside him on the damp moss. Hungrily, she grabbed a berry and stuffed the sweet, plump, juiciness into her mouth. She found the berries much to her liking, the same with the nuts. The tasty fare stopped the growling in her stomach, but left her far from satisfied.

Rob noticed. "Aftah we finds us a place ta sleep tonite, I see whut kind of meat I kin roun' up fo' supper. I done seed plenty of rabbit' an' squirrel' on dis heah island an' dat big ole sea is full of fish. We ain't gwine starve."

Lynna was immediately on her feet. "Where do we begin?" She was eager to help, having no desire to sleep on the open ground tonight.

Directly across from the pond Rob noticed for the first time what seemed to be an overgrown path. From the height of the grass in comparison with the surrounding vegetation, it was obvious the path had once been well traveled. Tensing, he forced his body to relax lest he alarm the girl. They might not be as alone on this island as he had first suspected.

He wondered if the natives were friendly and issued a silent prayer they weren't the cannibals the pirate captain had often threatened him with. His insides tightened involuntarily at the thought of Lynna meeting with that horrible fate. He hid his fear, vowing to protect her with his very life.

Taking her hand, they followed the path for several hundred feet through the dense jungle. They soon came upon another shaded clearing of soft grass, surrounded on all sides by towering trees and scrubby plant life. Again, Rob noticed that some of the undergrowth wasn't as tall and thick as the rest. Moving to part the thick tangle of vines, he was amazed to find the entrance to a cave.

Stepping inside, he squinted, trying to see through the eerie darkness, yet his eyes could make out nothing except pitch black. The cave had been well used, for what he wasn't sure, although he intended to find out. He walked around the clearing gathering dry leaves, twigs, and two flint rocks as Lynna relaxed on the soft carpet of grass.

Rob rubbed the flint rocks over a pile of kindling until a spark ignited it. Fashioning a makeshift torch, he headed toward the cave entrance. "You waits heah while I takes a look inside."

"Oh, no. I'm going with you. I'm not staying out here alone with... with..." Lynna peered into the jungle, moving even closer to Rob when she heard what sounded like a woman's piercing scream. "That."

"It jus' a bird, Buttercup. I spent time on a plan'ation in Jamaica, so I knows dat sound. Ain't nothin' to be sceared of."

"Just the same," she insisted adamantly. "I am going with you."

They shoved spider webs and other debris aside to enter the cave, gasping in unison as the light from the torch illuminated the interior.

"This is unbelievable," Lynna whispered.

"We ain't de onliest ones on dis heah island," Rob mumbled, nervously surveying his surroundings. "Dat's fo' sho'." His huge hands clenched into tight fists as his sides, suddenly alert to danger.

While he stood motionless, Lynna took the torch and walked around the spacious cave, lighting torches that were attached to the wall.

Light spilled across the room illuminating a carved oak table with two sturdy chairs. If that wasn't mind boggling enough, a cabinet stood in one corner filled with an assortment of carved wooden plates, bowls, cups, spoons and forks. What she found most pleasing was the bed. It was a four-poster with a canvas mattress and spread, presumably made from the sail of a ship.

"This is incredible," Lynna breathed, astonishment in her voice. "Someone must have lived here for quite some time. And whoever carved this furniture was a master of the art." She was quiet as she moved around the room, amazed at the craftsmanship. "Where are they now?"

"I can't answer dat." Rob relaxed a little, realizing that neither natives nor cannibals were accustomed to the lifestyle exhibited in the cave. "But I reckon weah be safe nuff heah, fo' now."

"I reckon we will," she teased, mimicking his speech.

They both assumed from the vast amounts of cobwebs, dust, and small furry creatures inhabiting the cave, that it had been vacated by its previous occupants long ago. Lynna immediately set about cleaning the place, hoping to make it livable by nightfall.

On closer inspection of the much cherished bed, they found the moss filled mattress to be the home of a lively family of chattering squirrels. Rob chased the critters away and carried the mattress outside to refill with fresh moss while Lynna lugged the canvas spread to the beach to wash.

Returning to the cave, they confronted the filthy interior together.

"Rob?" Lynna asked, unable to reach the ceiling. "Can you get those cobwebs down for me?"

"Yes, Ma'am," he answered dutifully.

Lynna turned serious blue eyes on him. "Just yes, Rob. On this island, we are equals. Here, there is no color barrier between us. No master and no slave. Who knows, we may be on this island for the rest of our lives with only each other for companionship. I hope we can be friends.

"You is a fine lady, Buttercup, dat's fo' sho'." He turned to leave. "I'se gwine look fo' supper, so it mite be a w'ile fo' I gits back."

"You might need this." In one corner of the cave stood a various array of spears of all shapes and sizes, a wooden bow and arrow, and a collection of hand carved knives. Picking a spear at random, Lynna held it out to him.

A huge grin split Rob's face. "A man cain axk fo' a better place to be shipwreck', can he?"
  Chapter 34

Later that evening, Rob was lost in thought as they sat at the table after a satisfying meal of baked fish and oysters, cacoon stew, and fresh fruit. Lynna was proud of the meal she had prepared. Cacoon stew was made from a vine called cacoon, with pods that grew up to three feet in length. Rob taught her how to boil the pods and make a stew that was surprisingly very tasty.

He stared into the fire, deep in thought. "I hope some of de others on dat ship was lucky as we was."

"What ship?" she asked curiously. They had been so busy making the cave habitable, there had been little time for discussion. "You said we were shipwrecked. What ship were we on?"

"I keeps forgittin _'_." Rob sighed wistfully. "You done forgot everthin' _._ Mite as well start at de beginnin'."

As his unbelievable story unfolded, Lynna's astonishment grew. She found it difficult, if not impossible, to believe she had actually given herself to a pirate captain to save this huge black man from being whipped. Nor could she believe she was married.

"What did you say my husband's name was?" she queried softly.

"Michael Debero," Rob answered patiently. "He be de brotha' of de pi'ate captain, Sean Debero."

"Then my name is Devereux, at least we know that much." Lynna stood, roaming aimlessly around the cave, trying to make sense of what he was telling her.

Why couldn't she remember?

"My husband Michael is the brother of this pirate captain. We were on our way to Tortuga when the ship was attacked and sank." She stopped suddenly with a look of stunned disbelief. "Is my husband is dead?"

"I don't know, Buttercup. He mite be alive, but I gots my doubts. De las' time I turn' 'round an' look dat whole ship was gwine up in flames." Lynna could only stare, disbelief registering on her face as his words sunk in. "Whut I done tol' you is de truth. De ship was on fire, we jump' ovah de side, an' dat' _s_ alls I member ta I come to down on de beach."

Lynna shook her head dismally. "I wonder if the rest of my life was this adventurous?"

"I cain tell you nothin' 'bout yo life fo _'_ you come to on dat beach. 'Cept dat you live' on a fine sugah plan'ation wit' Mist' Michael."

Lynna sat on the clean canvas spread as sheer exhaustion seemed to seep from every pore in her body. 'Rob, what happened to me? Why can't I remember my life before the shipwreck?" Her eyes filled with tears, glistening in the waning light.

"I cain say. Sometime it be bes' ta forgit de pas'." Rob looked down into his cup, seeing images he had hoped to forget. "Like mines. I was jus' anotha' slave on a fine cotton plan'ation in Jawga. But, dis ain't no awdnary plan'ation. You see, de Mastuh _,_ Mastuh Hawkins, got his fun frum seein' us slaves in pain. Cuttin' off yo hand if'n you got so hongry dat you steal food fo' yo' chillens. I believe he spent mos' his time thankin _'_ up new ways to cause us pain. He even burn' out one man's eyes fo' lookin' too long at his ugly girl. Dat's when I left. I cain take no mo' _._ Even life on dat pi'ate ship, bad as it was, was better dan livin _'_ on dat plan'ation wit dat devil."

Rob glanced up after spilling his guts to find Lynna fast asleep. Pulling the spread over her, he went back to the table, thankful she had fallen asleep before he finished his story. She might fear him if she knew he was a murderer. For in the dead of night, he had killed old man Hawkins for burning out both of his brother's eyes and making his mama watch. His mama had clutched her heart and died shortly after.

Rob no longer had a reason to remain on the plantation. He slipped away that night and made it to the harbor, and the notorious pirate ship.

With Lynna asleep, Rob left the cave to bury the skeleton he found in the forest. It was presumably the occupant of the cave. He had no way of knowing what had killed the man. Sickness, snakebite, or attack from beast or man.

He would probably never know.

The following days were carefree and happy ones. Lynna tore apart her tattered dress and petticoats to fashion two thigh length sarongs, which she tied at the shoulder. With her skin tanned to a rich golden brown, bare feet, and loose shining mane, Rob fancied her to be a golden goddess, and he had no doubt that she was the most beautiful woman he would see in his lifetime. He felt no desire other than to protect her.

Rob had worked at backbreaking labor for the past twenty years, pouring gallons of sweat into the land, for naught. Picking cotton had required him to use only his hands, not his mind. Here, life was different.

Lynna valued his opinions, listening intently as he explained everything from shooting a bow and arrow to opening a coconut. Having someone to trust in him and come to him for advice had made Rob a changed man and the happiest he had ever been. He also had something that had been absent in his life, until now. Pride _._ Lynna had been the catalyst to bring about the change.

After many days of practicing under Rob's patient tutelage, Lynna was soon able to spear fish and sometimes, if the animal would cooperate and remain still, small game. They dined on roasted clams, oysters, cacoon stew and their staple diet of fish and shrimp. This, combined with an abundance of fruits, nuts, and berries, proved to be most satisfying to their appetites. They often made a game of who could capture their meal first, Rob frequently allowing her to win.

"How long have we been here, Rob?" Lynna asked one morning as she was clearing the table and putting the plates in a hand woven basket to take to the stream to wash. She was content with her life on the island, not dwelling on the uncertainties of the past.

Rob held up all ten fingers, closed them and opened them four more times, then closed them and held up nine more. In exchange for sharing his wealth of island knowledge with Lynna, she had been teaching him to count and write, and found him to be a most apt pupil.

"Fifty nine days. Almost two months," she sighed wistfully. "It doesn't seem like we've been on the island that long, does it?"

"No, ma'am." He turned suddenly somber. "I been tryin _'_ to figure a way to git you off dis heah island."

"You will do no such thing!" Lynna insisted. "I'm happy here with you and have no intention of leaving our island sanctuary."

"I'se happy here too, Buttercup. De happiest I done been my whole life. You don't know whut it's like to work till you drop ever'day an' den have a man wit' a whip standin _'_ ovah you jus' waitin' fo' a chance to use it. I was thinkin _' '_ bout yo family. I reckon dey done worrit deyselves sick wonderin' if'n you is dead or alive."

"I don't even know if I have a family, Rob. I may not have anyone to return to." His words had struck a soft spot in her heart. Lynna had caught herself questioning that part of her past with more frequency lately.

"Dat's whut I'se sayin' _,_ Buttercup. Ain't you wantin' ta find out?"

"What I do or do not want doesn't really matter, Rob. I don't see a fine sailing vessel floating in the harbor and waiting to carry us home. There is no way off this island. So that settles it."

Rob was thoughtful for a minute before speaking. "We only seed dis one side of de island. We ain't knowin' whut's on de other side. The man whut carve' all dis fine furniture an' fix up dis heah cave musta got on dis island by ship. Dat ship mite be tied up on de other side of dis island fo' all we knows. I's gwine strike out in de mawnin' an' see whut I kin find."

"I will pack supplies for the trip. Food may not be as plentiful on the other side of the island." Lynna turned to reach for the basket, when Rob's huge calloused hand covered hers.

"Naw, Buttercup. I kin make bettah time by myself. I know you be safe heah in dis cave or I ain't leave you heah alone."

"Alone," she echoed. "Why, I couldn't possibly stay here alone. These woods abound with wild beasts."

Rob chuckled. "How many wile beast' you done seed 'boundin', Buttercup?"

"Well... none, but... that's not to say they aren't there," she insisted. "How long will you be gone, Rob?" She had visions of the lonely days ahead, without his company. Suddenly her paradise felt more like a prison.

"I ain't ritely sho'. I ain't got no way of knowin _'_ how big dis heah island is." Rob wished she wouldn't look so lost and forlorn. He would take her with him, but he knew how demanding scaling the mountain would be, and she would be safe in the cave.

The following morning, Lynna waved to Rob until his receding shape was no longer visible. Hot tears streamed unchecked down her sun-bronzed cheeks.

How could he leave her alone?

He was her only companion in the world, and now even he was forsaking her. She had never felt more alone than she did at that moment. God forbid Rob should meet with an unforeseen accident and never return, leaving her to spend the remainder of her life on this island alone. She would surely go mad.

Neither of them knew what mysteries lay beyond their secluded hideaway in this as yet unexplored haven. She often wondered what had happened to the previous dweller of the cave, yet they had no clue to his disappearance.

Lynna dreaded the nights alone most. She had heard hideous, bloodcurdling screams, waking her from a sound sleep and sending her scurrying to Rob's side, where he slept on a soft pallet of moss in the corner. He would only laugh, explaining which of the forests' many creatures had made the peculiar sound.

She was still far from convinced that some monstrous beast wasn't lurking outside the cave, just waiting for a chance to devour them both. Although that was only when the strange noises filled the deep, dark jungle at night. When the morning sun cast its brilliant beam over the tropical island, she felt no such fear. Until now, realizing that tonight would be her first night on the island without Rob.

After Rob had been gone for a few days, and no man eating creatures had invaded her sanctuary, the feelings of loneliness abated and Lynna took the opportunity to explore her lush surroundings. The island reminded her of a sparkling jewel floating in the warm blue transparent waters of the Caribbean. On one side towered rugged green highlands, on the other stood exotic rain forests brimming with lush flora and fauna. She found great joy in discovering the many delights the beautiful island offered.

In the forest, she found flowers of every size and color. Red, yellow, white, and orange were scattered among the vegetation in a glorious array of color. Wild orchids grew in abundance among the towering bamboo shoots, some stretching as high as one hundred feet, blotting out the sun and leaving the forests cool on even the hottest days.

Much to her surprise, Lynna slept soundly at night, waking up unharmed and in one piece in the morning. She heeded Rob's dire warnings and didn't venture too far into the jungle, only skirting the edges and never failing to be amazed at what she saw. The trees stretched endlessly toward the sky, many reaching heights of over 100 feet. Their tops creating an umbrella that kept the sun from falling on the forest floor, littered with rotten tree trunks, scrubby plant life, and roots. The cool green of the forest was broken often by the vivid array of flowers, blossoming trees, and vines.

One tree was more unusual than it was beautiful, with fruit that reminded her of hanging sausage links. Flourishing among the trees, wrapping and twisting among them were the ever present vines. Nearly as thick as a man's body, they stretched endlessly and twined through the forest like huge ropes.

Walking toward the beach, Lynna found the forest giving way to breathtaking hollows. Tall elephant grass swayed in the gentle breeze amid a landscape dotted with colorful wildflowers.

The white sand under her feet was warm, almost hot as she leisurely strolled the beach, stopping often to watch with apt interest the numerous species of birds that inhabited the island. She enjoyed the bright orange, yellow, and green parrots, cuckoo birds, pelicans, and ever present hummingbirds that fluttered through the trees. She found herself laughing now at the same piercing screams that had filled her with terror on her first night in this tropical paradise.

The shallow ocean waters were alive with bright, exotic tropical fish, gigantic tortoises, and oftentimes she saw fins protruding from the water. In the jungle, she was ever on the look out for monstrous pythons. Rob had cautioned her that even though their bite was nonpoisonous, they could easily squeeze the life from her.

Feeling suddenly cool and shaded, she glanced up to see thick, black clouds rolling in threatening masses over the mountains, and heard the now familiar rumbling of thunder. Afternoon thunderstorms were a frequent occurrence on the island, usually brief, but often accompanied by heavy downpours of rain. For this reason, she hurried down the path toward the cave.

Preoccupied with her thoughts, she failed to notice the tall ship anchored just off shore.
 Chapter 35

Lynna reached their clearing just as fat drops of rain splashed down on her. Standing in the mouth of the cave, she watched the leathery tree leaves bend under the weight of the rain, giving thanks that she made it to shelter before the storm broke.

After lighting the wall torches, she prepared a delicious lunch of oyster stew using coconut milk. Feeling safe and warm in her cozy hideaway, she curled up on the bed listening to the steady dripping of rain in the forest and, after wishing for the thousandth time that she had a good book to read, she drifted into a dreamless sleep.

When she awoke hours later, the rain had ended and the sun was shining brightly, the forest smelling fresh and alive. The huge canopy of trees still trickled water long after the rain had ended, drenching her as she walked under it.

With no direction in mind, she eventually found herself beside the pool. Already wet from the dripping leaves, she dove into the water and swam to her lily pad, climbing inside. Her arms and legs dangled over the side as she kicked her feet to propel mother nature's raft through the water.

A butterfly, the biggest she had ever seen, lighted on her knee. Its wingspan was as broad as both of her opened hands and the vivid colors were flamboyant gold, red, green and shimmering violet. "How lovely you are."

She remained motionless, watching the dazzling insect crawl over her knee until a startling noise from the bushes caused it to flutter away.

At once alert, Lynna peered into the dark jungle, willing herself not to be afraid. She laughed out loud, recalling how terrified she had been when the lily pad had first bumped against her back. Closing her eyes, she relaxed, drifting over the rippling swells that her kicking feet created, convinced the noise was nothing more than one of the jungles small furry creatures at play.

Three men watched Lynna from behind the bushes, speechless, afraid to move a muscle lest the vision before them should disappear. For two of the men, she was an ethereal golden goddess for their love starved eyes. For their Captain, she was the answer to many devout prayers. Joshua stared in shocked disbelief, feeling the tremendous weight he had carried for so long being miraculously lifted from his weary shoulders.

After months of desperate searching, he had finally found her. She was alive, and so exquisitely beautiful. She looked petite and vulnerable in the huge lily pad as her golden hair spilled over to float on the surface of the water. The sarong she wore slipped high on her thigh, exposing the length of her smooth golden legs to their hungry gaze.

"Lynna, my darling." Joshua whispered. "I finally found you."

Lynna's eyes flew open as she cried out in shock, witnessing her worst nightmare come to life. Three men stood on the bank, soaked to the skin, their wet hair plastered to their heads. To her terrified eyes, they were the epitome of evil. In a daze, she swam to the opposite shore, uncertain which way to run.

"Lynna, don't be frightened, my love?" The taller of the three men stepped forward with a gentle smile curving his lips and a questioning light shining in his sea green eyes. He hastened around the pool toward her, but before he was within arm's reach, she was running wildly at breakneck speed through the jungle as if she were being pursued by the devil himself.

"Dear God!" she beseeched, praying for guidance. Where could she hide? Who were those awful men chasing her? Why did one of them call her Lynna? Suddenly, the answer was clear to her.

The pirates.

They weren't dead, as Rob had presumed. They were very much alive, evidently determined to kidnap her and return her to the pirate ship. Rob would never even know what happened to her. "Rob, please, come help me," she whispered, more terrified than she ever remembered being. _No!_ Rob wasn't here to protect her. She would have to fend for herself.

She couldn't hide in the cave, they would follow the trampled path just as she and Rob had done. Her weapons were in the cave. The spears she had become so adept at using. She would need them to survive the sea rover's attack. Racing blindly through the forest, she clutched at her side as sharp talons of fear stabbed her.

Inside the cave, she grabbed two spears and turned to leave. What she witnessed standing in the entrance of the cave caused her body to shudder. Lynna contemplated using the spear on herself, but lacked the courage. Instead, she faced the man blocking her exit, daring him with a savage look.

"Why did you run from me, Lynna?" Again, the tallest man stepped forward with a look of genuine hurt and bewilderment marring his handsome features.

He was almost convincing.

Lynna recognized it as a ploy to make her lose control of the situation. Raising the spear with her right hand and aiming it directly at his heart, she held out her left hand to stop his progress.

"Stay away from me or I will use it," she ordered fiercely, meaning every word. "Now, get off my island."

"Your island?" Mystified, Joshua could only stare at her in complete shock before turning to one of his men. "Return to the ship and give the crew leave to come ashore." As he spoke, his sparkling green eyes never once left her exquisite face. "I can handle this."

Lynna gasped, horrified at his words. Perhaps she could defend herself against the three of them, given the arsenal in the cave, but not his entire crew.

"Are ye sure?" the crewmember responded worriedly, not anxious to leave the captain alone with this wee lass, beautiful though she may be. With her deeply tanned skin and her curve hugging sarong, none of the men had ever witnessed such a sight. There was little comparison to the pale, timid girl they remembered from her time on the _Windjammer_. "I'm almost certain she wouldn't hesitate to use that thing," the crewmember mumbled anxiously, pointing to the sharp tip of the spear.

A deep chuckle rumbled through Joshua's chest. "I won't hesitate to call, should I need your assistance."

Chiding himself for being overprotective, the man left the cave. He had seen the captain do battle with several men at once and still come out the victor. Surely he could hold his own against this slight wisp of a girl.

Alone with Lynna at last, Joshua casually strolled over to the table and sat down, knowing full well that to get close to her it would be his undoing. From a safe distance, his eyes traveled greedily over her scantily clad form. Her shining golden hair fell in silky waves over her sun bronzed shoulders and a lavender orchid was tucked behind her right ear. The sarong molded sensuously to her alluring curves as her unfettered breasts swelled enticingly against the thin material.

At that moment, he would have given all his worldly possessions to take her in his arms and make sweet love to her for the remainder of the day, and night. First, he had to get to the bottom of this charade.

Lynna cast a wary eye toward the man seated at her table as though he owned it. And what a magnificent man he was. Shining black hair spilled over his forehead to be carelessly brushed aside. Eyes the very color of the sea seemed to know her deepest secrets. Eyes that seemed to strip away her sarong and leave her naked beneath his searing gaze.

A deep longing shone in their emerald depths and for some strange reason, Lynna had the urge to throw down the spear and rush headlong into his arms, telling him how frightened she had been. She longed for him to hold her, comfort her, and erase her fears. Lynna had no memory of the past, yet she felt an overpowering attraction for this man. Then, something finally clicked in her brain.

He must be Michael.

_Her husband_.

Of course. Why else would she feel so drawn to this man? Evidently he had survived the shipwreck and searched until he found her. Happiness and relief washed over her. Following her heart, she lowered her guard and asked in a breathless whisper, so close Joshua could almost feel her warm breath on his lips, "Are you Michael?"

Anger flared deep within Joshua as her painful words ripped at his heart. "What childish game do you play, Lynna?" he gritted, grabbing her to shake roughly by the shoulders. "You know who I am. Cease with this senseless charade."

She had been wrong. _Dead wrong._ This man wasn't her husband. Stark terror was her only emotion as his fingers bit cruelly into her shoulders, his eyes probing hers for answers.

Joshua didn't fail to notice the terror that registered briefly on her lovely features. He was alert when she turned to run, catching her easily before she made her escape. Pulling her around to face him, their eyes met and he saw the truth register in her befuddled gaze.

Her body trembled beneath his questing hands as tears glistened on her sooty lashes. Cupping her chin, he forced her to look at him when she would have turned away. "You don't remember me, do you?"

The soft words tugged at her heart so that Lynna again felt the urge to be held and comforted by this man. His breath was warm against her ear as he pulled her close, their bodies touching, igniting a fire.

"I can make you remember, Lynna," Joshua whispered huskily. "Never doubt that for a moment. We shared too much to forget."

His sweet lips touched hers, gently at first, then urgently demanding a response. With a will of their own, Lynna's fingers moved around his neck, entwining in his hair, drawing him closer. His hands on her body were hot, searing through the thin material of her sarong, fanning flames that demanded to be quenched. Joshua lifted her reverently, carrying her to the bed.

"My sweet, sweet Lynna. I have been to hell and back these past months, not knowing whether you were alive or dead." He planted soft kisses over her eyes, nose, and finally her mouth. "I couldn't accept the possibility of never holding you in my arms again." His strong hands closed over her buttocks, pressing her softness fully against him.

Lynna.

That must be her first name, but her last name was Devereux. The word penetrated her brain and had the same effect as ice-cold water being thrown in her face. She was Lynna Devereux, Michael Devereux's wife. She couldn't allow this man, this bloodthirsty pirate, to take what belonged only to her husband. No matter how badly her body craved his touch, or how strong her desire was to continue.

"Stop!" she cried, pushing him away. Quickly retying the sarong, she rushed outside, hoping the cool evening air would clear the confusion in her head. She followed the path to the pool, eager to wash away the feel of his hands and lips on her body.

She stopped dead in her tracks.

The forest was alive with the sounds of shouting and robust laughter. Moving as stealthily as a cat, she peered through the thick undergrowth to discover her pool filled with naked, frolicking men, enjoying their first real baths and fresh water in months. Her face was a bright shade of pink as she turned and ran headlong into the broad chest of the one she sought to escape.

"I should have warned you, my love." Joshua laughed, holding her ensnared as his gaze roamed over her enchanting face. "The men have been at sea for many months, and unless you prefer their company for the night, I would suggest you return to the cave with me."

"I will return to the cave," she gritted. "However, I will go alone."

"As you wish," he stated simply, walking past her to join his men for a much needed bath.

Later that evening, Lynna lay in bed wide awake as shouts from the men's camp carried through the jungle making sleep impossible. If only the cave had a door and a latch. What was to prevent this pirate captain from coming tonight and taking advantage of her while she slept? She had no doubt that he was entirely capable of such brutish acts.

She went to the corner, taking the sharpest spear and placing it under her mattress. Feeling somewhat safer, she was finally able to drift into a fitful, dream laced sleep.

She awoke the following morning smiling a greeting to the new day, having momentarily forgotten the events of the previous one.

"Good morning." Joshua smiled from his vantage point beside the bed.

Gasping, Lynna tugged the cover up to her neck, giving him a look that she hoped accurately conveyed her feelings. "What are you doing here?"

"Seeing that no harm befell you during the night," he replied, puffing lazily on a cheroot.

She flew from the bed to stand before him, outraged at his possessive manner. "I can assure you, sir, that I do not need, or want, your protection. Since I have managed to survive quite nicely thus far without your assistance, I'm sure I can continue to do so in the foreseeable future."

Ignoring her angry outburst, Joshua sipped from a cup from which drifted a most delicious aroma.

Coffee.

Real coffee.

How her mouth watered for a taste. Lynna couldn't draw her eyes from the steaming liquid as she suddenly realized how tired she was of water and coconut milk.

Following her gaze, Joshua handed her the cup. "Forgive me, love. It slipped my mind that you have been deprived of the luxuries most of us take for granted." A slow smile curved his lips as he watched her drain the cup before turning serious. "Tell me, Lynna. How have you managed here alone?" Joshua made a sweeping gesture with his hands. "How did you happen to acquire this furniture? Surely you didn't carve it yourself."

Lynna decided it wouldn't hurt to answer a few of his questions. After all, he had shared his coffee with her.

She moved closer to the edge of the bed where her spear was, _just in case_. Going to the fire he had built in the fire pit just outside the entrance to the cave, Joshua lifted a coffee pot and refilled the cup.

"The cave was like this when we found it," she answered over her shoulder while making the bed. "All Rob and I had to do to make it livable was clean it up and chase out a family of..."

"Rob?" Joshua's voice was low, almost a growl, as he slammed the cup down, splashing most of its contents on the table. "Did you say Rob?"

Lynna felt a cold shiver of fear race down her spine. "Yes... Rob." she said, inching toward the spear. It was obvious the man was barely able to control his rising anger. He appeared livid, ready to explode at any given second. What had she said to make him so angry? She had to keep him talking until she could reach the spear. "We have been blissfully happy here, Rob and I."

In one violent motion, Joshua threw the cup, sending the remains of the coffee splattering against the wall. Grabbing her roughly by the shoulder, his eyes bore into hers. "Who in the hell is Rob?" he ground out as an indescribable pain began eating away at his gut.

Had he been replaced by this Rob so easily?

Lynna wondered if perhaps the man was mentally unstable, or possessed by hidden demons? Then again, if he thought she and Rob were more than just friends, perhaps he wouldn't attempt more intimate advances towards her. She had to convince him they were indeed lovers. "Rob?" she paused dramatically. "I can't tell you very much about him, because I don't know."

"You don't know," he seethed. "You set up housekeeping with a man that you know nothing about?"

"Rob tells me the ship I was traveling on, with my husband, sank after being attacked at sea. Apparently, we were the only survivors." Remembering her ploy, she gazed with longing into his eyes and sighed. "I couldn't survive on this island without Rob to protect me."

"Where is this Godsend now?" Joshua spat, his voice filled with the anguish he was unable to hide.

"Who?"

"Rob!" he snapped. He spoke slowly as he would to a small child. "Where. Is. He. Now?"

"Oh." Lynna had to cover her mouth to hide her smile. "He left a few days ago to explore the other side of the island. He should return any day now."

She turned around just in time to watch him storm out of the cave.

  Chapter 36

Joshua returned later to find Lynna kneading what looked like bread dough. He entered without an invitation and seemed somewhat calmer, although she had been fooled by his mercurial mood swings before. He stood quietly watching her. "Where did you get the ingredients to make bread on this island?"

"From the breadfruit tree," she answered without even glancing his way. "Thank goodness, Rob worked on a plantation in Jamaica and was taught which trees and fruits are edible. He taught me to soak breadfruit in seawater until it softens. Then you peel it, and mash it into a pulp. Next you knead it like this, roll it, and bake it as you would ordinary bread dough."

"Amazing."

"Look at this." She held up what looked like a chunk of ivory. Slicing a small piece, she handed it to him. "Taste it."

Joshua was surprised to find that it had a pleasing nut taste. "What is it?"

"Palm cabbage. The cabbage is the buds on the trees." She then handed him a cup of coconut milk.

"You are a wealth of information."

"Rob is a very good teacher." She instantly regretted mentioning Rob's name after seeing Joshua's knuckles whiten under the pressure of his clenched fists. She hadn't meant to provoke him again. "Since neither of us remembered my name, he calls me Buttercup."

"How touching, I'm sure." Joshua moved to the entrance of the cave, peering outside. "Do you ever leave this cave?"

"I did, before you and your men intruded on the island," she answered truthfully. "We spend most of our evenings on the beach having clam and oyster roasts, or building bonfires, or just watching the sunset. I've never witnessed a more breathtaking sight than when the moon hovers over the island." Lynna cut her eyes toward him when she added, "Now, I'm afraid to leave the cave."

Joshua sat down at the table and crossed his booted feet at the ankles, nodding toward a neat row of seashells lined up on a shelf. "You've found some beautiful shells to add to your collection back home."

Lynna had no idea what collection he spoke of, but she knew a discussion of shells was not what he had on his mind. She was correct. "You need not fear going out as long as you accompany me."

Which danger was greater? Facing his men, or being alone with him? They were silent for a long time, both lost in thought. Joshua was the first to break the silence. "Am I to believe you have no memory of anything that happened before you came to on this island?"

"What I have told you is the truth."

Ignoring her, he continued, undaunted. "And that you awakened on an island with a man you had never seen before and the two of you immediately set up housekeeping together?"

"Did you expect us to live in separate caves?" she murmured guilelessly.

"I sure as hell didn't expect you to share his bed!" Joshua's chest heaved with anger as he scrubbed a hand over his face. "It's impossible for me to believe you have been living in a cave all this time with...with..."

"Rob," she supplied, since he seemed to have some difficulty saying the word.

"Have you no explanations for me, Lynna?" Joshua was begging her to make him understand. "How did you go from loving me, to marrying Michael, to this tryst with...with..."

"Rob."

He opened his mouth to say more. Evidently thinking better of it, he fled the cave in a huff.

Lynna smiled at his retreating form, going over in her mind what he had said. He certainly painted her as a wanton woman with a colorful past. Thankfully, he wasn't aware of her giving herself to the pirate captain to save Rob from being flogged, or he would have surely added that to his long list of grievances.

The following morning, Lynna sat by the edge of the beach digging into the soft sand with her bare foot, watching a ship with the name _Windjammer_ painted on the bow roll with the ocean swells. Heavy clouds rolled over the mountain making the midday heat bearable, almost pleasant as the cool breeze caressed her heated skin.

The scene was ethereal and had been hers and Rob's alone until those horrid men found it. If she admitted the truth, the men weren't so bad. She no longer believed them to be pirates. The few she had come in contact with had gone out of their way to be nice to her, always polite and offering assistance should she need it. As for Joshua, what did she know of this man who claimed to love her?

Absolutely nothing.

It was nice to have her freedom back after the many days of being cloistered in the cave. Joshua had ordered his men to move their encampment further down the beach. Now she never happened upon any of his crew. Little did she know that each man had been issued a personal warning by the Captain. "The lady is mine and I do not share what belongs to me. Any man who doesn't heed my words will answer directly to me." The message in his eyes carried as much weight as his words and each man had taken the warning to heart.

"May I join you?" his sultry voice startled her.

Lynna turned to find Joshua watching her intently. "We have nothing to say to each other." She brushed the sand from her legs and made to rise.

"I can answer most of your questions about your past." His soft words caressed her like silk. "Aren't you curious?"

She turned to face him then, having a strong desire to learn about her past. At the same time, she was afraid she might discover that she had been little more than a shameless hussy. Hiding her blazing face in her hands, she wondered if it might be best if she never learned of her sordid past. However, Joshua seemed determined that she remember, divulging all that he knew of her past in great detail.

Lynna could almost envision her Aunt Judith sitting at the table in the small cottage behind the great plantation Magnolia House, and Crystal running down the beach in Jamaica. Her heart constricted painfully in her chest when he told her about the child. Lynna tried desperately to remember, tried to fit the pieces of the puzzle together. "What part did you play in my past? Did you live in Georgia as well?"

"No, my sweet. My home is in Charleston. We were reunited after three years apart. We met onboard my ship, the _Windjammer_ , when you originally sailed from France."

Lynna peered across the harbor to his ship, hoping for a memory, but none came.

Joshua decided not to mention her father, it would only cause more pain. A mischievous grin curved his lips as he recounted her first night of passion on his ship. The smile rapidly vanished as he continued with Suzanne's treacherous schemes. Pure hatred shone in his eyes as he remembered the pain on Lynna's face the night of the Harvest Ball, when he had believed Suzanne carried his child.

"I couldn't have loved you," Lynna tried to reason with him. "Would I have married another man so soon if I had?"

"You married Michael because you believed we could never be together. You were convinced, as was I, that Suzanne carried my child." He held a handful of sand, allowing it to sift slowly through his fingers. "We are both free now, Lynna. We can start fresh. Your memory may return in time. If it doesn't, I will make you love me all over again." He added, entirely too cocksure of himself, "It shouldn't be too difficult a task."

Lynna wanted to believe him. She prayed that his words were true. Still, she couldn't push the nagging thought from her mind that he was a complete stranger and could be filling her head with lies. Rob was aware that she had lived on the plantation with Michael, yet he had never mentioned this child named Crystal. She wondered if any of what Joshua had told her was the truth.

Taking her hand, Lynna didn't resist when he led her to a grassy knoll where colorful wild flowers waved in a gentle breeze. Joshua bent to pick a handful, presenting her the fragrant bouquet as an offering of peace. When she refused to meet his eyes, he tilted her face and read the confusion in her azure gaze. "You question the truth of my words, Lynna?" With their lips only inches apart, it was an act of sheer willpower that kept him from tasting her sweet nectar.

He was certain beyond a shadow of doubt, that if given half a chance, he could make her remember him. He was sorely tested now each time he was near her. Each time it grew harder to leave. The only solution to the problem was to put some distance between them until he could convince her to trust him.

"I'm not sure what I believe. I need time to think and sort out my feelings," she whispered. "You must try to understand how confusing this is for me." Her eyes swam with unshed tears as they pleaded with him for understanding.

"You will have the time you need." Joshua made a spur of the moment decision. "I will return to the camp with my men."

Lynna looked at him, her pulse quickening for some strange reason. "Will you come back?"

Her response filled him with a small glimmer of hope. "I will be back, Lynna." He planted a tender kiss on her lips before she could voice an objection. "I will not leave this island without you, you have my word." His tone left no doubt that his words were sincere.

Lynna watched him walk away until his tall shadow blended with the trees.

Three days later, she awoke to find him watching her. "Don't you have anything better to do with your time?" She was furious that he came and went as he pleased.

"Than watch you sleep?" Joshua shook his head, having found it impossible to stay away. "Since I was denied the pleasure for so long, I can't imagine a more agreeable past time. I find watching you in the flesh far greater than imagining you in my dreams."

Why did she have such a strong desire, an almost overwhelming desire, to slide over and hold back the covers for him to join her? When her blushing cheeks betrayed her, Joshua needed no more encouragement. Moving toward her slowly, their eyes locked, so close they could almost touch.

When she felt his warm breath on her lips, she panicked. "I can't betray my husband. Even though I have no memory of him, there must have been love between us or I wouldn't have married him."

It was entirely possible that he had survived the shipwreck, unharmed, just as she and Rob had. Lynna put her hands out to stop Joshua's progress, but he easily brushed them away with a steely glint in his emerald eyes.

"Don't fight me, Lynna. My patience has worn thin and I will have for myself what you so eagerly give to _your_ Rob. I cannot bear this torture another day." The past few days had been especially difficult for Joshua as sleep had been impossible. He hadn't meant to mention the other man, yet he couldn't rid his mind of him. The thought of them together, making love, burned his mind like a branding iron and he was immediately possessed by a blinding rage.

With a rending tear he ripped the sarong from her shoulders, drawing in a ragged breath at the sight of her naked loveliness. He prayed she would come to him willingly, without a fight.

Instead, she clawed at his neck leaving four bloody trails. Taking her hands in one of his, he held them above her head as the blood from the wounds she had inflicted dripped onto her neck and chest, smearing over her skin as his lips left their path. Lynna fought the passion rising in her. With all her strength she fought it. She would never succumb to his lust.

She remembered the spear hidden under her bed, impossible to reach with his heavy weight atop her. With no other weapon available, she sank her teeth deep into his shoulder, causing him to pull away so fast he almost took her teeth with him.

"Does Rob have to fight you when he takes you? Is that how you like it now? Or do you go willingly to his bed?" He hated her for the pain she was causing him.

No, that was a lie meant to justify his depraved actions.

He could never hate her.

Glancing down into her eyes, swimming with tears, Joshua's heart melted as he realized one truth. If the only way he could have Lynna was by force, he didn't want her. Overwhelmed with tenderness for her, his lips descended and he drank of her sweet mouth one last time before rising to leave the cave without a word.
  Chapter 37

Lynna was in the midst of a good cry when Rob returned. "Buttercup _,_ who is all dem mens' out yonder?"

At the sound of his voice, Lynna wrapped the spread around her and flew into his welcoming arms. She heard his sharp intake of breath and felt his huge body tremble with unsuppressed rage as he glared at the blood smeared across her neck and chest. "Who done dis ta you?"

She was afraid to tell him, having no desire to see Joshua suffer. "As you can see, I'm unharmed, Rob." She tried to sound brave. "This is his blood, not mine."

"Buttercup, you done give yo'self to save me from bein _'_ flogged, an' long as I live ain't no man gwine hurt you an' live ta brag 'bout it." Leaving her helplessly clutching the canvas spread, he strode determinedly toward the beach.

Rob had hoped and prayed to never see, or be forced to deal with, another white man as long as he lived. But he had a wrong to make right, and he would see it done.

Lynna quickly donned her good sarong and followed him.

Joshua and Rob were face to face when she reached the beach. Rob's huge form towered over Joshua's as he stood at the water's edge, washing smears of blood from his chest. "Is you da man whut done rape Buttercup?" Rob demanded with his fists clenched tightly by his sides, ready to take on the entire crew if they dared interfere.

"Did she tell you that I raped her?" Joshua asked casually, not realizing who Rob was, nor the depth of his anger.

"She ain't gots ta tell me," Rob snarled. "I done seed de blood on her. You gwine answer me?"

It was slowly dawning on Joshua just how angry this behemoth was. "I certainly wouldn't describe our encounter as rape."

"What evah you calls it, I aims ta kill you fo' it," Rob warned, just before his meaty fist connected with Joshua's jaw, sending him sprawling backward into the sand. Joshua tried to stand when Rob kicked him viciously under the chin, snapping his head back with enough force to break it.

Rob lunged again, but Joshua grabbed his legs, toppling him and bringing the huge man down. They exchanged blow for blow rolling in the sand until Rob won the advantage when he landed on top of Joshua with his hands going around his neck. Joshua clawed at the massive hands to no avail as blackness rapidly closed around him.

"Rob, stop!" The scream was torn from Lynna's throat as she raced toward them. "Stop! You'll kill him!"

"He need ta die fo' whut he done ta you!" Rob raged.

Lynna made to throw herself on Rob's back at the same time as Rob drew back his fist to pummel Joshua. Rob's fist caught Lynna below her left eye, knocking her out cold.

Joshua's men, hearing Lynna's scream, came running. It took four of the stoutest crewmembers to subdue Rob and tie him to a coconut tree. Two of those men would be incapacitated for days. "You need me to get the cat-o-nine-tails, Captain?" one of them asked.

"Yes," Joshua gasped, his throat burning as though it was on fire. He hoped to intimidate the goliath who had almost sent him to an early grave and keep him still long enough to find out what the hell was going on.

Seconds later, Lynna opened her eyes to see Joshua kneeling over her. "Lynna, are you hurt?"

"I's sorry, Buttercup. I sho' nuff is sorry," Rob muttered, struggling ferociously against the ropes that bound him.

"Nonsense, Rob, it was an accident," she replied, still dazed. "I should have made my presence known. I know you would never intentionally harm me or anyone else."

"Here's that whip, Captain," the eager crewman grinned.

Whip?

At that moment, the fact that Rob was tied to a tree, with his back exposed, sank into Lynna's spinning head. She leapt to her feet, forcefully shoving Joshua aside and rushing to Rob's side. "Untie him this second. Bring me your knife, Joshua. If you inflict one lash on this man, I swear I will murder you all while you sleep."

Moving to take the distraught girl in his arms, Joshua held her against his chest until she stilled. "Calm yourself, Lynna," he said as gently as possible. "I will untie him if he gives his word not to try to kill me again." He had never seen her so distressed. Her slight figure trembled with rage.

Joshua ordered six of his most able bodied seaman to stand at the ready before issuing the order to untie the giant.

That voice.

Lynna knew that voice. Words and voices and faces seemed to scramble around in her head madly, before it finally cleared.

Joshua?

With a cry of delight, she raced toward an astonished Joshua and leapt into his arms, finding his lips for a long, smoldering kiss that didn't end until one of the crewmembers began coughing to gain their attention. "Oh, my darling, Joshua," she whispered, lowering her lips to his again. "It really is you. I remember now. I remember everything."

"It's about damn time." Joshua grinned, spinning her around in his arms. "I thought I would have to kidnap you off this damned island." He nudged his head toward Rob. "Who's the goliath?"

"Rob, of course." She grinned at his shocked expression. "I wouldn't be alive now if he hadn't taken such good care of me. I owe him my life, Joshua."

"You're...?" Joshua looked at Rob, marveling at his own stupidity. He had been a fool to jump to such harebrained conclusions without first finding out the details. With a nod toward Lynna's champion, Joshua spoke from the heart. "I am forever in your debt, sir."

Rob returned his nod, and in a tone of voice that left no doubt as to the seriousness of his words, he said, "I knows no black man ain't 'pose to threat no white man. But out heah on dis island, dey ain't no law to speak of, an' Buttercup done said we was equal', so I's tellin' you now. If'n you or any otha man touch her agin, an' she ain't want you to, I rips you apart wit' my bare hands."

No man there doubted the sincerity of his words as he disappeared into the forest.

Lynna and Joshua were eating breakfast when Rob entered the cave two days later. Joshua stood to shake his hand. "My ship is ready to sail with the morning tide, Rob. Are you sure we can't persuade you to join us?"

"Naw sir, I's stayin' heah. Dey's huntin' fo' me back in Jawga. Heah, I ain't got no boss an' nobody standin _'_ ovah me wit' a whip."

"Nobody would stand over you with a whip at Sea Grove. You have my word on that," Joshua assured him. "You would have your own cabin and live life as leisurely as you pleased."

"Please, Rob," Lynna pleaded. "Come home with us."

"I's happy heah, Buttercup." Rob shook his head sadly at the thought of being alone on the island. "Fo' de firs' time in my life."

"I understand, Rob," Lynna replied softly, moving toward the big man and into his waiting arms. She turned to Joshua with tears swimming in her eyes. "Could we come back to the island next year for a visit? Perhaps by then he will have changed his mind and be willing to return home with us."

"Of course we can. We will return periodically and bring supplies." Joshua extended his hand to the huge man. "I owe you a debt of gratitude, my friend. One that I will never be able to adequately repay. If you hadn't thrown Lynna over the side of that pirate ship, odds are great that both of you would have perished along with the others. If you hadn't been with her here on the island..."

Joshua could only shake his head, refusing to give thought to the horrible possibilities. "Thank you again." He turned to Lynna with a beaming countenance and held out his hand. "Come, my love, the _Windjammer_ awaits."
 Chapter 38

Four months later, Lynna found it impossible to be still. "Aunt Judith, this is absolutely your most stunning and fabulous creation ever," she marveled **,** twirling in front of the cheval glass.

Judith smiled radiantly

Lynna spun around the room excitedly. "Oh, Aunt Judith, can you believe I'm finally marrying the man of my dreams today?"

"I certainly can." Judith beamed. "In less than one hour your dreams will at long last become a reality."

The wedding gown was a magnificent work of art. Off the shoulder creamy organza with row upon row of lacy ruffles cascading over the full, flowing skirt and hand sewn beading, causing the gown to glitter. Her tulle veil fell over her face, and a long train, attached to the skirt, trailed behind her.

Miles away at Magnolia House, Suzanne clutched a voodoo doll that had been made to the likeness of Lynna. She fell back on her bed laughing maniacally as a malicious smile curved her lips.

Enjoy your day of happiness, Lynna, for it will surely be your last.

Lynna stood at the top of the mahogany staircase at Sea Grove with their family and friends gathered below. Her fondest wish was that Joshua admired the gown as much as she did, considering her to be as beautiful as she felt in it. She heard the music begin downstairs and knew it was her cue.

Lifting the skirt of her wedding gown, she slowly descended the stairs as the soft strains of a pianoforte filled the air. Many gasps, sighs, and whispers were heard as she reached the bottom of the stairs and slowly came into view.

Peering into the ballroom, she saw Joshua watching her with eager anticipation as a wide grin split his handsome features. She saw her Aunt Judith in widow's weeds. Her uncle had met with an early demise in a drunken brawl in one of the taverns he frequented, shortly after their return.

Judith smiled a secretive smile, noticing the slight rounding to Lynna's stomach. Just yesterday she had altered her wedding gown, again.

Lynna smiled at Aunt Gypsie, Aunt Bertie, and Uncle Cliff, who returned her smile with tears of joy. She noticed Joshua's parents and sister gazing at her with loving eyes, next to a beaming Samuel and Beth.

Everyone she loved was in attendance, except her beloved father. She couldn't allow herself to think about that now and spoil her wedding day. Instead, she drew a deep breath and held her body erect as she walked down the aisle toward the man she would love until the day she drew her final breath. He was unbelievably handsome in his wedding raiment.

At last, she stood in front of the pastor and Joshua took her hand.

"Dearly beloved, we are gathered here today..."

Lynna barely registered his solemn words as she gazed into Joshua's sea green eyes. She tried to concentrate on the pastor's voice as he intoned, "If there is anyone here who objects to the joining of Lynna Makensie Mathison and Joshua Daniel Jordan, let him speak now or forevermore hold his peace."

"I object!" came a loud voice from the entrance. "And her name is Lynna Makensie Rhodes."

Lynna gasped as a hush fell over the waiting crowd.

Could it be?

At the sound of the familiar voice, she turned toward the door. "Father!" she cried, as her suddenly trembling legs threatened to give way beneath her. Leaving a grinning Joshua at the altar, she rushed down the aisle to launch herself into her father's outstretched arms. "Father, where have you been? What took you so long? I have so much to tell you. Oh, Father, you have made me the happiest bride on earth."

"My own darling daughter is about to be wed. I wouldn't have missed it for the world." Nathan Rhodes struggled to maintain his composure as he held his daughter close. "Here, my child. Let me look at you."

Thank God, Joshua thought, breathing a deep sigh of relief. Months earlier, just after he and Lynna had become reacquainted and he knew that he would conquer all odds to make her his wife, he had sent a ship to France with orders to bring Nathan Rhodes back to Charleston, hogtied if necessary.

After several minutes of holding his cherished daughter in his arms, Nathan brushed a betraying tear from his cheek and cleared his throat. "As the father of the bride, I have but one objection. I was not permitted to give my daughter away. I would request the wedding be started again from the beginning, so that I may have the honor of escorting my beautiful daughter down the aisle."

"Of course, Father," Lynna laughed and cried at the same time as she walked with her father to the bottom of the stairs to begin the wedding march. "Father, why didn't you write me? I've been so worried about you. It has been so long since you sent me away, and you didn't send funds as you promised?"

"Didn't send funds?" Nathan Rhodes blustered. "Why you were given a monthly allowance that should have kept both you and my sister living like queens. What is the meaning of this? Are you telling me you did not receive your monthly allotment? Who had access to my sister's account?"

"Tobias." All of a sudden, Lynna knew the answer to the puzzle. "I should have figured it out sooner. One of his relatives owns the bank."

Nathan held his daughter as though he would never let her go. "Each and every day was torture for me, Lynna. I simply could not risk corresponding with you, my darling. I refused to leave a paper trail, leading the villains straightaway to you. Nevertheless, when I received word from Joshua, informing me that you were to be wed, I had to come. I couldn't miss the wedding of my most beloved. Now that I'm here, I find that I enjoy having my feet planted in Georgia soil again. Who knows, I just might decide to remain for a while."

"I have something to tell you, Father, that might help with your decision." Patting her stomach, Lynna blushed prettily as she whispered in her father's ear.

Nathan's fists clenched at his sides as he gave his soon to be son-in-law a quelling glance before relaxing and taking a deep breath. What was done was done, and his daughter had never looked happier. According to Jeremiah and Patricia, Joshua had proven his love for Lynna many times over.

Placing his beloved daughter's hand in the crook of his arm, Nathan walked her down the aisle and handed her over to Joshua with a broad grin. "Again, I implore you, Captain Jordan. Guard my most treasured procession well."

"With my life, Mr. Rhodes," Joshua promised. "With my life."

The End

As my gift to you, continue reading Book One in the

Curse of the Conjure Woman Series,

Lynna's Beau

 Chapter 1

Charleston, SC 1854

Lynna Jordan nibbled her full lower lip as concern etched a delicately arched brow. The way she saw it she had good cause for her disquietude. Hadn't heartache been her constant companion since leaving her home in France? Hadn't her dreams and best laid plans for a new beginning in America gone horribly awry, almost immediately upon stepping foot on lowcountry soil?

Wasn't Suzanne Fletcher, her sworn nemesis, _determined_ to steal Lynna's loving, devoted, and extremely sexy husband?

As of this very moment, Lynna was happy. Truly, ecstatically, over the moon happy. What concerned her was, would it last? Or would the bottom fall out from under her feet like ocean sand, as it always had in the past?

Her husband's silky smooth voice snatched her from her reverie. "Not that I have ever been intimate with a lady in your delicate condition prior to now," Joshua whispered for her ears only, "but I must confess that you are most becoming for someone blossoming with impending motherhood."

He knelt beside her as Lynna sat ramrod stiff in an overstuffed wing chair, unraveling a pillows feathery fringe with nervous fingers. He paused for a moment to breathe a deep sigh of contentment as his eyes feasted upon her exquisite beauty. As captain of the _Windjammer_ Joshua had viewed beautiful women in ports all over the world. Yet, his enchanting wife surpassed them all.

She had been blessed at birth with smooth creamy skin and breathtaking vivid blue eyes that sparkled up at him, enticing moist pink lips, a dainty upturned nose, and waist length, feathery golden curls that hugged her enchanting curves.

