“Ooo, I’m just shaking, Harry, you scare me so much,” Annette said sarcastically. She had followed after him, throwing her purse down on the couch, looking at the pizza box, the wineglasses. “What’s this, Harrison? Leftovers from your celebratory dinner after humiliating my father yesterday? The scene of the great seduction? Both?”
“I think we’re done here, Annette,” Harrison said, knowing he wasn’t above grabbing her by the elbow and physically throwing her out. He didn’t want Savannah to know she was here. He didn’t want Savannah subjected to Annette’s vicious tongue, her insulting remarks.
“I’m not going anywhere until I see my sister,” Annette said, sitting herself down on the couch, crossing her legs and looking very much like a woman who would not be moved. “I need to warn her about you. Because you’re using her, aren’t you, Harrison? You used her to find out about Daddy’s business, and you hid her away from us so that we couldn’t talk to her, explain things to her.”
“Oh, I think you explained things to her really well, both of you,” Harrison said, flipping the lid of the pizza box closed, then picking up the box and heading for the kitchen. “By the way, it was your left eye, wasn’t it? I can still see the bruising.”
He actually smiled as one of the wineglasses hit the doorjamb as he walked through to the kitchen. He’d put the dried-out pizza down the disposal, and if Annette wasn’t gone by the time he got back to the study, he might put her down the disposal as well. At least figuratively.
But when he returned to the study, it was to see Annette standing in front of the mirror over the fireplace. The blue velvet box, that had been hidden by the lid of the pizza box, was open on the table, and the Colton sapphires were around Annette’s neck.
Worse, Savannah was standing just inside the doorway from the hall, looking at her sister, her face so pale, Harrison feared she might faint. He went to her, put his arm around her waist and drew her close. “It’s all right, Savannah. I’ve called the exterminators. She’ll be gone shortly.”
“Well, well, the gang’s all here,” Annette said, turning to glare at both of them. “Oh, and I heard that, Harrison, and you are not funny. Besides,” she said, touching a hand to the choker, “I think I just might have gotten lucky. These aren’t real, are they, Harrison? You’ve given Savannah paste jewels, seduced her with fakes. Why, that’s almost hilarious. It certainly has made my day.”
Harrison looked at Annette, a woman whose violet eyes should be eminently flattered by the sapphire-and-diamond necklace. Instead, the center sapphires, always so brilliant as they sat against the satin inside the velvet box, looked dull, almost black. Annette’s complexion, such a creamy white, looked muddy, and the makeup over the fading bruise around her left eye had a greenish cast to it, so that it looked as if she’d put on her makeup in the dark, and misjudged badly.
Annette undid the clasp of the choker, picked up her purse, then dropped the necklace into Harrison’s hand—discarded it like garbage—before stopping in front of Savannah. “He was mine first, you know,” she said.
“He was never yours, Annette,” Savannah told her quietly, her voice calm. “People don’t belong to each other, and they aren’t beholden to each other. They don’t owe each other anything. What we get from each other is equal to what we give to them. Harry’s given me his love, and I’ve given him mine. Freely, without strings, without hoping to gain anything in the exchange. And, Annette? I feel sorry for you, because you just don’t get it, do you? And you never will.”
Harrison cocked his head to one side, one eyebrow lifted, as Annette Hamilton, her always-a-lady veneer cracking, snorted her disdain and left the house, her high heels clicking angrily on the parquet floor.
Savannah took a deep breath, let it out slowly, then reached up and kissed Harrison square on the mouth. “Well, that was interesting. Shall we go now?” she asked, her blue eyes sparkling, not with tears, but with love.
“Soon, but not yet,” Harrison said, holding up the necklace. Sunlight streaming in the wall of windows behind him caught at the stones, so that they reflected the light, guttered, winked. “I want you to try this on.”
She backed away, suddenly frightened. “Oh, no, Harry. Not me. Not that thing! That thing is scary.”
