by Smith, Bobbi
Lianne turned back to her task in disgust. "If you want Adam, I think he's inside," she said, hoping Suzanne would leave.
"Oh, I've already had my visit with Adam . . ." Suzanne let the sentence hang to give Lianne something to think about. "Tell me something, Lianne," she began in a confiding tone after a long, silent moment.
"What?" Lianne looked up at her again, struggling to control the hatred she felt for her.
"How does it feel to be married to a man who doesn't love you?" Suzanne watched with something akin to glee as Lianne blanched.
"I don't know what you mean."
"I mean, darling, why in the world would you want to stay married to someone who doesn't want you? Everyone knows how you tricked him into this marriage of yours. Adam loves me. He always has and he always will," Suzanne told her smugly.
Each word was like a slap in the face to Lianne. She wanted to attack the smirking Suzanne and slap that knowing smile from her face, but she knew it would do no good. Suzanne was right. Adam did love her. If she attacked her, she would only be making herself look like a fool. It was better to let her think that she didn't care.
"I think you'd better go, Suzanne."
"Of course." The other woman gave her a condescending smile as she started back to her mount. "I'm sure I'll be seeing you again."
After Suzanne had ridden away, Lianne went to sit on the small, secluded bench near the center of the garden. Her heart was heavy as she tried to sort out the turbulent emotions that were besieging her. The near-violent jealousy that had revealed itself to her as she'd spoken with Suzanne only served to emphasize to Lianne how deeply she really did love Adam.
Lately, Lianne had thought that she had noticed a subtle change in Adam, a new gentleness in his manner toward her, and she had hoped . . . But Suzanne's little visit effectively shattered that illusion and left her realizing just how futile her love for him really was.
Even as she acknowledged her feelings for her husband, though, memories of Spectre plagued her. Could she fault Adam, when she herself had made love to another? She didn't understand what it was she felt for Spectre. He was a mystery. She'd never even seen his face, and yet there had been something so compelling about him that she'd been unable to resist him. She'd wanted him. A blush stained her cheeks as she thought of just how much.
Remembering her betraying, unbridled response to Spectre, Lianne vowed to herself that she would never give herself to him again. She would control her wayward desires at all costs! Adam was the man she loved. Adam was the man she wanted to spend her life with. If Spectre returned as he'd said he would, she was going to deny him completely and send him away from her forever. Only then could she concentrate on winning Adam's love.
That decided, Lianne felt a little better, but as evening neared, she wondered nervously if this would be the night Spectre returned.
After stopping at Willow Bend to get her carriage and driver, Suzanne made the trip to New Orleans in something close to record time. She entered Cyrus's bank knowing exactly what had to be done.
"I'd like to see Mr. Shackelford, please," she told the clerk out front.
"He's with someone right now, ma'am. If you'd care to wait . . ." the clerk offered, motioning to a chair nearby.
"I'm Suzanne Labadie. Mr. Shackelford will see me now. Announce me immediately."
"But, ma'am . . ."
"Now!" she snapped, not about to be put off by some lowly clerk. She watched with satisfaction as the timid little man rushed to do as she'd ordered. She was even more pleased when he came quickly back out of the office with Cyrus's other visitor.
"He'll see you now, Miss Labadie," he announced, a little resentful at being so abused.
"Thank you." Suzanne swept past him into the office, closing the door firmly behind her.
"Suzanne, how good to see you." Cyrus came to his feet behind his desk to welcome her, his expression carefully guarded as he watched her cross the room to stand before him.
"I want Lianne out of Adam's life permanently. What's your plan, Cyrus?" she stated bluntly.
A cunning smile lit up the banker's features. "So, you've come around to my way of thinking have you?"
"Yes, now what do we have to do?" Suzanne's voice was flat and revealed no emotion as she spoke.
"Very little," he said as he sat back down. "Why don't you take a seat while we discuss the finer details?"
Suzanne did as he'd bid, and she listened with avid interest as he described his devious plan to have Lianne kidnapped and sold into white slavery.
"We'll need the help of your business partner to do this, of course," Cyrus ended his explanation.
"Of course," she agreed, thrilled with his plan. She could think of no more fitting end for Lianne than at the hands of the brutal slave traders.
"How soon do you think you could get in touch with him?"
Suzanne knew that Shark was due back within the next week to ten days, and she told him so.
"That will work out just fine. Can you arrange a meeting between Shark and myself?"
"I'll contact you as soon as I hear from him."
"Good."
"Cyrus?" Suzanne was suddenly curious about the other man's motives. "When this is over, I'm going to end up with Adam, but what are you going to get out of it?"
"One night, my dear, just one night."
"I don't understand."
"All I want is one night with Lianne, alone, in some isolated place. I'm sure your partner will be able to arrange it for me if I promise him that I won't do any lasting damage to his 'merchandise.' "
The thought of Lianne at the banker's mercy pleased Suzanne inordinately, and she smiled widely as she stood to leave. "I'm sure we can work something out. I'll be in touch."
