“Saints, but you look so—so real!” she gaped.
He gave a devilish laugh. “Honestly, Kat! You look as if you expect me to carry you off to my desert retreat at any moment!”
“That is exactly the impression you create in that outfit!”
“And would you enjoy that, my dove?” His eyes gleamed wickedly.
Kathleen blushed furiously. “Don’t be silly, Reed. Now get out of here so I can dress.”
“I still don’t see why I can’t see your costume. You are certainly being secretive.”
Reed was even more curious when twenty minutes later Kathleen joined him. She was covered from head to toe in the black street garb of a proper Moslem woman. Even the lower half of her face was hidden.
“That’s it? That is your costume? I don’t believe it!” He shook his head in bewilderment.
A soft chuckle came from behind the black folds. “This is just for this afternoon, my lord. This evening you shall see the rest of it, I assure you. Have patience, husband.”
“My, how meek you have become all of a sudden. This is certainly a novelty. It almost makes me wonder how it would be if I truly were a sheik and you my most devoted slave.” He couldn’t be positive, but he felt sure she was smiling behind her disguise.
At dinner the family gathered in the hotel dining room. Tears of mirth sparkled like emeralds in Kathleen’s eyes as she viewed her relations. Uncle William arrived as a fat monk, with Barbara in tow as a nun.
“Don’t ask me how I ever allowed him to talk me into this,” she grumbled as he seated her at their table. “I feel like a short penguin! However do the good sisters stand these outfits! I swear I’ll melt before the evening is done!”
“My dear, you are absolutely habit forming,” William quipped.
When the petite geisha and her Oriental potentate arrived, it took quite a bit of guesswork before anyone realized it was Amy and Martin in black wigs. Amy was delighted that their deception worked so well, and doubly delighted to see Kathleen dressed so somberly in black.
“Why, cousin,” she chirped. “You look as if you are in mourning!”
“Yes, Kat,” Reed spoke up. “Can’t you unveil now? I’ll admit I’m eaten alive with curiosity.”
“Not until the dance,” she said firmly.
Susan and Ted were charming in the native costumes of a Dutch girl and boy, though Ted admitted he felt ridiculous in knickers again. Resplendent was the only description for Kate, who came dressed as a gypsy fortune-teller, complete with jangling bracelets and big hoop earrings.
Looking about the dining room they saw many novel disguises. Over in a corner sat Galileo, globe and all, with Sir Walter Raleigh and lady. Next to them sat a magician and a witch with a farmer and his rosy-cheeked wife. As usual there was an abundance of damsels and knights, Romeos and Juliets, kings, princesses, queens and pirates. It was quite disconcerting, however, to see grown men dressed as bears, lions, rabbits and ghouls. Kathleen noted a court jester and a giraffe dining with two peasant girls. A fur trader and an Indian dined with a gypsy and Joan of Arc.
Excusing herself, Kathleen whispered to Reed that she was going to their room to freshen up. “Don’t come up and spoil my surprise,” she warned. “I’ll meet you later in the ballroom.”
It was perhaps fifteen minutes later that Reed looked up from the table to stare in mute amazement at the ravenhaired beauty entering the dining room. Another part of his mind registered the fact that she was flanked by three men dressed as samurai swordsmen. The woman herself was magnificent as an Oriental. She stood proudly, her long black tresses hanging straight to her hips. Her dress was a sleeveless, lustrous, emerald silk sheath that clung to her figure as if painted on. It had a standing collar which melted into a plunging neckline, and that parted to reveal an indecent portion of breast. The dress was narrow, necessitating slits up each side, and clung to her hips. As she walked to her table, the skirt of her gown parted on each side, and those who watched gasped to see her shapely long legs revealed nearly to her hips. Tucked into a garter on one leg was a bejeweled dagger.
Kate, too, had noticed the young woman. “Oh, my stars!” she gasped faintly as one hand fluttered up to her neck. Quickly she glanced at Reed, who was still staring after the long-limbed beauty.