“The stones looked terrible on her, didn’t they?” Harrison said, taking a step closer to Savannah as she backed up another step. “Hell, she looked terrible wearing the stones. Interesting, don’t you think? Not that I believe that old legend. Do you believe that old legend, Savannah?”
“Harry, we’re going to miss our plane,” Savannah persisted, still looking at the necklace he dangled in front of her.
“You’re afraid, Savannah,” he said, grinning at her. “You’re afraid of these stones.”
She wet her lips. Looked at the necklace. Looked at Harrison. Looked at the necklace again. “I—I’ve come downstairs a few times, after you went to bed, and looked at it. But I’d never try it on.” Her gaze shifted to Harrison once more. “Harry, what if it looks horrible on me, the way it did on Annette? What would we do then?”
Harrison shrugged. “Take it out back and bury it under the rosebushes?’’ he suggested, taking hold of both ends of the necklace and advancing on Savannah once more. “But you know what, darling? I think I believe in the story behind this thing now. I never did before, but I do now. And I’ll bet you this necklace is going to be proud to be put around your neck.”
“You’d be betting an awful lot, Harry,” Savannah warned him, then let her shoulders slump. “Oh, all right. God knows I’ve done enough wondering about the thing.” She turned her back to him and lifted her hair so that he could fasten the choker around her throat.
Harrison hesitated for just a second, wondering if he’d made a mistake, because Savannah definitely seemed to believe in the old story attached to this string of jewels. But then he slid the necklace around her neck, shut the clasp and, with his hands on her shoulders, walked behind her to the fireplace. To the mirror over the fireplace.
Savannah had her eyes closed, he could see in the mirror, and he smiled at the way she had her bottom lip caught between her teeth as she hunted inside herself for the courage to open her eyes.
“Beautiful,” Harrison said, squeezing her shoulders. “Absolutely beautiful.”
Savannah half turned her head toward him, her eyes still closed, then opened them, peeked toward the mirror out of the corners of her eyes.
She saw what Harrison saw. She saw the two of them, reflected in the mirror. She saw his hands resting lightly on her shoulders. She saw the love in his eyes, Harrison was sure, because his reflection amazed even him.
But, even more than that, she had to see sapphires such a deep, clear blue that they nearly leapt with light and color.
She had to see how beautiful she looked, even more beautiful than the necklace that had waited so long to shine this way again.
“I love you, Savannah soon-to-be Colton,” Harrison said, turning her in his arms, drawing her close to him. “I didn’t need that necklace to tell me I’m holding the right bride in my arms, or that I’m the happiest man in the world.”
“But it doesn’t hurt, does it?” Savannah said on a laugh, sliding her arms up and around his neck, drawing him down to her. “Oh, Harry, how I love you.”
Fortunately, there was another, later plane heading to Reno. Lorraine Nealy made the reservations for them, which was pretty hard to do, as she was fairly well occupied patting herself on the back.
COLTON’S BRIDE
by Ruth Langan
To lovers everywhere. And to Tom, who knows why.
Prologue
London, England, 1750
“Katherine.” William Colton paused in the doorway of the formal parlor of the Mansfield manor house and stared in annoyance at the array of guests. So many people, including his own family, already assembled.
“William.” Seeing her proud, handsome husband-to-be, Katherine Mansfield handed her crystal goblet to
a maid and walked slowly across the room.
She heard the murmurs of approval from the guests as she moved among them, aware of the pretty picture she made. Hadn’t she and her mother spent endless hours choosing the perfect gown? It had taken two of their most skilled ladies’ maids to coif her hair into the upswept nest of curls that best showed off her lovely face.
She paused in front of William and offered her hands to be lifted to his lips, knowing she was the envy of every woman in the room. And why not? He was not only the first son of the earl of Redbridge, but a dashing, arrogant rogue, who’d cut a wide swath through the eligible women of London.
After kissing her fingers, he continued holding her hands in his. “I’d hoped we would be alone, Katherine.”
