“I hope so. She was so young when she died. It’s all one big tragedy.”
Grace rose to take her plate to the sink. “Who wants blueberry dumplings?”
Lacy was glad to change the subject. She didn’t feel comfortable talking about Hilda in front of Dylan. She feared someone at the table would reveal that she was being haunted.
Grace placed the dish containing the dumplings in the center of the table with dessert saucers. She spooned a heaping portion on a saucer and handed it to Dylan. A dreamy look came over him when he bit into the flaky pastry. “I think I’ve died and gone to heaven.” He pointed his fork at Beth. “This is delicious.” He savored every bite. “Beautiful and can cook. You are a lucky man, Special Agent Josh Wilson.”
Josh stood and kissed Beth on the cheek. “Don’t I know it.” He skirted around the table stacking the dirty dishes. “Fifteen minutes then we’ll get back to work. I’ll help Beth load the dishwasher.”
“I’m going to see how much Scout has grown.” Lacy placed her dishes in the sink. “I haven’t seen him in a week. Then I’ll change and help you finish chopping the potatoes, Nina.”
“Thanks, Lacy. I’d appreciate a little help. Chopping is my least favorite chore on the farm.”
Lacy saw Scout grazing next to his mother Sugar in the pasture. She whistled and the mare and foal galloped toward her. She stroked his sleek neck. “You’ve grown little fellow.” His ears flicked as he basked in all the attention. “Someone has you spoiled rotten. If they keep it up, Nina won’t have the heart to sell you.”
“He’s beautiful.”
Lacy didn’t turn around but kept rubbing her hands over Scout. “He is isn’t he? I hope he’ll be as magnificent as Midnight.”
He stepped next to her and placed his arms on the top rung of the gate. Eyes latched on to his well-toned arms, she chewed her bottom lip. “Is that Midnight?”
Midnight and Thunder tore up the ground as they cantered in their direction. “They think they’re going to get a treat.”
“They are something to see.” Drinking in the beauty of the horses, he never said a word. When they reached them, he patted their noses.
“Do you ride?”
“No, I’ve never been on a horse.” There was that look of pain again. Her questions kept reminding him of some tragedy. The muscles around her heart clenched.
Gripping her arm, he spun her around. He was so close she could feel his breath make contact with her lips. She felt the gate against her back. His smell had her system quivering. The moment she felt his lips, she couldn’t help herself. She dug her fingers into his arms as his tongue delved into her mouth. He ran his hands down her arms in one long possessive stroke. A hot tongue of lust licked along her skin as the kiss deepened. She felt herself melt against him. He broke the kiss and peered into her eyes. Everything those eyes said were naughty. “I wish we had more than fifteen minutes.” His voice sounded shaky and nervous.
She linked her fingers around his neck and pulled him back to her mouth. She never wanted him to stop kissing her. She had no idea a kiss could cause her to tingle all over. His hands stroked up to her breasts.
In the distance she heard someone calling her name. In a desperate effort to regain control of her senses she closed her eyes. Foreheads together they held that position for a few seconds. He placed a finger under her chin. “Open your eyes, look at me.”
She did as he asked and what she saw in his eyes caused her to shiver. “You go on to the house. I need a few minutes to calm down.”
She could feel him hard and tight against her thighs. She stepped back and her eyes lingered on his crotch. Embarrassed to the core, she felt her cheeks turn red. “Do you see what you do to me, Lacy? I want you so bad I think of little else.”
Juan came around the side of the barn. “Hey, guys, it’s time to get back to work.”
Lacy ran right by Juan in her mad dash to get away from Dylan. The attraction she felt for him had escalated into something much stronger than she could handle. She was plagued by an inner struggle. Follow her desires and get hurt, or end her relationship with Dylan. One thing she knew for sure, Dylan Bauer could cause a lot of turmoil in her life.
Chapter Nine
All day Lacy had found it difficult to focus knowing Hilda’s diary was waiting for her with all her secrets and dreams to be uncovered. She clicked on the lamp, flopped onto her bed at Twelve Oaks, and flipped through the pages. Most of the first few pages were about her everyday activities which were pretty boring. Lacy wanted to get to the section where Darrell had started working at Twelve Oaks and their romance. Since they had both gone missing June 12, 1912, she decided to start with May. She skimmed through four entries before she found what she was looking for.
