Lynette Vinet

by Wild Eden Wicked

“No—not yet.” The woman turned away and flounced out of the shop.

  “That’s an odd one,” the dressmaker said to Eden, having noticed what transpired between the two women.

  Eden suddenly felt uncomfortable. The woman was a stranger to her, but it seemed as if she disliked her. “Who is she?”

  “I don’t know. She showed up here last week and bought a large number of readymade clothes. Every day she’s been in here and buys something—not that I’m complaining, but she won’t give her name, won’t talk about herself at all. But she pays for everything in cash, which is unusual. Most of my customers buy on credit.” The dressmaker placed her spectacles on her nose. “Now, let’s see what you’ve got here,” she said to Eden, and considered the material Eden had chosen for her wedding gown.

  For the remainder of the afternoon, Eden immersed herself in the design of her gown, her hat, gloves, and shoes. She was having a grand time when she suddenly noticed Tiku and the buggy outside the window. She hurriedly left with the promise from the dressmaker that the gown would be finished in two weeks’ time. Eden could hardly wait to wear it, but more than anything, she prayed for Damon to set the wedding date. Perhaps his telling her to choose the material meant he had made up his mind. She hoped so. With each passing day she grew more certain of her pregnancy.

  When she sat beside Tiku and they headed for home, her entire face glowed. She’d tell Damon about the baby that night. Her instincts led her to believe that the wedding was going to occur soon. And it had to be soon. She couldn’t wait another moment.

  Tiku noticed the love and joy shining on her face. “You’re very happy with the boss, Mrs. Flynn.”

  She giggled out loud like an infatuated schoolgirl. “Yes, very definitely happy.”

  “I’m glad. Mr. Alexander deserves a good woman to love him. He’s been alone a long time now.”

  “Did you ever meet his late wife?”

  He shook his head. “No. I was in England when they were married. After I returned, I was told she had died.”

  “Damon took her death very hard, didn’t he?”

  “Yes, ma’am. He drank and didn’t take an interest in anything or anybody for a long time. Until he met you, that is. You’ve changed his whole life.”

  Eden couldn’t help but flush under Tiku’s complimentary gaze. “I hope I can make him happy. I don’t want him to be sad or think he made a wrong choice after we’re married.”

  “He’d never think that. He loves you. Don’t try to compare yourself to the first Mrs. Alexander.”

  “I know I shouldn’t. This whole afternoon when I’ve been so happy, I’ve been thinking about her, wondering what she was like. I guess it’s normal to wonder about the woman who went before you.” Eden gave a small laugh. “Forgive me, Tiku. I’m being a silly goose and boring you in the process. Let’s talk about your plans. Damon told me you’re going to work at Kia Ora for Marjorie. I didn’t know you were an animal doctor.”

  “Not many people do know,” he admitted. “I find it difficult to admit to people that I was trained in England only because my father wanted to relieve his guilt in siring a bastard son by having me educated.”

  “I’m certain he didn’t do it for that reason. Your father must love you very much.”

  Tiku grinned sadly. “He cares for me some, I think, but by educating me abroad he’s shown me I’ll never fit in there or here. I’ll always be treated differently because I am different—not able to live among my father’s people and no longer able to live among the Maoris. His gift of an education has branded me. My mother’s family has disowned me.”

  Eden’s heart went out in sympathy to Tiku. How unfair and cruel people could be.

  “I know someone who thinks a great deal of you.” Eden tried to offer him some comfort. “Mrs. Carruthers told me just this morning that she believes you’ll do her and Kia Ora proud. And Mrs. Carruthers is a very discerning woman.”