“Why, you naughty thing.” Her mouth curved in a smile. “After we speak our vows on the morrow, you can have me all to yourself for a lifetime. But your family and mine wanted to be here to help us celebrate this joyous occasion. After all, it isn’t every woman who is given the honor of marrying the son of an earl.”
She touched a hand to his chest. Anyone watching would suppose she was placing her hand over his heart. In truth, she could feel the slight bulge of the velvet pouch in which rested the famous Colton sapphires. Her heartbeat sped up. “I can’t wait to have everyone see me wearing the necklace, William.”
It was, he realized, all he had to give her. That and a title, which the Mansfield family coveted. Though the Mansfields had wealth beyond belief, they were commoners. And in their circle of friends, wealth was never enough. In truth, their union would benefit his family as well, since the Coltons were desperately in need of an infusion of gold. Thankfully, Katherine’s father could provide all they desired.
William could see their parents and guests watching and listening and felt a twinge of annoyance. This wasn’t going at all as he’d planned. He’d hoped that this, the eve of their wedding, would afford them a private and exceedingly tender moment in which to present the Colton sapphires.
On an impulse he caught Katherine’s hand and led her across the room. With every step he heard the whispered speculations about the jewels.
After stepping onto a balcony, he paused to draw the draperies closed behind them.
Katherine’s lips were pursed in a pout. “I did so want everyone to see you present me with your family jewels.”
“As you said, my darling, they’ll have a lifetime to admire them. But this is such a special time for us.” At least he was trying to make it so.
They both knew this was no love match. But at least they didn’t repel each other. There was mutual respect And in time, he hoped, friendship might even blossom into love. He’d been raised to understand the importance of duty to family and country. It had never occurred to him to refuse to accept his obligation.
He led her toward the balcony railing and tipped up her face to the moon-washed sky.
But instead of the kiss he’d anticipated, she lay a hand on his chest. “Hurry, William. I can’t wait another minute to see the Colton sapphires.”
He swallowed his annoyance and reached into his breast pocket, removing the dark velvet cloth.
“I’m sure you’ve heard of the history of these sapphires and diamonds, Katherine. They were given to the first earl of Redbridge by Queen Elizabeth, and have been worn by every Colton bride since. But they’re much more than mere jewels. This necklace is said to be enchanted. We believe it is endowed with special powers.”
“So I’ve been told. I can’t wait to see for myself.”
Curious, Katherine watched as he carefully unrolled the cloth and held the treasure in his hands. The necklace of glittering sapphires and diamonds shone brighter than the stars.
“William. They’re absolutely stunning.” Katherine’s voice held a note of reverence in the hushed silence as she lifted a finger to stroke the jewels. “Oh, I can’t wait to show the others.” She turned away and lowered her head slightly, giving him access to her neck.
William obligingly draped the necklace around her and bent to the clasp.
“Hurry, William.”
He frowned as the clasp refused to close.
She tapped a foot. “What’s wrong? Is it too dark out here? Oh, I knew we should have done this inside, with the others watching.” Holding the chain to her throat, she turned.
William stared in stunned surprise at the jewels. Minutes ago they’d been dazzling in the moonlight. Now, resting against her skin, they looked dim and murky, as though they’d lost all their luster.
“What is it, William?” She bent her head to the jewels, and then tilted it upward to see his scowling face. “Whatever is wrong with you?”
He shook his head and lifted the necklace away from her skin. At once the stones seemed to pulse and gleam like fire, mocking him.
“It’s...the clasp. It must be loose.” He closed the clasp, then opened it again. It worked perfectly.
Refusing to believe what he’d just seen, he again placed the necklace around her throat, this time keeping her turned toward him, so that he could see the stones.
Almost at once their luster faded, the stones growing dark, almost muddy against her skin. And the clasp, which moments earlier had closed easily, now refused to be fastened.
A feeling of dread snaked along William’s spine. It was true. He hadn’t imagined what was happening here.
