by Bobbi Smith
"Now you know," Adam responded brusquely.
Immediately Beau sensed that his tense mood at dinner had not lessened. If anything, his friend seemed even more on edge. He ordered a beer and drank most of it in silence, waiting for Adam to speak first. When he did, Beau was surprised by his request.
"I want to start sailing with you as much as possible once everything is set up with Suzanne," Adam said as he drank the last of his bourbon.
Beau was tempted to question him, but waited. "All right."
"I figure now that I know the way, it'll be relatively easy to slip in and out through the bayous. We can set up a rendezvous point and specify meeting times."
"No problem."
"Good."
"After our meeting earlier, I made plans to head out again tomorrow. Do you want to sail with us?"
The prospect of being back on his boat out on the Gulf lifted his spirits. He'd been away from the sea for far too long. He needed to feel the roll of the deck beneath his feet again and the sea breeeze in his face.
"I'll leave word for Becky at the desk that I've been detained here in town on business. She'll understand. They were planning on going back to Belle Arbor tomorrow anyway. There's no reason why they can't make the return trip without me." Adam turned away from the bar. "I'll go pack and meet you in the rotunda."
Chapter Fourteen
As the carriage made its way toward Belle Arbor the following afternoon, Lianne and Becky sat silently while Alex napped, curled on the seat next to his sister, his head resting on her lap. For the women, the trip home seemed to be taking forever. They were both exhausted, for they had passed a restless night. Haunted by thoughts of what had happened to them respectively, neither had been able to sleep.
Lianne's night had been interminable, for she'd been unable to excuse herself of partial guilt in making love with Adam. She could have refused to go with him, but she hadn't. He had only had to touch her, and she'd fallen willingly into his arms. Even now in the carriage with Becky and Alex, the memory of Adam's glorious possession set her pulses to racing.
Lianne cursed the desire she felt for Adam and renewed her vow of hatred. All night she had dreaded facing him this morning, knowing it was going to be miserably awkward. She had also loathed the prospect of the trip home in such close quarters with him. Yet, when Becky had informed her that Adam wouldn't be joining them today or returning to the plantation with them, she found herself irrationally angry. She supposed she was lucky that she didn't have to see him. Certainly, she had nothing left to say to him, but his very absence infuriated her. She found herself wondering just where he was and what he was doing.
Becky sat lost in thought as the carriage rumbled on over the rough roads. She had been longing to tell Lianne how she'd kissed Beau so brazenly ever since they'd met early that morning for breakfast, but with Alex along, she'd had to keep it to herself. Now that the youngster had finally fallen asleep, she could keep still no longer. She had to tell Lianne everything that had happened.
"I think I may have ruined any chance I ever had with Beau last night," Becky finally admitted to Lianne.
Lianne looked up at her friend in concern. "What happened?"
A slow flush crept into her cheeks as she answered, "We had a lovely time, just Beau and I. We walked all through the arcades and talked and laughed." She paused, remembering, and then sighed. "But then, when he walked me up to my room . . ."
At Becky's hesitation, Lianne's heart sank. She hoped and prayed with all her might that her friend hadn't succumbed to Beau's lethal charm.
"Well . . . well, I kissed him!" she blurted it out. Once she'd said it, her reserve was gone, and she started to cry.
"That's wonderful!" Lianne tried to bolster Becky's feelings as she searched her reticule for a clean, lacy handkerchief. "Here." She handed it to her and then asked, "Now, tell me, why are you crying? You wanted him to kiss you, didn't you?"
"Of course," Becky managed, trying to bring her tears under control. "But, you see, he didn't kiss me . . . I kissed him!" The thought of her humiliation renewed her crying.
"So, you kissed Beau?" Lianne repeated, confused. "Was it that terrible?"
"Oh, no," she answered quickly, still sniffing. "It was wonderful, but it was awful, too, because Beau didn't really kiss me back. I mean, he didn't feel a thing. He broke it off and just stood there. I was so embarrassed."
"What did he say?"
"Not a thing, except a very firm 'Good night, Becky.' "
"That's it?"