  She’d have sworn Tiku blushed but she wasn’t certain because of the deepening shadows. “Mrs. Carruthers is too kind.”

  ~~~

  When Eden arrived home she made certain that the Maori cook who had taken over Tiku’s job had prepared supper. The lamb was already done, and upon tasting it, the piece of meat melted in her mouth. Making sure the dining-room table was set just right and pleased to see how the candles in the opulent chandelier bathed the room in a romantic light, she hurried to wash and dress before Damon returned. She changed into a green-and-blue-striped taffeta gown. The bodice was a deep royal-blue and fit so snugly across her bosom, she found she had to hold her breath while a servant did the tiny buttons on the back.

  There was no doubt about it. Tonight she had to tell Damon about the baby. Before too long, he’d be able to see for himself that she was carrying a child. A secret smile curved her lips. Tonight would be a special night indeed.

  Just as the sun dipped behind the mountains, she heard voices in the parlor. Believing Damon to be home, she practically ran down the hallway, only to stop in stunned silence when she saw the woman from the dressmaker’s shop sitting on the divan. A small boy, next to her, clutched her hand. The woman didn’t rise when Eden entered the room.

  “I could not keep the lady out,” the servant woman, Lanu, apologized to Eden, and shot the stranger a chilling look.

  “That’s all right. You’re dismissed, Lanu.” Eden waited expectantly, offering the child a friendly smile when he scooted closer to the woman, whom Eden assumed to be his mother. “I’m sorry,” she said, realizing the woman wasn’t going to say anything and unnerved by her contemptuous stare. “Today at the dressmaker’s I failed to ask your name. I do apologize. If I’m supposed to know you—”

  “You’re not.”

  “Then how may I help you?”

  The woman rose. Her eyes contained such venomous loathing that Eden’s skin crawled. “You may leave me house, that’s what you can do!”

  Eden’s mouth fell open in utter shock. She was speechless for a moment. Who was this woman? Was she insane? How dare she come into Castlegate and act as if she owned it. “I suggest you leave right now, madam,” she finally said. “I fear you’ve made a great error in coming here.” Eden spoke calmly, concerned the woman might be a bit mad and realizing the little boy, who was about four years old, was clinging in fear to his mother’s skirts.

  “The only one who’ll be leavin’ is you, you strumpet, you Jezebel!”

  “Now just one moment…” Eden would have stood her ground, would have called for Tiku if the woman became more unruly, but the child started to cry. The woman bent and patted his back to comfort him, and Eden suddenly felt like the interloper, which was ridiculous. Castlegate was her home.

  A movement from the veranda doorway caught her eye. Eden breathed a relieved sigh to see Damon standing there, assured the strange situation would be put to rights. But there was something about his very stance, the chilling way his gaze was riveted on the woman and the child, that paralyzed her into silence. The hand gripping his hat brim trembled violently, and she’d never seen his bronzed complexion so ashen in color. The haunting, pained expression in his eyes shook her to her very soul.

  She made a slight move to go to him but stopped. Damon didn’t seem to see her or hear her when she whispered his name. It was as if she’d died, and death would have been preferable when she saw him take a step forward and, without removing his gaze from the dark-haired woman hoarsely exclaimed, “Tessa!”

  Chapter 18

  “Yes, Damon, it’s me.”

  Tessa sounded almost proud, too haughty for Damon’s liking when she faced him. He couldn’t help but admire her courage. The bitch didn’t even falter, didn’t quake with fear. He was the one who was shaking, and not only because Tessa had the audacity to turn up at Castlegate, unannounced, uninvited, and most definitely unwanted. It was because of Eden his legs could barely carry him now. He couldn’t look at her, so filled was he with embarrassment and humiliation.

  Eden mus
t be puzzled, more than upset. Worst of all was the disgust and utter contempt he knew she’d later feel for him. God, please let her try and understand. He prayed for the first time since he was a little boy. Let Eden understand why I didn’t tell her about Tessa. Don’t let her leave me.

  But for now, he couldn’t take care of Eden; first, he had to deal with Tessa.

  But he was aware of Eden standing as still as a Maori wood carving. He took a controlling breath and spoke to the woman who was still his wife. “I suppose you’re here because Mr. MacKenzie’s investigator found you and told you I’m petitioning for divorce.”

  Tessa made a helpless gesture with her hand which resembled a bird’s attempt to flutter a broken wing. “No-o, no investigator contacted me. You can’t mean to divorce me, Damon, me love. We’ve traveled all this way. I’ve come to plead with you to take me back.” She appeared sufficiently distraught. “I’ve had a change of heart about us. I know now how much I love you.”

  “What a lying bitch you are!” Damon raked his hair and tossed his hat to the floor. “After what you put me through, the way you left me, you now say you love me. Tessa, I want no part of you! Get out of here!”

  “Momma!”

  It was then Damon took notice of the frightened child who stood behind Tessa. “Man’s gonna hurt me!” he cried. “Momma, man’s gonna hurt me.”

  “There, there, Collin,” Tessa soothed, bending down to scoop up the child in her arms. “No one’s gonna hurt me baby boy.” She patted him on the back and shot Damon a hostile glare. “All your blusterin’ has scared Collin. Lower your voice, he’s a sensitive child.” Her eyes narrowed toward Eden. “And tell your whore to get out.”

  Damon lowered his voice, but glowered at Tessa. “Don’t you dare to call Eden that. I think it’s time for you to be leaving.”

  Tessa laughed. “I won’t be the one to go, Damon. I need to talk to you about our son.” She stroked the dark-haired child’s head. “He is yours.”

  Eden watched Damon’s reaction. It was as if a thunderbolt hit him from the heavens as he jerked forward and cursed under his breath. “You’re lying.” But Eden could see even as he spoke that he was watching the little boy, carefully examining him, looking for features in the child’s face to determine if the boy was his son. And Eden knew then with a clarity which caused her heart to nearly stop beating that Tessa was telling the truth. The physical similarities couldn’t be denied.

  This child was Damon’s son.

  She clutched at her throat just as Damon looked at her. For the first time since he entered the room, he seemed to truly see her, and she knew he’d already reached the same conclusion about the child. “Eden, sweetheart…” He started across the room toward her, but she backed away. “I have to explain about Tessa, about the divorce…”

  “I don’t want to hear about it. I can’t bear to hear about it.” Her voice cracked and tears glistened within her eyes like diamonds within emerald pools. She wanted to collapse at the unfairness of it all. Within her body grew Damon’s child, but not ten feet away from her was a little boy whom she knew Damon couldn’t desert—not if Collin was truly his son. She wouldn’t tell him about the life growing within her. Not now, not when he had a wife and child. Dear God! What lies he had told her.

  But she held herself erect. Her mother’s training all those years ago about the importance of behaving like a lady came back to her. “There must be a great deal for you to talk over, so I’ll leave you alone with your son and—your wife.” She could barely utter the words, but grabbing a handful of taffeta skirt, she pirouetted and proudly walked through the veranda doors to head past the stately columns until she was outside. Then she ran until she collapsed, breathless and spent, upon a hillside. Beneath the glittering stars, Eden screamed to the heavens and pounded her fists upon the ground.

  “Damn you, Shamus Flynn, damn you for making me promise to come here! Damn you, damn you, damn you!” Burying her face within the cradle of her arms, she wept.