When Suzanne had gone, Cyrus leaned back in his chair feeling quite confident that everything was going to work out perfectly. All that was left for him to do was to make his private deal on the side with Shark arranging for Adam's death. It wasn't enough to just make Lianne suffer, he wanted Trent to know the taste of his vengeance, too.
Chapter Thirty-three
"Have you heard from David?"
The anxious tone of Elise's question caught Nurse Halliday by surprise as she sat alone in the parlor, and she looked up to find her patient standing in the doorway. It took her a moment to answer, for it was a shock to see Elise up, dressed, and already downstairs at this early hour. Her pattern had always been to sleep late and require help with her toilette.
"Elise . . . good morning," Nurse Halliday greeted.
Impatiently, Elise asked again, "David . . . have you heard from him yet today?"
"No. It's much too early," she finally replied. "Dr. Williams won't be here until around eleven."
Elise's expression grew strained at the news. "I see. Is there anyway you can contact him now? I need to see him."
Nurse Halliday noticed that there was a tenseness about her, and she knew immediately that she should try to locate the doctor.
"I'll send a message right away," she offered. "Would you like to have some breakfast while we wait for him?"
"No . . . no, I can't eat anything right now," Elise answered anxiously. "I'll just wait for him outside in the garden."
The nurse was astounded as she watched her patient go outside alone. In all the time she'd been there, this was the first occasion that Elise had dared to move so freely and determinedly about the house. Before there had always been a timidity, an uncertainty about her actions. Today, though she was obviously a bit nervous, she seemed to be more assertive and almost in control. Halliday rushed to send off the missive to Dr. Williams, knowing that he would come as soon as he got word of the change.
David was still at home when he received Halliday's note and he left the house at once. Come at once. There's been a change in Miss Elise. She wants to see you right away, the note had said. He was fearful and elated at the same time —fearful, because he was afraid she was going to remember her love for Trent,
want him, and then, as a result, be hurt again; elated, because it meant that at last they might be able to progress in their relationship.
David loved Elise with all his heart, but he'd taken great care not to reveal anything more than carefully offered, unthreatening devotion. He'd always known that he had to help her fully reclaim her own identity before he could try to win her love.
It took all his willpower not to race through the streets of New Orleans at breakneck speed. When he reached the house, Nurse Halliday was waiting expectantly for him.
"What is it?" he demanded. "How is she?"
"I'm not sure."
"What do you mean, you're not sure?" David asked with uncharacteristic sharpness. "Is she worse?"
"No, not at all. She came downstairs earlier fully dressed, and told me that she needed to see you. When I told her that you'd be here later this morning, she was very disappointed. That's why I sent the note."
David was unware that until today, Elise had always required help with her morning toilette. It was quite a change, and one for the better, that she had performed her morning ablutions independently today. He was anxious, even as he was cautious.
"Where is she now?"
"She told me that she would wait for you in the garden." Nurse Halliday met the physician's look of surprise and nodded in affirmation.
"We're not to be disturbed," David directed as he headed from the house in search of Elise.
Elise was standing near a flowering bush, toying absently with one of the fragrant, fragile blossoms. She knew the truth now —all of it —and she was nervous about facing David again.
The thought of David brought a soft smile to her lovely features. He was such a good, kind man. He had been strong and supportive during all these long weeks of her recovery, and Elise knew that she loved him deeply. She thought it would be the easiest thing in the world to spend the rest of her life loving him, but she knew from experience now that nothing in life was easy.
Adam . . . Elise's expression turned sorrowful. Last night she had remembered everything. Sometime after midnight, the dreams had come again, but this time her subconscious had revealed it all. She had remembered Adam, their whirlwind courtship, and the fateful voyage to Charleston that had ended in disaster.
Elise had been awakened by the force of the emotions that had swept through her. She'd spent long hours crying out her misery as she realized that her aunt was dead and her own innocence stripped from her violently, lost to her forever. It had been near dawn when she'd finally come to grips with it all, understand at last the reasons for her months of withdrawal.
With that understanding, though, also came the realization of what she now had to face. She had fallen in love with David. He was the man she wanted. The time she'd had with Adam was like a distant, fading dream, and she knew she didn't want to return to that part of her life. She wanted to go on from here and start over, anew.
A sudden fear shook her. What if David didn't return her love? What if he was only being kind to her because it was his job? What if he was repelled by her? Certainly, her violation had not been her fault, but there were those who would look down upon her because of it. Elise worried desperately that David might condemn her for it.
Tensely, she picked a flower from the bush. She closed her eyes and lifted the blossom to her nose to inhale the sweet scent, all the while saying a heartfelt prayer that everything would work out.
David was hurrying through the winding paths of the garden trying to locate Elise, and it was then that he found her. She had her back to him, but, even so, he could tell right away that there had been a change in her. Just the way she was carrying herself revealed an awareness of self that hadn't been there before.
For one of the few times in his life, David felt insecure. He swallowed nervously several times before he finally spoke.
"Elise?" His tone was a bit huskier than usual, and he wondered at it.
Elise's eyes flew open at the sound of David's voice. He looked so dear and so wonderful to her that she had to restrain herself from throwing herself into his arms.
