Wanton Splendor

by Bobbi Smith

  "What?" Katie had no idea what he was leading up to.

  "Katie," Andre was suddenly solemn as he took her hand. "I want you to be my wife." At her stunned expression, he hurried on, "I know this may seem precipitate to you, but I've thought of nothing else since the first time we met."

  "Andre," Katie stammered, trying to find a way to refuse tactfully. "This is so unexpected... I'm honored by your proposal but..."

  "I know. You want to think about it," he finished her sentence for her, arrogantly certain that she was overcome by his offer. "There's no rush. I just wanted to let you know that my intentions are strictly honorable."

  "Sorry I'm late," Christopher gladly interrupted the intimate little scene and wondered why Andre was holding Katie's hand.

  "Fletcher," Andre's tone reflected his total dislike.

  "Hello, Christopher," Katie smiled, relieved that he'd rescued her again.

  "Our horses are ready, if you are," he told her.

  "Andre," Katie turned to him. "I'll let you know."

  Nodding curtly, he responded, "Fine. I'll speak with you later."

  As Andre stalked away, Christopher looked down at Katie, his expression questioning. "Are you all right?"

  "I'm fine."

  "When I saw him holding your hand, I wanted to kill him."

  Katie took his arm and hugged it to her, "You have nothing to worry about."

  "What did he want?"

  Looking up at him, she grinned. "I just received my second marriage proposal in two days."

  "Andre proposed?"

  "Yes, he did."

  "What did you tell him?" Christopher was mildly amused.

  "I didn't get a chance to tell him anything. You showed up."

  "Well, good. He'll find out you're mine soon enough anyway," he sounded inordinately pleased with himself.

  "You're a conceited lout," she teased.

  "You're mine, Katie, make no mistake," Christopher was suddenly fierce.

  "There is no one else I care to be with, Christopher," she told him. "But you realize there'll be no getting away from Andre on this little island, don't you?"

  "And there I had hopes of spending some time with you...alone."

  Katie laughed, seeing the humor, "With Suzanne and Andre around, we don't stand a chance."

  "Maybe we should plan on a very short engagement."

  "I agree!"

  Isaac arrived at the hotel to find that Suzanne had gone out for the evening. Not in the least disappointed, for he was dreading the upcoming confrontation, he passed the evening quietly dining with Mark, Christopher and Katie in the hotel dining room.

  "Well, Christopher, how are things going at Greenwood?" Isaac asked cordially, wanting to learn more about this young man who was so important to Katie.

  "Just fine," he answered.

  "Katie told me you went to Philadelphia last month?"

  "Yes. There were a few problems that my business agents couldn't sort out, so I had to go."

  "You have ties in Philadelphia?"

  "Not any more." He looked at Katie intimately. "Greenwood is my home now."

  Andre, who was approaching their table, was hard put not to hit Christopher when he heard his last statement.

  "Isaac," Andre greeted. "Mind if I join you?"

  "Of course not." Isaac motioned for Andre to take a chair.

  An air of tense silence hovered momentarily as Andre eyed his adversary dangerously. Then, shaking himself mentally, Andre knew that this was not the time to deal with Christopher Fletcher. He would wait until later... when he had all the necessary proof.

  "Andre has just returned from the North, too," Isaac remarked innocently.

  "Oh? Where were you?"

  "Philadelphia."

  "Really? On business?" Christopher sensed Andre's hostility.

  "Partially," Andre replied evasively. When Christopher showed no reaction, he dropped the subject. And turning to Katie, he commented, "You look lovely this evening."

  "Thank you."

  "Have you been enjoying the island?" His question was meant for Katie, but Mark answered.

  "It's beautiful. We've been having great fun on the riding trails and we even went hunting," Mark looked fondly at his sister. "Katie outshot everyone."

  Andre fought to keep the distaste he felt from showing. My God! The woman not only fought like a man... She was a marksman, too.

  Isaac chuckled, "George taught you well, didn't he?"

  "He taught me everything he taught Mark," she answered simply.