After thanking his lucky stars Joshua reached for the pillow, placing it on a chair safely out of reach. "Mother has a particular fondness for this pillow, especially since her own mother passed it down prior to her death. Let's not destroy it," he teased, reaching to brush a stray wisp of hair behind her ear. "Would you care to discuss what is troubling you, my love?"

Forcing herself to relax and quit borrowing trouble, she gazed into gorgeous green eyes that were the very color of the sea. "I was just contemplating the fact that I don't feel very becoming as of late." She exhaled a defeated sigh. "To be honest, I feel more like a lumbering cow."

Joshua's sultry wink caused her heart to flutter against her ribcage. "Should you care to accompany me upstairs, I would be more than happy to caress away any concerns that you might have, one by one."

She marveled that her heart still did somersaults whenever his whispered breath caressed her ear. Her devilishly handsome husband, tall, well over six feet, with black wavy hair that fell carelessly across his forehead and skin tanned golden from many hours spent on the deck of his ship. His teeth were pearly white and sparkled when he smiled at her, which was often.

"Joshua," his sister Malinda interrupted their tete a tete knowing full well that if her brother and his bride went upstairs she wouldn't see them again for several hours. "You didn't forget to accept our invitation to Samuel and Beth's annual Harvest Ball, did you? All our friends will be there and Lynna and I had the final fittings on simply divine ball gowns this morning."

"I sent our regrets, since we won't be attending the Ball this year." Joshua sauntered to the fireplace, taking his own sweet time at lighting a cheroot before casting a quelling glance toward his sister. "Due to past circumstances, I'm rather surprised that you would even suggest it, Malinda."

"Nonsense," Lynna insisted, ignoring her husband's determined glare. "Of course we will be attending the Ball. Why, Samuel and Beth are our dearest friends."

"I know exactly what you are thinking, dear brother," Malinda was quick to add. "However, you can't allow Suzanne Fletcher to spoil what is surely to be the most exciting social event of the season.

"Rumor in the slave quarters has it that Suzanne has recently begun studying the ancient art of voodoo." Joshua grinned mischievously. "I have no doubt that by now she has concocted a curse designed for the specific purpose of making me fall head over heels in love with her." He winked first at his wife. "I can hardly fathom that you would be willing to risk losing my love forever, for a few dances." Then, to his sister, "Why make it easy on Suzanne and give her the perfect opportunity to cast her love spell on me during the Ball?"

Lynna and Malinda giggled at such foolishness as voodoo.

Joshua, darling," Lynna wheedled, bestowing upon her husband a pleading look that he rarely, if ever, refused. "As Malinda said, practically everyone in the entire county will be at Cedar Hill for the Harvest Ball. Besides, surely Suzanne wouldn't have the audacity to make an appearance this year. Surely the odious girl has some small measure of pride."

"Suzanne? Pride? Since when?" Joshua threw up his hands, gazing at her with narrowed eyes. "You, of all people, should know better than that, Lynna. I can't for the life of me conceive of a single malicious act that would be beneath Suzanne's audacity. And as for pride, we can all attest that she doesn't possess a single trace."

Joshua gazed into the leaping flames as though contemplating a matter of great importance. Unable to reach a decision that wouldn't leave both females pouting and giving him the cold shoulder for weeks to come, he absentmindedly reached into his pocket and withdrew a round wooden cylindrical spool with a string attached to the center.

Lynna and Malinda watched with fascination as he inserted a loop knot over his middle finger and began tossing the item toward the floor. When the end of the string was reached, it magically wound back up toward his hand.

"What is that?" Lynna asked curiously. She watched in amazement as Joshua threw the toy toward the floor and it wound back up to be caught each time. "Why, I have never seen anything like it."

"This is a bandalore."

"A bandalore?" Lynna repeated. "Where on earth did you get it?"

"A man on the docks in England sold it to me one morning as the _Windjammer_ was being loaded. I had observed him playing with the odd trinket for some time when he asked if I would care to try it. The gentleman, of Filipino origin, informed me that in his country it is called a 'come come' or 'yo yo'." Joshua continued tossing and grabbing the unique toy as if it were great fun. "I find it to be a remarkable stress reliever."

"I may need to borrow it before this day is over," Malinda mumbled, not even trying to hide her disappointment. "Joshua, please, won't you reconsider?"

His decision made, Joshua shook his head. "Even though it pains me to be the cause of your distress I cannot subject Lynna to Suzanne's vitriol, especially in her condition. Therefore, the matter is settled. We will not be attending this year." Giving his sister a pointed glance, he added, "There is always next year."

Lynna twisted a lacy handkerchief anxiously in her lap. Malinda was of a marriageable age and the Harvest Ball would be her best chance to find a prospective suitor. The dear girl would be devastated if they didn't attend.

Lynna couldn't allow that to happen. Not because of her dear husband being entirely too overprotective. "Joshua, darling, I have to agree with Malinda. Even if Suzanne were to insist on attending the ball, I'm not sure that her parents would agree, all things considered. Surely she wouldn't dare make an appearance after the humiliating debacle her family endured last fall."

Joshua scoffed, "At her own brother's ball? When the rest of her family will be attending? I see no reason why she wouldn't join them." Removing the string from his finger, he dropped the bandalore on the mantle, taking his wife's hands to gently pull her to her feet. "Lynna, as we all know, Silas Fletcher is incapable of speaking the word no in his precious daughter's presence."

Unable to deny that his words were true, Lynna was forced to nod her head in agreement.

Joshua paused to drop a kiss on the end of her pert nose. "Suzanne has, and always will have, anything she desires just for the asking. If she chooses to attend her brother's ball, she will be delivered to Charleston posthaste with no questions asked by her parents."

"You are wrong on one point, Joshua." Lynna tugged his head down to hers for a soft kiss that left them both yearning for more. "Suzanne did not get you."

Gathering his exquisite wife in his arms, Joshua inhaled the lilac fragrance of her hair. "True, my love. Because my heart was already stolen by a blue eyed seductress who will soon give birth to my first child, and I will not allow Suzanne or anyone else to cause you undue stress."

Malinda released a long suffering sigh and cast a sorrowful glance toward Lynna, fully aware that she was her one and only hope of changing her stubborn brother's mind.

Standing on tiptoe to place her arms around her husband's neck, Lynna peered over his broad shoulder to give Malinda a sly wink and a secretive smile.

Seeing this, Malinda relaxed in her chair as the tension slowly ebbed from her body. She felt safe in the knowledge that Lynna had Joshua exactly where she wanted him.
 Chapter 2

Hours later, moonlight filtered through the lacy curtains to cast a golden hue over the occupants of the bed. Lynna's baby gave one last determined kick before settling down for the night.

Again her mind refused to shut down as the nagging worry that her bubble of happiness could shatter at any moment swirled around in her head.

Enough of that.

She was married to the man of her dreams, or as Jasmine, the head housekeeper at Magnolia House, would say, "de bes' lookin' thang God done evah strung a gut through," and she would soon deliver his child. No woman could ask for more.

After numerous kidnapping attempts in her native France, Lynna's father had sent her to America to live with her Aunt Judith until the criminals could be caught and punished. Five years later, she could smile, recalling how Jasmine had taken her under her protective wing and shown Lynna the love that she so desperately needed after being unceremoniously deposited in a new land. Jasmine could always lift Lynna's spirits, even during the lowest of times.

Snuggling her behind deeper against her husband's firm body, she pleaded, "Joshua, darling, would you consider changing your mind about the Ball?"

"No, Lynna," he stated unequivocally.

"You are being completely unreasonable. What harm could it do? Suzanne can't hurt me, and even if she tried," she squeezed his arm to soften her words, "you are never more than an arms length away at any given moment."

"Are you insinuating that I smother you?" He chuckled, caressing the blossoming mound that he hoped contained a daughter who was the very image of her enchanting mother.

"Not at all. In fact, I love having you ever by my side. I was just saying that Suzanne is not going to cause any trouble, and if she did...well... I have complete confidence in your ability to protect me."

Struggling to roll her rounded body over to face him, Lynna rested with her lips less than an inch from his. As their warm breath mingled she inhaled the heady fragrances of tobacco and wine. Slipping her hand across his finely chiseled jaw and around his neck, she ran her fingers through the silky smooth texture of his hair, pulling him toward her. Barely touching her moist parted lips to his, she heard him moan deep in his throat as he slanted his mouth over hers.

She would never get her fill of this man.

Their tongues did an intricate dance of love for several minutes as curls of need shivered through Lynna's limbs leaving her breathless. They reveled in the taste, the feel, the softness, the wetness, until they were throbbing with a desire that only the other could quench.

A shiver tingled down Joshua's spine as she ran her tongue over his lips, sucking his bottom lip into her luscious mouth. "You have become quite the expert at kissing, my love," he whispered against her open mouth.

She sucked his tongue, causing a fiery heat to travel from Joshua's lips to his lower anatomy with lightening speed.

A fiery knot of desire ignited between Lynna's thighs as Joshua rolled her to the opposite side and she pressed her naked buttocks against his groin. Lifting her leg, he placed it on his hip as he lavished her neck with his tongue, guiding himself gently toward her opening.

Lynna didn't want gentle. Feeling an urgency that was not to be denied she arched her back, pressing against him until he slipped inside her, filling her completely.

She was so slick, so moist, so tight, like a well lubricated glove. Breathing heavily, Joshua had to hold perfectly still for a moment to get his bearings. Lynna, on the other hand, couldn't be still, pushing back against him as a low moan of ecstasy escaped her parted lips.

Joshua knew her pleasure was about to crest as he caressed her breast, kneading her nipple and bemoaning the fact that he wasn't in a position to suckle the sweet peak. Instead, he ran his tongue along her ear, wanting his mouth on a part of her body, anywhere. It didn't matter where. He just needed to taste her.

Lifting her leg a tiny bit higher, he was able to go deeper still, causing her to cry out his name on a shattered breath. He propped her leg on his arm, moving his hand to the sensitive spot between her thighs and making swirling circles as she stiffened beneath his hands.

When the pleasure was almost unbearable Lynna pressed back against him harder and harder, burying his shaft deeper and deeper, until she thought she might die from this assault of erotic sensations. Striving toward the rush of ecstasy that her body craved, she spread her legs wider and wider, pushing him deeper and deeper, grinding against him over and over until her body found such a sweet release that she almost wept with pleasure.

Unable to be still, she wiggled her buttocks against him until the contractions deep inside her body slowed. She encircled his neck with her hand, arching her body against his as his finger again found her most sensitive spot. She groaned softly as her body surged to life. It was short lived, however, as he swiftly brought her to the peak of ecstasy with his practiced touch.

She cried out her release while Joshua savored her deep contractions, pulsing around him, threatening to pull every last ounce of strength from his body. He penetrated her fully one last time, clutching her hip against his as tremors of intense ecstasy rushed through every nerve ending in his body, leaving him limp.

Several minutes later, when their breathing had returned to normal, Joshua held her close. "Now, to finish what we were discussing before I was so pleasantly interrupted."

"Refresh my memory, darling," Lynna murmured sleepily. "My mind has apparently turned to mush as I cannot remember a single thought prior to our lovemaking."

Joshua placed a soft kiss on the back of her neck. "We were discussing Suzanne, and my ability to protect you from her. Rest assured, my love, that I am not in the least concerned with Suzanne physically attacking you while you carry my child. She values her worthless life too much. It is her verbal abuse that cuts to the heart."

"Her words can't hurt me, Joshua."

"Suzanne has a tongue like a viper, Lynna, and she knows your weaknesses well. We both know that she would find a way to sink her claws into you before the night was over."

Joshua rested his hand on the bottom of her midsection, waiting for his daughter to begin her nightly exercise routine. "Suzanne Fletcher is a useless blight on the face of humanity and you should never be within striking distance of her, at least not while you carry my child and cannot fend for yourself. Now please, darling, can we let the matter rest?"

Lynna sighed forlornly, knowing full well how her moods affected him. Wiggling on the feather mattress, she tried to find a comfortable position. One that would, hopefully, prevent the baby from nestling against her bladder. "It's just that I know Jasmine is visiting Sea Grove to help with the Ball." Here she daintily grunted for a little extra persuasion. "And I so wanted to talk with her about childbirth, and breastfeeding, and teething, and this awful heartburn, and diaper rash and so many other things. I have missed her so, more than anyone else at Magnolia House."

"I think about Jasmine often myself," Joshua admitted.

"We both miss her, and Jasmine is so knowledgeable about birthing babies and such." Giving one last dramatic sigh for added effect, she continued with her melancholy speech. "I just wish I could talk to her about my fear of... childbirth."

Although Lynna felt a twinge of guilt for taking such unfair advantage of her devoted husband, she comforted herself with the knowledge that every word she had spoken was the absolute truth.

Joshua silently shook his head and stifled a laugh, lifting his mouth to nuzzle his wife's hair. _The lass could play him like a fiddle._ "You don't fight fair, my love." With a defeated groan, he mumbled, "You win. However, at the first whiff of trouble we return home. That is my one condition. Do you agree to it?"

"Yes, my darling," she murmured innocently. "Of course I do, but whatever changed your mind?"
 Chapter 3

"I don't know how you managed it, Lynna." Malinda was barely able to control her excitement. She stepped down from the carriage in front of their neighboring plantation of Cedar Hill, the home of Suzanne's brother, Samuel Fletcher, with an infectious smile. "But I am forever in your debt." Merriment danced in her eyes as she reached over to give Lynna a quick hug. "Thank you for convincing my brother to allow us to attend the Harvest Ball."

Overhearing his sister's comment, Joshua took his wife's arm and gazed lovingly into her azure gaze as he ushered her up the steps and onto the verandah. "The wench knows I can deny her nothing and she was slathering woe is me like butter on bread last night. I am of the opinion that the two of you should be ashamed for taking such unfair advantage of an innocent man."

Malinda laughed gaily, peering through the windows into the brightly lit ballroom. "Oh, don't be such an old stick in the mud, Joshua. Listen to the music and laughter. This will be the most fun we've had in ages."

Lynna had a pained flashback of the last Ball she attended at Cedar Hill and suppressed a delicate shudder.

That was all behind her now, in the past, where it belonged.

There would be no drama tonight.

Suzanne was a hundred miles away in Savannah, and Joshua was hers, forever and ever.

The trio had made no more than a dozen steps through the doorway when Lynna's good humor deserted her on the spot. Suzanne was considerably less than a hundred miles away.

In fact, she was standing no more than a foot in front of her.

Suzanne Fletcher was the coddled and only daughter of the fabulously wealthy Silas Fletcher, owner of one of the most profitable cotton plantations in the entire South.

Suzanne had one goal in life.

To win the heart of Captain Joshua Jordan.

If necessary to accomplish her goal, she would have no absolutely no qualms whatsoever with killing his wife in the process.

Aunt Judith was the seamstress for the Fletcher family. Lynna had lived in a small house behind the great plantation house with her aunt until her marriage to Joshua. Although Lynna and Suzanne had practically been raised as sisters, their tenuous friendship had dissolved immediately after the appearance of Captain Joshua Jordan at Suzanne's debutante ball.

Simply put, Joshua had chosen Lynna over Suzanne. In the days that followed, due to her jealous rage, all hell broke loose with a vengeance.

"Well, Joshua Jordan, as I live and breathe," Suzanne purred. "Why, I never in a million years imagined seeing you here tonight."

Lynna felt Joshua's body grow tense as his eyes shot daggers in Suzanne's direction.

She was resplendent in a pink satin ball gown with diamonds dripping from her neck, ears, and wrists. Her black hair was piled high on top of her head with wispy tendrils falling to frame her delighted face.

Lynna and Suzanne were a study in contrast.

Lynna's hair was the color of spun gold, while Suzanne's hair resembled a raven's wing, so black the same sun reflected gleaming blue highlights.

Their eyes were no less different. Lynna's eyes were shimmering pools of summer sky blue crystal that changed with her every emotion. Suzanne's eyes were brown with green flecks, admittedly not one of her best features.

Both girls had been blessed at birth with the pearly white skin so cherished by Southern women. They protected their skin from the ravages of the sun with parasols, hats, sunbonnets, and nightly applications of buttermilk. Although the vast majority chose to avoid the sun entirely, as did Suzanne, venturing outside only in early morning or late evening.

"And would you just look at who you brought with you." Suzanne put a pale hand to her throat as if shocked out of her wits to see Lynna standing before her.

"I am Joshua's wife, Suzanne." Lynna smiled sweetly, knowing the barb would cut to the bone. "Why wouldn't I attend the Ball with my husband?"

Suzanne was on a roll.

The night could only go downhill from here.

Suzanne paused, as if contemplating for the very first time in her life the meaning of discretion, and swiftly realizing that she didn't care for it. Pretending that the thought had only just occurred to her, she peered around the filled to capacity ballroom before her eyes fell on Joshua. "Why, it was in this very room that you proposed wasn't it, darling?"

"I _never_ proposed to you, Suzanne," Joshua wasted no time in correcting her, clearly appalled that she would even hint at such an absurd notion. "I was forced into marrying you by your lies, as you damn well remember. Please, don't even attempt to turn that fiasco into some sordid love match."

Suzanne realized that she _should_ be livid at his callous treatment of her, but she still found it to be an almost impossible task to hide her undying love for Joshua from him, or anyone else in the room. "Joshua, how you do run on. No one could force a man such as yourself to do anything you didn't want to do."

"Not for long anyway," he sneered.

Suzanne's eyes danced with pure joy to have Joshua in her presence again after so long. With a flirtatious wink, she cast upon him her most dazzling smile. "Joshua, I do declare, you have gotten even more handsome than you were the last time I saw you."

Joshua could only glare at her, marveling that the girl hadn't been admitted to an institute for the mentally insane.

"I hear congratulations are in order for you and your new... um..." Suzanne paused, as though she could not bring herself to say the word wife. Her gaze dropped to Lynna's midsection as her eyes took on a steely glint. Her lips curved into a twisted smile as she simpered, "Why, surely you aren't going to hold a few... minor indiscretions against me, are you, Joshua?"

Joshua's eyes snapped green fire. "By minor indiscretions are you perhaps referring to the fact that you blatantly lied to me about being with child so I would marry you? Or were you perhaps alluding to the number of men you bedded in a determined effort to accomplish the deed after you realized that I was never going to touch you again?"

Ignoring Joshua's hateful words, Suzanne focused her attention on Lynna, raising her voice a notch to assure that she had the ear of everyone in the room. "Lynna, bless your little heart, sugah. Joshua can be rather gullible at times and probably wouldn't think to ask, but do you have any idea who fathered your bastard? I mean, you did spend a considerable amount of time with that horrid slave man on a deserted island."

Malinda's sharp intake of breath, combined with the shocked cries of the innocent bystanders milling around them, echoed around the room to draw the attention of practically every partygoer.

Joshua's vision clouded with rage as his hands unwittingly reached for Suzanne's throat. Lynna immediately moved to still her husband's hands and prevent a scene that the attendees of the Ball would likely never forget, nor stop gossiping about.

Using every ounce of strength that she could muster, Lynna forced herself to appear calm and totally unflustered by Suzanne's callous remark. Unfortunately, she was well accustomed to Suzanne's despicable lack of manners and biting comments.

"Yes, Suzanne. As a matter of fact, I do." Lynna knew from years of experience that the best way to deal with Suzanne was not to linger overlong in her presence. "Joshua is the father of my unborn child, without doubt, and we could not be happier. So, if I were you, I wouldn't allow my child's paternity to bother you overmuch?" When no reply was forthcoming, she added, "Now if you will excuse me, there are some things I have been just dying to discuss with Jasmine."

Lynna and Malinda sailed past Suzanne with pasted on smiles, ignoring her victorious smirk. Not so Joshua. He leaned toward the love struck girl with his nose mere inches from her own and ground out through clenched teeth, "I loathe you, Suzanne. Therefore, dispense with your coquettish ways, for you are wasting your time, I assure you. As I told you the day I married you, I wouldn't touch you again if you were the last female on earth. Now, forgive me for being blunt, but every single thing about you disgusts me."

"How dare you speak to me as though I am nothing more than a lowly field hand or some two-bit whore!" The snarl of rage that escaped Suzanne's lips gave several of the attendees pause.

"Then stop acting like one by throwing yourself at married men." Joshua's voice was as hard as cast iron. "Heed this warning and stay out of our lives, Suzanne, or your doting family just may find you at the bottom of a ravine somewhere." His tone of voice left no doubt as to the sincerity of his words. "I would rather end your miserable existence than allow you to hurt Lynna again."

"Lynna?" Suzanne screeched. "Lynna! Lynna! Lynna! That's all I ever hear from you. What about the pain and humiliation that I suffered, you arrogant bastard?"

Ignoring her tirade, Joshua turned his back to stroll across the ballroom and join his lovely wife, leaving Suzanne to fume in solitude.

She seethed, absolute fury settling over her as she watched Joshua, _her husband_ , hurry to his imposter wife's side and slip his arm around her burgeoning waist.

His words echoed in her head as she sought a man, any man, who could make her forget Joshua Jordan if only for a few hours.

He claimed that their marriage had been annulled.

Rubbish.

They were married in the eyes of God and Joshua Jordan would be _her_ husband as long as he lived.
 Chapter 4

In the kitchen, Lynna found herself smothered in Jasmine's ample bosom. She held on to the old slave woman as she would a piece of driftwood in a raging sea, trying unsuccessfully to still her racing heart.

How could Suzanne be so vindictive as to ask who fathered her child?

Even coming from someone as vile as Suzanne, it still stunned Lynna to the core. She couldn't ignore the fact that so many others had heard the ridiculous accusations as well. Sadly, she resigned herself to the fact that the rumor would spread like wildfire and be the topic of discussion at every breakfast table in the county come morning.

"Law chile, if'n it ain't my baby girl all swole up wit' a babe of her own." Jasmine held Lynna close as tears of joy coursed down her plump cheeks. "Gal, I sho' has missed you. Dat plan'ation jus' ain't de same wit'out yo' smilin' face."

"You will never know how much I have missed you, Jasmine," Lynna cried.

Joshua stood in the doorway with relief evident on his handsome face. If anyone could lift Lynna's spirits Jasmine could. "Hello, Jasmine."

"Well, if it ain't Mist' Joshua. You sho' is a sight fo' so' eyes." With a frown tugging at her lips and worry creasing her brow, she peered down at Lynna's feet. "Is yo' feet swole up? Lif' up yo' skirt an' let me see."

Lifting her skirt, Lynna had to admit, "Sometimes, if I stand too long."

Jasmine huffed loudly, mumbled a few choice words under her breath and pulled out a chair. "Den you sits down heah an' take dat load off'n yo' feet. An' don't let me heah tell of you out dere dancin' an' carryin' on. I'se gwine fix you up a po'tice rite now fo' yo' feet. I ain't believin' dey let you ride ovah heah in dat bumpy ca'iage." Thus said, she cast an aggrieved eye towards Joshua and set about gathering ingredients.

"But, Jasmine, a few dances surely wouldn't hurt..." Lynna began.

"A few dances my foot. Dat babe ain't all de way settled in yet, an' we ain't takin' no chances." Jasmine didn't seem to care that she wasn't in her kitchen at Magnolia House, and commenced to issue orders for this herb and that spice and hot water and soon had Lynna's feet soaking in a pot.

Reaching to grab one of the kitchen girls by the arm, Jasmine whispered hushed instructions. "I want you ta stand rite chere over Miz Lynna, an' if anybody, an' I do means anybody, black or white, come' through dat kitchen do', I wants you ta come git me." Then she turned toward Joshua. "Now, Mist' Joshua, I needs you ta come back ta de pantry an' he'p me lift dis heah heavy pot, if'n you don't minds."

"Glad to oblige." _What a strange request._ Joshua had never been asked to lift a pot in the kitchen before, but he would gladly help Jasmine in any way he could. Perhaps physical labor would help release the rage that consumed him and threatened to explode at any second.

Once they were in the pantry Jasmine quietly closed the door behind her, crossing her arms over her puffed out chest. "Whut Miz Suzanne done done now?"

Joshua repeated Suzanne's despicable scene as his hands massaged his brow where a dull ached had formed. "I know it's wrong, and may God forgive me, but my greatest desire at the moment is to be able to spit on Suzanne's grave, Jasmine."

Never one to mince words, Jasmine unloaded exactly what was on her mind. "Mist' Joshua, you ain't outta brung Miz Lynna heah ta begin wit'."

She immediately had his undivided attention. "Why, Jasmine?"

Jasmine hung her head, not knowing how to say what Joshua needed to hear about Suzanne. She had practically raised the child at her own skirt, but Suzanne was... different now. If Jasmine was a betting woman she would swear that evil had done took root in the girl's soul. "Miz Suzanne ain't right in de head no mo', dats why. Not since you toe' up yo' mar'iage 'tificate an' sont her home. She been actin' funny. She done become a..."

"A what Jasmine?"

"A loose woman."

"Suzanne was always a loose woman." Joshua chuckled.

"She a lot looser dan she was. An' it don't make no neber mind who neither. Stable boy, neighbor boy, fiel' hand. An' she ain't tryin' to hide it neither. She 'bout to run her ma and pa slap crazy wit' her carryin' on. Dey at dey wits end wit' her. I'se tellin' you de girl done loss her mind." Jasmine stopped and hung her head like she was debating whether or not to say more.

"What is it, Jasmine?" Joshua urged her to continue, knowing full well she wouldn't withhold information that could be potentially harmful to Lynna. "You know you can tell me anything."

"Yassah, Mist' Joshua, I knows I can. So I will." Jasmine took a deep breath and exhaled it slowly. "Miz Suzanne done got a hatred fo' Miz Lynna so much dat it scary. It done got me worrit. She can't let it go, how you brung her home an' lef' her to go find Miz Lynna. She blamin' Miz Lynna fo' stealin' you away from her. She thankin' dat if'n Miz Lynna ain't around, dat you gone come back to her." She paused, cracking open the pantry door to see that all was well and no eager ears were pressed against the portal. Satisfied, she continued, "I'se worrit dat she gwine... hurt Miz Lynna."

"Trust me, I am fully aware of what Suzanne is capable of, Jasmine." Joshua moved to give the old woman a heartfelt hug. "Don't worry about Lynna. Rest assured that I will protect her with my life."

'Don't take yo' eyes off'n her tonight. I knows how Miz Suzanne been mumblin' 'bout gettin' even wit' her back home, so I ain't sho' whut she might do wit' both y'all in her sight. So you git on back out dere an' watch aftah my baby gal."

"You have my word, Jasmine," Joshua did his utmost to reassure the woman whom he knew loved both Lynna and Suzanne as though they were her own daughters. "Suzanne won't get close enough to Lynna to cause her harm."

As they left the pantry Lynna glanced up suspiciously. "Where's the pot?"

"Pot?" Joshua refused to meet her eyes. "Oh, Jasmine just needed help lifting it down from a shelf."

Lynna glanced around, noticing all the sturdy young kitchen workers and didn't believe Joshua for one minute. "The water is cooling now, Jasmine. Can I take my feet out?"

"You sho' can," Jasmine beamed. "Looky dere, dey aint' swole up no mo."

"I didn't think they were swollen to..."

"Heah now." Interrupting her, Jasmine bent down to dry Lynna's feet and slip on her shoes. "You git out dere an' hear all de gossip." Lynna and Joshua exchanged nervous glances at her words. "And show off dat fine husban' of yourn. Mist. Samuel's wife done said dat sheah ride wit' me ovah to Sea Grove to visit wit' you fo' we go back home to Jawgia, so I be seein' you soon."

"I look forward to it, Jasmine." Lynna gave her one last hug, still feeling as though she had been bamboozled.

On her husband's arm, they entered a ballroom lit with hundreds of candles that twinkled from an overhead chandelier.

The candles flickered in the breeze as lavishly bedecked married ladies and flirting debutants in breathtaking gowns of every design and color of the rainbow swirled past on the arms of elegantly clad gentleman, spinning around the floor with gay abandon.

Music swelled as Joshua took his wife in his arms and carefully steered her toward the dance floor where she moved with effortless grace. "Smile, darling. Do not give that ne'er-do-well the satisfaction of knowing how much her loathsome words have upset you."

She should have listened to her husband's repeated words of warning, and stayed home.

"Please, darling," Lynna pleaded softly. "Don't say I told you so."

"Never, my love. Although the last thing we want to do is give Suzanne cause to celebrate. Therefore, paste a smile on your lovely face and prove to her how thrilled you are to be dancing with the most handsome man in the room."

Lynna couldn't help a smile that caused her blue eyes to sparkle. "You are always so humble, my darling."

"It is a gift, my love. Now, let us try to dance one very slow and sedate dance before Jasmine pokes her head through the door and catches us." As he held her close, Lynna felt the laughter rumbling in his chest. "If she does, let me warn you ahead of time that I am running and you are on your own."

"You are incorrigible." She giggled, swatting his chest.

"And you put every other female in the room to shame."

"You just lost all credibility with that statement, Joshua Jordan. I am the size of a baby elephant and you well know it." Lynna's tinkling laughter caused several heads to turn their way and rake down Suzanne's spine like fingernails on a chalkboard.

She was headed out the door with her man of the hour when she glanced over her shoulder to see Joshua holding Lynna as though she were the rarest of precious jewels. As she settled a venomous glare on the starry-eyed couple Joshua lowered his head to place a loving kiss on Lynna's perfectly arched brow.

Suzanne turned her head, unable to witness another moment of their touching scene.

Why wasn't the twit off crying in a corner somewhere after her vicious accusations?

"Lesson learned," Suzanne mumbled to herself as the door closed behind her. "I vow to bring that slut to her knees if it's the last thing I do."
 Chapter 5

The leaves were turning brown and gracefully swirling from the trees as the smoke tinged breeze of an Indian summer swept a caressing hand across the land.

After settling Lynna on a blanket Joshua retrieved the picnic basket from the buggy and set out crispy fried chicken, bread, cheese, pickles, apples and wine.

"Do you suppose anyone believed Suzanne's lies about me... lying with a slave man, Joshua?" Even though Lynna had tried to forget last nights' drama, it was impossible with Suzanne's hateful words still ringing in her ear. "It breaks my heart, when Rob cared for me each and every day as though I were his very own daughter, never once showing anything less than utmost respect for me. I owe him my life, Joshua."

"You are preaching to the choir, my love. Rob is one of the best men, black or white, that I have ever had the privilege of knowing." Joshua drew a calming breath, determined not to allow his wife to see how consumed with rage he was by Suzanne's contemptible words. "Suzanne is a blithering idiot, and I will not even discuss the revolting allegations she made against you."

"Still, so many people heard her last night. My concern is, how many will believe her?"

"No one else has a mind quite as demented as Suzanne's. So put your mind to ease and think nothing else of such nonsense. Jasmine would be the first to remind you that worrying is not good for our daughter."

Lynna's mind was far from easy. "Our son."

"Daughter."

"As enormous as I'm getting it could be both."

"Double the fun." Joshua was lowering his mouth to her tantalizing lips when they heard thundering hooves approaching at an alarming speed. He glanced up to see Suzanne's horse charging from behind a copse of trees.

With a nauseating smirk twisting her lips, Suzanne brought the horse to a grinding halt not ten feet away, kicking dirt on them.

"You idiot!" Joshua stormed when the dust had settled. He leapt to his feet with his hands clenched tightly at his sides to keep from jerking her from the horse and throttling her. "Do you realize how dangerous that was? What if you had been unable to stop the horse in time?"

"There is no need for name calling, since I _did_ stop in time," Suzanne huffed. "Nor is there any call for you to sound so maudlin."

"You fool! You could have run us over!" Joshua turned toward Lynna, worried that she might be terrified out of her wits by the close encounter. Instead, he found her eyeing Suzanne with disdain.

"For crying out loud," Suzanne mumbled, smoothing her skirt and not seeming the least bit concerned by the near tragedy, or Joshua's show of temper. "I'm sorry." Calmly removing her bonnet, she finger-combed the tangles from her hair, shaking it loose behind her. "Goodness gracious, I didn't even see you there."

"You mean to tell me that you didn't see the huge tree we are sitting under?" Joshua snapped, incredulously. "Are you afflicted with blindness as well as stupidity?"

"Oh, for heavens sake. I said I was sorry. I didn't run you over, did I?" Suzanne's words were tinged with exasperation as she crossed her arms over her chest. "You always were too high strung, Joshua."

"High strung?" Joshua could only glare at her, at a momentary loss for words caused by such profound ignorance. "Can you imagine what might have happened to Lynna and the baby if..." unable to finish the mind numbing thought, he paused midsentence.

Had that been Suzanne's goal all along?

"Just leave, Suzanne." Joshua didn't have the patience to suffer this fool today, plus, he still had a strong desire to yank her from the steed and smash his fist into her smug face. "Neither Lynna nor I care for your company."

"Well!" Suzanne stormed indignantly, incensed that he would speak to her so, especially in front of his strumpet. "When did you become so ill mannered? Your father would be appalled to hear you treat a lady so."

Joshua met her gaze, unblinking. "My father would be the first to agree that Lynna is the only _lady_ present."

Although the insult left Suzanne incensed, she refused to give either of them the satisfaction of knowing it. She changed her tune without a moments pause. "Can't we just let bygones be bygones?" she pleaded, slipping from the saddle and tethering her horse. "I've been so lonely at Cedar Hill. Can you believe there has not been a single visitor to cross the threshold since the Harvest Ball?" Peeking at them from beneath lashes brimming with tears, she simpered, "What am I supposed to do?"

Joshua's voice was as cold and hard as steel. "Trust me when I say that I could care less what you do, where you do it, or how many you do it with."

Suzanne cringed at Joshua's cruel words, but was quick to notice a flash of sympathy in Lynna's eyes. _I could always count on you to be gullible to a fault, you little slut_. Presenting Joshua with her back, Suzanne murmured softly, "Lynna, can I ask how you and the baby are faring?" She pretended to stifle a sob as a tear slid unchecked down her cheek.

Joshua sighed loudly. "Suzanne, would you perchance be referring to the child that Lynna carries of, according to you, questionable lineage?"

"Oh, that." Suzanne giggled, waving a dismissive hand in the air as she attempted to brush away his words. "Why, I was only teasing."

Joshua exhaled an irritated breath. "That was not the impression I, nor anyone else in the room, was left with."

Ignoring him, Suzanne knelt on the blanket beside Lynna. "I think of you often, of how close we were before this... mess," she whispered as the tears began to flow in earnest. "I am so ashamed of my part in it, and I can only hope that someday soon you, that both of you, might find it in your hearts to forgive me." She brushed at a tear sliding down her cheek. "Until then I will pray for a safe delivery for you and your baby."

"Suzanne, have you ever given thought to joining the theater?" Joshua laughed bitterly. "I fear the stage has been denied a truly remarkable actress."

Lynna couldn't help but grin at her husband's scowling face. Erasing the grin, she faced Suzanne. "Thank you, Suzanne. I appreciate your concern and both the baby and I are well."

"Yes, your concern is touching." Joshua all but snarled the words, irritated that Lynna seemed to be falling for Suzanne's absurd charade. "Now, we must be going." Folding the thin blanket with the leftovers still inside, he stuffed it in the buggy. "Good day, Suzanne."

Suzanne's heart hammered triple time as she watched Joshua gently lift his twit into the carriage. She would love nothing better than to pick up a rock and bash Lynna's stomach until it was flatter than a pancake, watching her life's blood slowly drain from her body. But there were other sweeter ways to get her revenge.

On both of them.

On the ride home Lynna wore a confused frown. "Joshua, is it possible that Suzanne could be attempting to make amends for her outrageous behavior?"

Joshua turned sideways in the buggy with disbelief written all over his face. "She asked if you had any notion of who fathered your bastard. Does that sound like someone trying to make amends, Lynna? You have to see Suzanne for who she truly is and not allow yourself to be fooled by false tears." He thumped the palm of his hand to his forehead and mumbled, "Apparently being with child is wreaking havoc on your emotions for we both know the girl is nothing more than a charlatan."

"I suppose you're right," Lynna replied, dejectedly. "I just wish everyone could be as happy as we are."

"Suzanne brought her misery on herself by telling one falsehood after another in a failing attempt to keep our sham of a marriage intact. The way I see it, she deserves to wallow in it. I have no sympathy for her whatsoever." Putting his arm around his adorable wife, Joshua pulled her close, brushing his lips across her temple. "Now shall we choose a more pleasant topic?"

Lynna laid her head on his broad shoulder. "And what would that be, pray tell?

"How about a name for our daughter?"

"Or son."

Later that evening, Joshua dipped a serving spoon into a bowl of turnip greens that were swimming in fatback grease, just the way he liked them. He added a mound of fried potatoes, two chicken legs, and two butter biscuits to his plate. Everyone at the table watched him curiously.

"Is something bothering you, son?" his father asked with a puzzled frown.

"No. Why do you ask?"

"Because normally when you eat everything in sight you are troubled about something. But never mind me. Eat before your food gets cold."

"Joshua had words with Suzanne earlier today," Lynna supplied for the occupants of the table.

"I see." Jeremiah was spreading honey on a buttered biscuit. "Don't let the vixen bother you overmuch, son. It's what she thrives on. For some, even the worst kind of attention is better than no attention at all. Remember my words the next time she baits you. You have a beautiful wife and your child will soon be delivered into the world. What does she have?"

"I know your words are true, father," Joshua admitted. "But still..."

"No buts about it, son." Jeremiah interrupted. "Suzanne should be leaving Charleston soon to return to Georgia. She will no longer be around to try your patience, so just do your best to keep out of her sight for the next few days. Her parents have already been plagued enough by that foolish girl. I have the utmost sympathy for both of them."

"Her brother is another subject entirely." Malinda beamed. After meeting Suzanne's eligible brother at the Harvest Ball, they had been inseparable for the past week. "In fact, I have invited Daniel to supper tomorrow night."

"Have you now?" Joshua was determined to make one point perfectly clear. "Please advise Daniel that although he is always welcome at Sea Grove, the invitation is strictly for him alone and does not include his sister."

"Joshua, be reasonable." Malinda sipped her sweet tea and smiled at her brother across the table. "Daniel is well aware of Suzanne's past history with you. He would never bring her here."

"Just make sure that he doesn't," Joshua reiterated.
 Chapter 6

The following evening, Joshua stood with his hand resting on the back of Lynna's chair, speechless, as Daniel entered the parlor followed closely by a radiant Suzanne. She wore a buttery yellow, daringly low cut confection trimmed in delicate ecru lace. He could hardly believe the audacity of the girl to actually come into his house. _And smiling!_ Like she was an invited and welcomed guest.

Suzanne moved immediately to Malinda, swooping in for a hug. "Malinda, thank you so much for your gracious invitation. I was telling Daniel just this morning that if I didn't get out of that house soon I wouldn't be responsible for my actions." Leaving Malinda with her mouth gaping open, Suzanne laughed gaily, then moved on to hug Joshua's parents, Jeremiah and Patricia.

Kneeling in front of Lynna, Suzanne practically purred, "How are you feeling today, Lynna? Are you and the baby well?"

"Yes, we are both well." Lynna placed her hand over her husband's fingers as they tightened on her shoulder.

Suzanne stood slowly with her gaze locked greedily on Joshua, unable to disguise the lust smoldering in her eyes. "Good evening, Joshua."

Joshua didn't so much as bat an eye. The menacing look he gave Suzanne was filled with the contempt that he no longer even bothered to hide. His gaze slowly shifted to Malinda, letting her know that he would deal with her later.

Apparently his infatuated sister had allowed her heart to override her common sense. She knew Suzanne loathed Lynna, and would do anything in her power to hurt her.

Yet, she had gone so far as to invite the harridan into their house?

"I believe dinner is served," Joshua announced stonily. Moving around in front of Lynna's chair, he practically shoved Suzanne out of the way as he took his wife's hand to help her to her feet and escort her into the dining room. "Allow me the honor, my darling."

Suzanne bristled with embarrassment at being so patently dismissed, her humiliation causing her hatred of Lynna to increase tenfold in mere seconds. Without even thinking, she turned her body to appear as if she were moving away from Lynna, but stuck her foot out behind her just as Lynna stood to take her first step.

Lynna cried out and would have fallen headfirst if Joshua hadn't been near enough to catch her. "Lynna, darling, are you hurt?" Joshua clutched her to his chest, issuing a silent prayer of thanks that an accident had been so narrowly averted.

"No, I'm fine. I'm... not even sure what I tripped over." Her quivering voice sounded anything but fine. "I guess my own two feet. Clumsy me." Laying her head on her husband's broad chest she drew several calming breaths in an attempt to steady her racing pulse.

"You really should try to be more careful." Suzanne giggled, aggravated beyond reason that the harlot hadn't fallen on her protruding belly, or the nearest sharp object, and squashed it flat. "And yes, you always were exceedingly clumsy." She immediately regretted having said the words out loud when she noticed Joshua's frigid glare.

Still holding Lynna against his chest, he waited until the others had left the room before leaning toward Suzanne, sure that she was somehow responsible for Lynna's misstep. "And you should learn not to tread into the den of your enemy, Suzanne. You are not welcome here and I will be watching your every move. You would be well advised to keep this in mind and remember what I told you at the Harvest Ball."

"Whatever do you mean, Joshua?" Suzanne did her best to appear insulted. "Surely you cannot blame me for Lynna almost falling on her face when she herself admitted to being forever clumsy."

"And you have forever been a thorn in the side of anyone who made the mistake of trying to befriend you, so what is your point?"

"My point is that you are being a complete boor." Suzanne smoothed the wrinkles from her skirt, while at the same time tugging her bodice down to reveal another inch or so of creamy bosom. _Let Joshua view her slender figure next to his fat cow and eat his heart out._ "Now, if you are quite finished hurling your nasty insults at me, I really am famished."

"Go to the dining room, Suzanne. Or, better yet, go to hell," Joshua spat, eyes blazing. "Rest assured that the latter is preferable to me."

Suzanne stifled a gasp, refusing to allow him to see how his words ripped at her heart. "My, my, Joshua. How heartless you have become." She then glanced at Lynna with every bit of the disgust she felt for the tart shining in her eyes. "And you were such a happy and gallant young man when we first met. Why, marriage does not seem to agree with you at all."

"I am perfectly agreeable when not forced to share your company."

"Joshua," his mother called from the dining room. "Dinner is getting cold."

Joshua took his wife's arm, holding her close, as though she might break if he released her. They left Suzanne alone in the parlor with intense hatred fueling the fire in her blood.

"Joshua," Daniel was saying when Suzanne composed herself and finally entered the dining room, taking her seat. "The day after tomorrow several of Samuel's neighbors are coming to Cedar Hill to discuss what should be done about the fools in the North. Have you ever heard of anything so ludicrous as freeing our slaves?" He chuckled, shaking his head as if the mere suggestion was comical. "How could we provide all of the cotton we do for their fine garments if not for slave labor? Sounds to me like they are trying to cut off their noses to spite their ugly faces."

Joshua nodded. "I'll ride over and listen to what our neighbors have to say."

"You should ride over as well, Lynna," Daniel suggested. "Beth would love for you to visit."

"I would enjoy that..." Lynna began, but Joshua's laughter caused her to pause.

"Lynna, my love, if you recall Jasmine had a conniption when you rode in a carriage to the Harvest Ball. Were I you, I would not temp fate by repeating the same mistake twice."

Lynna knew sound advice when she heard it. "Joshua is correct. And Jasmine has promised to visit us before she returns home to Magnolia House."

"Give _Beth_ our sincerest invitation to visit whenever she pleases." Joshua added, cutting his eyes at Suzanne. "And speaking of Magnolia House, how long before you will be returning, Suzanne?"

Daniel spoke for the both of them when Suzanne hesitated. "Only another couple of days, before we must begin our journey home." His eyes searched for Malinda's across the table. "However, we will be returning in the fall for Samuel and Beth's annual Harvest Ball."

Suzanne's eyes twinkled merrily, alerting one and all that she was up to no good. "Yes, but before we go, Lynna, I am just dying to hear about the months you spent being stranded with that gigantic slave man. I shudder to think of the unspeakable degradation you must have suffered at his brutal hands."

Lynna bristled at her words. "Rob, the slave man you refer to, was in no way hideous, Suzanne. Nor did I suffer anything even vaguely similar to any form of degradation. In fact, he saved my life. He is the most kind, generous and caring man, of any color, that I have ever had the pleasure of meeting."

Joshua added to his wife's glowing commentary of Rob. "In fact, we both pleaded with him to return home with us, but he steadfastly refused. I owe the man a debt of gratitude that I will never be able to adequately repay."

"A debt of gratitude?" Suzanne's maniacal laughter echoed around the room. "Surely you cannot mean that. How could you owe anything to a slave? Why, you make it sound as though you believe a slave could almost have human qualities."

Joshua was past the point of caring about Daniel or anyone else's feelings, except his wife's. "Rob is as human as you are, Suzanne." He speared a succulent piece of venison swimming in gravy and paused with his fork in midair. "Possibly even more so."

"How patently absurd." Suzanne laughed cruelly. "Why, slaves are nothing more than chattel, human property. Rob was but a possession of his owner to work, beat, and breed as he saw fit. If you were a respectable gentleman you would have turned a runaway slave over to his legitimate owner at once, as would have been the proper and legal thing to do."

Joshua never once looked up from slicing the tender venison. "It never even crossed my mind."

Suzanne lifted a flaky buttermilk biscuit from a steaming linen covered basket and passed it down the table. "Well, it certainly should have," she pressed. "If you will recall, Joshua, the Fugitive Slave Act was passed in 1850 making it unlawful for any person to aid a runaway slave or provide food or shelter for one. It declared that all runaway slaves were to be returned to their masters immediately upon capture."

"Suzanne, we are all well aware of the Bloodhound Law," her brother reminded her with a quelling glance.

"The Fugitive Slave Law," Suzanne corrected. "Some of those foolish abolitionists named it the Bloodhound Law simply because dogs are used to track down runaway slaves. I personally cannot think of a more expedient way to capture and bring the escapees to justice."

Lynna was so astonished by Suzanne's vitriol that she almost choked on her sweet tea. As her husband patted her gently on the back, she cried, "Surely you cannot be serious, Suzanne. We would never even dream of turning Rob over to the authorities. Would we, Joshua?"

"Of course not, darling."

Lynna suddenly had an idea that she should have thoughts of months ago. "Joshua, could we please find out who Rob belonged to prior to his courageous escape and buy his freedom?"

Taking Lynna's hand, Joshua brought it to his lips. "Consider it done, my love."

"What balderdash," Suzanne sneered. "How can a slave be courageous when he doesn't even have a mind of his own? They only do as they are told. There are millions of slaves in the South, outnumbering us by over two to one. Why, if they had a lick of sense they would revolt and kill us all instead of being mindless animals that work from sun up to sunset on average of 360 days of the year."

Covering her hand with her mouth, Suzanne snickered, "Have the two of you been reading that trashy novel _Uncle Tom's Cabin_ by chance? I declare, sometimes I think both of you would be better suited to live up North with the damn Yankees."

"Suzanne, I would not have survived on the island, without Rob," Lynna tried to make her see how horribly she was misjudging an innocent man.

"Don't be such a ninny, Lynna. Rest assured, he wasn't doing it out of any sort of kindness or regard for your feelings. Slaves don't have the same sentiments as we do. Only when they are feeling the bite of a whip do they exhibit a considerable range of emotions." Suzanne giggled, an entirely malevolent sound.

Lynna felt tears welling in her eyes that Rob, sweet, wonderful Rob, could be so wrongfully maligned.

Suzanne continued her detestable diatribe. "It was his duty to serve and protect a white woman on the off chance that you were rescued. He would have had hell to pay otherwise."

"His duty?" Joshua stormed, unable to hold his tongue for another second. "Rob didn't have any duty to fulfill. He could have easily killed Lynna and buried her body and no one would have been the wiser. Odds of them ever being rescued were slim to none. He had numerous chances to do _whatever_ he chose to do to Lynna, yet all he did was protect her. You, Suzanne, are a fool."

Patricia gasped, shocked that anyone, even her own son, would speak so at her dinner table, and reached for her husband's hand.

Taking a deep breath and letting it out slowly, Joshua tried to calm his raging anger for Lynna's sake. _It didn't work_. "I have no doubt that Rob would have laid down his life for Lynna and you will not sit in my house and insinuate otherwise."

Suzanne had never been accused of knowing when to leave well enough alone. Having enjoyed numerous romps in the cotton fields with a few of the more masculine slaves on her father's plantation, she simply could not fathom that Lynna and Rob had remained on a secluded island for months without getting... intimately acquainted. It just wasn't possible in her mind.

"Lynna, darling," she couldn't help but say, "if the man forced himself on you, then you were by no means responsible for his actions. Yet, I feel I would be remiss in my duty as your friend if I didn't warn you that practically every person in the entire county is eagerly awaiting to see firsthand the hue of your newborn babe's skin."

Patricia's cry echoed around the room as Joshua's fist slammed down on the table hard enough to make the silverware dance across the linen tablecloth. Suzanne's intentionally vicious jab was more than Joshua could tolerate, even for Lynna's sake. He stood so fast he almost tipped the table in the process. "Out!"

"Excuse me?" Suzanne cried, thoroughly affronted by his behavior.

"Get out of my house, Suzanne!" Joshua raged. "And don't ever darken our doorstep again."

"Surely, you must be joking." Suzanne turned to Jeremiah for assistance in dealing with his rash son. Unfortunately, she found no sympathy in his eyes. "Jeremiah, please." Then she turned to Patricia, always a soft touch. "Patricia, please don't allow him do this, I beg you. I was but stating what everyone else is whispering behind your backs."

"Father!" Malinda cried. "Do something."

Jeremiah remained silent. His son was completely loyal to the man who had saved Lynna's life, as he should be, and Joshua would not sit still for any one to disparage him. Besides, Suzanne needed to be put in her place for once.

"Will you leave on your own, Suzanne?" Joshua ground out. "Or would you be in need of my assistance?"

"We will leave," Daniel said, hanging his head in embarrassment. "Please forgive my sister's inexcusable behavior."

"What she said was unforgivable as far as I am concerned, Daniel," Joshua ground out. "I bid you good evening."

As the door slammed shut behind Suzanne and her brother, Malinda burst into tears and fled to her room. Patricia and Lynna each appeared to be in a state of shocked silence as Jeremiah sought to calm his son. "I will have a talk with Malinda, Joshua. I find it hard to believe she would knowingly bring that troublemaker into our home."

"That won't be necessary, father," Joshua ground out. "I will get to the bottom of this myself."

"Joshua, please," Lynna pleaded. "Malinda was as shocked as we were to see Suzanne. Trust me, I know Suzanne well and I will wager that she invited herself to dinner."

"If that is the case then I will offer my sincerest apologies to my sister," Joshua promised. "Father, Mother, will you please keep Lynna company while I speak with Malinda?"

He took the stairs two at the time.

Later that night, when they were in bed, Joshua tenderly caressed the smooth, silky skin of Lynna's cheek. "You were right as usual, my love. Malinda had no idea Suzanne was coming to dinner. I apologized, of course, however she appears to be rather upset over the entirely disgusting episode. Perhaps you could assure her tomorrow that I hold no ill will toward Daniel whatsoever."

"I will do my best," Lynna whispered, her mind far from the dramatic scene at dinner.

Joshua waited patiently for Lynna to confess what was bothering her. The wait wasn't long.

"You don't really believe Suzanne _intentionally_ tripped me, do you, Joshua?" she whispered.

"I believe it to be completely within the realm of possibilities. Nothing she does would surprise me, nor should it you."

"Yet, I saw her, Joshua. She was moving in the opposite direction when it happened."

"I find it disturbing, to say the least, that your belly has been obscuring the view of your feet for some weeks now and I haven't noticed you tripping over them prior to today. I don't like the fact that trouble, especially where you are concerned, seems to follow Suzanne wherever she goes. And why is she still in Charleston? Why doesn't she return home to Savannah where she belongs? I'm sure she has long since worn out her welcome with Samuel and Beth."

"Joshua, darling, you know Samuel loves his sister."

"In all honesty, I don't see how anyone could love Suzanne Fletcher."

"Could you stop loving Malinda?"

Smart enough to realize when he had been bested, Joshua acquiesced. "You are correct, as usual. But let us not talk about her. Suzanne is the devil incarnate and no one will make me believe otherwise. Let's talk about you and me, and what I plan to do to you once our child has been safely delivered."