May 5, 1912
Today when I took my morning ride on Breeze I headed toward the south field to watch father’s men tend the crops. Last year Darrell Talbert had worked at Twelve Oaks during his summer break from college. I’ve known Darrell since he pulled my pigtails when we were children. Never once had I thought of him as anything more than a friend until I saw him standing in the sun chopping the grass from the tobacco plants. Even in his old dirty overalls he cut quite a dashing figure. Tall with arms as big as stumps, I could admire him all day. He left the other workers and stepped out onto the dirt road. He peered up at me with those dark eyes and I felt a strong attraction. He took off his hat and bent at the waist with a flourish as if he was a prince and I a beautiful princess.
“Good day, Miss Reynolds.” A smile that matched the sun spread across his handsome face and I was smitten.
“Good day, Mr. Talbert.”
“May I say you look right pretty this morning?” He raked his hand across Breeze’s neck. “Fine looking horse.”
“Thank you.”
I knew from the beginning we could be no more than friends. Yet, I couldn’t seem to help myself. He was forbidden fruit.
Lacy closed Hilda’s diary and held it to her chest. It reminded her of how she felt about Dylan. The allure was there but she knew they could never be more than friends.
Suddenly, Hilda was sitting on the bed. When she was a child and Hilda would appear, it would frighten her to the point of covering her head with the sheet. Now she was accustomed to her appearances and only caused a slight elevation in her heartbeat.
She reached out her pale white hand and brushed them against Lacy’s cheek. She felt nothing.
“What happened to you, Hilda?”
The sad smile on her face tore at Lacy’s heartstrings. She had to find out what happened to Hilda. Was it an accident or was she and Darrell murdered? Was it possible Darrell killed her and disappeared so he wouldn’t be prosecuted? So many questions plagued her.
“I want to help you but I don’t know how.”
As suddenly as she appeared, she vanished.
Lacy opened the diary and turned the page to read the next entry.
May 6, 1912
Today I was rubbing down Breeze when Darrell entered the barn. He stood there in silence boldly watching me for seconds before he spoke. He straightened his shoulders to his full height, tugged the end of his hat, and replied in his deep sensual voice, “Miss Reynolds.”
“You can call me Hilda. We’ve been neighbors for years.” I don’t understand the reaction of my body. I feel tingling in places I can’t even name. His eyes never waver and I feel my cheeks turn pink from his bold scrutiny.
“I guess I’d better get back to work.” He grabbed a hoe from the far wall and turned to leave.
“Would you like to see Miss M’s kittens?”
He hesitated before he turned and looked at me. “I guess I have time.”
I climbed the rungs to the loft and waited for him to reach the top. My heart fluttered when he took my hand. I whispered, “They are over here.”
Hand and hand we walked to the far side of the loft. I leaned over and grabbed a tabby black and orange colored kitty. I placed it against my
chest and cuddled the fur ball before handing it to Darrell. It looked so small in his huge hands.
The kitten began to meow loudly. He nestled the kitten in his arms and stroked her neck. “It’s okay, kitty.”
“His name is Calico.” I fumbled around in the hay and found the second kitten which is a little more active than Calico. “This is Fluffy.”
The gorgeous orange kitten hissed at him when he reached out to take her. “Feisty little thing aren’t you?”
For ten minutes we sat in that hot, stuffy loft playing with Calico and Fluffy before he said he had to get back to work. He stood and offered his hand. Pulling me to my feet, he leaned over and pressed his lips against mine. I had never been kissed before and I have to admit it was a very pleasant experience. I wrapped my arms around his neck and pressed my body against him.
****
A heavy mist covered the ground and swirled around Lacy. It was so hot she could hardly breathe. She placed her hand to her throat and took deep breaths. In the distance she could see Hilda on a black horse racing toward the waterfall. Her raven hair was blowing in the wind as the horse galloped faster and faster. She looked happy and beautiful. She pulled back on the reins and Breeze stopped. Hilda dismounted and ran right into the arms of Darrell. He lifted her off the ground and swung her around. Her giggles could be heard over the roar of the falls.