The woman was seated with her escorts before she glanced their way, and Reed got a quick look at emerald green eyes slanted upward at the corners behind a small green mask.
“It’s her!” he murmured in amazement, not realizing he spoke aloud.
“It’s who?” Ted prompted at his elbow,
Reed was too disoriented to reply. Instead he stood, quickly excused himself, and strode to her table, oblivious to the confused looks of the others.
The woman looked up as he approached. “Hello, Emerald.” Reed unconsciously traced the small scar on his cheek.
“If it isn’t Captain Taylor.” Emerald inclined her head, indicating the remaining seat at her table. “Please join us.”
Reed accepted the offer.
“We have been enjoying ourselves in your fair city today, Captain Taylor. It is almost like the Mardi Gras, don’t you think?” she went on conversationally.
Reed noted, however, that as she spoke she leaned back in her chair and fingered the hilt of her dagger.
“It is similar, yes.”
“You remember Mr. Finley and my bosun don’t you? This,” she said as she waved a slim hand at the remaining man, “is Mr. Kenigan.”
Reed ignored the introduction, but registered the fact that all three men were armed. They obviously intended to protect their captain. The way she was dressed, she would probably have need of their protection.
“You have created quite a stir in that gown, Emerald. You seem to have a habit of displaying your wares.”
His barb hit home as her eyes flashed dangerously. “I may be many things,” she said in her low, husky voice, “but I have never sold my body. I find it easier to gain my fortune with my talents as a pirate, especially when you have been so generous of late,” she shot back.
She saw him stiffen in anger, and his jaw gave a definite twitch. She taunted him with a smile and, reaching out, she traced a tapered finger along his scar. “You are growing a beard, I see. I almost didn’t recognize you. That is a very handsome costume. It suits you, love.”
Reed caught her wrist in his large hand. “You enjoy taking risks, don’t you, Emerald? You thrive on danger.”
He released her when the waiter arrived with their drinks.
“Can I get you anything, Mr. Taylor?” the man inquired politely.
“No thank you, I’ll be rejoining my table in a moment.”
Emerald sighed heavily. “It is a shame you cannot spend the evening with us, Captain. It would be such fun! It’s not often we can afford the luxury of an evening like this.” Then she gave an elegant shrug. “But I forget. You have a wife to attend to.”
She finished her drink and rose. “We must be going. Have a nice evening, Captain.” With that she left him, and he walked back to his table with mixed emotions. Though he longed to best her, he had to admire her spitfire courage, her absolute disregard for danger. Also, in spite of his anger, he recognized a lustful desire for her.
Reed had managed to get control of himself by the time he entered the ballroom. His composure was fleeting, however, and cracked completely when Kathleen entered the room. To complement his sheik’s attire, she had dressed in a harem outfit. With her long copper hair loose and floating about her hips in lustrous waves, she walked sedately toward him. A sheer, gauzy peach blouse was overlaid with a short orange vest, from which dangled gold coins, forming a fringe. Several short vertical bands of beaded braid joined the vest to the slave-chain belt which rested on the curve of her hips. A large pearl lay nestled in her navel. The belt itself was attached to a panelled orange skirt, which when she walked, parted to give a glimpse of filmy harem pants. These were gathered about her ankles by ankle chains above small ora
nge slippers. To complete the costume, a band of gold coins lay across her forehead, and the most translucent of veils covered the lower half of her face.
To the utter amazement of all present, she walked straight to her husband, bowed before him, making her obeisance as if he truly were a lord of the desert. She arose, and her laughing green eyes met his from above her veil.
“Well, master, does your humble slave please you better now?”
“Humble slave, my foot!” he muttered to himself, and then huskily, “Yes, Kathleen, you know damned well you do. In fact, if not for these loose, flowing robes of mine, the entire population of Savannah would know how well you please me, you green-eyed witch.”