"First there will be a healing period," Lynna blushed, realizing that she was as eagerly counting down the days as he was.

"How long is the healing period?"

"A few months."

"Then I shall mark my calendar for exactly two months hence from the birth of our daughter." Kissing her softly he whispered, "It will be a night to remember. I promise."

"Sing me to sleep, darling."

Happy to oblige, Joshua pulled her closer and sang softly for her ears only until she drifted to sleep.

Angelina the baker, lives in our village green,

The way I always loved her, beats all you ever seen.

Angelina the baker, her age is forty-three,

I bought her candy by the peck, and she won't marry me.

The following morning, before daybreak, Lynna was up with the sun. Actually it was the third time she had risen in search of the chamber pot since going to bed. With that inconvenience out of the way she slipped back under the covers, snuggling against the warmth of her husband.

As she placed her hand on his sinewy muscles, the ominous and foreboding feelings that had become her constant companion of late settled over her like a thick fog, causing her to shiver uncontrollably as she pressed her burgeoning stomach against his broad back.

Feeling her tremble, Joshua reached behind him to take her hand and pull it to his chest. "Are you cold?" He threw back the covers in an effort to rise from the bed. "I'll throw another log on the fire."

"That isn't necessary." Placing her hand on his shoulder, Lynna forced him back down beside her, covering him with the quilt. "You provide me with all the heat I need."

Joshua rolled Lynna over to cradle her against his chest. "Since you didn't get much sleep due to our little miss feeling the need to press her adorable self against your bladder for the better part of the night, you sleep in this morning and I'll have a tray sent up later."

"Little mister." Yawning sleepily, Lynna was happy to agree with her husband's suggestion. "Thank you, darling. Whatever the gender, the little rapscallion did keep me hopping most of the night. I feel like I could sleep for days."

"I won't be here when you wake up." Joshua relaxed against her, happy to hold her until she fell asleep.

"Why not?" she mumbled drowsily.

"I have the meeting at Cedar Hill with Samuel and our neighbors to discuss, in Daniel's words, 'Those fools up North'."

"Um..."

As she gave up the fight to stay awake and drifted off to sleep, the last words Lynna heard were, "Sleep tight, my darling, and know that I will love you until the day I draw my final breath."
 Chapter 7

Returning home from the meeting at Cedar Hill, Joshua's thoughts were troubled. He had a growing fear that the South as he knew it, and the only way of life that he had ever known, was about to change forever. He cocked his head when he heard the loud report of gunfire ricocheting across the land. Deer hunters.

Turning, he scanned the trees lining the side of the road, but before he could focus on the three riders slowly cantering toward him, he felt a sharp jolt and... pain. A searing pain the likes of which he had never experienced spread from his chest to every part of his body like a slow burning fire. He glanced down in disbelief, noticing a bright red stain flowering across his snowy white shirt.

A slow comprehension dawned on him at the same time as a warm coppery taste filled his mouth and he swiped a trembling hand across his lips. He glared at his hand, smeared with blood.

Before he could make sense of what was happening, he found himself unable to remain upright on his horse and plummeted to the hard earth. From his back he looked up, squinting his eyes against the glare of the blazing sun.

Suddenly the harsh light was blocked from his view and he saw a silhouette standing over him.

Then his vision cleared and... Suzanne came into focus.

"Tsk, tsk, tsk." Smiling broadly, a sinister light caused her eyes to sparkle. "It seems as if your luck has finally run out, Captain Jordan. What a terrible shame, when you had so much to live for." Her smile was smug as she twirled a colorful parasol over her head. "Why, just this morning at breakfast I overheard Samuel telling Beth that he had never seen anyone as overjoyed about impending fatherhood as you were, rambling on and on about how marriage agreed with you and your thieving tramp. I couldn't even break my fast after that. I was certain it would come back up if I so much as swallowed one bite."

Bending down on one knee in the dirt, she brushed a lock of raven hair from Joshua's heavily perspiring forehead. Then, in what she thought of as an extreme act of generosity on her part, she removed a lacy handkerchief from her bodice and wiped the sweat from his brow. "Oh, how upset your little strumpet will be. And her heavy with child. Poor thing. Oh, dear me, I do hope the news of your death doesn't upset her overmuch and cause her to lose the little bastard." Using her handkerchief, she wiped at the blood streaming from Joshua's mouth, keeping her hands, and especially her peach floral day dress, well away from the blood seeping from his chest at an alarming rate.

"What do you think, boys?" she asked, glancing up at the two ruffians she had hired for the job.

"He's a goner, that's for sure," one of them replied. "Looks like the bullet went clean through his heart."

"Yes, I do believe you are correct." Suzanne returned her attention to the man rapidly losing consciousness before her. "Oh, Joshua, why did you force me to do this? We could have been so good together. If not for your tramp, we could have lived a lifetime of pure happiness, spending our days and nights making passionate love, attending balls, and traveling to other countries. But no, you were dead set on having Lynna. Now look at you. You'll just be... dead, and you won't have either of us. Why couldn't you just love me?"

Although Joshua was fading fast, he found the energy to whisper, "You repulse me, Suzanne." With one final burst of energy he looked straight into her eyes and whispered, "And Lynna is my wife."

Hearing him call Lynna his wife enraged Suzanne beyond measure. Dropping the bloody handkerchief to the ground she turned to her henchmen. "Put him in the buggy and take him far, far away." Remembering all too well Joshua's hateful words to her the night of the Harvest Ball, she added, "Make sure there isn't a breath left in his body and dump his corpse at the bottom of a deep ravine."
 Chapter 8

Lynna sat in a rocking chair on the verandah at Sea Grove as the chilly autumn breeze sent the remaining leaves on the trees fluttering to the ground. The leaves were dead. Just like everything good in her life.

She had worried that it was too good to be true, that it couldn't last, that something inherently evil was about to happen. Her chilling premonitions had proven to be correct. But what had happened? Had Joshua known when he left that morning that he would not be returning home to her?

He must have.

Why else would his parting words be that he would love her until the day he drew his final breath? As if he knew he was leaving and it was the last time he would ever see her.

Had he tired of the sight of her swollen body and sought comfort in the arms of another, slim figured, woman? Had Suzanne finally worn down Joshua's resistance and succeeding in luring him back to her bed? Lynna was bone weary, tired of questions swirling around in her head that she had no answers for. She knew that something had to give soon or she might lose her tenuous grasp on reality.

She wanted to scream to the top of her lungs at the injustice of it all, pull her hair out by the roots, rake her skin with her fingernails until blood poured from the wounds. She wanted to hurt, feel deep physical pain on the outside, anything to make her forget the indescribable pain that gripped her heart like a vise. Sadly, she realized that even though she had known in her heart that something awful was about to happen, she never for one second imagined how truly horrible it would actually be.

Her eyes were swollen from crying and her insides ached with every beat of her heart. Her entire being ached. She couldn't even remember what happiness felt like. It seemed like years had passed since she last had cause to smile. If not for Joshua's child sleeping securely inside her womb, she would see no reason to carry on with this drudgery called life.

Absently noticing dust being kicked up on the road she watched as a carriage wheeled to a stop in front of the house. Shoving her swollen body out of the chair, she moved to the edge of the verandah as the slightest bit of hope stirred in her breast. Could it be Joshua? Was he finally returning home?

She released a disappointed sigh when the door of the carriage swung open and her father leapt to the ground, followed closely by Aunt Judith.

"My darling," Nathan rushed up the steps two at a time and clutched his daughter, burying his face in her lilac scented hair. "I cannot believe this has happened. It is simply inconceivable."

Her father reluctantly released Lynna to Judith's embrace. "Oh, my precious girl," she cried. "I'm so sorry." Judith placed both hands on Lynna's face and peered into her distant, miserable eyes. "Have you any news, dear?"

"Not a single encouraging word." Lynna clutched her stomach, easing back down into the rocking chair as her eyes drifted to the road. "The sheriff found a patch of considerable... blood... and a handkerchief on the road coming from Cedar Hill. They are assuming it was highway robbery. My husband's body has not been found, which I am grateful for. As long as they don't find a body, he can still come home to me."

"Of course he can," Judith was quick to assure her niece, even though any hope she had was rapidly dwindling. "Now, come with me and let's get you out of this cold. Where are Joshua's parents to let you sit outside and catch your death?"

"Patricia rarely comes out of her room and I haven't seen Jeremiah in days. Malinda has just gone inside to prepare hot chocolate." Lynna gazed down the long winding drive, already dreading the heartbreaking days ahead. "I don't like to be inside. I would rather be outside, so I can watch the road in case..." she paused, glancing at her father as an idea began to take root. Her father was wealthy beyond measure. Surely, with all his money, he could find Joshua. "Can you hire investigators to find Joshua for me, father?"

"Of course, I will do what I can, darling," Nathan was willing to do anything in his power to ease his daughter's suffering. "In fact, I will ride into Charleston tomorrow and get every available man on the case. We will get to the bottom of this. You have my word. For now, let's move inside by the fire and get you and the babe warmed up."

After they had taken seats by a crackling fire Malinda entered the parlor carrying a tray. "Hello, Nathan, Judith. I didn't realize you had returned."

Malinda was but a sad caricature of her former effervescent self. It was evident that she had recently dried her swollen eyes as well. Handing Lynna a cup of hot chocolate, she murmured, "I will go and fetch more cups."

"Thank you, dear," Judith stood to draw the forlorn girl close for a reassuring embrace. "It will get better, I promise. You might not believe it now, nor in the months to come, but time eventually heals all wounds."

As Lynna cradled the warm cup in her hands, irrepressible anger bubbled up in her throat at her aunt's soothing words. Peering at her father and his sister with red-rimmed eyes, she found herself unable to keep up the façade of coping with her husband's disappearance as a heart wrenching moan was torn from her lips.

Was she losing her mind?

"Time will not heal this wound!" she cried. "I cannot go on without Joshua, Aunt Judith. Don't you understand? How can you possibly believe that in a few days, or weeks, or even a year from now we will just forget that Joshua ever even existed and carry on with our lives as if nothing happened? I don't even want to consider a life without him."

Wiping her eyes, Lynna rubbed her growing mound of belly. "Of course, I realize that I must go on for his child. But please, I beg you. Do not say those words to me. Everyone has expressed the same sentiment to me over and over and over until I am sick to death of it. My heart is broken and it will never be whole again until Joshua is returned to me." Her shoulders slumped as she gave vent to the sobs that convulsed her slender frame. "Please, Aunt Judith, tell me. How do I go on?"

"We are here for you," Judith cried, taking the cup from Lynna and clutching her distraught niece as she was finally able to release some of the grief she had kept bottled up inside. "It won't be easy, but we will help you get through this, and you will. Please believe me, Lynna. Somehow, you will get through this."

Helping Lynna upstairs to her room, Judith held her niece until she finally cried herself to sleep.

On Sunday morning, Lynna was half-heartedly attempting to embroider a baby blanket as tears blurred her vision. Completely frustrated, she set the blanket aside, deciding to work on it another day. Drying her eyes for what had to be the hundredth time, she drew a deep cleansing breath when the sound of a carriage approached.

It was only a few moments before Suzanne came bustling into the parlor with a worried frown causing a crease to form on her porcelain skin.

"Lynna, I had to come." Falling to the floor at Lynna's feet in a rather dramatic fashion, she clutched her hands. "No matter how disgusting Joshua and his parents were to me, I had to see for myself that you are well. Why, I do declare, I have just about worried myself sick over you."

Suzanne nervously peered over her shoulder, expecting Joshua's parents to toss her out on her ear at any second. "Will you please ask Patricia and Jeremiah to allow me to visit? Surely they will not refuse my offer to bring some cheer into your otherwise dreary day. I feel like, as a dear friend, that I can be a comfort to you during your time of grief, Lynna."

A slight smile curved Lynna's lips as she thought back over her husband's words, _"Suzanne, have you ever given thought to joining the theatre?"_ What would it hurt for Suzanne to visit occasionally? Perhaps her incessant chatter about fashion and the latest hairstyles from across the pond would take her mind off Joshua, if only for a short while. "Yes, I will speak to them. And to answer your question, I have definitely seen better days."

Lynna's mind wandered as she gently pressed her stomach where either a tiny foot or an elbow was pushing against her skin. "It's funny. Some days the pain is almost to the point of being bearable, and on others it feels like it will rip me in half. Like it will tear me apart and leave me in shreds. There is nothing to do, but wait, and I am so tired of waiting."

Laying her head back, Lynna closed her weary eyes. "If Joshua is alive, why doesn't he come home? If not, why can't they find his body? I just need answers. I need someone to tell me why this is happening to me and what I can do to fix it. Not knowing is killing me."

"Lynna, sugah, I understand how badly you are hurting right now." _I felt the same way when Joshua dumped me at Magnolia House and left immediately in search of you_. "I have always heard that time heals all wounds." _It doesn't!_ "You might find this hard to believe, but I promise you that everything will work out the way it is meant to." _With Joshua dead and you next._

"Look at me, Lynna," Suzanne urged. "If Joshua is out there somewhere, he will eventually find his way back home." _Not bloody likely._ "Until then, you have to be strong for your child. And you are not alone. You have your father, your Aunt Judith, Joshua's family, my family and, of course, me." _And my fondest wish is to_ _see you writhing in agony with your heart split open, just like Joshua._ "We are here to help you in any way we can."

Lynna had forever been puzzled by Suzanne's mercurial mood swings and today was no exception. "Suzanne, I thought..."

"Shush, darlin'." Suzanne placed a gloved finger to Lynna's lips before she could question her sudden change of heart. "I love you, Lynna. I have loved you since the day you landed on our doorstep."

I despise every single thing about you and wish you were beneath my feet right now so that I could stomp the breath out of both you and your vile offspring.

"Joshua and I had a simple misunderstanding, Lynna. Yet, I am woman enough to admit that our marriage was a mistake from the beginning. I have put that behind me." _That marriage was the best thing that ever happened to me and he is still my husband._ "You need me to help you find your way out on the other side of this tragedy. You and your child are what's important now."

Lowering her head, Suzanne squeezed a tear from her eye and stood to walk to the window when Lynna whispered behind her, "I don't know how to live without Joshua, Suzanne."

_Figure it out the same way I did, you stupid bitch_. Suzanne looked across the barren landscape, then gazed toward the heavens, pleading for divine intervention as she struggled not to scream at Lynna to cease her relentless sniveling.

It had been her intention to spend a couple of hours with Lynna, at least give the appearance of having some sympathy for the girl's sorrow. But how long could she be expected to listen to her nonstop drivel? Would she be able to keep her hands from choking the life out of the useless twit if she had to hear her sob or blow her nose one more time today? "I will be here with you every step of the way, Lynna. You have my word. Now I must be going so you can rest." _Or before I kick you square in the midsection and give you something to cry about._

Lynna forced a tremulous smile to her lips. "Thank you for visiting, Suzanne."

"Why, you are more than welcome, darlin'." Kissing Lynna tenderly on the cheek, she helped her back to her plush chair, holding her hand until she finally lowered her expanding carcass and leaned back with a tortured breath. "Now you just rest and try not to worry overmuch. It isn't good for the baby."
 Chapter 9

That night, Suzanne drove a cart loaded with supplies to the conjure woman's cabin. She knew old Amari presided over ceremonial meetings and ritual dances. She had also heard from the housemaids that she earned a considerable amount by selling charms, amulets, and magical powders that she guaranteed to cure ailments, grant desires, and destroy one's foes.

That was her greatest desire.

To destroy Lynna.

"I need you to help me find a way to get rid of Lynna Jordan, once and for all," Suzanne stood before Amari, announcing regally.

"I see," the old woman mumbled. She had been crushing what looked to be bones in a bowl with a pestle, but set them aside.

"Can you make it happen tonight?" Suzanne asked anxiously.

"No, that isn't possible. It takes a few days to gather the necessary ingredients. These things cannot be rushed. To do so will only result in disaster." Amari gazed into the fire for several seconds before asking, "Are you sure that you know what you're asking for?"

"Absolutely."

"Very well." Amari eyed the gifts that Suzanne had brought covetously. "I can help you."

Suzanne's excitement was impossible to subdue as she spun merrily around the room. "Lynna will finally get exactly what she deserves."

"All in good time, Miss Suzanne. All in good time." Amari patted the chair indicating that Suzanne should return to her seat. "First things first. I will need your help with a few things."

"What can I do?" Suzanne asked. _Why should I have to help when I have already brought you enough food and clothes for an army?_

Amari grinned as though she had read her thoughts. "Bring me a cup filled with graveyard dirt, but not just any dirt, mind you. It _has_ to be the dirt from the grave of someone who died badly."

Suzanne pondered her request for a moment, concern etching her brow. "I don't really know anyone who died badly."

Amari shook her head at the foolishness of white folks. "Every slave owner knows someone who has died badly." The old conjure woman looked Suzanne dead in the eyes for a long time before continuing. "How bad do you want Miss Lynna to suffer?"

"Horribly," Suzanne didn't hesitate to say. "And for a long time. I want her to suffer and eventually waste away. I don't want her to go too quickly though. Just before she dies, I want to be the one to tell her that I was responsible for all her suffering."

"You want a wasting spell," Amari advised. "That is one of my most powerful curses, but easy enough to cast with the correct ingredients."

"Just tell me what to do," Suzanne chirped, suddenly eagerly to help if it would speed things along.

Amari held her wrinkled hands toward the crackling fire. "When next the moon is full, go down to the slave graveyard. Go to that young buck Samson's grave, the one who was beaten to death after a white man accused him of staring too long at his homely daughter. Do you know the one I speak of?"

"Yes, I know the one. I will send someone to the graveyard to fetch it tonight." Suzanne brushed her hands on her skirt at the mere thought of digging in the dirt.

"No," Amari insisted. "You must go yourself. The Negro folks are afraid of the graveyard and will snatch up dirt from the first grave they come to in an effort to get back out as quickly as possible. If it isn't dirt from the grave of someone who died badly the spell will not be as powerful."

"Oh, very well. I will go myself," Suzanne mumbled, feeling entirely put upon. Why should she get her hands dirty when there were several hundred slaves at her beck and call? "Is that all you need for the curse?"

"No." Amari chuckled. "The main component is the graveyard dirt, then I will add powdered sulphur, the powder made from the skin that a snake has shed, salt, black pepper, powdered bones from a black cat, powdered snail, sage and anvil dust. I will need you to bring me three strands of your enemy's hair."

That shouldn't be too difficult, Lynna was forever brushing her long, golden tresses. "Is that all you will need from me?"

"Yes. I will then put the mixture into a bottle with 9 pins, 9 needles, and 9 nails. When the spell is complete, you will need to bury the bottle under Miss Lynna's bedroom window. On the next full moon, she will begin to waste away."
 Chapter 10

Nathan sipped from a cup of strong black coffee and greeted his daughter as she waddled into the dining room, "Good morning, Lynna. How are you and my grandchild this morning?"

"Begging your pardon, father, but I see nothing good about this morning whatsoever," was her lackluster response. Dark circles lay under eyes that were red and swollen from another night spent crying and it seemed to be a great chore to lift one foot and place it in front of the other. Taking a seat, Lynna poured a cup of coffee, the smell immediately causing her stomach to revolt.

"Any morning that we open our eyes is a good morning, my dear." Nathan did his absolute best to sound cheerful even though the sight of his daughter looking so miserable made him feel anything but. "I waited to have breakfast with you before I depart for Charleston. I feel so guilty about leaving you in your condition, but if I am to accomplish anything I may need to be gone for several days."

"Don't concern yourself with my welfare, father." Lynna took a small sip of coffee and gasped when the baby seemed to get a foot tangled between her ribs. Holding her breath until he stilled, she prayed that he would calm down and take a nap. Her sole intention was to return to bed after breakfast and do nothing more than dream of her husband for the remainder of the day. "Surely you have no doubt that I will be well taken care of here."

"Is something amiss with the baby, darling?" her father asked, puzzled by her reaction.

"No, father, all is well. The baby just seems particularly active this morning." All of a sudden Lynna was consumed by irrational anger at her father, at her situation, at her life in general. She didn't want to talk about the baby. "The baby is fine. However, my husband is missing. Can we please discuss him rather than a child who is not even born yet?"

Nathan was instantly filled with remorse. "Forgive me, darling. I'm sorry if I seemed insensitive."

Tears filled Lynna's eyes as she silently berated herself for being short tempered with her dear father. "I am the one who must apologize to you, father. Please forgive me. I haven't been myself lately."

"Perfectly understandable, child."

"Yes, I suppose." Taking a tiny bite of egg, she washed it down with a sip of coffee. "Father, please stop fretting over me and take as long as you need in town."

"I will do my best to discover what happened to your husband, dearest. Now, is it permissible to inquire about my grandchild this morning? How is he, other than being extremely active?"

Lynna placed a protective hand over her stomach. "I don't know how much longer I can keep the little fellow inside." She was determined not to deliver Joshua's baby until he came home to greet him.

"Darling," Aunt Judith informed her, entering the room with a patient smile, "you don't have much say in the matter. The babe will arrive in his or her own sweet time and there isn't much we can do about it."

"I hope it's a girl," Malinda took a seat and for once decided to join in the conversation. She seemed to be taking her brother's disappearance especially hard and rarely ventured out of her room. "Have you chosen any names?"

"Not yet." Lynna wondered how she could be expected to think about baby names when her husband was missing.

Had the entire whole world gone stark raving mad?

Nathan and Judith exchanged worried glances. Lynna was due to deliver in less than a week and showed none of the excitement that a woman in the throes of impending motherhood typically exhibited. She wouldn't accept the fact that her husband was not coming home and adamantly refused to even discuss wearing widow's weeds.

Lynna's father, Aunt Judith, Joshua's parents, and his sister all realized that if Joshua was still alive, he would have sent word by now. It had been sixty-one days since he disappeared without a trace. Everyone, with the exception of Lynna, had all but given up hope of ever seeing him alive again.

Lynna leaned back in her chair after a dismal glance at the food on her plate and inhaled the pine fragrance of freshly cut greenery. Was it Christmas already?

When did that happen?

She was trying to force down a tiny bite of biscuit smothered in sausage gravy but her stomach was steadfastly refusing to cooperate and hold it down. There was also a nagging twinge in her lower back causing considerable discomfort. Even after she left the table and settled into a cushioned chair, the pain did not lessen.

Shifting uncomfortably, Lynna gazed out the window at the barren trees and the recently turned earth of the cotton fields. They were both waiting for spring to bring with it the warm weather that would begin life anew. The trees would burst forth with their glorious leaves and the fields would accept and nourish the seeds that would turn them into snowy fields of King Cotton.

And what did she have to look forward to. Her baby, of course, that was a given, but then what? _Nothing._ She knew deep in her heart that she would never love another man. Never give her heart and soul to another as she had to Joshua. Never desire to bear children with another man. So it would be just her and her son.

Hearing carriage wheels rattling up the drive she soon heard the front door open and almost smiled to see Beth and Jasmine removing their wraps.

"Dere's my baby gal." Jasmine beamed from ear to ear, casting a critical eye over Lynna from head to toe. It was obvious that she didn't like what she saw. Her girl did not look well. "Lawd a mercy chile you is carryin' a strappin' youngun from de looks of it." Jasmine was worried about the size of the baby Lynna was carrying and had pleaded with Silas Fletcher to send her to Charleston so she could be present in the event of a difficult delivery. "It jus' about yo' time, ain't it."

"Yes, it finally is, Jasmine. I just wish..." she refused to finish the sentence, for she now knew that wishes did not come true. Lynna reached around to rub her lower back. "For some reason my back is aching something awful this morning."

Jasmine exchanged a knowing look with Beth, who left the room to find Patricia and advise her that she might want to begin preparing the birthing room. Jasmine settled into the seat beside Lynna to wait and had the thought that if she could get Lynna walking it might help matters along. "It sech a beautiful day outside, Miz Lynna. You want us ta go sit outside fo' a spell?"

Lynna glanced toward the bright sunlight streaming through the window. "We can go to the verandah. The fresh air will do me good." She was struggling to get out of her seat when Jasmine took her hands and pulled her to her feet. The minute her feet touched the floor Lynna felt warm liquid trickling down her legs and into her shoes. "Oh, my," she cried, shocked to feel fluid sloshing around in her slippers. "Is that what I think it is?"

"Yassum," Jasmine chuckled softly. "It sho' 'nuff is. Yo' baby is ready ta come out an' meet his mama."

Suddenly, Lynna's stomach was besieged by a knifing pain that gripped her midsection from back to front, ripping the air from her lungs. She welcomed the pain. She longed for it to be so great that nothing else mattered, that nothing but the pain could penetrate her thoughts, shutting all else out.

She got her wish.

Jasmine shouted for Patricia, and Lynna clutched both their hands as she was slowly led up the stairs to begin the long and painful process of bringing Joshua's child into the world.

The following morning, Lynna's screams of sheer agony still echoed through the house as Jeremiah poured Nathan another finger of whiskey. Groaning loudly, Nathan fell down in a chair beside the fireplace, dropping his tipsy head in his hands. "I don't know how much more of this I can take, Jeremiah. You don't know what it's like to listen to your only precious daughter scream for hours on end. I swear to you; it's ripping my heart clear out of my chest."

Jeremiah patted his friend on the shoulder, trying to comfort him as best he could. He decided then and there that he would kill any man who dared put Malinda through such unbearable torture. "The last time Judith left Lynna's bedside she assured me that it wouldn't be much longer. She said the baby's head was crowning."

Jeremiah and Nathan had sat in the parlor all through the long night listening to Lynna's low moans and bone chilling screams of pain, trying to drown out her cries with strong drink. So far, it wasn't working.

Jeremiah, who was paralyzed from the waist down after a tree felling accident, refilled his own glass and had just wheeled his chair opposite Nathan's when the sound of a high pitched wailing filled the early morning air. Nathan stood so fast his drink sloshed out of his glass and soaked one leg of his trousers. Slinging the glass to Jeremiah, he raced up the stairs as fast as possible in his slight state of inebriation. He met Jasmine coming out of the birthing room with a bundle cradled lovingly in her plump arms. "Do I have a granddaughter or a grandson, Jasmine?"

"It be a boy, Mist' Nathan." Jasmine beamed at Lynna's father. "Dis chile be da spittin' image of his daddy. See fo' yo'self." She gently lowered the blanket from the baby's face so Nathan could get a good look. "Ain't he jus' de mos' presch' thang you evah done laid yo' eyes on?"

"A boy. Yes, Jasmine, he is," Nathan breathed, peering at his grandson with complete wonderment. "And my daughter? Is Lynna well?"

"Miz Lynna gone be fine, Mist' Nathan. She jus' tired rat now an' needs her res'."

"Good, good," Nathan mumbled, raking trembling fingers through his thinning hair. "When can I see her?"

"Jus' let dem git her cleaned up, den you can see her, Mist' Nathan. Fo' now, you jus' go on back down dem stairs an' wait. Dey be callin' you soon nuff." Leaving him standing with his jaw gaping open, Jasmine headed to the kitchen where warm water and a soft cloth would be laid out for her to give Lynna's sweet baby boy his first bath.

"It's a boy!" Nathan shouted, rushing down the stairs and almost running headlong into Jeremiah's wheeled chair as he exited the parlor.

"And Lynna?" Jeremiah asked. "Is she well?"

"Jasmine assures me that she's tired and just needs her rest."

"I can certainly understand that. She has to be exhausted, for I am completely worn out from listening to the dear girl's heart wrenching cries of agonizing pain. Thank God it's over."

"I'll drink to that." Nathan chuckled, falling back in his chair and wishing he could sleep for a fortnight. First he had to see his daughter. Then he would ask not to be disturbed until dinner was served.
 Chapter 11

Twenty-six hours after her labor began, Lynna held her Christmas present from her husband, Joshua Beauregard Jordan. Joshua after her husband and Beauregard after her father Nathaniel Beauregard Rhodes. Her little Beau. He was the very image of his father. The same raven black curls, the same sea green eyes, and the same plump little lips. He was the most beautiful baby she had ever seen and everyone in the room agreed.

Patricia lifted her grandson from his mother's arms with tears of happiness streaming down her cheeks. "If I never see my son again, a part of him will live through my grandson."

As Patricia left the room, clutching the baby as though she would never allow another soul to hold him, Lynna drifted into the sleep of the mentally and physically exhausted where she could find peace dreaming of the man she loved.

This world was too harsh.

Her family seemed to be willing to move on with their lives, without Joshua. She often wished she could just close her eyes and not ever have to face the harsh reality of a life without him. If she admitted the truth to herself, she longed to sleep and never open her tired eyes again.

She would swear that her eyes had only been closed for a few seconds when she was awakened by a keen wailing close to her ear. Why wouldn't they let her sleep? She had labored an entire day and night. Didn't she deserve to rest? Evidently she didn't, for the cries only increased in volume.

Cracking one eye open she saw Jasmine standing by the bed with Beau in her arms. Lynna couldn't see below Jasmine's waist, but she knew from the determined look in her eyes that the old woman would be tapping her foot impatiently. "Dis baby hongry, Miz Lynna. It time fo' you ta feed him." When Lynna didn't budge, Jasmine unceremoniously yanked back the covers. "Scoot up in de bed so I kin put him on yo' tit."

Lynna huffed out an irritated breath, yet did as she was told. Jasmine plumped the pillow behind her head, reaching with her free hand to slip down the bodice of Lynna's loose nursing gown exposing her milk gorged breasts. She very gently placed the tiny bundle in Lynna's arms.

Beau had his bath and smelled of soap and talcum powder and his black hair glistened from the sunlight pouring through the window. Jasmine instructed Lynna on bringing the baby to her breast and she gasped as he latched on and immediately began a vigorous nursing. He was every bit as demanding as his father.

_His father_.

Lynna glanced up at Jasmine with a bewildered expression as the realization of who was cradled in her arms suddenly dawned on her.

This was Joshua's son.

Proof of the love they shared.

Just as Patricia had said, if Joshua never returned to her she still had a part of him to love and cherish, someone who depended on her for his very sustenance. Lynna herself would provide the nourishment that would help this baby grow into a strong, handsome man like his father.

Just like his father.

A slow smile brightened her face for the first time in ages as she cuddled her son closer, inhaling his wonderful smell.

Jasmine smiled a knowing grin and left mother and son alone to bond. Her job here was done.
 Chapter 12

The following morning Suzanne rolled her eyes and gritted her teeth as Lynna nuzzled and doted on the sleeping baby. The child had entered the world as white as the new driven snow. After she had wasted so much time on her knees praying most fervently each and every night for the child to be gifted with dark skin, full lips, and coarse, wiry hair. "He certainly does look like his father, doesn't he?" she forced herself to say.

_Granted, he is a beautiful baby. But there is absolutely no call for you to carry on like the brat is a gift straight from heaven._ "It's too bad that Joshua isn't alive to see his son." _It felt so good to twist the knife a little deeper._

"He is alive!" Lynna cried, startling her son and causing him to set up a fuss. "Please, don't ever say that again, Suzanne."

"Oh, do forgive me, Lynna," Suzanne mumbled, trying her hardest to sound contrite. "I thought you had accepted.... I mean I thought you would have realized by now..."

"I know exactly what you thought." Lynna ran her fingers through her son's soft black hair, across the perfect shell of his ear, and over his full lower lip. _Beau is so much like his father_. "I know what everyone thinks. But Joshua is alive. I cannot explain how I know this. I just know it. If he were dead, I would feel it here." She pressed a hand to her swollen breasts. "He is alive."

"I pray that he is, Lynna." _But highly unlikely with_ _a gaping hole in his chest that was gushing blood like a bubbling stream the last time I saw him._

"So do I, Suzanne. Every hour of every day." Lynna blinked back scalding tears. "You have been kind to visit me as often as you have."

"I've enjoyed getting to know little Beau," Suzanne lied through her teeth. She detested all children, never having met one that didn't annoy the living daylights out of her. "I think he and I will become good friends. Can I hold him while you drink your hot chocolate before it gets cold?"

"Of course." Lynna attempted to cover a yawn as she handed her baby over to Suzanne. "Beau seems quite smitten with you."

As Suzanne bent to take the baby and her voluminous skirt shielded the bedside table, she surreptitiously slipped Lynna's hairbrush into her pocket. Cuddling Beau with a satisfied smile, she now had three strands of hair from Lynna's head. Those were the last ingredients for Amari's spell. She had already slipped down to the graveyard during the last full moon and filled a cup with dirt from Samson's grave. _I can barely wait to see you wither up and die like rotting fruit on the vine._

Suzanne cooed at the baby while Lynna sipped her chocolate. _And you will be next, you annoying little brat._ "You look tired, Lynna. I think I should leave, so you and Beau can rest."

Lynna snuggled under the covers, unable to fight the drowsiness that settled over her. "Will you put Beau in his cradle for me?"

"I certainly will, honey." Suzanne tucked the covers around Lynna's shoulders, her hands itching to move the few inches it would take to reach around her neck and squeeze the last breath from her body. "Sleep well, darlin'."

Tonight the moon will be waning and I have a little gift that I have been absolutely dying to deposit under your bedroom window.
 Chapter 13

Notorious pirate captain Sean Devereux, turned respectable merchant captain and presently going under the alias of Eric Desmond, peered across the Charleston Harbor as the bells of St. Michael's tolled the early morning hour. Taking a deep breath, his lungs filled with the agreeable smell of low country plough mud as he clasped his hands behind his back, stretching the kinks out of his neck and shoulders. He was quick to realize that his neck wasn't the only part of his anatomy that needed a good stretch.

Sean had been at sea for several months without the aid of female companionship, and his first goal of the day was to remedy that sorry state of affairs at the first opportunity. Leaving the commercial vessel, he made his way around the crowded dock weaving through the many vendors hawking their wares.

Purchasing a meat pie, he nibbled on it as he strolled along a cobblestoned street. He smiled and gallantly tipped his hat at the rapt attention he received from the cooks and maids of the numerous shotgun houses lining the city's winding streets. A few of the servants were young and comely, while some were old and toothless.

However, they had all come to the market with the same intention, which was to obtain the choicest cuts of fish and meat, and the freshest vegetables for their mistresses before the overflowing bins had been scavenged. Displaying a brilliant smile for each, Sean continued down the street with a devilish grin.

It would be best not to let the respectable folks inhabiting the Holy City, who were known to frown upon pirate activities, know his true identity. He wasn't eager to feel the hangman's noose tighten around his neck.
 Chapter 14

Suzanne wore a smug grin as she smoothed the satin of her royal blue ball gown. The neck was scooped suggestively low and could be tugged a couple inches lower when necessary, with row upon row of fluffy ruffles bedecking the voluminous skirt. Her corset was so tightly laced that a man's hands could easily span the width of her tiny waist.

Breathing?

That was another story entirely and of very little consequence in the grand scheme of things. Her appearance was, and always had been, first and foremost on her mind.

Never one to lack for confidence, Suzanne had no doubt that she looked especially fetching tonight. Holding her head high as she entered the Pinkney mansion with her neck, wrists, and ears dripping with glittering jewels, she beamed. It felt so good to be away from Sea Grove and Lynna's incessant caterwauling, if only for a short while.

She had listened to the foolish girl blathering on and on about Joshua until she was afraid she might resort to drastic measures to shut her up. Oh, how she longed to tell the slut that her precious husband would never be returning home. Tell her in vivid detail that the buzzards had long since picked the meat from his bones and left them to bleach in the harsh sun. But enough of that. She was going to the Pinkney's New Year's Eve Ball, always the most elaborate of the holiday season. She had not a singular doubt that she would be the belle of the ball.

However, Charleston was in the firm grip of a punishing heat wave.

Two hours later, vigorously fanning herself with a dainty fan that did little more than stir the stuffy air around her head, Suzanne stood just inside the side doors praying for the cooling effects of a gentle breeze from the harbor. Peering around the ornate ballroom, she wondered which man would be lucky enough to taste her sweet lips when the clock chimed the midnight hour.

She had been to enough of these gatherings to know practically every eligible man making the party circuit. Although there was one divinely handsome rake perusing her from across the room that she had not noticed prior to tonight.

And a fine male mouthwatering specimen he was.

Dodging and weaving her way through the crowd, she made her way to the refreshment table and accepted another mint julep so that her breath would be fresh and minty when he made his move.

Taking a refreshing sip, she returned his gaze as she studied him from head to toe. Deeply tanned skin bespoke of many hours spent in the sun, shoulder length hair combed and carelessly tied back with a strap of leather that shone under the light of thousands of candles, and white teeth that fairly sparkled when he smiled. He was the swarthy type. A man who would feel as at home at the helm of a ship as he would in the parlor of the finest mansion. He appeared fearless, rugged, with muscles clearly evident beneath his waistcoat.

She wanted him.

Standing a head taller than the men around him, she could tell by his leering grin and the way his eyes traveled from the top of her bodice to the hem of her gown, that he knew exactly what lay beneath a woman's skirt. She had no doubt that he could make a woman's body hum like a delicate instrument. And, at the moment, she was a woman in desperate need of fine tuning.

At Cedar Grove, Samuel and his mousy little wife had watched her like a hawk, just waiting for a reason to send her packing. For that reason, she hadn't been able to sneak down to the slave quarters and have a little amorous fun in weeks.

She decided to ignore the tasty morsel who was still grinning his sexy grin from across the room. That always seemed to make a member of the opposite sex want her all the more. Tugging on the sleeve of a young dandy who just happened to be within arms reach, she fluttered her lashes up at him, pretending indifference to the stranger across the room. A stranger whose lips would definitely be touching hers when the clock chimed the twelfth hour.

Such a lucky man.

Lifting another mint julep from the tray of a passing waiter, Suzanne tilted her pert nose, presenting her trim back to the stranger. Her rule of thumb was to play hard to get for at least one hour before turning on the charm. If there was one thing Suzanne knew, and knew well, it was a man.

For some truly odd reason, one that she would never be able to fathom if she lived to be one hundred years old, they seemed to enjoy the chase every bit as much as the capture of a woman. What poppycock. Why waste so much time? Who made up these nonsensical rules anyway? Just go after what you wanted and get down to business. That was her motto.

But no matter how ridiculous the ruse, she went along with their tiresome little game, presenting a shy, coy front for the required hour, even though most times she was bored out of her skull with the pretense long before the allotted time had passed.

Leaving the apparently confused dandy the second the song ended, who was still trying to impress her with witty tales of his year abroad, she sashayed over to chat with Samuel and Beth. She was well aware that the stranger's eyes were focused on every swish of her skirt. Glancing over her shoulder to make sure he was still entranced, she asked Samuel, "Do you by any chance know that daring man ogling me from across the room?"

Samuel followed her gaze and when their eyes met the stranger raised his glass and tipped his head. "I don't believe I have made his acquaintance, but I will make a few inquiries."

"Too late," Beth whispered behind her fan, watching the stranger make a beeline through the crowd. "He's heading this way."

Suzanne drew in a quick breath. A man who didn't follow the silly rules.

She liked him already.

"Good evening, lovely lady." The dashing man stood behind her as Suzanne turned to face him. He flashed a dazzling smile that caused her heart to flutter against her ribs and a pulse to throb somewhere in her nether region. He was handsome beyond mere words and, apparently, already besotted. "I don't mean to intrude, but I have been mesmerized by your beauty this evening and was wondering if you would do me the honor of this dance?"

Another of Suzanne's mottos; rules were made to be broken. "Why, yes," she simpered, smiling up into a pair of dancing hazel eyes. "I would love to."

Taking her hand, he led her through the crowd until they were a safe distance from the prying ears of her family. It had been Sean's experience that overprotective family members, especially brothers, could be a nuisance when it came to strangers bedding their sisters.

"But sir, if you have been mesmerized by little ole me all evening, why did it take you so long to ask me to dance?" Suzanne purred. A delicious shiver tingled down her spine when he stopped dancing to draw her into his muscular embrace.

His warm breath tinged with the aroma of tobacco caressed her when he spoke. "It would seem that every man in attendance tonight suffered the same affliction and I was forced to wait my turn."

His words caused her to smile coquettishly. _So he had noticed_. "True, my dance card has been full since shortly after I arrived."

Sean gave her his most captivating smile as he crushed the conceited, and spoiled daughter of some wealthy planter against his hard, lean body. He could withstand her whining and self absorbed ways for a few hours. After all, he wasn't seeking a lifelong partner, just a titillating one-night romp. "May I ask who it is that I have the pleasure of dancing with?"

He touched his lips to her palm, causing her stomach to knot itself into a dainty bow. Priding himself on being an excellent judge of women, Sean correctly read her reaction and drew her sinfully close, causing several eyebrows to raise.

"Suzanne Jordan." Immediately upon hearing the name Jordan, Suzanne could have sworn she felt an imperceptible tightening of Sean's hand around her waist. So, he had already heard of her.

What man hadn't?

"Jordan? I once knew a Captain Jordan." He paused as if deep in thought. "From Charleston, I believe. My ship was docked in a port next to his somewhere in the Caribbean at one point. I cannot remember which port right off hand, there have been so many over the years. Let's see? _Windjammer._ That was the name of his ship."

"The _Windjammer?"_ Suzanne was incredulous. "That was my husband's ship."

"Was?" _Was Jordan's ship now languishing at the bottom of the sea?_ "He doesn't have the ship anymore?"

Suzanne giggled. "Yes, he still has the ship, but he doesn't have me."

Sean stopped dancing and held her at arms length feigning a look of complete astonishment. "Why on earth would any man let you slip out of his grasp? He must be mad."

_My thoughts exactly_! "He was... I mean is... but it's a long story that perhaps I will tell you someday." Suzanne had no desire to rehash the whole Joshua and Lynna debacle tonight. She was much more interested in getting to know this sinfully handsome man, who was presently crushing her against his hard frame in a way that was entirely too close for an unwed lady of genteel breeding to be held in public.

"I look forward to it." Sean focused on her mouth as the tip of her tongue came out to moisten pouty lips that parted slightly as if she expected him to plunder her mouth right there on the dance floor. He knew a blatant offer of sexual favors when he saw it. "Forgive me if I am being too forward, but I would enjoy getting to know you better, Suzanne. If I may call you that?"

"Call me anything you like," she simpered. With a come hither smile, she added, "The naughtier the better."

"As you wish." He pulled her even closer as his hand moved to squeeze the wanton vixen's waist. "I have a room at the Charleston Inn, room 7, should you care to continue this discussion later tonight."

"As a matter of fact, I am feeling rather talkative," she simpered, running her fingers along the hard line of his jaw. "If I'm not mistaken you are a man well versed in the fine art of conversation."

"Rest assured that I shall give our... discussion my most valiant effort." Bringing her hands to his lips one last time, he whispered, "I will be breathlessly awaiting our rendezvous." As the band finished the set, he smiled down at her and winked before releasing her. "Until then, my pet." Then he was gone.

As she watched him walk out the door, Suzanne suddenly realized she hadn't even asked his name.

Good grief, she had planned a rendezvous with an unnamed man. Hopefully he wasn't some villain after her valuable jewels. She didn't give it another thought as she began making plans to sneak out of the hotel.
 Chapter 15

Later that night, as a satiated Suzanne lay snuggled against Sean's sculpted body, she finally thought to ask his name.

"Um...Desmond. Captain Eric Desmond," he lied, breathing heavily. The wildcat had exhausted him. He had practically sailed around the world, yet the girl had moves he had never seen on any continent.

"Eric," Suzanne giggled. "I must admit that I most thoroughly enjoyed our... chat."

"As did I." His finger drew invisible circles around the nipple on her left breast as he blew warm breath on the sensitive area. "Never have I been with a more... practiced female. And beautiful," he added the untruth lest he offend her. "You, my lovely lady, could become habit forming if one was not careful."

Suzanne smiled saucily, loving the flattery.

"I still find it difficult to believe that any man would willingly give you up." Of course Sean realized that he was laying it on a trifle thick, but she was much too narcissistic to see through his ploy. "If you were mine, I would never allow you out of my sight."

Shivers fluttered over Suzanne's skin as he squeezed her roughly against him. He was a quick study and knew she liked it rough. _Smart man_. "Joshua felt that way in the beginning." Her words dripped with contempt. "In fact, we would still be together if not for his conniving bitch."

Sean's hand, that was moving across her stomach, stilled in an effort to keep her mind on her current train of thought. "Tell me more."

Eager to have the dashing man so enthralled, Suzanne spread her legs wider, a blatant suggestion to keep moving his hand. "Lynna Jordan, a royal pain in my ass since the day she arrived from France, has given me nothing but misery. Ouch!" she cried as the hand that was behind her head tightened painfully in her hair. "Turn loose of my hair."

"Forgive me." Sean's lungs constricted making it difficult to breathe when he heard the name. Lynna Jordan? It couldn't be.

She was dead.

Removing both hands from Suzanne's person, Sean pushed up on the bed and sat against the headboard trying to still his racing heart. He had dreamed of the lovely Lynna often since watching his ship sink. _With her in it_. Or so he had thought. "I didn't realize my ring was caught in your hair."

"Try to be more careful next time, would you?" she snapped, not at all pleased that he would be so careless with her.

"Of course." Taking a calming breath, he slid back down to lie beside her, pulling her close. "Now, let us get comfortable so you can continue your daring tale of intrigue."

Loving being the center of attention, Suzanne fluffed her pillow and continued, "Let's see? Where were we? Oh, so Joshua turns up... missing." Here she paused and gave him a mischievous grin.

"Missing?" Sean returned her grin, touching a finger to her moist lips. Suzanne drew his finger into her mouth and sucked, her eyes conveying a wealth of meaning. "And did you have anything to do with his being misplaced?"

Batting her lashes coyly and ignoring his question, she glanced up. "And poor Lynna, ready to deliver his child any day, was simply beside herself with grief."

"And this was recently?"

Situating herself between thighs that were already spread for her, Suzanne did her best to sound distressed. "Yes, Joshua was killed... um... went missing in mid September."

Sean Devereux would bet his ship that Joshua Jordan was dead and that his ex wife either did it by her own hand or hired someone else to do it. "Did she deliver a healthy baby?"

"Yes a boy, Beau." Suzanne took his rigid shaft in her hand as it glistened with one pearly drop shimmering on the tip. "The child bears a positively uncanny resemblance to his father."

"Does he now?" Sean placed his hand on her head, prompting her to take him in her mouth. She did, relishing the taste of him with a low moan. Sean groaned as her lips worked their magic, caressing him, running her tongue over the tip, pulling him deeper and deeper. The girl was driving him insane with desire.

Where had she been all his life?

After a few minutes of Sean having a death grip on her hair and desperately holding her in place lest she try to break suction, Suzanne knew he was close to the edge. Arching her back, she took the full length of him down her throat.

It was unlike anything Sean had ever experienced. He wanted to savor the sensation, make it last for hours, but he knew it would be physically impossible. He bucked twice as an explosion of flames ripped from his loins, causing him to cry out with pure erotic ecstasy. He shuddered for several seconds as she drained him dry.

Throwing his arms over his head, he relaxed and vowed to marry the girl come morning. For the love of all that was holy. He had never had a woman do that. She didn't pull away at the pivotal moment, but caressed him with her tongue until the last pulse had stilled. The girl could move to the city, find employment in one of the finer brothels and be wealthy overnight with the skills she possessed.

When Sean's breathing had stilled, he said, "While listening to you talk I seem to remember hearing this tale, however I am a bit confused as I also recall hearing that a band of pirates abducted Captain Jordan's wife off the Jamaican coast."

Suzanne slithered up to press her body full length against Sean's. "Yes, that did happen."

"Then, I later heard that the pirate's ship was attacked, taking Jordan's wife and crew to the bottom of the Caribbean."

"I believe all that you say is true, except for the unfortunate fact that Lynna did not perish." Suzanne licked her lips then picked up his blanket to daintily pat her chin dry. "To make a long story short, somehow lucky Lynna survived and swam to a deserted island where she lived for several weeks until her knight in shining armor, Captain Joshua Jordan, rescued her."

Sean's eyes took on a faraway look as a smile curved his sensuous mouth.

The pirate ship in question belonged to him.

And Lynna had made him a promise that he intended for her to keep.

Lynna?

Alive?

She had survived the sinking ship? But why hadn't he seen her when he was floating in the water? For days? "Well, I'll be damned."

Suzanne rolled her eyes, hard pressed to conceal her irritation. "That makes two of us. Why couldn't she just drown with the rest of that nasty pirate's worthless crew?"

Sean cringed at her heartless words. The girl might have masterful lips, but she didn't know the meaning of compassion. He remembered, with vivid clarity, each and every man that had gone under the water that day and never resurfaced, his own brother included. He had to close his eyes, take a few deep calming breaths, and clear his head before he could even look at Suzanne without feeling an almost overwhelming urge to put his fist through her sultry lips.

Suzanne sighed, so lost in her own thoughts that she didn't notice when Sean's eyes darkened ominously. Her personal needs were really all that mattered at the moment. She moved to lower herself onto him, when he stopped her with his hands on her hips. "Sorry, love, but you will have to give me a few minutes before we attempt round three."

Those certainly were not words Suzanne wanted, or expected, to hear, especially from the stallion beneath her. Unleashing an irritated breath, she plopped down on the bed beside him thinking unkind thoughts of Lynna.

Finally, things were falling into place for Suzanne where the harlot was concerned. Her revenge would soon be complete. "Oh Eric, it has been so tragic." Though she really did try, Suzanne could not completely suppress her joyful giggle. "Poor Lynna fell ill three days after little Beau's birth."

"What?" Sean sat up in bed, once again forgetting the woman beside him that was squirming and begging for his attention. "And what was the diagnosis?"

After drinking almost an entire bottle of wine, Suzanne had confessed that she was studying under the voodoo priestess on her brother's plantation.

Was Suzanne slowly poisoning Lynna?

"Childbed fever. It has been simply awful to watch her becoming weaker with each passing day. She suffers from severe abdominal pain, raging fever, and has completely lost her appetite. I do declare, the poor girl looks as though she is wasting away before our very eyes. Patricia was forced to bring in a wet nurse to feed the baby, since all Lynna does is sleep. I don't think she can possibly survive more than a few more days at most."

Sean didn't attempt to stifle a wide yawn, hoping she would take the hint and return to her hotel. He needed time to think without being distracted by her insatiable needs.

No such luck.

The vindictive girl snuggled against his side and he could tell by her even breathing that she was asleep in seconds, without a care in the world.

Sean was still wide awake when the morning sun filtered through the flimsy lace curtains.

But he now had a fool proof plan.

On their third night together, with Suzanne's nude body slick with perspiration, she fell back on the bed totally spent. Indeed, Joshua had more prowess than any of the numerous men who had made love to her, but Eric held a close second.

"I will dearly miss our nightly trysts," she mused sadly. "My infuriating brother has decided that the time has come for us to return to Cedar Hill. Samuel insists there is no reason for us to remain in the city any longer." Her lower lip jutted out resembling a petulant child. "If he and that dowdy wife of his would venture out of their hotel room on occasion they might think otherwise and not be so eager to return to their insipid country life."

"I will miss this as well," Sean told the outright lie with a straight face, turning on his side to face her. True, she could do things with her mouth, lips, and throat that he had never even deemed possible, yet, he had long since had his fill of the self centered, egotistical brat. Her mere presence disgusted him. "Forgive me if I am speaking out of turn, but from our conversations of the last few nights, it seems that you don't particularly care for Lynna Jordan."

"Care for her," Suzanne practically spat the words, rubbing her hands down his chest and squeezing his limp member. "The happiest day of my life will be the day they slowly lower her stiff body into the ground to join her husband. And it shouldn't be long."

"I thought you said her husband was missing?" Sean grabbed her hand, bringing it to his lips. _He was so done with her._ A sly grin played across his mouth, letting her know that he had figured out her ruse to get rid of both Joshua and his wife. "How can you be so sure he has reached his final resting place, my pet?"

"Just believe me when I say that I know." Her laugh was a chilling sound that caused the hairs on the back of Sean's neck to rise.

He knew it.

She did have something to do with Joshua Jordan's disappearance. "I understand. But tell me, what did Lynna Jordan do to you that was so egregious, if I may be so bold as to ask?"