They fell to the ground in a tangle of arms and legs. Darrell devoured her mouth. Rough, impatient hands tore at her clothes.
“Lacy.” Someone was shaking her. She sat up in bed struggling to catch her breath. It was hot and stuffy in the room and she couldn’t breathe. Nina shook her shoulders. “Lacy, what’s wrong.”
Lacy kicked out of the covers. Licking her dry lips, she swallowed. Her stomach pitched and her hands trembled. Covering her face with her hands she tried to calm down. The dream was so real it was as if she was actually at the falls in 1912. She heard every whisper, every declaration of love spoken between Darrell and Hilda. Could feel the love they felt for each other. A love that died at the falls. “I had a dream.”
“It must have been a terrible nightmare. Let me guess.” Nina picked up the diary still open to the last page she had been reading before she fell asleep. “It was about Hilda.”
Lacy dropped her hands and looked at her sister. “Yes, she was with Darrell Talbert at the falls. They were kissing. Something terrible was about to happen.”
“How do you know?”
Lacy ran her fingers through her damp hair. She was wet with sweat. “Have you ever watched a suspenseful movie and the music got more dramatic right before the climax?” Nina shook her head. “Well that was how I felt during the dream. Music was playing in my head and it was intense and loud. I think I was about to witness what happened to them before you woke me. It must have been the day they died. It was like the dream I had when I fell into the waterfall.”
“I’m sorry I interrupted your dream but I was worried about you.” She brushed her fingers over Lacy’s cheeks. She felt the calluses on Nina’s hand and worried her sister worked too hard. Grant was always trying to get her to take a few days off and rest but she wouldn’t relent. Not only did she make vet calls out to the farms, but she also worked in the fields. The work seemed to agree with Nina. She looked radiant.
“It is eight o’clock and you said you needed to get back to campus early.” She handed Lacy the diary. “Have you found out anything helpful from Hilda’s diary?”
“No, only about how the romance started.”
The sun was shining through her window. “I need to get going.” She threw her legs over the edge of the bed and stood. Stretching, she bent over and touched her toes to get out the kinks from a night of tossing and turning. If it wasn’t Bret keeping her awake at night, it was Hilda. A good night’s sleep was something she hadn’t had in a long time.
“Are you going to church?”
“I wouldn’t miss it.” Nina rose off the bed and clamped her hands on Lacy’s shoulders. “Stay a few more hours and go to church with us. Our family has gotten so big we can fill up two whole benches.”
Maybe she should stay. She had missed a couple of Sundays and felt guilty when she didn’t go to church. “You talked me into it. I’d love to stay until after church and then I have to get back to campus.”
Nina’s eyes lit up. “I’ll tell Maria you’re staying for breakfast.”
****
Standing outside Lacy’s dorm, Dylan couldn’t get her out of his head. Two days ago he had been all over her like some pimply teenager with raging hormones he couldn’t control. What was wrong with him? Lacy was demure, sweet and kind, the total opposite of the type of woman he found attractive. Dylan knew women. Women that wore skirts up to their asses, shirts that left little to the imagination, and liked sex without any strings attached. He liked them spirited with lots of mean mouth.
Lacy was all wrong. But then why couldn’t he get her off his mind. For several nights he couldn’t sleep because all he could do was fantasize about making love to her. Not stormy and rough, but slow and easy.
His phone alerted him that he had a message. It was from Tommy. He looked at the text and his mouth fell open in shock when a picture of Lacy dressed in a black and red teddy appeared on his phone screen. Wearing spiked heels, black fish net hose, she held a very provocative pose. Immediately, he knew it wasn’t her body. Someone had photo shopped her face onto someone else’s body. Without a doubt Robertson had something to do with the picture.
At the bottom of the message Tommy had texted, “Have you seen this?”
Dylan texted back. “No, who sent it to you?”
“Malory.”
Dylan wondered just how many other people had been sent the text. Robertson was trying to discredit Lacy. He checked his watch and realized she should be arriving at her dorm any minute. Her last class ended fifteen minutes ago. He took off at a run following the path she would use to walk home. In the distance he saw her walking toward him. It was obvious by her long strides she was upset.
