"Please, Mr. Carrington," China said quietly, "I know you will not believe this, but I am pleased that you are here."
"I find that hard to believe. The last time I crossed the path of Marc Garrison, two of his men tossed me in the river, after they knocked me senseless. Now you tell me you're pleased I'm here."
China knew why Seth was angry, but she was beginning to be annoyed.
"Mr. Carrington, Travis Sherman was responsible for the attempt on your life. Now, if you will be so kind as to allow me to explain, I can answer many of your questions. Time is of the essence if you're going to find Marc and Catalina."
"All right," Seth finally agreed, and Charles smiled at China's sudden exhibition of authority.
When Seth and Charles sat, China began to speak rapidly and precisely. She watched Seth's face pale, saw his jaw twitch and his fury grow.
"So you see I speak the truth when I say I don't know where either of them are."
Seth wanted to believe her, but he had run into too much deception. He had to find Marc Garrison. He stood up.
"What are you going to do?" China asked.
"I'm going to be hot on Marc's trail. I'm going to see McNally too. I'll catch both of them sooner or later."
He had started for the door, Charles behind him, when China spoke again.
"Seth?"
"What?" Impatiently, Seth turned to look at her.
"I can understand how you must feel, but..."
"But?"
"Give Marc a chance to explain, to tell you the truth, and at least try to understand. He doesn't want Catalina hurt." Her voice was gentle, and Seth gazed at her, his eyes narrowed and his brows drawn together in a frown. For a minute their eyes remained locked.
"China, what is between my sister and Marc?"
"Marc is in love with her," China replied honestly.
"And Cat?"
"I firmly believe she loves him, too."
"I suppose this is a long story?"
"And complicated."
"I think I'd like to hear this story from Marc himself. I'll have to find Cat and ask her, too."
"I know. I just want to make sure you don't shoot first and ask questions later."
"I'm not a blood-hungry fool. I just want Catalina out of this mess, and I want her to know I'm all right After all, I am the one responsible for all this."
China just nodded, hoping she could believe Seth, for she had read more in his eyes than he had voiced.
Seth and Charles left and quickly made their way toward the tavern owned by Ned McNally.
Upon entering it, both men were appalled by the atmosphere. Each silently hoped Cat had not been brought to a place like this.
They went over to the bar, and Henry approached to serve them.
"What'll you gents be haven'?"
"Some information."
"What?"
"We're looking for a man. He must have been here not long ago. Marc Garrison. He was looking for McNally."
"Yeah, there was a man here lookin' for Ned."
"Well, where is he? Did he talk to McNally? Where did he go?"
"Them's expensive questions, friend." Henry chuckled humorlessly.
Seth was about to argue that point with his pistol, but Charles placed a restraining hand on his arm. When Seth turned to him, Charles was looking at Henry.
"I believe these will cover our expenses," he said quietly, as he placed a few gold coins on the bar.
"Yeah, it just might," Henry replied. He reached out deftly, and the coins disappeared into his pocket. "The man you're lookin' for is still in the back room with Ned. He got here just before you."
Seth nodded and strode to the back. Outside the door, they paused to listen and heard the last of Marc's cold and angry exchange with Ned.
Seth burst into the room, gun in hand, just as Marc reached the door. Seth was the last person Marc had expected to see, and it took him a moment to regain his equilibrium. He looked at the pistol directed at him as if he were annoyed. "I don't have time for this. If you plan to shoot you'd best do it quickly because I'm leaving."
Seth stared at Marc blankly for a minute, astounded by his small regard for the pistol... and by the way he looked.
"I could kill you for what you've done," Seth finally grated out. "Where's Catf"
"You'd better make your choice quickly," Marc responded. "I don't have time to explain everything that's happened. I've got a good lead on where Cat is, and I'm going after her. If you want to try to stop me, you'd best do it now."
"I'm going with you," Seth replied, still not able to believe everything Marc had said. "If you're pulling a fast one this time, you won't get away with it."
Marc snorted in angry disgust. His nerves and his temper were entirely too frayed to allow him to be tolerant. With total disregard for the danger to himself, he reached out, wrenched the pistol from Seth's grip, and tossed it aside.
