Bayou Bride

by Bobbi Smith

  The fact that Nick was half besotted made considering the unacceptable acceptable. He would buy a wife! In his current state, the idea both intrigued and elated him. Despite the cautionary words Slater offered as they strode from the tavern, he had no qualms whatsoever about asking for directions to the warehouse from some workers who were still lingering on the docks. He was pleased to find it was only a short distance away, and he headed off in that direction, with Slater in tow.

  "I hope you're not disappointed," his friend ad vised. "That sailor's idea of a pretty woman and your idea of a pretty woman might be quite a different thing. Remember, he's been at sea awhile. Just about anything starts looking good to you when you've been at sea."

  "I know," Nick sobered a bit. "But this is just about my last hope. If she's passably fair, it just might work. I mean, if she can speak decently, I can certainly teach her to imitate a lady. With any luck at all, I should be able to pull it off."

  "And you wouldn't have to worry about your father's friends, would you?" Slater quipped.

  "No, none of them have been to England lately. We'd be safe on that account," he retorted, feeling lighthearted for the first time in weeks.

  They caught sight of the crowd of indentures and potential buyers gathered in a lighted area near the warehouse, and they headed that way.

  "Gents! You interested in buying a servant?" Harrison called out as he saw them approaching. He thought they looked very successful and felt certain that their pockets were well lined.

  "We might be," Nick responded, but as he eyed the ragged looking, motley group, his hopes began to falter. Not only were they a poor, sickly looking bunch, but they smelled bad, too. He was beginning to see what Slater had meant.

  "What exactly are you looking for? Perhaps I can recommend one for you. Are you interested in a field worker or a tradesman? Maybe a maid?" the agent asked, eager to be of service, for he wouldn't be paid for his trouble until all were sold.

  "A woman," Slater said, his gaze scanning the females. "A reasonably young one."

  Harrison was quick to respond. "I have a few. Take a look and see which one you like."

  Nick moved toward the women and Slater stayed with him. They were careful to keep their expressions guarded as they began the search for the one prized beauty who might be the solution to Nick's problem.

  Jordan had been watching the two men ever since she'd heard Harrison call out to them. They were different from the other buyers who'd come to look at them. These two were well-groomed and neatly dressed. They appeared respectable from the distance, and they both moved with the confidence and ease of men born to wealth. She heard them mention that they were looking for a woman, and she couldn't help but wonder why. It would seem that if a maid was needed for a household, the wife would have been the one to make the selection.

  The taller of the two men looked in her direction just then, and Jordan instinctively froze. He hadn't seen her, she was certain of that, but there was something about him... something so elemental and compelling that she couldn't look away. When she could move, her first reaction was to step farther back into the darkness. Only there, obscured by the enveloping gloom, did she feel safe to continue to observe him.

  Jordan didn't know what it was she was feeling or why she was feeling it, she just knew that the strange emotion that filled her was very powerful and more than a little frightening... Her gaze followed the man as he moved through the group of women, coming ever closer to her. She could see that he was extraordinarily handsome. His hair was darker than his companion's, seeming almost as black as a raven's wing in the lamplight. He was not as heavily built as the man who accompanied him, but his lean, broad-shouldered form spoke of strength and endurance.

  Jordan watched with open curiosity as the man made quick work of the other females. It surprised her that he did not touch or otherwise insult the women. Rather, he gave each only a single critical glance before moving on. It seemed as if he was searching for someone special. But who?

  Nick was meeting with little success in his quest for a suitable female, and he was beginning to fear that the pretty one had either already been sold or had never existed in the first place. His spirits were just about to plummet when he remembered the sailor saying that the girl had been wearing a cloak. Glancing quickly over the few remaining females, he realized disheartenedly that she was not among them.