Savannah would long remember that night and talk about it for years to come. They would recall not only Kathleen’s startling outfit and actions, but the fact that her fierce young sheik kept her all to himself that evening, neither of them dancing with anyone else. Indeed, it seemed as if they had forgotten anyone else existed, so wrapped up in each other were they that evening.
The weeks that followed were filled with activities. First upon them was Palm Sunday. Kathleen organized an Easter egg hunt for the children of the slaves. Much to Reed’s amusement, his young wife seemed constantly to have a small child or two following her about, and often clinging to her skirts. Kathleen did not seem to mind, and hardly ever had to scold one of them. They adored their new mistress. He teased her unbearably about her little flock.
“Go ahead and laugh, Reed. Have your fun. They are children and I love them, but Lord help you if any of them ever bear any resemblance to you! I know what goes on under the very noses of many plantation wives. So does everyone else. Just because those wives are too well brought up to mention it and turn a blind eye, doesn’t mean I will. I cannot condone the practice of the master having free access to any and all the female slaves, and I won’t stand by quietly and pretend not to notice, so consider yourself warned.”
“I really haven’t any interest in bedding any of them, but what would you do if I did?” he wanted to know.
“I’d probably leave you,” she told him bluntly.
While Kathleen busied herself with overseeing the job of spring cleaning, Reed was seeing to the task of clearing and plowing the fields for spring planting. Kathleen started to worry that Reed was never going back to sea in time for her to follow. She might have time to launch a final foray against him if he didn’t dally. So far he hadn’t noticed anything different, but she’d had to let out the waistline and bust of a few of her gowns already. Her secret wouldn’t keep forever.
Also, one day she looked in the posting tray and found a letter he had written and left to be mailed. It was addressed to Mr. Kirby. Kathleen tucked the letter in the pocket of her gown, and when she gained the privacy of her rooms, she tore it open and read it. Reed had written telling of their marriage and asking for information concerning the estate and land holdings, which by the laws of marriage now belonged to him. Kathleen had known he would get around to it sooner or later, and considered herself fortunate to have intercepted the letter. Now was not the time for Reed to learn that he owned seven more frigates and a shipping firm! She shuddered to think what he would do when he eventually did find out.
“At least he can’t beat me while I’m pregnant. He wouldn’t risk it then,” she reasoned.
The last week in March, Barbara threw a ball announcing the formal engagement of Amy to Martin Harper. It was an elaborate affair, and they all got to meet Martin’s family at last. This was followed immediately by the annual peach festival, at which Susan reigned supreme as Savannah’s Peach Queen, with Ted at her side. There was a grand parade through the countryside past acres and acres of blooming peach trees. The fragrant white blossoms filled the air with their beautiful scent, making everyone heady on their perfume.
April brought with it balmy temperatures and Kathleen’s eighteenth birthday. Kathleen, who was busy trying to coordinate a ball the next week to announce the betrothal of Susan and Ted, didn’t give her own birthday a thought. Kate remembered, however, and with Reed’s help, contrived to throw her a surprise party.
The morning of her birthday dawned bright and clear. The rain had stopped sometime during the night, and the sun was drying up the last puddles. Reed came down to breakfast whistling merrily, and suggested she go in to town with him that day.
“Oh, Reed, I have a million things to do. I really shouldn’t.”
“Come on, Kat. You’ve been working too hard. Take a rest. Make out a list of things you need for Susan’s ball next week and you can pick them up in town and do some shopping while I see if my seed order is in at Gavin’s, among other things. We’ll make a day of it, and I’ll take you out to lunch. Besides, Mrs. Fitz cornered me last week and said you have a new gown ready for the final fitting. Maybe you can pick it up today.”
Kathleen grinned at him. “You surely can sweet-talk a girl, Mr. Taylor,” she said, aping his Southern drawl.
He dropped her off first at the dressmaker’s. The gown she had ready was sure to be one of Kathleen’s favorites. It was a pale aqua of fine silk netting so sheer and soft the material seemed to float. The merest movement set the full folds to billowing. The top had two inch straps that came down and melted into a crossed bodice that accented the fullness of Kathleen’s breasts and whittled her waist down to nothing. This alone cheered Kathleen, even though Mrs. Fitz had to let it out a bit. The skirt fell in soft, whispering folds to her toes.