She nodded in response. "I mean, I put my everything into that kiss, and he just stood there! I could have died."
"Now, don't give up yet," Lianne encouraged.
"How can you say that?"
"You can never tell what a man is thinking," she lectured, knowing from her own personal experience just how true that was. "Who knows? Maybe he broke it off because he did feel something. You'll just have to wait and see. How soon until you see him again?"
"Not for weeks and weeks." Becky mourned the thought of endless days without seeing Beau. "He said he'd come to the party if he's in port."
"Good. Then all you have to do right now is put him from your mind and start concentrating on the party. Before you know it, all those weeks will be over, and Beau will be back." As Lianne advised Becky, she also took her own words to heart. If she just managed to keep herself busy, the months until her birthday would pass much more quickly.
"We do have a lot to do," she agreed, her expression turning more thoughtful as her crying stopped. "Where shall we start first?"
The balance of the ride passed quickly as they immersed themselves in planning the restoration of the house. It was only when their carriage turned up the main drive that they realized they'd made it home already.
"Look, Lianne." Becky was pointing out her window toward the unknown carriage that was tied up in front of the house. "We've got company. Do you know who it is?"
Lianne leaned over slightly to get a better view and suddenly went rigid. She recognized the carriage all right! It was Suzanne Labadie's! What was she doing here? Lianne had hoped she would never have to see her again as long as she lived.
"Lianne?" She'd noticed the tenseness in her manner and was puzzled by it.
"Yes, I know who it is," she replied flatly. "It's Suzanne Labadie."
"Oh, Suzanne must have come over for a visit . . ." Becky was not especially fond of the woman, but held no great dislike for her, either. "She's got a plantation nearby, doesn't she?" When Lianne didn't answer immediately, she glanced over at her to see what was wrong. Becky was shocked to see that Lianne had gone deathly pale. "Lianne? What is it? What's the matter?"
"Nothing," she said quietly as she drew a deep breath and girded herself to face the woman she hated most in the whole world.
Before Becky could ask anything else, their carriage drew to a halt. Lianne woke Alex, and leaving him to get out at his own sleepy pace, she hurriedly descended from the conveyance and started up the steps into the house. Suzanne had no business being here, and Lianne wanted her out of the house and off Ducharme property! She stormed through the door and came face to face with Suzanne.
"Ah, here they come now, Sarah. I won't be needing you anymore. You can go," Suzanne dismissed the servant coldly.
Sarah looked from Lianne to Suzanne and quickly backed from the hallway.
"Hello, Lianne."
"What are you doing here?" Lianne demanded sharply, her color high as her fury grew unbounded. She didn't want this woman defiling her home with her presence. "I told you never to set foot on Belle Arbor again! How dare you show up here!"
"It's my understanding, Lianne, that you're no longer the owner of Belle Arbor." Suzanne's look was smug as she delivered the cutting setdown.
Lianne blanched at her deliberate cruelty.
"Suzanne . . ." Becky made a sweeping entrance just then. She'd heard Suzanne's vicious remark and wanted to save Lianne from further embarrassment. "How wo
nderful that you've stopped by!" she greeted the other woman with pseudo-warmth.
"Becky, dear. It's so good to see you," Suzanne moved past Lianne to give Becky a social hug.
"It's good to see you, too, and you're timing is just perfect," she went on. "Lianne, Alex and I have just this minute returned from a trip to New Orleans. If you'd been any earlier, you'd have missed us."
"I'm glad I didn't," she replied, quite pleased that she'd put Lianne in her place.
"Come on into the parlor so we can chat for a while." Becky realized that there was something desperately wrong with Lianne, so she played the gracious hostess to the hilt as she ushered Suzanne ahead of her.
"If you'll excuse me, I need to freshen up a bit," Lianne lied, really needing only to escape.
"Of course, Lianne," Suzanne purred as she moved on into the parlor. "It was lovely seeing you again, and you, too, Alex." She spoke to the youngster as he entered the house belatedly.