  Nick was about to give up, admit defeat and go drown his sorrow in more whiskey and some companionship at Madame LaFleur's, when something-a slight movement in the darkness?-an intuitive recognition?-caused him to look up. Peering into the concealing cover of the night shadows just beyond the low glow of the lamps, he spotted her. She seemed a vision, a mere wisp of a woman. She appeared pale and delicate as she stood clothed in darkness. Afraid that she might disappear in the night, he called out to her in a particularly fierce tone.

  "You! Come here!"

  The sound of the man's call was so fierce and commanding that it stunned Jordan. She stood waiting, poised as if for flight. Even on this moonless night, she could feel the intensity of his piercing gaze as it settled upon her, and a shudder of primordial recognition shook her to the very depths of her soul. What did this man want? Why had he called out to her?

  Knowing she would have to heed his call, Jordan took a tentative step toward him. She didn't move quickly enough for Harrison, who, at the sound of Nick's call, came rushing forward. He grabbed her by the arm and jerked her out into the dim light to face Nick.

  "Was she trying to run away from you?" the agent demanded angrily, ready to reprimand her. She had been a bother to him the whole trip, rousing the men as she had, and he would be glad to see her sold and gone.

  "I wasn't trying to run," Jordan spoke up in her own defense, pulling away from his painful grip to stand straight and proud before Nick. Masking any fear she had, she looked up at him and met his gaze straight on.

  Harrison didn't believe her, though, and he deferred to Nick. "Sir?"

  Nick had been surprised by the well-modulated, cultured sound of the girl's voice and by the spirit she displayed in facing him so boldly. Intrigued, curious to find out how she really looked beneath the voluminous cloak and all the dirt, he was quick to reassure the man. "No, she's fine. I just wanted to get a good look at her, that's all. It's hard to tell anything in the dark."

  Nick stared down at her impersonally, his interest in her totally clinical as he tried to see past the dirt and grime. What he thought he saw there satisfied him, but he still couldn't be sure just how pretty she really was.

  Jordan had thought this man attractive from a distance, but standing so close to him now she could see that he was more than just attractive. His dark, strong good looks made him about the handsomest man she'd ever seen. She wondered again what he was doing there and why he seemed so interested in her.

  "Is there somewhere with more light? Some place where I can get a better look at her?"

  His request sent a note of warning through Jordan. She'd heard the terrible rumors about what happened when potential buyers wanted a few minutes alone with the indentured women, and she grew nervous at the prospect.

  "We have a room inside the warehouse. You and your friend can have a few minutes alone with her there," he invited.

  "Yes, we'd like that." Nick didn't even bother to consult Slater, who was standing off to the side looking on without comment, his expression be mused.

  "Come with me, then. It's much more private," Harrison offered with a lecherous smirk.

  The agent's implication had been so crudely obvious that Jordan couldn't prevent the apprehension she was feeling from showing. As nice looking as this stranger might be, she didn't want to go anywhere "private" with him. Luther had been handsome enough in his own way, but inwardly he'd been rotten and mean. Who was to say that this man wasn't just as dangerous?

  Nick saw the girl's sudden look of concern and felt sorry for her. He could well imagine how embarrassing it was to be treated
in this manner, and he wanted to knock the smug, knowing look right off the agent's face. Somehow he managed to hold himself back. "Just show me where the room is," he said flatly.

  Afraid that he might have offended a potential buyer, Harrison was quick to grovel. "Fine, fine, it's right in here..."

  Jordan thought about refusing to accompany them into the building, but she knew it would be a useless battle. If she didn't go willingly, Harrison would only force her. He tried to take her by the arm, but she evaded his touch. With her head held high and her bearing proud, she walked on ahead of them toward the warehouse.

  Philip had been watching what was going on from where he stood with the rest of the men. After hearing Harrison's comment, he'd been hard put not to charge forth and throttle the agent. The obscene remarks coming from the men around him only served to infuriate him further.

  "Hey, Montgomery! Hey, loverboy, you know what's gonna happen to your little girlfriend now, don't you?" one of the other indentures taunted.