"Come along if you want to, but don't get in my way. Cat's life depends on me, and I'm in no mood to play games with you."
Marc pushed past Seth and Charles. Then Seth quickly picked up his pistol and he and Charles headed after Marc. They were both shocked by Marc's behavior, but Charles knew that both of them couldn't stop him.
Outside the tavern, Marc gave orders to his two men in a crisp commanding voice.
"I'm going to Lorelei's first. Go back to the boat and get more men—at least a dozen—and take them there as fast as you can. And you might as well bring China because she'll come anyway. We're going to give Simon Gere and Travis Sherman the surprise of their lives."
The men left with dispatch. Then Marc motioned to Seth and Charles to follow him as he sought a carriage to take them to upper Natchez. It would be daybreak before his men could get to Lorelei's. If Travis and Catalina were in the Gere mansion, he must try to control his murderous intent, for there would be plenty of men protecting it. Later he would strike swiftly— and with all the strength he had.
He sighed and closed his eyes, but Seth's voice broke into his thoughts.
"Now that you've got everything planned, would you mind telling me what the hell has been going on since I was tossed into the river. And where the hell is Cat?"
Marc smiled. Seth's patience was at an end, and he could understand it.
"Sit back and relax, Seth. I've a long, long story to tell you."
❧
Jacob leapt from the balcony, with Shawna in his arms. He took the shock of the fall, but Shawna was knocked from his arms as they landed.
She rose shakily to her feet, and Jacob tried to do the same. But as he pressed his hand on the ground for support, pain struck and he realized that his shoulder and arm were wet with blood.
He got up, using his good arm, and staggered to Shawna. Grabbing her hand, he began to run. He could already hear the shouts and running feet, and he knew pursuit was not far behind.
When Shawna whimpered, Jacob knew he would not move very fast that way so he snatched her up in his arms and put all his strength into running toward the trees. Once in their cover, he slowed to listen. Between each mansion was a dark area with bushes and bare spots. As Jacob looked around he figured that if he could just lose his pursuers he would have a chance to escape.
But where could he escape to?
"Jacob," Shawna cried softly, "I want to go home. I don't like this game anymore. I want to go home. Where's Marc, Jacob? You said you'd take me to Marc."
"Shh now, Miz Shawna, please," Jacob begged softly. "They ain't no mo' games, Miz Shawna. Yo jus come long wif me. Ah'm sho' gwine ta do what ah said ah'd do. Yo just be good fo' a li'l while longer and ah'll tak' yo home."
But he knew Shawna had neither the emotional nor the physical strength to reach the boat. It was a long way off even by carriage. And the way he was bleeding from what he had discovered was a shoulder wound, he wasn't too certain he could make it either. If he didn't, Shawna certainly wouldn't.
Then Jacob expelled a ragged sigh as a thought broke t
hrough his fear. Lorelei! Lorelei! Marc's sister. What safer place would there be to take Shawna than to Marc's home. That was far from them too, but not nearly as far as the boat.
Not hearing anyone follow, he was reasonably sure they had tried to second-guess him and had gone on ahead to prevent him from getting to the Belle. Maybe they had gone to Marc's home to prevent him from getting there as well. But he had to try, if not for his own sake, at least for Shawna's, for she was an innocent creature caught in something she had no way of understanding.
Jacob moved as fast as he could, but he couldn't lie to himself, he was weakening. He felt as though his feet were becoming heavier and heavier, and his breathing was becoming labored. Still he moved on and on and on, very deliberately taking one step after another. One more, his mind urged, one more.
He lost all sense of what surrounded him and struggled only with two thoughts, he must reach Lorelei and he must stay out of sight
By the time Jacob struggled up the drive to Marc's house he was beyond total awareness. He simply saw the lights of the house and moved toward them.
❧
Lorelei had not been able to sleep. She was too worried about her brother. She did not know everything about his situation, but she had faith in Marc.
It is true, she assured herself. I saw love in his eyes when he looked at Catalina.
She hoped that the terrible dark thing in Marc would be killed by Catalina's love, that he would be able to let go of his need for revenge and would reach for something that would give him peace.