As soon as she was out of sight, Alex turned on his sister. "What's she doing here?" he demanded angrily.
"Visiting Becky, I guess," Lianne answered as she started up the stairs.
"Or Adam," he muttered as he trailed after her.
"What did you say?" Lianne stopped and took him by the arm.
"She probably just came to see Adam," Alex shrugged.
"Why would she do that?"
"Cause they're friends. Adam told me so the day I showed him how to get to Willow Bend through the bayou."
Lianne felt her knees go weak. "Adam has visited Suzanne?"
Alex nodded. "I waited for him down at the dock. I didn't want to go see her. Adam sure was gone a long time."
His youthful honesty seared her already battered emotions. Adam was seeing Suzanne . . . The pain was almost unbearable. It had been terrible enough when Mark had fallen prey to her cunning ways, but the thought of Adam with Suzanne deepened her despair.
"I see . . ." Lianne kept her tone as indifferent as she could. She did not want Alex to suspect that anything had upset her. After all, what Adam did was Adam's business. She certainly had no interest in him, she told herself. "Tell you what, why don't you run down to the kitchen and see what Sarah's got for you to eat. I'm going to change clothes and get comfortable, and then I'll be down to join you in a little while. All right?"
"All right!" At the thought of food, Alex's eyes lit up. He charged off down the steps and disappeared toward the back of the house as Lianne moved slowly on up the steps, her shoulders slumped in weary defeat.
"I understand from Adam that you're planning to do a little fixing up around here?" Suzanne remarked cattily as she glanced around the parlor.
"Yes. In fact, that's why we went into town. I had some things I needed to order before we could begin."
"Thank heaven," she sighed exaggeratedly. "This place is so run-down. Why, the Ducharmes have practically let it fall down around their ears. It was such a pretty place once."
Her observations stung Becky, for she knew just how hard Lianne had worked to keep the place going. "And it will be again," she told her firmly.
"Oh, I'm sure, now that Adam owns it," Suzanne returned. "Where is he, by the way? He sent me a note saying that he'd be back today."
This was news to Becky. She had no idea that her brother maintained that close of a relationship with Suzanne. "Adam was held up on business in town. I'm not sure how soon he's going to return. It could be as long as a few days, I suspect."
Suzanne was disappointed and it showed. "I had hoped to see him today."
"Is there anything I can do?"
"Oh, no. This was purely personal," Suzanne confided as she stood up. "Well, I suppose I'll be going since he isn't here."
"I'm sorry he didn't make it back, but I'll be sure to tell him of your visit as soon as he arrives."
"That'll be fine."
When Becky had seen Suzanne off, she went back inside and immediately went upstairs to Lianne's room. "Lianne!" she called out as she knocked on her door.
"What do you want, Becky?" came her tired answer.
"I think we need to talk."
There was a long, silent pause, and then the door slowly opened to admit her. Lianne felt almost betrayed by the Trents' association with Suzanne, and she held herself aloof as she faced Becky, forcing her to speak first.
"Lianne, do you want to tell me about it?"
"About what?"
"I heard what Suzanne said to you. She seemed quite pleased with your misfortune."
"I'm sure she is," Lianne answered bitterly as she crossed the room and stood before the window. She stared out across the fertile fields that had once belonged to her family, her body rigid, her hands clinched. "You see she's responsible for it all."
"What?" Becky was aghast at the news.
Lianne quickly explained how Mark had died. "I vowed that I'd never let that woman set foot on Belle Arbor again . . ." she finished fiercely.
"I can understand why," Becky sympathized. "I'll do my best to slight her from now on." As she spoke she could see the tension ease from Lianne.
"Thank you," Lianne said gratefully. It was difficult enough for her to assume the role of guest in what had been her own home, but the possibility of having Suzanne visiting there regularly would have been more than she could bear.
"How about coming back downstairs with me? We can get something to eat. It's been a while since we last ate." Becky wanted to lighten their mood.
"I think I'll just lie down for a while," Lianne declined. "I didn't sleep very well last night, and the trip back was tiring."