Seeing him hesitate, Katherine put a hand to her throat, but the necklace, like something alive, slipped through her fingers and would have dropped at her feet had William not caught it just in time.
His hands shook as he felt the stones, alive and pulsing, against his palm.
“What are you doing, William?” Katherine frowned as he began hurriedly rolling the jewels into the length of velvet.
‘‘It would seem that we were both about to make a dreadful mistake.” He tucked the parcel in his breast pocket and reached for her hand. “I know you can’t understand completely, Katherine, and I most humbly apologize for that. But the Colton sapphires have never been wrong. The very fact that the colors of the stones keep changing and growing murky is a clear sign that we were about to do something that would have made us both miserably unhappy for a lifetime.”
She snatched her hand away and took a step back. “What are you saying?”
“I’m saying that we can’t be wed on the morrow.”
“Because of a necklace? You’d risk the wrath of both our fathers, and the scorn of our friends, because of a necklace?” Her eyes narrowed with sudden fury when she saw the determined look on his face. “You can’t be serious, William. If you persist in this childish behavior, I’ll be humiliated in front of all London.”
“The jewels—”
“Are stones. No more—no less.” Her voice lifted to near hysteria. “They aren’t magic. They don’t possess special powers. You’re using this as an excuse.”
William shook his head. “Try to understand, Katherine.”
“I understand this. You need me more than I need you, William. If you walk away now, I may not acquire a title, but you’ll have even less. My father will see to that. I’ll not suffer alone in this humiliation.”
“I realize the consequences of my actions, Katherine. And I beg your forgiveness.” His eyes narrowed with fierce determination. “But the stones are never wrong. I cannot in good conscience go through with this.”
“Nay! You will not do this to me!” She tore open the drapes to the balcony and fled weeping into the parlor.
Seeing her tears, the crowd fell silent while Katherine’s mother tried to console her. “Whatever has happened, Katherine dear? Tell your father and me. I’m sure we can help.”
“You and Father can’t make this right No one can. William Colton, that wicked, wicked fiend, has broken our engagement on the eve of our wedding. And all because of his...hated necklace.” She fell into a fit of tears and nearly collapsed before being helped from the room by several of the servants.
In the stunned
silence that followed the pronouncement, William was left to face the fury of two very angry and bewildered families.
“A man who would have such a fool for a son,” Henry Mansfield shouted, “must surely be a fool himself.” His eyes were hot with fury as he jabbed a finger in the chest of the earl of Redbridge. ‘‘Your son did not deserve my daughter. Nor do you deserve my friendship. From this day forward, you are unwelcome in my home, and in my circle of friends. I shall live to see you and your progeny destroyed, as you have destroyed my only child.” He turned away to support his weeping, trembling wife.
The old earl was beyond fury. He had never before had to suffer such a public humiliation. He shot one glance at the silent, stunned guests before catching his wife’s arm and starting toward the door, where a servant stood holding his traveling cloak.
On the threshold he turned to face his son. In front of the entire assembly he shouted, “Mark my words, William. You have disgraced our good name. You are no longer my son, nor will you inherit my title and estates. All will pass instead to your younger brother. What’s more, be warned. If I should see you on the street, I will not acknowledge you. You are dead to me. Dead. Is that understood?”
William saw the tears glistening in his mother’s eyes and wished for some way to comfort her. But a line had been crossed. He understood that, with this single act of defiance, he had lost everything that had ever mattered to him. Home. Family. Friends. As well as the title and way of life that had been passed from father to son for hundreds of years. All those who had once loved him would remain not only unforgiving, but also determined to see that he pay for having brought disgrace upon the family name.
And all because he knew in his heart that the sapphire necklace, so long a source of pride to his ancestors, had been warning him. He and Katherine Mansfield would have brought each other only heartache. And now, because of it, he would have to face a different sort of heartache. One that would strip him of pride, of privilege, of dignity and honor.
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