  ~~~

  “Your woman is a fancy one,” Tessa commented, checking the envy in her voice. “But she ain’t your type.” She managed a tremulous smile at his black scowl. “What do you think of our little Collin?” she asked, and kissed the boy’s cheek. “He looks like you, don’t you think?”

  Damon ignored her, calling for Lanu, who immediately appeared. “Collin…” He addressed the little boy and smiled at him. “Lanu will take you outside to the stables to see my horses. I have a pony you might like to sit on.”

  The child’s face brightened, and he wiped away his tears. “A real pony? I never saw a real pony before.” Looking to his mother, he said, “I want to see the pony.”

  “Go on then.” Tessa waved him away. “And be a good boy.”

  Collin assured he would be very good, and eagerly left with Lanu. Damon waited until they were out of the house. The only sound was the rhythmic ticking of the pendulum clock, and it reminded Damon of the many years he’d wasted being married to this woman. He should have divorced her long ago. Now he feared he’d lost Eden because of his stupidity in not freeing himself permanently of Tessa. He’d wanted to forget her very existence, but that was impossible. She sat before him a triumphant expression on her face because she thought she had him where she wanted him—and all because of an innocent child.

  “Is the boy truly mine?” he ground out, unwilling to admit Collin was his.

  “Of course he is. You’re not blind, Damon. You can see he resembles you.”

  “Why didn’t you tell me you were having a child when you left here?”

  “I didn’t know then. And, well … what would you want me to do after the horrible things you screamed at me? I couldn’t very well come back, now could I?”

  “So your lover accepted you and the boy.”

  “Aye. He loved me very much, and was good to Collin.”