"She stole my husband. You see I was married to Joshua." Her eyes misted as her mind wandered to another time and place. "It was the most wonderful day of my entire life." Then her eyes cleared, snapping with anger. "Then _she_ threw her body at him like some common prostitute until the poor man was infatuated by her flirtatious ways. She stole him from me and I will have my revenge, on both of them. One way or another."

Sean was wise enough to realize that if he didn't intervene soon Suzanne would see Lynna dead and in her grave, and what a waste that would be. He would never tire of the beautiful Lynna. He had a plan already forming in his mind, but he would need Suzanne's assistance to carry it out.

"Perhaps I can help you with that." He smiled, lowering his mouth to her breast to put her in a more agreeable mood. From the sound of it, Lynna didn't have a second to spare. She needed to be far away from Suzanne's evil, and the sooner the better. "I know a man who has a home on one of the islands. He would love to have a woman like Lynna Jordan in his bed."

"That won't be necessary." Suzanne closed her eyes and arched her body. "As I told you, Lynna is extremely ill and I doubt she will be causing problems for anyone much longer."

"I understand, but death is such an... easy way out. No more pain and suffering." Now was the time to hammer his point home. Sean ran his tongue around her nipple without touching it, making her squirm. "Some people should be made to suffer every single day for the remainder of their natural lives for the pain they have caused us."

Even through her haze of lust his words penetrated the fog of Suzanne's mind. She turned them over and over in her head and nodded agreeably. He had a good point. Death was too easy for Lynna. Just the thought of her at the hands of some madman caused Suzanne to shiver with delight.

"Just how would you suggest these odious people should be made to suffer?" She wondered aloud, momentarily forgetting the desire that simmered in her veins.

"The man I was speaking of prides himself on making women... hurt." Sean could tell by her bright smile that he had her immediate and undivided attention.

"Tell me about this man." Suzanne's lips curved into a wide grin at the thought of Lynna being tortured, daily. "Is he a handsome and virile young stud or some old depraved soul with liver spots covering his face and hands?"

Sean knew exactly what she wanted to hear. "The latter, my dear, he is a rather sad looking creature with unsightly warts in the most inconvenient places. All but a few of his teeth have rotted out and he suffers from a rather nauseating body odor. One of his legs is shorter than the other causing him to walk with a painful limp, but he has a great deal of money and is, therefore, willing to pay an exorbitant amount for a... companion."

"Would he treat Lynna like a princess, as she is accustomed to being treated, or would he recognize her for the tramp that she is and deal with her accordingly?"

Sean played along with her cruel fantasy. "She would be well abused in the bedroom."

Suzanne tossed the idea around in her head only a second before making her decision. "If I agree to this, will you promise to take me to her one year from now so that I can feast on her misery with my own eyes? I long to tell her, face to face, that I am responsible for the agony she was forced to endure."

"Of course. However, rest assured that I will return for you long before a year has passed. I could not possibly stay away that long." Looking out the window, Sean was amazed that lightening didn't strike him on the spot for uttering such an outrageous fabrication.

"Then I think we should introduce the two of them posthaste." Suzanne clapped her hands joyfully.

"I would be happy to introduce Lynna to my acquaintance on the island and put a tidy sum in my own pocket in the meantime." Then a thought struck him. "But what of the babe?"

Suzanne waved a dismissive hand in the air as if the child were of little or no concern whatsoever. "Let Joshua's parents and his spinster sister raise the brat."

"Then we have a deal." Sean breathed a sigh of relief. "I will make all the necessary arrangements. All you need do is return to Cedar Hill and be patient. I will send a message when I have worked out the details. Promise me, Suzanne, that you will do exactly as I say."

"I will do anything to be rid of Lynna once and for all, and to know that she will be with a man who gets his enjoyment from her pain only doubles my pleasure."

Trust me, I will carry out your instructions to the letter, with immense pleasure.

Suzanne received a telegram the following afternoon at Cedar Hill. Tearing open the letter, she read,

Give the enclosed message to the courier. He has been instructed to carry it to one of the slaves who will then forward it to Lynna personally. You must visit her later in the day and ascertain if she has set up an alarm. If she does not, and I don't believe that she will, then all will go as planned. If, on the other hand, she is suspicious and speaks of the letter to anyone, you must get word to me immediately. If all goes well, after I deliver Captain Jordan's widow to her future home, I will return for you, my lovely Suzanne. I will be counting the days until I find myself in your delicious arms once again.

The enclosed message to Lynna read:

I have your husband. If you desire to see him alive again, come to the Charleston Harbor tomorrow morning at daybreak. Come alone. If you bring anyone with you he will die before you have even boarded the ship.

Suzanne waited the required two hours before rushing to Sea Grove, anxious to see how much closer Lynna had come to drawing her final breath. Everyone thought she suffered from childbed fever, only Suzanne knew the truth. Well, her and Amari.

She gently pushed open the door to Lynna's dark bedroom, a room that smelled of camphor and... death. Lynna was staring at the ceiling, perfectly still.

Was she dead?

Suzanne had called her name twice before she responded. "I'm sorry... Suzanne. I didn't...hear you come...in."

It was obvious that the effort required to say the words totally exhausted Lynna. She looked like the walking dead, one of the zombies that Amari had tried to convince Suzanne actually existed. She couldn't wait to learn how to cast that spell. If it was possible to bring someone back to life Joshua Jordan would be first on the list, after Lynna had been disposed of.

"I have missed...you." Lynna had dark circles under her sunken eyes and looked as fragile as a newborn babe, yet she smiled wanly at Suzanne.

"Is that a smile I see on your face, Lynna?" Suzanne teased. "Why, I haven't seen your lips turned upward in ages. Tell me. What has lifted your spirits all of a sudden?"

"I need..." It took Lynna several tries to get the words out. "To run an..."

Suzanne drummed her fingers on the bedside table impatiently. _For the love of God spit it out._

Lynna continued breathlessly, "errand. Will... you help... me?"

"Well, of course I will, darling. Why, you know all you need do is ask."

_But, please. I beg of you. Do not_ _spend the next two hours trying to get one sentence out. I simply cannot tolerate it._

"Thank... you," Lynna breathed.

"You are more than welcome, honey. I am always here for you. But, pray tell, what is this errand that is so urgent, and why can't one of the multitude of servants in this house run it for you?"

So that was how she planned to get away.

When Lynna didn't respond, Suzanne continued, "Lynna, darling, it appears that you would have great difficulty even getting out of bed, let alone out of the house to cavort about running errands. Just tell me what it is and I promise you it will be done."

"No." Lynna roused herself, trying desperately to focus on what Suzanne was saying. "I must... do it... myself."

"Very well." There was simply no point in trying to prolong a conversation with the girl. It was irritating beyond reason. "I will arrive in the morning with a carriage and we will run this very secretive errand of yours." _Good Lord, if I didn't detest the girl so much watching her struggle to talk would almost be painful._

"No... tonight...midnight."

"You want to run this errand tonight at midnight?" Suzanne cried, pretending to be shocked. "Lynna, have you taken complete leave of your senses? What could possibly be so important?"

"Will you help... me... please?"

"Well, of course I will help you, Lynna." _To an early grave._ "But please tell me what this is all about. Why, your father and Jeremiah would have my head if they got wind of such shenanigans."

"I cannot. Please, just... trust me."

Appearing entirely put upon, Suzanne sighed a dramatic sigh. "I will do as you ask, Lynna. Of course, I have always gone out of my way to help you in any way I could. And, being the friend that I am, I will even risk being banned from Sea Grove forever if that's what it takes to make you happy." Suzanne glanced over her shoulder to make sure no one was listening. "Will it be possible for you to sneak out of the house tonight if I have the buggy waiting?"

"Yes... I will... be ready."

"I honestly don't know how you propose to even make it down the stairs in your frail condition." Suzanne's eyes swept over her skeletal frame contemptuously.

"I... have to." Gazing at Suzanne from bruised eyes, Lynna held her finger to her lips praying that Suzanne would understand.

"I will take your secret to my grave." Lynna was dying, but now wasn't the time or place for rejoicing. "Trust me, Lynna."

Lynna reached for Suzanne's hand and gave it a final squeeze before exhaustion overwhelmed her and she slept.
 Chapter 16

New Years Day, 1855

Joshua slowly and painfully opened eyes that felt as though they had been stitched closed. The excruciatingly bright sunlight streaming through the frosty window caused him to quickly shut them as severe pain bounced from behind one eye to the other. Waiting a few minutes to get his bearings, he opened his eyes to mere slits, hoping they would adjust to the bright light. Several more minutes passed before he was finally able to open them all the way, although the effort sent another volley of sharp pain throbbing through his head.

In an aborted attempt to lift his hand and rub his eyes, he stopped short when the effort caused a raging inferno to blast throughout his entire ribcage.

God, he hurt.

His chest throbbed with an intense, searing, all consuming pain. His muscles ached.

Everywhere.

Where was he?

Peering around the room he could find no answers to his questions. He was in a one room rough hewn cabin of some sort, furnished with the bare necessities. Something that smelled delicious boiled in a pot suspended over the fire in the fireplace causing his mouth to water.

Although he was desperately trying to figure out why he was in this strange room, Joshua couldn't hold on to the thought and drifted back into a dream laced sleep.
 Chapter 17

Lynna slipped out of her room long after the others had gone to bed, and made the agonizing walk down the stairs and to the front door. In all of her life she had never been half so tired as she was walking down that long flight of stairs.

Walking down a step and then sitting down to rest, walking and sitting down. Her legs trembled violently as she repeated the process over and over for what seemed like hours until she finally reached the bottom.

She was so cold.

Even though her head was spinning, nausea was boiling in her throat, and her vision was so blurry she expected to tumble head over heels down the stairs, she stubbornly refused to give in to defeat. With thoughts of seeing Joshua again urging her on, she pulled herself up by the banister and somehow made it out the door with her heart pounding and sweat pooling in the small of her back from exertion.

She stood on the verandah as the chilly night air swirled under her night rail, chilling her to the bone.

Suzanne was hiding behind a bush and leapt out to grab Lynna's hand, practically dragging her down the steps before she could get caught sneaking her out of the house. How would she ever explain such subterfuge to Jeremiah and Nathan? "Oh, for heaven's sake, Lynna," she snapped, unable to hide her annoyance. "You could have at least changed out of your night rail."

Gasping for breath, Lynna murmured, "Forgive me... I simply did not... have the... strength."

Towing Lynna behind her, Suzanne hurried down the small incline. When they reached the buggy she picked the frail girl up and practically tossed her onto the hard bench before running around to climb up to the driver's seat. Lynna immediately collapsed and laid her head on Suzanne's lap, tugging a blanket up to her chin as a bone numbing fatigue overwhelmed her.

The buggy raced along the heavily rutted road, causing Lynna's hip to bounce painfully on the hard wooden seat. In an effort to ease the pain, she wadded the blanket under her hip and was able to find temporary relief from the throbbing ache. She was freezing now, but at least she could stand the pain. For Joshua, there was no pain she wouldn't withstand.

Her next memory was hours later when Suzanne pulled the horses to a halt at the Charleston Harbor and shook her roughly awake. With the glow from a few streetlights she could see the tall masts of several ships at anchor in the swirling mist rising from the water.

"Wake up, Lynna," Suzanne snapped. "We have arrived. For goodness sakes, you have been asleep for hours. You can't still be tired."

"I must... go to... Joshua," Lynna mumbled, somehow finding the strength to lift her weary body and stumble to the ground.

She remembered stepping down and taking a few weak steps toward the docks and then everything going blank.

After an indeterminable amount of time Lynna rubbed her throbbing head with a trembling hand. Where was she? Shaking her head in an attempt to clear the cobwebs, she opened her eyes and added a throbbing headache to her growing list of ailments. Nothing looked familiar. It was too bright in this room, and the bed wasn't as soft as her bed at Sea Grove. Still, it was soft enough to sleep on and at the moment that was her greatest desire.

Just before her eyes drifted shut she noticed movement and a figure sitting in a chair across from her bed. How nice, but she really wasn't up to visitors just yet. She would chat with whoever it was later, after a long nap. Wait. Suddenly, she remembered! She wasn't at Sea Grove. She had come to the docks to find Joshua. Forcing her eyes open she stared into the face of...

No.

It could not be...

But it was, for she would never forget the face that had haunted her dreams for the past year. Sean Devereux. "You are... dead," she cried hoarsely. Only she and Rob had survived the sinking ship. The pirate captain Sean Devereux should be resting at the bottom of the sea with his ship. "I must be hallucinating."

"Not hardly, my dear." Sean grinned lazily. "I am very much alive. Believe me, I had the same reaction when I first learned that you were still among the living." Lighting a cheroot, he leaned forward and watched her intently from hooded eyes.

"But... but... I saw your ship...in flames," Lynna whispered as dread seeped through every pore.

"It seems we were both under the mistaken impression that the other had perished." Sean inhaled deeply, tilting his head back to blow smoke into the air. "I thought you were dead as well. I never dreamed you would survive the sinking ship, swim to shore, and somehow endure living on a deserted island. Some day you must tell me exactly how you managed such a challenging feat, alone."

"But why..." She paled, consumed with fear for what was to come. Even though her brain was foggy and she was too weak to lift her own hand to cover her face, it suddenly dawned on her why she was on the pirate ship.

_The promise_.

Be that as it may, she was too tired to hold her eyes open for another second. She drifted off to the place in her dreams where Beau and Joshua waited.

Two days later, Sean entered his cabin, determined to keep the girl awake and alert, at least long enough to hold a decent conversation with her. They had quite a bit of catching up to do. Still, she was in far worse condition than he had expected. It was clear that Suzanne had meant to see the girl go slowly and painfully to her grave.

Lynna's dull, lifeless eyes were glazed and fixed on the open balcony door as he took the chair beside her bed and leaned back, crossing his feet at the ankles. "Do you by chance remember the promise you made to me, Lynna?"

Lynna knew exactly what promise he was referring to. She had vowed to give her body to the pirate captain to save Rob from feeling the wrath of the cat o nine tails, just before a cannon had blasted a gaping hole in the hull of Sean's ship.

It had been over a year and the pirate captain still meant to hold her to her word?

Even though she was married?

"You cannot... expect me to... follow through with that promise," she murmured. "I am a married... woman."

Sean had no desire to cause her more pain than she was already experiencing, but she needed to release the hope that her husband was coming home and move on with her life. She was already in his bed, she just had to get well enough to do something besides sleep in it. "From what I heard on the docks, your husband is dead."

"Joshua is... still alive!" she cried.

"No," Sean said with finality. "I can inform you with utmost certainty that he is not."

Lynna's heart plummeted as she whispered, "How can you be so sure?"

Sean opened his mouth to tell her the truth, but felt that now was not the time. "Just trust me, Lynna. It's for your own good. There is no point in continuing to fool yourself that your husband will be coming home."

He seemed so certain.

"How do you know this?" she whispered. Sean had sent her the message, of course. She had been a fool to come to the docks without telling anyone at Sea Grove her destination. Then a mind numbing thought struck her. "Did you kill Joshua?"

"No." Sean shook his head. "I did not."

For some reason, she believed him. On the other hand, he was entirely too sure of himself. He knew something about Joshua's death, more than he was willing to admit. "But... you... know who did?"

"Yes, Lynna." Sean stood and sauntered to a table across the room, obviously having said all that he was going to on the matter. "I do."

It crossed Lynna's mind to sit up, but it was a useless and wasted effort. Her arms were dead weight. "Please tell me," she cried, as a sob caught in her throat.

"Perhaps in time." Sean turned to look at her, his voice softening when he saw the pain in the glistening blue depths of her eyes. "I'm telling you the truth for you own piece of mind, so that you can begin to build a new life." He sat down in the chair with a steaming bowl in his hands. "Now, you must try to eat this broth, Lynna. I would wager that you haven't eaten more than a few bites in weeks."

"No... food." She shuddered as just the smell sent waves of revulsion rushing through her.

Sean blew out a quick breath and Lynna noticed the determination register on his face when he dipped the spoon in the broth and brought it toward her pursed lips. "I must insist, Lynna. You cannot continue to live without nourishment. Therefore, you are either going to eat this broth or I will be forced to pour it down your throat. Which would you prefer?"

She could tell by his tone of voice and the resolve in his eyes that he would brook no argument, nor was he going to back down on the threat. Her only hope was to try to eat the broth and keep it down at least until he left the cabin, then perhaps he would leave her in peace and allow her to sleep.

She parted her lips as he spooned the warm salty liquid into her mouth. It tasted divine, yet felt as heavy as oil swimming around in her stomach. Miraculously she managed to keep it down. After swallowing several more spoons of broth, she was convinced that she would gag on another drop and turned her head. "No more...please."

"Good girl. I'm proud of you." Sean stood, returning the bowl to the table. "I'll be back later with more broth. Hopefully, after a few days of liquids you can graduate to solid food. With the added benefit of the fresh sea air you should be back to your old self in no time." Sean was being overly optimistic for her sake. In the condition she was in, it would be months before she returned to her former self.

If ever.

True to his word, Sean returned every few hours with another bowl of hot broth and forced her to eat until she clamped her mouth shut and the liquid dribbled down her chin. Grinning, with the realization that at least she now had the energy to be stubborn, he left the cabin with a contented smile spreading across his lips.

She would live.

After four days had passed, Sean noticed that Lynna was more alert and there was the slightest tinge of color in her cheeks. She was staying awake for longer periods of time and even occasionally showing a bit of temper when he forced her to eat something she didn't particularly have a taste for.

"Where are we going?" Not that she really cared, she was just curious.

"To my home."

"Could you be more specific?"

"Does it matter?"

It didn't.

Lynna knew Beau was safe with his family. Practically from the day he was born she had been so sick that she barely remembered her own child. _Just his smell._ The sweet talcum powder smell that always lingered on his dewy skin. Tears stung her eyes as she remembered the softness of her precious son at her breast.

She wasn't able to tend to him, so he was better off without her. She didn't care what happened to her now that her last hope of finding Joshua alive had been shattered. Nothing really mattered anymore. It was of little consequence to her where she went or who was there when she arrived. One place would be as dismal as the next and she no longer had the will to fight. She just wanted to sleep. "No, I don't suppose it does."

Even though she was gradually improving, Sean was nonetheless shocked each time he entered the cabin by the sight of Lynna's gaunt appearance. She still had a long way to go before the term healthy could be applied to her. The stunningly beautiful, vivacious girl with the golden curls that he remembered from his ship, seemed to be lost forever.

Lynna was skin and bones and her eyes were all but sunken black holes in her face. Suzanne had never admitted it, but Sean was convinced the vile girl had been poisoning Lynna, or feeding her some other voodoo potion. From the looks of her a few more days would have finished the job.

She looked like death warmed over.

Lynna opened her eyes well after dark as moonlight spilled through the open balcony doors. She breathed deeply of the salty sea air, lulled by the gentle rocking beneath her. Listening to the sound of water rushing past the hull of the ship, she thought of Joshua on the deck of the _Windjammer._

His raven hair brushed carelessly from his forehead. The twinkle in his eyes when he teased her. The passion when he made love to her. The love he already held for their unborn child.

She remembered their wedding day, the happiest day of her life. She thought of Beau, her beautiful son. Did he remember her? What of her father and Aunt Judith?

She hoped that her family's suffering had eased and they could find their peace raising little Beau in her stead. So many loved ones left behind. _And Suzanne_. What of dear Suzanne? How could she have forgotten about her? What did Sean do to the poor girl? Did he let her go? Was she also on the ship? She had to try to remain alert and ask Sean when next she saw him.

Thinking of Suzanne brought her so vividly to mind that Lynna thought she must be dreaming. It was as though Suzanne was hovering directly in front of her. Although a great fog lifted from the ground and swirled up around Suzanne, Lynna saw her clearly. She was at some type of gathering, almost like a religious ceremony, standing in the center of a group of... slaves. The slaves were bowing to her as if she were their leader, but that was unlikely as she had never known Suzanne to venture into the slave quarters.

Yet Suzanne was there, at least in her dream, with her hands in the air chanting words... strange words... in an unknown tongue. Sounds similar to what Lynna had heard drifting from the slave quarters at Magnolia House. On hot summer nights, when she slept with the windows open to allow a cooling breeze to flow through her aunt's cottage, their rhythmic chanting filled the air.

Even though it couldn't possibly be, it looked like Suzanne was holding Lynna's hairbrush in her right hand. It was the red one she had brought from France. With her left hand, Suzanne allowed wax to drip from a black candle onto the hairbrush and coat the hair.

Suzanne opened her mouth and lifted her voice to the night sky. "I curse you with three days of hell, Lynna Jordan." Then her eerie chant echoed around the gathering:

"Lesions on her skin will grow

Afflict her with a painful blow

Sores and pain afflict her now

For 3 nights she'll wonder how

Dukes of darkness, kings of hell

Smite my enemy, bring her hell."
 Chapter 18

Joshua didn't know if an hour had passed, a day, or a fortnight when he again opened his eyes, but he had company now. A young girl of perhaps twelve years of age sat in a chair beside the bed. She grinned from ear to ear showing rows of perfect white teeth when he opened his eyes and, for lack of a better word... grunted. At least that was what it sounded like to him. Or maybe it was his mind playing tricks on him again.

He closed his eyes for a second as vague images flashed through his mind and he desperately tried, without much success, to pull forth a memory.

The girl jumped up from her chair and hurried to the pot over the fireplace, ladling something that smelled absolutely divine into a bowl. He prayed that she was in a sharing mood, because the spot between his belly button and his backbone felt hollow. Evidently she was, for with a light step she made her way back to the bed and placed the steaming bowl on a small table.

Joshua tried to speak, but his throat was as parched as desert sand and his lips so chapped that he couldn't force out more than a dry raspy croak. Noticing his dilemma, the girl rushed to dip a tin cup into a bucket of water and bring it to him. Placing her hand gently behind his head to raise it, she held the cup while Joshua greedily drank of fresh spring water that tasted better than the finest wine he had ever consumed.

Lowering his head to the pillow, the young girl held the bowl close to his mouth and fed him spoon after spoon of a delicious stew consisting of some type of meat, potatoes and onions. Although it was the best meal he had eaten in his entire life, and before he could even congratulate the chef, the exertion it required to open his mouth, chew, and swallow took its toll and left him completely spent. Joshua drifted into a dream filled sleep of Lynna and the child she carried.

His daughter.

 Chapter 19

Lynna came fully awake and gazed out the window just as the first morning rays were creeping over the horizon. Attempting to sit up, she found the struggle to be not worth the effort required and fell back on the pillow with a defeated moan. It had to be a horrible, horrible nightmare of course. She and Suzanne had made their peace. She would have no reason to curse her.

She was determined that today would be a better day when suddenly, without warning, her head was filled with... screams. Vibrating noises that sounded like thousands of people screaming in her ears all at once until it was one loud keening shrill echoing over and over in her head until she passed out.

Sean entered with a tray laden with a variety of foods in hopes of tempting her to eat, but Lynna could not be roused.

Had she taken a turn for the worse?

As he was debating what his next step toward aiding in her recovery should be, Lynna's eyes suddenly rolled back in her head and she opened her mouth for a bloodcurdling scream that shook the rafters of the ship.

Goosebumps shivered across the skin of each and every member of the crew as the nightmarish sound filled the air around them.

"What madness is this?" Sean mumbled, vowing that he had never heard a more ungodly sound in all his life. "Lynna." Shaking her roughly, he tried unsuccessfully to bring her around, but it was as if she had been drugged with laudanum. "Lynna, wake up."

She didn't seem to hear him as she continued screaming louder and louder with pain. When she wasn't screaming, she moaned and clutched the blanket over her stomach until her knuckles whitened under the pressure. Nothing Sean could do would halt her bone chilling screams or ease her pain.

Lynna opened eyes that were blank and unable to focus. Rolling her body from side to side on the bunk, she tossed her head back and forth on the pillow like a madwoman, clutching at her stomach and pleading with Sean, "The pain... is killing me. Please help me. Make it stop. Oh God, please, make... it stop."

Her eyes were angry red and bloodshot as tears of agony coursed down her cheeks. Her screams echoed throughout every corner of the ship for hours on end, causing the crew members onboard to whisper amongst themselves that she must be possessed. She screamed until her throat was raw and she lost her voice and couldn't utter another sound. Still, her eyes screamed with silent terror.

The silence in the cabin was almost deafening when her screams finally died away, leaving the ship eerily quiet. After twenty hours of nonstop screaming, she finally slept.

Removing his boots, Sean tiptoed out of the cabin on silent feet, afraid that if he awakened her she would begin the ear splitting wailing again.

Sean instructed Rorie, his cabin boy, to sit with Lynna for the remainder of the night. He would attempt to grab a few hours sleep in the boys bunk before facing a new day. _Attempt._ He doubted his ears would ever stop ringing with her pitiful cries.

Much to his surprise, Sean slept like the dead for several hours and when he returned Rorie informed him that after her screams had quieted down Lynna had slept like a newborn. "She seems to have some sores on her face. I didn't see her do it though. She must have clawed at her skin some time during the night, boss."

Sean moved to stand beside Lynna's rumpled bed. Instead of fresh claw marks he found several weeping pustules on her face. It was a hideous sight and the yellowish discharge from the pustules smelled like something rotten or... dead. Evidently the sores itched like a bad case of poison ivy because Lynna clawed at her face constantly.

"Lynna, you must stop scratching at your face. You are drawing blood." Sean tried to hold her hands to her sides while she fought him like a wild woman. As a last resort, he was forced to tie her hands to the bedposts to keep her from raking at the pustules in her sleep and leaving her face scarred and disfigured. She didn't like being tied down and her mournful wails of torment once again echoed throughout the farthest recesses of the ship.

Several of Sean's crew members stuffed wads of cotton in their ears to drown out her spine chilling screams. One of them was heard to murmur, "She sounds like a demon straight from the depths of hell. It makes me want to jump overboard and swim to shore. I can't take much more of her screaming."

Another crew member voiced his concern. "That ain't no normal sound."

On the third day, Sean shook Lynna vigorously, trying to wake her, praying that she had turned a corner and today would be a better day.

Opening her eyes, a weak smile curved the corners of her lips and she almost focused on him. She opened her mouth to speak, when a vile green vomit spewed from her lips.

The noxious fluid splashed Sean's chest, covering him from neck to boots. Fortunately, he had jumped to the side and clamped his mouth shut in time or he would be retching over the balcony rail. As it was, his stomach was fighting a losing battle to hold on to its contents.

Lynna barely had time to draw breath into her starving lungs before more vomit was spurting from her mouth. Falling back on the bed, exhausted, she could rest only a second before being seized by another fit and it would begin all over again. Sean moved away from the bed a safe distance and could only watch the poor girl, offering her a sip of water in between intense bouts of nausea.

This went on for hours until Lynna, Sean, the bunk, the floor, the walls, and everything in between was coated with a thick layer of slime. Sean had long since stopped even bothering to change out of his soiled clothes. The contents of her stomach should have emptied hours ago.

Where was so much bile coming from?

For the remainder of the third day, Lynna vomited, yanked on her bindings until her wrists were raw and bleeding, screamed as if each breath might be her last, and begged someone, anyone, to scratch her face. Sean rubbed a smelly ointment on the scabs when she appeared to be sleeping. It seemed to ease the itching for a short while.

When all was quiet and Lynna was calm enough to drift into a fitful sleep, Sean deduced that all in all it had been three days of living hell.

For both of them.

There was no hope for it. Sean's clothes were ruined. Fifty washings wouldn't remove the ghastly odor emanating from them, nor would a simple sponge bath cleanse the grime from his body. Shucking his clothes and standing naked on the balcony, he tossed them into the churning sea below.

Grabbing a bar of strong lye soap, he shouted his intentions to his first mate and jumped into the ocean to rid his body of the powerful stench. He rode the waves for a few minutes hoping the salt water would cleanse the odor from his pores. After furiously scrubbing every inch of his body until his skin felt raw, and clean, he climbed the rope ladder that a crew member lowered.

Back in his cabin, he donned clean clothes and fell into a bunk that had been built into the wall, so as not to disturb Lynna. Even though the smell in the room was overpowering, he was asleep in seconds. Before closing his eyes, he prayed fervently to never again witness anyone suffer through what Lynna had for the past three nights. As he drifted off to sleep, he was left to wonder how much more the incredibly sick girl could survive.

On the fourth day, Sean stood over Lynna, surveying the damage.

She looked like hell

And she smelled to high heaven.

The smells of vomit, urine, and the yellowish discharge seeping from her sores all fought for dominance making Sean gag and rush to the balcony, gasping for much needed fresh air. He continued to dry heave as the sickening smells drifted from the cabin.

Lynna's hair was matted to her head and coated with vomit. Her face was scabbed over and her wrists were raw and bleeding. Dark circles lay under bloodshot eyes that stood out from the pallor of her pasty white skin and the entire cabin reeked of the foulest odor Sean had ever encountered.

Cracking open one eye, Lynna found the room spinning furiously around her. "I'm so dizzy, Sean. Please, don't even ask me to move. Just let me sleep."

"You can sleep later," Sean insisted, with a clean handkerchief held to his nose. Putting his hands on her to lift her from the grime of the bed wasn't exactly a chore he relished, yet, it had to be done. "First we must get you out of this filth."

Lynna gazed out the open balcony door, weak from dehydration. "I just want to die." However, when Sean held a brimming cup of cool water to her lips she drank greedily and begged for more.

"You don't mean that, Lynna. If you can survive what you have for the last three days, your will to live is stronger than you think." Sean admired her courage. He reached down to finger the only clean spot on the blanket that covered her. "I'm not at all sure that I would have lived through what you did."

"Was what I experienced a symptom of childbed fever?" she mumbled dejectedly, not really seeming to care one way or the other.

If Sean were to venture a guess it was more a symptom of Suzanne practicing her voodoo skills, and evidently the woman had become a master of the art. "Lynna, there are some things I need to tell you." He hesitated. She had been through so much already, yet she needed to know the truth for her own safety. "About Suzanne."

"Suzanne? Where is she? You didn't hurt her, did you?" Then Lynna remembered her strange dream from a few nights earlier. It had seemed so real. "I had a bizarre hallucination or nightmare or something a few nights ago." She brought a crusty, trembling hand to her forehead and laughed uneasily. "Suzanne, of all people, was putting some sort of... voodoo curse on me."

Sean scrubbed his hands over his face, leaning back in his chair. "Your concern for Suzanne is completely unwarranted, I assure you."

Lynna closed her eyes, mumbling sleepily, "What are you talking about?"

"I took you away from home for your own safety." Clutching the handkerchief to his nose, he glanced toward the open balcony door with longing. "Suzanne has been planning your death for months."

"You cannot be serious." Lynna choked out a laugh as confusion etched her gaunt face. Suzanne had shown nothing but kindness toward her since Joshua's disappearance. "Suzanne wouldn't try to kill me."

"That was her intention, Lynna." Leaning forward, he took her filthy hand and massaged her palm with his thumb before lifting his eyes to her tearstained face. "She visited the voodoo woman on the plantation and purchased a curse or spell or whatever they sell and she has been poisoning you."

"I can't believe it," Lynna cried. _Had she allowed Suzanne to make a fool of her, yet again_. "Are you sure?"

"Suzanne wants you dead, Lynna, and she will go to any lengths to accomplish it. Your dream, or vision, proves that she is not finished with you yet." Sean shook his head. "If you have a desire to continue living you will stay as far away from her as humanly possible."

All along she had thought that Suzanne had changed. Why, she had handed Beau off to her many times when she herself was too tired to hold him. Could what Sean was telling her be true? She thought back to the last time she had seen Suzanne. "If what you say is true, Suzanne had to be in on my abduction for she delivered me to your ship."

"Yes, Lynna." He felt bile rising in his throat again from the unbearable smell in the room. "She was."

"I don't understand." Lynna brought a quivering hand to massage her temple, trying to force her mind to clear. "Why would she go to the trouble of bringing me to you when they had already given me up for dead?"

"In order for my cloak and dagger scheme to work, I had to concoct a believable tale and convince Suzanne that I was taking you to a man on one of the islands who enjoys... abusing women." He noticed her flinch at the prospect of such a horrible fate. "I'm sorry, Lynna. I know you thought she was your friend."

Lynna closed her eyes as scalding tears slid down her cheeks, wincing in pain as the salty liquid burned the sores on her face. She had been such a fool. "You saved my life, didn't you, Sean?"

"You could say that." She looked so disheartened, ready to wash her hands of life in general.

What could he say to give her the will to live again?

"Now, it's time to rise up and greet a new day. You have your entire future ahead of you, Lynna. You will be safe on the island where Suzanne cannot get to you and, down the road when you are well again, you may wish to visit your son."

"Beau," Lynna whispered the heartfelt word around a lump in her throat. Tears filled her eyes and shimmered on her lashes. She didn't have the strength to even lift him from his cradle. Her milk had dried up. What good was she to her son? What could she offer him?

Nothing.

A tear slid down her cheek as she whispered, "He is better off without me and I know he is being well cared for by his family."

As she gazed at Sean, she was reminded of being held prisoner on his pirate ship, before it caught fire and sunk. "Did anyone else survive the sinking ship?"

Sean's eyes clouded over and took on a pained, faraway look. "No one from the ship survived, except you and me."

Lynna opened her mouth to inform him that Rob had also survived the sinking ship, but something stopped her at the last minute.

"I was alone in the water for days." He motioned toward the whitecaps beginning to build under a steady wind. "I cannot begin to explain to you what a man goes through out there in the middle of the ocean, alone. Surrounded by water, yet not a drop of fresh water to quench the never ending thirst that is slowly driving you insane."

Lynna reached out her hand to hold his.

"Day after day, hour after hour, minute after interminable minute. Nothing but salt water as far as the eye can see. Nights were the worst. I held on to a piece of floating debris that was not strong enough to support my weight, so I was tense and alert at all times, waiting to feel a shark sink his razor sharp teeth into my flesh." He again scrubbed his hands over his face. "I was to the point of slitting my own wrist so the sharks would relieve me of my misery, when a ship passed close enough to rescue me."

He swept a hand across his brow as if hoping to sweep away the memory. "I had long since given up hope of being found alive. That changes a person, Lynna. In ways that you cannot imagine." Drawing a deep breath, he exhaled slowly before continuing. "I don't have the words to describe to you what it's like to be left alone in the middle of the vast ocean. Yet, at some point in the middle of the night as I rode the swells and millions of stars twinkled overhead, I came to a life altering decision."

Closing his eyes, Sean was quiet for several seconds. "For days I had been waiting and wondering whether I would die by drowning or being eaten by a shark. That's when I made a pact with God."

"What was the pact?" Lynna whispered.

"I swore that if I came out of that nightmare alive, I would change my ways. I promised that I would no longer make my living from the misery of others." He shook his head as if trying to rid his mind of memories too horrible to imagine. "I remained true to the pact and took my plunder and bought a merchant vessel. Now I deal in legal trade."

"Kidnapping is not exactly a legal trade," she reminded him.

"You are the exception," he was quick to point out. "In truth, I took you to spare your life. I would not have been able to face myself in the mirror every morning had I allowed Suzanne to murder you." He leaned toward her, holding her face to gaze into her eyes and Lynna saw the desire, banked, at least for the time being. "If my memory serves me correctly, we made a deal just before my ship sank. I held up my end of the bargain. I would hope that it is your intention to honor your end as well. When you have recovered, of course."

His plans involved a robust and healthy Lynna. Not a mere shell of the woman she had been a year ago.
 Chapter 20

When Joshua opened his eyes again, after an unknown span of time, it was dark inside the cabin. The only light came from a few dying coals in the fireplace. The fire had gone out and he shivered in the early morning air, tugging the quilt up to his neck. He noticed the girl lying on a pallet in front of the fireplace and hoped she would soon awaken and toss a log on the embers.

In an attempt to change positions and see her more clearly he tried to roll to his side, yet the pain was so excruciating it forced him to remain where he was, vowing to never even consider moving his body again.

Turning his head, he was able to gaze out the window to see bare tree limbs silhouetted against a starry sky and frost glittering around the edge of the glass. It must be winter now. The last thing he remembered was attending a meeting at Cedar Hill in mid September. For the life of him, he could not remember what had happened in the interim?

Suddenly, a strange stuttering noise extremely close to his eardrum startled him, almost causing him to jump out of bed. In truth, jumping out of anything wasn't even a possibility in his current condition. What was that God awful racket and why was it so close? He held his breath and listened closely realizing that the staccato ruckus occurred at evenly spaced intervals. It almost sounded like someone snoring?

Was the young girl snoring? As he continued to listen, it reminded him of a more mature persons snores. Hardly a sound the cute little lady, with freckles scattered across the bridge of her dainty nose like his sister Malinda, was likely to make.

Slowly turning his head to the other side, he was stunned to discover that he had a bedmate. Only a head was showing above the covers, a head with snowy white hair. He felt a moment of guilt after realizing that he had obviously taken the young girls spot in bed, thereby relegating her to sleep on the floor. He would gladly give her spot back... if only he could move. He would rest a bit and ask questions when he wasn't quite so tired.

The following day, Joshua awoke to the sound of... was that grunting he kept hearing? Opening his eyes, he found the young girl holding a dipper of water to his lips. He opened his mouth, taking long gulps of the cool liquid before forcing his eyes to focus on her.

She was an attractive young girl, even though she had a slightly unkempt appearance. A tumbled mass of strawberry blonde curls cascaded down her shoulders in natural ringlets and she possessed the most exquisite blue eyes. The dress she wore had been patched numerous times, yet it was clean, as was the child. She smiled brightly for Joshua's benefit, turning her head as her cheeks suffused with color.

"Good morning," he thought he said, but he wasn't at all sure the jumble of words coming out of his mouth was a coherent thought. Evidently, they weren't, for the young girl failed to reply. She only grunted. He would try once more to strike up a conversation with the shy youngster. "Could you please tell me where I am?" he croaked.

Nothing.

"Has a cat got your tongue?" he teased. Evidently she had never heard the old adage because she glanced toward the aging cat lounging in front of the fireplace with narrowed eyes. Her suspicious look caused the hair on the animal's spine to rise. Joshua chuckled, then gasped and grabbed his chest against a fiery pain that immediately flared out in all directions.

After several minutes had passed and he was finally able to douse the flames that had ignited in his lungs, he thought he might be able to speak again without ripping something loose. "What's your name?" There was complete silence as she blinked huge blue eyes at him. It was obvious that his attempt at conversation was going nowhere fast.

"She can't talk," came a weathered voice from the corner. "Born that way."

Surprised, Joshua turned his head to focus on the owner of the voice. He could make out white hair, a bent body, and a hand steadily churning butter. She, evidently, was his bedmate.

"Ain't we a pair?" The old crone laughed heartily. "I can't see too good and she can't talk, but we get by. My granddaughter Clara found you in a gully and lucky for you she did. Shot clear through with a big ole gaping hole in your chest, you was. You done been there a couple of days when she found you lying in a dried up pool of your own blood."

She shook her head. "I don't see how anybody could live after losing so much blood. Somebody upstairs was surely watching over you. I guarantee you that." She glanced back to the butter she was churning. "I ain't sure how much blood a body holds, but yours was just about empty."

"I was shot?" Joshua forced the gravelly words through dry, cracked lips.

"Yes, sir, and only by the grace of God did the bullet miss your heart. I told Clara you was one step away from meeting your Maker and the only decent thing to do was start digging your grave." The old woman chuckled. "She wouldn't hear of it."

She threw back her head and cackled until tears rolled down her cheeks, slapping her hands on her thighs. "No, sir, that child throwed a fit the likes of which I ain't never seen before. Carrying on something awful she was, stomping her feet and shaking her head and slinging her arms every which way. She kept grunting something under her breath that I was probably better off not deciphering. Then she marched back here and got the wagon herself, she did."

Clara ducked her head shyly, peeking up at Joshua with rosy cheeks.

The old woman dried the tears streaming down her wrinkled face and lifted the lid to stick her finger in the churn and judge the progress of her butter. "Clara has been spoon feeding you, and cleaning your wound, and applying a special poultice. She also changed your dressing twice a day since she brung you here."

"How long have I been here?" Joshua whispered in his scratchy voice.

Clara grunted and held up both hands, opening her fists ten times and then holding up seven fingers.

"One hundred and seven days?" he gasped, incredulously. _That was impossible_. That would mean it was January already. "Surely, you must be mistaken. I couldn't have possibly been here that long. Knowing my parents and my wife as I do, they have had every able bodied person in the county forming search parties to look for me."

Clara shook her head adamantly, on the verge of being insulted. True, she could not cipher the letters of the alphabet, but she could count as good as anybody.

"One hundred and seven days? Unbelievable." Joshua simply could not grasp the notion that he had been unconscious for so long. What personal hell must Lynna be living, thinking him dead? He had to find a way to get back home to her. "Have we celebrated the new year yet?"

The woman nodded. "A few days ago. And as for why your family ain't found you, that's because we are at least ten miles from our closest neighbor. We're so far from town that nobody ever comes through our neck of the woods."

Dear God. What had happened at Sea Grove while he lay unconscious for over three months? Had Lynna safely delivered his child? What of his mother? Did she believe her only son was dead? His father and sister would be worried sick. He had to go to them, but first he had to get out of bed no matter how much excruciating pain it caused to pulse through every nerve in his body. There was no other choice.

Bracing both elbows on the mattress he attempted to push his body up, however the pain that tore throughout his torso stunned him. He fell back on the bed clutching his chest against an almost unbearable agony.

Raising a trembling hand to swipe at the sweat streaming from his brow, his voice was just above a whisper and the effort to speak left him gasping for his next breath. "My wife... I must go to her. She would have delivered our first child by now." Joshua noticed a sparkle in Clara's eyes when he mentioned that Lynna was expecting a baby.

"You ain't ready to get up yet," the old woman confirmed what he already knew. "It's going to be awhile 'fore you can get out of that bed and go home to your wife." She paused in her steady churning and turned sideways to look at him. "Where is your home anyway? You was dressed mighty fancy to be from around these parts."

"Sea Grove, a cotton plantation outside Charleston." Joshua wheezed, gripping his ribs against the pain. "Perhaps you... have heard of it."

"Can't say as I have. But you are a good piece from Charleston. I ain't never been there, but near as I can figure it's several days ride south of here.

"So, we are in upstate South Carolina?"

"Yep, only a few miles from North Carolina, in fact."

"How did I get so far from home?" Joshua said. "What happened to me?"

"Whoever shot you didn't aim for you to be found and must have carried you a long way from home before dumping your body in that gully."

"Shot me?" Joshua put a shaky hand to his forehead in an effort to clear his befuddled mind. Who would shoot him? Surely it was accidental? Was he set upon by highwaymen? No. Suddenly, it was all crystal clear.

Suzanne.

He remembered the day vividly, recalling the hard, calculating gleam in Suzanne's eyes as she stood over him, watching his life's blood bubble from his chest and seep into the dry earth. He would remember her evil, satisfied smirk as long as he lived.

Forcing thoughts of Suzanne from his mind, Joshua turned to Clara, taking her calloused hand with its chipped and broken fingernails tenderly in his. The girl had obviously done her share of physical labor in her young life. "Thank you for being so hardheaded, Clara. I owe you my life."

Clara held his hand and glanced at the old woman with a timid smile. Releasing his hand, she turned to her grandmother, cradling her arms as if she were holding a baby. Her grandmother smiled lovingly. "She wants you to tell her more about the baby. I ain't never seen a child loves babies like my Clara does."

"I don't know much to tell." Disgusted with himself for being unable to lift his body off the bed and go to his wife and child, Joshua fell back, making his head swim dizzily. It was a few minutes before he could focus again. "Lynna has to think me dead to have stayed away so long." Trying to raise up on his elbows again, he felt Clara's hands on his arms gently pushing him back down.

Lucille smiled patiently. "Clara has the healing touch. She knows you ain't ready to get up, yet. You wouldn't believe how many sick animals that child has nursed back to health. She just knows these things. So you lay back down and let her tend your wound and when she's done you can be on your way. You won't be any good to anybody if you open that wound again."

She was right, although he didn't have to like it. "May I ask your name?"

"Lucille Harper. And yours?"

"Joshua Jordan. I owe both you ladies a debt of gratitude." He nodded sleepily, squeezing Clara's hand with a wide yawn, "And I always pay my debts."

In the days that followed, it didn't take long for Joshua and Clara to devise a means of communicating by rudimentary hand gestures, eye contact, and having her grandmother speak for her. Clara had never been taught to read and write, it would have been difficult at best with her grandmother's vision being so poor, but she was a quick study. She understood that Joshua's home was Sea Grove, just outside Charleston, South Carolina and that he had a child and a grieving wife there, who most likely thought he was dead.
 Chapter 21

Let's get you cleaned up, Lynna," Sean instructed in a tone of voice that he normally reserved for his crew. He was expecting resistance, if not out right mutiny, from the invalid in his bed. "And a change of bedding since this room positively reeks. Afterward, I will have some broth sent up to see if your stomach will accept it."

Lynna gave him a look that would have curdled milk, but Sean was as good as his word. Leaving the room with a determined grin, he returned shortly carrying a brass tub. After several trips to the galley for hot water the tub was filled with steaming water.

Although Lynna held up a weak hand to halt his progress toward her, even going so far as to forbid him from touching her, Sean stripped off her night rail and unceremoniously lifted her from the soiled bed. With more tenderness and care than she would ever have imagined him capable of, he lowered her into the soothing water.

Oh, the sheer ecstasy of the hot water enveloping her weary body.

It was nothing short of heaven and Lynna released the breath she had been holding with a delightful sigh.

Her muscles relaxed as she leaned her head back, reveling in the feeling of the hot water on her filthy skin. Peeking through a slit in one eye she watched Sean scoop all the bed linens from the bed and toss them without fanfare over the balcony and into the sea. She continued to watch as he made the bed with clean sheets and a blanket. To say the least, it looked inviting.

Lynna was relaxed to the point of falling asleep in the water when she felt Sean's heated gaze caressing her skin. Opening her eyes, she watched his eyes sweep from her breasts to the conjunction of her thighs. Quickly covering these areas with her hands, both for modesty and the fact that she was ashamed of her bony, withered frame, her face blazed with humiliation. Little flesh remained on her body, only bones poking through almost transparent skin.

How horrible she must look.

Realizing that she couldn't cover her entire body with two hands, she brought them to her face to shield eyes that were suddenly brimming with tears. She didn't care to be see the horror reflected in his eyes as he looked upon her emaciated body. "I look like a monster," she whispered brokenly. Although it seemed impossible, she _had_ to look as bad as she felt, and that was beyond reprehensible.

Before she could say another word Sean was vigorously lathering her arms, her legs and feet. "You look like someone who has suffered a grave illness, Lynna. Trust me when I say that few women can compete with your beauty when you are well."

Lynna glanced down to see her hipbones jutting out of her skin and cringed at the lack of muscle tone in her thighs. She groaned with a misery that she felt in the core of her being. "A beautiful monster," she murmured.

Sean wasn't about to let her know that he actually _almost_ agreed with her assessment. "This is but a temporary setback, little one." He laughed. "I've already instructed the cook to fatten you up, so allow him a few weeks to work his magic." Sean realized that a stranger meeting her for the first time would be hard pressed to believe that Lynna had once turned the head of every man she passed.

"Thank you," she whispered.

"Granted, it will take a few weeks for your body to heal. However, by the time we reach the island, you should be well on the road to a full recovery." He was moving the washcloth toward what remained of her breasts when she lifted a hand to stop him. "I can do the rest myself."

"If you insist, but first allow me to wash your hair." He dropped a soft kiss on her clean lips as he vigorously rubbed the bar of soap into her hair, leaving Lynna with her mouth gaping open.

"Close your mouth before you start blowing bubbles." He chuckled. "There was no deep, hidden meaning behind the kiss. It was a spur of the moment decision really, not planned at all. Let's just say that I'm happy you're still alive."

Lynna was too tired to explore his reasoning. His gentle ministrations soothed her as she relaxed even further. He thoroughly scrubbed her hair, rinsed, and then repeated the process. "I'll go to the store room and retrieve some cleaning supplies while you finish your bath."

"Sean," she called. He paused, turning in the doorway. "Thank you. I never dreamed you could be so... kind."

With a sultry wink, he lowered his voice. "Let's keep that our little secret. I have a reputation to uphold, you know."

Lynna fell asleep with a smile hovering on her lips. When she opened them again Sean had returned with a bucket of hot water heavily laced with what smelled like vinegar.

He seemed so... different now.

"Have you finished with your bath, Lynna? If so, you can sit on the balcony and dry your hair while I have the cabin cleaned.

"I'm finished." Although the mere thought of having to sit upright in a chair for any length of time sent a frisson of dread pulsing through her already weak and trembling limbs. "I'll try. However, I'm afraid I will only be able to sit for a short while." She eyed the comfortable bed with intense longing.

"It will only be for a few minutes," he promised after seeing where her eyes lingered. "Then I will return for you."

Sean held up a large sheet while she carefully stepped out of the tub and wrapped it securely around her trembling body. As she clutched the cool cotton in a vain attempt to cover her nakedness, he moved to a chest and lifted a soft white night rail.

Knowing Lynna would come to his ship with only the clothes on her back, Sean had taken the liberty of supplying her with a few necessary items. He remembered the size and shape of her figure well. It seemed to be imprinted on his mind for all time.

Gathering the folds of the night rail, he slipped the soft, clean material over Lynna's head as she dropped the sheet and released a blissful moan. "Oh Sean, I had forgotten how wonderful it felt to be clean."

Taking her hand, he led her to a stool on the balcony, watching as the wind caught in her hair and fanned it behind her. Dark bruises lay under her eyes as she dropped her head back to feel the warmth of the sun on her ravaged face. She looked so frail that he feared he could break her fragile wrist with a flick of a finger if he were not careful. Closing his eyes, he issued a silent prayer that the worst was behind them.

Sean turned when he heard a knock on the cabin door, calling for Rorie to enter. The boy peered around at the carnage in the room, gasping and holding his breath against the atrocious smell as he glared at Sean.

"Scrub every inch of this cabin leaving no surface untouched," Sean instructed. "I want it to smell fresher than a field of daisies when you finish."

Rorie's eyes blared at the monumental and probably impossible task set before him "But...sir..."

"No, buts." Sean relented, feeling sympathy for the lad and the unpleasant assignment he was confronted with. "Perhaps I was being a bit overzealous. Just give it your best effort and make sure that all is as clean as possible. With the balcony door open hopefully the smell will dissipate, eventually."

"Yes sir, Captain Sean," the lad mumbled dejectedly, already sounding defeated.

"And Rorie?"

"Yes, sir, Captain Sean?"

"There will be an extra weeks pay in your packet if you do an extraordinary job of cleaning this cabin."

"Yes sir, Captain Sean." Rorie grabbed the bucket and sponge as he set about scrubbing the walls with more enthusiasm than Sean had ever noticed from the lad.

Returning to the balcony he found Lynna fast asleep with her head swaying on the rail. Whatever Suzanne had done to the girl, she had never intended for her to survive. Scooping Lynna into his arms he took her seat on the stool, cradling her against his broad chest. She slept like a baby with her face to the sun, hopefully to dry up the sores, as the cabin was vigorously scoured behind them.

When Rorie finally dried his hands on a rag the room had a fresh vinegary scent to it. None of the foul odor lingered as the door had been propped open to allow a gentle ocean breeze to flow through the room. Sean laid Lynna gently on the bed, pulled the covers up to her neck and tucked them under her chin. He would allow her to rest.

Then, he intended for her to share his evening meal and begin the long road to recovery. Closing the door behind him, he gave a satisfied nod, realizing that he had already accomplished much today.

Hours later, the sun was slipping beneath the waves when Lynna crooked open a bleary eye, completely astonished to realize that she almost felt human again. Her nightgown was crisp and clean. Her bed linens were soft and fresh. She moved her hand to her hair and felt its softness. Stretching luxuriously, she slipped back to her favorite place.

Dreamland.

Where Joshua was still very much alive.

When she next opened her eyes, Lynna was enveloped by the most wonderful fragrance she had smelled in ages. An orange. Inhaling the delicious citrus scent, she wondered where it was coming from. It would take too much energy to open her eyes to find out, but she savored the smell nonetheless.

"Open your mouth," Sean urged gently.