  "My brother is a very wise man."

  Andre was totally frustrated as he listened halfheartedly to their exchange. Tonight he had wanted to court Katie, but, instead, he was forced to endure Christopher Fletcher's hated presence. Andre was almost relieved when Katie announced that she was retiring for the evening.

  Christopher, too, was frustrated for with Andre in attendance, he had had no chance to ask Isaac for Katie's hand. And now that she and Isaac were both calling it a night, he knew there wouldn't be another opportunity until tomorrow. Taking Mark up on his challenge to a game of billiards, Christopher decided to bide his time in relative good humor while Andre disappeared into the bar, sulking.

  The following morning dawned dark and threatening. Katie and Mark were fascinated by the Gulf's wild beauty and spent the better part of the day watching the waves crash upon the shore and the sky grow ever more menacing.

  Suzanne, however, had witnessed Gulf storms before and she urged Isaac to make plans for them to return to the mainland. Isaac agreed that bad weather was imminent, but there were no boats available for the trip back to the coast. The water was so rough now that even the arrival of the steamer Star, which was due in that evening, was in doubt.

  Determined to have a good time in spite of the weather, the cotillion went on as planned. The partygoers, their gaiety forced, danced and drank, as they kept a nervous lookout for some sign of the Star's arrival.

  Christopher squired Katie about the room to the smooth, soothing strains of a waltz. What he had hoped would be a relaxing enjoyable evening together had become for him an exercise in self-control for Andre had been pursuing Katie relentlessly all evening. Christopher had tried to meet with Isaac alone all day to make his engagement to Katie official, but his efforts had come to no avail. So, now, he was forced to endure with pretended unconcern, Andre's obnoxious advances on Katie. Jealousy was a new emotion for Christopher and it was a struggle for him to force himself to maintain his air of indifference. Finally, drawing upon his experience as a gambler to disguise his turbulent feelings, he brought himself under control, but it still rankled him that the same man who had beaten and abused Dee could freely court Katie.

  For her part, Katie was doing an admirable job of staving off Andre's amorous attentions. Being polite but firm, she danced with him but gave him no other encouragement. Katie longed to discourage him by telling him of her betrothal to Christopher but she knew that they would have to speak with Uncle Isaac first.

  "The storm seems to be getting worse," Christopher remarked as the howling of the wind could be heard over the music.

  "I know," Katie sounded a little nervous. "Isaac said earlier that we were going home tomorrow if it doesn't look any better."

  "I thought there was no way back."

  "There will be when the Star gets here."

  "She was due at nine."

  "I know," she stated. "And it's after eleven already."

  Christopher chuckled, hoping to ease her mind, "I always wanted to be stranded on a desert island with a beautiful woman."

  "I don't think you had a few hundred other people in mind, did you?" she quipped.

  "It does cut down on intimacy," Christopher commented good-naturedly and Katie laughed.

  Andre, who was standing at the hall doors watching Katie, was having a wonderful time. He had sensed Fletcher's irritation with him and was taking every opportunity to flaunt his courtship of Katie in front of his hostile
rival.

  "You look like you're enjoying yourself," Suzanne noted the smug look of satisfaction on Andre's face.

  "I am," he told her. "Where is Isaac?"

  "With Wade Crawford, I believe. Why?"

  "Just curious.. .By the way, what is happening with you and Fletcher? You haven't been giving me much help..."

  Suzanne pierced Andre with a deadly gaze. "I'm afraid I'm out of the picture where Christopher is concerned."

  "What happened?" Andre had been counting on her help to distract Fletcher from Katie.

  "He informed me quite bluntly that he makes it a practice to never get involved with a married woman."

  Andre snorted in disbelief. "As gorgeous as you are, I find that hard to believe."

  Suzanne was surprised by his declaration. "Well, it's true. But thank you for the compliment." Changing the topic to something less embarrassing, she continued. "You seem to be making some progress with Katie."

  Andre smiled. "I am. In fact, I proposed..."

  Suzanne was incredulous. "You proposed?"

