Island Fire

by Bobbi Smith

  Clad in the prim nightgown Mildred had given her, Espri nestled close to Mitch as they shared his bed for the first time.

  "Happy?" Mitch asked, as he pressed a soft kiss to her brow.

  "As long as I'm with you . . . yes," she replied, sighing contentedly.

  They had passed the evening in comfortable companionship with Jon and Catherine, enjoying a sumptuous dinner and making plans for the days to come. Catherine was already excited about hosting a "welcome home" celebration for Mitch, and she promised to have a full guest list ready for his approval the next day. Espri already had an appointment the following morning with the best dressmaker in San Francisco. Although Catherine had agreed to accompany her, at Jon's prodding, Mitch had insisted on going along to help his wife select a complete wardrobe.

  "I'm looking forward to our trip to the couturiere," Mitch told her as he drew her above him. "I shall take great pleasure in seeing you dressed properly." There was a hint of a smile in his tone as he regarded her unattractive nightgown critically. "Or should I say, undressed properly?"

  "Are you saying you don't approve of my attire?" she teased as his hands worked feverishly to free her from the cotton garment.

  "Approval has nothing to do with it . . . I hate the damn thing!" he replied almost vehemently as he struggled to help her slip it off. "That's better," Mitch finally declared as she tossed the plain gown aside and came to lie against him, nude.

  "I think so, too," she murmured seductively.

  Their world dissolved into erotic bliss, then, as they blended together; each seeking to please the other in the most intimate fashions. Espri needed his closeness this night, and she reveled in the magic he worked on her senses. His sensual caresses had her writhing beneath him, and as his lips trailed paths of fire across her silken flesh, she cried out to him in ecstasy, begging him to take her quickly so they could share the pinnacle of joy. Mitch came to her then, fitting himself to her and savoring the soft, hot confines of her aroused body. Love's need swept them along to its peak, and they shuddered as passion pulsed through them. Later, secure in their love, they fell asleep in each other's arms, unaware of the terror and treachery that would threaten their happiness in the days to come.

  Chapter 26

  "Good morning, Madame Vigney." Catherine led the way into the seamstress's shop the following day.

  "Mrs. Williams, it's good to see you. What can I do for you today?" Felice Vigney took pride in the fact that Catherine Williams dealt exclusively with her, and she always took great care to satisfy the young woman's meticulous tastes, for it was well known that she was a trendsetter among the elite. The couturiere's efforts had been profitably rewarded. During the past year many of society's finest had begun to frequent her shop in the hope of achieving the pinnacle of fashion. "I was surprised to find that you needed another appointment so soon after our last meeting . . ." Felice let the sentence dangle when she saw a gentleman and another young woman follow Catherine into the shop.

  "The appointment wasn't for me, Felice, but for my new sister-in-law." Catherine played the gracious matron to the hilt as she made the necessary introductions. "Felice Vigney, this is Espri Williams and my brother-in-law, Mitch."

  "Mitch?" The seamstress glanced up at him in amazement. She was well aware of the town gossip, and she remembered distinctly that he'd been declared dead some time ago. "Weren't you supposed to be dead?"

  Mitch grinned, knowing that this was the reaction he would be getting from everyone he met for the next several days. "Yes, madame, but it was only an unpleasant rumor that I hope will soon be put to rest."

  "I am pleased to find that you are in excellent health." Felice's heart fluttered as he graced her with a charming smile. She had always thought Jonathan Williams attractive, but his brother was even more so.

  "Thank you, Madame Vigney. We are here today because my wife is in need of your services. Espri will need a complete wardrobe as quickly as possible," he stated, as he gazed down at his wife, adoringly.

  "A complete wardrobe?" Madame Vigney was taken aback. Never before had she received such a lucrative order.

  Mitch nodded. "Catherine has assured us that you are the best in all of San Francisco."

  "I strive to find the perfect style for each of my customers. Everyone has appealing features, and I try to accent and enhance those qualities," she replied with dignity. "Come, Mrs. Williams. Let me take a good look at you."