  "You've been replaced, Montgomery, and it looks like it's going to take two men to do it..." another commented with vicious enjoyment.

  Philip fought to control his temper, but his concern for Jordan's safety pushed him over the edge. The moment he saw Jordan heading toward the warehouse he erupted. Out of control in his desire to protect her, he lunged forward. He ran toward them, not caring that he was outnumbered or out of line. He only wanted to keep his sister from harm.

  "Jordan! Don't! Wait!"

  Harrison had been anticipating that Philip might try something, and he turned on him before he could reach them. Yanking out the small, wrapped club he carried with him for just such incidents, he struck Philip in the stomach as hard as he could. The force of the blow sent the young man to his knees, and he doubled over, wretching and gasping for breath.

  "Philip!" Jordan cried, and she started to go to him. "No! Don't hit him again! Don't!"

  "I don't want any more trouble out of you, Montgomery," the agent snarled as he shoved the injured man to the ground. "If I hear one more word or see you move in the wrong direction, I'll sell you to a chain gang draining swampland in Louisiana, do you understand?"

  "Yes," Philip managed to croak as he lay clutching his stomach.

  "Good. Keep a hold on him," he directed the other men.

  Jordan tried to run past Harrison to get to where Philip lay, but the agent grabbed her and held her back easily. "Now, girl, let's go take care of business. A couple of you men make sure he stays right here while I'm gone."

  "Who was that?" Nick and Slater asked when Harrison rejoined them, dragging Jordan along with him.

  "His name's Philip Montgomery," Harrison replied tersely.

  "What's his connection to the girl?" Nick pressed, thinking that he might be her husband.

  "The two of them were thicker than thieves on the ship. I figure he must be her lover to be as hot after her as he is. It'll be good to get them apart. Come on, let's go on inside and get this over with."

  Nick gave Slater a troubled look over the news that the girl had had a lover. The idea struck him as strange. He could have sworn there was something very innocent about the way she'd reacted to Harrison's lewd innuendo. Nick found he was disappointed by the discovery that she wasn't as pure as he'd originally thought, and he walked into the warehouse without another word.

  Though furious over her helplessness, Jordan elected to remain calm. She went along with the men without further protest, hoping she could keep her wits about her and somehow manage to get out of this. The office inside the building was brightly lighted, but it was a cold, unfriendly room. She shivered in spite of her determination to be brave.

  "We'll be all right here. Leave us alone now," Nick ordered coldly.

  "If you need any help, I'll be right outside," Harrison replied.

  "I don't believe I'll need your help. One young girl is hardly my match."

  "Well, if you do..."

  Nick cut him off with a look that would have frozen even the boldest of men, and he scurried from the room. In the background, Slater had to turn away so neither man could see the mirth in his expression. Nick watched until the weasel of an agent had disappeared from sight, then locked the door to ensure their privacy.

  "Is he gone?" Slater asked, once he'd gotten his merriment under control. He knew his friend wouldn't appreciate him making light of the situation right now.

  "Yes, and now we can get down to business," Nick answered, quickly turning to Jordan who was standing as far away from the both of them as she possibly could. Without introduction or further conversation, he abruptly directed her, "Take off the cloak."

  Jordan's eyes widened as she stared at him across the width of the room, and he immediately regretted his brusqueness. He knew his command had sounded bad, but he was filled with an urgency to see this done, one way or the other.

  Jordan felt chilled by his instruction, and the fact that his face was so impassive left her unsure as to what to expect from him. Had she saved herself from Luther and gone through the torment of fleeing her homeland only to be forced to surrender herself now, here, to this total stranger?

  She glanced quickly at the man he'd called Slater, trying to understand what was happening, but he too gave nothing away. Standing casually off to one side, he looked much like a spectator at some sporting engagement, watching the action unfold before him, his arms folded comfortably across his chest.