  "Yesterday. She has yet to give me her answer."

  "Are you sure that's what you want?" Andre's obsession for Katie still mystified Suzanne.

  "Since I can't get her any other way, I'll have to marry her," he answered simply.

  "A marriage lasts a very long time, Andre," she reminded him, a touch of regret in her voice.

  He glanced at her sharply.

  "What will you do when the thrill of conquering her is gone and you're left with a nagging shrew of a wife?"

  "I mean to have her any way I can."

  "But Andre..." Suzanne wanted him to see what a mistake he was making.

  "Suzanne, I've heard enough from you on this matter," Andre silenced her effectively.

  "It's your bed..."

  "I know," he smiled at her wickedly. "And I intend to be in it with Katie very soon."

  Lifting her glass, she toasted him mockingly, "If she says yes, you have my condolences..."

  Andre knew that Suzanne was trying to protect him in her own way, but her remarks still irritated him. Their friendship was a strong one, though, and would endure. It had already lasted through her marriage to Isaac and their own brief, tempestuous affair the year before. Passionate and innovative, Suzanne had been quite his match in bed and there were still times even now when he regretted the break-up of their relationship. But Suzanne had been the one to end it after she'd learned that he was keeping Dee for his pleasure at Greenwood. Andre supposed, now that he thought about it, that she had been jealous, but at the time he had been too involved with Dee to realize the choice he was making. He smiled at the thought of Suzanne being jealous and she gave him a curious look.

  "Something's funny?"

  "I was just thinking about us. You know in my own way, I still care about you."

  "Spare me, Andre," she said sarcastically.

  "All right, don't believe me," he came back. "But you are a very special woman."

  Suzanne gave him a long-suffering look, "Why don't you go dance with Katie now that you have practiced your lines on me?"

  Shrugging off her ascerbic remarks, he moved away. "If you insist. But remember what I told you..."

  Mark's night had been slow in passing. With great effort, he had eluded Suzanne all night and had spent his time drinking and dreaming of Jacqui. Christopher and Katie both had urged him to ask one of the other eligible young ladies to dance, but he was too smitten with Jacqui to even consider it. Miserably unhappy, he sat at the hotel bar nursing his drink.

  With only a glance from the bar room door, Katie could tell that he was drunk. She was anxiously considering how to get him upstairs when Christopher joined her.

  "What's wrong?" he questioned as he came to her side.

  "It's Mark," she spoke confidentially. "I have to get him upstairs to bed."

  Christopher took one look at Mark and chuckled softly. "I'll help, as long as he doesn't take a swing at me."

  Katie laughed, "He won't tonight. All he can talk about is Jacqui La Zear."

  "Love strikes again, does it?" his tone was intimate and Katie blushed.

  "Help me get him upstairs," she directed.

  Engaging Mark in light banter, Christopher encouraged him out into the hall and with Katie's help and a friendly arm around the shoulders directed him up to his room.

  The Fury

  Sunday... The day of the Lord ...A day of rest ...A day of peace and contentment... For those who were stranded on Last Island, about to face the fury of nature unleashed, there was no peace.

  There had been a small ray of hope earlier in the day when the Star had hove into sight. But all hope of rescue from their precarious situation was dashed when the buffeting winds drove the old steamer aground.

  Faced now with no possible avenue of escape, everyone waited, watching in petrified horror as the waters of the Gulf and bay rose ever higher and threatened to inundate the island.

  Christopher slept well that night. Secure in his relationship with Katie, he was looking forward to meeting with Isaac the next day. He realized, of course, that the wedding would have to wait until her father could be with them, but that didn't matter. What was important to him was publicly claiming Katie as his own, so Andre would back off.

  When Christopher woke up late Sunday morning, the storm had worsened. At the advice of the servants, he decided to close the cottage and take refuge in the more sturdy hotel. It was afternoon before the packing was completed and they began the now treacherous trek up the beach.