He slowed as she neared. She stopped directly in front of him and snapped, “Look!” Lacy handed him an 8 x 10 glossy of the same photo Tommy sent him. “Someone left this on my desk. I went to the bathroom and this is what I found when I came back.” She rummaged through her purse and plucked out a single, wilted, pale white rose. “The rose was also on my desk. Over a week ago Bret sent me a dozen white roses just like this one.” Tears streamed over her cheeks. “I can’t take much more of this, Dylan.” Panic began to block her air and she fought to breathe.
“Why didn’t you tell me about the incident with the roses?”
“Why should I?” She threw the rose on the sidewalk and stomped it under her sandaled foot. “I don’t have any proof Bret sent the roses. There was no card. None of the flower shops around campus had delivered white roses. Bret is smart and wouldn’t do something stupid.”
Dylan wondered how many other photos had been distributed around the college campus. People stopped on the sidewalk and looked at them curiously. He gave them a hard look sending them scrambling before he wrapped his arms around her and gave her an awkward hug. “We can prove the picture is photo shopped, Lacy. Anyone who knows you will understand you would never pose almost nude.”
“There’s a problem with your logic. Not many people know me. I’m already unpopular because most students and professors admire Bret because he’s the captain of the basketball team. This is only going to make the situation worse.”
“Calm down, Lacy. I’ll take the picture to the lab. They can identify who is responsible.” He was making promises he didn’t know he could keep. It would be difficult to find evidence pointing to the person who photo shopped Lacy’s face onto the body. At the moment he’d tell her anything to keep her from becoming hysterical.
“It doesn’t matter. It can still damage my reputation.” She grabbed the photo out of his hand and shook it and him. “I could get kicked out of school if the chance
llor believes I posed for this scandalous picture. I can’t lose my scholarship. The fallout from this could crucify me.”
“Nonsense, you’re overreacting. I promise to take care of this. I’ll find out who is behind the distribution of the pictures.”
Dark miserable eyes stared back at him. At least she had stopped crying. Anger was better than feeling sorry for herself. “I hate I ever went to that damn party. I hate I ever trusted Bret Robertson. The son-of-a-bitch has done nothing but ruin my life.”
“Your life is not ruined. All this can be fixed.” He leaned down until their faces were level. “Let’s go to your dorm room and I’ll make a few phone calls. Robertson is not going to get away with this.” He slipped the strap of her backpack off her shoulder. With his free hand he gripped her elbow and tugged her toward the entrance of her dorm.
She pulled away and dug in her heels. “What did he hope to gain by doing this? What is the purpose?” She wiped her damp palms on her skirt, then continued toward her building shaking her head in disbelief.
“He’s trying to discredit you. He thinks if people believe you are promiscuous, they’ll also believe you took the ecstasy of your own free will.”
“Maybe someone else is responsible for the pictures. He is very popular.” She let out a shuddering breath. Tears glistened against her long dark eyelashes as once again she stopped and peered up at him. At this rate he’d never get her inside the building and away from curious stares. He didn’t want people to overhear their conversation. “Just maybe one of his friends photo shopped my face.”
“I’m putting my money on Bret. He’s sweating bullets about now. The evidence is stacking up against him. This proves he is worried about losing his freedom. Even his high profile lawyers can’t save him.” Bret’s lawyer, Matthew Davis was one of the top defense lawyers in North Carolina. Never had he lost a case. He had a knack of persuading the jury to show compassion no matter what crime his client had committed.
Seconds passed as she stood there contemplating his words. He could still see the doubt on her face. She worried Robertson wouldn’t pay for what he did to her. It was a possibility since sometimes the rules didn’t apply to the rich and powerful. Robertson’s father had a lot of influence. The college didn’t want to push the fact Bret had attempted to rape Lacy because his father was one of their main contributors. After a little checking, Dylan discovered he gave millions to the college every year. It was doubtful they would take Lacy’s side when she had a free ride. Besides, they were still cautious after the Duke Lacrosse team controversy. They didn’t want a repeat of all the negative publicity.
Secrets of the Falls (Twelve Oaks Farm Book 3) Page 12