When Lynna refused, he pushed the orange slice against her mouth until some of the juice dribbled between her lips. She almost jumped out of her skin when she felt Sean's tongue on her lips, licking the escaping juice.

"Oranges are much too precious to waste." He winked seductively when she peered at him through a crack in one eye.

The orange was the most divine taste to ever pass her lips. She opened her mouth as he pushed the slice in. At that moment, her greatest desire was to hold the delicious orange slice in her mouth and suck on it to savor the exquisite taste on her tongue, but Sean wouldn't allow it. "Chew it, so I can give you another piece."

Wanting only to be left alone, she did as she was told. However, the effort drained her last reserve of energy and she nodded off. Half asleep, she felt another orange slice at her lips, and another until she had eaten half the orange.

"Good girl." Satisfied, Sean left the cabin with a triumphant smile on his face.

Later, he returned with a steaming bowl of stew. The nauseating aroma filled the room, causing Lynna's stomach to do a flip flop and her gag reflex to kick in. "I gather from the grimace on your lovely face that the stew does not smell like appetizing fare." She heard his soft chuckle. "There are no more oranges, Lynna. Fruit doesn't stay fresh very long at sea. Will you at least try the stew?"

Giving a barely perceptible shake of her head, she swallowed as bile rose in her throat at the prospect. "Please, Sean, I will be sick if you force me to eat. The smell alone is making me ill."

"Lynna, you must eat if you have a desire to continue living." She had already learned to dread that fierce look of determination in his eyes. "Now, you aren't going to like me very much for what I am about to say, but you are going to eat every spoonful of stew in this bowl."

Bestowing upon him a glower that would have put any other man in his place, Sean only grinned at her squinted eyes and pursed lips.

True to her word, the first bite soured on Lynna's stomach immediately and she turned away, waiting to see if it would remain. After a few seconds it did, and she released the quivering breath she had been holding. After a few minutes, Sean put another spoon to her lips and another until, true to _his_ word, she had eaten every spoonful.
 Chapter 22

Two weeks to the day later, Lynna stood at the balcony of Sean's cabin watching the fluorescent water rushing beneath her. The stars and half moon reflected off the calm sea as a cooling breeze caressed her skin. Her energy was slowly returning under Sean's tender care.

She owed him her life.

Watching a lively family of dolphins that had frolicked alongside the ship for hours, she stood on tiptoe, leaning over the rail to get a better view in the darkness.

Sean's deep voice startled her. "You aren't contemplating jumping are you?"

"No," her answer was an honest one. "If I was brave enough to end my life I would have done so long ago. I'm too much of a coward."

"Few cowards would survive what you have and live to tell about it," he reminded her.

Lynna turned toward him, leaning against the balcony as the wind fanned her hair behind her. Tilting her head back, she savored the feeling of the warm breeze caressing her face. Her skin had begun to heal, and although Sean had slathered several applications of ointment over the scabs the remaining sores had been itching something fierce all day.

"You may be right, Sean. I hadn't thought of that. It does seem that I've had a rather eventful life since leaving my home in France to journey to America." Tossing her head back, her tinkling laughter filled the night air. "I should have kept a journal over the last few years. Who would ever believe that so much could happen to one person?"

Sean stopped in his tracks, unmoving. It was the first time he had heard her laugh and it was like a tall glass of cold water to a man dying of thirst. He wanted to hear it over and over. "I look forward to hearing your life story with all the mishaps along the way."

"That could take weeks."

"We have nothing but time, Lynna." He moved closer until his lips were mere inches from her own. "I long to know you much, much better, little one."

"Sean... I... I... I... "

Sean chuckled heartily. "There is no need to stutter, love. What I meant to say is that I hope you are beginning to see that such a sinful act as taking your own life is not necessary. Every cloud has a silver lining and you have your entire life ahead of you?"

"I have yet to find the silver lining behind my clouds, Sean. The horizon is much too dark and stormy. Therefore, I must be content to merely exist, living day to day, until my time on this earth has passed and I can be reunited with the man I love."

"And your son?" It wasn't his intention to torture the poor girl. He mentioned her son in a last ditch effort to make her see that she had a reason to go on, a reason to live. "What about Beau?"

"What about my son, Sean?" He heard the misery in her voice as she tilted her melancholy face. "Rarely a second passes that I don't think of him."

"Have you no desire to be reunited with him some day?"

"Beau is better off where he is. I have been too sick to care for him. No one expected me to live anyway." Her eyes filled with scalding tears as she thought back to the sight of her father's heartbroken face when the doctor had issued his grim prognosis. "They thought I was asleep late one night when I heard the doctor tell my father that the chances of me surviving were slim. He warned both him and Aunt Judith to say their final goodbyes before it was too late. Hopefully they had already accepted that I wouldn't be with them much longer and have not grieved overmuch."

"Yet you did survive and you are getting stronger each day," Sean insisted. He was determined to open her eyes to the fact that there were other options in her life. "Have you even given consideration to loving another, Lynna? Namely one devilishly handsome ex pirate," he teased with a sultry wink.

"That isn't possible, Sean." Although she had to smile at his lecherous grin, she turned pleading eyes toward him. "Therefore, I beseech you. Don't waste your time trying to woo me. It is but a wasted effort and will only result in misery for us both."

Completely ignoring her words, Sean lowered his head to place a soft kiss on her lips, leaving Lynna puzzled once again. "But will you agree that it is my effort to waste as I see fit?"

"I will grant you that." Her words were light, while her heart was heavy. She had no desire to see him hurt, or give him false hope.

"Fair enough. Now will you join me for the evening meal?" His eyes never left her luscious lips as his finger moved to trace the curve of them.

Taking his hand, she pressed her lips to his knuckles hoping to accurately convey how very grateful she was for the round the clock care she had received. "I will never be able to thank you enough for what you have done for me."

"I beg to differ." His eyes shone with the lust that until now he had been able to hide. She remembered the look well from when she had been a prisoner on his ship. "Rest assured that at some point in the near future we will come up with an... agreeable method should you insist on rewarding me for my good deed. For now, let us partake of this fine meal spread before us."

Sean lifted the lid off one of the bowls, savoring the aroma of crispy fried chicken while Lynna's mouth watered at the sight of creamed potatoes and gravy. Taking her hand, he helped her to the table where he added a biscuit to her overflowing plate and placed it before her.

She picked up her fork, praying that she could keep the food down. Unfortunately, just as she had feared, after taking a bite of the buttery potatoes they slid down her throat and landed like a rock. A queasy feeling settled in her stomach. Putting her hand to her mouth she fought to swallow the nausea.

Sean must have noticed she was turning slightly green around the gills for he tried to encourage her. "Eat slowly and take small bites, Lynna. Allow your stomach to adjust to solid food." Reaching across the table with his fork, he speared a tender green bean and held it to her mouth. "Try this."

She did, chewing slowly and expecting the queasiness to return when she swallowed. Much to her surprise, it didn't. Forking another green bean into her mouth, she suddenly realized that she was ravenous. Taking a bite of crispy fried chicken, she almost drooled it was so delicious. In mere seconds, her plate was clean and she was sopping up left over gravy with the remaining scrap of biscuit.

"Well, well, well." Sean smiled lazily. "Apparently you have found your appetite." He sat back with a satisfied grin. "If you continue eating like that you should be back to your old self in no time."

"I will never be back to my old self. Everything has changed." She pushed her plate across the table, leaning back in her chair as weariness once again settled over her. "Nothing will ever be as it was before, but thank you, Sean, for caring."

"I do care, Lynna. At least give yourself the chance to be happy again someday. Don't fight whatever your future holds. What is meant to be will be and there is nothing either of us can do to stop it."
 Chapter 23

The first time Joshua was able to stumble outside and sit on a stump by the door he watched, angry with himself and feeling completely useless, as Clara split wood.

How was the child able to fell a tree and cut the wood into pieces small enough to carry home?

She easily did the work of a grown man and had the muscled arms to prove it. His mother once told him that God gave a person the strength to do what needed to be done. In Clara's case, that was evidently true.

Out of breath, Clara laid down the axe and stretched to get the kinks out of her back. Sitting beside him, she watched while he whittled on a piece of wood he had been carving for the better part of the morning. Satisfied with the smooth cylindrical object, Joshua picked up a piece of string and tied it to the center leaving about a three-foot length attached. That done, he tied a loop knot in one end of the string and attached the loop over his middle finger.

Clara giggled with absolute delight and amazement when he tossed the object to the ground and it traveled back up the string to be caught in his hand, watching intently as he played with the strange toy.

"This is called a bandalore, Clara." Slipping the loop from his finger, he asked, "Would you like to try it?"

After a rapid nod of her head, she held out her hand so he could slip the loop over her finger. She tossed the bandalore and it fell to the dirt with a plop.

"Uh," she grunted. _Why didn't it return to her?_

"Don't go getting discouraged." Joshua smiled fondly. "Have a little patience, Clara. It takes several tosses to get the hang of it."

It took over an hour, in fact, but the bandalore eventually traveled back up the string to be caught in her hand. She squealed with delight, rushing inside to show her grandmother her amazing new trick.

The following morning, Joshua and a very annoying rooster were up with the sun. He intended to get his body back into some sort of routine and begin helping Clara with her daunting workload.

He followed her to the shed, leaning heavily on a sturdy tree limb Clara had found in the woods. He rubbed Clara's horse Jezebel, watching with wonder as she pulled up a stool and proceeded to milk their one cow as expertly as any farmer could.

"You're pretty good at that, aren't you?" Joshua chuckled.

Clara nodded, arching a delicate brow. From her playful expression, Joshua gathered that she erroneously assumed a man from the wealthy planter class wouldn't know a fig about milking a cow. He would show the little imp a thing or two. "May I?"

Rising from the stool, Clara motioned for him to sit and stood to the side with her arms crossed, obviously awaiting a good belly laugh. Unbeknownst to her, Joshua had milked many cows as a boy. Grabbing a teat, he took a deadly aim and sent milk splashing straight into her face.

She gasped and ran behind a post, peeking out with laughter in her dancing blue eyes and shaking her finger at him.

"Oh, I'm sorry, Clara." He bestowed upon her his most charming smile that no female, young or old, had ever been able to resist. "Did I accidentally squirt milk on you?"

Wiping milk from her face with her apron, she nodded her head and wagged her finger, letting him know there was nothing accidental about the episode whatsoever. Her eyes lit up and she clapped her hands gleefully when she heard milk splashing into the bucket.

Joshua winked at the adorable youngster and imagined her thinking, _that's one chore I won't have to do every morning_. Grabbing a basket that was hanging from a nail on the wall with one hand, Clara tossed her bandalore with the other as she left to gather eggs from the henhouse.

When she returned, the bucket was filled with milk, but Joshua didn't have the strength to lift it and he dared not risk spilling it since there wouldn't be any more until the following day. Dropping the bandalore in her apron pocket, Clara brushed his hands aside. She lifted the bucket easily and carried it, and her basket of eggs, into the house so her grandmother could prepare breakfast.

Joshua could only watch helplessly as she carried armloads of firewood inside for the stove and fireplace and then walked to the creek for two buckets of water. Just as she was returning with the water, Lucille called, "Breakfast is on the table. Come and get it while it's hot."

Joshua hobbled to the table where they feasted on fried eggs, corn mush, buttered cornbread, apple preserves and milk. Obviously Clara knew how to grow a crop of corn, along with her other talents.

Was there anything the child couldn't do?

He sipped milk as he pondered Clara's amazing abilities, while at the same time his mouth practically watered for a cup of strong black coffee.

After being up since the crack of dawn, Joshua was forced by his aching muscles and fatigued body to lie down across the bed for a nap. Clara left to hunt for meat and forage for wild mushrooms and herbs. He had never once seen her return empty handed.

He watched Lucille churn butter, grind corn into meal, and make rounds of cheese along with her other various household chores when she wasn't preparing their meals.

Later that evening, as Joshua sat staring into the fire so Clara could take a sponge bath and slip on her nightgown, he sung the song he had told her weeks earlier was written by a Mister Stephen Foster named _Angelina Baker_.

I've seen my Angelina, in the springtime and the fall,

I've seen her in the cornfield, and I've seen her at the ball;

And every time I met her, she was smiling like the sun,

But now I'm left to weep a tear, cause Angelina's gone.

Clara had heard him sing the song so often, she hummed the chorus along with him.

Angelina Baker. Angelina Baker's gone

She left me here to weep a tear

And beat on the old jawbone

Several days later, Joshua was singing the song as he sat on the bank of the creek watching Clara carefully turn over rocks in search of crawdads. He had quickly deduced it to be her favored fishing bait, and she knew to pick the angry crustaceans up by the back so they couldn't latch their pinchers onto her tender flesh.

As he sung the song, Joshua absently picked up a stick and drew a rough sketch of where Lucille had said they were in upstate South Carolina, in comparison with Charleston. Standing over him with her bucket of noisy crawdads scrambling around on the bottom, Clara grunted at the sketch. She watched eagerly as Joshua pointed out the route he planned to take when he was well enough to leave.

Clara hastily committed the sketch to memory, before Joshua could brush it into oblivion and begin another one of her daily alphabet lessons.

Lynna and the baby were at Sea Grove.

After too many late night, one-sided conversations to count, Clara realized that Lynna should have delivered Joshua's child by now. They sat by the fire wide awake, as it was impossible to sleep until Lucille's saw mill snores had died down and usually that wasn't until after she had been asleep for a few hours.

She and Joshua often played draught on an old checkerboard. He had carved the game pieces while sitting on a stump in the sun as he watched Clara go about her daily chores.

After many such discussions, Clara felt like she knew each member of his family personally. There was Lynna, his beautiful wife, the evil Suzanne who had apparently been delivered straight from the bowels of hell, his father in a wheeled chair after a tree felling accident had caused him to lose both legs, his sweet white haired mother, and his sister Malinda with freckles scattered across the bridge of her nose from too much time in the sun without her parasol.

On rainy days, Clara loved to sit by Joshua's bed while her grandmother dozed by the fire and listen to stories of his thrilling adventures. As Captain of the Windjammer he had visited many exciting cities and always, just before they went to sleep, he spoke lovingly of Lynna and their child.

"Do you ladies ever have visitors out here?" Joshua queried.

"Maybe once or twice a year," Lucille answered, dishing out plates of fried rabbit, collard greens, and sweet potatoes. "We're a good ways off the beaten path like I told you, so usually if somebody comes a knocking it ain't somebody we want to see." She motioned to the rifle sitting in the corner. "My eyes ain't so good, but Clara is a dead aim and don't miss her target."

"What do you do for supplies, ammunition for the gun?" Joshua couldn't imagine the hardships these two handicapped females had endured while living alone without a man to care for them. But when he thought about it, they didn't seem to want for food, or... anything.

Clara was a skilled hunter and they dined on squirrel, venison, turtle, rabbit, duck, turkey, pheasant or whatever animal ran across her path on any given day. They were never without fish, potatoes, turnips, sweet potatoes, collard and turnip greens, or eggs.

"We got a buggy and we ride into town a couple times a year for staples, but it's a two day trip and it ain't no fun sleeping out in an open buggy at night, is it girl?" Clara shook her head in agreement. "I worry about who we might meet on the road." She tipped her head toward Clara. "I just feel safer here at home. They's evil people out there."

Joshua immediately thought of Suzanne. "Sometimes we don't find out how truly evil they are, until it's too late."

"That's the truth if you ever told it," Lucille agreed. "That's why we don't make the trip into town no more than we have to. We get by with what we got."

Joshua had so many unanswered questions for the half blind woman and her mute granddaughter. "Don't hesitate to tell me if it's none of my business, but where do you get the funds to purchase your supplies?"

"Clara can trap as good as she can hunt, so we always have beaver skins and a couple of mink furs to sell." Clara grunted and pointed to the cabinet, unwilling to take all the credit. "I usually have a few jars of my apple and blackberry preserves." Lucille gazed at her granddaughter proudly. "Like I said, we get by. Don't we, girl?"

Clara's nodded her head, fixing her eyes on Joshua. When she sat transfixed like that he often wondered what she was thinking. It was almost like she could see clear through to his soul with her brilliant blue eyes.

"When do you suppose I will be able to return home?" he asked.

"Maybe another month 'fore you can ride to town in a carriage. We don't have a real road onto the property, it's more like a trail of rough ridges and potholes." Lucille answered. "I don't think your body is ready for that particular torment just yet."

Just the thought of his aching ribcage and the pain he would endure as he was bumped and jostled in a carriage caused Joshua to break out in a cold sweat.

"All the bleeding has stopped and the hole in your chest is finally starting to heal." Lucille met his eyes. "You are a walking miracle if ever I seen one."

"Clara is my miracle." Joshua smiled fondly at the girl he had grown to love as though she were his own daughter. "Another month you say?"

"Yep, you done been here three months. Another one won't kill you."

"I'm worried about Lynna. She has to think I'm dead by now. I can't imagine what this is doing to her." Dropping his head in his hands, he shook his head. "I don't even know if our baby was delivered safely, if Lynna is well, or if I have a son or a daughter. Not knowing is killing me. I need to get home to Sea Grove." He looked at Clara, who sniffled and hastily wiped a tear from her cheek. "We need to get home to Sea Grove."

"What do you mean, we?" Lucille asked suspiciously.

"Of course you and Clara will be returning to Sea Grove with me," Joshua stated in a matter of fact manner. "Your days of working from sunup to sundown will soon be at an end."

Clara was instantly on her feet, moving her hands in a rocking motion.

"Of course you can hold the baby, Clara. As often as your little heart desires." Joshua's mind drifted across the miles that separated him from his family. "I wonder if we have a boy or girl?"

Clara didn't seem to care. Her eyes were closed blissfully as she rocked the invisible baby in her arms and prepared for bed with a kaleidoscope of thoughts, images, and _what if's_ racing through her head.

She had already made her decision, even before her grandmother began to snore.

Sometime during the night Joshua awakened to the sound of heartbroken sobs. He looked toward the fire to see Lucille clutching Clara's threadbare ragdoll to her chest.

"What is it, Lucille?" It took a while, but he made a slow painful progress out of the bed to go to her. "What has you so upset?"

"My Clara's... gone."

"Gone? What do you mean... gone?" He glanced toward Clara's empty pallet. "Where would she go? You said yourself the town was a good two days ride." Joshua looked around for his boots. "I have to find her."

Lucille immediately laid a calm, staying hand on his arm. "Ain't no need for that. She took Jezebel and high tailed it out of here. Probably as soon as we went to sleep last night. She might be mute, but my girl is clever. If I ain't mistaken, and I know that girl better than anybody, she's gone to find your wife and bring her to you."

"What?" Joshua cried. "You cannot be serious!"

Lucille's eyes quickly filled with tears, assuring him that she was deadly serious.

"Sea Grove is several days ride from here. Clara can't talk, if she finds herself in trouble she can't ask for help." Joshua was beside himself with worry for the child. He should never have gone on and on about Lynna, the baby, or his desire to be reunited with his family. "We must take the carriage and find her."

"Can't do that," Lucille sniffed. "Jezebel is the only horse we have." She looked to the corner where her rifle normally stood and chuckled. "My girl ain't gonna starve." Cataracts blurred the old woman's vision, yet her eyes burned with intensity. "Clara was born with a caul covering her face, which gives her good luck."

"Clara was born with a veil?" Joshua whispered, incredulously. He had known early on that the child possessed a gift.

"She surely was." Lucille sniffled, then blew her nose. "So don't you worry about my girl. She will return to us safe and sound."

Joshua slumped down on a stool in front of the fireplace feeling hopeless and totally useless. He wished he could share Lucille's faith in a happy ending.

Dear Lord, let the child be safe.

Joshua prayed more fervently than he ever had before.

If anything should happen to his sweet Clara, he would hold himself solely to blame.
  Chapter 24

After seven weeks on the ship, Lynna finally awakened one morning with the strength to walk around the cabin unassisted. Making her way to the mirror above Sean's shaving bowl, she gasped, utterly horrified by the face staring back at her. The remaining scabs were dry and crusty, while most had already flaked off and left shiny pink skin underneath. Sean had gently applied the smelly ointment several times daily to promote healing, for that much she was grateful.

Why was he being so kind to her? She had made the point abundantly clear that she would never love another man after Joshua.

Or was he simply determined to make her fulfill her promise to sleep with him?

Perhaps she should just bed him and get it over with. One night in his arms shouldn't be so terrible. Her body was well enough to lie still beneath him while he satisfied his carnal urges. Then they could focus on more important things.

Like returning her to her son.

As if thinking of him made him materialize, Sean appeared in the doorway with a broad smile spreading across his ruggedly handsome features. "Good morning. I didn't expect to see you up and about."

Lynna watched him through the mirror, horribly ashamed of her hideous appearance. "I look a fright."

His eyes never left hers as he moved to stand behind her, placing his hands on her shoulders and peering at her in the looking glass. "While it may be true that you haven't been your most becoming as of late, look on the bright side. Your appearance is definitely improving. Come sit on the balcony while I apply your salve."

Obligingly, Lynna followed him to the balcony, enjoying the warmth of the morning sun. She filled her lungs with the fresh salty air and, forgetting herself, she leaned back into the hard muscles of Sean's welcoming embrace, relishing the feeling of having strong arms around her waist. "How much longer will we be at sea?"

Suddenly realizing what she had done, Lynna swiftly left his arms to take her seat on the stool as a crimson blush stained her cheeks.

An amused grin played across Sean's lips as he dipped his finger in the smelly balm and began dabbing small amounts on the few remaining sores. "A week at most." He was thrilled with her progress. She actually seemed to be showing some interest in her surroundings. "Are you anxious to leave my ship and plant your feet on solid ground?"

"Not really. I was just wondering." Her hand moved to her face self-consciously. "I wouldn't want anyone to see me like this. I'm sure small children would scream in terror and flee in the opposite direction."

Sean couldn't help but grin at her attempted humor. "Most of the scabs will have fallen off by the time we reach port and you should have regained most of your former beauty." He desperately wanted to see her smile again. "I almost forgot." Slapping his thigh, he turned a beaming countenance toward her. "I purchased a few dresses and accessories before leaving Charleston."

With a wicked grin, his eyes swept over her petite frame from head to toe. "The way your plump little self has been eating lately, I may be forced to purchase another new wardrobe, in a size larger." He ducked and moved a few feet away before she could swat at him with her tiny fist.

"That is not true." Lynna was amazed to find herself laughing and teasing with Sean, when a few months ago she would have sworn that she would never smile again. "You purchased new clothes for me?" She had only worn the nightgowns that he'd left for her to change into after her bath.

Taking her hands, he led her through the balcony door and into the cabin to stand beside his sea trunk. Lifting the lid, he brought out four fashionable and beautifully made dresses and petticoats one at the time for her approval, along with matching hats, ribbons, and shoes. "I hope these are satisfactory, my lady."

Lynna was completely astonished. They were dresses she would have chosen herself if given the opportunity. "These are perfect, Sean." Holding one of the dresses in front of her, she turned to gaze into his dancing eyes. "How did you know my size and the colors I like?"

"I didn't, really. I was but trying to match your eyes to one and your hair to another. Then, every woman that I have ever known loves pink and the last was simply because I knew you would look lovely in red." His eyes fairly sparkled as they traveled the length of her frail body. "As for your size and shape, they were easily brought to mind."

Lynna blushed at the compliment. "I cannot thank you enough, Sean. Still, how can I accept such an extravagant gift? I don't know when I would be able to repay your generosity. You have done so much for me already."

"I'm sure you can think of a way to express your gratitude." She felt his warm breath on her face as his hand moved to stroke her hair and his lips descended toward hers. Before he could touch her, she clutched the dress to her like a shield. On legs that trembled, she fled out the door to stand on the balcony as jittery as a schoolgirl.

She couldn't do it.

She couldn't give herself to a man she didn't love, no matter how grateful she was. Sean would insist she make good on her promise. If she just went ahead and got that... chore... behind her the debt would be settled and she could concentrate on returning home to her son without constantly looking over her shoulder for Sean.

She finally released the breath she had been holding when she heard the door close behind him.

Thankfully, he had decided not to press her further.

The last of the scabs finally came off in Lynna's evening bath. Her energy was slowly returning and she seemed to be ravenous at all times. She was on the balcony drying her hair in the steady breeze when she looked to the south and noticed the sky. The horizon was dark blue, almost black, with jagged streaks of lightening playing across it.

Lynna felt an old familiar terror squeezing her heart. She was terrified of storms and had been since she was a child.

Rushing back into the cabin, she threw open the sea trunk and grabbed the first dress she came to, the pink one. Not bothering with hoops or petticoats, she shimmied into the dress, somehow managing to get most of the fasteners attached down the back. Rummaging through the trunk she found kid slippers and slid them on her feet, refusing to be stuck in a cabin alone during the storm.

Not wasting the time it would take to appraise her appearance in the cheval glass, she flung the door wide and walked on unsteady legs down the dimly lit corridor. She was gasping for breath as she clutched her chest and climbed the narrow flight of stairs leading to the deck. Struggling to draw air into her starving lungs, she collapsed when she finally reached the deck from sheer exhaustion.

No one even noticed her.

It was the first time she had been out of the cabin since the ship set sail and every available hand was scurrying about readying the ship for the approaching storm. The men were busy lowering sails and battening down the hatches. She saw Sean at the wheel, issuing orders to his men, and slowly moved to his side.

"Lynna, you chose a most inopportune time to come out of the cabin," he shouted over the roar of the whistling wind and approaching thunder. _The storm was almost upon them._ "You must return to your room posthaste. As you can see, a storm is brewing and you don't want to be on deck when it hits."

"I cannot be alone during the storm, Sean." The wind whipped her hair around her head as she pushed strands out of her mouth and finally gathered it in her hand, holding it out of her face. "I have forever been terrified of storms."

"There is nothing to fear, Lynna. My ship is most seaworthy and has weathered far worse than the storm on yon horizon."

"Please, Sean. I cannot be alone." She saw the understanding in his eyes and relaxed momentarily, however, her entire being quaked when crashing thunder boomed directly overhead causing the deck to shudder beneath her feet.

"Very well. Just stay out of the way," Sean warned. "When the sea gets rough, and I promise you that it will, you must return below."

"You must go with me, Sean." She held on to his arm pleading with her eyes. She would rather face the storm head on than be shut up in a room to face her greatest fear, alone. "Please, don't make me go without you."

Sean realized that the panic in her eyes was real when he noticed her body quivering from head to toe. In an effort to soothe her fears, he pulled her to him, feeling her heart pounding against his chest. Suddenly, a wave of emotion, a powerful emotion, swept over him as he stroked her hair to calm her.

Stunned, he realized that he felt no greater desire than to protect her. Holding her to him for several seconds, he gazed into the darkening storm, puzzled by his reaction to the tiny wisp of a girl in his arms. Was it possible that he could be developing stronger feelings than mere lust?

Lynna wrapped her arms around Sean, afraid to let go, terrified that the strengthening winds would sweep her into the towering waves that splashed over the rails and onto the deck. She watched, speechless, as the gray water advanced across the deck, soaking her kid slippers through and through. The rigging hummed as the wind caused the ropes to vibrate with an eerie whistling sound. The ship groaned and creaked, riding the whitecaps before gracefully careening down the backside of each swell.

They embraced quietly for several minutes, each taking comfort from the other as they braced against the roll and sway of the ship. Removing her arms from around his waist, Sean bent to her ear. "I must finish preparing my ship for the battering she is about to take. Then I will see to you."

Moving carefully out of his way on the slippery deck, Lynna quietly watched as he shouted orders to his crew. Mostly she watched the threatening storm. When the first fat drops of rain hit the deck and the lightening was directly overhead, Sean lifted her in his arms and carried her below. He had done all he could to help his ship stay afloat during the storm. Now he would see to the needs of the shivering girl in his arms.

In the cabin, he placed her on her feet and moved to secure the balcony door. He turned to draw Lynna into his arms in an effort to calm her quaking body as the ship began to rock in the buffeting wind. Lightening rent the night air making it as bright as day. "Don't be afraid, love," he whispered. "I promise to keep you safe."

"I can't help it," she mumbled into the fabric of his coat that was soaked through and through. "At home, my father allowed me sleep with him during a storm."

Sean rested his chin on the top of her head. "As did my parents, until they both died of yellow fever when I was ten and my brother Michael was eight. I struggle now to even bring my mother's face to mind."

"I'm sorry, Sean." She glanced up with tear filled eyes. "Where did you live after your parents passed?"

"With my grandmother Lisbeth on the island of Trinidad."

"Were you happy there?"

"Lisbeth was wonderful. She doted on my brother and I outrageously." He kissed the top of her head then stood her at arms length. "I have no complaints."

"I had my father, although he was always working. Gertrude, my nanny, raised me." Lynna had fond thoughts of Gertrude and wondered if the elderly woman was still alive. "I can't imagine growing up without her by my side."

"I feel the same way about Lisbeth." Sean brushed a tear from Lynna's cheek with the back of his hand. "My brother and I were fortunate to have a grandmother who was willing to step in and love us."

Lynna screamed with terror when the sound of lightening striking nearby split the night air and a loud volley of thunder followed.

When the roar from the thunder died, she whispered, "Thank you for staying with me, Sean."

"Always. Now let's get out of these wet clothes before we catch our deaths." After helping Lynna remove her sodden dress, he slipped her night rail over her head, grinning at her shyness when she held the soaking wet material in front of her. Sean pulled on a pair of dry breeches in case he was needed on deck in a hurry. With an arm around her tiny waist, he led her to the bed where he lay down beside her. "Try to relax, Lynna."

"I'll try." Hoping she would sleep until the storm spent itself out Lynna turned her back to Sean, taking his arm to pull it around her waist, clutching his hand her quivering breast.

Thank God he was with her.

Rain pounded the little balcony as the mighty ship was tossed about like a toy on the waves. The booming thunder rattled the timbers until Lynna worried the ship might break apart, leaving them to the whims of the frothing ocean. Through it all Sean held her close, soothing her fears and whispering words of encouragement that the storm would pass.

As he cradled Lynna against his muscular chest Sean's mind ran rampant. Drawing her closer, he felt her relax against him as his grandmama's words of patience from his childhood years echoed in his ears.

In due time.

Patience is a virtue.

Good things come to those who wait.

As with all storms the thunder finally subsided, yet the rain still pattered against the ship into the wee hours of the morning, lulling Lynna and Sean into a peaceful slumber. As Sean drifted off to sleep, he realized that it was the first time Lynna had slept in his arms.

He vowed that it would not be the last.
 Chapter 25

February, 1855

Joshua had told Clara so much about Sea Grove and its inhabitants that she had little doubt she could make it to Charleston and locate his family plantation. She knew from the map that Joshua had drawn in the dirt to travel south and stay close to the ocean. Galloping with the wind in her face, she only stopped by a river or stream to hunt, clean, and cook a rabbit or squirrel while Jezebel grazed.

Nights were the worst. Shivering under her blanket, she thought of Joshua and her grandmother in the warm cabin, worrying about her. Several times over the last few days she had caught herself wondering what her punishment would be for such a rash decision, but she refused to allow her mind to dwell on it.

Huddled against the trunk of a tree she would lunge for her rifle when the sounds of howling animals and critters moving through the forest grew too close for comfort. When exhaustion finally overwhelmed her she slept.

The morning sun was peeping over the horizon and an eerie mist was swirling over the river when she struck out again. She followed the coast, eager to reunite Joshua with his wife and meet the newest member of their family.

When Clara came to the outskirts of Charleston she knew in her heart that she was on the right track. Her grandmother always said she had a sixth sense about things and for once she believed her. Veering off the main road, she traveled another day and waited, hidden from view, to see the comings and goings around each plantation she passed. None of the people going in and out looked remotely familiar to the ones Joshua had described.

Yet somehow, against all odds and by the grace of God, Clara made it to Sea Grove, confident that she had found Joshua's home.
 Chapter 26

Suzanne sat across from Amari as she tied the bristles from a pig into a bundle. It was one of Amari's most often requested charms. If the bundle was carried on a person at all times it would prevent any voodoo spell from being placed on that person. Amari sold several a week.

Suzanne knew how to prepare these spells almost as well as Amari. She had been spending practically every waking minute of the last few weeks in the old conjure woman's cabin. She hadn't gotten the knack of telling fortunes, yet. However, she was becoming adept at casting love spells, laying hard time curses and preparing good luck charms. She could hardly wait to return home to Magnolia House and discover which of _her_ slaves practiced the ancient religion.

She had been eating a bowl of lucky penny stew at least once a week since meeting Amari and her life had never been better. Joshua was dead. Lynna was on her way to a man who would treat her exactly as she deserved to be treated. And Eric would be returning for her soon.

_Life was good again_.

She was still debating over what type of curse to place on little Beau.

It would definitely be her pièce de résistance.
 Chapter 27

It was an unseasonable warm day. Trees were budding, iris and daffodils were blooming, and birds were chirping overhead when Clara came upon a lady dressed in black sitting on a blanket under the branches of an ancient oak tree. She was playing with a baby.

Joshua's baby.

Clara recognized the miniature version of Joshua instantly. It was boy. Would Joshua be disappointed? Why, all he ever talked about was a daughter that looked just like Lynna _._

Clara huddled quietly behind a bush and watched the lady sitting on the blanket, cuddling the baby. She quickly deduced from her strong resemblance to Joshua that she must be Malinda, his sister. Without taking time to consider what Malinda's reaction might be, Clara marched her disheveled self up to her, holding out her arms for Joshua's baby. After all, Joshua had _specifically_ said she could hold his baby whenever, and as often, as she liked. She tried to tell Malinda this but all that came out were a series of grunts.

"Hello," Malinda said timidly. "Can I help you? Are you looking for someone?"

More grunting was Clara's only response could give. She was exhausted, hungry, thirsty, filthy, and her patience was growing thin. With pursed lips, she patted her foot impatiently and held her arms out expectantly.

Just give me Joshua's baby.

She had heard so much about this baby that, in her mind at least, he was half hers.

"Are you lost?" Malinda asked.

Clara shook her head, no. She wasn't lost. For crying out loud, she had made it this far on her own and she knew exactly where she was. Again, she held out her arms for the baby.

Not knowing who the child was or why she had wandered onto their lawn, Malinda scooted away from the girls outstretched arms, glancing toward the house in panic. Any other time someone would be cutting the grass or weeding the flowerbeds, but not a living soul was out and about this morning. Turning back to the girl, Malinda cried out when the disheveled child moved even closer.

Was she trying to kidnap Joshua's baby?

Unable to hold herself from the baby for another second, a bedraggled Clara bent down on her knees on the blanket and reached out her dirty hands to take him.

Fearing the girl might try to snatch Beau, Malinda jumped to her feet and raced for the house shouting, "Mother! Mother, come quick!"

Luckily, Patricia was in the study going over her accounts and arrived on the verandah at about the same time as Malinda and Beau. "Malinda, why on earth are you shouting?" Before her daughter could answer, Patricia noticed a young girl slowly trudging up the steps behind them.

One look at the unkempt youngster convinced Patricia that the child was exhausted and beyond weary. Judging from the dried up mud caked on her boots and the hem of her dress, she hadn't had a bath or a change of clothes in several days. Her waist length strawberry blond curls were filled with leaves and twigs leading one to assume she had been sleeping on the open ground.

If Patricia were a betting woman she would wager her last coin that the child would not turn down a hot meal. "Can we help you, darling?" she asked Clara.

Up and down Clara's head went. Yes, she needed help. She wanted Malinda to let her hold Joshua's baby _right_ this very minute. However, since she couldn't say the words, Clara held her arms toward the infant in a pleading gesture. "I believe she wants Beau," Malinda whispered over her shoulder, keeping her back, and Beau, turned from the girl.

"Would you like to hold the baby?" asked the woman Clara recognized to be Joshua's mother, also garbed in black. At the question, Clara's face lit up, her eyes sparkled and her arms went out. "I cannot see any reason why you shouldn't hold him. I trust you will be careful with out little darling."

Clara's head bobbed up and down excitedly as she reached toward Beau _._

What foolishness was she speaking?

Of course she would careful with Joshua's baby.

"Mother?" Malinda shrieked backing up with Beau. "We don't know anything about her. What if she tries to take..."

"It's quite alright, Malinda. Both you and I will be here should she need assistance," Patricia insisted, shushing her daughter with a quelling glance.

Patricia opened massive double doors with a beautiful fanlight that spanned the entire width, stopping Clara dead in her tracks. Peering through the doors and into the house her mouth dropped open when she saw the twin staircases with their finely carved mahogany banisters and handrails inlaid with brass that were joined at the top by a bridge. She had never seen anything to compare to this house.

Taking her hand, Patricia led her through the doors. "Malinda, give Beau to this young lady for a few minutes before he goes down for his nap, then perhaps we can find out more about our visitor."

Clara reached out her arms and Malinda reluctantly released Beau to her. A look of pure bliss descended over the girl's angelic features as she beamed at the baby. She grunted softly to him and leaned her head down to place a tender kiss on his soft curls.

"It's almost like she already knows him," Patricia whispered, amazed at the love the stranger displayed for her grandson. Yet, how could she know Beau? Strange indeed.

Clara sighed happily and pressed Beau's soft, silky cheek to her own to inhale his fresh baby smell.

Oh, how he looks like Joshua.

She stuck her finger in his chubby hand and he grasped it, causing Clara to gasp in wonderment.

So smart too.

She cuddled him closer and without asking moved into a light blue parlor with dark blue trim, taking a seat on one of two rosewood sofas that faced each other in front of a marble fireplace. Over the mantle, on either side of a bull's eye mirror, were beautifully done portraits of Patricia and each of her children.

Joshua.

Caressing the baby's raven hair, so like his fathers, Clara gazed lovingly into identical sea green eyes and softly hummed to him.

"His name is Beau," Patricia said.

Clara looked up and smiled. _Beau. Joshua and Lynna's Beau._ Then she turned her loving attention back to the bundle of joy she cradled, forgetting that anyone else was in the room.

Patricia stood off to the side, observing, and allowing her several minutes with the baby. When he started to fuss, flailing his arms and turning beet red in the face, she moved to take him. "Now we must feed this starving little man and put him down for his afternoon nap."

Clara didn't resist, but released the baby with a grin, thinking he probably had an appetite like his father. Determined to keep an eye on Beau she followed Patricia as she went in search of his mother. After all, this was Joshua's baby and Clara felt a responsibility to make sure he was well cared for.

"Would you like to wait...?" Patricia began, but didn't have the heart to make Clara stay behind. "Malinda, darling, _we_ will take Beau to the nursery. In the meantime, will you try to locate your father and have him meet us in the parlor?"

"Of course, Mother." Malinda was extremely curious as to who the girl was and what she wanted, other than Beau.

"Thank you, darling." She turned to Clara. "Would you like to see Beau's nursery?" The rapid bobbing of Clara's head was all the answer Patricia needed as she led the way up a wide staircase lined with portraits. Clara noticed a strong family resemblance.

She paused in the doorway of the nursery, awestruck as she admired the handsome furnishings. Strolling around the room she lovingly touched Beau's cradle, imagining Joshua rocking the baby and singing him to sleep. She set the little rocking chair in motion with a sweep of her hand, then moved on to inspect a train that could be pushed around a track, a soft stuffed bear, and colorful blocks stacked in the corner waiting for Beau to get old enough to play.

All of this belongs to Beau?

Patricia handed the baby off to the wet nurse who opened her dress, freeing pendulous breasts. Clara was quick to grunt her disapproval. This wasn't right and she didn't like it one iota. She had seen animals nurse their young and knew that was how they got nourishment, however this woman was certainly not Beau's mother.

Where was Lynna?

"Uh."

"Excuse me, dear," Patricia inquired politely. "What did you say?"

"Uh."

"Please forgive me, I truly am sorry, but I can't quite understand what you're trying to say."

This was all very confusing for Clara. Why was this woman feeding Joshua's child? Where was his mother? "Uh. Uh." As Clara moved to take the baby and find his mother, Milly, the wet nurse, backed up against the chair as far as she could go. Her eyes rolled in terror until only the whites showed.

It was evident to Patricia that the foolish wet nurse was terrified out of her wits by a child who was grunting at them instead of talking. The superstitious slave girl was holding out her fingers in the sign of a cross, thinking the child possessed. Clara only glared at the silly woman.

Patricia, concerned for the odd young girl's obvious distress, took her hands and pulled her across the room. "There now, let's just let little Beau finish nursing." She pointed to Beau who was greedily suckling and swatting Milly's breast with his chubby fist. "Just look at how hungry our little boy is?"

Clara relaxed when she saw that Beau was quite content to nurse someone other than his mother, although the wet nurse was a peculiar sort. She would need to discover where Lynna was and why she wasn't feeding her own baby.

Patricia took Clara's hand and led her to the door. "If you will come with me, after Beau has finished his meal and had his nap, perhaps you can hold him again. Would you like that?"

Another vigorous bobbing of her head assured Patricia that it would be most satisfactory. She led Clara down the stairs. When they arrived at the parlor Malinda was rolling her father's chair into the room.

Patricia tugged on Clara's hand to bring her next to Jeremiah's chair. "There you are, Jeremiah. I would like you to meet our young visitor." She turned to Clara. "I'm sorry. I don't know your name or I would introduce you to my husband."

Clara looked at each of them in turn. _Jeremiah, Patricia and Malinda._ Turning to Jeremiah, Clara moved to stand in front of his chair and squatted down on her knees. After several minutes, and a series of grunts and hand gestures had passed, they were still no closer to knowing who this child was or why she had appeared on their doorstep.

Gazing around the room Clara's eyes landed on the mantle and the portraits of Joshua and Malinda. Her eyes lit up as she moved to the mantle, pointing excitedly to Joshua's portrait.

"Yes, Joshua is our son. He is..." Jeremiah couldn't finish what he had thought to say. Clara began jumping up and down and pointing to the portrait again. "She must have met Joshua at some point," Jeremiah said as a wave of sadness washed over him.

Patricia had almost gotten to the point where she could get through entire days without breaking down, but the child's carrying on so over Joshua's portrait didn't do anything to lift her spirits. Moving to the sofa, she sat down with her head in her hands to keep the others from seeing the tears that threatened to spill. A dark depression once again settled over her as she thought of the son she would never hold again.

Clara moved to sit beside Patricia on the sofa, seeing how sad Joshua's mother had become. "Uh...uh... uh."

Patricia dried her red-rimmed eyes and sniffled. The child had a loving heart, that much was certain. She also had an unwashed body. "Malinda, darling, would you be a dear and take this young lady to the kitchen and give her a butter biscuit or something to hold her until supper. Afterwards, please draw her a hot bath and find something for her to wear for the time being?"

Smiling at the young girl, Malinda took her hand. "Come with me."

Clara ate two butter biscuits with blackberry jam and a glass of buttermilk before rubbing her full tummy and turning a beaming countenance toward Malinda. _Why, their blackberry jam is almost as good as grandmother's._

Malinda smiled, taking both Clara's hands and pulling her to her feet. "The tub should be ready. If you will come with me, young lady, we'll get you cleaned up and have you smelling like a rose."

Following her up the stairs, Clara paused in the doorway, fixing her eyes on the tub. Why, she had never in all her life witnessed such an extravagance. Baths at home consisted of a sponge bath in winter and a dip in the river in warmer weather. This was something Clara never would have even imagined seeing, let alone using for herself. She hesitated until Malinda tugged her to the tub and instructed her to disrobe.

As it turned out Clara wasn't the least bit shy. She quickly shucked her dress and stuck the tip of her toe in the hot water. At Malinda's urging, she stepped in and slid under the soothing water, breathing a blissful sigh as it reached her shoulders. Leaning back against the rim, Clara had to wonder if she had died and this was the heaven her grandmother spoke so fondly of.

Malinda lathered Clara from head to toe as she soaked in the tub. Deciding to play a little game, in an effort to find out more about their visitor, she said, "Let's play a game, Clara. Would you like that?"

Clara nodded excitedly. She loved playing games with Joshua like draught, tic tac toe, and charades.

Malinda lathered Clara's hair and scrubbed vigorously. "Do you by chance know your ABC's?"

Clara nodded her head proudly. Joshua had taught her how to write and cipher ABCD and E in the dirt outside the cabin while she was doing her chores. If she was still at home she would most likely have learned them all by now.

"We shall start with the A's then." Malinda giggled as Clara clapped her hands excitedly. "Let's see. Is your name Annabelle?"

Clara grinned and shook her head.

"Alice?"

Clara shook her soapy curls and clapped her hands merrily.

"Oh, this could take forever." Malinda rinsed the child's hair and diligently tried to arrive at a solution to the problem. "I know. I shall call all the A names that I can think of and you stop me if I call out your name. Agreed?"

Clara was all smiles as she nodded her head.

"April, Arlene, Angel, Annabeth, Adele, Adelaid, Agatha, Annemarie, Alice, Amy, Annette?" Then a thought struck Malinda, it was a long shot but worth a try. "Do you perhaps know which letter of the alphabet your name starts with?"

Clara nodded happily, splashing the water in her excitement.

"You do? Wonderful." Now Malinda was as excited as Clara. "Does your name start with an A?"

Clara shook her head.

"Does it start with a B?"

Again she shook her head.

"Maybe this wasn't such a good idea after all. What about a C?"

Clara bounced happily shaking her head so hard it caused water to splash over the rim of the tub.

"Your name starts with a C," Malinda shrieked. "How clever you are. Now we're getting somewhere."

Clara was enjoying the game so much that she held her breath and slipped under water, holding it until Malinda grabbed her arms and pulled her back up.

"Good gracious, you certainly can hold your breath a long time." Malinda handed her a cloth to wipe the water from her eyes. "You would surely win a prize bobbing for apples at the county fair. Now, let's concentrate and figure out your name."

Clara nodded eagerly.

"Catherine, Carla, Connie, Camille, Cynthia?"

No response.

"Cassandra, Claudia, Corrina, Constance, Cecille, Cindy."

Nothing.

"Celia, Callie, Cadence, Clara..."

"Uh...uh...uh!"

"Clara?" Malinda laughed, excitedly. "Is your name Clara?"

Clara's head bounced up and down enthusiastically. "Uh...uh...uh."

"Well, hello, Clara." Malinda held out her hand and Clara took it with a beaming smile. "I am very glad to meet you. My name is Malinda."

_I know_.

Clara thought dinner was a rather solemn affair, and she still had not seen the illusive Lynna.

Where was she?

Joshua had spoken often of the cheerful dinners at Sea Grove where everyone laughed and teased and told each other about their day. That was a far cry from the atmosphere surrounding _this_ table.

In fact, each of them looked like they might have recently returned from a funeral procession.

Malinda took that moment to announce their surprise. "Everyone, I would like you to meet... Clara."

Clara beamed a dazzling smile for those gathered around the table, bouncing her head up and down while at the same time pointing to her chest.

Patricia winked, smiling proudly at her daughter. "Clara? Yes, the name fits. Malinda, how on earth did you figure it out?"

"We played the name game. Didn't we, Clara?"

Again Clara's head bobbed.

"What else did you find out?" Jeremiah asked, peering at the child closely.

"That's all so far. The fact that her name is Clara and, if I didn't know better, I would swear that she already loved Beau when she arrived." Malinda shook her head in confusion. "Yet, how is that possible when he was born here and has never once left the plantation to come in contact a stranger?"

"Let's ask her and find out." Jeremiah turned to their guest. "Clara, dear, had you met Beau prior to your arrival at Sea Grove?"

Clara puzzled over this. Although she felt like she had known the child all his life, she shook her head no.

"Then why do you have such strong feelings for him?" Jeremiah pressed her.

Clara thought about his question long and hard, then jumped up from her seat and rushed into the parlor.

Patricia followed her and again found Clara pointing at Joshua's painting. "Yes, he does bear a striking resemblance to his father, Clara. To look at Beau is to look at his father." Patricia's voice wavered as she was forced to look away from her son's portrait. "That still doesn't explain why you seem so attached to him."

Clara plopped down on the sofa to cross her arms over her chest in frustration, angry that she couldn't make Joshua's mother understand that her son was alive.

_Joshua would have already figured out what she was trying to say by now_.

Glancing down at the material of the fine dress Malinda had given her, Clara perused the room, taking in the fine craftsmanship of the furnishings. She recalled the extravagant meal they had been served and knew that her grandmother and Joshua would be out of fresh meat without her to hunt for food. She was wasting time. Joshua's family should be in the carriage at that very minute bringing him home.

That gave her an idea.

Jumping up, she grabbed Patricia's hand, tugging until she reluctantly followed her. Clara wrenched open the front door and hurried down the verandah steps pulling Patricia along behind her. She looked left and right searching for something. When she spotted the stables she hurried in that direction.

"Please, slow down, Clara. I'm out of breath," Patricia groaned, even though she found herself laughing for the first time in months.

Clara flung open the door to the stables and hurried over to one of the carriages. Hopping into the driver's seat she patted the seat beside her and waited for Patricia to join her. By now the others were standing at the door to the stables watching with keen interest.

Deciding to humor the girl, Patricia climbed on the seat and sat beside her as Clara pointed to Patricia's chest in the age old symbol for _stay put._ Then, she leapt from the carriage and raced to the first stable, opened the door, and began leading Jezebel out.

Patricia turned to Jeremiah. "My guess is that she wants to take the carriage out."

"Evidently she is ready to return home," Jeremiah agreed. "It's too late to head out tonight, Clara. We will take you home as soon as we find out where you live."

That's easy enough. I can show you.

Clara picked up one of the riding crops and kneeled down, used the handle to draw an exact replica in the dirt of the map Joshua had drawn.

Malinda pushed her father's chair closer to view the map. "If her crude map is any indication; Clara is several days ride from her home upstate on the North Carolina border." Jeremiah breathed a worn out sigh. It had been a long day. "We will see that you get home soon, child. You have my word. For now, let's return to the dining room for a slice of the peach cobbler I have smelled cooking all afternoon and a cup of coffee."

Peach cobbler sounded delicious, and Jeremiah had promised they would go to Joshua soon. Clara's mouth watered as she came to the conclusion that she could live with his offer, for tonight.
 Chapter 28

When bedtime arrived Clara went in search of Beau. Patricia and Malinda tried to put her in one of the guest rooms. She was having none of it, and she made her intentions perfectly clear. She would sleep where Beau slept.

If she did, the wet nurse would most likely leave by way of the second story window. She was terrified of Clara and kept her distance as much as possible. Patricia and Malinda were busy discussing how to solve the dilemma when Big Jim, Jeremiah's attendant, carried him up the stairs and sat him in his rolling chair. "What seems to be the problem, ladies?"

Patricia moved beside his chair and in a hushed tone explained their current predicament, throwing her hands in the air, at a loss as to how to settle the impasse.

"I see." Jeremiah motioned Clara over to his chair, taking her soft hands in his. "Clara, dear, would you like our Beau to wake up hungry tonight with no one to feed him?"

Clara shook her head rapidly, jerking her hands from Jeremiah's to place on her hips in an aggrieved manner.

Of course I want Beau to be fed.

What nonsense is this?

Noticing her immense displeasure Jeremiah sought to smooth her ruffled feathers. "Well, his wet nurse Milly is afraid of... doesn't like for anyone else to be in the room with her and Beau at night." Since Clara was still frowning and appearing highly offended by his remark, he looked to Patricia for help.

Patricia beamed at Clara. "So, let's just leave them alone so they can get some rest. When Beau wakes in the morning you can hold him."

Clara looked at the trio for several minutes, debating whether or not the situation was worthy of a fight. She had to admit that Beau looked completely content with his nurse. If she stayed here, there was no place to sleep except the floor and she had been sleeping on the floor at home since Joshua's arrival. She would be the first to admit it was not the most comfortable place to lay ones head.

Malinda had offered her a simply marvelous bed and she could take over Beau's care first thing in the morning. Smiling, Clara gave an agreeable nod to Jeremiah.

_You talked me into it_ _._

The instant Clara's eyes opened the following morning she was out the door. Still in the night rail Malinda had loaned her she headed to Beau's nursery. Milly was smiling and cooing at the baby as he nursed. _Where on earth is Beau's mother? "_ Uh," Clara grunted, wishing someone could understand her.

Milly's eyes grew wide as saucers as she clutched the baby to her breast causing him to screech an ear splitting wail at the injustice of having his meal interrupted.