  Jordan looked back at the dark-haired man, searching his expression for some sign of the ugly lust she'd seen on Luther's right as he'd attacked her, but there was nothing. If anything, he seemed quite dispassionate. Sensing no immediate threat of danger, she did as she'd been told.

  As Jordan unfastened the tie at her throat, Nick came up behind her to take the voluminous garment from her shoulders. It amazed her that he showed her this courtesy, and what amazed her even more was the reaction she had to the heat of his touch. It was a simple act, the taking of her cloak, but when his fingers accidentally brushed against her arm, she felt a startling jolt of awareness. The sensation was frightening but not altogether unpleasant, and that realization put her even more on guard. Her expression was wary as she stepped away from him, keeping a goodly distance between them.

  Nick was pleased to find that she was slender, and he turned to his friend as he laid the cloak aside. "Well? What do you think?"

  Both men studied her thoughtfully for a moment as they sized her up. Each man's attitude was the same as it would have been had they been inspecting a prime piece of horseflesh before closing the deal. Nick was studying her more feminine attributes while Slater pondered her hair. Nick thought her figure passable but a little on the skinny side, and Slater agreed.

  At their cool-headed exchange, Jordan bristled. She knew she should feel relieved that they weren't subjecting her to a more degrading inspection, but it still left her resentful that they could stand there and size her up like a horse at an auction without giving any consideration to her feelings at all.

  After a moment's discussion Slater shrugged, for he was having trouble imagining her all cleaned up. "I'm not sure."

  Jordan wondered just how much humiliation one woman was supposed to take. Didn't they realize how embarrassing it was for her to have them see her that way, so dirty and unkempt? How could she maintain the little dignity she had left when they were treating her like she wasn't even a person?

  "She's definitely got the potential," Nick said in her defense. He had seen the spark of annoyance in her eyes as she'd suffered their comments, and he couldn't help but feel a little sorry for her. She was as trapped by her situation as he was by his.

  "Maybe," Slater hedged.

  Solemnly, Nick took one last look at her and decided that with the right clothes and a lot of soap and water she just might work out. Of course, he knew there was probably a lot he would have to teach her before they got back to Riverwood. She was going to have to learn how to walk, talk, and act properly, for without those a
ttributes he didn't have any hope of success at all.

  "Her eyes are certainly pretty enough, and the color of the hair might be all right once it's washed."

  "It'll take an effort, but I think you might be right. She just might pass," Slater finally agreed.

  Pass? Pass for what? Jordan couldn't believe their comments. They were being far cruder in their assessments of her than the couples looking for a maid had been, and her anger and resentment toward them grew. She had no idea what these two men were looking for, but she was certain it was a far cry from a chambermaid.

  "When she spoke earlier, she sounded halfway intelligent," Nick went on, listing her merits as he saw them.

  Hafway intelligent?! Did they think she was deaf?! If he says one more thing, she thought heatedly, just one more thing, I'm going to tell them exactly what I think about their intelligence.

  "You're taking a big chance," said Slater, voicing his doubts.

  "I know, but consider the alternative."

  Slater rubbed his chin thoughtfully as he pondered the possibility of Nick's bride turning up pregnant with someone else's child. "What about the man outside?"

  Nick knew immediately what he was referring to, and he dismissed it without deep consideration. "I don't want to interfere permanently in her life. She can make her own choices later. The only thing that matters to me right now is that she can act the part. Nothing else is important. I can just stall the wedding until..."

  Wedding!?! What they'd said before was insulting, but this was shocking. They were planning some kind of wedding?

  "What wedding? What are you talking about?" Jordan had been quiet and submissive for so long that she shocked both men by her outburst. She stood facing them, a fire in her emerald eyes and resistance in every fiber of her trim body.

  In that moment, Nick knew she would be perfect. His father would never have believed it if he'd brought home a mealymouthed, simpering little miss to marry. This one with the nice figure and sparkling eyes would convince him. "What's your name?" he asked, totally ignoring her questions.