"Alex was the lucky one. He got to sleep practically the whole way. I'll see you downstairs later then."
When Becky had gone, Lianne did curl up on the comfort of her wide bed. The memory of her disastrous encounter with Adam along with Suzanne's snideness tormented her, and she closed her eyes, hoping to block it all out. If she never saw either of them again as long as she lived, she'd be happy. She drifted off peacefully, welcoming the blissful oblivion of sleep, for only in slumber was she safe from the hurt and anxiety of her real life.
Suzanne was in a spiteful mood as she slammed into her room and started to undress. Her excursion to Belle Arbor had been a wasted effort. Adam had not returned. In irritation, she rang for Rosie.
"I want my trunk packed immediately."
"Ma'am?" The servant stared at her in confusion.
"I said pack my things!" she snapped. "I'm going into New Orleans for a few days!"
Recognizing the anger in her tone, Rosie rushed to do as she was told. Miss Suzanne's vile temper was legendary, and the maid knew it was wise to keep a very low profile whenever she was mad. With the utmost of efficiency, she arranged her mistress's things and then went to help her dress.
"Have the carriage brought around," Suzanne ordered after she'd changed into a traveling gown.
"Yes, ma'am."
"And if anyone should come calling while I'm away, tell them I should be back by the week's end."
Rosie nodded and rushed out of the bedroom to see to her wishes.
Later, ensconced in the comfort of her plush carriage, Suzanne thought back over the course of the afternoon and realized that it hadn't been a total loss. At least, she'd gotten to face down Lianne Ducharme and put her in her place. Suzanne gave a throaty laugh as she gloated over the other woman's misfortunes. She knew that ever since Lianne's brother had been killed in that ridiculous duel, Lianne had hated her. Now, it served her right to have lost everything. She was as stupid as her brother had been.
As quickly as she thought of the Ducharmes, she dismissed them. Instead, she turned her full attention to thinking of Adam. Suzanne sighed. She hadn't seen him for a few days, and she missed him. Night after night she tossed and turned in her bed as she imagined having him there with her. She could hardly wait to announce their engagement, and she was even more excited about their wedding. She hoped that Adam wouldn't mind a very short engagement. She didn't want to wait a
minute longer than necessary to become Mrs. Adam Trent.
That was precisely the reason for her trip to New Orleans. Since Adam was going to be busy for the next few days, she thought she would take the opportunity to visit her dressmaker and order the gown she wanted for her engagement party. She also decided to start looking at pictures of wedding dresses. Suzanne wanted the most beautiful gown ever created for her marriage to Adam.
A smile curved her lips as she pictured the ceremony in her mind. She would make sure it was the biggest and the best New Orleans had ever seen.
A vague sense of worry nagged at her as Shark entered her thoughts. She had no idea how he would react to the news of her engagement, and frankly, she told herself bravely, she didn't care. Adam was the man she loved. Shark had just been a passing fancy. Suzanne was certain that once she had Adam in her bed, she would never want or need another man.
The thought of making love to Adam sent a thrill through Suzanne. She wondered suddenly if there was any possibility that she might be able to casually catch up with him while he was still in town. It certainly would be wonderful to spend a few days together dining out on the town and visiting friends. Surely there would be any number of social events they could attend together. Then perhaps, just perhaps, she could entice him into her bed. The fantasy appealed, and she passed the rest of the ride imagining how wonderful it was going to be to lie in Adam's arms.
Adam stood at the rail of the Sea Shadow, his legs braced against the rolling deck, his face turned into the wind. The salt spray stung, but he made no effort to look away. The sea had been the main driving force of his life for as long as he could remember. He loved it. This was where he belonged.
Adam's mood had been harsh when they'd come aboard, and Beau, not wanting to suffer his company any longer than necessary, had been quick to leave him to his own devices. Now, as he stared out across the blue-green waters, he could feel his perspective returning. Lianne had accused him of using her, and, as much as he wanted to deny it, he knew he had. He was 'engaged' to Suzanne, Elise needed him more than ever, and yet he'd been unable to stay away from Lianne.