In an effort to placate the crying infant Clara moved toward her. This set Milly to screaming at the top of her lungs, "Lawd, he'p me! Oh, Lawd he'p me!"

Why on earth is she carrying on so?

For crying out loud, I just want my Beau.

Malinda came running through the door to see what the commotion was about and knew instantly that Clara was the source of Milly's terror. "Now, now, Milly. There really is no need to carry on so. Clara just wants to hold Beau." She placed a calming hand on Milly's shoulder. "Mother promised her last night she could hold him this morning. Didn't she, Clara?"

Clara bobbed her head and held out her hands.

"He still hongry," Milly mumbled nervously, averting her eyes from the strange child.

"Very well then." Turning to Clara, Malinda said, "We must allow Beau to finish nursing then you can hold him. Is that satisfactory with you?"

Clara bobbed her head again.

"Would you like to come downstairs to breakfast with me? Perhaps when you finish your meal Beau will have finished his as well."

Clara gave one last longing look at Beau, cast a warning glance at Milly, and took Malinda's hand to be led back to her room.

Milly gasped, determined then and there to head down to the quarters before the day was over and convince the old conjure woman to concoct a spell to protect her from Clara's evil eye.

Breakfast was a rather sad affair as well, Clara surmised. _Was this family never happy?_ Were they upset over Joshua's disappearance? She needed to discover the answer to several questions, mainly where Lynna was. Then she needed someone to take her home to her grandmother and Joshua. She nibbled on her eggs and bacon while her problems raced around and around in her head.

"I mentioned our young visitor to Samuel yesterday when he stopped by," Jeremiah mumbled in between bites of fluffy pancakes swimming in maple syrup. In truth, he had sent a message to Samuel asking him to come for a visit. "He and Beth will be dropping by later this morning to meet Clara and see if they can help us figure out who she belongs too."

He winked at Clara. "If we don't soon find out, we might just keep you here with us," he teased, causing Clara to grin from ear to ear.

Not long after they finished the meal a steady drizzle began to fall. By the time they heard a carriage pull up to the circular drive in front of the verandah it had changed to a downpour. Clara was deep in thought, watching the rain rush down the windowpane in rivulets when a man and two women entered the parlor.

One of the females fluffed her hair, glancing at Clara in a dismissive way before lifting her nose and moving to kiss the air on each side of Patricia's face.

"Come join us, Clara," Patricia said. "I would like you to meet Samuel, our neighbor and dear friend."

As she moved to stand in front of him, Samuel clasped Clara's hands. "Here, let me get a good look at this adorable creature." He put his hand on her chin and gently turned her head to get a better look, hoping to notice a resemblance to a friend or acquaintance. "I don't recall ever seeing you before, darling." He turned back to Patricia. "To be honest, I don't believe she's from this area. Perhaps she's a visitor from a distant plantation and wandered too far from home. I can ask around to see if anyone has reported her missing." Glancing at the lady beside him, he asked, "How about you, Beth? Do you know her?"

Taking Clara's hands, the lady also shook her head. "No, I don't believe I do."

Samuel turned to the second lady and asked, "What about you, Suzanne? You flit about the county visiting more than either of us. Have you ever met this enchanting little lady before?"

Suzanne snickered behind her gloved hand. _Enchanting?_ It was plainly obvious the girl lacked any class whatsoever. Why, she would wager the urchin was raised in a swamp. "I don't believe I've had the pleasure," she simpered.

A slow light of understanding dawned in Clara's eyes.

Suzanne?

Suzanne!

The evil witch who had shot Joshua and left him to die?

She was here?

In his house?

Without giving a singular thought to the consequences, Clara politely walked up to Suzanne as if to take her hand and slapped her soundly across the cheek.

"Ouch! Why, you little fiend," Suzanne shrieked, shoving Clara away from her with more force than was necessary. "Get this lunatic away from me."

Fortunately, Samuel caught Clara before she could hit the floor. Beth turned toward a livid Suzanne and whispered, "Suzanne, calm down. She didn't slap you that hard and be so kind as to remember that the child has a slight... disability."

"Evidently her so called disability does not extend to her hand," Suzanne snarled, caressing her stinging cheek. _The ignorant little bitch will have more than a slight disability when I'm finished with her._

"Clara, sweetie!" Patricia cried, rushing to lead her to the sofa. "What on earth possessed you to do something so... unladylike? Why, Suzanne is our visitor and we certainly don't treat a welcomed guest that way."

"Uh. Uh. Uh." Clara grunted, wishing they could understand her. She was shooting razor sharp daggers at Suzanne with her eyes.

Don't you know who she is?

She tried to kill your son.

"I don't know what you are trying to say, dear. I truly wish I did," Patricia murmured in a soothing voice. "In the mean time, I think you owe Suzanne an apology." Clara looked at the woman as if she had suddenly sprouted a third ear. Crossing her hands over her chest, she gave Suzanne a decidedly evil glare and shook her head stubbornly.

"That really isn't necessary..." Beth began.

"I don't think that is your decision to make, Beth," Suzanne snapped. "You aren't the one she assaulted."

"You were not assaulted," Samuel warned his sister with a stern shake of his head. "We will let the matter drop and not mention it again."

"I can only offer my deepest apologies, Suzanne," Jeremiah said from his chair by the fire. "I don't know what got into the child. We haven't witnessed this type of behavior from her prior to now."

Suzanne was not to be placated. "Since you have only known the simpleton for a day you really don't have any idea of what type of behavior she is capable of, now do you? You might want to be more careful about who you allow into the bosom of your family, Jeremiah. In fact, I would watch my back around her if I were you. Who knows when she might decide to stab you in it."

"That's quite enough, Suzanne," Samuel warned.

Hearing the ominous tone in her brother's voice, Suzanne quickly changed her tune. "Thank you, Jeremiah," she murmured demurely. She really should stay in her brother's good graces. He might come to the conclusion that she had worn out her welcome and sent her back to Magnolia House. She couldn't allow that to happen.

Why, Eric would be distraught if he returned and was unable to locate her.

"Apology accepted. I don't suppose any real harm was done," she mumbled, unconvincingly." However, the look she gave Clara let her know the episode was far from forgotten.

"Now," Patricia stood and clapped her hands together. "Would you like to see little Beau?"

"Of course we would," Beth answered. "I have been just dying to get my hands on him."

Patricia turned to her daughter. "Malinda, dear, would you go fetch our little man?"

Clara jumped up, following closely on Malinda's heels.

When they returned to the parlor Beth was waiting with outstretched arms, "Oh, Samuel," she cried. "Would you just look at how he has grown? May I hold him?"

"Of course." Malinda smiled as she placed the baby in her waiting arms.

Beth sat beside Samuel as she held Beau and cooed at him for several minutes. Clara watched them both with an eagle eye. It was obvious to one and all that she was ready to pounce at the first whimper from Beau.

"Just look at his eyes, that hair. Have you ever seen a stronger resemblance to...?" Realizing too late what she had been about to say, Beth paused and glanced at Patricia with apologetic eyes. "I'm so sorry, Patricia. Please forgive me. I didn't mean to remind you of..."

"I'm fine, Beth." Glistening tears hovered on Patricia's lashes. "I rarely break down at the mere mention of Joshua's name any longer."

Beau was holding tight to Samuel's pinkie. "I don't suppose you have any news on that front do you?"

"No," Jeremiah responded bleakly. "Not a word."

Clara hid clenched fists in the folds of her skirt and glared at Suzanne from across the room.

_If looks could kill_.

Malinda and Beth thought at the exact same moment, _why would Clara hate Suzanne when she doesn't even know her?_ Each of them would completely understand the emotion if Clara was even remotely acquainted with the wretched girl.

After Beth and Samuel had sufficiently fawned over Beau, the room quieted down as the occupants settled into pockets of conversation. The men discussed the fools in the North while the women chatted about little Beau and his latest accomplishments.

After an hour, Patricia announced that Sally was taking a pound cake out of the oven and it would be served with coffee to the delight of all, especially Clara _. Why, Sally uses grandmother's yearly ration of sugar in a day_.

Later that afternoon, after the cake had been reduced to crumbs and the dishes were cleared, Samuel looked out the window at the water beginning to stream across the drive with a troubled frown. "We have certainly enjoyed our visit, and thank you for the kind invitation to dinner, but we really should head for home before the roads wash out. The rain is coming down sideways. I can't even see the trees in the yard."

"Words of wisdom. You wouldn't want to get caught on the road in this deluge after dark." Jeremiah nodded in agreement, reaching to shake Samuel's hand and accept a warm hug from Beth. "We're glad you could come. We'll have you over for dinner again soon."

"We'll be here." Samuel winked at Patricia and grinned. "I never turn down one of Sally's meals."

As they were readying to make their departure Suzanne smirked at Clara. "Oh, I didn't get the chance to hold little Beau. I must give him a kiss before we leave."

Clara was instantly on her feet and before anyone could stop her she lifted Beau out of Malinda's hands. She stood firm, clutching him to her chest with her eyes blazing and feet braced apart, ready to do battle if Suzanne dared approach Joshua's son.

"I wouldn't advise it." Samuel chuckled. "She might claw your eyes out if you even attempt to go near the baby."

"Clara, darling?" Patricia turned to Beth and Suzanne, her face beet red with embarrassment. "Honestly, I don't know what to say. I can't imagine why she is behaving this way."

"When will the imbecile be leaving Sea Grove?" Suzanne ground out.

"Suzanne Fletcher!" Beth shrieked.

"Suzanne Jordan," Suzanne corrected, before remembering, too late, that she was in the very bosom of Joshua's family. She cringed when all eyes in the room turned toward her with a mixture of shock and indignation. "Oh, I was just teasing." She laughed daintily behind the glove she was pulling on in a feeble attempt to cover her glaring slip. "Simply trying to lighten the mood in this somber room." She turned to Clara with a fake smile and an evil glint sparkling in her eye. "You hold on to little Beau, while you can."

_And that will be a long time._ Clara held her ground, leveling a defiant stare at Suzanne as she donned her wrap. _Believe one thing. You will NEVER get your blood soaked hands on Joshua's son._

The time for dawdling had passed. Clara's plan to make Joshua's family understand why she was here, and return home for Joshua, had just been ratcheted up a notch with Suzanne close enough to cause Beau harm.
 Chapter 29

During dinner, Clara wondered if Jeremiah and Patricia would still be upset over her behavior toward Suzanne. If they were, they didn't show it. Even if they were, she wouldn't let it bother her overmuch. Suzanne was not putting one finger on little Beau. Not as long as there was breath left in her body to prevent it.

Still, how could she make Joshua's family understand what she so desperately needed to tell them? Lifting another spoonful of cornbread and milk to her lips, she chewed thoughtfully. Suddenly she dropped the spoon, allowing it to fall clattering to the table as she had, what she thought at least, was a splendid idea. She pointed to Malinda.

"I am Malinda, Clara," Malinda smiled patiently, sipping on her sweet tea. "Are we playing charades?"

Clara nodded, pointing to Patricia as she passed her the breadbasket. "I am Malinda's mother, Patricia."

_Exactly_. Clara nodded happily. She lifted a steaming buttermilk biscuit from the basket and reached for the scuppernong jelly. She pointed upstairs making a rocking motion with her arms.

"Beau?" Patricia said.

_Yes. Yes_. Again she pointed to Malinda and then to Patricia.

"Mother and daughter?" Malinda asked.

With her biscuit fixed to her liking, Clara took a bite of mouth watering chicken and dumplings and gave the continue motion with her hand.

Patricia smiled at the variety of food lined up in front of Clara. A glass of cornbread and milk, a biscuit filled with scuppernong jelly, and a plate filled to overflowing with chicken and dumplings.

Clara took a bite of each and smiled with obvious satisfaction, waiting patiently for the pinto beans to be passed her way. "Mother and child?" Patricia guessed.

Clara bounced up and down in her chair. _Yes. Yes. Yes._ She pointed upstairs and rocked her arms.

"Mother and child. Beau? She wants to know where Beau's mother is," Patricia said thoughtfully, lowering the spoon that had been half way to her mouth.

"I believe you're right," Malinda agreed with a catch in her voice, losing her appetite as well.

Jeremiah coughed, attempting to remove the lump his throat. "Clara, Beau's mother... left us. She was very sick and we are not sure whether she left of her own accord, or was abducted. All we know for sure is that we awakened one morning and she was gone."

He shook his head sadly, gazing out the window across the vast expanse of land. "Her father and Aunt Judith have scoured the countryside looking for her. I'm worried about Nathan, in fact. He didn't take the news of his daughter's disappearance well at all."

Joshua had told Clara about Lynna's father, a man rumored to be the wealthiest in all of France, during one of his many late night talks.

Jeremiah continued, "Nathan blames himself for leading the kidnappers, if indeed they are the ones who took his wife, directly to his daughter. But as of yet no ransom demands have been received. The sad truth is that both Beau's parents are... missing. We have no idea where his mother and father are."

_Lynna was gone?_ This was not good. Not good at all. Joshua needed to know about this latest turn of events so that he could find his wife. As of now, he thought Lynna and the baby were safely tucked away at Sea Grove awaiting his return.

Clara knew she couldn't just sit around here in the lap of luxury wasting time. Something had to be done.

Tonight.

Standing up from the table, she ignored their questioning stares and walked into the kitchen, searching around the room until she discovered a large hamper. She went to stand in front of Sally, motioning to the hamper.

Sally quickly ascertained that the child wanted her to fill the hamper with food. Was she supposed to cater to the girl's whims without instruction from Miss Patricia?

Her question was soon answered when Patricia came through the door and spied the hamper. "Are you going somewhere, dear?"

Clara nodded her head.

"And you will need food for your journey?"

Again Clara nodded.

"I think it's time that you to return to your family as well." Patricia had the utmost sympathy for any parent of a lost child. "They are probably worried sick."

Clara's attention was momentarily seized by a delicious aroma wafting from the oven. _Pecan pie. Joshua's favorite_. She glanced toward it with a wan smile on her face.

Patricia saw the smile and was swamped by a pained memory of watching as her son ate piece after piece of the sweet treat. "Pecan pie was Joshua's favorite."

Clara absently nodded her head in full agreement and smiled a knowing smile at Patricia. _Grandmother has made Joshua several pecan pies._

"I didn't know she know'd Mast' Joshua," Sally said.

Clara was immediately in front of the cook jumping around and bobbing her head up and down.

Patricia was becoming accustomed to Clara's odd behavior and didn't give it a second thought. "I don't believe she did, Sally. Clara just gets... excited easily."

"She sho' 'nuff knowed pecan pie was his fav'rit." Sally chuckled. "I wunner how she be knowin' dat?"

"The same way she seemed to know Beau at first sight, I suppose. Clara just seems to have a special intuition about things."

Sally peered at the girl curiously, thinking back over all she had heard from the housemaids since the child had shown up on the doorstep. Clara loved Beau like he was her own. She was always pointing to Master Joshua's painting on the mantle. She tried to get Miss Patricia to go riding with her in the carriage. She wanted her to pack a hamper for a trip. It all made perfect since to _her_.

And, most telling of all, how did Clara already know to hate that uppity Miss Suzanne without being told? Oh well, white folks thought they knew best about everything. She would just keep her thoughts to herself.

Hoping to make Clara forget about leaving for home tonight, Patricia took her hand. "Let's go find Beau to cheer us up."

Clara bounced up and down happily, loving that idea. When they arrived in the parlor, they discovered Malinda to be a step ahead of them. She was just handing Beau to her father.

After patiently waiting for what she thought was a reasonable amount of time Clara walked up to Jeremiah's chair and held out her arms.

Laughter, such a rare sound lately, rumbled deep in Jeremiah's throat as he handed Beau over to Clara. "Yes, yes, I understand, child. You will be leaving us soon and you want to hold him as much as possible before you go. I can't say that I blame you."

Clara took Beau and went to sit in the rocking chair by the window. Cuddling him close to her chest she began to hum a familiar refrain. The haunting melody touched Patricia's heart and caused a tear to well in her eyes. She had never heard anyone sing that song except Joshua.

Malinda, who had heard her brother sing the song too many times to count, supplied the lyrics when Clara reached the chorus:

Angelina Baker.

Angelina Baker's gone

She left me here to weep a tear

_And beat on the old jawbone_.

"That was my son's favorite song," Jeremiah said to Clara, brushing a betraying tear from his cheek.

Clara nodded her head knowingly, in complete agreement with him. As Jeremiah watched the child intently, there was not a doubt in his mind that if Clara could speak she would say, "Yes, I know." She hummed the song without missing a beat, putting emphasis on the same words, exactly as Joshua would have. It was almost as if Joshua had taught her the ditty himself.

When Beau began to fuss Clara took him upstairs to Milly without being told and returned to the parlor. She stood in front of the fireplace wondering what more she could do to make this family understand. As she pondered this, her eyes moved to the mantle where Joshua's bandalore lay.

In her rush to sneak out of the house without alerting Joshua and her grandmother, she had forgotten the bandalore he had carved for her. She had missed it sorely. Taking Joshua's bandalore from the mantle she slipped the knot over her middle finger and tossed it to the floor, catching it expertly and tossing it over and over.

Every eye in the room watched her toss and catch the bandalore in stunned silence.

"I have never seen anyone do that, except my son," Patricia finally whispered. "Joshua and now... Clara."

Jeremiah's heart pounded against his ribs as he recalled the many coincidences over the last few days. "Joshua had to teach her how to use it. There could be no other explanation."

"He only began playing with it just before he left..." Malinda's voice trailed off as she met her mother's eyes. "Could he have taught Clara to play with it?"

With an unusual sparkle in his eyes Jeremiah wheeled his chair to the fireplace and tugged on Clara's skirt to gain her attention. Opening his mouth to speak, he stopped himself short. Afraid to ask. Afraid to get his hopes up.

The fall was too hard.

If it was nothing more than another false lead he wasn't sure his heart, or Patricia's, could withstand the pain. When the child turned toward him, he somehow forced the words through lips that had suddenly gone numb. "Where did you learn that trick, Clara?"

Clara was so focused on how to solve her problem that she offhandedly pointed toward Joshua's portrait.

"Joshua," Jeremiah's gasp echoed around the room as he clutched his hands in his lap to still their trembling, "Do you know my son?"

Recognizing the understanding in Jeremiah's sea green eyes, so like his sons, Clara nodded her head slowly as a huge smile brightened her face. _Yes. Yes, I do._

"Clara," Jeremiah asked softly, trying to keep his voice steady and not frighten the child, when in truth he wanted to shout to the rooftop. "Do you know where Joshua is?"

Clara bobbed her head up and down. _Yes, I do._

Patricia clutched her hammering chest and rushed to Clara. Wringing her hands nervously she pulled her wedding band off and on as she did during times of intense stress. "Clara, is my son well?"

Patricia's relief was profound when the child nodded her head yes. "Jeremiah!" she cried. "Joshua is alive! Oh, my dear sweet God above. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you for answering my prayers. My son is alive." Patricia's excitement was impossible to contain as she grabbed Clara and Malinda's hands and danced around Jeremiah's chair.

"Joshua is alive," Malinda cried, brushing a flood of tears from her cheeks.

"Clara," Jeremiah held up his hand motioning for them to be still before he got dizzy. He waved Clara over to bend down beside him. "Clara, my dear sweet child. Would it be possible for you to take us to Joshua?"

Clara vigorously nodded her head and took Patricia's hand, trying to pull her to the door.

"Mother," Malinda whispered. "She wants to take you to Joshua now."

Clara nodded her head with jubilation.

"Well, I'll be damned," Jeremiah murmured. "Patricia, have Sally pack some food for the journey. Malinda, send someone to fetch Big Jim and tell him he is going on a trip immediately and we don't have a second to spare. Clara, go pack your belongings. You are going home, child."

Before she began making arrangements for the trip Patricia had to know one thing. She was terrified of the answer to her question. Still, she knew in her heart that if her son was physically capable of returning home he would have done so by now. "Clara, was Joshua hurt?"

Clara nodded sadly, remembering the horrible moment when her grandmother had advised her to dig Joshua's grave. Fortunately, she had not listened.

Over the mantle, under Joshua and Malinda's paintings, hung an old powder musket that had been in Jeremiah's family for years. She didn't want to tell them their son had been shot, but she wasn't going to lie to them either. She pointed to the gun.

"Joshua was shot?" Patricia felt faint. With one hand at her heart, she held on to the back of a chair with the other to support her body. "Where was he shot?'

Clara pointed to her chest.

Dear Lord! Her son had survived a gunshot wound to the chest? Thank goodness, he must have been in a place where he could obtain the best medical care available when the accident happened. "And you are sure that my son is alive and well?"

Clara nodded happily.

"Did he tell you about Lynna and the baby?"

Clara nodded and bounced. _Yes, yes, he told me about all of you._

Jeremiah whispered, "Clara darling, you are a Godsend."
 Chapter 30

Joshua sat on a stump by the side of the woodpile. He had split one piece of wood and couldn't summon the energy to lift his arms again. "Damn, these weak muscles," he groaned. Swiping at the sweat streaming from his brow, he cursed his useless limbs.

Would he ever get his strength back? Where was Clara? Did she reach Sea Grove safely? Did Lynna survive the birth of his child? How were his parents holding up? So many questions.

"Don't fret so." Lucille smiled patiently, leaning against the door jamb. "A few weeks ago you couldn't even get out of bed, now you're out here chopping wood. Your recovery is coming along just fine and you are getting stronger with each passing day. You'll be good as new in a couple more weeks if you can just be patient for a while longer. Now, you just stop worrying and start trusting in my Clara Mae."

"It would be impossible for me not to worry, Lucille." Joshua picked up the axe and tossed it from one useless hand to the other, hoping to build up his strength. "So much could go wrong. If anything happens to her..."

"Nothing is going to happen to my Clara. She has the veil to keep her safe and I don't want to hear no more of that nonsense again. While I clean that mess of crappie you caught this morning for supper, you go inside and rest. You've done enough for one day. You don't want to overdo it."

"I'll just peel some potatoes and put them on to boil." Joshua laughed morosely. "That shouldn't be too strenuous."

"Don't you go feeling sorry for yourself," Lucille admonished. "The good Lord allowed you to open your eyes again after having your chest blasted open. Therefore, I'm of the opinion that you shouldn't ever complain about another thing as long as you live or He might go to rethinking how generous He's done been to you."

"You're right, Lucille," Joshua mumbled. "I should quit feeling sorry for myself and count my blessings. I'm almost well enough to return home to my family."

"Amen to that." Lucille raised her eyes to the sky, giving thanks where thanks were due. "The good book says ask and ye shall receive. I done asked the good Lord to return my Clara back home to me safe and sound and I believe in my heart that He will."

Please, God. I pray that you answer the dear woman's prayer.

Long after Joshua and Lucille had settled down for the night, Joshua was awakened by the sound of carriage wheels.

Finally.

His family had come for him.

Leaping out of bed as fast as his recovering body would allow, he shouted, "Lucille! Lucille! They're here!"

"Clara," Lucille breathed, slowing rolling her aging body off her side of the bed.

Joshua lit a candle and opened the door, watching and waiting with nervous anticipation as the sound grew nearer. Thankfully there was a full moon to guide them.

Before the carriage had come to a complete halt Clara jumped down from the seat beside Big Jim, racing toward Joshua. She stopped in front of him and gently eased into his waiting arms, so as not to hurt his chest. He held her softly, thanking God for returning her home unharmed. As soon as he released her, she rushed into her grandmother's outstretched arms.

"Girl, I'm gonna skin you alive for all the worry you caused us." Lucille's eyes were filled with tears of gratitude for her granddaughter's safe return. She held her close until Clara began to fidget, eager to witness Joshua and his mother's reunion.

Joshua held his breath as the carriage door slowly swung open.

Was Lynna inside the carriage?

His mother emerged, placing a hand over her heart and looking as though she might faint from sheer joy when their eyes met. Joshua hobbled to her as fast as he could to sweep her into his arms. "Mother, thank God you came. I have been going crazy with worry over Clara."

"I know exactly what you mean, darling." Stepping back to look into his eyes, Patricia ran her hand along the face that she knew so well. "I have been going crazy with worry over my darling son."

Joshua hung his head, ashamed of the pain he had caused his family. "I'm sorry, Mother. If there had been any way for me to return home, rest assured that I would have. Clara took the only horse and there are no neighbors to borrow from, so I was stuck here with no recourse."

"None of that matters now, my darling," Patricia cried, embracing her son. It felt so good to have him in her arms. Although seeing the circumstances under which he had been convalescing, she was concerned about his wound and eager to return home where a qualified physician could examine him. "You are alive and that makes me the happiest woman on earth, but I have been so worried. We all have. If not for this precious child, we might never have found you."

"I'm almost completely recovered now, Mother. I would have soon made my way home." Joshua cast a meaningful glance toward Clara who was again being smothered in her grandmother's embrace. "The little minx should have stayed here and not added to the numerous gray hairs I had already accumulated over the last few months."

Joshua carefully set his mother aside and peered into the carriage, disappointment evident in his eyes at finding it empty. "Was Lynna unable to travel because of recently giving birth? Tell me mother, how is she? Do I have a son or a daughter?"

"You have a son, Joshua. His name is Joshua Beauregard Jordan. We call him Beau." She couldn't bring herself to tell him the truth about Lynna's disappearance, not just yet, and ruin his happiness so soon. She refused to forever dim the bright light that was shining in his eyes tonight. "He is a tiny version of you."

Clara left her grandmother's arms when she heard Beau's name. Rushing to Joshua's side she nodded her head up and down happily.

"Did you get to hold Beau, Clara?" He laughed, already knowing the answer.

"Did she hold him?" Patricia smiled lovingly at the young girl. "You should ask if anyone else had the chance to hold him since the second she arrived on our doorstep."

Joshua chuckled, pulling Clara close for another hug. He needed to continually assure himself that his prayers had been answered and the child was safe and well. "I promised her she could hold the baby for as long and as often as she liked. Apparently she took my words to heart. Didn't you, Clara?"

Clara nodded her head dreamily. She could hardly wait to return to her Beau.

"A son?" Joshua whispered with a contented sigh.

"Yes."

"And Lynna? Was it a difficult birth?"

"It was a long and arduous delivery for her, but she sailed through it just fine. Fortunately, Jasmine was visiting at the time and assisted during her labor."

Turning to Lucille, Joshua motioned for her to join him. "Mother, I would like you to meet Lucille Harper, grandmother to Clara. They brought me back from the brink of death and nursed me to health. We owe them my life, for without these two I would not be standing before you now."

Patricia moved to clasp Lucille in a warm, heartfelt embrace. "Thank you for caring for my son. You will never know how grateful my entire family is to you. How can I ever repay your generosity and kindness?"

"We will think of something, Mother," Joshua vowed. "For now, let us all return home to Lynna and Beau."

Clara exchanged a worried glance with Patricia who shook her head, urging the girl not to let on that Lynna would not be at Sea Grove when they arrived. Begrudgingly, Clara agreed, though she didn't like the idea of withholding information from Joshua one bit. In her opinion, he should be told his wife was missing so he could begin looking for her as soon as possible.

"Could we rest a bit before we return to that bumpy carriage, Joshua?" Patricia pleaded. "I don't mean to be a hindrance but I have never been so jostled in all my life as on the trail here, when we turned off the main road. Why, I feel as though my brains have been scrambled about in my head." She massaged her temple with a trembling hand and laughed from pure exhaustion. "We have been traveling for days."

"Of course, Mother." Joshua was instantly beside her, taking her hands. "Please forgive me for selfishly thinking only of myself. You must be dead on your feet. We can leave in the morning, after you have rested." Joshua helped her to the bed where she and Lucille curled under the covers.

How his mother slept with Lucille snoring was a puzzle to Joshua, but she did. He offered Big Jim a bowl of leftover stew, then Clara handed them each a blanket. They lay down in front of the fire, eager for the morning sun to rise so that they could be on their way.

 Chapter 31

Trinidad

March 1855

Lynna stood at the ship's rail wearing her yellow day dress with the sweetheart neckline and three quarter length sleeves. A straw hat with a matching ribbon trailed behind her in the warm sea breeze. It was the prettiest of her new dresses and for the first time in a really long time she actually felt somewhat pretty in it.

She couldn't hide the fact that she was still rail thin, or that her bosom was a far cry from overflowing the bodice of the dress as it once would have been. However, her face had healed and thankfully there were no scars to remind her of the most ghastly three days of her life. That was her outer appearance. Her insides churned with a constant ache for her husband and son.

Gulls circled overhead, swooping and cawing as she noticed that the water rushing past the hull of the ship had changed from blue to a vivid jungle green color. As they drew closer to the shore she saw lines of thick green foliage and what looked like huge fields of banana trees in the distance. They were nearing Sean's home and she was eager to leave the confines of the ship and stretch her stiff legs.

Lynna had a desire to walk for miles and miles on the sandy shore, yet doubted she would have the energy to walk from the ship to a waiting carriage. Still weak as water, the smallest activity totally exhausted her. Nonetheless she was grateful to be alive and gave thanks daily.

Glancing down the beach she noticed a father and his young son fishing in the nearby surf. How she would love to run on the beach chasing after Beau as he scurried along the powdery sand on his chubby little legs. She imagined scooping him up and tossing him into the air, breathing his fresh baby scent, and kissing him until they both giggled with delight. Her heart gave a sudden lurch when she realized how far away from Beau she was.

How long had she been gone from him? Two months? How old was he when she left? She couldn't even answer that question because she had been so sick, fading in and out of consciousness, that she'd had no concept of time. He could have been days, weeks or even months old. She had no way of knowing and it was a frightening feeling, not knowing. Would Beau be sitting up by now, perhaps crawling?

Since the night of the storm she had been thinking of her son almost every waking moment. During her long bout of sickness few thoughts had entered her mind other than her own unrelenting misery. Yet, now that her body was beginning to heal and she could think clearly again, most of her thoughts were of her precious son.

And she wanted him back.

The island Sean called home was named Trinidad. From the deck of the ship Lynna noticed a peach colored mansion with tall white columns sitting high on a hilltop. Sean had told her that the plantation where he and his brother had spent their youth belonged to his grandmother Lisbeth.

Sean tucked Lynna's hand around his arm as he led her from the ship. She took one last deep breath and followed, mentally preparing herself for this next challenge in her life.

And her new home.

Lisbeth was a tall, striking woman with long white hair braided and wrapped like a crown around her head. Her skin was as tanned and wrinkled as old shoe leather due to her many days under the tropical sun, yet all you noticed when you looked at her were stunning lavender eyes.

"You have the most beautiful eyes I have ever seen," Lynna exclaimed, unable to tear her gaze away from the woman's arresting features.

"Thank you, darling." Lisbeth beamed, taking an immediate liking to Lynna. "They were a gift from my mother and her mother before her and so on. You see, a daughter with lavender eyes has been born into our family every generation for as far back as anyone can remember." She smiled lovingly at her grandson. "I'm certain that Sean will have a daughter someday to carry on the tradition."

Sean came up behind Lynna to slip his arms around her, pulling her back against him. It was a tender gesture. One that was normally reserved for lovers. Lynna worried that it might leave Lisbeth with the mistaken impression that _she_ would be the one to deliver this lavender eyed bundle of joy.

Surely it was not Sean's intention to lead his grandmother on, when Lynna was planning to purchase passage on the first vessel home. Unfortunately, she had no money. Therefore, Sean would need to set sail again and return her to Sea Grove.

A frisson of alarm shivered down her spine as Sean and Lisbeth exchanged a secretive smile. Her body froze in place when Sean lowered his chin to rest on her shoulder.

"That would be my fondest desire, Grandmama," he whispered against Lynna's ear.

Lynna noticed a light shimmering in the older woman's lavender gaze as her eyes fell to her midsection. Feeling extremely uncomfortable with the situation she left Sean's embrace and moved to gaze out the window onto the bustling town below.

A very astute woman, Lisbeth recognized immediately that Lynna had battled a long sickness and was on the slow road to recovery. After the introductions were made she took Lynna's hands. "Did you suffer from sea sickness on the journey here, dear?"

Lynna shook her head, not sure exactly what she had suffered from. She was confused by Sean's unusual behavior and wanted nothing more than to lie down on a soft bed and sleep for days.

"No, Grandmama," Sean answered upon noticing that Lynna's mind was occupied elsewhere. "Apparently a voodoo priestess put a curse on Lynna." Moving to a sideboard he poured a healthy shot of rum into a glass. "She is much improved now compared to what she was several weeks ago."

Tipping his head back to drain the contents of the glass, he continued. "Growing up I never put much stock in all the obeah nonsense on this island. However, to tell the truth, there were times on the ship when I honestly didn't think Lynna would live to see another day."

"I see." Lisbeth shook her head sadly. She had seen the effects of a wasting spell before. Some white folks didn't believe in obeah. She knew better. Living as she did on a Caribbean island, she had seen the effects too often. "Sean, if you will show Lynna to her room, I'm sure she would like to rest before dinner." It was obvious that the girl needed to lie down in a bed before she dropped on the spot. It looked as if every ounce of blood had drained from the her pale face.

"Right this way, madame." Sean grinned lasciviously and winked. "As always, I am your humble servant."

Lynna smiled wanly. "Stop teasing me."

"Me? Innocent of all charges." Sean took her hand in his, placing his other hand on the small of her back. "After dinner, where my grandmama will undoubtedly inquire as to the entire history of your life," Sean paused to wink at his grandmother, "perhaps we can sit on the verandah."

"I would love to." Lynna turned her head, breathing deeply of a most wonderful pungent aroma being carried through the open window on a gentle breeze. "What is that delicious smell?"

"Cacao," Lisbeth answered. Taking Lynna's hand she attempted to make it look as though they enjoyed chatting with her rather than feeling the need to assist her up the stairs. "Or you may be more familiar with the term cocoa. It's what chocolate drinks are made of."

"You grow chocolate here?" Lynna couldn't hide the astonishment in her voice as she paused halfway up the stairs to rest. "You mean here on the island you can have all the hot chocolate you want?"

"Well yes, but it's typically warm here and I personally don't care for hot drinks. We prefer to drink our chocolate cold, in milk. Chocolate milk."

"Chocolate milk?" Lynna murmured. "Why, I've never heard of such a thing. I would like to try it though."

"It's a treat, dear. I'm sure you will become quite as addicted to it as we are. Now, here we are at your room." Lisbeth cast a concerned glance toward Sean. "Poor thing, you are completely out of breath. But don't worry. The island will heal you."

"Try to rest, Lynna," Sean dropped a tender kiss on her brow as he turned to leave. "I will be downstairs if you need me."

"Thank you, Sean." Lynna turned to peer into his hazel eyes. "For everything."

"My pleasure." Sean bowed before exiting the room.

Lynna was led into a blue room with a large canopied bed and flimsy lace curtains overlooking a spectacular view of the sea. "It's so beautiful here."

"Yes, it is," Lisbeth agreed as she gazed across the fields with an ample dose of pride gleaming in her stunning lavender eyes. "I have always loved the view from this window. Spread out before you are some of the most feted cacao fields in the world. However, our island has many other treasures as well. When you have a chance to explore our jewel of the Caribbean, you will discover many breathtaking sights. Just wait until you see the orchids. You have never seen a more beautiful flower."

Lisbeth turned from the window to find Lynna almost asleep on her feet. "Sean will most likely be too busy to take you on a tour tomorrow, since the cacao is being harvested. After the harvest you can discover all the breathtaking scenery that our tropical paradise has to offer."

"I look forward to it." Unable to remain upright for another second, Lynna lay down on the inviting bed to rest her head for just a moment. "I'm sorry, please forgive me. I tire so easily now."

"Don't worry, dear. The warm sun and tropical breeze will renew your energy. Just be patient and give it time to work."

"Thank you for your kindness, Lisbeth." Lynna cradled her hands under her head. "By the way, do you have breadfruit trees?" she mumbled sleepily. "My mouth waters for a loaf of bread made from breadfruit. Rob and I made if often on the island and I have missed it."

"Breadfruit is plentiful here as well as any number of citrus trees." Lisbeth smiled, obviously proud to be a resident of Trinidad. "I'll leave you to rest while I go in search of my wayward grandson. He has been gone far too long this time and I have missed him dearly." She turned and smiled over her shoulder to find Lynna already fast asleep.

"Hopefully, my dear grandson's wanderlust has subsided and he now has a reason to remain on the island," Lisbeth whispered as she closed the door behind her.

And the patter of little feet might once again be heard at Devereux Acres.

After a long nap and a bath, Lynna donned her blue dress with drop sleeves and row upon row of ruffles on the skirt. It was much warmer on the island than she was accustomed to so she secured her hair on top of her head. Feeling refreshed, she sent up a silent prayer for the energy to make it through the meal with Sean and his grandmother.

Sean was waiting at the foot of the stairs with a devilish grin playing across his handsome features. "Good evening, lovely lady. I trust that you rested well."

"Very well indeed. I was only awakened once by a strange bird screeching outside my window and wondered for a few seconds why my bed wasn't rocking beneath me."

"Your land legs will return in a few days." When she reached the bottom of the stairs he took her hand, escorting her into the dining room. "Until then, someone will always be nearby should you need assistance. All you need do is ask."

They dined on pelau _,_ which was rice mixed with pork and various local vegetables, and calaloo, a green, leafy vegetable that was cooked and combined with taro, dasheen, okra, pumpkin, and crab.

The house was immaculate, the meal was superb, and the fields were supposedly world renowned. Lynna wondered how one woman could run such a vast operation alone. "Lisbeth, how long have you operated the plantation?"

"I will be happy to answer your questions, dear, but first a tiny tidbit of history." Lisbeth cleared her throat, looking as professional as if she were a teacher in front of her class. "Christopher Columbus discovered the island of Trinidad on July 31, 1498 and named it Trinidad in honor of the Holy Trinity."

"Grandmama is not at peace until visitors to the island know this important historical fact." Sean winked at his grandmother.

Lisbeth nodded agreeably. "You asked how long I have operated the plantation. To answer your question, my family has maintained this plantation for almost a quarter century, since 1780. I have been the sole owner of Devereux Acres for the past forty years."

"Don't make her ask, Grandmama," Sean teased. "Tell her about the cacao you grow here."

"If you insist." Lisbeth gave her grandson a nod before turning to her guest. "Trinidad cacao is much sought after because of its high quality, fine flavor, and distinctly fruity taste. It has often been described as having a mildly floral, almost winey taste. Trinidad cacao is more valuable than sugar if you can believe that. Cacao literally means 'food of the gods' and Trinidad cacao is the best of the best."

Sean couldn't help but grin. "In your humble opinion right, Grandmama?"

"In anyone's opinion who has ever been fortunate enough to taste it," Lisbeth returned smugly.

"I didn't notice any slaves working the fields." This puzzled Lynna. A plantation of equal size in the South would require a thousand or more slaves. "Who supplies the labor for such a large operation?"

"With the abolition of slavery in 1838 plantation owners on Trinidad were left scurrying for other labor sources. Europeans came, but they could not withstand the heat in the cacao fields, so in 1845 the first ship of Indian's arrived on the island. Obviously from the poorest class of people, they were hired as indentured labor. They undertook the three-month journey here with the understanding that after their five-year work stint was over, they could re-indenture themselves or return to India."

"So they remained here?"

"Yes, the Indians proved to be very effective on the sugar cane and cacao plantations. In an effort to discourage them from returning home the colony eventually offered a land grant as an incentive for those who chose to remain here. Many took up the offer and stayed to make new lives here on our island, their adopted homeland. All Devereux Acres labor is Indian labor."

As she listened to Lisbeth, Lynna bit into a slice of bread and sighed with unexpected pleasure. "You made bread from breadfruit. Thank you."

"Your welcome, dear. Actually, we have it quite often. It was a favorite of Sean's when he was a child." She motioned to one of the servants who rushed over with a tray laden with glasses. "Now for a treat." Lisbeth placed a glass of brown liquid in front of a hesitant Lynna. "Try it."

Lynna did and found it to be the most delicious drink she had ever tasted. "It's so rich, and creamy and delicious. What is it?"

"Chocolate milk. The hot chocolate you are accustomed to is made when chocolate is added to water. Milk makes for a thicker and much better flavor." Sean and Lisbeth smiled at each other. "Soon, you will be as addicted to the stuff as we are."
 Chapter 32

Suzanne sat cross legged on her bed at Magnolia House with a malicious grin spreading across her pouty lips. Her eyes glistened excitedly as she reached into a burlap pouch and pulled out two small sticks. Placing them on the bed in the form of a cross, she was deep in concentration as she carefully tied the sticks tightly together with a piece of hemp.

She then reached into the bag and brought out a long strand of Spanish moss. She wrapped the moss around the middle of the cross, then down one arm, across the back to the other arm, then back around the middle and down both legs in one continuous motion.

Admiring her handiwork, she took a handkerchief of Lynna's that she had stolen when visiting her sickroom one morning, cut the material just so, and tediously covered the moss with the cloth using neat, even stitches.

Extremely pleased with her voodoo doll, Suzanne added the few strands of Lynna's hair that she had removed from the stolen hairbrush for just this purpose. Next, she attached them to the moss she had intentionally left uncovered to resemble hair.

Thrilled with her creation thus far, she sewed two buttons for eyes, a button for her nose, and drew a miserable little frown across the face of the doll. When she wasn't quite so tired, she intended to make a delightful little dress for Lynna's voodoo doll. For now, she jabbed a needle all the way through the temple of the doll and fell back on the pillow, drifting off to sleep with a triumphant smile on her face.
 Chapter 33

The sign at the end of the long driveway leading to the plantation read,

Welcome to Devereux Acres

_Home of the Finest Cacao_.

Lynna pointed excitedly when an enormous iguana of at least five feet in length trudged across the road in front of them, followed closely by several grasshoppers. Butterflies were everywhere. Big beautiful butterflies in all hues alighting on the carriage or in the multicolored flowers lining both sides of the road.

"Here are the cacao trees," Sean announced with a sweeping gesture. "Grandmama's pride and joy."

Stopping the carriage under the shade of evergreen trees that stood about twenty-five feet tall, he spread his arms wide to encompass the surrounding acreage. He jumped down to help Lynna carefully to the ground. "Come meet Mister Juarez, our cacao farmer."

An elderly white haired gentleman came out of a nearby building slapping Sean vigorously on the back. "About time you came home. I hope you're here to stay for a while this time. We could sure use the help around here."

Sean laughed, pumping the man's hand fondly. "Grandmama tells me you're expecting a bumper crop this season."

"Sure looks that way." Mister Juarez shielded his eyes with his hand, gazing across the fields that stretched as far as the eye could see.

"Allow me to introduce my... friend, Lynna Jordan." Sean smiled, tugging her forward in an effort to draw the man's eyes away from his harvest. "Lynna is interested in learning how you turn a cacao bean into her new favorite drink."

"Is she now?" Mister Juarez gave her his full attention, offering his hand. "Well, Lynna, you came to the right place." Picking up a machete, he walked over to a tree and chopped off a large golden colored pod with multi colored flecks. Slicing it in two with the machete, he handed Lynna half. She watched him scoop out the pulp with his finger, and did the same, surprised that the pulp had a mild flavor, acidic, yet sweet. "It looks and tastes almost like a white jelly of some sort."

"A ripe pod contains thirty to forty seeds in a cluster surrounded by a mucilage, or white jelly, as you call it. That jelly is also a favorite of monkeys and parrots. Aggravating varmints." He glanced into the trees to see if any of the pesky critters were lying in wait.

"I'm curious, Mister Juarez," Lynna wondered aloud. "Why is the cacao grown here better than the cacao grown anywhere else?"

Sean leaned against the carriage grinning, and mumbled, "You had to ask?"

Mister Juarez straightened his shoulders, eager to impart his vast knowledge of cacao farming to a newcomer to the island. "For starters, cacao only grows in a humid, tropical climate that never drops below 60 degrees. Trinidad has ideal weather for the cacao to grow. Then you must nurture the cacao tree, for it is very delicate and will only thrive with regular and abundant rains and in rich soil. We are fortunate to have both."

Mister Juarez peered across the expansive acreage and continued, "Young cacao trees are particularly vulnerable. Since they cannot withstand direct sunlight or wind, they are initially planted in the protective shade of banana or rubber trees. For this reason, these trees are often referred to as 'mothers of cacao'. As you may have noticed, we are blessed with plenty of these trees on the island. So, you see, Trinidad is ideal for growing cacao beans."

"Now I understand why there are so many banana trees on a cocoa plantation." Lynna shielded her eyes as Mister Juarez had done to peer across acres and acres of cacao trees.

"Come take a closer look at a cacao pod," Mister Juarez suggested.

Lynna found that cacao pods grew directly from the trunk of the tree rather than hanging from a branch and were a variety of colors from the golden with multi colored flecks to red, purple and yellow. The ripe pods were anywhere from four to twelve inches long and shaped like a large melon, pointed on both ends.

She watched as donkeys with panniers on each side traveled up and down the mountain from field to harvesting shed delivering the cacao beans. Turning back to Mister Juarez, he continued with his tour. "Each tree produces fifty to sixty pods a year yielding fifteen to twenty pounds of beans. It takes around four hundred beans to make one pound of chocolate."

Lynna was shocked that it took so many beans to make a block of chocolate. "I never knew so much time and effort went into making my morning cup of hot chocolate."

"Cacao is a labor intensive crop, Lynna." Mister Juarez took Lynna's arm and steered her toward his cart, motioning for Sean to join them. "Hop in the cart and allow me to show you around Devereux Acres."

After a quick tour of the fields Lynna gave Mister Juarez a hug and bestowed upon him her most charming smile. "Thank you. This has been a very enlightening experience. I couldn't have asked for a more knowledgeable teacher and I certainly have a better understanding of how my morning chocolate is made."

Mister Juarez returned Lynna's hug, beaming over her shoulder at Sean to give him the thumbs up sign. The little lady would make a grand addition to the Devereux family. He had been about to release her when she drew in a sharp breath and began vigorously massaging her temples.

Leaning against him for support, Lynna dropped her hands to clutch his shirt as if she were afraid she would fall to the ground if she let go. He could feel her rapid heartbeat fluttering against his chest and was alarmed by the perspiration beading her brow on such a cool, overcast day.

Exchanging a worried glance with Sean, Mister Juarez held Lynna close until Sean could take her in his arms and lift her into the buggy, climbing up beside her. He drew Lynna close so she could lean against his shoulder comfortably. "What is it, Lynna?"

"My head," she cried. "The pain is excruciating." Her hand flew to her mouth as nausea boiled in her throat. "I'm going to be sick."

As humiliating as it was, Lynna leaned over the side of the carriage and lost her lunch. Ashamed, and not having the strength to hold her throbbing head up for a second longer, she wiped her mouth on the handkerchief Sean offered her. Too exhausted to stay upright, she lay her head on his muscled thigh as every muscle in her body went limp.

Apparently she lost consciousness, for it could have been a minute, or an hour, later when she felt something cool on her forehead. She opened her eyes to see Mister Juarez holding a damp cloth to her heated skin. "See if this helps."

It did. She closed her eyes for a few minutes until Sean urged her to take a sip of water. Helping her to sit up, he held her steady while Mister Juarez brought a dipper of refreshing spring water to her lips. She smiled at him gratefully and whispered, "Thank you."

"Are you feeling better now?" A worried frown caused the lines on the sides of the older man's eyes to crinkle.

She gave him a barely perceptible nod. The blinding pain had almost passed but she was afraid any sudden movement might cause it to return. "Much better. I don't know what happened. It came on me so sudden. Almost like someone was jabbing a knife into my temple repeatedly."

Her words caught Mister Juarez's attention. He knew the pain she was referring to. In his younger days, a jealous lover had put a curse on him. It turned out to be an agony the likes of which he would never forget.

"You don't have an enemy who would put a curse on you, do you, Lynna?"

Sean peered into Lynna's questioning eyes before facing Mister Juarez. "What do you know about curses?"

I know they work." Mister Juarez harrumphed. "That's all I need to know."

Sean hurled a string of oaths. _Damn Suzanne._ Even though he wasn't a firm believer in voodoo Sean had a sinking suspicion that Suzanne was behind this latest incident. Something had to be done to stop these debilitating episodes from attacking Lynna without warning. "Is there a way to remove a curse once it has been placed on someone, Mister Juarez?"

"You'd have to ask Doc Buzzard about that."

"Doc Buzzard?" The name seemed to ring a bell from Sean's childhood.

"The Shaman here on the island. Powerful, powerful ju ju man. If a curse can be removed, he would be the one to do it." Mister Juarez looked Sean dead in the eye. "Just don't do or say anything to piss him off. You don't want Doc Buzzard mad at you."

Lynna closed her eyes and slept while Sean received instructions on the circuitous route through the jungle to Doc Buzzard's residence.

"Tell him I sent you," were Mister Juarez's parting words.

A short while later, after pulling the horses to a halt in front of the house, Sean smoothed the hair from Lynna's face. He smiled down at her with a tenderness that stunned even him, amazed by the powerful emotions that practically overwhelmed him at times. "You have now been officially schooled on the best cacao in the world, according to Grandmama and Mister Juarez..."

"And probably anyone else with an opinion," she whispered, mimicking his grandmother.

Sean laughed heartily as he hopped down from the carriage. The color had returned to Lynna's rosy cheeks and her smile was back in place. "Spoken like a true Trinidadian Devereux."
 Chapter 34

Sean and Lynna relaxed on the verandah, Lynna with a cooling glass of coconut water and Sean with a more potent toddy as they enjoyed the breathtaking sunset. Colorful tropical birds flitted from the trees and bushes as hummingbirds came within inches of them to drink from the flowers surrounding the verandah. A brightly colored Toucan perched on a tree branch a few feet away.

Lynna heard a rushing noise and turned to the sky to see a soaring flock of brilliant red birds.

"Those are Scarlet Ibis returning to roost," Sean whispered close to her ear.

"Beautiful," she murmured.

"Almost as beautiful as you." Sean turned her face to look at him. Taking her hands, he brought them to his lips to place a light kiss on each palm.

Before he could continue with his train of thought, since Lynna knew exactly where it was headed, she felt this would be the perfect time to tell him what was foremost on her mind. "Sean, will you take me home to my son?" she asked softly. "Beau needs me and I have never wanted anything as badly as I want my son back in my arms where he belongs. Or you could loan me the money so I can purchase passage on the next ship sailing to America."

She watched the light immediately dim in Sean's eyes. "I thought you were happy here."

"Not happy, merely content," she corrected. "I could never be happy without Beau." When he didn't answer, she whispered, "Please, Sean?"

"So Suzanne can finish the job she started?" Sean bit back a curse as he moved to lean against the verandah rail, glaring belligerently at the setting sun. "You resembled one of the walking dead the night you came to my ship. If you had remained at Sea Grove for one night longer, you would be buried by now." He turned to glower at her with anger flashing in his hazel eyes. "Don't you understand, Lynna? If you have a desire to continue living, you can't go back there."

"Don't _you_ understand, Sean? I must return to my son." Dropping her face in her hands, sobs shook Lynna's slender frame as scalding tears slipped down her cheeks. "I cannot live without Beau, nor do I care to."

Sean handed her his handkerchief. "Dry your eyes and let us discuss this at a later date? My crew has just returned home to their families after almost a year at sea and would feel much abused if I announced that we were going back to sea so soon. Give them time to enjoy their homecoming."

With a finger on her chin he lifted her face to meet his smile, determined to change the subject. "Besides, it would seem that I have been the one doing all of the giving lately." His eyes bored into hers. "Do you not think it's time you gave me something in return?"

How much longer could she stall him?

"I agree that the crew should enjoy their homecoming. I could never be that selfish." She turned, unable to meet his eyes. "Sean, please don't think I'm not eternally grateful for the kindnesses you have shown me."

"I would have proof."

"I... can't, Sean. I need time."

"How much time, Lynna?" There was a steely note to his voice that she hadn't noticed before. "I must warn you that my patience has worn thin, almost reaching a breaking point. I have one question for you and I would like a truthful answer."

"Yes, Sean." She knew the question before he asked it and answered with trembling lips. "It is my intention to follow through with my promise."

"Very well, then." He relaxed somewhat as a slow smile curved his lips. "I can be patient, as long as I have your word."