Lorelei, too, had suspected that her father's death was not due to suicide. Although it couldn't be proven, neither she nor Marc believed he had killed himself. They had known their father too well to believe it.
It was nearing dawn. The first faint light of day already bordered the horizon as Lorelei walked out onto the patio and stood looking down at Natchez-under-the-hill and at the boats docked along the riverfront. The Belle was there ... Marc was there ... and Catalina was there.
She wanted to believe that they were returning, putting aside all lies to find happiness with each other. It would be wonderful to see her brother happy again.
She sighed and walked back into the house, intending to go upstairs and bathe to get ready for the new day. She had placed a foot on the first step when she heard a sound near the front of the house.
Within a moment someone was pounding on the door. Running to it and throwing it open, Lorelei let out a soft cry of dismay when Jacob half stumbled, half fell inside. Both Jacob and Shawna were near exhaustion, but Jacob had not lost his fear of those who might be following. He staggered back to the door and closed it quickly.
Shawna rested on her knees just inside the house, and Lorelei went to kneel beside her and soothe her. As she rocked Shawna against her, she looked up at Jacob.
"Jacob, what in God's name is going on? Shawna is exhausted. What have you two been doing?"
"Runnin' fo' our lives, Miz Lorelei. We have ta gets a message to Mistah Marc."
"Marc," Shawna sobbed. "I want to go home."
"In heaven's name, Jacob, please tell me what's been happening. Look at you, you're bleeding."
"Miz Lorelei, doan pay dat no mind right now. It's mo' impo'tant yo'all gets a message ta de boat right away. Miz Cat, she been took and we'uns know where dey gots her. Yo'all send a message please, Miz Lorelei."
"Of course. I'll send a message right away. Then I'll care for that shoulder."
Jacob knelt beside Shawna and gently took her arm.
"Now yo cum along, Miz Shawna," he said softly. "Yo gots ta wash and dress so's Mistah Marc he won't be thinking bad o' yo. Cmon, now, Miz Shawna."
As he helped Shawna to her feet, Lorelei went to her side. Then, suddenly, the door opened and all three spun around, terrified.
But Jacob's face broke into a smile. "Mistah Marc! I sho' is powerful glad ta see yo."
"Jacob, Shawna." Marc's surprise was total as he strode to Jacob's side. "Were you with Cat when she was taken?"
"Yassuh, yassuh we both was. But we ain't seen her since dey took her sumplace else. Mistah Marc, ah's powerful sorry ah couldn't get ta Miz Cat. Ah'd a brung her ah swear ah would," Jacob said worriedly.
"Don't worry, Jacob," Marc said coldly. "We are about to get Cat back... and to take care of the men who took her."
Chapter 36
Lorelei looked at Marc, shock on her face. She had never seen her brother in such a condition, not even during their worst times.
Marc walked across to Shawna and lifted her in his arms as easily as he would have lifted a child.
"I'll take her upstairs so she can rest. Lorelei, see to Jacob's shoulder and get him something to eat and drink, preferably brandy."
Lorelei didn't hesitate. Marc's voice was filled with too much cold anger for her to question him.
She washed Jacob's shoulder and by the time she had begun to bandage it, Marc returned. She had not questioned the two men who had arrived with Marc, fearing the answers she would get. Had Marc not asked where Cat was? Jacob was shot. The picture was becoming painfully clear. Again, someone had taken from Marc someone he loved.
Lorelei finished binding Jacob's shoulder. "The wound is clean and I've done the best I can. I think it will be fine, Jacob, if you just don't move it any more than you have to."
"Thank ya, Miz Lorelei," Jacob said firmly. "But iffen Mistah Marc goes after Miz Cat ah'm gwine wif him. Dose men, dey's real bad, and we gots ta gets Miz Cat outta dere."
Lorelei watched as Seth went to Jacob's side. She did not know who he was, but he seemed familiar.
"I take it your name is Jacob?" Seth smiled to calm Jacob's wariness.
"Yassuh."
"You were with Catalina and Shawna when they were taken; what do these men want with them? Is it money?"