  Espri had been gazing about the shop with interest, taking in the bolts of colorful fabrics and the various dress forms and sketches that were placed strategically about. At Felice's urging, she came forward to stand before a full-length mirror near the back. The couturiere studied her with a critical eye, and when the woman didn't speak for several minutes, Espri began to grow self-conscious.

  "Is something wrong, Madame Vigney?" Espri finally asked, and Felice blinked in surprise when she heard her accent.

  "Vous êtes Française?" she queried excitedly.

  "Mon père est Français," Espri offered.

  "C'est magnifique!" Felice laughed delightedly as she turned to Mitch and Catherine. "This is wonderful! I am going to create the most fabulous wardrobe for Mrs. Williams. Her body is perfect and her coloring . . ." She rolled her eyes in appreciation. "Come, I want to show you all the latest sketchings I have and my newest issues of Godey's and Demorest's."

  Ushering them into one of the commodious sitting rooms, she left them to seat themselves on a large, overstuffed sofa while she went to get the pictures.

  Catherine seated herself gingerly, concealing her irritation with admirable restraint. C'est magnifique, indeed. She was seething. No one was going to outshine her when it came to stylish dressing—no one!

  "What do you have in mind, madame?" Mitch asked when the seamstress returned. He was unaware of Catherine's vindictive nature.

  "She is tall and slender, so there is much we can do," Felice began as she started flipping through the magazines searching for styles that would best suit Espri's dark beauty. "Her best features . . ." She pursed her lips as she glanced up to study her new client once more. "Pah! All her features are lovely! Madame Williams, you have no flaws that need to be disguised."

  Espri flushed under the woman's admiring praise. "Thank you."

  "I am not here to pay you compliments, madame, merely to state the truth," Felice insisted. "It is my job to create gowns that will emphasize your beauty, and I think this will be an easy task for me."

  During the next hour and a half, Mitch ordered extensively for his wife, sparing no expense in his desire to see her suitably clothed. Espri's measurements were taken and then numerous daygowns were selected from the pictures at hand. The materials to be used were carefully chosen with an eye to color and fashion. Undergarments were ordered, these to be made from the finest silks and satins; corsets, crinolines and all the other trappings that were essential to a modern woman's wardrobe.

  "Lastly, Madame Vigney, my wife is in need of a ball gown; something special, I would think," Mitch told the couturiere when the basics had been taken care of.

  "Ah, you have an important gathering to attend?"

  "Yes, I'm sponsoring a ball in their honor," Catherine replied. "This will be Espri's first outing in society."

  "What joy! What excitement!" Felice grew even more enthusiastic. "Monsieur . . . do I have your permission to create something splendid for your wife?"

  "Of course, madame." Mitch smiled approvingly. "Money is no object."

  Felice's eyes sparkled at the challenge. "I shall take great pleasure in designing a gown that will be unrivaled in style and workmanship."

  "Wonderful," Catherine put in, trying to sound pleased by the news. "What is the earliest you could have the gown ready?"

  "Have you set the date for your ball?" Felice asked cautiously.

  "No. We were waiting to see how soon the gown would be finished," she replied.

  "This is Wednesday . . . um . . ." The couturiere paused thought
fully. "I am certain, if we start right away, that I should have it ready for a fitting by Friday . . . if that is suitable?"

  Catherine was pleased. "Good. I shall plan our ball for Saturday evening. Thank you, Madame Vigney; as always you have more than outdone yourself."

  "Madame, you are, and always have been, my favorite customer. It pleases me to satisfy you to the fullest." The Frenchwoman smiled her appreciation and then turned to Espri. "I shall look forward to seeing you Friday afternoon, if that will be convenient for you?"

  "Of course, madame. We'll be here," Mitch agreed easily as they left the shop.

  Their carriage was awaiting them, and Mitch handed Catherine in first before turning to his wife.

  "Thank you, darling." Espri was overwhelmed by the amount of clothing he'd just ordered for her.

  "You're more than welcome." He smiled down at her as he lifted her into the carriage.