"Sean, we both know that I would not be here today if you hadn't ferreted me away from Sea Grove when you did. At the same time, you must realize how badly I miss my son. I need to return home to Beau as soon as possible. With or without you. Please, try to understand how I feel."

"As you wish, Madame." He mouthed the words, but Lynna noticed the smile had fled his lips and a fierce glint had replaced the sparkle in his eyes. "I must warn you not to even consider returning home without fulfilling your promise to me. Remember, I found you once before."

He had been nothing but kind to her, thus far. Still, Lynna heard the clear warning in his voice. "I made you a promise, Sean, and I have every intention of keeping it. I owe you that much."

Sean's laughter was harsher than he intended. "I would prefer you not think on it as payment for my services rendered in keeping you alive." His hand caressed the slim column of her neck. "It will be as enjoyable for you as it will be for me." Lynna blushed and would have turned away had he not forced her to meet his heated gaze. "If I take you home to retrieve your son, will you slip into widow's weeds and mourn your husband for the next year as society dictates. Or is there a possibility that you and I might have a future together?"

"I cannot answer that question, Sean. I don't have a crystal ball that can see into the future. As of now, all I can think about is Beau and having him back in my arms where he belongs." She would be forever indebted to Sean, therefore, she refused to hurt him by pretending feelings she didn't have. "Neither of us knows what the future holds. Let us just take each day as it comes and go from there."

"Fair enough, lovely lady."

In hopes of redirecting the course of their conversation, as they made their way into the dining room, Lynna asked, "What is that delicious smell?"

"Roti." Sean smiled at her quizzical expression. "It's an Asian dish made from beef, chicken, or goat with potatoes and spices wrapped in flat bread."

"It smells heavenly, very different from the food in Jamaica."

"The food in Trinidad has a more South American flavor, thus the liberal use of spices in most of our dishes."

"Roti is a favorite on the island," Lisbeth added, joining them at the table. She clapped her hands gleefully. "Lynna, you have arrived on the island just in time. Did Sean tell you that Carnival is in a few weeks?"

"No, he didn't." She cast a confused glance toward Sean. "I'm afraid I don't know what Carnival is?"

Sean dipped a serving spoon in the Roti and passed it to Lynna. "It is not to be missed."

"Carnival is a celebration of our heritage." Lisbeth took a sip of wine and steepled her fingers under her chin with mannerisms reminiscent of her earlier speech about cacao. She had a twinkle in her dancing lavender eyes as she prepared to enlighten a willing pupil.

Sean leaned back in his seat with his own glass of wine. "She lives for this."

"Oh, shush, you." Lisbeth wiggled her finger at her grandson before continuing. "Carnival was first introduced to the island of Trinidad around the year 1785, right about the time the French settlers began to arrive."

Sean was right about one thing. Lisbeth certainly enjoyed schooling newcomers on the island's unique history.

"The French brought their culture, customs, and Carnival in the form of elaborate masquerade balls to Trinidad along with African slaves. The tradition of the masquerade ball was an immediate success. It was a gathering where the wealthy planters and their wives could put on masks, wigs and exquisite gowns and dance the night away."

"And show off their wealth." Sean grinned, giving his grandmother a sly wink.

Ignoring him, Lisbeth continued, "We think the wearing of a mask originated with the African slaves since they often used masks during their death rituals. Since the slaves were banned from the masked balls of the French, they held festivities in their own back yards using customs and folklore from their homeland. Their festivities eventually spread until they moved into the street and became what we now know as Carnival."

Sean was happy to pick up the story. "A veritable melting pot of people and cultures have shaped the island over the years, Lynna. Spanish, English, French planters, African slaves, and Indian indentured laborers have settled here. Once slavery was abolished the freed Africans took their Carnival to the streets. As each new immigrant population entered Trinidad, a new flavor was added to the festivities. It's a celebration where all cultures mix together and have a grand party."

Lisbeth grinned excitedly. "The start of Lent is when the feasting and fancy dress balls begin."

Sean left Lynna completely baffled with his next words. "We will be attending several balls during Carnival, although an invitation to the Hampton's Masquerade Ball on the Saturday after Carnival is by far the most coveted." With a wide grin, he added, "So rest up, Lynna. There is quite a bit of dancing in your future."

"Dancing? I can barely walk." Lynna laughed nervously. "I certainly didn't bring any ball gowns with me."

"I happen to be rather well acquainted with the best dressmaker in Port of Spain, our island's capital, and I feel sure that she could be prompted to expedite your order, given the proper persuasion," Sean assured her. "We shall pay her a visit in the next few days."

Lisbeth met Lynna's eyes briefly before clearing her throat. "Lynna, dear, I feel like I should warn you that some of the African women have a tendency to be rather profane and, some might say, even barbaric in their dancing. Especially when they do the vulgar dance they refer to as wining. Why, it is a disgustingly lewd and obscene dance of outright sex and debauchery."

Lisbeth's cheeks grew pink as she fanned herself. The room had suddenly grown extremely warm. "It goes without saying that the aristocracy of the island enjoy a more intimate and certainly less flamboyant celebration."

"Of course they do," Sean agreed with a wink and a sage nod of his head.

 Chapter 35

The following day just before noon, after trudging deep into the rainforest, Sean rapped lightly on the door of Doc Buzzard's cottage. He had almost given up on trying to find the shaman's home and decided to turn back when he noticed smoke curling through the trees. There were no roads to speak of and he had been forced to leave his horse about a mile back to walk a long, twisting and narrow path.

Several minutes passed as Sean sweltered in the tropical humid heat before a little man of undetermined origin opened the door. Sean would guess his age to be somewhere in the neighborhood of one hundred and the poor man appeared to be afflicted with a disfiguring disease, evidently crippling arthritis, that caused him to be completely bent over at the waist. He tilted his head sideways to gaze up at Sean with rheumy eyes.

"Can I help you?" he mumbled, showing a mouth filled with decaying teeth.

"Mister Juarez sent me." Sean wondered if they would have this discussion in the doorway, or would he be invited in? He was tired, hot, sweaty, and in need of a cup of cold water after his arduous trek through the steaming rainforest. "I came to speak with you about purchasing a spell to remove a curse."

"It ain't cheap getting a curse removed," the old man wheezed.

"Money doesn't matter as long as I have your guarantee that the spell will work," Sean assured the hunched over man.

"You questioning my honesty?" Sean took a step backward as he remembered Mister Juarez's words.

Don't piss him off.

You don't want Doc Buzzard mad at you.

"No sir, not at all," Sean was quick to say. "I was simply informing you that I am willing to pay whatever fee is required to effectively have a curse removed from a dear friend."

"Well, come in then." The pathetic little man slowly, and judging from his creaks and groans painfully, turned and moved into the room. "What are you standing outside for?"

Sean followed him inside, noticing jars of strange liquids that contained what looked like animal parts and different colored powders filling every square inch of shelf space in the room. There was a black cauldron over the fireplace bubbling away and emitting an unpleasant aroma into the air. Deciding to forego his request for a cup of water, he noticed that all the shutters were drawn, the only light coming from the fire.

"Close the door behind you," the man mumbled, moving closer to hold his hands to the fire. "There's a chill in the air this morning."

Sean hesitated, as the cottage was already stifling hot from the roaring blaze. He did as he was told, although he did question Doc Buzzard's mental stability. It was well after noon on an extremely hot and humid day. The inside of the cottage was like an oven. Sean's clothes were drenched with sweat within minutes of being inside.

"You want a simple spell to remove the curse from your loved one? Or do you want a more complicated spell that sends the curse back to the original source seven times worse?" he asked as calmly as though they were discussing the weather.

"Although that sounds like something I may consider in the near future, for now, just the curse removal spell."

"I will give you the spell today, although you cannot use it until midnight of the next full moon." Doc Buzzard looked off into space, deciphering in his head. "The moon fulled a week ago. Therefore, you will have to wait three more weeks before you can perform the spell."

Sean didn't like hearing that, but he agreed. In all actuality there wasn't a thing he could do about it.

Doc Buzzard reached into a low cabinet and withdrew a piece of heavy parchment paper, placing it on the kitchen table beside a quill and ink. "Do you know who put the curse on your loved one?"

"Yes."

He slid the paper and inkwell in front of Sean. "Write the name on this paper."

Just to be on the safe side Sean wrote all of her names. Suzanne Nicolette Fletcher Jordan.

When the ink dried Doc Buzzard went to the cabinet and brought back a box of table salt. Taking three heaping spoons from the box he poured them in the center of the paper. He then gathered the paper into a pouch and tied it with a string, handing it to Sean. "She must wear this over her heart for three days and three nights. The salt will draw out the curse and take it into itself. On the fourth day open the packet and hold it in the waves allowing the sea to wash away the salt. It must be released in flowing water."

Sean nodded his head. The directions were simple enough to follow.

"Are my instructions clear?"

"Wear it over her heart," Sean repeated the instructions since the man seemed to have some concern as to his comprehension skills. "After three days release the salt into the sea."

"After doing that, you must burn the paper and string. Watch it carefully to insure that all the paper and string are reduced to ashes. Then toss the ashes into the sea."

Doc Buzzard waited patiently to see if Sean had any questions. When none were forthcoming, he reached across the table and opened a handsomely carved wooden jewelry box. Reaching inside reverently, he brought out a gleaming rose quartz pendant on a fine gold chain. "Only after you have thrown the ashes into the sea will you place this around her neck. She must wear it for nine days. It will heal and restore whatever damage was caused by the curse and make her defenses grow strong again."

As Doc Buzzard placed his hand urgently on Sean's shoulder, he would have sworn that a chill ran down his arm from the touch of the man's icy fingers.

"Remember, none of this can be done until the next full moon," he warned with a dire tone. "To do so will only bring your friend more pain."

"I understand." With the necklace clenched tightly in his hand, Sean reached in his pocket and handed the little man a heavy, jingling pouch. "I will follow your directions to the letter."

Doc Buzzard hefted the pouch as a wide grin displayed his mess of teeth. "Pleasure doing business with you, sir. Come again."
 Chapter 36

Lisbeth's words were true. The island was healing Lynna's body, although it was an irritatingly slow process. Except for the headaches. Since the day of the tour Lynna had suffered blinding migraines almost daily. The intense pain was always accompanied by nausea, sending her to bed in a darkened room for hours at the time.

She could walk as far as the verandah and back without getting winded and being forced to lean on the nearest piece of furniture until she caught her breath. She was finding it to be her favorite spot. Hummingbirds, exotic butterflies, and extraordinary parrots of stunning pastel colors flitted around nearby bushes as she sat in a cushioned rocker sipping chocolate milk.

When they returned from the harvest Sean and Lisbeth joined her to reflect on the day's progress in the cacao fields and enjoy breathtaking sunsets.

"Sean, darling, I just had the most wonderful idea." Lisbeth poured herself another glass of wine from a tray on the table beside her.

"What might that be, Grandmama?"

"When you and Lynna travel to Port of Spain to order her costume for the Hammond's Masquerade Ball it might be beneficial for her to bathe in the healing waters of La Brea Pitch Lake."

Lisbeth's greatest wish was for her grandson to settle down and take over the running of the plantation. It was evident, by the way Sean's eyes smiled whenever they fell on Lynna, that she would be the easiest means to accomplish that goal. "As you know, the natural springs are said to have therapeutic properties which will help her body recover more quickly."

"Pitch Lake?" Lynna shrieked. "Surely you aren't suggesting that I bathe in... tar."

"Of course not, darling," Lisbeth couldn't help but laugh at her dismayed expression. "The liquid tar is black and viscous and bubbly, but a hard skim forms on the surface that yields just slightly when walked on. Although it isn't the rainy season, we've had an unseasonably rainy month. Water will have gathered in pools on top of the pitch and bathing in these sun warmed, sulfur rich waters is said to have a healing effect on the body. The locals bathe in the pools, believing the waters have the almost magical ability to cure all ills."

"Then the pitch lake isn't very deep?" Lynna had a horrible vision of her body slowly sinking into a lake of hot bubbling tar.

"Actually, it is. In fact, I have heard claims that it's several hundred feet deep in the center."

"Why would I risk being boiled to death should I accidentally fall through the surface?" Lynna cried, thoroughly appalled. "In my mind, the risks far outweigh any supposed benefits."

"The hard skim over the top of the lake is practically impenetrable," Lisbeth assured her. "You would not fall through."

"That is a superb idea, Grandmama," Sean eagerly agreed to any plan that would put him and Lynna in a hotel room together, alone. "We can spend the night in the Port of Spain Hotel."

"I thought you would agree, dear." Lisbeth smiled contentedly, relaxing back in her chair with her ever present glass of wine. "Now, Lynna, Pitch Lake is approximately 100 acres of pitch and rather famous since Sir Walter Raleigh visited Trinidad in 1595 searching for El Dorado, the fabled city of gold. When he reached our shores, he reportedly smelled the tar and docked his ship at Terra de Brea. The Caribs led Sir Walter to the pitch lake, where he realized that the unique substance was ideal for caulking his ships. He took several barrels home and his name has often been linked with the actual discovery of the lake."

"The lake is as temperamental as a woman," Sean joked. "It swallows certain items and spits others out. Recently, a massive and supposedly very ancient tree suddenly emerged from the center of the lake, then sank back down. That's how we know the center of the lake is rather deep."

"It sounds fascinating," Lynna mumbled, still skeptical and not at all thrilled with the prospect of bathing in a lake of tar no matter how healing it might be.

They left the plantation bright and early the following morning. Lynna was awestruck by the beauty surrounding her as the miles passed behind them. She witnessed a vast array of stunning tropical landscapes from mountains covered with rain forests to mangrove swamps, savannahs, rivers, lagoons and unique waterfalls on an island of only fifty by sixty miles. Amazing. And always there was a cooling breeze. Trade winds Sean called them.

They had driven for several hours when Sean shouted for the driver to stop. Stepping down from the carriage he lifted Lynna to the ground but didn't release her immediately. Instead, he peered deep into her eyes as if he were about to say something, deciding against it at the last minute. Taking her hand, he led her to the edge of a rocky outcrop.

Galera Point was a breathtaking sight. Lynna followed Sean's gaze as he pointed to the southeast where the navy blue surf of the Atlantic Ocean crashed against the shore, then to the northwest with the gentler turquoise water of the Caribbean Sea. Where the two bodies of water met was a distinct demarcation in color.

Sean watched Lynna as she stood on the edge of the cliff, gazing across the sea as the wind fanned her dress and her hair behind her. She was the most breathtaking vision he had ever beheld.

He no longer even tried to deny the fact that he had fallen in love with this enchanting woman. "This is where the Amerindians are said to have flung themselves to their death rather than suffer further Spanish oppression." Due to the uncomfortable tightening in his breeches, Sean thought it best to make small talk, rather than allow his mind to pursue the path it was currently traveling.

"What a horrible way to die." Lynna peered down at the jagged rocks and pounding surf below. "You would have to believe there was absolutely no hope for the future in order to subject yourself to such a horrible and painful ending."

Sean shuddered, remembering the time he had spent in the water after his ship sunk. "When all hope is lost the will to live grows weaker and weaker. At such a low point only the strong will survive."

Lynna's mind fled across the ocean to Jasmine and the other slaves at Magnolia House. "I wonder if the Negroes back home would rather die than live a life of slavery. Not the house servants who enjoy a life of relative ease compared to the field hands who work at back breaking labor from sunup to sundown with rarely a day off."

"From what I gather many slaves do take their own lives, preferring death to the horrible conditions on most plantations. As you know, some plantations are far worse than others. No two wealthy planters are alike. You can have your decent slave owner living right next door to a neighbor who lives to inflict pain on his slaves. I took on a slave as a crewman once, you might remember him." Sean chuckled. "A giant buck named Rob?"

"Yes, I remember Rob." Lynna couldn't put her finger on exactly why she held back the information that Rob was still very much alive, but she did.

"I thought you might." Sean grinned. "He came to me from one of the most hellish plantations in the South. The scars on his back were evidence of frequent beatings and the sight caused even me to flinch when I saw them. On plantations such as the one on which Rob had the misfortune to land, I have no doubt that a slave would just as soon be dead as suffer at the hands of some madman with a whip."

"What are your thoughts on freeing the slaves, Sean?" Lynna put to voice a thought that had been concerning her for months. "And all the talk of war back home?"

"I believe it is inevitable, Lynna. The time of one man owning another has passed. That is why slavery was abolished in Trinidad. The South, on the other hand, has held on to its traditions for too long and will pay dearly for her greed."

Lynna gazed across the ocean, worried about what was to come. "Then you believe the North and South will soon be at war?"

"I don't see how it can be avoided. The South will never willingly give up her slaves, or her antiquated way of life. While the North is determined to bring an end to the enslavement of fellow human beings. The way of life that those in the South have cherished for generations will soon cease to exist. The winds of change are blowing across the cotton fields, Lynna."

She pondered his words. It was true. Trouble was brewing in the South as if it were a huge black cauldron with the North stirring the pot. She had a sudden desire to rush home, gather Beau in her arms, and return to France with her father where they would be safe. Still, she knew Sean would insist that Trinidad was the safest place to be until the danger of war had passed.

"To be honest, Sean, I have never believed that one man should be the property of another. Slavery is wrong and I pray that it will be abolished in the South. I also pray that it doesn't take a war to accomplish it." She thought of Sea Grove, Cedar Hill, and Magnolia House, and the thousands of slaves required for the smooth running of each.

Where would all the slaves go if they were set free?

"As do I, Lynna. Just know that you are safe here on the island. The long tentacles of war cannot reach Trinidad." He stood behind her, wrapping his arms around her tiny waist. "I'm convinced that if Beau was with you, you would be happy to spend the rest of your life here on the island."

"Beau," Lynna sighed. The mere thought of her son brightened the day. "I believe I could be happy anywhere with my darling son in my arms."

Lynna's words warmed Sean's heart to the point that he vowed to see her son returned to her in the near future. Lost in thought, he briefly imagined life on the island if he were to take control of the plantation as his grandmother pleaded with him to do. Could he give up the sea and the life that he loved? Looking at Lynna he had his answer.

Yes.

For her he could.

Returning to the carriage, Lynna's thoughts were far, far away as she looked out the window and across the calm sea toward Charleston, the land that she had grown to love. How long would it be before she could walk up the steps to Sea Grove again and return to her precious son?
 Chapter 37

A short while later, they stopped at a magnificent waterfall to have a picnic. As they lay on a blanket under the cool shade of a canopy of trees, Sean regaled her with tales of his adventurous childhood on the island. He spoke quietly of his days as one of the most notorious pirates to ever roam the Caribbean. He finally told her the truth of how he had convinced Suzanne to hand her over to him, rather than carry out a vicious plot to murder her.

It was at that moment that one simple fact hit home to Lynna. If Sean hadn't rescued her, she would be dead. Just as Joshua was dead, by Suzanne's hands. Yet, knowing the truth of what had happened to her husband didn't make it any easier to accept. According to Sean, Suzanne never specified exactly how she killed Joshua. Just that she had watched him die.

Happily.

For the first time, Lynna experienced the bitter taste of revenge on her tongue and hardened her heart toward the person she once thought of as a friend. Closing her eyes, she made a solemn promise to her husband.

Suzanne would pay.

During a short nap, Lynna dreamed of... Sean. They were running along a sandy beach with Beau giggling and jumping the lapping waves between them. She opened her eyes with a smile curving her lips.

"It must have been a pleasant dream." Sean grinned down at her with his soft lips mere inches from hers.

For some reason her entire being seemed to focus on Sean's mouth. She imagined, vividly, what it would feel like if he lowered his lips to hers. She felt an odd stirring in the pit of her stomach from the meandering thoughts.

What was that about?

She deftly scooted out from under him, and the moist lips that hovering so temptingly above hers. "Suzanne believes that I have been sold to a man who enjoys inflicting pain on women, doesn't she?"

Rolling to his side, Sean lifted her hand to toy with her fingers. "Suzanne rather ecstatically believes this to be so _."_

Lynna sighed, lost in thought as a few rays of sun slipped through the umbrella of leaves to dance a mottled pattern around them. "What did I do to cause her to hate me so?"

"According to her, you stole her husband with your wanton ways." A smile curved Sean's lips. "Unfortunately, I personally have seen no evidence of this characteristic."

"Let me be the first to inform you that you will not." Lynna was appalled that Suzanne would tell such outrageous lies. "I didn't steal Joshua from her. He was wed to her for crying out loud. Suzanne single-handedly brought about the destruction of her own marriage."

"I'm having trouble understanding why Captain Jordan would tie himself to Suzanne in the first place _."_ Sean chose not to bring up the fact that Suzanne could work magic with her lips, tongue, and throat. "Why would a man even consider marriage to a shrew like her?"

"Because Joshua... was a man of honor." Tears welled in Lynna's eyes as she hastily blinked them away. "Suzanne lied, convincing him that she carried his child."

"That explains it." Sean had a better understanding of why Joshua would agree to such a hellish union.

"When Suzanne was unable to conceive with Joshua, she turned to others." Lynna had the grace to blush. "Joshua caught her in the act."

"Ouch." Sean actually felt a moment of sympathy for the man. "How did he take being cuckolded?"

"Extremely well." Lynna smiled. "Joshua had been following her, hoping to catch her and have reason to end their charade of a marriage."

Sean chuckled. "Be advised that Suzanne tells a slightly different version of what caused the dissolution of their wedded bliss."

"I'm sure she does, Sean. Suzanne is very adept at placing blame on others."

"You know her well, don't you, my love?"

"I know Suzanne about as well as anyone could. Or I thought I did. However, she shocked even me with this latest ploy," Lynna whispered sadly. "I had no idea she would resort to such extraordinary measures to get rid of me."

Rising to his knees, Sean took Lynna's hands to help her to her feet. "As enjoyable as this has been we should get back on the road. We have a few more stops to make and I hope to reach Port of Spain by nightfall."

Back in the carriage, they stopped to watch a family of howler monkeys grooming each other by the side of the road. One of the monkeys opened his mouth and screamed, a sound that sent chills shivering over Lynna's skin. "What a horrible sound. I've heard it several times during the night and thought it might be woman screaming. I'm happy to know some poor girl wasn't being bludgeoned to death."

"That is exactly what howler monkeys sound like." Sean took her hand. "I'm sorry I didn't warn you. Apparently, I'm so accustomed to hearing the sound on the island that I rarely even notice it." With a soft smile he reached over to touch his lips to hers. "The next time you get frightened at night, come to my room. I will be happy to take your mind off whatever is troubling you."

"I will certainly keep that in mind," she mumbled, suddenly as nervous as a school girl.

Sean chuckled as she hastily stood to make her way back to the carriage.

Later in the day, they stopped to stretch their legs and walk along the powdery white sand of the beach. After finding a perfectly swirled shell, Lynna removed her kid slippers and held up the skirt of her traveling dress to walk in the surf. "Come join me," she called to Sean, laughing merrily as she unsuccessfully tried to dodge an incoming wave.

Sean had been speaking with the driver and was about to do just that when suddenly Lynna dropped her skirt in the water, clutched her head and moaning in agony. "My head... is killing... me. Make it... stop. Please, Sean... make... it stop." Sobbing with unbearable pain she fell to her knees as the waves washed over her.

Sean reached her just as she fell, falling with her. He held her close as she retched in the surf, whimpering with pain as soon as the spell of intense vomiting ended.

As the waves crashed over them, Sean put his hands on each side of her face, tenderly massaging her temples for several minutes until her sharp cries gradually subsided and she relaxed against him. He held her until the incoming tide began to lap around their waists. "Can you stand, Lynna? We need to get you out of the water."

She didn't move, afraid that if she opened her eyes the blinding sun would bring on another headache. "I can't take any more, Sean," she whispered. "There has to be a way to stop this torture. I would rather be dead than go on living with the pain."

"Hopefully, there is a way, Lynna." He told her about his visit to Doc Buzzard. "He assures me that his curse removal spell will work. Mister Juarez seems to have absolutely faith in Doc's ability as well."

"Do you think it will work, Sean?"

"Yes, I do." _It had to._ "We only have to wait one more week until the moon is full. After we perform the spell, hopefully your headaches will end." A few months ago Sean would have found it highly amusing if anyone had suggested that _he_ would be performing a voodoo spell and, better still, expecting it to work.

It was obvious that Lynna was too weak to pick up her feet. Sean lifted her easily in his arms and carried her back to the carriage. She was too tired to issue a complaint.

"Perhaps we have tried to do too much in one day, little one."

Lynna sighed against his chest, closing her eyes. The headaches robbed her of energy for hours.

After helping her change into dry clothes Sean placed her gently in the carriage and pulled her into his arms, resting her aching head on his broad shoulder.

Toward dusk, Sean glanced out the carriage window to see the lights of numerous buildings springing up in the distance. "We are nearing Port of Spain, Lynna. Are you ready for a hot bath and a good meal?

"I have never been more ready," she replied softly. "Why didn't you wake me, Sean?"

"I enjoy watching you sleep." He bent to place a tender kiss on her forehead. "There always seems to be a worried frown tugging at your lovely brow when you are awake. You are at total peace when you're sleeping. Every part of your body relaxes and becomes pliant and I can take you in my arms and hold you to my hearts content without any fuss."

As the carriage rolled to a halt in front of their hotel Lynna was caught up in the hustle and bustle of the busy port city. She leaned against Sean as he led her to their room where he immediately called for a hot bath.

She felt almost human again after soaking in a tub of hot water. However, after having emptied the contents of her stomach earlier, she was starving.

At the hotel they dined on curry crab and dumplings, which were melt in your mouth delicious. The waiter brought out a dish called accra _,_ which was seasoned salt fish pounded, shaped into small cakes, and fried. Delectable side dishes were cabbage and onion, and eggplant. Coconut ice cream was served for dessert.

Although it wasn't exactly how Sean had hoped to spend their first night in the hotel, he led Lynna slowly up the stairs to their room. She plopped down on the edge of the bed looking as though she lacked the necessary energy to undress herself. Sean was only too happy to assist her in the endeavor.

Tugging her to her feet, he unbuttoned her dress and helped her step out of the voluminous folds of emerald green material. He held her with one arm to keep her steady on her feet as he pulled the night rail over her head with the other. Unable to resist, he dropped a tender kiss on her forehead, all the while yearning for more, so much more. Gently easing her back on the bed, Lynna was sound asleep almost as soon as her head touched the pillow.

Sean tucked the covers snugly around her, then pulled up a chair to watch her sleep. He shook his head and chuckled softly, realizing that he would be content just watching her sleep for the remainder of the night. He had so many warring emotions scrambling around in his head. Why did he feel so protective of this girl?

Of a certainty, he had never had feelings this powerful for a female, any female, before. Sure, he had felt lust, friendship, desire, and even infatuation for a short while, but nothing like this. At a loss to explain these new emotions he went downstairs to drown them in a bottle of grog.
 Chapter 38

Joshua sat at his desk across from his father and Nathan Rhodes in his office at Sea Grove. If only he could turn back time _._ He rubbed the scar on his chest absently, flexing his hands into fists.

Gazing out the window he saw Malinda and Clara sitting on a blanket with Beau crawling from one lap to the other. He heard his son's sweet laughter when one of them tickled his ribs or held him down to blow sloppy kisses on his belly. The child was loved and doted on by each member of the family. Still, he needed his mother. As much as Joshua needed her.

Desperately.

"What did your men find out concerning Lynna's abduction, Nathan?" Joshua took small sips from a glass of port. Spirits went straight to his head now and left it spinning furiously on his shoulders, yet he needed something to calm nerves that were teetering on the very edge of their breaking point. "We won't even discuss the preposterous notion that she left of her own free will."

"I agree." Nathan lifted a glass of whiskey to his lips and drained it. His eyes were bloodshot and puffy from too much whiskey and not enough sleep. Worry for his daughter had taken a toll on him. "My men had come up with a steady supply of dead ends until just a few minutes ago. I believe we may have finally found the missing piece to the puzzle."

Joshua leaned forward on his elbows, waiting. His hands were steepled beneath his chin as he sent up a silent prayer that what he was about to hear wouldn't turn out to be another false lead. "What is it, Nathan?"

"My men were in the quarters earlier, questioning the slaves, when one of the females relayed an interesting piece of gossip she heard a few months ago."

Joshua watched and waited.

"It seems that a couple of your slaves were having a midnight rendezvous under the weeping willow trees on the front lawn the night my daughter disappeared." Nathan drew a deep breath before continuing. "Luckily for us, they paused what they were doing long enough to see Suzanne help Lynna into a waiting carriage."

"Suzanne? That bitch! I'll murder her with my bare hands." Joshua seethed. A vein throbbed in his temple as he crashed his fist on the desk. "How could I have been so blind?" He jumped up from his seat to pace the room, unable to sit still. "She tried to kill me. Then she went after Lynna. Of course, it all makes sense now."

Joshua moved to the mantle, leaning his head against the cool wood. "I should have killed her the night I caught her with the stable boy. I had the perfect alibi."

_Lynna couldn't be dead_.

He wouldn't even allow his mind to consider the possibility.

"Where is Suzanne now?" The look in Joshua's eyes promised a world of hurt to anyone foolish enough to stand in his way.

"Back home in Savannah, at Magnolia House from what I can gather," Nathan replied.

"I will leave for Georgia within the hour." Finally, he had a purpose. The waiting was torture. "If Suzanne values her useless life, she will not hesitate to tell me where Lynna is."

After he had beaten the truth out of her, he might still kill her just for pleasure of watching her die.

Riding straight through the night, Joshua arrived at Magnolia House around noon the following day.

He was immediately admitted into the foyer of the grand plantation house. He paused to study the curving staircase with its rich, mahogany banisters that wound to the second floor past the wedding cake chandelier with its hundreds of candles. He was then escorted into the gold parlor to wait.

Silas and Mary greeted him shortly with equal amounts of shock and disbelief. "Why, Joshua, how wonderful it is to see you. We thought you were... dead."

"I came much too close for comfort, Mary." He hated to wipe the smile from Mary's lips, and break her heart in the process, but she needed to know the truth about her daughter.

"Where on earth have you been all this time? Your poor family was going insane with worry." Mary's hand fluttered to her chest. "What about Lynna? Have you had any news as to what happened to her? We heard that she disappeared without a trace."

"As of yesterday, I know exactly what happened to my wife." Joshua glanced toward the settee. "Would you like to be seated? Some of what I am about to tell you may come as a shock."

"I think perhaps I should." Mary sat, wringing her hands in her lap nervously. Joshua's grim face did not bode well for what he was about to tell them.

"Where is Suzanne, by the way?" Joshua peered around the parlor suspiciously. His eyes landed on a full length portrait of Suzanne hanging above the mantle. Wearing a pink satin ball gown, she smiled saucily for the artist.

"Where she always is nowadays," Silas answered. "In the slave quarters doing whatever it is she does down there."

Joshua knew he had to be honest if he intended to ask for their help. "I wish there was an easier way to say this. However, time is of the essence, so I must be blunt."

"What is it, Joshua?" Silas questioned warily.

"Your daughter is practicing voodoo, Silas. It is my understanding that she is in training to be a voodoo priestess of sorts."

Mary's startled gasp echoed around the room as she stood up from her seat, incensed. "What nonsense is this, Joshua? Why, that is the most ridiculously absurd thing I have ever heard in my entire life. I can assure you that Suzanne would not know a voodoo curse if it jumped up and bit her on the nose."

"She has been studying." Joshua turned to Silas for help in making Mary understand. "Silas, I don't buy into the voodoo foolishness either, but your daughter does. I paid a visit to Amari, the old conjure woman at Cedar Hill. According to her, Suzanne had a wasting spell placed on Lynna shortly after Beau's birth."

"A wasting spell," Mary cried, falling down on the settee as every ounce of blood seemed to drain from her pale face. "This has to be a horrible, horrible misunderstanding. Suzanne would never..."

Joshua shot a look of sympathy toward Mary. "Now she is working feverishly to formulate a resurrection spell that can bring me back to life. After that, Amari warned me that Suzanne has something terrible planned for my son."

"I can't believe it," Mary cried. "Why would you come into our home and tell such outrageous lies against our daughter?"

As badly as Joshua hated to be the bearer of bad tidings, he didn't have time to sugarcoat the truth. "Believe this, Mary. Your daughter had me shot and left for dead. She stood over me as I lay bleeding to death and laughed in my face. Then her hired goons took me upstate and dumped my dying body in a ravine."

Joshua moved across the room to gaze out the window. "Fortunately, a young girl found me and nursed me back to health." He stood in front of Mary, urging her to believe him. "If your daughter had her way I would be dead now."

Silas and Mary listened in stunned silence, and even though it was a bitter pill to swallow they finally admitted the truth to themselves. Suzanne was entirely capable of the atrocities Joshua had described. They had both lost countless hours of sleep worrying about how to convince their daughter to release the irrational hatred she felt for Lynna and move on with her life. Holding hands and leaning toward each other for comfort, they were quiet but for Mary's soft whimpers.

"The night that Lynna went missing, she was seen getting into a carriage with Suzanne." Joshua felt great sympathy for the couple who looked as though their entire world was crumbling around them. Unfortunately, it couldn't be helped. _Nothing was more important than finding his wife._ "Suzanne is the only one who knows where Lynna is, and I have to find out the truth." He looked from one to the other. "No matter what I have to do to get it."

"Don't hurt her!" Mary shrieked, clutching Joshua's arm. "Take her into town and turn her over to the sheriff if you must, Joshua. Do whatever you need to do. But I beg of you, do not hurt my daughter."

"I will do as you ask, Mary. You have my word," Joshua replied stonily. "On one condition."

"What is it?" Mary whispered.

"That you agree with my plan to convince Suzanne to tell me where Lynna is." With a look of grim determination in his eyes, he added, "Tonight."

"Of course we will help you, Joshua." Mary's eyes filled with tears. "Suzanne has... changed. She's not the sweet, caring person she used to be."

Sweet?

Caring?

Joshua chewed on his bottom lip, swallowing the vocabulary that bubbled in his throat concerning their precious daughter.

Mary dried her eyes and blew her nose before continuing. "I can't for the life of me understand what happened to my daughter. She almost seems evil now. Perhaps some time spent behind bars would make her look at life... differently. Make her realize all that she stands to gain one day."

Mary's arms spread wide to encompass the vast acreage of Magnolia House. "She must find a way to move past all of this, instead of brooding about what could have been morning noon and night."

Joshua didn't care if Suzanne spent the remainder of her life being horribly mistreated or worked to death in a labor camp. "I don't want to just confront Suzanne with what I have discovered. She will only deny having me shot and left for dead." He searched Mary's eyes, praying for understanding. "I have to find my wife, Mary."

They all glanced up upon hearing Suzanne's shrill voice as she came through the back door shouting, "Does anyone ever cook around here? All they have to eat in the quarters are boiled potatoes and fatback and I'm sick to death of it. Jasmine!" she bellowed, "bring your big black butt in here and warm me some food."

"Suzanne Fletcher," Mary cried as Joshua slipped out the front door with Silas close behind. "Don't you dare talk to Jasmine that way. Apologize this instant."

"How many times do I have to tell you that my name is Suzanne Jordan," she shrieked. "I will do no such thing, Mother, so please dispense with your hypocrisy. Jasmine's behind is three times that of an average female and it is black. So why apologize for merely speaking the truth?" She leveled a malevolent glare on her mother. "If she doesn't warm my dinner soon I'm going to take a strap to her back. That should make her move her broad backside a little quicker."

"Whut you wants fo' me to fix, Miz Suzanne?" Jasmine asked coming up behind her.

"Don't ever sneak up on me like that again you old hag or I will have your hide, do you hear me?" Suzanne snarled. "You have been petted and coddled as long as I can remember. It's time you were taught who is master and who is slave around here."

"Yassum," Jasmine mumbled.

"Excuse me?" Suzanne sneered. "I didn't hear you."

"I said yassum, Miz Suzanne."

"Fix me a plate of whatever cobbler you have and a glass of milk." Suzanne slumped down in a chair, dog tired. She hadn't slept in weeks. Pearlie, the voodoo priestess at Magnolia House, wasn't nearly as skilled as Amari. Still, they were making progress.

She devoured the cobbler and gulped down the milk without even tasting it. "I'm going upstairs for a nap. See that I am not disturbed."

Suzanne made her way up the back stairs with Jasmine's steely eyes boring into her back, a broad smile playing across the old woman's dark features. She had stood behind the door and heard every word Joshua had told Silas and Mary.

Hopefully, Suzanne would be behind bars before morning and someone would be giving _her_ orders for a change. Jasmine could only pray that it wouldn't be too late to save her sweet Lynna.

 Chapter39

Suzanne made her way to the slave quarters that night as she always did. Pearlie had sent word that she finally intended to try the resurrection spell and Suzanne had the clothes that Joshua had worn on the most magnificent day of her life, their wedding day. He hadn't even bothered to take them when he left her for his slut. It was a good thing though. They would certainly come in handy tonight.

"Now, Miz Suzanne, I gots to warns you. Dis is a 'stremely pow'ful spell you axkin' fo," Pearlie said. "You has ta have five strong womens ta cas' dis spell. It rejoin de body an' soul, brangin' de dead back ta life." She looked at Suzanne and waited, giving her the option to change her mind.

"I'm ready to do the spell," Suzanne assured her without so much as a single thought for the consequences.

Pearlie nodded to each of the five women. The bundle of Joshua's clothes had been tossed on the ground in a circle drawn with salt. Many of the slaves had gathered to witness the spectacle of the resurrection. "Did you make a great sac'a'fice or do a good deed ta balance de res'rection like I done tol' you to?"

"I chose not to harm Beau." _It would have been such fun._ "That was the greatest sacrifice I could think of."

"If you don't mean it an' don't stick ta yo' word, de spell won't work," Pearlie warned.

"I meant it," Suzanne assured her, but just in case she crossed the fingers of her free hand behind her back. "I would never take the risk of going back on my word to you."

Probably.

"What do we do next?" she asked excitedly.

"Bring fo'th de livin' animal to sac'a'fice."

Suzanne reached into the sack that she carried and brought out a squawking chicken.

"Kill de animal by stabbin' it until it dead, but not de heart." Pearlie handed her a wooden bowl. "Cut out de heart an' catch de blood in dis bowl.

With that done, Suzanne looked around and noticed that the five women all held lit candles now and were chanting. They each passed the bowl around and dabbed their fingers in the blood, drawing a line down their foreheads. Then the women took turns pouring the blood from the bowl onto the pile of clothes.

Next, they spun around the circle in a frenzied dance with their arms outstretched to the sky chanting,

I summon thee

The one to be,

The one who lost their life,

Their happiness,

Family and friends

I call now into the night

Release him.

The women all moved back to stand in a line, holding hands and reaching toward the sky chanting feverishly, faster and faster until they were screaming like banshees. Pearlie reached into her pocket and threw something into the fire. White smoke, like a wall of thick fog, boiled up obscuring everything. When the smoke finally cleared...

"Joshua!" Suzanne cried ecstatically, jumping up and down with her arms outstretched. "Is it really you? Did I really bring you back to life?"

Joshua stepped out of the circle, extending his arms to her with a broad smile playing across his devilishly handsome features. "Yes, my love. I came back. Even death couldn't keep me from you."

"It worked!" Suzanne cried, launching herself into his arms. "The resurrection spell worked. I knew it would. Oh, my darling, you cannot imagine how happy I am to see you."

Even though he cringed at the thought of touching her, Joshua drew Suzanne into his arms and molded her disgusting body to his. "My darling, I have pined for your touch."

"Oh, Joshua, I knew you would feel this way when that trashy Lynna was out of the picture."

He pulled back to look at her, feigning confusion. "Is Lynna out of the picture?"

"Oh, that's right," she laughed shrilly. "You have been... indisposed, haven't you?

"To tell the truth, I don't know where I have been. To say the least, I am confused."

"Yet, you smell so... wonderful. Not at all nasty and rotten as I imagined a decaying corpse would smell." This puzzled Suzanne for a second, but she didn't allow it to bother her overmuch. "I promise to explain everything to you later. First, let us get reacquainted."

Joshua's hand slid down her back, squeezing her waist. "I would like nothing better." He looked around at the many eyes focused on them in shock and awe, whispering about the zombie Pearlie had brought back to life. Her reputation had been ratcheted up _several_ notches tonight. "Can we go someplace more private, my sweet?"

Suzanne's laughter rang out in the still night as she realized where his mind had wandered. "Of course you would desire to be alone with me after such a long abstinence. I should have thought of it myself. Why, it has been forever since we were... together."

Taking his hand, she hurried through the woods a short distance until she came to the riverbank. She sank down onto a soft carpet of grass, tugging his hand to pull him down beside her. "Let's pretend it's our wedding night, Joshua, and start fresh as a husband and wife should. You have made me the happiest girl in the world tonight." She moaned, taking his face to bring his lips to hers. "I cannot wait to spend the remainder of my days, and especially my nights, with you."

If Joshua had his way that wouldn't be very long at all. "Neither can I, Suzanne. First, I need some answers." He sat down on the ground beside her, just out of her reach. "It almost feels like I've been in some sort of strange limbo. Please, clear my confusion before I lose my mind. What happened to me?"

Dropping his head in his hands, Joshua tried to convince her of his distress. "Though you will never know how much it pains me to keep my hands from caressing your exquisite body, I cannot allow myself to fully enjoy your favors until I have some answers." He gazed, with what he hoped was intense longing, into her eyes. "Please, tell me the truth."

"Oh, you silly man. We have the remainder of our lives to talk. I just want to feel your hands on my body." She threw her head back, imagining how appealing she must look with the moonlight shimmering on her raven locks. With her neck arched, her breasts were thrust forward, just waiting for her husband's caress. "Oh, Joshua, how I have yearned for your touch."

Joshua had no intention of touching her, however he saw no way around it.

She had to tell him where Lynna was.

Suzanne stopped talking abruptly when his hand slipped inside her bodice to cup her breast. Her breath caught in her throat and Joshua felt a shiver run through her as his fingers stroked her erect nipple. He felt her strain against his hand, wanting more. Twisting her nipple roughly, she cried out in pain, then almost purred with a satisfied smile _._ "Hurt me, Joshua."

"With pleasure," he ground out.

With his palm flat on her chest, he slammed her backwards on the ground. "You like it rough, don't you, Suzanne?"

"You know I do." Her eyes were glazed with lust. "Take me, Joshua."

"It will be a cold day in hell before..." fortunately, he caught his slip of the tongue in time, "before I let any other man touch you."

"Why, there is no cause for you to be so jealous, darling. Don't you worry that handsome head of yours about other men touching me. I belong only to you now." Having said that, she scurried to her feet presenting her back to Joshua. "Unfasten me," she urged. "I find myself simply starved for you."

Sighing heavily, Joshua did as she asked, trying his best to appear eager as she stripped off layer after layer until she stood naked before him. Holding out her arms to him, she whispered, "Take me."

Not bloody likely.

Determined to finish this charade and be done with it once and for all, Joshua laid back on the ground and motioned for her to join him. She did, immediately crawling on top of him to press the length of her body to his. Rolling her over to her back, his hand ran down her slim figure, dreading what he was forced to do.

Suzanne pushed his head to her breast impatiently, moaning when his lips closed over her nipple biting... hard. "Oh, God, Joshua!"

His hand moved between her legs, two fingers slipping inside her as he suckled and nibbled her breasts. Suzanne threw both arms over her head and arched against his hand, crying out his name over and over.

The last thing Joshua wanted to do was give her pleasure, in any form, but if it brought him closer to being reunited with Lynna he would lick every inch of her disgusting body. Removing his fingers from inside her, he trailed his moisture slick hand up to massage her breast as his fingers danced tiny circles around the rigid nub. Suzanne's eyes rolled back in her head, screaming with pleasure as her body shuddered with release. Joshua watched with a jaundiced and impatient eye as she bucked and thrashed beneath his hand.

When her breathing had returned to normal, Suzanne attempted to untie the drawstring on the front of his breeches.

The bitch was never satisfied.

"I can pleasure you with my hands, Suzanne, but I have too much on my mind to..."

"What, my love? What has you so troubled?" Suzanne knew she could make a potion to cure any problems he had performing in the bedroom.

_Since when did Joshua have trouble... performing_?

"You. Me. Our future together." Grabbing her shoulders, Joshua willed her to tell him the truth. "I have to know what happened to me and if it will ever happen again."

"No, darling. I can assure you that it will not happen again." Suzanna drew a deep breath deciding to come clean and tell him everything. _After all, I brought you back to life and your only duty from here to eternity is to please me._ "In a fit of temper, I caused you to have a little... accident. I don't regret it, mind you, because now I have you here with me, where you would have been all along if it hadn't been for your trollop."

Suzanne didn't want to talk, she wanted action, specifically to feel his body inside hers. However, when she reached for him, Joshua took her hands and stilled them, urging her to continue. She huffed out an irritated breath. "It took me months of working with Pearlie to perfect the resurrection spell that brought you back to life." She smiled brightly. "It worked. And here you are. End of story."

Joshua shook his head sadly. "Yes, here I am, but what of Lynna? Will I have to worry about her returning in a few days or weeks to ruin our happiness again? I need to know what you did to her, Suzanne, before my mind can be at ease."

Suzanne's wicked laughter was keen. "Don't worry about ever seeing that tramp again. She was mere hours from meeting her maker when I last saw her."

Joshua's chest constricted as his hands itched to close around her worthless neck, squeezing until the last drop of air had left her starving lungs. "When was that?" he whispered, barely able to force the words past numb lips.

Suzanne giggled, lifting his hand to place it on her breast. "The night she boarded the ship in Charleston."

"Boarded a ship?" Joshua jerked his hand away and clenched it by his side, forcing himself to remain calm lest she realize his ruse and fall silent. "With who?"

"Eric Desmond." She smiled dreamily at the thought of Eric. Then a memory she had long since buried, resurfaced to plague her. "While they were lifting Lynna from the ground, after the poor thing fainted dead away, I heard one of his crewmembers refer to him as Captain Sean. I don't know what that was about."

_Sean Devereux_.

"Where was he taking her?"

Suzanne cackled like a madwoman. "Oh, you are going to love this. He is taking her to a man on one of the islands. A horribly disfigured man who gets his jollies from abusing woman. Can you believe how positively perfect that is?"

Joshua's heart pounded furiously. He had to control his taunt nerves and get as much information from Suzanne as he possibly could, without dwelling on his wife's fate. "Which island?"

"I don't have the slightest notion. I only know that it's an eight-week voyage to somewhere in the Caribbean. After he escorts Lynna to her new home, Eric promised to come back for me." She batted her lashes like a shy schoolgirl. "Naturally he will be upset to discover that my long lost husband has returned from the dead, yet there is naught to be done about it. You were always my first love, Joshua."

Joshua's hands trembled by his sides. "So if good winds prevailed Lynna should have reached the island by now."

"Yes." Suzanne laughed maniacally. "Lynna should be _enjoying_ life in her new home by now."

She turned just in time to see Joshua's clenched fist slam into her face.

Repeatedly.

 Chapter 40

After a visit to Port of Spain's finest milliner's shop, where Lynna decided upon a most exquisite design for her ball gown, the shop owner convinced Sean to purchase a ridiculous readymade bathing ensemble that was supposedly all the rage.

The swimwear, of heavy black polka dotted flannel, resembled a walking dress. The only difference being that it buttoned down the front and the hem fell just above her knees.

A pair of wide legged bloomers, dark stockings, flimsy shoes and a cap completed the bathing attire that Lynna imagined would be better suited for a day spent playing in the snow. There was a cape to cover it all. Only her face and hands would be exposed to the air, or prying eyes.

Lynna made a dour face, pursing her lips at the amount of clothing women were forced to wear for a leisurely swim. Why, she would most likely suffer from heat stroke on a day like today with the temperature soaring.

Back in the hotel, she changed into the cumbersome suit and covered it with the cape, perspiring profusely before she had even left the room. Sean instructed the driver to take them the short distance to La Brea Pitch Lake.

Lynna huddled in the corner of the carriage as heat gathered under the heavy garment, threatening to suffocate her. It was totally absurd when society dictated that a women be so ridiculously covered from head to toe that she couldn't draw a decent breath. By the time they reached their destination her breathing was getting shallow, her heart was pounding in her chest, and she felt as though she might faint at any minute.

Noticing the high color in her cheeks and the sweat beading on her forehead and upper lip, Sean opened the door to allow a cooling breeze to flow through the carriage.

Alarmed when he noticed Lynna's head lolling on her shoulders, he proceeded to unbutton the front of the bathing costume one-handed as he fanned her with his hat. "How a woman can be expected to survive in heavy flannel, _and_ a cloak, is beyond me. It's no wonder so many of you go about swooning all day. It's preposterous." Sean shook his head in annoyance. "Even if I did purchase it."

The cool air on Lynna's chest felt absolutely sublime, reviving her. She was convinced that she would perish if she didn't rid her body of the cloying fabric immediately. Shrugging her shoulders as she unbuttoned the itchy material, Sean helped her remove the top part of the outfit leaving her in her chemise and bloomers, although her legs were still sweltering in ridiculous woolen stockings.

Uttering a curse, Sean bent and removed her shoes, tugged on her bloomers while she helped by wiggling out of them. Next came the dreaded stockings, leaving Lynna in nothing but her chemise. Falling back on the carriage seat she sighed blissfully as the cooling breeze caressed her overheated skin. "I would rather die than put that monstrosity back on. But how will I swim?"

Tapping on the roof, Sean instructed the driver to pull as close to the edge of the lake as possible and park the carriage sideways. He then advised the man to walk to the edge of the trees near the entrance and alert them should anyone else arrive.

"Now you can bathe privately in your shimmy without fear of being seen. Heaven knows as many times as I have seen you in your chemise, and much less, you can't possible be shy around me. Therefore, let's not bother with modesty, shall we?"

A pinkish blush colored Lynna's cheeks as she stepped out of the carriage, gasping at the marvelous scene around her. "I never knew anything like this even existed."

They walked along the edge of the tar filled lake, careful to stay hidden by the carriage. To Lynna, it resembled a large creature with no face, only arms and a massive body. She was grateful that the thick skin on top of the lake prevented the tar from sticking to her bare feet, yet it took some persuading on Sean's part to convince her she wouldn't fall through to the pitch lake beneath the surface.

Bending down, she touched the soft surface of the lake, completely amazed. It was blood warm to the touch, blistered in places, yet yielding slightly when she pressed on it, like living flesh. "It's wrinkled like the hide of an elephant I once saw in a traveling circus."

Sean reached for her hand as a smile played across his chiseled features. "You trust me, don't you?"

"With my life, Sean." She relaxed as his large hand enveloped hers. "After all, you gave it back to me."

"Come then. Feel how warm the water is." His words were tempting as he beckoned her with his hazel eyes.

Still not totally convinced, Lynna hesitated.

Deciding not to rush her, Sean removed his pants, shirt, boots and socks. Wearing only his skivvies he waded out and fell back in the water. "Ahhhhhh..." A moan of pure pleasure slipped past his lips as he wiggled his finger at her. "Join me, Lynna."

Feeling adventurous, she swallowed her fear and stuck the tip of her toe in the water. Sean's words were true. The water was warm as dishwater. Since she hadn't sunk to the bottom of the tar pit yet, Lynna ventured out even farther, up to her knees, then her thighs.

"Take the plunge," Sean urged.

"There will be no plunging." She giggled. "I would not care to walk through the hotel to our room with wet hair stringing down around my shoulders, making a complete spectacle of myself."

Sean's eyes caressed her as he whispered, "But what an exquisitely beautiful and charming spectacle you would make."

Lynna colored at his remark before joining him in the soothing waters. The surface gave slightly as she walked and it was indeed heavenly, like soaking in a warm bouncy bath. "This is simply divine, Sean," she purred, easing down beside him. "I could stay here all day."

"As could... I."

Lynna glanced up into his sparkling eyes. Yet, his words seemed to be lodged in his throat and he seemed to be having some difficulty speaking. Following his gaze, she found him to be mesmerized by a dark nipple showing through her now transparent chemise.

The sight successfully sent Sean's lust careening over the slippery slope it had been teetering on for the past few months. Flaming heat speared through him to gather in his stomach and explode with a raging fire in his loins. Unable to hold back his desire for another second, he was determined to have her.