"Hello, David."
He heard the new cautious edge in her voice, and his heart sank. She'd remembered—he knew it without her saying another word.
"Nurse Halliday said that you wanted to see me. I came right over." He tried to sound professional, as if this was strictly a medical matter.
"Yes . . . I . . ." Elise found herself awkwardly searching for the right way to phrase what she had to tell him. "The dream . . . I think I understand now."
He heard the torment in her words and wanted to hold her. Instead, he kept an iron hand on the rein of his emotions and remained standing where he was.
"Do you want to tell me about it?" David encouraged.
"How much do you know?"
"Just what Adam Trent's told me . . ."
"Adam . . ." she said his name in a gasp.
"Do you want to see him? I can send for him. He could be here soon."
"No!"
Her response completely confused David. "No?"
Elise turned to face David fully as she hastened to explain. "I don't think I'm really ready to see Adam yet. I —I wanted to talk with you first."
He knew a moment of hope, but told himself sternly that she probably only wanted to talk to him about her fear of facing Adam again, that it had nothing to do with him personally. He was her doctor. She was his patient.
"Why don't we sit on the bench like we always do?" David wanted to take her arm as he always did during their walks, but today he held back.
Elise wanted him to escort her as he always did, and she was crestfallen when he didn't offer to take her arm. Holding herself stiffly, she led the way up the path to the secluded bench where they'd previously passed many afternoons in quiet companionship. When she'd settled on the seat, she kept her gaze averted, for she was afraid she wouldn't be able to conceal the love she was feeling for him.
David could feel the tension mounting between them, but he knew he had to encourage her to talk to him. He didn't understand her reluctance to see Trent.
"Why don't you want to see Adam, Elise? He's very concerned about you."
"He is?" The thought distressed her, and she knew a pang of guilt.
"He's the one who brought you here to New Orleans to me. He's taken care of everything for you. He's a very good man, Elise." David knew he couldn't be the one to break the news to her that Adam had married another woman, but he did want her to realize how much he had really cared for her.
"I know," Elise agreed miserably. "It's just that . . ."
"Are you afraid of the memories that will come with seeing him again?" David asked, incisively, thinking that was the reason for her hesitation.
"No. I've remembered everything now."
He noted how pale she became as she made the statement. "Then, what is it you're afraid of? Why don't you want to see him again?"
"I don't want to hurt him any more."
He was confused. "I'm sure seeing that you've made a full recovery won't hurt him, Elise. If anything, he'll be overjoyed. I've kept in regular contact with him and apprised him of your continuing improvement."
"Oh. Still . . ."
"I don't understand," David told her, puzzled by her obvious distress over facing Trent again. He had thought she'd be thrilled to reclaim her lost love. "If you're afraid that he's going to react differently to you because of all that's happened, I'm sure you're wrong. You're not to blame for what was inflicted upon you. You were, and still are, an innocent."
At his statement, Elise finally felt brave enough to lift her gaze to meet his.
"David, I'm afraid to see Adam because I don't love him any more," she stated firmly.
"What?"
"It's not that I don't care about him. I do. He's a wonderful man. It's just that . . ."
"Just that what?"
"Adam's not the man I love, David, you are." There, she thought with relief, it was out in the open betwe
en them. Elise felt pleased for a moment, but when David didn't immediately respond, her heart sank.
David was stunned. He'd known that they were close, but he'd had no idea that she felt the same way he did. He had thought she was just responding to him as a patient.
"Are you sure about this?" he finally managed to croak.
Elise let her gaze slide away from David's, thinking that he was going to try to convince her that she was wrong. "Yes. I'm sure."
David's tenuous control over his runaway emotions broke at that moment, and he took her into his arms. "I love you, too, Elise," he vowed devotedly. "I have for so long, but I was afraid . . ."
"You do?"
"Oh, yes," David groaned as he bent his head to kiss her for the very first time.
The kiss was gentle, tender, a tentative exploring of the fragile emotion they were both just beginning to accept, and when David ended it, their eyes met and held.
"I've loved you from the first," he told her, "but I was afraid it could never be."
"I love you, David. In the beginning, when I was first starting to remember, I'd wake up at night thinking of you. You're everything I want and need, David, everything." she confessed breathlessly, but then the thought of Adam intruded on her bliss.
David saw her expression darken. "You're worried about Trent?"
She nodded.
"Don't be," he told her with a smile.
Elise looked up at him questioningly. "Why? What's happened?"
"I spoke with him not too long ago . . ."
"Yes?"
"It seems things have changed drastically in his life, too." He paused for an instant before telling her the truth. "He's married now, Elise."
Elise blinked in surprise at the news and then smiled. There was no hurt or rejection, only a wonderful sense of freedom. She felt as if a great burden had been lifted from her. Her spirit felt light. Without hesitation, she threw her arms around David and hugged him.
David held her close to his heart. "Will you marry me, darling?"
"Yes . . . yes, oh yes!"
They held each other for a moment before David drew away to speak again. "You'll have to see him again, you know."