  "And thank you, Catherine." She turned to the other woman, who had already taken her seat in the conveyance. "I really appreciate your advice."

  "It's a pleasure to help," her sister-in-law responded mechanically, taking care to keep the malice from her voice. Mitch had just spent a small fortune outfitting Espri, and it irked her that Madame Vigney had taken such a liking to the newcomer.

  As the carriage rumbled off, Catherine settled back in the seat, wondering if there would be some way she could escape Espri's tedious company that afternoon and sneak off to visit Roland. She was desperate to talk with him for she needed his reassurance that everything would be fine in spite of Mitch's unexpected return.

  Mitch excused himself as soon as they arrived at the house, for he had arranged to meet with Jon at the office in order to introduce him to Captain Clark, who, along with Mildred, would be joining them for dinner that night. Catherine and Espri, left to their own devices, had lunch together, after which Catherine pleaded the need for rest and disappeared to her room as quickly as possible without seeming rude. Ringing for Florence, she waited impatiently for her personal maid to come to her.

  "Yes, Miss Catherine?" Florence asked when she entered the bedroom to find Catherine dressed and ready to go out.

  "As soon as Espri goes to her rooms, I want you to order my carriage brought around."

  "But, ma'am . . ." The maid began to protest, knowing that it would no longer be a simple matter to leave undetected.

  "Florence, I know what you're going to say and I don't want to hear it. I have to go!"

  "What if someone asks me where you've gone?" She was afraid for her mistress.

  "Tell them I went shopping," Catherine answered curtly.

  "But I just heard you tell Miss Espri that you were going to rest this afternoon."

  "Who cares what I told her? Besides, no one is going to ask. Jon will be at the office until late tonight. Now, go on, and call me as soon as she goes to her room."

  "Yes, ma'am."

  Catherine didn't have long to wait, for Espri was nearly exhausted from her trip to the seamstress's shop and retired shortly after lunch. At Florence's call, Catherine hurried downstairs and quickly climbed into her waiting carriage for the trip to Roland's office.

  Espri had been about to lie down when she heard a vehicle pull up in front. Hoping it might be Mitch returning early for some reason, she went to the window and she was surprised to see Catherine leaving. She frowned, puzzled by the other woman's actions. Why had Catherine decided to go out, when just a few minutes earlier she had claimed to be quite tired and in much need of an afternoon's rest? Shrugging off the other woman's strange behavior, she stretched out on the bed to sleep for a while so she would be refreshed for dinner with Mildred and the captain.

  "What am I to do?" Catherine demanded of Roland as she stood before his desk.

  "Nothing, Cat. Absolutely nothing," he told her candidly.

  "Nothing?" Her surprise couldn't have been more complete. "How can I just sit back and do nothing, when at any moment Mitch might discover that I was involved in a plot to murder him?"

  "Relax, darling," he drawled. "We've both gotten what we wanted out of the situation. You have your marriage, and I've expanded my business interests in a very profitable direction. Who cares if he's back or not?"

  "I suppose you're right, but still . . ."

  "Do you have reason to believe that he might be suspicious?" Roland's eyes narrowed as he waited for her reply.

  "No. In fact, he seems perfectly satisfied with the explanation that whoever robbed him decided to take his clothes." She paused. "How did that happen, by the way?"

  "The men I hired to kill Williams thought to make a few extra dollars on the side by selling him to a crimp. They wanted my money too, so they put his clothes on his driver, whom they'd already killed, and dumped that man's body in the bay."

  Catherine smiled wickedly upon hearing this explanation. "Too bad Mitch survived his year at sea."

  Roland shrugged. "It doesn't matter one way or the other, now. As long as he doesn't start delving too deeply into my 'imports,' I don't foresee any problem in dealing with him."

  Catherine visibly relaxed. "So you don't think we're in any danger of being found out?"

  "No, my sweet, our secret is safe." He pushed away from the desk to approach her with lustful intent. "But you will have to take extra care now to ensure that our liaison is not discovered."

  A small smile curved her lips as he took her into his arms. "I promise you that I'll be totally discreet, my love."