Consequences be damned.

No man alive could have been more patient than he had been.

Sean's open mouth pressed against the side of her throat, then his head dipped to nuzzle the fragrant valley between her breasts, moaning softly. His hands shook as he grabbed her shoulders, pulling her toward him. When he had her where she belonged, in his arms, his lips lowered to hers, urging her lips apart. "Lynna darling, I don't know how much longer I can be expected to wait for you. I'm almost crazed with desire for you. Please, you must end this torture."

Lynna felt his hands tremble against her shoulder and heard the breath catch in his throat when his hand moved to caress her breast. Why didn't she just give in to Sean? She was no longer a virgin saving herself for her wedding night. She had married the only man she would ever love, and he was dead.

Joshua would never return to her.

She wanted her son with her, and the only way to make that a reality was with Sean's assistance. He would be good to her and Beau, and she loved Lisbeth as if she were her very own grandmother. Now that she had taken the time to think back over the last several weeks, Lynna realized that she was perfectly content on the magnificent island of Trinidad.

What was she holding out for? Why did the thought of another man's hands on her body almost make her physically ill? Perhaps her feelings for Sean would grow in time. If not, she could still be a good wife to him. All that mattered, was that he take her home to her son. She vowed to do whatever was necessary to see it done.

With this resolution firmly fixed in her mind she allowed herself to relax in his arms. His tongue had just entered her mouth to plunder every crack and crevice when the driver shouted, "Company coming!"

Lynna glanced down at her nearly nude body and quickly scurried out of the water. She practically leapt into the carriage, followed closely by Sean, scooping up clothes as he went. They fell back on the seat laughing hysterically at the near disaster. "That was entirely too close." She giggled, drawing the cape across her see through chemise. "I almost gave the residents of this town something to talk about for a long, long time."

"It certainly was." _Damn his luck to hell._ "Some lucky man almost got an eyeful."

They were quiet on the ride back to the hotel, each deep in thought with their own version of what might have been. Lynna pulled the cape tighter around her as they neared town. Sean pulled on his clothes, then bent to slip on her shoes.

Gathering the dreadful swimsuit in a bundle, he wished fervently that his hands could be around the neck of the visitor to the tar pit with undoubtedly the worst timing ever.

Sean had promised Lynna a tour of the city before dark, yet he was unable to enjoy the sights as they walked the busy streets. They stopped often at bustling shops where he purchased every frippery that Lynna's eyes lingered on for longer than a few seconds. "What would you like, my love? You may have whatever your heart desires," he whispered close to her ear. "Just name it."

Sean longed for the day to end and the night to begin. Lynna had a promise to keep.

She smiled into eyes that were glazed with passion. "You have bought me more than enough already." Her heart fluttered against her ribs as she nervously glanced toward the horizon to see the sun sinking low in the sky.

It would be nightfall soon.

With swaths of delicate lace, colorful bows, shiny ribbons, and a simply divine new hat, they returned to the hotel.

Was she finally out of excuses?

Later that evening, after choosing their dinner from the hotel menu, Sean ordered a bottle of wine with the hope of making her relax. She had seemed tense and worried for the better part of the evening and it was his intention to drown her troubles and make her look forward to the night ahead. He certainly was.

In an effort to bolster her dwindling courage Lynna downed glass after glass of the sweet liquid. She released a deep sigh as the spirits caused each of her muscles to relax in turn, until she felt totally limp.

She listened to the soothing melody of the band floating across the room, tapping her toe to the beat of the music and sipping her wine. Why, someone must have replaced the wine with a magic elixir for she had the sudden urge to laugh, and dance. She wished this night could last forever.

When the server arrived with their food Lynna took one bite of a delicious seafood dish and pushed her plate away, reaching for the wine bottle.

She closed her eyes, leaning back in the plush chair to enjoy the music as the wine flowed through her veins and warmed her body from the inside out. After several minutes of quiet meditation, she opened her eyes to find that everything in the room was blurry. She gazed across the table at the handsome man grinning at her.

Why were there two Seans?

Sean grinned. "I think that perhaps you have partaken of enough wine, little one."

"I think you're right," she said, reaching for her glass to take another sip.

"Are you ready to retire to our room then?"

"Heavens no," she cried. "It's much too early to retire." Stretching her arms over her head in what came off as an extremely sensual gesture, Lynna's cleavage swelled over the bodice of her dress. This action drew the rapt attention of every man in the room and stern disapproval from several matrons at nearby tables. "Let's dance," Lynna chirped, swaying in her chair. "I haven't danced since... since the night of the Harvest Ball."

"At the moment, you might have trouble walking, love," he reminded her when she had lowered her arms. When he was finally able to draw his eyes away from the sight of her creamy breasts overflowing her chemise, he added, "Another time, perhaps."

"I want to dance now." She stood, having the thought to ask the rather sedate band playing across the room to play a waltz. Instead she clutched a chair for support when the room started spinning dizzily around her. "Oh, I seem to be slightly off balance."

"You seem to be slightly drunk," Sean corrected.

"Surely you jest," she shrieked, offended that he would even suggest such a thing.

Proper ladies did not get drunk.

She sank back down in her chair as she was suddenly swamped by memories of a night long ago, in another man's arms. Hot, liquid fire raced through Lynna's veins as she recalled her first night with Joshua. She felt a brilliant blush spread up her neck and settle in her cheeks. Her finger soothed her lips as she vividly recalled the taste of Joshua's soft, sweet lips on hers.

Joshua, my darling, please come back to me.

Sean waved the waitress over and ordered a pot of strong coffee with the intention of sobering the intoxicated girl up. He wanted her wide awake and very attentive for the night he had planned.

Suddenly, without warning, Lynna burst into a fit of noisy sobs. "My husband is dead," she wailed, several notches above her normal volume. "And my son is a thousand miles away. What am I to do?"

In Sean's experience, there were three types of drunks. Happy drunks, fighting drunks, and crying drunks. She _would_ have to be the latter.

"Lynna, love, try to control yourself." The waitress arrived, pouring coffee with hands that trembled. Sean noticed the poor girl sneaking glances at the rather austere dining room manager who stood in the corner with his arms folded primly across his chest.

Sean added cream and sugar to Lynna's coffee. When it was just the way she liked it, he slid the cup toward her. "Drink your coffee and calm down before you make a spectacle of yourself, Lynna."

"I don't care," she cried, even louder than before. "My life is over!"

Sean vowed to never again offer the girl anything stronger than lemonade. "Your life is far from over." He nudged the coffee cup closer. "Drink your coffee. It will make you feel better."

"I don't want to feel better!" she shrieked. "I want my husband and son!" Thus said, she leapt up from the table and staggered toward the door.

Sean made to follow her when he was stopped by the dour manager who informed him, in a very matter of fact manner, that the prestigious Port of Spain Hotel did not allow drunken displays in the dining room. Ignoring the pompous ass, Sean pushed past him. By the time he reached the door Lynna was nowhere in sight.

She had paused in the middle of the street when she spied the docks. Several tall ships were anchored in the harbor. One reminded her of the _Windjammer._ She counted sixteen sails.

Could it be Joshua?

She made it to the ramp that led up to the tallest ship in the harbor when she spotted a familiar sight. The man was tall with wavy black hair. His back was to her as he peered out to sea. "Joshua?" she breathed.

"No, lovely lady." A smile brightened the handsome stranger's face when he turned her way. "However I would be more than happy to change my name for you."

"That's quite alright." Sean grabbed Lynna from behind, giving the man a nod of his head. "Keep your given name. I can take it from here."

"As you wish." The gentleman tipped his hat jauntily and continued up the ramp to his ship.

"Let's go back to the hotel and sleep it off, Lynna," Sean mumbled grudgingly.

"But Joshua's ship..."

Sean followed her gaze to the harbor, refusing to be jealous of a dead man. Angry that another night would not turn out as planned, he snapped, "None of those ships are the _Windjammer_. Please, try to remember that your husband is dead."

His vicious words successfully crushed Lynna's soul. Sean was right. Her husband was dead. He would never return to her. Never be the apple of his mother's eye again, or tease his sister mercilessly, or hold his son and teach him what every boy needs to learn from his father.

Dropping her head in her hands, she cried as if her heart was breaking all over again, for it was. Collapsing to the muddy street in anguish, Lynna sobbed until her tears were spent and she gazed up at Sean with red rimmed and swollen eyes.

Gathering the grief stricken girl in his arms, Sean carried her back to the hotel. Perhaps the catharsis would be good for her soul. She needed to release the pent up grief that she had held on to for so long.

Sean carried her to their room where he undressed her with quiet efficiency, removing the muddy dress and putting her to bed in her chemise. She was sound asleep and didn't awaken once.

Damn it all to hell and back.

He should have ordered the coconut water that she requested.

Sean would wager that every drunken sailor in the city was getting lucky, while he sat in a hotel room on his last night in the city twiddling his thumbs. Irritated beyond measure, he could only shake his head as the enchanting creature softly snored into her pillow.

Not to be outdone, with one goal in mind he strode determinedly down the stairs in search of the voluptuous and very agreeable serving wench that had given him a run for his money the night before. After all, it was hardly his fault that Lynna couldn't hold her wine.
 Chapter 41

Two weeks after their return to Devereux Acres, Lynna looked from the parlor window onto the town below. Carnival had begun and the street was flooded with riotous color. The sound of lively music filled the night air with a palpable excitement as the revelers threw themselves into a frenzied dance of wild abandonment with a fevered pitch.

"If you promise not to tell Grandmama we will sneak out later and you can experience Carnival," Sean whispered over her shoulder.

"Why, surely you must be joking. According to Lisbeth, it isn't... respectable."

"It might not be respectable," he chuckled at her appalled expression, "however it is a hell of a lot of fun."

It only took Lynna a moment to realize that this might be her only chance to experience Carnival. Deciding the gamble was well worth the risk, she turned to Sean with a wicked grin hovering on her lips. "What should I wear?"

"Leave that to me. You are about the same size as one of the kitchen maids. I will borrow a calico dress and kerchief, and with a mask to cover your eyes you will resemble a typical house servant." He was eager to join her in the throbbing, sensual atmosphere of Carnival. "I have a farmer's get up and several masks from previous years."

Lynna wagged a finger at him. "So this isn't the first time you have attended Carnival, unbeknownst to your grandmother?"

Presenting her with a swift nod and a sly wink, he hurried out the door.

Just before midnight, they made their way through the crowded streets. The fast beat and heavy percussion of the music enthralled Lynna. As the music thumped in her head, she felt the tempo pounding in her heart. In all her life she had never heard such a rhythmic sound before, not even from the slave quarters back home. "That music. What is it?"

"It's called calypso," Sean shouted to be heard above the noise. "Trinidad is famous for its calypso and steel drum music."

It was almost impossible to hold still while the music pulsed around her and she felt her body swaying to the pounding of the drums. She saw what looked like somebody's knees in front of her and gasped, "Oh, look!"

"That is a mocojumby," Sean informed her when a costumed dancer on stilts walked by, bending low to hand Lynna a red hibiscus bloom. Accepting the offering, she thanked him with a radiant smile. Awestruck by the sights and sounds around her, she leaned against the wall of a building trying to take it all in and not miss a minute of Carnival.

Sean grabbed her hand. "Come Lynna, let us chip with the others."

"Excuse me? Did you say chip?"

Sean grinned at her baffled expression. "See how the others are walking? Chip means to do a mixture of walking and dancing along with the others in the parade. When the costumed participants dance through the streets to the sounds of calypso it's called playing mas."

"What a unique language." Lynna felt herself relax as the sensual music flowed through her limbs. She joined the others, mimicking their erotic movement as best she could and following along with the frenetic partiers.

Carnival was an explosion of music, color, and revelry. Never had Lynna witnessed such a pure abandonment of spirit. The dancers spun until they were left spent and euphoric by the pulsating music.

The spectacular costumes of all styles and colors, many decorated with beads, feathers, and sequins, were a sight to behold. From elaborate headdresses to a simple cloth across the eyes everyone had on some type of mask. The music only got louder as they progressed down the street toward the center of town.

Sean took her hand, leading her through the crowd. "You should rest now. You wouldn't want to overexert yourself and cause a relapse."

Lynna failed to answer. She was completely spellbound by a scantily dressed lady in front of her, seductively gyrating her hips to the music. What dumbfounded Lynna most was the fact that her upper body remained perfectly still. Until that very moment, Lynna had no idea that a woman's lower body could even swivel that way when provoked.

The girl's hips seemed almost fluid as they undulated and contorted in positions that Lynna would have heretofore thought impossible. She had no doubt that her own bones would break were she to ever attempt to twist her body into such unwieldy positions.

With a sly smile on her face, the gyrating woman grinned at Lynna. Proceeding to swivel her hips and joints with a flowing agility, she said in a low, seductive voice, "I wine on your man." Then she backed up to Sean, pressing her very round bottom into Sean's lower section and gyrating her hips in a very obscene manner.

Sean simply grabbed the woman's waist and held on to her hips until she winked at him over her shoulder, straightened her body, and continued down the street. Lynna had never been more totally speechless in all her life, or more spellbound by the scenes taking place before her.

A stunningly beautiful, yet skimpily dressed girl, sauntered by. Suddenly, out of nowhere, a man left the crowd and practically covered the girl with his arms and legs shouting, "Oh Lawd gul, yuh looking sweet!" He then proceeded to do an almost violent dance to the beat of the music.

The girl bent over, offering her buttocks to the man and after some pelvic thrusting, they did a gentle wind down to the ground. This went on for about a minute before they parted and went their separate ways only to do the same movements with new partners a few feet down the street.

"Close your mouth, Lynna. It's all in good fun." Sean chuckled at her stunned expression. "That's the dance Grandmama warned you about."

"It seems to be a... popular dance." Several female participants in the parade were doing it.

Her eyes were drawn across the street to a limbo competition. The contestant's shoulders shimmied and their hips and backs lowered until they almost touched the ground, never missing a beat as they danced under a pole.

Lynna was consumed by the atmosphere of the extravagant costumes, the loud, heart thumping rhythm of Calypso music, the undulating bodies and sheer sexuality of their dancing, and the smell of rich and spicy food emanating from the vendors stands.

Sean bent to whisper in her ear. "Would you care to try a Carib?"

"Certainly. After the things I have witnessed tonight, I feel like I can try anything. What is it?"

Would she ever learn the island language?

"It's our local draught." Sean took her hand as they stood in line at one of the many street vendors. She quickly discovered that Carib was much too strong for her taste, but watched Sean savor his to the last drop. She settled for fruit punch and they both had servings of delicious spicy jerked chicken.

Remarkably, Sean located an empty park bench where they sampled the food from several vendors as they watched revelers partying around them. Lynna was entranced by the costumes, while Sean was intrigued by the bodies undulating beneath them.

The night ended with Sean participating in a dance called Jump Up, a physically exhausting free for all where he danced and spun with the other revelers in the crowded street until he was ready to drop.

Just before dawn they trudged up the hill toward Devereux Acres, giddy from exhaustion and drenched with perspiration. Before they slipped in the back door, Sean smiled at Lynna. "I'm glad you were here to share Carnival with me."

"That was the most fun I've had since... I can't even remember when." Before Lynna could object, Sean lowered his lips to hers. She didn't pull away, nor did she attempt to prolong the kiss in any way. She simply waited it out.

"Good night, Lynna," he whispered, his eyes filled with longing. "Sleep well."

"Good night, Sean." She reached up to caress his finely chiseled jaw, and thought to say more, but changed her mind.

They climbed the stairs, both eager for the softness of their beds, with calypso music still ringing in their ears.

Lisbeth, in her bed across the hall, snuggled under her cover hearing two doors close across the hall from her room. She laughed softly as memories of past Carnivals swept her toward dreamland. She had been young once herself.
 Chapter 42

Joshua and four of his crew rowed the small boat through the turquoise waters of the lagoon. Pulling the boat onshore, they had just stepped out of the water and headed across the sand toward the welcoming shade when a behemoth appeared from the shadows.

"Where's Buttercup?" Rob asked warily, using his nickname for Lynna. He was wise enough to realize that there was a problem or she would have traveled to the island with her husband. Towering over the much smaller Joshua, with his huge hands planted firmly on his hips, Rob glared at him with worry creasing his brow. "She sick?"

"I pray that she isn't, Rob. But, in all honesty, I don't know," Joshua confessed.

Rob immediately dropped his hands and clenched them into massive fists. "Whut you mean you don't be knowin'?"

That's why I came." Joshua extended his hand to the huge black man who pumped it vigorously. "Lynna is missing." Rob's grip tightened around Joshua's until he was forced to pull away from the man's firm grasp. "I was hoping you could help me find her."

"Whut you mean missin'?" Rob's fists clenched and unclenched at his sides as rage glistened in his charcoal eyes. He actually felt pity for the fool who dared bring harm to the girl he loved as much as he would his own daughter. "Who done got her?"

"Sean Devereux."

Rob slowly shook his head, scrubbing his hands over his bald pate and looking out across the sparkling water of the lagoon where the _Windjammer_ rode anchor. "I been hopin' he was dead. He been wantin' Buttercup in a bad way. Has since de firs' time he laid eyes on her on dat pi'ate ship."

Joshua nodded his head in understanding.

Beads of sweat glistened on Rob's forehead and rolled down his temple as he looked Joshua dead in the eye, with all seriousness. "Buttercup might not be de... same when we find her." Rob knew Sean Devereux was entirely capable of raping any woman that refused him. "An' if'n she ain't, you gots ta 'member it ain't none of her doin'. You cain be blamin' her fo' nothin' dat happen when she was wit' dat pi'ate.

"I would never blame Lynna, Rob." Joshua met the giant's steady gaze. "I think you know me better than that."

"I believe I do, but you be knowin' ain't nobody gwine blame Buttercup for somethin' she cain hep."

"I just want to find her and bring her home, Rob." A bright smile lit Joshua's face for the first time since he had been on the island. "To her son."

Rob's face split into a huge grin. He laughed heartily, slapping Joshua on the back. "Buttercup done had a boy?"

"Yes, she named him Beau."

"Beau," Rob repeated. "I sho' would like ta meet de lil feller."

"I'm sure that can be arranged. Lynna had been after me for months to come see to your well being. We had planned on making the trip after the baby was born. Now Sean Devereux has taken her and I don't know which island he calls home." _They were wasting precious time._ They needed to have the _Windjammer_ in the wind. "Do you know where the pirate's home port is, Rob?"

Rob nodded, lost in thought for several minutes. "He always goes back home fo' Carn'val dis time of year. He ain't never miss' it long as I been knowin' him."

Joshua met Rob's worried black eyes. "Will you help me find him, Rob?"

Rob peered into the horizon as he came face to face with the many perils of leaving his island sanctuary. "Yassuh. I done swo' I ain't never gwine leave dis heah island again, but fo' Buttercup, I gots to."

Turning to his men, Joshua instructed, "Two of you follow me to the pool and fill the water barrels. The other two can hunt for fresh meat." He shielded his eyes from the blazing sun to meet Rob's troubled gaze. "Sean put out word that he was taking Lynna to a man on one of the islands who specializes in... torturing women."

Shuddering, Joshua imagined Lynna being forced to submit to his demands. Shaking his head to clear it, he finally managed to push the words past the horrible images that infiltrated his mind. "Do you know of this man?"

"Put dat thought out yo mind." Rob gazed into the tranquil forest that had sheltered him for this last peaceful year. He wondered what demons lay in store for him after he left the peace, solitude, and most importantly, the safety of his island paradise.

"If Sean got Buttercup, he be keepin' her fo' hisself."
 Chapter 43

The beauty of Trinidad still left Lynna breathless. It was a kaleidoscope of colors wherever her eyes landed. Sitting on the beach, she watched the waves rush toward her as she sifted powdery sand through her fingers. Her life had turned out so differently than she could have ever imagined.

Less than a year ago she had been in the arms of a loving husband with a baby on the way. Now, her husband was dead, Suzanne had once again betrayed her, and her child was being raised without her.

"There you are." Sean removed his boots to walk toward her in the sand with purposeful strides. He had been working in the fields and at some point had removed his shirt in the tropical heat. Sweat glistened on his chest as though it had been oiled.

Catching her completely off guard, the sight of Sean walking toward Lynna almost took her breath away, making her knees weak and her mouth dry. She could only watch, almost paralyzed as he moved toward her. She felt a sudden and unfamiliar twinge in the pit of her stomach at the sight of his bare and extremely muscular chest.

With their own volition, her eyes slid down his abdomen, riveted by the way the firm muscles rippled when he moved. She couldn't pull her eyes from his broad shoulders, his narrow waist, or his startling white teeth. His tanned upper torso was covered with a bright sheen of sweat that she suddenly felt the urge to run her hands over, then through his silky hair, then down to the button on his...

What?

No.

She must be hallucinating in the dreadful heat.

"I have been looking all over for you." Sean followed the trail of her gaze and a bright smile lit his face, causing his eyes to twinkle. "Grandmama said this is where I would find you."

Sean stood before her in all his glorious masculinity. Lynna struggled for a reply but no words were forthcoming as she felt her lower anatomy clench into a tight knot of desire. Her eyes moved from his chest to his full, moist, provocative, and, oh, so desirable lips. "She knows my routine well."

"Perhaps we should move to the shade, love." Sean grinned, fully cognizant of the fact that he was the reason for her suddenly flustered appearance. Her cheeks were flushed a becoming shade of pink as her eyes shone with what could only be described as burning desire.

All this time, all he had to do was remove his shirt?

Lynna tried to focus on his words, she really did, but her eyes were drawn to the ridged muscles of his flat stomach. As sweat trickled between her breasts she wondered what it would feel like to run her fingers across those hard muscles. Push him down on the sand and press the entire length of her body against his. Run her tongue over every inch of his glistening skin. Have her way with...

No.

Stop this foolishness at once.

A bead of sweat made its way down the entire length of his chest until it disappeared in a trail of fine hair below the waist of his breeches. His pearly white teeth gleamed. His shoulder length hair, that gleamed in the sunlight, was pulled back and held in place with a strap of leather. His full, moist lips were parted, waiting.

What was she thinking?

Sean sat down next to her, his breathing more rapid than normal as his eyes feasted greedily on the creamy swell of breast above her gown. His hand itched to caress her, explore every silken inch of her exquisite body. His fingers burned as he reached into her cleavage to touch the red quartz stone she had worn for the past four days. He had to admit the spell to remove the curse was working like the charm it was meant to be. Lynna had not suffered a debilitating headache since the night he slipped the stone around her neck.

As he touched the stone his fingers brushed against the satiny mound of flesh, causing flames of soaring passion to simmer through his veins and center in his manhood.

_The time had come_.

_For both of them_.

However, an open beach was not the place for their first intimate encounter. He wanted her in his bed, with an entire night to fulfill their fantasies.

Sean took Lynna's hand and pulled her to her feet. "Lynna, darling, I'm sure you would be the first to admit that I have been patient."

"Yes, Sean," she replied breathlessly as a jolt of... passion rushed through her body at his touch. Releasing his hand, she put her fingers on her throat in a vain attempt to hide her racing pulse. "Of course I would."

"You have recovered well. Your body has," he paused for his smoldering eyes to caress her from head to toe, "blossomed. Your cheeks are rosy again, you no longer have to take long naps during the day, and you are no longer forced to pause midway up the stairs to rest. The island has healed you, little one."

He caressed the line of her jaw with his finger, smiling into her glazed eyes. "I'm ready to move forward with our relationship and begin a life with you here, on the island. Actually, I have been ready for some time. I just refused to rush you. I wanted to allow you the opportunity to come to the decision on your own." Lifting her hand to his lips he peered deep into her azure gaze. "Are you ready as well?"

Lynna realized that the time for excuses had come to an end. She was so very tired of avoiding the inevitable and finally admitted, to herself, that she was ready to move on with her life. Sean had given that life back to her and she owed him. He would take her home to her son and that was all that really mattered.

Her heart pounded against her ribcage and her breathing was labored as she murmured, "Saturday night after the Hammond's Masquerade Ball, I will come to your room."

A bright light danced in Sean's eyes as a slow smile of satisfaction curved his sensual lips. "It will be a night to remember, my love."

Lynna had not a single doubt that his words were true.
 Chapter 44

Suzanne shivered uncontrollably as she reclined on a soiled bunk that smelled strongly of urine. The cell was damp and her badly bruised and aching body was chilled to the bone. There were no sheets and the one blanket on the floor at the foot of the bunk was covered with stains and rat droppings.

God only knew what bodily fluids had been released onto the mattress by the previous occupant. Dried streams of ejaculation trailing down the wall between the top and bottom mattress were a good indication.

Apparently the cell had seen few female visitors. Oddly, this gave Suzanne a moment of pleasure in her otherwise wretched existence. She always enjoyed standing out from the crowd. Although, even she would admit, not in these particular circumstances.

Tilting her head toward the barred window, she tried desperately to draw fresh air into her lungs as her eyes roamed solemnly around her new home. A cot and a chamber pot.

Tears stung her eyes as she remembered the delicate ruffled lace on her canopied bed at Magnolia House. The soft ivory colored counterpane had felt so comforting against her naked body. The Chippendale wing chairs on either side of a piecrust tea table where she had enjoyed too many afternoon teas to count. Her full-length cheval glass where she could practice her favorite pastime, admiring herself. The simple joy of ringing for a servant, who would swiftly bring her whatever her heart desired. Parents who had doted on her every whim.

Where the hell were her parents anyway?

She hadn't caught a glimpse of either of them since being left to shrivel up and rot in this hellhole.

All her dire threats and warnings to the guard had gone ignored. Why wouldn't anyone in this stinking, rat infested dump believe who she was? She was the only daughter of Silas Fletcher of Magnolia House for God's sakes. One of the largest cotton plantations in the South.

She recalled the agony of waking up on the back of Joshua's horse. Each movement had caused pain to shoot through her aching ribs and her badly bruised and swollen jaw as she had bounced around on the animal's hard rump. Her hands and feet had been tied, she had a handkerchief stuffed in her mouth, and she had been carelessly thrown across the back of his steed.

Joshua had ruthlessly taken great joy in ridiculing her. Asking if she was comfortable, guzzling water from a canteen and not offering her a drop even though the handkerchief had dried up every drop of her spittle, and calling her immensely ignorant for actually believing a person could be brought back from the dead.

He seemed to take immense pleasure in assuring her that she _would_ be convicted of attempted murder. He informed her that his father, and Nathan Rhodes, would use their combined influence and _far reaching_ personal connections to assure that she received a sentence of life in prison. He had laughter in his eyes when he told her that she would be sent to the most vile labor camp in the South for the remainder of her miserably wretched life.

Suzanne had groaned with pain when he reminded her of what a _superb failure_ her ploy to see him dead had been. Going so far as to thank her for so graciously telling him how to find his wife and laughing at how _unbelievably stupid_ she had been to fall for Sean Devereux's lies.

Joshua had turned all the way around in the saddle and chuckled uproariously when he asked if she truly believed that Sean, or any man for that matter, would choose _her_ over a stunning beauty like Lynna? And on and on and on nonstop until he dumped her on the ground in front of the jail, hogtied.

After a few hushed words with the jailer, Joshua leapt on his horse and rode off like the wind. To his whore no doubt. He would never find her. Suzanne had made sure of that. Oh, but he would pay. They would all pay. Each and every single one of them.

The burly guard didn't seem to care who her father was, nor that she was lying in a foul bunk suffering the degradation of smelling an overflowing chamber pot. She vowed that he would soon care though. Before this day was over.

Tugging on the bodice of her gown until one puckered nipple popped out, she raised her arms over her head and pretended to sleep in what she considered her most seductive pose.

Now, she need only wait patiently for the him to bring her supper tray.
 Chapter 45

Lynna's gown for the Hammond's Masquerade Ball was an exquisite work of art. Even her Aunt Judith could not have improved upon the design for the frothy confection. She was wearing the costume of a fairy princess with yards and yards of pale green gauzy material and dozens of appliquéd ferns and flower blossoms flowing from the tight fitting waist.

The top of the gown was snug and caused her breasts to nearly overflow the tiny seed pearls and embroidered daisies that embellished the bodice. Her hair was swept off her neck, dressed with leafs and daisies, and a simply darling little mask covered her eyes.

None in the room could rival Lynna's beauty. The females on the island who had glimpsed her as she traveled about with Sean discovering the island's many wonders, no longer even tried.

Lynna was positive that there wasn't a man in the room who hadn't spun her around the dance floor at least once, although their names and faces were a blur. Discreetly removing a lace handkerchief from her bodice, she swiped at a thin sheen of perspiration on her décolletage with one hand and fanned herself vigorously with another. She needed a cold refreshment in the worst possible way.

After thanking her current dance partner, a man in the buckskin costume of an Indian, she intended to make her way to the refreshment table as soon as the band finished the set. Instead, the Indian deftly twirled her into another dance, all the while glancing over her shoulder at a man in a black and white Domino costume leaning casually against the wall. Before she could protest, her partner changed course and danced her directly into the arms of the Domino, a taller man with only his eyes visible **.**

She was again waltzing around the room with an unknown partner, thanks to his full mask. If only she could have something cold to quench her dry throat. She was about to inform the stranger as much when he suddenly drew her closer than etiquette would allow. Gathering her strength to admonish the overly bold man, she opened her mouth to speak when something about the twinkle in his sea green eyes gave her pause.

Those eyes.

She had only met one other man with eyes the color of the sea, and when he winked behind the mask her heart skipped a full beat.

Lynna stopped dancing, unable to move.

Looking away, to clear her befuddled mind, she remained perfectly still and drew deep, calming breaths into her lungs. Why, someone must have handed her a stronger libation than lemonade by mistake earlier, for the grinning eyes shining from behind the mask almost looked like... but, no... it couldn't be.

It was impossible.

The smothering panic that had gripped Joshua for almost a year slowly eased as he held his wife close to his heart. She was safe. Surprisingly, she didn't look any the worse for wear. In fact, she seemed to be thriving on the island. Thank God, she didn't appear to have suffered abuse at Sean's hands. Leaning close to her ear, he whispered, "Do not make a sound, my love. It could cost us our lives."

"Sweet Holy Mother Mary of God!" Lynna's strangled gasp echoed around the room, causing several people to glance her way.

"Please, forgive me, Madame," Joshua said loud enough for the others to hear. "Did I trod on your foot? I beg you to forgive my clumsiness." He squeezed her waist as he spun her around the room. "Lynna, my sweet, you must stop drawing attention to us if you wish to see me walk out of this room in one piece."

Lynna drew another breath, hoping to calm her racing heart. Bringing a hand to her lips to stifle another outburst, she did as he asked.

Joshua was alive.

Dear God, he was alive!

Completely forgetting his urgent warning, she attempted to throw her arms around his neck and draw his lips down to hers. Joshua quickly grabbed her hands and held them at her sides. "Not now, darling. There will be plenty of time for us to get reacquainted later. For now, I must leave before the masks are removed." He peered around the room trying to ascertain if anyone appeared overly suspicious of his wife's enthusiastic display. His hand unconsciously squeezed hers when he noticed Sean Devereux watching them intently.

"It had been my intention to waltz you onto the verandah and steal you away into the night. However, since Sean is watching your every move, that is no longer possible. I must go before I am discovered, my love. I will be waiting for you in the garden at Devereux Acres tonight. Come to me after the others are asleep."

The urge to draw her against his body and carry her out of the room was great, but he refused to take the risk of Lynna being injured in a fight. And he had no doubt that Sean would fight for her.

Joshua's passionate eyes gave added meaning to the words, "Come as quickly as you can, my love." Then, he bent down and whispered, "For the record, you appeared to be having entirely too much fun dancing with other men tonight."

Then he was gone.

Lynna turned toward the refreshment table, again, on legs that had suddenly gone numb.

Sean held out a cold glass of lemonade and she gulped it greedily, all the while wishing for something stronger to settle her nerves. "Who was the man you danced with last?" he asked, curiously. "I have placed everyone here tonight, save him."

Lynna was watching the door Joshua had exited so intently that she didn't have a clue what Sean was saying. He snapped his fingers in her face to gain her attention. "Lynna, who was that masked man?"

"I didn't catch his name," she lied.

"I thought maybe that was what he whispered in your ear after he apparently trampled all over you feet. They must be sore after such abuse." Sean forced a laugh as his eyes scanned the crowd for the stranger.

"The music was so loud and I was so eager for this," she tipped her glass for another long drink, "I don't really recall what he said. Every man I have danced with tonight has whispered something in my ear." She sighed heavily. "I'm so tired, Sean. Will we be leaving soon?"

"The masks will come off at midnight and everyone's true identity will be revealed." Sean glanced around the room. Something about the man's interaction with Lynna had set off an alarm in him. "Then we can leave, my love. Trust me when I say that not a man here is more eager to return home tonight than I am." His hands clasped around her tiny waist possessively. "I long to hear my name fall from your luscious lips as I pleasure you over and over until we must sleep from sheer exhaustion."

Lost in her own thoughts, Lynna nodded, having no idea what she was agreeing too. Her mind was too filled with the anticipation of her reunion with Joshua. Unable to hide it, her excitement caused her eyes to sparkle. _Joshua had come to take her home._ "This has been the best night of my life, Sean."

"The excitement has only begun." As he whispered the words, Sean watched the sparkle in her eyes immediately dim. He didn't let it bother him overmuch. Instead, he watched the clock, willing time to fly.

Nothing could dampen his spirits tonight.
Epilogue

Joshua and Rob stood beneath the low hanging branches of an oleander tree, watching Sean Devereux, Lynna, and an elderly woman alight from a carriage well after midnight. It was a scene that appeared much too cozy for Joshua's liking. Sean's hands lingered too long, and seemed entirely too familiar on Lynna's tiny waist when he lifted her to the ground. After the pirate helped the elderly lady down, the trio laughed gaily as they made their way up the verandah steps.

"Would either of you care for a late night toddy," the elderly lady asked.

As Sean pulled Lynna close it was all Joshua could do to remain hidden in the trees and not physically remove the pirate's hands from her waist.

Rob grabbed his arm and held him back, silencing him with a finger to his lips. "Naw, jus' stay back out de way. We aint' gwine risk' Buttercup gittin' hurt."

Hearing Sean's voice, they both turned toward the house. "No, Grandmama, not tonight. Lynna and I are eager to put this day to rest." He smiled down at Lynna. "Aren't we, darling."

" _Darling_?" Joshua seethed. "Why in the hell is he calling her darling?"

While Rob refused to allow his true feelings to show, he was as unsettled by the scene on the verandah as Joshua.

Something wasn't right here.

It almost sounded as if they were lovers, eager to slip away from the woman and spend time alone behind closed doors. Whatever Lynna's position here, it appeared to be anything but captive. Joshua needed to get to the bottom of this charade.

_Soon_.

Sliding down against the trunk of the tree, he prepared to wait as Lynna's tinkling laughter drifted through the open windows.

Rob stood with his huge hands clasped behind his back, nervously pacing back and forth. He didn't like the way this was turning out. Not one bit.

The downstairs lights were extinguished and Joshua noticed a candle moving through an upstairs window. He settled back and lit a cheroot. "It shouldn't be long now."

Over an hour later, Lynna finally emerged from a side door carrying a valise and hurrying across the lawn to fall into her husband's welcoming embrace. "Joshua, darling, I cannot believe you are alive. So many nights I imagined looking out my window to find you standing in this very spot. And now, here you are. A dream come true." After all this time, he was alive.

Truly alive.

_Not just in her dreams_.

She stood completely still, almost afraid to move, afraid the vision would disintegrate and she would be alone again. His hazel eyes sparkled and his white teeth shone in the dark night.

"Lynna, my love, you have no idea of the hell I have gone through imagining you in the hands of some madman." He held her close, vowing to never let her go. "I was so afraid that I would never see you again." His lips placed feathery kisses on her eyes, her hairline, and her rosy cheeks until he finally reached her moist, parted lips. He slanted his head over her mouth, not wanting to miss a single sensation. "I love you, Lynna. So much that I feared I would go insane without you."

Lynna moaned deep in her throat as his tongue found hers and she felt a familiar tightening in the pit of her stomach. "They told me you were dead."

Joshua pulled away and stood her at arms length. "I survived. We both did. So there is a happily ever after to our story."

Smothering him with kisses Lynna whispered his name over and over, running her hands along his face, his neck, and curling them into his silky hair to assure herself that it really was her Joshua. "Joshua, you must tell me everything. What happened? Where did you go? Why didn't you contact me? Have you met Beau?"

"Yes, my love, I have met my son. He is safe and well. I will be happy to answer all your questions later, once I have you settled safely on my ship and out of harms way." His heart swelled at the love he saw reflecting in the azure depths of her sparkling eyes. "But I thought you would never come. What took you so long?" Joshua held her face as his lips slowly lowered to hers. She melted against him, feeling the kiss rush like a lightening bolt to the tip of her toes.

"I had a few... loose ends to tie up before I could leave." She broke the kiss, glancing toward the house with an unreadable emotion in her eyes. "Now, I'm ready to spend the remainder of my life with you and our precious Beau."

Rob stepped out from behind a tree as his face split into a huge grin. "I thought I's gwine have to come in an' gitchu, Buttercup."

"Rob!" she shrieked, launching herself into his massive arms as tears of joy spilled from her eyes. "How? When? Never mind. I am so happy to see you. I've been so worried about you. Oh, Rob, I have missed you so much." Releasing him, she turned to embrace her husband again.

Joshua pulled away from her with the heat of revenge blazing in his eyes. "Wait here with Rob, Lynna. I have a few loose ends to tie up of my own."

"No!" she cried out, quickly clapping her hand over her mouth lest they be discovered. "There will be no bloodshed. Sean's grandmother is in the house and I love her dearly." She ran in front of Joshua, forcing him to turn, and he saw in her the confidence that one gained only after walking through hell, and surviving it. "You might not wish to hear this, Joshua, but Sean saved my life. I would be dead if not for him."

"You're right, my love." A vein throbbed in Joshua's temple as his jaw flexed and he raked unsteady fingers through his hair. The tension was palpable. "I don't wish to hear this now."

"Regardless, it is the truth. Let us leave the island, Joshua, I beg of you. Let us put this entire nightmare behind us and return to the ones we love."

Joshua glanced at Rob, who kept glancing warily over his shoulder. He nodded his head in agreement. With one last longing glance toward the house, Joshua made his decision to return to Trinidad at a later date and settle the score with Sean Devereux. After Lynna was back at Sea Grove with their son. "As you wish, my sweet. For now, we will return to my ship. You have suffered enough trials and tribulations for two lifetimes."

Joshua buried his face in the curve of her shoulder as he pulled her against his solid chest. He was finally able to breathe easily again for the first time since that long ago morning when he had last held her.

As palm fronds clicked overhead and leaves rustled around them in the warm tropical breeze, he took a moment to inhale deeply of her lilac scent. It was a smell he had been denied for far too long. He yearned for so much more.

Rob was towering over them with his arms crossed firmly across his chest and Joshua knew exactly what he was thinking. _Now was neither the time nor place for a reunion._ "We needs to git Buttercup to de ship were she be safe. I know dat pi'ate got mens watchin' dis place."

Scooping his wife into his arms, Joshua whispered against Lynna's hair, "Come, my love, the _Windjammer_ awaits."

The End

Keep reading for a sample

chapter of Book Two in the

C urse of the Conjure Woman Series.
 Chapter 1

Trinidad

April 1855

A flood of vivid memories and conflicting emotions overwhelmed Lynna as she stepped inside Joshua's cabin on the _Windjammer._ Her hand lovingly caressed the finely carved cherry bedpost, unleashing a wealth of passionate memories that caused her body to tingle.

Releasing a sigh, she meandered around the room touching a compass, a sextant, and a logbook. She thought back to how thrilled she had been to be leaving France and experiencing her first sea voyage, having no idea of the horrors that awaited her in the new land.

The majority of her suffering had been a welcoming gift from Suzanne Fletcher, a nightmare unto herself. Lynna had been greeted by pirates, a shipwreck, voodoo, and sickness so severe that she prayed for death to release her from the agony. Yet, far worse than all the other trials and tribulations she encountered along the way was being forced to abandon her precious son.

Gazing out the window, she strained to see the gently rolling swells of the Caribbean in the darkness. She could hear the sails being raised and snapping as they filled with wind, timbers creaking as the mighty ship was set in motion. Joshua would be at the helm steering the _Windjammer_ out to sea and far away from Trinidad.

Lynna had mixed feelings about leaving the lush island paradise that she had grown to think of as home. Why? Why did the thought that she might never return to the island cause a sharp ache in her breast? She would dearly miss Lisbeth, of course. And Sean?

What of Sean?

"I believe we's gwine make it outta heah alive," Rob announced from the doorway. A delicious aroma filled the air as he strolled across the room to place a tray on the table. "Ain't no pi'ates aftah us dat I kin see."

"That is certainly welcome news." Lynna beamed a brilliant smile for the gentle giant. "I wouldn't care to witness bloodshed on my behalf."

With his hands empty, Rob reached into his pocket and withdrew two oranges. As his lips curved into a sheepish grin, he tossed her one. "I brung 'bout a bushel of oranges, lemons, and plums from de island. I don't reckon dat pi'ate gwine miss dis lil bit of fruit."

"There are hundreds of fruit trees at Devereux Acres." Although Lynna's mind was far from the orchard, she attempted to ease his mind. "I doubt a bushel will be missed."

Rob wore a puzzled expression. For the life of him he could not understand why Lynna didn't want bloodshed. Sean Devereux had kidnapped her from her home, stealing her away from her son. Shouldn't she want to see him strung up from the nearest yardarm? Meeting her eyes, he held them without blinking. "Buttercup, you ain't gots ta answer me if'n you don't wants to rat now, but I's gots ta know sumphin'."

"What is it, Rob?" Lynna had no desire to have the discussion she knew was coming.

Rob shuffled his huge feet, scrubbing his massive hand over his bald head. "I needs ta know whut dat pi'ate done ta you. If'n he made you do anythin' agin yo' will, I wants you ta tell me." Rob's mind wandered to thoughts best left to rest in the darkest recesses of his mind. Without thinking, his hand squeezed the orange until juice ran through his fingers and dripped on the floor. "Cause if'n he did, I aims ta kill him fo' it."

Lynna held onto a table as the ship lurched, heading toward open water. When the vessel was parallel to the island she glanced toward the house on the hill, her heart fluttering upon noticing a candle flickering in an upstairs window.

Was he watching her go?

Had Sean found her note saying only that her husband was alive and they were returning home to their son?

When she felt composed enough to answer Rob's question, she turned to him with a bright smile in place. "I give you my word, Rob. Sean did not force me to do anything against my will. In fact, he was a perfect gentleman during my entire stay on the island."

"Harrumph!" Rob snorted loudly, not believing a word of it. He knew Sean Devereux, too well, and the man was no gentleman, perfect or otherwise. He couldn't figure out why Lynna felt the need to protect the filthy scum, yet it was obvious that she did. "I ain't never know' him to act like no gen'leman befo'."

"Sean, and his grandmother, were always kind and extremely generous toward me," Lynna reminded him impatiently, standing to drop the orange on Joshua's desk. Smoothing her skirt with nervous fingers, she faced the goliath with her hands on her hips. "Therefore, you mustn't concern yourself with some ridiculous notion of defending my virtue."

Far from convinced, Rob decided to let the matter rest, for now. He had plenty of time to find out the truth since making the difficult decision to leave his treasured island and return to civilization. He only prayed that he wouldn't live to regret it.

Relief washed over Lynna when Joshua edged around Rob's massive bulk and through the door, effectively ending a conversation that she never wanted to have.

"I reckon you two be wantin' to be alone," Rob snapped, irritated by the interruption. He wouldn't rest until Lynna told him the truth of what had happened at Devereux Acres. He wouldn't judge her regardless of what she said. She was an innocent victim. However, he _would_ seek revenge on her behalf.

"Whatever gave you that idea?" Joshua chuckled.

Rob cast a stern glance his way, warning Joshua that he was not in a jovial mood at the moment. "I be on deck if'n you needs me, Buttercup." Rob knew how badly Sean Devereux wanted Lynna and he would wager his life that the man hadn't left her unscathed during the months she resided under his roof.

"Thank you, Rob." Breathing a sigh of relief Lynna hurried to his side, standing on her tiptoes to reach around his neck for a hug and a loving kiss on his rough cheek. "It's so wonderful to have you back in my life. You will never know how much I missed seeing your smiling face each day."

Returning her hug, Rob stood her away from him, determined to continue their conversation the next time they had a few minutes alone. "G'night, Buttercup," he mumbled, closing the door behind him.

As the door clicked shut Joshua moved to take his exquisite wife into his arms. "Alone at last," he murmured against her lilac scented hair. "I can't count the nights I have dreamed of this moment."

As Joshua began unbuttoning his shirt Lynna couldn't resist rubbing her hands across the firm muscles of his sun-bronzed chest. She jerked her hand back when her fingers came in contact with rough, ridged skin. Slipping the shirt over his shoulder she gasped in horror when his chest was revealed. "Joshua, my God, what happened?"

Taking her hand, Joshua held it against the ugly scar. "A souvenir from Suzanne, my love."

"A... souvenir?" Lynna cringed as scalding tears filled her eyes to stream unchecked down her cheeks.

"Yes, my love. Believe that nothing else could have kept me from you and our son." He swiped at the tears shimmering on Lynna's sooty lashes. "It took months to recover from the wound to my chest."

"The wound is so close to your... heart," she whispered brokenly.

"I am a very lucky man. Come sit with me while I explain why I was unable to come home to you." He led her to the window seat, sitting down and drawing her close. "I was shot, Lynna. Thinking me dead, Suzanne had her henchmen dump my body in a ravine on the North and South Carolina border."

As Lynna's gaze met his she was left speechless by the lingering pain in his eyes.

"Fortunately for me, a young mute girl named Clara found me and she and her grandmother nursed me back to health. If Clara hadn't stumbled upon me when she did, I wouldn't be sitting here with you today. I lost a great deal of blood and was unconscious for weeks."

Lynna could only imagine the pain he suffered after taking a bullet to his chest. "If only I had known where you were. I would have come for you immediately."

"Of course you would have, but there was no way you could have known. Suzanne made sure of it. It's a miracle that I lived long enough for Clara to find me."

"Suzanne visited me almost daily after you disappeared, Joshua. She comforted me while I cried on her shoulder, always telling me how sorry she was for my loss. She assured me that she was steadfastly praying for your safe return." Lynna gazed up him, her eyes glistening with fear. "Suzanne drove me to the docks to meet Sean the night we left Charleston."

Joshua wiped a tear from her soft cheek, his hand lingering to caress her silken skin. "They were both in on the kidnapping plot."

"How do you know this?"

He winked slyly. "I was able to persuade Suzanne to confess everything."

Suddenly, a frightening thought struck Lynna, causing every ounce of blood to drain from her face. "Suzanne held Beau each time she came to Sea Grove, Joshua. What if she tries to harm our son while we are both away?"

"I personally dropped Suzanne off at the county jail. So don't lose sleep worrying about her being released for a long time to come. When your father found out Suzanne was behind both our disappearances, well, livid is putting it mildly. He vowed to see Suzanne punished for her crimes and was already corresponding with several of the best lawyers in the country when I left Sea Grove to find you."

"All Suzanne seemed to want in life was you, Joshua. Why would she try to kill you?"

"My guess is that it was a simple case of _if I can't have him nobody can._ But that is enough talk of Suzanne. I have you all to myself for at least the next eight weeks and I don't intend to waste a minute of it."

"At least?" Lynna turned to him with a puzzled countenance.

Where did he think she was going?

"I would wager that once we return home we will have the addition of a bouncing little toddler in our bed. One who will remain until you have sufficiently smothered the child with enough love to allow him to return to his own bed, which I imagine will be a few weeks."

Lynna sighed contentedly. "You know me well don't you, darling?"

Joshua kissed the tip of her nose. "I know you will be a wonderful mother to our son. I know your homecoming will make your father the happiest man alive." He placed another soft kiss on her cheekbone. "I know you are the answer to many, many heartfelt prayers. I know you love spring mornings and loathe thunderstorms." He mouth slid across her cheek to nibble on her earlobe. "I know you speak several languages fluently."

"How do you know?"

"Your father was bragging," he teased. "I know that when you are with child you eat everything that isn't nailed down."

"You are incorrigible, Joshua Jordan." She laughed, enjoying his lively banter.

"I know you are without doubt the most beautiful woman I have ever seen." Just before his lips met hers, he whispered, "I know that I love you more than life itself."

His moist mouth slid across her lips, his tongue flicking out to do a sultry dance with hers and cause her insides to quicken. His fingers slid up the back of her head, piling her hair on top as his long fingers massaged her scalp and sent delicious shivers racing along her spine. Backing her up against his desk, he pressed his full length against hers. "I know that if I don't soon make love to my gorgeous wife I will explode."

Without another word he raised her dress, making short work of removing her shoes and the bothersome undergarments that accompanied them. As his mouth once again sought hers, he lifted her to sit on the edge of the desk.

A desk that was exactly the right height.

Afterward, they held each other close, neither moving as they waited for their breathing to return to normal.

"Where were we?" Reaching behind her, Joshua unfastened the stays on her dress and lifted the cumbersome garment over her head. "While it is not my intention to sound greedy, you are mine until we dock in Charleston and I intend to enjoy every second until I am forced to share you."

Lynna leaned her head against his broad shoulder as his hands moved to caress her bare skin. "I still find it hard to believe that you are alive," she murmured softly. "I remember so vividly the morning they told me you were dead." She shook her head to dispel an avalanche of painful memories that threatened to overwhelm her. "Those days, and the sickness that followed, were a living hell worse than anything I could have ever imagined."

Joshua whispered against her silky hair, remembering his own particular form of torment. "Unfortunately, I have become well acquainted with hell on earth myself, my love. When I found out that Sean Devereux had taken you..."

"He didn't harm me in any way, Joshua." As usual, she was quick to jump to Sean's defense. "Please, don't forget that if not for Sean, I would be dead."

Joshua's hands stilled. "How can I forget when you remind me at every turn?"

"I don't mean to keep bringing him up, Joshua." She tried to pull away, yet he held her pressed against his broad chest. "It's important to me that you know the truth."

"While I realize that I should be grateful to the man, it is difficult at best, Lynna. Can't you understand?"

"Of course I do?"

"I'm not sure you do. What if I suddenly had a change of heart and decided to welcome Suzanne back into my life with open arms? How would you feel?"

Lynna stiffened at his words, the mere thought causing a cold chill to shiver along her skin. "I see your point." And she did. Nonetheless, she would be forever grateful to Sean for saving her life. "Let's change the subject and speak of this another time. For now, I only need to hear about my son."

With Beau being one of his favorite subjects Joshua was only too happy to oblige. At the same time, he knew he would be even happier if he never had to hear Sean Devereux's name fall from his wife's luscious lips again. "Beau is perfect, and being the spitting image of his father, devastatingly handsome."

"Of course, that goes without saying," Lynna teased as Joshua lifted her easily and carried her to the bed. "Was Beau taking steps when you left?"

"He hadn't gained the courage to turn loose and stand on his own two feet, yet, but he was pulling up and crawling from room to room with Clara close on his heels." Joshua joined her on the bed, pressing the length of his lean torso against hers. Every nerve ending in his body came to life as her soft supple curves slid across his hard lean torso. "You feel like my own little slice of heaven." His lips found hers in a kiss that sucked the very air from her lungs.

Lynna had another question about her son on the tip of her tongue, yet it was temporarily relocated to the back of her mind. In fact, it was difficult to form a rational thought at all when her husband filled her so completely, making her forget all else.

"I'm sorry, my love. It has been too long and your body feels too good. Next time I will see to all your needs. You have my word."

Fortunately, he always kept his word.

Thank you so much for choosing Lynna's Beau _._ I am truly honored that you chose to spend your time with a book from my collection. I hope you can read my entire series of bestselling novels about Joshua, Lynna and their families.

Lynna's Rogue

Prequel: A Journey to Remember

Lynna's Beau

Lynna's Promise

Lynna's Destiny

Jerica's Pirate

A Heartbeat in Time Series

Clara's Song

Clara's Heart

Clara's Desire

Clara's Temptation

Clara's Forever

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