"Ah doan know, suh. When dey took us to dat house, dey done put Miz Cat somewhere's else. Ah ain't seen her since we wuz took."
"Then you have no idea whether she is still in that house?"
"No, suh, ah doan. But dey was an awful lot of guards jus' to be guardin' me and Miz Shawna. No suh, dey was dere to make shore nobody got to Miz Cat."
Then she must still be there. Marc was right." Seth spoke half to himself.
"Sir," Lorelei said, "I'm Marc's sister—Lorelei. I'm afraid my brother quite forgot to introduce us."
"I'm Seth Carrington, Catalina's brother, and this is a very dear friend of my family, Charles Dante. We have been on Catalina's trail for quite some time."
"I'm sorry to meet you under such circumstances, Mr. Carrington, Mr. Dante. I'm afraid my brother is not himself. It seems he is quite fond of your sister."
Lorelei tried to smile, but barely succeeded in the face of what had happened.
"Yes. Marc explained a great deal to us on the way up here. I just hope we free Catalina before she is hurt."
"Don't worry, Mr. Carrington," Lorelei responded softly, "I have only seen my brother like this once before. Trust me when I tell you that whoever has done this will pay."
❧
As Marc placed Shawna on the bed gently he noted the innocent and warm love in her eyes' Again he damned the men who had put her through this. To him, they had brutalized and beaten a child. That was another score he meant to settle.
He had to force his mind away from what they might have done to Cat because he could barely control his murderous rage.
"Marc," Shawna whimpered softly, "I want to go home. I'm afraid ... I want to go home."
"Don't worry, little one. I'll take you home as soon as you rest for a while. You're safe here. This bed was mine when I was a little boy. You just sleep now and I'll take you home later," Marc said comfortingly.
Her love for Marc and her confidence in him eased Shawna's fear, and she nodded and closed her eyes like an obedient child.
Marc covered her and left the room. Then he went to the drawing room, entering it in time to hear Lorelei's last words.
"You're r
ight, Lorelei my dear. I still don't know the reason behind this but the Geres are mixed up in it."
"Simon Gere," Lorelei repeated, shivering slightly.
"What I don't understand is why? What does he want? There's no message, no word."
"What are you going to do? Jacob says the house is well guarded. There are only three of you."
"Temporarily," Marc replied. "I've sent for the men from the Belle. They should be here pretty soon." He turned to Jacob. "Cat didn't say anything .. . anything special before you were separated that might give us some explanation for this?"
Jacob furrowed his brow as he tried to recall the words Travis had spoken when Cat was bound in the warehouse.
"Dat man, dat mistah Travis, he done cum and said sum bad things to Miz Cat. He made her cry."
"Bad things? Like what?"
"Well, he done toP her yo was Marc Garrison. Den he say yo plan all dis and yo wuz gwine to leave her in a place like Belle Towne's cuz yo doan want her fo' true. He say yo's gettin' even wit' her fo'... fo' sumpthin'. He say yo took de Belle apurpose ta hurt Mistah Seth too. Den he say mo', but ah doan members. Ah only members Miz Cat she feel real po'."
"Christ," Marc muttered as the pain of guilt filled him. Lorelei could have wept to see the misery in her brother's eyes.
"Ah members, he say Miz Cat she gonna marry wif him, den he has all her money and her folks gwine ta pay a long time. He say he take her someplace ... ah doan rightly know. Someplace far away."
"Marry," Marc said through clenched teeth. "That's what that bastard has been aiming for since we left New Orleans. Now I see why he arranged that door business with Willie."
"Door business?" Seth frowned.
"Something to be explained later," Marc quickly replied. "For now, we have to make some plans. Jacob, do you think you can tell me how the house is laid out—where the rooms are and where you were held?"
"Yassuh, ah kin try."
"Good. Lorelei go and get some paper." Marc turned to Seth and Charles. "We must make a plan because I want to catch them unprepared. This time," he added softly, "Travis Sherman is going to pay and pay dearly. At least," he added, "we'll not be expected. Right now, surprise is our only hope. If we don't succeed, Cat..." He couldn't go on.
Catalina's Caress Page 37