  "That's what I like to hear," he murmured; then his mouth took hers in a kiss of surging desire.

  "Captain Clark has decided to sign on with us," Mitch announced happily at the dinner table that evening. "So, I'd like to propose a toast to the Providence and her captain. May our partnership be a long and profitable one."

  "Hear, hear," Jon seconded, and they all lifted their glasses in salute of the new arrangement. "I think you'll find you've made the right decision."

  "I feel I have," the captain responded. "You seem to have a very successful company, your terms are more than fair, and this way, I'm guaranteed a market for my goods."

  "We'll do well together, I'm sure," Mitch said. "How soon do you think you can be ready to sail?"

  "Easily within two weeks, I would think," he answered.

  "Will you be glad to be back at sea, Mildred?" Espri asked her friend.

  Mildred was thoughtful and then gave a small shrug. "I enjoy my times in port, but my place is with my husband."

  "Don't you grow tired of living aboard a ship?" Catherine was amazed that any woman would want to spend her life that way.

  "No. The Providence is our home," she said defensively, sensing the slight in the socially prominent woman's meaning.

  "Well, I certainly admire your fortitude. I don't think I could do it," Catherine declared.

  "To each his own," Mildred responded. "But I find it far more rewarding to be with the captain than to wait behind in some lonely port for his return. How much more exciting to be at his side!"

  Catherine shrugged slightly, knowing that, to her, no man was worth such a sacrifice. What kind of life could a lady have under those conditions? Ugh! Plain food, rationed water, crude sailors around one, and endless miles of ocean. She shuddered inwardly, though she kept her polite "company" smile intact. "I'm sure you must find it challenging."

  "No more so than any other life, I would imagine," Mildred told her. "One must choose the life that best suits. Only then can true happiness be found."

  Her friend's comments made Espri think of Malika. She had been so busy adjusting to "civilized" living the past few days, that she had had little time to miss her home, but now a great sense of loss swept over her. Glancing toward Mitch, she was surprised to find his gaze upon her.

  "Someday, Espri and I will sail with you again," he remarked to the captain as his eyes met hers in warm understanding. "I would enjoy nothing more than a return to Malika for an extended visit with my wife's family."

  "We will
be glad to have you with us." Mildred was pleased by his declaration.

  The men's conversation returned to business then, and Catherine listened attentively to their discussion, in the hope of relaying to Roland as much information as possible about this new ship that would be sailing for the Williams line. When the evening drew to a close, she made a point of inviting the Clarks to the ball on Saturday night, thus providing Roland with the opportunity to meet with the captain himself. She knew he dealt with each ship's captain separately and that he would appreciate the chance to negotiate a deal with Captain Clark.

  Catherine wanted to send word to Roland right away, but she didn't have an opportunity to do so until late the next morning, after Mitch and Jon had left for the office. Calling her maid to her, she handed her the missive.

  "Florence, I want this message delivered to Mr. Stuart right away," she directed in low tones, unaware that Espri had just appeared in the hall.

  "Yes, ma'am. Should I wait for an answer?"

  "No, that won't be necessary. He'll know what has to be done."

  "Yes, ma'am." Florence started out the door just as Espri joined Catherine.

  "Who's Mr. Stuart? Will I be meeting him soon?"

  Cat was so startled by her unexpected appearance that she wanted to scream at her that she should have made her presence known, but she knew that doing so would make Espri suspicious of her.

  "I'm sure you will," she replied smoothly, giving her an easy smile. "In fact, that's what the note is about. Roland Stuart is a business associate of Jon's, and I had forgotten to send him an invitation to the party," she lied, glad now that Espri hadn't been involved in the handling of the invitations. "Since it's so late, I thought it best to send him a personalized note in the hope that he'll still be able to attend Saturday night."

  "That's very thoughtful of you," Espri replied, thinking nothing of the matter. "What does he deal in?"

  "He's a very successful importer, among other things, and he deals exclusively with Williams Shipping. It wouldn't do to offend him in any way," Catherine added for effect.