The dear lady told Kathleen to stop by after lunch, and she could take the dress home. Then she fitted Kathleen for another dress due to be done in time for Susan's betrothal ball. It was to be of shiny black satin with slim pearl-trimmed straps and bodice, with another belt of pearls about the empire waistline. Kathleen’s hair and coloring would set the dress off perfectly, Mrs. Fitz assured her. She would look stunning.
Kathleen spent the rest of the morning shopping for the items on her list, and finally met Reed for lunch at the hotel on the bluff. She was famished, and Reed teased her terribly about the amount she managed to eat.
“If you don’t watch it, you’ll end up fat, and then I won’t take you anywhere with me. I’ll hide you away and spend my time with several mistresses.”
Kathleen stuck her tongue out at him and scooped up the last of her whipped cream. All the same, she wondered how Reed would react a few months from now when she would indeed be fat and awkward. She tried to tell herself it wouldn’t matter if he didn’t desire her, but she knew she was lying to herself.
They picked up the gown from Mrs. Fitz’s, then went by to visit with Mary and Barbara. They were out, and Mammy didn’t know when they would return. Susan and Amy were gone, too. Even Ted was nowhere to be found.
“My goodness! This is unusual. I hope they didn’t decide to ride out to Chimera and find us gone.”
Reed merely shrugged. “It’s too pretty a day to go back and work. Let’s go for a drive along the river and take the long way home.”
It was nearly dinner time by the time they finally got back. Reed steered her upstairs as soon as they were inside. “You go freshen up and have Milly do your hair for you. Try on your new dress for me, all right, kitten? I want to see what it looks like.”
“What are you going to do? Aren’t you going to change? Dinner will be soon. Whatever Cook has been fixing sure smells good.”
“I’m going to have a drink before dinner, and I’ll be right up to change.”
Between them, Reed and Milly kept Kathleen occupied in the bedroom until dinner. When Reed finally escorted her downstairs, he led her out into the courtyard.
Kathleen was agape. Colored lanterns hung all around, lighting the courtyard and fountain. Tables had been set up and gaily decorated, and a band of musicians played softly from a dim corner. At her entrance, all her friends and family stood up and began singing, wishing her a happy birthday. Two servants wheeled out an elaborate cake sparkling with eighteen lighted candles.
> Tears blurred Kathleen’s vision, and she stumbled and grasped onto Reed’s arm as he led her to her seat. She was touched by his thoughtfulness, and could not find the words to thank him. He kissed her tenderly and laughingly told her to stop stammering or they would all think she’d gone daft.
Among her gifts, she found a beautiful aquamarine pendant and ring from Kate. “These were me mother’s and mine. I would have given them to yer mother, had she lived longer. Now they’re yers, and will go to yer own daughter some day,” Kate said with feeling.
Ted presented her with art supplies, and Uncle William and Barbara had bought her an elegant yellow brocade lounging gown with backless heeled slippers to match. Even Amy and Martin had brought a lovely porcelain musical figurine that somehow resembled Reed and Kathleen waltzing.
“I’ll treasure it, Amy,” Kathleen said truthfully. “Thank you.” Perhaps someday they would actually be friends.
Susan and Mary approached her together, and Susan carefully deposited a tiny fluffy white kitten in Kathleen’s lap. “Mother and I figured since Reed is always calling you Kat or kitten, you should have one of your own.”
“Oh, he’s adorable!” Kathleen crooned.
“She’s adorable,” Mary corrected with a laugh.
Reed waited until last to present her with his gift. It was the most magnificent saddle and bridle Kathleen had ever seen. Of the finest leather, hand-tooled and inlaid with silver.
“Of course, you’ll have to wait until Zeus is back from his little vacation to use them,” he joked, his diamond blue eyes twinkling.
Fire and Ice Page 45