  The wind was savage and it whipped the sand viciously about, blinding all who dared to try to look up. Shielding their faces as best they could, they stumbled on toward the island's most protective haven. Rain lashed them in torrents and the salt spray from the now-monstrous waves stung painfully. Helping the drenched, frightened servants onto the hotel porch, Christopher fought to open the door to the lobby as the full force of the gale battered him.

  When a helping hand from inside threw the offending portal wide, he ushered his weary companions into the welcome dryness.

  "Mark!" Christopher was surprised to find that Mark was holding the door. "Thanks."

  Putting his shoulder against it, Mark pushed the door shut and turned to Christopher.

  "Are you all right?"

  "I think so," he responded, after sending the servants off to seek comfort.

  "Good." Mark was relieved. "We've been hearing reports that cottages have been blown down..."

  "I wouldn't doubt it. This is more than a storm, I'm afraid."

  "I know. The talk here is hurricane."

  "Did the Star manage to get in?" he asked, shedding his slicker.

  "Yes, for all the good it did."

  "What happened?"

  "The wind drove it aground."

  "Damn!" Christopher was furious, for he knew now that there would be no escape from the fate that awaited them.

  "Well, I'm just glad you're here. Katie's been worrying about you."

  "I've been concerned about her, too. Has anything been done?" His tone was critical.

  "Nothing that I know of..." Mark admitted.

  "Why not?" he demanded as the rising crescendo of the wind rattled the windows and shook the entire structure. "Where the hell is Katie?"

  "In the dining room," Mark began.

  Breaking into a run, Christopher went to find her, his instincts dictating that he move and move fast.

  "I'm sure we'll be safe here in the hotel," Isaac was saying. "It's been through storms before and survived."

  "I agree," Andre supported. He, too, was completely confident of their safety.

  Relaxing at the table with the Kingsfords, Andre had been enjoying the time in Katie's company without Fletcher. It was with total disgust that he looked up to see his nemesis barging across the room in their direction.

  Christopher was angry. Why weren't these people doing something? Surely there were precautions that could be taken... This w
as no ordinary storm...

  Outside, bolt after bolt of jagged lightning illuminated the green-black sky. The wind furiously battered the rising water ever higher until in one last cataclysmic surge the waves met and clashed, devouring each other in a foaming frenzy that inundated the entire island.

  Katie would remember forever the look of desperate fury on Christopher's face as he was crossing the crowded dining room to join her. She smiled serenely at him, overjoyed to find him safe, and was rising to meet him when it happened.

  Christopher had not expected it so soon. He had thought that there was time to reach Katie and formulate some plan for their safety.. .but the savage killer-storm struck first. He was caught in mid-stride as the windows were blown out and the walls were ripped apart.

  "Katie!" he yelled lunging forward in a grim final effort to reach her. Christopher would have made it to her side had not a storm-tossed timber struck him a glancing blow. Falling heavily, he lay unconscious on the flooding floor.

  "Christopher!" Katie's scream was lost in the screeching tumult of the hurricane and she was knocked down by the force of the winds. Struggling to right herself, she tried to get to Christopher, but Andre restrained her.

  "Don't be a fool, Katie. He's probably dead. Forget him and come with me," Andre tried to pull her along with him as he searched for better shelter, but she broke free.

  Dragging herself to Christopher's side, she tried to rouse him as water swirled through what had been the dining room. Trying to keep his head above the violent current, Katie held tightly onto him as the water washed them away into the lightning studded sky.

  The destruction was over in a matter of minutes as the combined strength of the wind and waves ripped every structure on the island apart and feasted on them, gaining strength from the sustenance. The terrified screams of the victims soon gave way to the groaning power of the tempest as it stripped the island of all life.

  Though the winds had died off, the rains continued all night, beating down mercilessly upon all who had managed to survive. The Star, thought to be useless before the hurricane because of her beached state, became ironically the savior of all. The captain had cut away her superstructure during the storm to keep the boat afloat and had worked tirelessly with his crew pulling aboard all who floated by borne on by the rushing waves. Dawn's first light found the steamer aground far inland, her deck crowded with survivors.