  “What happened to your wealthy businessman?”

  Tessa’s voice shook. “He died.”

  “So now you’ve returned to Thunder Mine and me in search of greener pastures.”

  Tessa shook out her skirt. “Ah, Damon, I’d figure you’d think the worst. Can’t you accept I’ve returned because I still love you, that Collin needs his father? We were good together once, you haven’t forgotten that.” Taking a step toward him, she wrapped her arms around his neck. “I think I came back just in time.”

  Damon glared down at her languid expression. Suddenly he laughed. “What a wanton creature you are. I don’t love you. In fact I’m disgusted by you. Go back to wherever you came from and leave me be.” He didn’t miss her baleful stare as he disentangled her arms. “I’ll take you into town, so be ready when I return. I have to find Eden and explain things to her.”

  Tessa indignantly placed her hands on her hips. “What is it you’re sayin’ to me, Damon Alexander? That you don’t want me as your wife anymore, that you want to marry that slut who took out of here like her lace drawers were afire? Well, I’m not goin’ no place.”

  Moving toward her, Damon didn’t miss the fear that suddenly blossomed on Tessa’s still-pretty face. He grabbed her, his fingers digging into the flesh of her upper arms. “Never call Eden such a name again. You’re that—and other names so vile I won’t repeat them. I wish to God I’d gotten a divorce and not waited so long. I’d be free of you then, blissfully free.”

  “Why didn’t you divorce me?” Tessa asked, grimacing with pain. This was the first time in five years that Damon had touched her. She enjoyed the feel of his hands upon her, even if it was to hurt her. “Did you love me so much, Damon?”

  Damon sighed and shook his head. “Same old Tessa you are, always thinking too much of yourself. But, no, I hated you enough that I lied and told people you’d died accidentally. It seemed the quickest and least painful way to put you out of my mind forever. And it worked. Do you know that no one thought to tell me what a tragedy your death was. Not even Sutherland.”

  “Oh, that’s because Jock already
—” Tessa broke off, clamping her lips together.

  “There’s something you want to tell me about Sutherland?” Damon eyed her suspiciously, his fingers digging more deeply into her arms.

  “Stop, Damon. You’re hurting me!”

  He let her go with such violent force that Tessa spun around and found herself clinging to the back of a nearby chair for support. “Be ready to leave,” he reminded her.

  She caught her breath. Her eyes were large, her tone combative. “If I leave, Collin goes with me. You’ll never see your son again. I’ll make bloody certain of that.”

  “The boy stays.”

  Her dark curls bounced when she shook her head. “He won’t stay without me. I’m his mother, and he needs me. You can’t be gettin’ rid of me and keepin’ him.”

  “Like hell I can’t.”

  Rushing around to the other side of the chair, Tessa knew genuine fear. Perhaps it hadn’t been a good idea to come here like this, but if she hadn’t arrived unexpectedly, then she’d never be allowed into Castlegate. She gambled Damon would relent and want his son—and herself in the bargain. “Touch me and I’ll scream to the top of me lungs. I’ll bring your house down upon your head. I’ll tell anyone who’ll listen, you tried to kill me so you could marry your whore. Now who’s goin’ to deny that ain’t the truth? You?

  “I saw a barrister before I come here. I have me rights. Legally, we’re still married and this is my house. If you know what’s right and proper, you’ll cart your precious slut into town. Besides, from what I been hearin’ in certain circles, Mrs. Eden Flynn is considered to be the whore, not me. So, think long and hard about what you plan to do, love, ‘cause her reputation is the one in shreds around here.” Tessa cast a proprietary eye over the parlor. “If the rest of the house is as fancy as this, I’d say I’ve done pretty well for meself. Too bad I can’t thank old Shamus personally.”

  She was determined to make his life a hell, he could tell. She’d returned for some other reason than love for him or wanting the boy to know his father. And he’d already accepted Collin as his own. The striking resemblance between them was too great to be ignored. But why had she come back? For his money? Perhaps. He had plenty of money, true, but she was up to something else, and she planned to use an innocent child to worm her way back into his life. He wanted to get to know his son, but he wouldn’t allow Tessa the upper hand. She and the boy would stay at Castlegate for the time being, but not at the price of his sanity.